Year: 1859

refused to give us the protection which our ne- cessities imperatively calls for, and the little they do grant us, is worse than useless

 Notwithstanding the increase of population, the discovery and partial development of new and valuable mines, the large amount of capi- tai that has found its way to this country and is continually coming, the rapid settlement of eCnr ranches, and the Improvements made on them, with the capital invested in valuable stock, we have less actual military protection than we had at the time they were first ordered into this Territory. This fact we believe unde- nAble. At the present time, we have in this section no protection whatever; robberies by Apaches and Mexicans are of daily occur rence it s unsafe to travel our roads and highways alone; mining companies, instead ofreceiving some protection from Government are left alone to protect themselves-at a heavy expense they are obliged to support day and night police, and even with that caution, their property is not safe Until the present tmo for the past few months, no effort has been made by the commanding officer of the only post VIC have in this vicinity to follow up and punish the Indians, or to recover the stock stolen. An entire disregard has been paid to our losses and sufferings and one would sup pose, by the unconcern evinced by them for the continual losses of our citizens, that they considered themselves placed here merely as disinterested observers of the amount of provo cation which American citizens can endnre without the protection it is their duty to afford Much of this apparent unconcern may be un- deserved on their part If we look for the real cause of this neglect of the interests of our citizens, in denying us the protection we ex- pect from them, it may be found in their ina blity to afford it, through gross negligence on the part of the military authorities of New Mexico What is the character ofthe military protection afforded us in this section by the commanding officer of the Department of New Me1co2 That it isnot commensurate with our wants, no one will presume to deny. We have but one post in this extensive section of the Territory, surrounded as we are on one side by the different tribes of the savage Apaches, who daily plrnder us with impunity, and on the other on entire frontier open to the depredatons of Mexican thieves who are incessant in their operations, receiving open encouragement from the authorities, who will render little or no assistance to recover stolen property.

 It folly to expect from one single post the protection we need. If it was enlarged, and the force increased, it might bo possable but as it is, we need look i6r nothing Some months since, the only post we have in this section was garrisoned by two companies of dragoons-the only arm of the service that is of any avail against the savage Indians of this country One would have supposed, ifthe mili, tary authorities of New Mexico saw any reason for change, which they certainly would if they knew our necessities, and which it was their duty to know, would have increased the force with an additional company, if they conld not give us a new pest; but instead of that, what did they do but withdraw a com pany to increase the force of post in the eastern part of the territory, where they were not needed. In their place, they gave us company of infantry-which we have as much use for in this country as we have of the same number of wooden men, unless it is to garri- son post and protect it while other troops are absent on duty. Instead of increasing the force of dragons they have decreased it; and in what shape are they left2 For the ninety three men in tbe company, there arc only fifty six horses, most of them worn out and incapable of any further service-many of them having han ;n thn rnnnnnnr nunr .innn and Lh-nurL