Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-11-25
COL, GRIERSON'S REPORT,
Important Recommend atlons Relative to
Military Affairs in New Mexico.

Important Recommendations Relative TO
Military Affairs in New Mexico.
Col. B. II. Grierson, 10th cavalry, COM
handing the department of Arizona,
kindly sends the New MEXICAN copies Of
his annual report to the war department.
His report covers about eighty pages OF Il
neatly printed pamphlet, and is replete
with tables of statistics maps, etc. Much
space is taken up in reviewing the past
years operations in and about the Indian
reservations and many important recon-
mendations, prompted by Col. Grersons
long experience in military affairs, are
made and good reasons for the same set
forth. No uncomfortable space also Is
given to the subject of irrigation in New
Mexico and Arizona, and the question OF
government aid. Among other things,
in speaking of the more important mill
tary posts under his charge, Col. GrlersOn
speaks as follows:
so long as there is any probabllit" OF
trouble with Indians it will be necessary
to retain and strongly garrison the posts
of Forts Wingate and Stanton, n. NJ, on
account of their proximity to Indian res
ervations. The posts of Forts Apache
and Bowie, a. r., the former because 1t
is situated within the White mountain
Indian reservation, and the latter on ac-
count of its strategic position, should IN
like manner be maintained"
The garrison of four posts should i'll my
Judgment be increased as follows: Fort
Apache to six troops of cavalry and two
companies of infantry; Fort Wingate to
eight troops OF cavalry and four companies
of infantry Fort Stanton to two troops OF
cavalry and two companies of infantry
and the garrison of Fort Bowie should be
at once increased to three troops of cavalry
and one company Of infantry as they can
be made very comfortable and sheltered
in good quarters.
Fort Bayard is situated nine miles from
the railroad and not on a through or i'm
portant route. The supply of water is
limited to spring. In no event should
permanent post be located there.
Forts Union, Mcdowell, Verde, Thomas
and Mojave can safely be abandoned at
once, and while troops are kept there they
could be viewed as in the field, taken from
adjacent posts and relieved every SIX
months.
The present military reservation at Fort
Selden, n. NJ, contains about 10, 900 acres,
and could in case Of necessity be enlarged
as desired by the addition OF lands adjoin-
ing, owned by the government. The post
was some years ago abandoned and sub
sequently occupied. 1t should in my
| judgment be held permanently and gar
risUned by one troop OF cavalry or infantry
to preserve and keep in order the govern
ment buildings and lands until such time
as it can be utilized for a large military
establishment.
For many centuries Santa Fe, N. NJ.
has been conspicuous as the center within
and around which have gathered many
| important associations and events per-
tanning to religious, civil and military al
| fairs. In the vicinity are numerous pueblos
of distinct tribes of wonderfully supersti-
tious, but quiet and orderly Indians, semi
civilized and numbering altogether nearly
5000 SOUS. The city has been occupied
| by United States troops ever since the ac-
QUESTION of the territory, and its strategic
position and advantages have often been
recognized by distinguished officers. The
site is picturesque, the surrounding seem
cry grand, and although its altitude is
over 1000 feet, the dry and equable tenn
perature makes the climate delightful at
all seasons of the year. The military
reservation however is too small, and its
location in the center of the city is I'M
suitable for military post, as the diff
Guilty OF maintaining discipline amons
troops in the midst Of such surrounding
can be readily understood.
1t is, however, valuable and ample for 6
depot OF supplies and to afford sufficient
room for q suitable force as guard. In
view Of the foregoing and many other
reasons that might be stated, and the very
important fact that the climate is remark'
ably we'll adapted for the preservation Of
army stores, again recommend that the
present reservation at Santa Fe be re-
tanned and utilized by the government fol-
the purposes indicated, and that an arsen'
al and general depot of supplies for al
arms of the service and various depart.
ments be constructed thereon and made
one of the permanent military establish
ments of the army.