Los Angeles daily herald., 1885-12-04
GENERAL sCuoFIELD.
He wants More Troops TO Fight
the Indinns.


WASHINGTON, December 3. - Major
General Schotield, commanding the Di-
vision Of Missouri, says in his annual re-
ports .The Indians are well mounted,
having several ponies to each man. we'll
armed and abundantly supplied with
ammunition. Being trained from child
hood, they are excellent horsemen and
expert marksmen, equal in these respects
to the best regular troops in the world.
1t is manifestly impossible to permanent
ly overcome and hold in subjection such
bodies Of savages by show Of any force
far inferior to them in numbers. If in
formation OF threatened outbreak of
any tribe is obtained in time, II may be
prevented by a rapid concentration Of
troops by rail. This has been done la
several instances, as in that Of the Shey-
enHes last summer; but II two or three
tribes become disatfected at the same
time, or any tribe take advantage Of The
temporary absence OF troops, as they
frequently do. to manifest their laten.
hostility, it may be impossible to prevent
general uprising, which must result in
vast destruction Of life and property.
Considerable progress has doubtless been
made toward civilization In some of the
tribes, but their savage nature has not
yet been greatly changed, and their love
Of war is not diminished. while tempta-
tions to engage in hostilities and oppor.
tunities 10 do injury have been vastly
Increased. The reservations are now
surrounded by great herds Of horses and
cattle and by vast fields OF wheat and
corn and By thopsanda OF defenceless
settlers. When the lapse Of few years
have dulled their recollections Of past
punishment only slight provocation will
be needed to Induce the young warriors
to yield TO such tempting opportunity
to satiate their native thirstfor blood and
plunder and their brutal lust. A great
majority Of the frontier population are
strangers to the earlier history of the
Indian country. They have settled
there since the Indians were located upon
the reservations, relying upon the gov
ernment for protection. They are ap-
parently unconscious Of any danger,
"htic hh ohhPic hutA tupf ARE llaDit NJ
any moment to experience all the hor-
rors of savage warfare. The number
of Indians in this division, as re-
ported by the Interior Department,
Is about i75,000. OF these about
80, 900 are rated as peaoeable. the re-
naming l22, 900 being more or less uu-
civilized and warlike. The warriors
number at least 5000, equal to the en-.
tire strength of the United States army
or two-ihirds more than the whole num-
Der Of troops serving in this Division.
The question to be now considered is
whether the vast increase in the inter-
ests OF life and property involved does
not now demand that such military
measures be adopted as win surely pre-
vent in the future any wholesale de-
struction Of life and property by the un-
civilized tribes of the country. | beg
leave to submit that in country Of 50,-
600, 600 of people. 50. 900 men would be
small army to be retained, with sole
reference to possible foreign wars; but
when the country has constant daily use
for nine-tenths OF THAT force to protect
its citizens and their property and to
prevent destruction by savage tribes in
their midst. 1t is extremely unwise to
limit the army to its present strength.