Los Angeles herald., 1891-01-07


house, and Saturday had him whipped
after which he was escorted to the linn
its OF the reservation and dismissed
with warning not to return.
COLONEL rORsYTHE,s CASE.
The Correspondence Leadi,g to His sus
pension-Gen. Miles Responsible.
WAsHINGTON, Jan. 6.-The following
correspondence in regard to Colone
Forsythe's case was made public TODAY
Under date of December 3Oth General
Schofield telegraphed General Miles
expressing the belief that he would soou
be master OF the situation, and asking
that his thanks be given to the '.braye
Seventh cavalry for their splendid con.
duct" ~ 7e.7
Under date of January 1st, Miles tele-
graphed Scilofeld as follows: "Your
telegram of fcongratulation of the Seventh
cavalry received, but as the action OF
the colonel commanding will be mat
ter of serious consideration. and will
undoubtedly be the subject of investiga-
tion, l thought proper to advise
you. In view of the above facts,
DO you wish your u telegram
transmitted as sent? 1t is
stated that the disposition of 400 sol.
diers and four pieces of artillery was
fatally defective, and that a large num-
Der OF soldiers were killed and wounded
by fire from their own ranks, and very
large number of women and children
were killed in addition to Indian men. !"
General Schofield telegraphed in reply,
under date of January 3D. ''In view OF
the aspect OF the case presented by your
telegram yesterday, it will be better not
to deliver my message to the Seventh
cavalry until have seen your report af-
ter the investigation you propose. There
fore you will please withhold it until
further advised by me-"
He also telegraphed General Miles
again on the same day, as follows :
"Your dispatch to me yesterday, and
that to the adjutant-general were shown
the president, and in reply the secretary
Of war directs me to say that the presi-
dent has heard with great regret the
settlement of the Sioux
trouble without bloodshed. He
suggests that possibly watchful obser-
walton of the hostile bands that would
prevent their breaking into the settle
ments, anc give the Indians time to
recover from their present excitement,
would be well; but he leaves all this to
your better information and discretion,
and would not have you omit anything
that is necessary to protect the settle
ments. He hopes that the report of
the killing of women and children in
the affair at Wounded Knee, is un-
founded, and directs you to cause an inn
mediate inquiry to be made and report
the result to the department. If there
was any unsoldierly conduct, you will
relieve the responsible party, and so use
the troops under you to avoid
it's repetition. wish to add
to the presidents suggestions, the
hope that I still entertain, in spite
oisthe unsortaan Ate- accidents which have
occurred that you may be able, by con-
vincing the Indians that the purposes of
the army are not hostile to them, but on
the contrary friendly and dictated by a
desire to secure to them future peace
and prosperity, to obtain their surrender
without further conflict"
General Miles telegraphed General
Schofeld, under date of January Sd, as
follows: "The directions of the presi-
dent and yourself have been acted upon.
l have placed nearly all of the Sixth and
Ninth cavalry, and the Seventh and
Seventeenth infantry, with one hundred
Indian scouts, practically on three sides
Of them, along the Beaver and White
rivers and Porcupine creek, with General
Brooke in command. This may hold
them in check. am in close commune
cation with them, and have informed
them that the only safe road iseto-
ward the agency, and about half
are anxious to come in. The
others are making desperate efforts to
keep all at war. consider it very i'm
portant that the five officers that com
mended' be placed in charge of the five
agencies. Please inform me if this is
approved or disapproved. l have a
very great amount Of information con-
corning the conspiracy. 1t involved all
the tribes in the northwest and tha wild
tribes in Indian territory. Sitting Bull
would have been at the head, and a
move was to be made in the spring.
They expected to strike west to where
the ghost illusion originated, in Me-
vada." $50 q
General Schofield received a telegram
from General Miles at Pine Ridge, dated
January 9th, as follows: "In accord
ance with your telegram and the presi-
dents order, I have detailed board of
officers, consisting of Colonel Carr, OF
the Sixth cavalry. Major Kent, Fourth
infantry, and Captain Baldwin, Fifth
infantry, to investigate the affair at
Wounded Knee. Is this in conformity
with the presidents directions, and does
he direct that it constitute court of
inquiry with power to take testimony
under oath? Colonel Forsythe's com.
mand consisted of twenty-six officers
and 453 men. Eighty-two Indians and
sixty women and children were buried
on or near the ground. / have relieved
Colonel Forsythe from Command
General Schofield telegraphed General
Miles on the 9th as follows: ''In reply
to your telegram yesterday, am direct
ed by the secretary of war to inform you
that it was not the intention to appoint
a court of inquiry, nor to order at this
time, in the midst of the campaign, any
further inquiry than you could yourself
make without the necessity Of a court,
the purpose being simply to determine
whether any officer has been 80 far de-
relict in duty as to make it necessary to
relieve him from command, such result
to follow upon the inquiry which you
were expected to cause to be made. You
were expected yourself first to inquire
into the facts, and in the event OF ite
being disclosed that there had been un-
soldierly conduct, to relieve the respons.
ible officer. The directions Of the presi-
dent were suggested by your telegram oil