National Republican., 1880-03-13
OUR INDIAN BROTHERS.
Hardships Incurred in the Pursuit
of Victoria.
Incredible sufcrIngs of Men and Animals
Physical Difficulties Encountored-The
Lava-Beds u Lawn to the Black
Range-General Miles After
the Sioux-The Agreement
with the Ute Chiefs.
An omcial Report from General Hatch.

An Official Report from General Hatch.
The following report has been received at
the War Department:
HEADoRT's. Dist. OF NEW MEXICO,
IN THE FIELD, OJO CALrENTE, N. NJ,
February %, 1880,
To The assistant Adjutdnt General, Department Of
Me Missouri, Fort LeduenpOrth, Kansas:
SIR respectfully forward for the lnfor-
nation Of tho General commanding, facts in
regard to Major Morrow's commands and tho
hostile Indians coming to my notice since my
arrival In the field. Major Morrow's COM
mand shows that the work performed by the
troops is most arduous, horses worn to more
shadows, men without boots, shoes and cloth
ing. That the loss In horses may bo under
stood when following tho Indians in tho
Black Range, the horses were without any
thing to eat for five days, except what they
nibbled from Pinor pines. Going without
food so long was nearly US disastrous as tho
fearful march into Mexico of 1879; hours with
out water all this followed by forced marches
over inexpresslbly rough trails, explains the
serious mortality among the horses, many
of them now from the States and
unacclimated. Major Morrow has over.ex-
erted himself to such an extent as to produce
II dangerous hemorrhage. Long night marches
have beeu made on foot by tho troops in their
efforts 10 surprise the Indian camps. Morrow
deserves great credit for the persistency with
which he has kept up tho pursuit. and with
out the Fort Indians and constant vigilance,
must have talcn into ambuscades, resulting
in tho destruction of his command. Tho In-
dians are Certainly as strong as any command
Major Morrow has had in action. We always
fight IN extreme skirmish line. Tho Indian
line Is always found to be Of some length, aud
often longer, extending in some actions more
than two miles; hence the effort to extend his
1anlis with the object ofsurroundng them fails.
Tim Indians calanI moi fnr THAR HVlt-
ing ground, aud positions almost impregnable,
usually throwing up stone riae-pits where ma
ture has not furnished them, and skillfully
devising loop-holes
The mountain Hotchkiss is simply invalu'
albeit knocks the stone Notifications down
readily, and served by an old artilleryman,
Lieutenant Humphrey, now in the Ninth
Cavalry, the accuracy of its fro is something
wonderful. The Indians are thoroughly
armed and, MS AN evidenc,, they arc asund-
antly supplied with ammunition. Their fire
in action Is incessant aud nearly all tho
horses aud mules they abandon OH tho march
are shot. 1t is estimated that they have
killed from six hundred to one thousand
since the outbreak When the animal be-
comes too footsorc to 10 further, the Indians
shoot him. 1t is impossible to describe the
exceeding roughness of such mountains as the
! Black Range aud the San Matoo. Tue Indian
Modoc Lava Beds are Il lawn compared with
them. The militia of the Governor of Mexico
will be Of nc. use. One company remained
with the command the day before
the action at San Anduas, and left on
tho eve of going into action, stating
that their horses had broken down, though
they had marched, OH fresh horses, one days
less distance than the troops. As the troops
went into action on foot it is reasonable to
draw another Goncusion-that was the last
ever seen of them. / have therefore con-
cluded we can look for little or no assistance
from them, aud it is doubtful whether 1000
men can be raised by the Governor, or half as
many. At this date | think many of tho In
dians are on the Mescasro reservation. We
| have not up to this time found any concen-
tration of trails. Morrow's command will
move through the Black Range; Hookcr's to
the San Mateo. Very respectfully, your obc-
diout servant, EDWARD HATCH,
Colonel Ninth Cavalry, Commanding,