The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-10-01
FOR THE TROOPS OF HIS
DEPARTMENT.
HIS ANNUAL REPORT is MADE
TO THE WAR DEPARTMENT
SHOWING WHAT THE SOL
DIERS ARE DOING.
Ew HOSPITAL AT SMELLING.
Its Need Is Urged in the Reports
Made by the Sanitary officers
of the Department.

The first annual report made by
Brig. Gen. James F. Wade, command
ing the department of Dakota, U. S.
A., has been transmitted to the war
department at Washington. 1t shows
that the new commanding officer has
found things in this department in an
eminently satisfactory condition, gen
orally speaking. After recounting the
transfers occurring in the department
during the year, and the practice
marches, and actual service, the lat
ter entirely in connection with the
Indian uprising at Tongue river
agency, Brig. Gen. Wade recounts his
tour of inspection, on which, he says.
condition, we'll instructed and equipped
and ready for any duty that may be
required of them. He continues:
OF the eight posts in the department, two,
Forts Smelling and Harrison (the latter now
under constructiOn), may be considered as
permanent; one Fort Yellowstone, being for
the protection of the National park. will
probably be permanent post but the build
ings being frame can only be considered tenn
porary; four, Forts Yates keogh, Custer
and Missoula, are almost entirely construct
ed of wood; Fort Assinniboine is much better
all of the buildings being of brick, and is
in the temporary class only on account of
its location. the five having been located and
built many years ago as necessity for them
arose account of Indian troubles, the
opening of the country to settlement, con-
struction of railroads, etc. Forts Yates,
Keogh, Missoula and Assinniboine are all
in fair condition, and with a reasonable
amount annually for repairs can be garrison
ed for several years. Fort Custer is now
in the worst condition of any post l have
id INV, !,
twenty years, and should be either almost
entirely reconstructed, be abandoned
within the next few months. In my opinion
the former course is both impracticable and
unnecessary, and l recommend the latter.
The water supply at this post has become
contaminated from sewerage at the Crow
Creek agency, slaughter houses and Indian
camps, located on the Little Horn above the
post. Attention is invited to a special report
and the opinion of medical officers on this
subject. Fort Assinniboine is the most north
ern post in the United States; the winters
are very long and severe, and the time that
can be devoted to drills and instruction eX-
ceedingly short. This post was probably
necessary when it was constructed, but this
necessity has long passed, and account
of the hardships imposed upon the garrison
1 think the troops should be provided for
at some other station where the climate is
less severe, where they can be kept in better
condition and be more available when need
ed Fort Harrison is, l believe, nearly ready
for an increase of its garrison by two COM
panies of infantry; but complications N re-
gard to water supply have arisen and have
been made the subject Of special correspond
ence, which should receive attention before
anything further is done in regard to con-
struction.
Attention is respectfully invited to the ac-
companytng reports OF the chief of the staff
departments at these headquarters.
Full reports of the officers lyceums,
school work, etc, are embraced in the
report over the signatures of the Off
GERS in charge of each. Commissary
Clague suggests that Fort Harrison
should have a root cellar. Chief Sur
geon Tilton suggests that a new hos
pital be built at Fort Smelling. He
says:
AS stated in my previous annual reports to
the department commander, with the excep-
ton Of Fort Smelling, Mimi, 1 ain person
ally unfamiliar with the sanitary conditions
existing at posts in this department The
monthly sanitary reports received from all
the posts indicate watchful care on the part
OF commanding officers and surgeons in regard
to sanitary matters. In last years report at
tention was invited to the necessity of
filter for the water supply at Fort Custer;
the cases of typhoid fever noted this year
show the vital Importance of improving the
quality of water supply at that post. new
hospital is tc be built at Fort Custer. The
necessity of a new hospital at Fort Smelling,
Mimi. is equally urgent.
There was allotted to hospitals in this de-
partment for repairs during the year SO O14 81,
Of which all but s26SO2 was expended;
stewards quarters, $116.S0 remaining unex-
pended.
Seventy-two accounts for medical and other
services, and for medical supplies, have been
approved in this office, amounting in the
aggregate to S1,47519
The personnel of the medical department at
the close of the fiscal year consisted of: 1
deputy surgeon general. surgeons, IA as
sistant surgeons, s hospital stewards, 10 act
ing hospital stewards. Al privates.
OF this number one assistant surgeon is alb
sent leave and three privates Of the hos
pital corps are absent on furlough.
The systematic instruction of the members
is carefully conducted SO that the losses at
other posts in the department can be partial
l!y supplied from that post four extra men be-
ing allowed to meet emergencies that may
arise in the department.
Some interesting figures as to de-
sertions are furnished by Judge Advo-
cate Edward Hunter. Of the sixty
nine assertions, nineteen were from
Smelling, more than from any other
post, showing, perhaps, the influence
of proximity to civil life and cities.
Half of the deSerterS had been in the
service less than a year. and half the
rest less than two years. One was
drunk when last seen, and seven un-
der the influence of liquor, but the
large majority, it seems, were perfect
ly sober, SO far as known, when they
determined to take French leave of
their army associations. Strange to
say, twenty of these siXty-nfne were
reported by their company officers as
good,very good or excellent in previous
character, while twenty-one others
were reported fair, so that barely u
third had been considered either in
different or positively lacking. The de-
serters, as a whole, mulcted the gov
eminent, although there were enough
of them in the credit of the govern
Inent to amount to over $500. In con-
ciusion, he shows by tables:
Percentage of assertions to enlisted strength
for the years indicated:
Average Number P c. of
Enlisted of De- Enlisted
Years. Strength. sertions Strength
1 1892 90 Sf5 le eo ; 90
Opinions given in reports as bearing upon
the causes of assertions:
Fear of punishment for neglect of duty. 9
Deeply in debt ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. IL
Mind unbalanced ........ INSTRUMENTATION.
Fraudulent enlistment. fear of trial. ....... 1
Rowing and restless disposition ...........
Enlisted for transportation .................. l
Influenced by relatives and others ..........
Applied for transfer to cavalry and thought
1t was dsapproved ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. l
General dissatisfaction Observation-Disclosures.
General worthleSSneSS ............ ......... 3
Absolute fear of a horse Observation-Disclosures. 1
Fear of arrest by civil authorities for theft
off of reservation OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1
Escaped from civil authorities (held for as
sault with intent to kid ...-.............1
Unknown Observation-Disclosures. 81
Total .6S
While the statistics show an increased per
centage Of trials this year over last they
also show the assertions to be almost so per