Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-01-07
FORSYTHE RELIEVED.
Gen. Miles Removes Him From His Com
mand-rhe Correspondence.

WASHINGTON, January 6.-The fol
lowing correspondence is regard to Col
Forsythe's case was made public to-day
Under date Of December 30, Gen. Scho
field telegraped Gen. Miles expressing
the belief that he would soon be master
of the situation and asking that his
thanks be given to the "braye Seventh
Cavalry for their splendid conduct"
Gen. Miles telegraphed Gen. Schofeld
as follows:
Your telegram OF cOngratuation 10
the Seventh Cavalry is received. but as
the action Of the Colonel commanding
will be a matter of serious considera-
tion aud will undoubtedly be the sub
ject of investigation, | thought proper
TO advise you.
In view of the above facts do you
wish your telegram transmitted as II
was sent? 1t is stated that the DISPOSE
tion of 400 soldiers and four pieces o,
artillery was fatally defective as large
number 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 the
luuldu men.
Gen. Schofeld telegraphed in reply:
"The Secretary of War directs me TO
say: THE President has heard with
great regret of the failure of your ef-
forts to secure the settlement of the
Sioux difficulties without bloodshed. 5"
He suggests that possibly n
watchful observation of the hostile
bands that would prevent their break
ing into the settlements and give the
Indians time TO recover from their pres
ent excitement would be well. But he
leaves all this TO your better informa-
tiOn and discretion, and would not have
you omit anything that it is necessary
to protect the settlements. He hopes
that the report OF the killing of women
and children in the affair at Wounded
Knee is unfounded, and directs that
YOU cause an immediate inquiry to be
made, and report the result to the De-
partment. II there was any unsoldierly
conduct you will relieve the responsible
officer, and so use the troops engaged
there so As to avoid its repetition.
General Miles replied January 3D.:
The directions OF the President and
yourself is just the action had antici-
pated and taken. / consider II very
important that the five officers that |
recommended be placed in charge OF
the five agencies. Please inform me ii
this is approved or disapproved. have
a very large amount Of information con-
cerniug conspiracy. 1t involved all the
tribes in the Northwest, and the wild
tribes in the Indian Territory. Sitting
Bull would have been the H. d, and the
move was TO be made In the spring, so
they expected TO strike west to where
the ghost delusion originated, Nevada.
Gen. Schoield received telegram
from Gen. Miles, January ,, as follows:
In accordance with your telegram and
Presidents order, have detailed Il
board of officers consisting of Col. Carr,
Sixth Cavalry, Mai. Kent, Fourth IT.
fantry, and Capt. Baldwin, Fifth In
iantry, to investigate that affair at
Wounded Knee. Is this in conformity
with Presidents directions. and does he
direct that it constitute Il court OF in
Quiry with power to take testimony un-
der oath? Col. FofSythe'S command
consisted of % officers and 453 men.
Eighty-tWO Indians ana W women ana
children were buried at or near the
ground. | have relieved Col. Forsythe
from command.
Gen. Schoield replied: 81 am direct
ed by the Secretary of War to inform
you that it was not the intention OF the
President to appoint Il 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 court, the purpose
being simply to determine whether any
officer had been so far derelict in duty
as TO make it necessary to relieve him
from command. You were expected
yourself first to inquire into the facts,
and in the event of its being disclosed
that there had been unSoldierly conduct
to relieve the responsible officer"