The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-25
A RECORD OF INDIAN WARS.
The Cost Has been More Than a
Billion Dollars and Many Lives.


From the Philadelphia Times
The red man. contrary to the general be-
lief in this regard, is not naturally brave.
but constitutionally coward He fights
behind trees and rocks. and usually begins
his wars with the murder of women and
children. He is always treacherous. a past
master in all the arts of cruelty and never
generous TO fallen foe. In no instance
has he been found capable of contending
on equal terms with white troops, and the
regiments raised by the southern confed-
eracy among the civilized nations of the
Indian territory were found almost useless
for service against the north. But the In
dian fights when 'cOrnered like a devil in
carnate. The very Indians who seem brut-
ally brave in the shock of battle when
compelled to fight for their lives are at
other times arrant towards. The fierce and
warlike Apaches of Arizona cruel and ap-
parently brave in warfare, hide like cow
ards at night, and traveller or soldier is
always safe from their attacks after the
light has faded away. The once dreaded
Brule Sioux on the Brdle reservation,
South Dakota, will not venture abroad at
night, and when forced to do So will keep
upan incessant haloing listening eager
ly for the answer of friendly shouts
Yet the Indian has done a good deal of
fighting with the forces of this govern
ment. More than forty wars of more or
less magnitude have taken place since
17T6. They are estimated to have cost the
lives of about $4,000 white men, women and
children, including 5000 killed in individual
combats; and the lives of $1,000 Indians,
$500 of whom were likewise killed in
private affairs. II will be seen that accord
ing to this showing the Indian has had de-
cidedly the worst of 1t in the battle for
continent which he already held in pos
session. But the actual number of killed
and wounded Indians must be very much
greater than the estimates given. as they
conceal where possible their actual loss
in battle. and carry off or secrete their
wounded.
An enumeration of all these wars would
be extremely tedious. Most of them were
of brief duration, and already forgotten.
Few of them will live in history. unless it
be in the trucuent pages of the dime nov
elists, surrounded by romantic glories that
the combatants would not have been able
to comprehend The Florida war of 1889,
which employed over 10000 United States
troops, was probably the most extensive
Indian campaign which the government
ever carried on. The most recent ones
have been against the Northern Cheyennes
and Sioux in 1S76-77, against the Nez-
Perces in 1877, the Bannocks in 1878 and the
Northern Cheyennes in 1879. The list ends
with the Sioux campaign of 1890.
The number of actions between regular
troops and Indians since 1886 have been
1.065 and 5000 officers and men have on an
average been constantly employed in In
dian warfare since that time. In these ac-
lions 1.40O whites were killed and 1890 In
dians.
All of these affairs have cost Uncle Sam
a pretty penny in cash. To determine ex-
actly the total of military expenditure
which should be charged to Indian. wars
during the nations existence is, of course,
impossible, but fair, conservative esti-
mate would make this sum more than
billion dollars. The government has also
spent during this time about $3.50, 100000 in
governing and supporting these charges of
the nation, and is at present disbursing
about seven millions of dollars annually
for this purpose. 1t would appear that it
has cost about four times as much TO fight
the red man as to pension him of. Much
money might have been saved had this
policy been consistently adopted in the be-
ginning to say nothing of the lives that
would have been saved
OF the quarter of a million Indians now
living in this country $1,000 are citizens;
5000 belong to the civilized tribes and the
remainder are found on the reservations
of the west. The Indian Territory has
one-tenth of the total population, Arizona
and South Dakota together as much more.
California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Wash
ington and Minnesota also have large In
dian populations. mostly upon reserva-
tions. New York has 5000 of the race far
more than are found in any other state
east of the Mississippi There are but four
Indians in Delaware and nine in West Viz
ginia.
The Indians still hold more than a hun
bred million acres of unalloted land The
most Of this. however, is of the poorest
quality. During 1890 they cultivated 233. 900
acres Of their domain. Some of the small
est tribes which chance to occupy large
and valuable reservations are compare
lively wealthy, and are probably worth
more money per capita than any other ma
ton In the world.
Seventy thousand of the race now wear
civilized clothing and are In most particu- !
lars not 10 be distinguished from the |
American population IN whose midst they
live. Forty-eight thousand more clothe |
themselves mainly in the white mans !
garb. Twenty-three thousand are commu- |
nleants Of Christian churches and about |
the same number can read the English |
Language. a few thousand more speak II 4
well enough an least 10 transact business
About 5000 Indian children are now At
tending school.