command. More and more every day, even in well organized armies, personal skill in the use of small-arms becomes essential and commands attention and encouragement. In Indian wars, which are of necessity running skirmishes in almost every case, the skillful sharpshooter is invaluable, and ours, of all the armies in the world, should do most to secure as large a number of good marksmen as constant practice, stimulated in every proper way, can secure for us. There is no doubt that the General Order from Army headquarters on this subject will prove of the greatest value to the Army.

SCHOOL OF APPLICATION.

The duties of the Army on this frontier since 1865 have consisted mainly, if not wholly, of continuous and harassing campaigns against Indians, generally in small detachments, in building shelters for the troops by their own labor, and in driving wagons, so that practically the Army in this region has consisted mainly of scouts, teamsters, and laborers. In the nature of things such service is the very opposite of being conducive to the proper discharge of military duty or the acquirement, either in theory or practice, by officers or soldiers, of professional knowledge or even of the ordinary tactics of a battalion. Everything, however, now indicates a condition of Indian affairs in the near future which will enable us to concentrate the troops at a few large posts, where all the essential instruction for well-organized armies can be readily and successfully undertaken. I think it may be fairly assumed, from practical results within the last ten years, that in much less time than that in the future our Indian relations will be so far settled that nearly all the small posts and cantonments on the western frontier can be dispensed with. Certainly, if the same progress be made in the next ten years toward such disposition of the Indians as will assure their harmlessness, as has been made within the last ten years, we may safely count upon such a condition of things that the government shall be able to determine precisely what military force it is its purpose to keep on foot and to select the points at which it shall be posted.

Fort Leavenworth, in the very center of one of the richest agricultural districts in the country, with easy communication to all parts of the country by rail, and with its ample reservation of 6,000 acres of land beautifully diversified, will, beyond doubt, be one of the principal points of occupation by a considerable part of our permanent army of the future. It seems eminently proper, therefore, that, in anticipation of such results, preparations should be begun to provide here the theoretical and practical instruction needed constantly by all armies, and certainly by ours as much, if not more, than most others. The organization of the "School of application" here, to go into operation as soon as the necessary buildings can be prepared, is an immense advance toward that condition of knowledge and efficiency in the Army which has been so long wanting and so sincerely craved by every grade of officer and enlisted man. It has been a genuine satisfaction to me that this school was determined on, and it will be a great source of pleasure to me to do all I can to make it successful. It is a great boon to the Army, and that its results will amply repay the government there is no doubt.

Every effort is being made to complete the arrangements for the shelter of the garrison for the school and of the officers to be sent here for instruction. I cannot venture to say when everything will be ready to

open the school, but it will certainly be as soon as willing labor and deep interest can make it.

The administrative duties of the department have been most efficiently and satisfactorily performed by the respective chiefs of the staff departments serving at these headquarters. The troops have been well supplied in every respect, and the service is in as good condition as could be expected or desired. I wish here to express my entire satisfaction with these chiefs of staff departments, and think it simple justice that attention should be invited to them by name, as follows, viz: Maj. E. R. Platt, assistant adjutant-general; Lieut. Col. J. D. Bingham, chief quartermaster; Maj. George Bell, chief commissary; Maj. D. L. Magruder, medical director; Maj. J. J. Coppinger, inspector; Lieut. T. N. Bailey, chief engineer; Capt. D. M. Taylor, A. D. C., and chief of ordnance; Capt. W. M. Dunn, jr., Second Artillery, A. D. C.; Lieut. S. W. Groesbeck, judge-advocate, and Maj. George H. Weeks, depot quartermaster. All these officers are entitled to the thanks of the department commander, who hereby tenders them.

A roster of the department and a field return of troops serving in it are herein transmitted.

I am, colonel, respectfully, your obedient servant,

Col. W. D. WHIPPLE,

JNO. POPE, Brevet Major-General, U. S. A., Commanding.

Assistant Adjutant-General,

Military Division of the Missouri, Chicago, Ill.

