University of Oklahoma College of Law University of Oklahoma College of Law Digital Commons American Indian and Alaskan Native Documents in the Congressional Serial Set: 1817-1899 1-5-1881 Message from the President of the United States, transmitting, in response to Senate resolution of June 21, 1879, reports from the Secretaries of the Interior and War, relative to expenses in certain Indian wars Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.law.ou.edu/indianserialset Part of the Indian and Aboriginal Law Commons Recommended Citation S. Exec. Doc. No. 15, 46th Cong., 3rd Sess. (1881) This Senate Executive Document is brought to you for free and open access by University of Oklahoma College of Law Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in American Indian and Alaskan Native Documents in the Congressional Serial Set: 1817-1899 by an authorized administrator of University of Oklahoma College of Law Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 46TH CONGRESS,} SENATE. Ex. Doc. 3d Session. { No.15. MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, TRANSMITTING, In response to Senate resolutinn of June 21, 1879, reports from the Secre­ taries of the Interior and War, relative to expenses in certain Indian wwrs. JANUARY 5, 1881.-0rdered to lie on the table and be printed. To the Senate of the United State.'l : In response to the resolution of the Senate of June 21, 1879, I here­ with transmit reports received from the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of War. R. B. HAYES. EXECUTIVE MANSION, January 5, 1881. NOTE.-Expenses incurred by the United States, value of property destroyed, and number of kitled, & c., in certain Indian wars. DEPAR'l'MENT OF THE INTERIOR, Washington, July 2, 1879. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, by Executive .ref­ erence, under date of 25th ultimo, of a resolution of the Senate of the United States, as follows: JUNE 21, 1879. Resolved, 'rhat the President of the United States be requested to inform the Senate, if not incompatible with the public interests, how many solrliers and civilians were killed and wounded, the estimated value of property destroyed, with the expenses in­ curred by the United States, in the following-named Indian wars, viz: The war in Southern Oregon aucl Idaho and northern parts of California ancl Nevada, in 1865- 1868; the war against the Cheyennes, Arapahoes, Kiowas, and Comanches, in Kansas, Colorado, and the Indian Territory, in 1868-1869 ; the Modocwar, in 1H72 and 1873; the war against the Apaches of Ari:wna, in 1R73; the war against the Kiowas, Co­ manches, and Cheyennes, in Kansas, Colorado, Texas, Indian Territory, and New Mex­ ico, in 1874 and1875; the war against t.he Northern Cheyennes and Sioux, in 1876- 1877 ; the Nez Perce war in lt377 ; the Bannock war in lt)78, and the war against the Northern Cheyennes in 1878-1879. And that he be requested further to inform the Senate, as nearly as he may l1e able, how many Indians have been killed in each of the wars mentioned. The subject having been duly referred to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for such information as might be obtained from the files and records of his office, I inclose herewith a copy of his letter in reply to 2 EXPENSES IN CERTAIN IN DIAN WARS. such reference, in which he states that there is no data in his office which will afford any reliable information upon the subject of this inquiry. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 0. SCHURZ, Secretary. The PRESIDENT, Executive Mansion. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, OFFICI~ OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, , WasHngton, June 2ti, 1879. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, by your reference, of a resolution of the Senate datetl 21st instant, asking for information respecting the number of soldiers and civilians killed and wounded, the estimated value of properr.y destroyed, and expenses incurred, in wars with various Indian tribes therein designated, and also the number of Indians killed in said wars, and in reply have resp<>ctfully to state that there is no data in this office whi,..h will a.fforcl any reliable infonnatiou upon the subject of this inquiry. It is presumed that the information desired can be obtained from the War Department. The resolution referred to is herewith respectfully returned. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, E. A. HAYT, Commissioner. The Ron. the SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. WAR DEPARTMEN'l', Washington City, November 8, 1880. SIR: I have the honor to return herewith Senate resolution of June 21, 1879, calling for information as to the number oi soldiers and civil­ ians killed and wounded, value of property destroyed, with the expenses incurred by the United States, in certain Indian wars; also, letter from the Secretary of the Interior on the subject; which were referred to this department by your direction on the 2d of December last, and t.o invite attention to the accompanying report of the .Adjutant-General and its inclosures, containing so mueh of the data desired as the records of this department afl'ord. