Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-01-30
CUSTER CHRONICLE
Cowboys W. Regulars.

congressman James LAIRD, OF Ne
braska, proposed u new scheme the
other day for Indian fighting. lie be-
lieves the Indians SHOULD be treated by
men organized and prepared for an
Indian campaign like the Indian him
self. So he suggests the muster Of two
frontier regiments, composed Of citizens
Of Arizona and New Mexico. He
doesn't mean TO depreciate the services
Of the army, bit believes the regulars
go about Indian fighting the wrong way.
General Sheridan opposes this scheme
Of arniiny settlers Of New Mexico and
Arizona to fight the Apaches, and has
stirred up Congressman Laird to talk
back. The Congressman has already
submitted his idea TO the secretary Of
war, whom he visited in company with
Senator Henderson and Congressman
Springer. Mr.. Laird was at the Grand
Pacific yesterday, returning to Wash
ington. In regard TO his proposition to
arm the settlers, and in reply &c 'iener.
al Sheridan, he SAID: "No one wishes
to antagonize the army, but when you
take into account hat this outbreak has
lasted over eight months, and SO far
General Sheridan's army Of 5000 caval-
ry has not been able to suppress it, and.
although led 10y the big braves" have
not killed or captured a single hostile
Indian, and that over 200 settlers have
been killed, and hat about one-third
OF that number were m and chill
dren, and that thousands, probably hun
dreds Of thousands, Of dollars Of prop
erty has been stolen and destroyed by
Geronimo, and the development Of these
territories checked for years, it becomes
pertinent TO ask why We spend $50, OOO,-
600 a year for an establishment called
an army, and supposed to be able to
protect the frontier"
What do o think of Sheridan's
remark that the cowboys will only fight
when drunk ?"
1T Sheridan said that, he is mistaken;
but If 1t were true they have the adj
vantage OF the army, which in New
Mexico, will not fight, drunk or sober
That is Judging from some things that !
when there, and from results.
says there are not more than
t~hirty-fve hostiles on the war path, and
he has had that number of generals. |
counting Pope, hnnting them, and still
no gore! General Sheridan's opinion Of
" estern settlers and cowboys is not
by the indians. One Of the
Mesceliero Apaches Was trying 10 buy
a gun OF "a trader. The trader said:
No, can not sell it 10 you YOU wan,
1t to kill our soldiers with Old San
Juan, chief Of that tribe, standing by.
announced with "a grunt No; we want
gun 10 kill cowboy Kill um soldiers
with a club | will admit that the COW
Toy does not embody all the moral viz
mes, and sometimes unlocks his trunk
with a corkscrew, but if whisky makes
him tilh Sheridan had better get some
OF the whisky they drink and send il to
his army. No II wishes to dispute HE
'alor OF the army aud its officers when
fighting white men, but when they hunt
.thirty.fve Indians eight months and
don't catch one we may be excused for
doubling the eIliclenty % the method,
,dopted. How can General Sheridan
expect his cavalry to catch al Indian
when each company carries a bugle o
and when they get near where tht
are expected to be the busle.
splits the bugIe blowing calls! WOulu
The General expect to catch many dee
If lie hunted them with 4 base drum =
tnter-Ocean.