The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1880-11-21

English army officers are experiment
ing with balloons at Woolwich.

English army officers are experiment
ing with balloons mt Woolwich.
Omaha Republican: Major Chambers,
horse purchasing agent OF this military
department, has just bought at Kansas
City one hundred horses for the depart
ment. the last Of which arrived last
evening.
by authority from the adjutant gen
erals Office, dated Nov. o, 1880, a fur
Tough for four months ito take effect
upon re-enlistment), with permission to
go beyond the sea, is granted Private
John Fischer, company +, Sd cavalry.
Capt. Daniel G.. Caldwell, medical
department, US A, irstLieut. Chas.
A. ii. MeCauley, Sd cavalry, second
Lieut.. Leonard A. Lowering, 4th in
fantry, ana Second Lieut. George l..
Converse, jr., Sd cavalry, are detailed
as members Of the general court martial
convened at Fort Fred Stee, by para
graph 2. special orders No. ~, current
series. from these headquarters.
Washington, Nov. 20.-The musi-
clans at San Antonio, Texas, have
written TO the war department protest
ing against the LIST infantry band being
permitted TO play at concerts, balls,
etc., thereby depriving the local musi-
clans from making u living by their
profession. The general Of the army
says that regimental bands are not
maintained by the United States. Reg
mental commanders select the musi-
clans from the companies, and thus
create q band whose expenses have to
be earned or paid out of the pockets OF
officers. In despotic Russia and in
Germany soldiers are encouraged to
work for wages, a tailors and shoe.
makers, and during the harvest to sup
plement their small pay, and l do not
see why in free America n soldier may
not by music work in his leisure time
and lay by q little money to buy little
necessaries or to save 1t up and buy a
farm after his term of enlistment. 1
will surely not deprive our soldiers Of
so simple and fair a privilege. The Sec
rotary Of val concurs.
The following is the report in full OF
Brigadier Gen. Crook, commander de-
partment Of the Platte:
Fort OMAHA, Neb., Sep. 80, 1880.
have the honor TO report that since
the date Of my last annual report, the
only event Of note in this department
has been the call made by Agent
Meeker, Of the White River, (Colorado),
Ute agency, for a force of troops to
repress turbulence and disorder among
the Indians under his charge; the at
tack made by these Indians upon the
command sent to assist the agent in en-
forcing law and order, and the severe
check received by the troops, n of the
most painful features of which was the
loss Of the commanding officer. Major
I. I. Thornburgh, 4th infantry. a SOL
dier Of unquestioned courage and bril-
liant promise. At the date Of this sad
occurrence, the public journals gave
such exhaustive and accurate nara
lions of everything connected, that 1t
would needlessly swell the volume Of
this report to give n detailed recital Mt
this date, yet l cannot omit mention Of
the gallant defense made by the sur
v~ivors, under Captain. j. S. Payne,
9TH cavalry, and the remarkably rapid
march Of General Wesley Merritt, and
his command In fastening to their res
cue,-a march almost without example
for rapidity Of movement and excellent
management, and for which General
Merritt and all who participated are
entitled to the highest commentator.
In this connection also, l may be per-
mitted to refer to the excellent be-
havior Of (then) Captain dodge, 9th
cavalry, who has since received aproper
reward in his promotion to the position
Of major and paymaster.
Now that the excitement engendered
by the occasion has abated, 1t is easy to
indicate n Objectionable feature in
our Indian policy.-one for which some
remedy should be provided before n re-
currence Of the same danger may be
possible. I speak Of the fact that the
agencies for many Of our worst disposed
and iercest Indian tribes, are situated
ut such remote distances from military
posts, that when danger arises the
agent is necessarily constituted not on
ly the judge of the danger to be appre-
hended but Of the means necessary TO