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consulted as to the method of restoring orderas a triumph。 It will
embolden them to renewed opposition to the will of the loyal masses；
believing that they have the Executive with them。
〃The services of General Thomas in battling for the Union entitle him
to some consideration。 He has repeatedly entered his protest against
being assigned to either of the five military districts； and
especially to being assigned to relieve General Sheridan。
〃There are military reasons； pecuniary reasons； and above all；
patriotic reasons； why this should not be insisted upon。
〃I beg to refer to a letter marked 'private；' which I wrote to the
President when first consulted on the subject of the change in the
War Department。 It bears upon the subject of this removal； and I had
hoped would have prevented it。
〃I have the honor to be； with great respect； your obedient servant；
〃U。 S。 GRANT；
〃General U。 S。 A。； Secretary of War ad interim。
〃His Excellency A。 JOHNSON；
〃President of the United States。〃
I was ordered to command the Department of the Missouri （General
Hancock； as already noted； finally becoming my successor in the Fifth
Military District）； and left New Orleans on the 5th of September。 I
was not loath to go。 The kind of duty I had been performing in
Louisiana and Texas was very trying under the most favorable
circumstances； but all the more so in my case； since I had to contend
against the obstructions which the President placed in the way from
persistent opposition to the acts of Congress as well as from
antipathy to mewhich obstructions he interposed with all the
boldness and aggressiveness of his peculiar nature。
On more than one occasion while I was exercising this command；
impurity of motive was imputed to me； but it has never been
truthfully shown （nor can it ever be） that political or corrupt
influences of any kind controlled me in any instance。 I simply tried
to carry out； without fear or favor； the Reconstruction acts as they
came to me。 They were intended to disfranchise certain persons； and
to enfranchise certain others； and； till decided otherwise； were the
laws of the land； and it was my duty to execute them faithfully；
without regard； on the one hand； for those upon whom it was thought
they bore so heavily； nor； on the other； for this or that political
party； and certainly without deference to those persons sent to
Louisiana to influence my conduct of affairs。
Some of these missionaries were high officials； both military and
civil； and I recall among others a visit made me in 1866 by a
distinguished friend of the President； Mr。 Thomas A。 Hendricks。 The
purpose of his coming was to convey to me assurances of the very high
esteem in which I was held by the President； and to explain
personally Mr。 Johnson's plan of reconstruction； its flawless
constitutionality； and so on。 But being on the ground； I had before
me the exhibition of its practical working； saw the oppression and
excesses growing out of it； and in the face of these experiences even
Mr。 Hendricks's persuasive eloquence was powerless to convince me of
its beneficence。 Later General Lovell H。 Rousseau came down on a
like mission； but was no more successful than Mr。 Hendricks。
During the whole period that I commanded in Louisiana and Texas my
position was a most unenviable one。 The service was unusual； and the
nature of it scarcely to be understood by those not entirely familiar
with the conditions existing immediately after the war。 In
administering the affairs of those States； I never acted except by
authority； and always from conscientious motives。 I tried to guard
the rights of everybody in accordance with the law。 In this I was
supported by General Grant and opposed by President Johnson。 The
former had at heart； above every other consideration； the good of his
country； and always sustained me with approval and kind suggestions。
The course pursued by the President was exactly the opposite； and
seems to prove that ；in the whole matter of reconstruction he was
governed less by patriotic motives than by personal ambitions。 Add
to this his natural obstinacy of character and personal enmity toward
me； and no surprise should be occasioned when I say that I heartily
welcomed the order that lifted from me my unsought burden。
CHAPTER XII。
AT FORT LEAVENWORTHTHE TREATY OF MEDICINE LODGEGOING TO FORT
DODGEDISCONTENTED INDIANSINDIAN OUTRAGESA DELEGATION OF CHIEFS…
…TERRIBLE INDIAN RAIDDEATH OF COMSTOCKVAST HERDS OF BUFFALOPRE
PARING FOR A WINTER CAMPAIGNMEETING 〃BUFFALO BILL〃HE UNDERTAKES A
DANGEROUS TASKFORSYTH'S GALLANT FIGHTRESCUED。
The headquarters of the military department to which I was assigned
when relieved from duty at New Orleans was at Fort Leavenworth；
Kansas； and on the 5th of September I started for that post。 In due
time I reached St。 Louis； and stopped there a day to accept an
ovation tendered in approval of the course I had pursued in the Fifth
Military Districta public demonstration apparently of the most
sincere and hearty character。
》From St。 Louis to Leavenworth took but one night； and the next day I
technically complied with my orders far enough to permit General
Hancock to leave the department； so that he might go immediately to
New Orleans if he so desired； but on account of the yellow fever
epidemic then prevailing； he did not reach the city till late in
November。
My new command was one of the four military departments that composed
the geographical division then commanded by Lieutenant…General
Sherman。 This division had been formed in 1866； with a view to
controlling the Indians west of the Missouri River； they having
become very restless and troublesome because of the building of the
Pacific railroads through their hunting…grounds； and the
encroachments of pioneers； who began settling in middle and western
Kansas and eastern Colorado immediately after the war。
My department embraced the States of Missouri and Kansas； the Indian
Territory； and New Mexico。 Part of this section of countrywestern
Kansas particularlyhad been frequently disturbed and harassed
during two or three years past； the savages every now and then
massacring an isolated family； boldly attacking the surveying and
construction parties of the Kansas…Pacific railroad； sweeping down on
emigrant trains； plundering and burning stage…stations and the like
along the Smoky Hill route to Denver and the Arkansas route to New
Mexico。
However； when I relieved Hancock； the department was comparatively
quiet。 Though some military operations had been conducted against
the hostile tribes in the early part of the previous summer； all
active work was now suspended in the attempt to conclude a permanent
peace with the Cheyennes； Arapahoes； Kiowas； and Comanches； in
compliance with the act of Congress creating what was known as the
Indian Peace Commission of 1867。
Under these circumstances there was little necessity for my remaining
at Leavenworth； and as I was much run down in health from the
Louisiana climate； in which I had been obliged to live continuously
for three summers （one of which brought epidemic cholera； and another
a scourge of yellow fever）； I took a leave of absence for a few
months； leaving Colonel A。 J。 Smith； of the Seventh Cavalry；
temporarily in charge of my command。
On this account I did not actually go on duty in the department of
the Missouri till March； 1868。 On getting back I learned that the
negotiations of the Peace Commissioners held at Medicine Lodge； about
seventy miles south of Fort Larned had resulted in a treaty with the
Cheyennes； Arapahoes； Kiowas； and Comanches； by which agreement it
was supposed all troubles had been settled。 The compact； as
concluded； contained numerous provisions； the most important to us
being one which practically relinquished the country between the
Arkansas and Platte rivers for white settlement； another permitted
the peaceable construction of the Pacific railroads through the same
region； and a third requiring the tribes signing the treaty to retire
to reservations allotted them in the Indian Territory。 Although the
chiefs and head…men were well…nigh unanimous in ratifying these
concessions； it was discovered in the spring of 1868 that many of the
young men were bitterly opposed to what had been done； and claimed
that most of the signatures had been obtained by misrepresentation
and through proffers of certain annuities； and promises of arms and
ammunition to be issued in the spring of 1868。 This grumbling was
very general in extent； and during the winter found outlet in
occasional marauding； so； fearing a renewal of the pillaging and
plundering at an early day； to prepare myself for the work evidently
ahead the first thing I did on assuming permanent command was to make
a trip to Fort Larned and Fort Dodge； near which places th