j..T .jt .a
. . . _ . .
12 Conservative.
oiily fifty miles nearer to this post thnii
Fort Leavonworth is. Of the descrip
tion of troops to gnrrison this post and
*
the others on the route I beg leave to
urge the absolute necessity of mounted
troops to render the garrison effective
amidst Indian tribes , who may bo said
to live on horseback. Two companies
of the minimum force which should bo
stationed here , to which the addition of
one company of infantry would increase
the effective strength by one-half , by
remaining constantly in the garrison
and particularly during the absence
( from any cause ) of the mounted portion
tion of the garrison.
Situated more than 200 miles beyond
and west of the frontier of Missouri , and
of civilization , in the midst and on the
very battle-ground of the most numer
ous and at the same time the most invet
erate enemies of each other ( the Pawnee
and Sioux Indians ) ; 011 the great and
only traveled road from one-half of our
continent to the other half there is no
post on the Western frontier of equal
importance to the safety of life and pro
perty of a vast emigration and great
trade. Considerations which demand
the presence of a respectable force to
prevent the levy of blackmail by the war
party of one or the other contending
tribes upon our own citizens. I am
deeply impressed with the humanity ,
indeed the necessity , of permitting to
the commanding officers of the several
posts of this route the exercise of a
sound discretion in making issues
of provisions to such emigrant parties
of our own citizens who either in return
ing from or going to Oregon frequently
stand in need of instant and substantial
relief. Parties have passed during the
last fall who , without being so relieved
( and by the private charity of individuals )
must have perished from want. A copy
of the law relative to military land
leases as well as the views of the secre
tary of war as to the number of persons
to whom such leases may be granted
should bo furnished to the commanding
officers as well as copies of all instruc
tions previously furnished to the com
manding officer of volunteer battalion ,
all of which he carried off with him.
I am , Sir , very respectfully ,
Your obdt. servt. ,
O. F. BUFF ,
Capt , M. R.
Commarifliug.
Gen. R. Jones ,
Adjutant-General , U. S. A.
Washington , D. C.
82.
General Orders ,
No. 60.
War Department , )
Adjutant-General's Office (
WASHINGTON , D. 0. Deo. 80 , 1848. )
# # #
8. The now post established at Grand
Island , Platte River , will bo known as
Fort Kearney. By Order :
R. JONES ,
Adjutant General.
88.
OLD FORT KEARNEY , Nebraska Ty. , )
December 18 , 1854. }
Hon. Jefferson Davis ,
Secretary of War.
Sir : As some dispute has arisen con
cerning the Military Reservation at this
place , I wish to inform you that the old
Block House ] is in good state of repair ,
and is worth , and could bo sold for $500.
It is now used for the office of the
Nebraska City News , a Fusion Abolition
Press , and the site is claimed by a set of
men of the same stripe of whom N. B.
Giddings , who is chosen delegate to
congress , is one. If you have the power ,
do retain it as a military reservation
until you can learn all the facts from a
reliable source. This is desired by all
here , save the few abolition speculators.
Yours very respectfully ,
JAMES G. BROWN.
84.
OMAIIA CITY , N. T. May 9 , 1855.
Hon. Jefferson Davis ,
Sir : From your report bearing date
28th of February , 1855. In compliance
with a resolution of the senate adopted
by that body on the 19th of the same
month , it appears that on the 9th of
April , 1846 , the president directed a
military reservation to be made at old
Fort Kearney , on the Missouri river , the
precise area of which seems not to be
known ; but is estimated at some six
hundred and nineteen acres. This post
was abandoned by the United States
some years since , and the Garrison re
moved to the post now known as new
Fort Kearney.
Shortly after the passage of the Ne
braska Bill it was selected as a town
site called Nebrasloi City , and settled by
a number of enterprising citizens who
by their almost superhuman exertion
have made it by far the most flourishing
and populous town in the Territory.
The settlement was made in good faith
without the slightest knowledge that
such a reservation existed and large
sums of money have been expended to
make the place what it now is. We
have recently heard rumors to the effect
that the department of the government
over which you preside is about to insti
tute proceeding to arrest further occu
pation of this reservation , and remove
from it those who now occupy it. In
view of this we have taken the liberty to
address you on the subject. We cannot
believe for a moment that the govern
ment will sacrifice these worthy men ,
and thus cast a blight over the fairest
portion of our territory without good
and substantial reasons for so doing , and
we cannot perceive that any such reasons
exist in this cose. It cannot in the
nature of things ever again be profitable
as a military post , and the government
can gain nothing by retaining it. We
would therefore respectfully suggest
that a recommendation bo made to con
gress at an early day , of the next session ,
urging the passage of an act for the
relief of a class of citizens which wo
deem worthy of the highest considera
tion , authorizing them to purchase the
laud at the usual government price.
The rumor being abroad here that the
war department is about to institute the
proceedings above referred to , it must
necessarily have an influence vastly
prejudicial to the intent of that place ,
and the settlement of that portion of the
territory. Wo would therefore earnestly ,
but respectfully , request you to advise
us whether or not the rumor is well
founded , and if so , to stay such proceed
ings if you can consistently do so until
the matter can be brought before con
gress. We will bo greatly obliged to
you for an early reply , informing us of
the facts. Very respectfully ,
Your obedient servants ,
MARK W. IZARD.
JA IES BRADLEY.
85.
Office of A. Q. M. , )
Nebraska City , N. T. , V
August 28 , 1858. )
General : I enclose herewith a copy
of my letter to you of Juno 26th ultimo ,
fearing you have not received it.
Also a copy of a letter from the regis
ter of the land office at Council Bluffs
about the Fort Kearney reservation on
the other side of the river. I wrote to
him asking for a map of that reserve
and copies of all instructions that had
been received in his office on the sub
ject. I have had no reply , but should
one come I will forward it to you. I
send a rough map of the reserve drawn
from the description given of it by the
register.
My own opinion is that when this re
serve was laid out a similar one on this
side , including tin's town ( the site of old
Fort Kearney ) was also laid out. And
if the government laud office can find
out the authority for excluding that
from sale the same authority , I doubt
not , ought to have excluded a similar
reserve on this side of the river.
I am , General ,
Very respectfully ,
Your obedt. servt. ,
J. G. MARTIN ,
A. Q. M.
Major-General T. S. Jesup ,
Quartermaster-General , U. S. A.
Washington City , D. C.
86.
Office of A. Q. M.
Nebraska City , N. T.
June 26 , 1858.
General : I arrived hero on the 17th
instant , and relieved Lieut. Dara on the
18th instant.
Mr. Majors has charge of the contrac
tor's business at this point. He has
made the most complete arrangements
for carrying one-half the freight to
Utah , and intermediate places ; ho has a