[Telegram.] ADJUTANT-GENERAL DIVISION PACIFIC, FORT VANCOUVER, WASH., August 6, 1878. San Francisco, Cal.: Commanding Officer Lapwai is informed through Agent Monteith that on 28th ultimo small band of Indians appeared at Scott's place, up South Fork Clearwater. Indians recognized them as White Bird's band and some Sioux. Commanding officer Camp Howard confirms report. Agent Monteith head chief Lawyer send some of his warriors to induce or force them to surrender. Five squaws of White Bird's band surrendered and say remainder of party consisted of thirteen bucks and some squaws, who have gone to Salmon River to open caches and then join Snakes, and that White Bird himself is still with Sitting Bull. Lapwai dispatch dated August first. NICKERSON, Assistant Adjutant-General. Received at Headquarters Military Division Pacific and Department of California August 6, 1878, and repeated by telegraph to the Adjutant-General of the Army August 8, 1878. CAMP MCDERMITT, NEVADA, SIR: I have the honor to state that there are about three hundred or more Indians living here since June last, the majority of them women and children. They all draw rations and when sick they come to me for medicines and medical attention, both of which are given them. As their wants in this respect are becoming more noticeable and frequent every day, I would respectfully ask your instructions in the premises. No requisition made for medical supplies has been based on the strength of their necessities by me. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, B. G. SEMIG, Assistant Surgeon, U. S. A. Military Division of the Pacific and Department of California. [Indorsement.] MEDICAL DIRECTOR'S OFFICE, HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION PACIFIC AND DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA, Presidio of San Francisco, August 12, 1878. Respectfully forwarded to the Surgeon-General U. S. Army, with request for instructions in the case. CHAS. C. KEENEY, Surgeon (Lieutenant-Colonel) U. S. A., Medical Director. MEDICAL DIRECTOR'S OFFICE, HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION PACIFIC AND DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA, Presidio of San Francisco, August 12, 1878. A true copy respectfully furnished to the assistant adjutant-general Military Division of the Pacific and Department of California. CHAS. C. KEENEY, Surgeon (Lieutenant-Colonel) U. S. A., Medical Director. Received at Headquarters Military Division Pacific and Department of California August 12, 1878. ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, [Telegram.] BOISÉ CITY, IDAHO, August 8, 1878. Division of the Pacific, Presidio San Francisco: On sixth, eighty-five hostile Snakes, including twenty-eight warriors, surrendered to Miller at Malheur Agency. From conversation with Captain Miller, think Chief Oits, of the Piutes, will surrender with his band in a few days. A ranchman from the reservation, under date of eighth, reports through Miles at Stone post-office, Oregon, that Piutes were still coming in when he left. Courier from Miller with detailed dispatches will have arrived at Baker before this. Will transmit substance of them soon as received if new or at all important. Cresson assigned to Hasbrouck and ordered to accompany that command. My headquarters at this center of communication for the present time our plans and expectations be further realized. HOWARD, Commanding. Received at Headquarters Military Division Pacific and Department of California August 9, 1878. [Telegram.] ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, Division Pacific, Presidio San Francisco: BOISE CITY, IDAHO, August 10, 1878. I have now at different points some six hundred Indians, more or less, men, women, and children. The effect of moving those who are not surrendered to the civil authorities for punishment immediately to the Indian Territory, or to some other place where they cannot return to this region, will, I believe, be the best for all concerned. Shall I prepare them for this exodus? Please communicate division commander's wishes as soon as possible. HOWARD, Commanding. Received at Headquarters Military Division Pacific and Department of California August 10, 1878. GENERAL HOWARD, Boise City, Idaho: [Telegram.] HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION PACIFIC AND DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA, Presidio San Francisco, Cal., August 10, 1878. The division commander desires you to report more in detail as to the Indians whom you suggest be sent off, and specifically as to what place you wish to send them. Give the number of Indians, the tribe to which they belong, the places where they are now held by you, their sex, and the number of adults. KELTON, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE COLUMBIA, VII. Capt. Marcus P. Miller, Fourth Artillery, commanding at Malheur Agency, Oregon, after being re-enforced by Company H, Twenty-first Infantry, will proceed with his battalion and supplies in charge of all Indian prisoners at the agency to Camp Harney, Oregon. On being relieved at Camp Harney, Oregon, by Capt. Evan Miles, Twentyfirst Infantry, Captain Miller will disband his battalion, relieve the