[July 16, 1867.]
I have good
Department Commanders, but the country is so large, and the Indians so
scattered, that we cannot foresee where they will turn up. Not only real
depredations are committed, but every fear, or apprehension, on whatever it may
be founded, is published, and protection claimed and demanded. . .
You have doubtless
heard much of the war. The fact is, this contact of the two races has caused
universal hostility, and the Indians operate in small, scattered bands,
avoiding the posts and well-guarded trains, and hitting little parties who are
off their guard. I have a much heavier force on the plains, but they are so
large that it is impossible to guard at all points, and the clamor for
protection everywhere has prevented our being able to collect a large force to
go into the country where we believe the Indians have hid their families; viz.,
up on the Yellowstone, and down on the Red River. I see it stated the Indian
War is costing a million a week. This cannot be; for I have not employed
anything but the regular troops or the regular appropriations, except from
companies of Kansas volunteers, who know they can't get any pay at all till
Congress appropriates.
I have sent full
reports to Washington, and hope Congress now will act in one way or the other.
A commission going out can meet only little squads of Indians. They are
scattered from Minnesota to Texas, and if they make treaties they won't last
twenty-four hours.
We must fight the
Indians, and force them to collect in agreed-on limits far away from the
continental roads. I do think this subject as important as Reconstruction.
No comments:
Post a Comment