3 C.-REPORT OF COLONEL HATCH.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO,

Santa Fé, N. Mex., October 3, 1881. SIR: In compliance with telegram of the general commanding, dated September 27, 1881, I have the honor to report as follows:

During July our troops and Indian scouts were active, scouting the Mexican line. Lieutenant Guilfoyle, with a company of Indian scouts and detachments of L troop, Ninth Cavalry, when scouting country east of Fort Bliss, came upon a small band of hostiles, following them over the Rio Grande. These hostiles were probably Mescaleros from Mexico. This band, with others under Nana, made their way to the San Mateo Mountains, defeating a citizen company of 36 men, capturing all their horses and equipage, on August 1. D troop, of the Ninth Cavalry, had been ordered to the San Mateo Mountains on the 28th July, and passing through these mountains, in advance of the hostiles, turned to the southwest without finding the hostiles in the mountains, as was expected. The hostiles, on leaving the San Mateo, moved in a northwest direction, closely followed by Lieutenant Guilfoyle, who came up with them at Monica Springs, capturing some of their stock and killing some of them. In anticipation of this movement of the hostiles, I had, on the 1st, ordered K troop, Ninth Cavalry, to Rito Quenado to head them off, which resulted in a sharp fight, with loss to us of two killed and four wounded in the company. Lieutenant Guilfoyle, with his scouts, having one more running fight, finally was thrown off the trail of the hostiles, who were killing people, and followed some of the bands of renegade Navajoes and others, who had taken advantage

of the raiding party under Nana to run off stock. A company, of the Ninth Cavalry, was brought up from Selden, pushed out west of Craig; I troop, Ninth Cavalry, stationed near Cañada Alamosa for the purpose of striking the Indians on their way south.

Taylor, with detachments of B and H troops, Ninth Cavalry, and A company, Indian scouts, was brought up to Craig during the 15th, by rail, and put on the trail the same morning twenty miles west of Craig; A company, of the Ninth Cavalry, had passed this locality, going west, before the hostiles passed south. Lieut. C. W. Taylor, Ninth Cavalry, came up with the hostiles at daylight in the morning of the 16th, in the San Mateo Mountains, soon routing them and driving them out of the mountains during the day.

On the 16th the hostiles were heading south, when Lieutenant Valois, with I troop, Ninth Cavalry, came on them, having a sharp fight, in which three men were badly wounded and a number of horses lost. The hostiles continued moving rapidly south, being joined by small parties, closely followed by Captain Cooney with A troop, Ninth Cavalry, Lieutenant Valois with I troop, and Taylor with his company of Indian scouts. To check the hostiles, I had ordered Lieutenant Smith with 46 mounted men from Cummings to neighborhood of Lake Valley. Lieutenant Smith attacked the hostiles in Garilan Cañon on the morning of the 19th, having with him only 17 men, and joined by a party of citizens commanded by a miner named Daly. Lieutenant Smith and 3 men were killed, a number wounded. Why Smith did not take all his men with him has never been explained. Daly, with most of the citizens, broke at the first fire. Sergeant Wood, of B troop, Ninth Cavalry, left in command, held his ground until Sergeant Anderson, of the same company, came up with the balance of the command.

There being no officer with the men, Anderson moved forward on the trail, taking his dead and wounded with him, as the trail led towards the Rio Miembres. On reaching that point the sergeant sent his dead and wounded into Fort Bayard. On the evening of the 20th all the troops in that vicinity were in full pursuit of the hostiles into Sonora, marching very rapidly night and day. The only result was forcing the hostiles to abandon much property stolen during the raid. During the time of the raid it rained continuously, causing much difficulty in keeping the trail. The troops made every effort to come up with the hostiles, and attacked with vigor when they did.

Captain Parker, Lieutenants Guilfoyle, Taylor, Valois, Burnett, and Wright displayed energy and courage, and are entitled to honorable mention.

The subreports called for have not been received, except those inclosed from Lieutenant Guilfoyle and Captain Parker. Supposing the telegraphic communication of September 27, referred to above, calls for immediate report, I forward without delaying for the arrival of the others. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDWARD HATCH, Colonel Ninth Cavalry, Commanding.

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

Department of the Missouri, Fort Leavenworth, Kans.

3 D.—REPORT OF BRIGADIER-GENERAL AUGUR.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS, San Antonio, Tex., September 27, 1881. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of affairs appertaining to the military Department of Texas since I took command of it, on the 3d of January last. At that time their condition appeared very satisfactory. The arrangements between my predecessor and the Mexican generals in command on the line of the Rio Grande for friendly cooperation to preserve order and to prevent raids and disturbances along the common frontier seemed to have been productive of happy results. There was no trouble of any kind on either frontier ofthe department.

I am happy to report that, generally, this exemption from frontier troubles has prevailed up to this time. There have, however, been some exceptions. On about the 24th of April a small band of Lipan Indians from Mexico killed Mrs. McLauren. living on the Rio Frio, and robbed her house. As soon as information of this outrage was received at Fort Clark, the nearest military post, Lieutenant Bullis and a party of Seminole scouts were sent in pursuit by Colonel Stanley, Twenty-second Infantry, commanding the post.

