Year: 1876



 gust 31, 1875. The portions omitted are merely references to assuming com mand, changes of troops, reports of subordinates, &c.:

 The Posts in this Department have been materially improved, greatly in creasing the comfort of the troops-an important feature in making officers contented on a frontier so remote from their friends and families, where their compensation is so disproportioned to the earnings of civilians, and where the necessaries of life absorb all their means, and luxuries are not to be had.

 With exception of La Paz the posts and camps remain the same as they were last year The changes in the location of Indians will involve the building of post and increase of the troops at Camp San Carlos or vicinity. One company has been stationed there constantly in the last year, and at times temporarily reinforced on special occa- sions when it seemed necessary. So many different bands ale being collect ed at that point that have been used to force each other to remain on the res ervation, and who are not friendly disposed toward each other on account of former tribal troubles and prejudIces, that 1t will be necessary to increase that camp to a three or four company post, to keep peace between the diff ferent bands, or to prevent them from uniting their forces against the whites, | for one or the other will result from such a concentration of Indians at this time in this Territory. They are not yet sufficiently civilized nor alienated from their original customs for such a concentration. One reason alleged in the order directing the removal of the Indians at White Mountain Agency to San Carlos is on account of economy to the government. I can see a pos sible economy to the Indian Depart ment in 1t; but also a corresponding increase of expense to the War Depart ment, but no economy to the govern. ment at large, for the reason that every change of location of Indians involves a corresponding movement of troops the abandonment of posts that have cost a great deal of money and erection of new ones at an additional expense

 There is at present an application al these Headquarters from the Indian Department for the establishment of a post on the Chiricahua reservation, re ferred by the War Department for a report This application contemplates the establishment of a post in the South eastern corner of the Territory, near the Mexican border Owing to the .rsmoteness of the locality, and scarcity of troops, have not yet been able to obtain the necessary data to report up on the necessity and practicability oi creating post in that region as recon mended

 Camp Bowie is now on that reserva ton, distant about f0rty-tive miles from the Sonora boundary, at which place the new post Is desired. The strag gIing of the Cochise Indians beyond the border could I think be ended by g proper responsibility for the count In this way absentees could be discover ed and pursued at once. 1 donot think that Indians of other tribes frequently cross the border.

 Whilst consider that have nothing to do with Indians Tn time of peace and that their care and management pertains by law to another Department of the government, they have, until recently, been to a certain extent under military supervision, and the fact that any dissatisfaction on the part of Ind ians affects the administration of mil itary affairs, renders it necessary fol me to make some comments under this head that would otherwise not be in cluded in this report.

 The Indians have all been turned over to the Indian Department and al present there is no military control over any of the bands or tribes in this Department. With this change there has also been inaugurated very decid ed change of policy that has caused the Indians to remonstrate with inc military authorities against it. It is very difficult to make the Indians un derstand that in time of peace the mil itarv commander has no control over the Indians.

 They have seen and felt the power oi the military commander during Inc term of my predecessor General Crook He forced the hostiles upon reservations and taught them the advantages ol peace and dicipline. They were placed on reservations 10 their liking, and extensive improvements were begun and they were rapidly learning to be selfsupporting when a change Of poll cy was inaugurated, growing out ol their transfer 10 the control of the In dian Department which has ordered the concentration of Indians on Res ervations with a view to reduce the number of Agencies. This movement might be very much in the interest oi