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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIOSER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. XI nnlnber of detache(1 military posts. The clividitlg of the Armj- into so maoj- small detachn1e11t.s tends to deprive it of the strength needed for the st~l)l~ressioonf a sndden outbreak. For the past year it has been almost impossible to obtain even an escort of ea3-alq- or infant r~i,n as-much as the number of men at each military post lras been snfticient only to fnrnisl~i t a resl~ectableg arrison. The 11istor~o-f the past three years has proven conclnsively that this attenuation of the -ir~ny renders it ia~possiblet o administer even a homeopatldc dose of coercion until after a lapse of consideral~let ime. This weakness e a~l ) o l~lteh~e ~s savage.;, $11 tliat a mere hantlfnl, like the 87 warriors, wit11 tl~eir 200 \Tonten and children, m~derD ull Knife, ean cnt tl~rongha military de-partment and sprcatl terror and slaughter for a 111011th with impunity. The consolidatior~ of Indian tribes o1)on fewer reservations, as recom-mended elsewhere, wonld enable the Arm>- to concentrate and becolne more effective. There is, hoaex-er, another relneily for tlle eril iilcli-cated, which, in my jndg~nent.,c an be and s11ouLl be q~~ickaldyo l?ted t'o save the loss of life and property conseqnent on Indian outbreaks, and the great expense non- entailed on the governmentby Indian wars. An auxiliarj- force of Indian cavalry should be organized, enlisted from the young men of the most warlike tribes, RI Ip~laIc ed under the c o~nma~~d of Arm>- officers of experience. Such a force should be held ready for effectire serxice at a moment's warning. The mere fact of its existence aoultl serve to check the tendency to outbreaks, and by enlisting. the j-onng an(l varlike kom the various tribes, the element of strife that is now cltafing for the excitement of the warpath would find legitimate occ~~patiothna t. would tend to repress the natural disposition for indis-criminate war and bloodshed. Another consiileration whicl! calls for the organization of such a force is the fact that our Indians are among the best, perhaps are the T-eiy best, horsemen in the world ; and it is no disparagement to white sol-diers, whose bravery is deservedly held in high esteem, to admit that Indians are their superiors in following the trail of a foe. They will not stand up in the open field and fight like our white soldiers, but mounted and set npona trail they will follow it with a persistent speed that no white man can equal. Such a11 auxiliary force, not exceeiling 3,000 men, could be so placed as to be bronght rapidly into aotion, in case of any threatened out1)reak. It shonlcl be held in large bodies, to be effective, and not di~ideilu p infinitedmall~a, s n-odd be the case with ordinaqq army soonts; rnld it wonld p l ~at1 1 effectual s b p to raids running a coulrse of from iOO to 1,Sno miles. Of its feasibility there need be no question, for there can be no truer friend or braver man than the American Indian of the better type, and his loyalty to the government, when once enlisted in its service, is beyond any reasonable i lo~~btI.f the English Go\-ernu~entc. an trost the sepoys of India, a e can place full confidence in our Indian allies. I would urge the speet1.y organization and equipment of this anxiliary |