The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-13
GEN. MILES IGNORED.
Colonel Forsythe Reinstated in
Spite of the Charges.
INDIANS BEAR ALL THE BLAME.
Secretary Of War Praises the Seventh
Cavalry for Their Efforts to Pre-
vent Slaughter.

WASHINGTON CrTY, Feb. 1.-THE secre-
tary of war today made public the report
of the investigation of the battle of the
Wounded Knee, particularly with refer
ence to Colonel Forsythe's conduct on that
occasion. The record of the court of in
quiry is Endorsed by Major-General Miles.
Under date of Chicago, January 81, he
says, in part:
Colonel Forsythe had received repeated warn
ings as to the desperate and deceitful character
of Big Foot's band of Indians and repeated
orders as to the exercise of constant vigilance to
guard against surprise or disaster under all cir
cumstances These warnings and orders were
unheeded and disregarded by Colonel Forsythe.
He had been warned that this particular band
contained many of the most desperate and de-
ceitful characters of the Sioux nation, and that
the religious excitement had made them
peculiarly dangerous.
Under these circumstances the apparent indif-
ference and security of the officer in command
OF the troops at the Wounded Knee is incom-
prehensible and fnexcusable. Not a single
company was SO disposed as to deliver its fire
upon the warriors without endangering the
lives OF some of their own comrades. 1t is
difficult TO conceive how a worse disposition of,
troops could be made. The testimony goes to
show that most OF the troops were forced to
withhold their fire, leaving the bulk of the
warriors as had not been Killed, broke through
or overpowered the small force directly about
them and reached the camp occupied by the
women and children.
The battery of four Hotchkiss guns had until
then been useless, the friction primers having
been removed from the guns by order of the
captain commanding the battery, lest the gun
ners might in their excitement discharge the
pieces and destroy their own comrades. These
guns were now opened upon the Indian camp,
even at that Il ne placing in peril troops and
N co. L. wx~lf 4t Xxi 49,
treat for some distance owing to the fire from
these guns and from the small arms of the other
portions OF the command. The fact that large
number of the LOG warriors were without fire
arms when the outbreak occurred is shown by
the evidence that forty-eight guns had been
taken from the tepees and q personal search of
unarmed. This fact, taken in connection with
the extremely injudicious disposition of the
troops and the large number of casualties
among them, constralns the belief that some OF
the casualties were suffered at the hands of our
own men. The fatal disposition of the troops
was such as at the outset to counteract in
great measure the immense disparity Of
strength, and would have been inexcusable in
the face of an armed and desperate foe. even
had no especial warnings and orders been re-
ceived from higher authority.
lean only partially account for the singular
apathy and neglect of Colonel Forsythe upon
the theory of his Indifference to and contempt
for repeated and urgent warnings and orders re-
ceiyed by him from the division commander, or
by his incompetence and entire inexperience in
the responsibility of exercising command where
Judgment and discretion are required.
! also forward herewith the report of Captain
Baldwin, Fifth infantry, concerning the finding
of the bodies of women and children three miles
from the scene of the engagement on Wounded
of some OF the results of the unfortunate affair,
results which are viewed with the strongest dis
approval Of the undersigned.
Major General Commanding.
CaporaI Ooh &c old ,,,Lv,;S&ol 49, oor1
the secretary of war, with the endorse
ment that the interests of the service do
not demand longer continuance of Col
Onel Forsythe'S suspension. In his iudg-
ment the conduct of the regiment was well
worthy Of the commentator bestowed on
it by him in the first telegram after the en-
gagement.
In returning the papers to the major
general commanding, the secretary re-
views the testimony as to the surrender
and comments on the. desperate and sui
len character of the band. He says it was
manifestly an imperative necessity to pre-
vent the escape of these desperadoes dur
ing the process of disarming. The troops
appeared to have been. well disposed to
prevent an outbreak, which was not and
could hardly have been anticipated. even
in dealing with the Indians. The secre-
tary says:
Nothing illustrates the madness of the out
break more forcibly than the fact that their first
fire was so directed that every shot that did
not hit the soldiers must have gone through
their own village. There is little doubt that the
first killing of the women and children was by
this first fire of the Indians themselves. They
then made rush to break through and around
the flags of troop X, commanded by the gallant
Captain Wallace, and reached the tepees, where
many of them had left their arms with the
own women and children, and when they
started from their camp their women and chill
dren were mingled with them. The women and
children were never away from the immediate
company of the men after the latter broke from
the circle Many of them, men and women. got
on their ponies, and it is impossible to distin-
when mounted The men fired from among the
women and children in their retreat. Cautions
were repeatedly given by both regular and nom
commissioned officers not to shoot the squaws
or children, and the men were cautioned indi-
yidually that such and such Indians were
equaws. The firing by the troops was entirely
directed on the men In the circle. and in direc-
ton opposite from the tepees, until the Indians,
after their break, mingled with their women
and children, thus exposing them to the fire of
the troops, ana as consequence some were I'M
ayoidably killed and wounded.
This fact is universally regretted by the offic-
ers and men OF the Seventh cavalry. This I'M
fortunate phase of the affair grew out of circum-
stances for which the Indians themselves were
entirely responsible. Major Whiteside emphati-
cally declares at least fifty shots were fired nv
the Indians before the troops returned the fire.
n
saving of women and children were noted.
There is no doubt that the position of the
troops made IL necessary for some of them 10
withhold their fire for time in order not To
endanger the lives of comrades but both Msior
Kent and Captain Baldwin concur in finding
that the evidence fails to establish that single
man OF colonel forsythe's command was killed
the conduct OF both officers and men through
the whole affair, demonstrates an exceedinclv
satisfactory state OF discipline in the Seventh
h.At inv Oh.
skill, GOODNESS, discretion and forbearance, and
reflects the highest possible credit upon the reg
imerlt, which sustained loss of one officer and
twenty live enlisted men killed, and three Off.
GERS aud thirty two enlisted men wounded
The situation at Wounded Knee creek was a
very unusual and very difficult one, far more
dlmcuit than that involved in an ordinary bat
tie, where the only question is of gaining a vic
tory without any effort 10 save the lives of the
enemy. IL Is easy TO make plans when we look
backward, but in the light of the actual
conditions as they appeared to the commanding
officer, there does not seem to be anything in
The arrangement OF the troops requiring adverse
8 on the part of the department
therefore approve of the endorsement of the
major general commanding that the interests of
the military service do not demand any further
o IN '6is case. By the direction of
command OF his regiment.
REDFELp PROCTOR,
Secretary OF War
CHICAGO, Feb. f2.-General Miles. when
asked today whether he had anything to
say In regard to Colonel Forsythe's rein
statement, said:
- 4 know nothing about what has taken place at
" ashlngton, do not care to make any state
ment IN regard 10 II. nor do care TO review the
ease what did would do again under the
same circumstances
MINES ON NAVAJO RESERVATION.
indians Jealous of Prospectors-Effort
to Extinguish Title.