, 1883-12-15

The following is q partial report OF Gen.
Frank Wheaton, Commanding Department
Of .he Colombia 1883, to the Assistant
a5jataut Geuer.l Ut the Military Division
Of the Pacific:
HDo'Rs DEPART. OF THE CoLUaBIA.
VANCOUVER BAR W. l., Oct l, 1893.
To the ASSISTANT Adiutant General. Military
Division Of the Pacific. Preside OF San
Francisco. California.
COLONEL IL have the honor TO report
ths, on the 81 ultimo, IN compliance with
paragraph ., Special Orders No. 2o2. cur
rent series. War Department. Adiussnt
Generals office, assumed command OF this
Department during the temporary absence
Of the permanent Department Commander,
Since the date of the last annual report
the Indians throughout the Department OF
the Columbia have been quiet and peace
able, committing no depredaticns, and, ex-
celt in one case, giving no cause for anxiety
to the numerous settlers along the northern
border. near the British line. In the month
o. April, when was in temporary command
of the Department, l deemed it necessary,
through the report Of the commanding 9TH
Ger at Fort Spokane. to move two companies
Of Cavalry and two Of Infantry to camp
near the mouth Of Foster Creek, on the Co
lunbia River, as . precautionary measure,
in the event OF serious disturbance or hostile
demonstration by Indians on the Moses
reservation. No serious trouble with these
Indians occurred, and reports just received
from the locality indicate that Chief Moses,
Sarscpkin ard Tonasket, the heads OF the
most Influential and important tribes and
bands OF that section, are quietly locating,
as desired, en- the Colyilie reservation
| do not consider it probable, from present
Indications, that any outbreak among the
numerous tribes and bands throughout the
Department, is likely to occur in the near
future The recent completion of the North
ern Pacific Railroad, and the rapid progress
of the Oregon Short Line Railroad. through
the southeastern portion Of the Department.
have no. only very materially and sdvanta.
geously affected the question OF quickly and
cheaply Supplying our remote posti, but the
fact that troops can he speedily moved by
rail to any threateGed point viii soon be IN
derstood by nomsdie hands Of Indians, and
they will ultimately take lands in severalty,
and become as many NOTABLY the Ceur
d'Alenel now are, self supporting.
| earnestly invite the attention of the Di.
vision Commander to the fact that during
the past SIX years the allotments OF Quarter
masters funds TO this Department have
been inadequate to the proper completion OF
barracks and quarters for the troops, At
new posts funds are not supplied TO finish
buildings the troops have labored at for
years, and at old posts buildings now past
repair should be replaced by new With
this view estimates have been made and for
warded
la the month of August the General OF
the army inspected the more northern posts
IN this Department, ami received at them al
those marked evidences Of respect and alice |
.ion that Gsneral Saermsn's presence in
spires among soldiTs. They were proud t.
learn from bis own lips that he was pleased |
with their military bearing and discipline.
During the past year the following changes |
in stations of troops have been made. In |
this connection deem it proper to invite |
the Division Commanders attention TO the |
fact that the Twenty First Regiment of In
fantry has served in this D partment-its
headquarters at Vancouver Barrseks-over
eleven years, since July, 1872; and that a
recen. dispatch from the War Department,
Indicating that the regiment could not be
moved East this fall has occasioned deep re-
gret among its Cffioers and eilisted men
believe the command to be in excellent
condition, and improving. It's record OF
craftsmanship this year is most gratifying.
The De, ar ment contest on the 10Th, 1th
and 18th ultimc, when the leader of the De-
partment Team scored 263 points Of possi-
bic 3l5, indicated most satisfactory ad-
vance over the last, or any previous years
target recOrd-the highest score-made beng
twelve points above the highest made last
year; AMI the lowest on the Department
Team being twenty seven points above the
lowest made in 1892,
Sercsan. c. II. C.a,k, Troop "B," lst
Cavalry, carried off the Department medal.
The Sergeant last year, tshich was his trst
years practice,I was second on his post
team, second on the Department Team, and
won the second Prizes at the Division ard
army contest
The following are the names of the Depart
ment Rias Team, and slows the total score
made by each:
|. Sergeant C. II. Clark, Troop "B."
lst Cavalry. 2b3
>. lst Sergeant Robert NJ. Hickey,
Company 'D, 2lst Infantry ..... 256
3 Sergeant Lloyd Henderson, Com
pany ..E," 2i Infantry. .... 2J6
4. Is, Sergeant John d. CARRIER, Troop
"H." LIST Cavalry. ry................ 253
). lsr Sergesnt joseph Stahl, Company
a" 81 Infantry ry........... 2i9
g. Private William c. Smith, Company
az, DIST lniaatry- et9
:. Sergeant Nathan Compton, Com
pany "B, 2i iufantry 241
S. S,rgrant Arthur THOMPSON, Crm-
Pany "H," !" 2lst Infantry ...-.. 80
3. Private G. C L G!enex, Company
&c" q Infantry try.....-....--. 2aS
10. S rg-ant Henry Reed, Troop e.
Ist Cavalry. 2SS
II. lst Sergeant Felix Murazko, Troop
'.K," Isr Cavalry ry.... $50
-. Captain $. 2. Joeelyn, 2lst Infantry 253