Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-08-11
snERIpAN's HOME AT THE cLosE OF ruE


WAR.
gan. Tho close of the war left him
almost at the spot where he had begun
his military career, for Secretary Seward
convinced the president and cabinet that
it would be delicate but powerful hint
to Louis Napoleon to send one of our best
generals to Texas, and. besides, 1--WE
might need him there" But the French
soon left Mexico, and after a very uncon-
genial and exasperating experience in the
reconstruction line Maj. Gen. Sheridan
was made commander of the military
division of the Missouri with headquar-
ters at Chicago The Union Pacific rail.
road was soon after completed, and tho
general made various trip to the west,
and attempted vigorous enforcement Of
the rather anomalous Indian policy Of
that period, and out of this grew what
was denounced as the "Piegan massacre"
Briefly stated, the facts are these: Col.
Baker, in immediate command of the
Montana department, forwarded frequent
complaints of the murders and depreda-
tions by the Piegans-a subdivision Of
the Blackfeet Indians. Sheridan in turn
forwarded these to Sherman, his supe-
rior, and in November 1869, the latter
sent general orders to punish the Pie
gans." rapid but very plainly ex-
Baker to Sheridan that as the severe
winter weather was at hand he had an
opportunity to "strike the Piegans," and
Sheridan to Baker, to the effect that 'if
You strike them strike them hard" And
he did it. Six companies of regulars and
few volunteers, Montana settlers, left
Fort Shaw on Jan. 49, 1870, and toiling
through distressing storms Of snow came
upon the main Piegan winter camp on
Maria river at daylight of tho 23d. Sick
ness was raging among the Indians, tho
smallpox to some extent, and they were
completely surprised; in O few minutes
the troops had killed li3, wounded many
more and burned the camp. AS usual
when camp is attacked the Indian
women fought as desperately as the men
and many were killed. The soldiers in
sist that they spared women and chill
dren as much as possible. About hun
dred were taken prisoners.
When these facts wero published q
storm broke forth greater than that OK
cited by the massacre of Glencoe. 1t was
the elimination of a series of winter at
tacks on the Indians, and the whole sys-
TEN was vehemently denounced. 1t was
fought over in congress, in the religious
meetings, in the papers, and in partisan
debate; and was revived by the subse-
quent Camp Grant massacre in Arizona.
Gen. Sheridan was unsparingly denounced
by the advocates of the Quaker policy
but he was the most popular man in the
far west. Give us Connor and Chiving
ton and Custer, with Sheridan to com
mand, was the cry from Missouri to the
Pacific, from the Assiniboine to the Gila
-
Sheridan stood up manfully to his share
of the responsibility; avowed his ordel
10 Col Baker, praised the latter's eiiici
ency and explained that with few troops
and large area to defend ho mus
strike hard" and in winter Since 1862
he said. there had been / 200 whites mur
dered In his department by Indians
1.-The men scalped, the women ravisheC
9pd the brains of the children dasheC
out" Il have no hesitation" he adds
'in making my choice. am going T.
stand by the people over whom | an
placed and give them what protection
can" He then urged certain reforms il
Indian management, which he CONTINUES
TO urge after becoming lieutenant genera
pptil congress ad0ptea them, And Ct u