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Miles, Nelson Appleton, 1839-1925 / Personal recollections and observations of General Nelson A. Miles embracing a brief view of the Civil War, or, From New England to the Golden Gate: and the story of his Indian campaigns, with comments on the exploration, development and progress of our great western empire
(1896)
Chapter XXXIV. From Indian territory to Arizona, pp. 432-444
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Page 432
432 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF CHAPTER XXXIV. FROM INDIAN TERRITORY TO ARIZONA. SITUATION IN THE INDIAN TERRITORY IN 1885-TIHE UTES IN NEW MEXICO AND COLORADO-VISIT TO THE CHEYE'NNES A-ND ARAPAIHOES-BEGINNINGS OF NEW APACHE TROUBLES IN ARIZONA-EARLY ARIZONA, AND EEARLIEST EXPLORATIONS -ANCIENT RUINS -CHARACTER OF TIlE COUNTRY -MINES -POPULATION. N this chapter it will be necessary to revert to occurrences fol- lowing my transfer from the command of the Department of the Columbia to that of the Missouri, and thence to that of Arizona. In 1885, and for some time previous to that year there had been clashing between the interests of the Indians in the Indian Territory and the owners of the ilninense herds of cattle that roamed over their reservations. This, in the summer of 1885, seemed ready to ripen into open hostilities. A large part of the Territory had been leased, under authority of the government, fenced in, and to some extent stocked with cattle. On account of this authorized occupation of the Territory by white men connected with the cattle interest, a large number were either perma- nently located there or moving back and forth through the country to attend to their affairs. It also gave opportunity for a large number of lawless men to travel about the Territory, the result being that many disorderly acts were committed against the persons and property of the Indians. This created a feeling of discontent, disaffection and hostility on the part of the Indians toward the white people. As a result of these disturbances, in July, 1885. I was assigned by the President to the command of the Department of the Missouri, of which department the Indian Territory formed a part, and one-fourth of the army was placed at my disposal. Under telegraphic orders I proceeded from Vancouver, Washington, to General Sheridan's headquarters, Chicago, and thence to the Indian Territory. Upon investigation I found that, as usual, the Indians were not entirely in the wrong. The disaffected IUtes in northern New Mexico and Colorado were in a most desperate state, and only withheld from actual outbreak by the presence of troops in their nmidst. Six of their number had been "-'A ':' 71 , I
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