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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. XI9 the militam officers temuorarilv stationed at the ae-e ncv... Ca-~ t,ainB ainbride-e,. Four-teenth Infantry, commanding Fort Hsll, Mr. Danilson, the agent, a;od the principal men of the Bannocks and Shoshones. This conference satisfied me of the peacesble intentions of the Indians, and their determination to remain on good t e r n with our people. The murder committed last summer was an individual act and not one rrith ahidh any portion of the tribe s.mpathized. The disarming aud distuom~tiug of the tribe under these eirc~m~staneeasp- p- ears to have been unnecessar.y , es.pe cially siuce such of them as were the least disposed to be friendly h d ti me to learn of the mom eontem-plated and to conceal their animals and guns, lewing the burden of the punishment to fall upon our best friends and those upon whom we should have to relr in case of any trouble. The tribe aould not feel the loas inflicted, which was probably not one-fourth t,he total number of ponies, and its remembrance m4l only survive as an irritant. Al-though the loss of their ponies would not cripple these Iudians in the event of hostili-ties, it will seriously interfere with their farming, for which purpose they are begin-ning to use them. The return of these animals rrould be good policy, as would also be that of the arms, which are almost entirely old-fasltioned pieces, of very little account except for shooting such small game as can be found near the sgenoy, while their retention will be dwelt upon as a grievance. While there seems to have been some occasion for alarm in the fact of thi' murrler referred to, the spirit of the Indians in general a s s not properly repremuted md the condition of affairs was unduly exaggerated. The tribe have no intention of going to war, and manifest most friendly feelings. In my conversation with Mr. Danilsan, and fmm the complaints of the Indians, I learned that the rcltions issued at this agency are ent iml~in adequste. Hitherto i t has been the practice to permit the young men to hunt the buffalo in the Big Horn md Yellowstone country, but the rapid settling up of that region, as well as of the country around this agenoy, makes any such depend-ence for the future most preoarious, and I therefore urgently reoommeud an inorease to the amount now allowed the Sioux and other Indiaus. The maintenance of t roo~as t the ag-eno.s is i n mv. o-~ inionn o lon-ee r neoeaam"., a nd they can now be ret-ed to their proper stations at Salt Lake. GEORGE CROOK, Brigndirr-Gamnl. ADJUTIWT-GENERM*II LITARY DIVISION MISSOURI, Chicago, nz. lFirat indorsement.] HEADQU~RTMEIURTBA EYD IVISIONM ISSO~I , Chicago, April 10, 1678. Reapectfull~fo rwarded to the Adjutant-General of the Army. P. H. SHERIDAN, Lieutenz~t-General Cmnm~ding. WAR DEPAETME~T, Washington City, April 16, 1818. Sm: I have the honor to tranamit for your information a oopy of General Cmok'a report, dated April3, 1878, of the result of his conference and observations st the Shoshone and Bsnmok Agency, and stating that the disarming and dismoonting t h w Indiana was unneoeasary, and recommending that their rations be inoressed. Very respectfully, your obedient semant, GEO. McCRARY, Seweta y of War. The Ron. SECRETAEOYF TEE INTERIOR. |
