Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-04
THE INDIANS.
MsJsr.tseaersi seAsaesa's Rsrsrs-fhs sav'
aaes Well Armed.

o4t8 W US Afa<~s
iBy telegraph to the Dsspatch.l
WASHINGTON, December 3.-Ms-
jor-General Schofeld, commanding the
division Of Montana, says in bis annual
report that his force, in round numbers,
consists Of $500 infantry, 5000 caval.
ry and $50 artillery, sggregating $4,000
men. They occupy 65 stations
giving an average Of 23l men
At each. He has the following
to say about the means necessary to
prevent great destruction OF life and
property by savage Indians: The In
dams are well mounted, having several
ponies to each man, well armed, and
abundantly supplied with ammunition.
Being trained from early childhood,
they are excellent horsemen and expert
maIksmen, equal, in these re-
spects. to the best regular troops
in the world. II is manifestly
impossible to permanently over
awe and hold in subjection such
bodies of savages by show Of any
force far inferior to them in numbers.
Considerable progress has doubtless
been made towards the civilization OF
some tribes, but their savage nature
has not yet been greatly changed and
their love of war is not greatly
diminished, while temptations to
engage in hostilities and opportuni-
ties to do injury have been vastly in
creased. The reservations are now
surrounded by great herds Of cattle,
and by vast fields Of wheat and corn,
and by thousands Of defenceless set
tiers. When the lapse of a few years
has dulled the recollection Of past pun
ishment only a slight provocation will
be needed to induce the young warriors
to yield to such tempting opportuni-
ties. and satiate their native thirst
for blood and plunder, and their brutal
lust. A great majority Of the large
frontier population are strangers to the
earlier history Of the Indian country
They have settled there since the In
dams were located upon the reserva.
tions. Relying upon Government pro
lection, they are apparently unconscious
of any danger, while, in simple truth,
they are liable at any moment
to experience all the horrors o
savage warfare. Nothing short Of the
immediate presence Of superior forc'
can be relied upon to restrain the In
dams from an outbreak until they have
advanced far beyond their present stag
of civilization. OF course troops coulC
soon be concentrated to subdue any re
bellious tribe, but the damage whicl
might be done, even in the time re
quired for this purpose, would be enor
nous, as compared with anything i
our past experience Of Indian wars. Tn
number Of Indians in this division, a
reported by the Interior Department, /
about l75,000. OF these about $500
are rated as peaceable, the remaininI
l22, coo being more or less uncivilize'
and warlike. Their warriors numbe
at least 25,000- equal to the entir
strength of the United States army o
two thirds more than the whole numbe
of troops serving in this division.
is manifest that this numerically smalle
force of troops cannot absolutely pre-
vent an Indian outbreak in the future
as it has not in the past. tn
probabilities of such outbreak
may have diminished in the las
few years, and undoubtedly tn
facilities for suppressing them hay
greatly increased by the means OF rapi
transportation Of troops by rail. Bu
the question to be now considered
whether the vast increase Of IL
terests in the. life and propert
involved does not now deman
that such military measures b
adopted as will surely prevent in ii
future any wholesale destruction OF IN
and property by the unciyilized trio'
of the country? 1t is my duty to plaiI
ly and clearly present this question f'
the consideration of the authoriti'
upon whom the responsibility Of actic
finally rests"
Following up this line Of argumen
General Schofeld says: 81 desire
pointedly invite attention to the ia
that, while our present force can by co
centration subdue any rebellious tri'
as has so often been done heIetofor
the warlike tribes are no less prepar'
for war now than they have been at al
former period; and that our prese
military force is manifestly insullicie
to prevent or promptly suppress lndii
outbreaks. | beg leave to submit tn
in country Of fifty millions of peop
fifty thousand men would be sm'
army to be maintained with the SO
reference to possible foreign wars b
when a country has constant daily u
for nine tenths Of that force to prOte
its people and their property again
destruction by savage tribes in tht
midst, it is extremely unwise to lin
, | the army W ITO Picochs oeiS"6s"'
we'll might the great cities of the cou
try limit their police force to one b
Of that which experience has shown
be necessary for daily service, with
reserve for great emergencies"
General Crook, commanding the l
partment Of Arizons, in his annual |
port describes at considerable leng
the circumstances which attended
outbreak of the Chiricahuas und
Geronimo,' Mangus, and other chi
last spring. and declares substantial
that the want Of harmony between
agents Of the Interior Department a
the military makes such outbreaks p
sible. His detailed account OF
events OF last year and the year p
vious in his department amounts
' effect to an accusation Of deliber
4 deception and bad faith against
then Secretary Of the Interior and
. dian Commissioner.
General Crook in January last, i
letter to the Adjutant-General, ssI
that he be restored to the control
, the Indians for whom he was held
;, sponsible, or that he be relieved Of
raeoons;h;l;tv In sunther Ietter IN