Lieutenant Bullis found the trail, and followed it persistently for six days. On the evening of May 2 he discovered the marauders' camp, quietly surrounded it during the night, and at daylight led a charge upon it, killing four of the bucks, and capturing a squaw and child and all the property of the camp and twenty-one horses. For this successful expedition Lieutenant Bullis deserves much credit.

Small parties of Indians have made their appearance about Peña Colorado and about Fort Davis. Their depredations were limited, so far as known, to stealing some horses and shooting some few cattle. Colonel Shafter, commanding Fort Davis and the subposts of Peña Colorado, Quitman, and the Presidio del Norte, took effective measures against them, and at this time they have disappeared.

It is presumed these Indians are of the bands residing in Mexico, though it is quite possible they belong to some of the tribes in New Mexico, and were returning to their reservations via Mexico and Texas.

The captured squaw reports that about fifty or sixty families of Lipans have their homes in the Sierra Carmen, in Mexico, adjacent to the Rio Grande, between mouth of Pecos and San Carlos. From numerous points on this line they cross into Texas in parties of three or four men on foot to steal horses, and then return to as rapidly as possible into Mexico. It is probable, too, that many half-breed Mexicans are connected with them, and join in these depredations. These Indians, besides, are in communication with the Apaches of New Mexico, who visit them, and in return are visited by them, and it is probably these visiting parties, ready at all times for plunder, who are so often seen in the country, and naturally create much alarm among the dispersed frontier settlers.

The near completion to and along the Rio Grande and the northern frontier of several lines of railroad will change very materially the conditions of the problem of protection and defense of those frontiers. The track of the Texas and Pacific road is laid as far as San Martin Spring, in longitude of Fort Davis, and about fifty miles north. The Southern Pacific is extending its track from El Paso, via Carijo Pass, Eagle Springs, Peña Colorado, Mayer's Spring, mouth of Pecos. It is to meet

the "sunset route," now running fifty miles west of this place to Sabinal, thence to be extended via Uvalde, a point eight miles south of Fort Clark, Del Rio, and mouth of Pecos. The International and Great Northern is completed, and now running to Los Raicos, beyond the Nueces, and will soon be completed to Laredo. The road from Corpus Christi to Laredo is completed, and cars are running over it. It is expected that the Texas Pacific and Southern Pacific will be in operation to El Paso by January, 1882.

It is not believed that any military posts will be longer needed south of the line of the Texas and Pacific Railway, except such as bear upon the defense or protection of the Rio Grande line. Forts Concho, McKavett, and Stockton are thus rendered unnecessary; Fort Griffin, no longer necessary, was abandoned as a military post in May last. If barracks are to be built at San Antonio for a regiment, to be kept in readiness at that post for an emergency at any point on either frontier, then Fort Clark can also be given up. It is not probable that Indian depredations will ever again be made from any point in Mexico, south of the mouth of Pecos. From that point, to Quitman at least, they may be expected at any time, and the line of the Southern Pacific must be protected in its entire length from mouth of Pecos to El Paso. Two small posts, one troop of cavalry and one company of infantry each, will be necessary in the country between the Southern Pacific and the Rio Grande, from mouth of Pecos to the Presidio del Norte. Should the Mexican Government determine to establish a small military post in the vicinty of the Sierra Carmen or near San Vicente, or even at San Carlos, it is believed that, between the troops thus established on either side, the Indians would soon be obliged to leave that country. A post of the character of those referred to above will also probably be necessary at or near the Presidio del Norte.

On the northern frontier, one post will be needed in or near the Guadalupe Mountains, and probably two north of the Texas and Pacific Railroad and in the direction of Fort Elliott on the western flank of the Indian Territory.

The engineer officer of the department is now out with a party examining this country with the view of determining the points best suited for the location of these posts.

Fort Davis is well located as it is, and its resources are available for either frontier.

On June 28, 1881, General Servando Canales, an old and distinguished general of the Mexican army, in command of the Rio Grande frontier below Mier, died suddenly at Matamoros. For years General Canales has been active and persistent in his endeavors to break up the raiding and the disorders which for so long a period had prevailed there. By his vigilance, his enlarged views, and the force of his personal character, he was very influential in bringing about the existing quietude of that frontier, and the happier feeling existing between its inhabitants.

The commanding officer at Fort Brown was instructed to pay proper honors to his memory. Copies of the very interesting correspondence growing out of this action accompany this report (marked E).

Herewith are inclosed the reports of the chiefs of the several staff departments at these headquarters (marked F, G, H, I, J, K, and L). Special attention is invited to that portion of the chief quartermas ter's report (F) referring to the subject of changing the times of commencement and termination of contracts for supplies in this department. These views are shared by every one who has had experience of the present system. It will be observed that no stronger proof of