The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-12-09
THE INDIAN AS A SOLDIER.

As the BANNER was the first in the
country to bring forward the proposition
of Indian enlistmentS as practical plan
for the solution of the Indian question,
it prints the following article from the
Washington Star with peculiar pleasure ::
Lieutenant Charles d. Rhodes, of the
9th Cavalary, Washington boy, read a
paper Saturday evening before the Uni
versity Club ON the Indian as Soldier.
He was peculiarly fitted for the task, hav-
ing been an officer of Troop L of his regi-
ment from the first Indian enlistment
He was of the opinion that the Govern
ment has at last hit upon the solution
of the veXed Indian question, taking a
mean course between that of extreme
philanthropists who expect to jump the
Nation wards into civilization without
the necessary training to make them self
supporting, and that of determination adj
vised by those who believe that the on
ly good IRdian is dead Indian. His &C
count of the success of Troop l. with its
recruits showed that the Indians who
have tnrned soldiers have had an ambi-
ton aroused which makes them Just as
obedientand orderly as their white breth-
rem. The effect of making a soldier of an
Indian is not only to made him good
servant of Uncle Sam, but TO excite in all
relations and friends desire to follow
his example, and to have a feeling of trust
and confidence in the military.
when Troop l. was about To leave the
reservation hundreds of Blanket Indians
besieged the officers to promise that if
Troop l. should be sent to war they might
be allowed to accompany tas volunteers
When the troop was about starting for
Chicago to take part in the Worlds Fair
dedicatOry ceremonies the relatives and
friends of the Indian soldiers spent the
entire night in songs of rejoicing and
glOrliication, in strong contrast with their
manner of procedure the hight before the
raw recruits left the reservation to receive
their first instruction as soldiers. Then
their friends could not be disSuaded from
the belief that their braves were going to
war to be ruthlessly slain. These instan-
ces were cited to show the non-enlisted
Indians how to regard the plan of max
ing soldiers Of Red men. The Indians
who were to appear in the Chicago parade
took the greatest iuterestin their soldier
ly appearance. They slept but little the
night before the parade, and were up and
about before 1 O'clock in the morning,
cleaning their guns and polishing their
trappingS. Lieutenant Rhodes gave q
very entertaining account of the methods
Of drilling Indians. 1t was necessarily
very slow, as none of the recruits knew
more than few words of English in
use, The explanations had to be
made by Ar interpreter, but when the
Indians once understood an order they
remembered it remarkably well and in a
short time the troop compared fayorably
in all the particulars that go to make a
band of men with the neighbor.
ing white troops and the officers feel that
their patience has been fully rewarded.
as to whether Indian soldiers would |
remain loyal to the Government in ,ase
If war with their own people or not,
Lieutenant Rhodes was satisfied that, |
while few would unquestionabIy desert,
lie main body of Indian soldiers would |
'emain loyal. He interspersed his ac-
,Ount of the military education of his
rOOp with some entertaining stories of |
ndlan humor Lieutenant Rhodes, who !
las had but little vacation during his
hree years service on the frontier, will |
emain at his home for fortnight
Onger'