companies from duty in the field, and proceed with his own company via Portland, Oreg., to the Department of California, reporting to the assistant adjutant-general Military Division of the Pacific and Department of California. By command of Brigadier-General O. O. Howard. C. E. S. WOOD, Aid-de-Camp, Assistant Adjutant-General in the field. Received at Headquarters Military Division Pacific and Department of California August 17, 1878. [Telegram.] BOISE CITY, IDAHO, August 12, 1878. Military Division Pacific, San Francisco: ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, Reports from Captain Miller, of the Tenth, indicate scattered parties hostiles assembling to surrender. Some wandering, but few together, appear south of Harney. The few Weisers gone into the rough country between the Weiser and Snake. While Egbert, near Cold Springs, overland stage-road, runs upon six or seven Indians and captures from them fifteen horses, Green, with five companies, is pushing those who have fled east and north from Camas Prairie. Forsyth was yesterday at Camp Three Forks, and Miles's mounted infantry scouting at different places from Baker to mouth of the Boise. Captain Drum, with the Lapwai and Mount Idaho men, starts home up the trail through Indian Valley. I have instructed rearranged force, putting Forsyth in charge here, Miles at Baker, Wheaton at Walla, re-enforcing Miller at Malheur Agency, sending him with prisoners to Harney. Having also taken the necessary preliminary steps to send the troops to their stations as soon as we can judiciously do so, I will start for Vancouver to-day. HOWARD, Commanding Department. Received at Headquarters Military Division Pacific and Department of California August 12, 1878, and repeated by telegraph to the Adjutant-General of the Army August 13, 1878. ADJUTANT-GENERAL, Division Pacific, San Francisco: [Telegram.] FORT VANCOUVER, WASH., August 13, 1878. Am directed to transmit following to you: "Boise City, August 12.-On account of disturbed condition here have ordered four companies to be stationed at Fort Boise-two of cavalry. Shall need to duplicate the estimate just allowed for cavalry stables and for quarters. Detail of new estimates forwarded to-day. Will take some days to procure details required as to prisoners. Will leave them at the nearest Army posts until proper report can be made and decision as to final disposition of them sent me. Please permit Lieutenant Ward to enlist at Fort Boise for vacancies in companies in neighborhood. Howard, commanding." NICKERSON, Assistant Adjutant-General. Received at Headquarters Military Division Pacific and Department of California August 13, 1878. [Telegram.] ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, Division Pacific, Presidio of San Francisco : BAKER CITY, OREG., August 13, 1878. Oits and 60 Indians, including 15 warriors, surrendered to Miller at agency on 12th. Detachment of Egbert's command, under Dove, skirmished on 9th four hours with Indians on Bennett Creek. Egbert re-enforced him; made night attack, but enemy had withdrawn. Column is pursuing. As soon as Egbert can be released by Sanford and possibly spared, he will be sent back; probably very soon. * HOWARD, Commanding Department. Received at Headquarters Military Division Pacific and Department of California Angust 14, 1878, and repeated by telegraph to the Adjutant-General of the Army same day. [Telegram.] WALLULA, WASH., August 15, 1878. ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, Military Division Pacific, Presidio San Francisco: Twenty-seven Pintes surrendered at agency on 13th, including sixteen men. Very few more Piutes out. HOWARD, Commanding. Received at Headquarters Military Division Pacific and Department of California August 16, 1878, and repeated by telegraph to the Adjutant-General of the Army same date. [Telegram.] ADJUTANT-GENERAL, Division Pacific, San Francisco: FORT VANCOUVER, WASH., August 20, 1878. I shall be obliged to detain Miller's command a few days, as there is quite a band of Indians who are expected to surrender. I will then send him with the prisoners to McDermitt, thence via Winnemucca to San Francisco. HOWARD, Commanding. Received at Headquarters Military Division Pacific and Department of California August 20, 1878. COMMANDING OFFICER, [Telegram.] HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION PACIFIC AND DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA, Presidio San Francisco, Cal., August 21, 1878. Department Columbia, Fort Vancouver, Wash.: Division commander asks: Why is it necessary to send Indian prisoners from Harney to McDermitt? What is the object? What good expected? [Telegram.] KELTON, A. A. G. HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION PACIFIC AND DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA, Presidio San Francisco, Cal., August 23, 1878. General HOWARD, Fort Vancouver, Wash.: Send no Piutes from their reservation to Camp McDermitt. The Indian Department has been urging the opposite course, namely, to send the Indians from McDermitt to the Malheur. and until the question can be acted upon at Washington none will be sent to McDermitt. You will countermand any movements now ordered. MCDOWELL, Major-General. General