lowing language: You will hold no communication with Indians whatever. If Indians come within shooting distance, shoot them. Show them no mercy, for they will show you none.' This was in the Indian country. He closes by saying: General Hancock will protect you and our property.' Whether war existed previous to that time seems to have been a matter of doubt even with General Hancock. From that day forward no doubt on the subject was entertained by any body. The Indians were then fully aroused; and no more determined war has ever been waged by them. The evidence tends to show that we lost many soldiers, besides a large number of settlers on the frontier. The most valuable trains, belonging to individuals as well as the government, among which was a government train of ammunition, were captured by these wild horsemen. Stations were destroyed. Hundreds of horses and mules were taken, while we are forced to believe that their entire loss, since the burning of their village, consists of only six men killed.

"The Kiowas and Comanches deny the statements of Jones in every particular. They say that no war party came in at the time stated, or at any other time. They deny that they killed any negro soldiers, and positively assert that no Indian was ever known to scalp a negro. In the latter statement they are corroborated by all the tribes and by persons who know their habits; and the records of the adjutant-general's office fail to show the loss of the seventeen negro soldiers, or any soldiers at all. They deny having robbed Jones or insulted Tappan. The testimony of the latter was taken, in which he brands the whole statement of Jones as false, and declares that he and Page so informed Major Douglas, within a few days after Jones made his affidavit. We took the testimony of Major Douglas, in which he admits the correctness of Tappan's statement, but for some reason unexplained, he failed to communicate the correction to General Hancock. The threats to take the posts on the Arkansas were made in a vein of jocular bravado, and not understood by any one present at the time to possess the least importance.

This completes the case against the Kiowas and Comanches,

who are exculpated, by the united testimony of all the tribes, from any share in the late troubles.

"The Cheyennes admit that one of their young men, in a private quarrel, both parties being drunk, did kill a New Mexican, at Fort Zarah. Such occurrences are so frequent among the whites on the plains, that ignorant Indians might be pardoned for participating, if it be done merely to evidence their advance in civilization. The Indians claim that the Mexican was in fault, and further protest that no demand was ever made for the delivery of the Indian.

"The Arapahoes admit that a party of their young men, with three young warriors of the Cheyennes, returning from an excursion against the Utes, attacked the train of Mr. Weddell, of New Mexico, during the month of March, and they were gathering up the stock when the war commenced."

The report from which the foregoing is taken-the report of January 7, 1868-remarks that "though this recital should prove tedious, it was thought necessary, to guard the future against the errors of the past. We would not blunt the vigilance of military men in the Indian country, but would warn them against the arts of the selfish and unprincipled, who need to be watched as well as the Indians. The origin and progress of this war are repeated in nearly all Indian wars. The history of one will suffice for many." Let it be remembered that Generals Sherman, Harney, Terry, and Auger were members of the commission who uttered these words.

The report of this commission makes a lame attempt to exculpate General Hancock from blame in the premises. It says: "He had just come to the department, and circumstances were ingeniously woven to deceive him. . . If he erred, he can very well roll a part of the responsibility upou others; not alone on subordinate commanders, who were themselves deceived by others, but on those who were able to guard against the error and yet failed to do so. His distinguished services in another field of patriotic duty, had left him but little time to become acquainted with the remote or immediate causes producing these troubles." It is very kind in the commission, of whom several are military colleagues of General Hancock, to offer an apology for his con

duct; but to thinking people, with the facts before them, not valid excuse can be given. The truth is, the "selfish and unprincipled" who manipulated the operations which opened the way for General Hancock's movement against the Indians, found him quite ready to co-operate with them. He was extolled in the press of Kansas as he moved across the state; and the huzzas and acclaim of that portion of the popu lation, and it was quite large, that believed the only good Indian was the dead one, met him on every side. Without attempting to verify any of the stories on which he professed to base his movements, and all of which were false, or to scan the motives of those who sought to precipitate a war upon the Indians, he assumed that they needed discipline and discipline they must have; and in all cases, discipline with the military arm means punishment, and punishment means death. It was not his or General Custer's fault that only six Indians were killed in the campaign. Had it been within their power the whole village would have been put to the sword. Military commanders of divisions, as well as post commanders, seem to have adopted as a maxim that the first duty they have to perform after assuming command is to punish the Indians, and their ears are ever open to hear complaints, in order that a foundation may be laid for fitting out expeditions against the Indians; and the civil officer who undertakes to correct the misrepresentations that are pressed upon the military commander will be lucky indeed if he do not incur the displeasure of the man of war. There are exceptions in the conduct of some military officers to what is here stated, but that fact only proves the general rule. When the chiefs visited General Hancock, at Fort Larned, in April, and begged him to desist and forego his expedition until they could confer with him, he would have given some evidence that he desired to do right if he had granted their request, and given them a hearing. He had the stories against the Indians, and it was but just that he should hear them, but he declined to do so. The report of January 7, 1868, shows most conclusively that the stories furnished him were absolutely false, and this he could have known by investigation, if he had desired to be informed. But he did not desire any

further information than such as Major Douglas furnished him in February. This and the applause and compliments of the people of Kansas, among whom were many of the "selfish and unprincipled" who manipulated these things, were sufficient.

CHAPTER X.

MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST THE INDIANS IN NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA IN 1862, 1863, 1864, AND 1869.-DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO EXTERMINATE THEM.— MASSACRE OF APACHES IN 1871 AT CAMP GRANT, ETC.

MANY army officers claim with unlimited assurance that the military branch of the government is the proper one to have charge of Indian civilization. This claim has no foundation on which to rest. As a rule (to which it is admitted there are exceptions), army officers, when charged with duties in the Indian service, are not only unjust, but absolutely cruel. In order that the reader may have an insight into the humane manner in which our Indian population is treated by the military when acting without restraint, a brief recital will be found in this chapter of operations in New Mexico and the adjacent country, in 1862, 1863, 1864, and 1869.

In the Territory of New Mexico tillable land is nowhere to be found in large bodies. Indeed, there is but little such land. The Indian population resident in the territory at the time it was acquired by the United States, was composed of the Pueblo, Navajoe, Comanche, and Apache tribes. Fragments of Utes and other bands, occasionally made incursions into it. The Pueblos had small reservations, and resided in villages. They had churches and schools. Their form of government was democratic. They selected their officers, made their laws, and by diligence supported themselves. It was said that at this time they were remarkably free from vices, and guiltless of any grave crimes. The Navajoes, in some respects, resembled the Pueblos in their customs, but relied chiefly for support on their flocks of sheep, and the manufacture of their wool into blankets, in which they had quite a commerce. In 1846, the first expedition after the acquisition of New Mexico was made by Colonel Doniphan into the Navajoe country. He was surprised at the quantity and quality of the blankets manufactured by them. The Apaches