St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-07
HARRISON HEDGES.
He Now Shirks the Responsibility
of Gen. FOrsythe's Removal.

of Gen. FOrSythe's Removal.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-The following cor
respondence in regard to the Forsythe case
was made public to-day; Under date of Dec.
80 Gen. Schofield telegraphed Gen. Miles, ex-
pressing the belief that he would soon be
master of the situation and asking that his
thanks be given to the "brave Seventh cav
airy for their splendid conduct" Under date
of Jan. Gen. Miles telegraphed Gen. Scho-
field as follows
''Your telegram of congratulation to the
Seventh cavalry is received. but as the action
OF the colonel commanding will be matter
of serious consideration, and will undoubt-
edly be the subject of investigation, / thought
it proper to advise you. In view of the above
facts. do you wish your telegram transmitted
as 1t was sent? Ii is stated that the disposition
of 400 soldiers and four pieces of artillery
was fatally defective, and large number of
soldiers were killed and wounded by fire
from their own ranks and very large num-
Der OF women and children were killed in
addition to the Indian men,"
Gen. Schofield telegraphed, in reply, under
Gate of Jan. 2:
"In view of the aspect of the case presented
in your telegram of yesterday, it would be
better not to deliver my message to the
Seventh cavalry until have seen your report
Of the investigation you propose. Therefore,
you will please withhold it until further ad-
vised by me-"
He also telegraphed Gen. Miles agaiu on
the same day as follows:
''Your dispatch to me Of yesterday and
that to the adjutant general have been shown
to the president, and in reply the secretary of
war directs me to say:
1.-THE president has heard with great regret
OF the failure of your efforts to secure the
settlement of the Sioux difficulties without
bloodshed.
servaton OF the hostile bands that would pre-
vent their breaking into the settlement and
give the Irdians 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 any,
thing that is necessary 10 protect the settle
ments He hopes that the report of the kill
ing 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 depart
ment. If there was any unsoldierly conduct,
you will relieve the responsible officer and so
use the troops engaged there so as to avoid
It's repetition. / wish to add to the presi-
dents suggestion the hope which stu en-
tertain, i'll spite or the unfortunate accidents
which have occurred, that you may be able
by convincing the Indians that the purposes
Of the army are not hostile TO them, but on
the contrary, friendly and dictated by desire
to secure to them future peace and prosper
ity, to obtain their surrender without further
conflict"
Gen. Miles telegraphed Gen. Schofield, un-
der date of Jan. g. as follows
'The directions of the president and your
self is just the action had anticipated and
taken. Nearly all Of the Sixth and Ninth
cavalry and Second and Seventeenth in
fantry, with 100 Indian scouts, are practi-
cally on three sides of them along Beaver,
White river and Porcupine, with Gen.
Brooke IN command. This may held them
in check l am in close communication with
them and have informed them the only safe
road is toward the agency. and about half
are anxious TO come in. The others are max
ing desperate efforts to keep all at war. 1
consider 1t very important that the five Off
GERS that recommended be placed in charge
of the five agencies. Please inform me if
this is approved or disapproved. have a
very great amount of information concern
in the Northwest and the wild tribes in the
Indian territory. Sitting Bull would have
been the head. and the move was to be made
in the spring. They expected 20 strike west
to where the ghost delusion originated-Ne-
yada."
Gen Schofeld received a telegram from
Gen. Miles at Pine Ridge, dated Jan. 5, as
follows:
'In accordance with your telegram and
the presidents order. l have detailed a board
OF officers, consisting of Col. Carr, Sixth
cavalry; Maj. Kent, Fourth infantry, and
Capt. Baldwin. Fifth infautry, 20 investigate
that affair at Wounded Knee. Is this in con-
formity with the presidents orders, and
does he request that 1t constitute a court of
inquiry, with power to take testimony under
oath? Col. Forsythe's command consisted
of 26 officers and 453 men; 80 Indians and
30 women were buried on or near the
GROUND. l have relieved Col. Forsythe from
command"
Gen. Schofield telegraphed Gen. Miles on
the 9th as follows:
I'm reply to your telegram Of yesterday,
am directed by the secretary of war to in
form you that 1t was not The intention of
the president to appoint 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 object being simply TO deter
mine whether any officer had been SO far
derelict in duty as to relieve him from COM
mand; 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
its being disclosed that there had been un-
soldierly conduct. to relieve the responsible
officer. The directions OF the president were
suggested by your telegram Of the 1st instant
to me.