McDoWELL, Presidio San Francisco: [Telegram.] CELILO, OREG., August 23, 1878. Your order concerning prisoners will be obeyed. Under no circumstances should the Piutes be allowed to return to Malheur Agency. The peace cannot be preserved there except by a large post. Such a course is rewarding crime. Please forward my earnest protest. HOWARD, Commanding. Received at Headquarters Military Division of the Pacific and Department of California August 24, 1878. [Telegram.] COMMANDING OFFICER, HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION PACIFIC AND DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA, Presidio San Francisco, Cal., August 24, 1878. Department Columbia, Fort Vancouver, Wash.: Your telegram of 23d, from Celilo, received. Your protest will neither be forwarded nor entertained. You cannot be ignorant of the fact that the Indian Department has been endeavoring to have all Indians off the Malheur Reservation put on it, as is done in other commands where Indians leave the reservations provided for them. Whether the Indians engaged in the last hostilities will or will not be sent to some distant place is a question of policy which neither you nor I have the power to determine, and you should not have assumed to determine it without sanction of those whose business it is to decide. Your ordering them beyond the limits of your department, away from their reservation, to a small military post, was not called for by any reason that can be imagined. If they are in the way and troublesome at Malheur, they will be as much and more so at McDermitt. The evil would not thereby be removed, but simply changed from Oregon to Nevada. I desire not to be represented as expressing any opinion as to the future of these Indians, and shall look to you that I am not suffered to be represented as favoring any plan whatever except that of allowing the proper persons to determine the question. If the peace cannot be maintained on the Malheur Reservation except by a large post, you will be expected to submit your recommendations for maintaining one. Your remark about rewarding crime is utterly uncalled for, and suggests that you seem disposed to treat all Piutes as hostile, and punish the innocent for the sins of the guilty. MCDOWELL, Major-General. [Telegram.] ADJUTANT-GENERAL, Division Pacific, San Francisco: FORT VANCOUVER, WASH., August 25, 1878. Report received from Colonel Forsyth of killing of two, probably three, citizens and badly wounding of another, Tuesday morning, on Lewiston trail near head of Falls North Fork Payette. Captain Drum's command being within about thirty miles on Thursday evening, en route to Mount Idaho, where mail-carrier brought him news, and he starts immediately for the scene of the murders. Forsyth thinks Colonel Green's command must have gone toward Lemhi, as he was following trail, and commanding officer Fort Hall has heard nothing of him. In absence of General Howard, NICKERSON, Assistant Adjutant-General. Received at Headquarters Military Division Pacific and Department of California August 26, 1878, and repeated by telegraph to the Adjutant-General of the Army same date. [Telegram.] HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION PACIFIC General HOWARD, Walla Walla, Wash.: AND DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA, Presidio San Francisco, Cal., August 28, 1878. Your telegram of the 27th received. I am directed by division commander to call your attention to your telegrams of August 10 and 13. You then expected to receive authority to act in the matter of the deportation of Piute Indians, and you were expected to wait for such authority before proceeding to solve the question yourself. Division commander thinks you are not warranted in calling the Indians at McDermitt prisoners. The bulk of them have not been engaged in any hostile act. Many of them came in from working on the farms of whites in the vicinity. Some of them rendered most valuable service to the white settlers, and aided in saving them and their property. It is not possible to treat these people as hostile prisoners, none of whom have been captured by your troops. You speak, in your telegram of the 22d, of the stock-farms in the Harney region as being the cause of your wishing to send all the Indians off the Malheur Reservation. Do the whites have their stock-farms on the land reserved for the Indians? If so, do you recommend the Indians be sent off their lands on that account? In reference to such of your telegram of 27th as refers to your being in charge of the Indians who are off their reservation, by a decision of the Interior Department, the division commander is not aware of any authority given you which empowers you to treat with these Indians or involve the United States in any agreement with them. Under the orders of the War Department, Indians off the reservation are under the control of the military, for the purpose of putting them on the reservation or pursuing them when hostile. But you were specially ordered by the General of the Army, on the 27th of May last, not to attempt to place Moses on any reservation without specific orders from the War Department. Acknowledge receipt. KELTON, 4. A. G. |