The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-07
WARS WITH INDIANS.
Clashes Between White Man and Red
In This Country.

In This Country.
From the Chicago Times Herald.
The Indians have been quiet during the
war between the United States and Spain.
There was some fear that the withdrawal
OF garrisons from the frontiers would be
followed by outbreaks of the redskins, but
fortunately nothing of the kind has oc-
CURED. 1t may be that the Indians lack
ed any provocation for revolt, and with
out provocation from the whites the red
skins have seldom gone on the warpath.
Indian wars have been frequent in the
United States. During the early days of
the settlement of America there were con-
slant struggles with the aborigines When
the settlers were unable to buy land for
wampum, beads or rum they would seize
it, and the objections by the primitive
races would be followed by bloodshed.
Wendell Phillips said that from Massa-
chusetts bay back to their own hunting
grounds nearly every few miles is writ
ten down in imperishable record as a
spot where the scanty scattered tribes
made a stand for justice and their own
rights"
1t is not alone during these early days
that wars have been waged with the In
dams They have lasted almost down to
to-day. Since 1880 there have been twenty
one of these wars. and the last genera
ton OF the two covered by that period
has seen twice as many as the first one.
These are not such trivial wars as one
would think. They nave failed to attract
attention because, being fought always on
the frontier and not being felt by the peo-
pie of the East nor in any sense history
making, they have been almost ignored
Yet these wars have cost the United
States 100000 600 for the fighting of them
alone and have sacrificed the lives of
thousands of American soldiers and set
tiers. The war with the Cheyennes in
1864, for instance caused about 5000 troops
to be taken from the armies engaged in
suppressing the rebellion to fight the In
dians. The result of the years campaign
was the killing of fifteen or twenty of
the barbarians at a cost of ZOO. 900 apiece
while hundreds of soldiers lost their lives
and many more border settlers were butch
cred. Taking all the wars together, Loss
| ing estimates that for every Indian war
rior killed fifteen soldiers have lost their
lives
CHANGING back over the period since 1880.
the first war was with Black Hawk. IT
was an outbreak of the Sacs and Foxes
under the leadership Of one of their chiefs
in 1881 because of the violation of a treatv
made by the federal government The
whites encroached on territory that had
been allotted TO the Indians Black Hawit
resisted the survey of land,at Rock Island
and crossed the Mississippi. Gen. Atkln-
son was sent against him but cholera
breaking out among the troops DESTROYED
whole companies, in one case only nine
surviving out of POS Atkinson was rein
forced, and with a force vastly superior
to Black Hawks after several skirmishes
met the chief Aug l. 1882, on the Bad
Axe river Black Hawk being defeated.
| retreated, and after other skirmishes was
captured by friendly Indians He died
in 1885, The war cost 100000
The second Seminole war, fought in
1862 cost the United States 100000 9O.
Gen. Wiley Thomson was sent bv Jack
son to remove the Seninoles from Florida
TO beyond the Mississippi by force if nee
essary During a parley with Osceola the
general became incensed and imprisoned
the chief in irons for a day. Osceol,
vowed revenge, and began a war that last
ed seven years By bravery skill. STRAIT
egg and treachery, he overmatched The
United States troops sent against him and
commands by some of the best officers in
the service; but he was secured and sub-
dued finally by an act of seeming neces-
sary per1idy on the part of the United
States officials. Osceola began by ambush
ing Maj. Dade, Dec. IS, 1885, and killing an
but four of his hundred men. He sur
prised Gen. Thomson and a party of five
friends who were dining, and killed them.
scalping the general with his own hands
! Then followed other raids. extended into
Georgia and Alabama, attacks on stage
coaches and steamboats,. and finally raids
on villages that compelled thousands of
settlers to desert the settlements. Ogce-
ola made his headquarters in the Ever
glades where the troops could not follow
him. and from that safe retreat made his
sorties. Osceola was captured by Gen
Jessup, then in charge Of the American
forces. The chief came to see Jessup IN
der a flag of truce. but Jessup dlsregarded
the truce, and, causing him to be bound.
sent the chief as prisoner to Charleston
where he died Of fever Osceola's follow
ers continued 10 seek revenge for four
years more, when this long and costly
| war was ended by treaty of peace.