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, ALEX. RAMSEY, Secretary of War. The PRESIDENT. wAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Wa.'lhiugton, Octobe1· 18, 1880. SIR: I have the honor to return Senate resolution of June 21, 1879, calling for infor­ mation as to the number of soldiers and civilians kmed and wounrlt•d, value of prop­ erty destroyed, and cost to the Unit<>d Stah•s, in certain Indian wars, which resolution was referred to the department, by direction of the President, on the 2<1 December last, and to invite attention to accompanying copies of reports from t.he Quartermas­ ter-General, Surgeon-General, Commissary -General of Subsistence, and division n.nd de­ partment commanders on the subject. A statement, compiled from the records of this office, showing the number of sol­ diers and civilians killed and wonncll•d, and the number of Indians killed, in the sev­ eral Indian wars named in the resolution is iuelo:-;cd hPrewith. This statement includes only snch casualities amoug citizens and IncUans as have been officially reported to this office, and is therefore so far, of course, incomplj•te. As will be seen from the report of the Quartermaster-Genera], the cost to the Unittld States incident to the campaigns in question canuot be given with any de~ree of accu­ racy, the exp!'nses incurred having been embraced in tl1e total expenditures on ac­ count of the military establishment for the years in which the wars occurred, and not (as is now done) kept separately. EXPENSES IN CERTAIN INDIAN WARS. This report haH been delayed by the difficulty in obtaining the necessary data from the divisions of the Missouri and the Pacific, touching the campaigns covering the period from 1R65 to 1869. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, R. C. DRUM, Adjutant-General .. To the Ron. the SECRETARY O:F WAR. Reports to accompany Zettler of 1880 of the Adjutant-General of the A1·my, retU?·ning Senate resolution of June 21, 1i:l79, calling for information touching certain Indian wars. WAR DEPARTMENT, QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, D. C., December 20, 1879. GENERAL :. Referring to copy of Senate resolution of June 21, 1H79, referred by you to this office under date of December 8 instant, calling for report as to the expendi­ tures on account of certain Indian wars, I respectfully inclose statement of such ex­ penditures as are shown by the records' of this office. Further reports have been telegraphed for and will be forwarded when received. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, M. C. MEIGS, Quo.rtermaster-General, Bre1Jet Major-General, U.S. A. To the ADJUTANT-GENERAI, OF THE ARMY, Washington, D. C. Statement of expendit·ures from approp1·iations of the Quartermaster's Depa1'tment on account of Ind·ian wars, called for by Senate resolution of June 21, U:l79. Amount of ex­ Date of war. Names and location of tribes. p enditures. Remarks. -- ------ -~1 ------ 1 ------------ Information obtained from let­ ter of the Quartermaster­ General to thA Secretary of 1865 to 1868 .. Southern Oregon and Idaho, and north- War, dated November 27, ern parts of California and Nevada: 1866(extractcopyherewith), Northwestern expedition ...... .. $1, 394, 190 00 in answer t.o resolution of New Mexico ...... ..... ......... 298, 849 00 House of R eprf'Sf'ntatives, Districts of the Plains ........... 13, 470, 957 00 dated June 7, 18fi6, calling Kiowa expedition ............... 100, 703 00 for information as to amount California and Oregon ............ 1, 553, 816 00 of money expended by Republican River ............. .. 30, 173 00 Quartermaster's Depa.rtm't Northwest Territory ...... .... ... 2, 415, 168 00 lin suppression of Indian . I hostilities for years 1864, l 1865, &c. 1868-1869 . .. Cheyennes, Arapahoes, Kiowas, and Comanches in Kansas, Colorado, and the Indian Territory . ......•........ 1872-1873 .... Modocwar . ........................................ ]873 ........ .. Apaches in Arizona! .................................. 1874-1875 ... Kiowas, Comanches, and Cheyennes in Kansas, Colorado, Texas, Indian Territory, and New Mexico .. .. .. .. .. ............ .. 1~6-1877 .... Northern Cheyennes and Sioux . .. 1, 894, 311 00 1877 ......... Nez Percli ........ .... .. ......... ... 931,329 02 1878 ....... Bannock war . • . • • • . • • • • • 556, 636 19 1878-1879 .... - Northern Cheyennes.................. 34,209 57 WAR DEPARTMENT, QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, D. C., November 27, 1866. SIR: In response to the resolution of the House of Representatives, of the 7th of June last, calling for information as to the amount of money" expended for the snppression of Indian hostilities, and for the various military expeditions against the Indian tribes during the years 1864 and 1865, stating particularly the amounts expended in 6ach year and each expedition respectively," I have the honor to submit the following ap­ proximate statements of the amounts so expendPd by the Qnarterma~<ter's Department.