New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-04
GENERAL SCHOFIELD'S CRY FOR TROOPS
DETECTING Tie IMMINENT PERIL OF iHE IRON HER
sTATYs FROM SAVAGE INDIANS.

GENERAL SCHOFIEADS CRY FOR TROOPS
DETECTING Tie IMMINENT PERIL OF HE IRON he"
sTATrs FROM SAVAGE INDIANS,
WAsHINGToy, Dec. 3.-MajOr-Gcneral ScLo-
field, commanding the Division OF the Missouri says "
his annual report that his force in round numoeroc"n
ssts OF 800 infantry, 1900 cavalry aud $50 ai'eI9
aggregating 1000 men, They occupy sixtyfve ain I
ent stations giving an OF 23l men at each lie
has the following say about the means necessary 10
prevent great destruction OF life ana property by savage
Indians:
"Ihe indians are well mounted, having several ponies
to IA man. well armed and abund4nty supplied WIN
ammunition Being trained from early childhood they
excellent hOrsemcn and expert marksnen' equal III
these respects the regular troops III the WOfd
It ia nanifestly impossible to permanently oyerawe
and hold In Subsection bodies of savaGcs 10y the
OF any force far Inferior to them III NUMBERS IL
information of the threatened outbreak Of any trbe Is
obtained time, it he prevented by tie lald con
of troops by rail This has been rue III sew
era instances in that OF the Chey last sumner
But two or three tribes disacced at the same
time, any tribe take advantage of the temporary all
OF loops they frequently do, TO manifest teir
latent hosdlty. 1t may be impossible to prevent
a general uprising which must result in vast
destruction OF life and property Considerable rrpsreSs
has DOUBTLESS been made toward III CIVILIZATION oi come
OF the tribes But their savage nature hs not YET pre
greatly changed, AID their love of war Is not yet
greatly diminished while the temptation 10 ens"i t ~
hOsites ana the opportunities Ia do injury nave beei
by herds of horses aud cattle aud by vast fields OF
wheat and corn and hous nd OF defenrec-s sc tiers
when the lapse uf few has dued the recollection
of past punishment only slight prOvocation VIII oe
ueeded 10 induce the young warriors TO yield to snch
blood aud punder aud their brutal lust.
The great majority Of the arge frontier population
strangers to the earlier his OF the Indian conn
try. They have settled there since TIE lndlas Mcrt
located upon reservations. Relying upon Government
protection. they apparently Unconscious of any dan
ger, while IN simple ruth they are 'be AZ any moment
to experience all the horrors of savage warfare Nothing
presence a
be relied UPON 10 restrain the Indians from outbreak
until they have advanced far beyond their pres
ent stage Of civilization. OF course troops
could soon be concentrated to snhdue any
rebeIOus tribe But the damage which might he donr'
the time required for tins purpose. wOuid |"
enormous, as compared with anything IN our patttH
ptrrnce OF Indian wars The number OF III 'ahS III ths
DIVISION reported by the Interior department Is
about 10000. OF these about $4,000 are r''rd S
poac, ahie thr leln.lnhg lZ2'Ooo nehg more o' it %
civilized and warke Their warriors numnrt ~ leaN
% OOOeqa the entire strength O the United states
Army or lWo-thlids more tlah INC WLol nu"c, ~
troops serving tins division IL Is ma lfe-t thai TINS
numerically smaller force Of troops cannot absolutely
prevent Indian outbreaks IN the future ~ has not IN
the past The probabilities OF such outbreaks may nave
diminished In The last few years. and undoubtedly we
faciIlics for suppress them have greatly increased
by the ,p!d sportaton OF troops 10y rail
But the question tn be now COn-ld red Is whether Tue
vast Increase the interest, OF life ana properly III
vowed does not now demand that such military meas
he adopted VIII surely prevent Ina the future any
wholesale destruction OF lie and property by the I'M
civilized tribes OF the country II Il my dny 10 puhy
and clearly present s question Tor the consideration
OF the authorities upon whom tue responsibility o action
nually rests
1t must be evident TO all that mounted troops the
only force which act Extensively against mounted
Indans. infantry being useful and IN fact indiNprhs
able The protection posts property etc seven o.
the ten cavalry regiments of the Army are serving III
this division; two OF these hdOiiudlly required
along the Rio Graude frontier. leaving only I'VE rel
coutnual service near the Indian reservations
The aggregate strength Of these five regiments doe MOI
exceed 1900 men, or less thuu On'siNh the number 81
mounted Indian warriors in the division. Hence II l.
mancSty Impossible To keep III the vicinity 81 Hhy one
tribe Of Indians puntcd force capable O coping win
that tribe. II The EcrSted last rlu
being necessary OverpOwrr ANA d-arm III" th'yenhts
had been fully earned OUT 10000 sava-c warrior ~
the N.rth would have been left cc 70 work E"lt u"nd
lsh pleasure upon the people OF Ne0rdska baSoi"'
Wyoming and Intaua.
d" | beg leave IL submit that in country Of h'y
millions Of people 10000 would be small army ("
be m.unaIu,d with s.r rctcreHcc 10 pD.2Hc iuI"l-u
But when the country has constant daily use Tor
nneteuths OF That force 20 protect ITS pee lc ana lhrr
property against destruction by uiur- ~ their
midst II extremely uuwsr TO limit the Army TO IT.
present A. well might the great ctca ot the
country limit their police force TO onc-haf that winch
experience has shown be Tor daily service,
with scrve FOR great emergencies