Extract from a letter to Colonel J. H. Leavenworth, United States Indian agent, from Winfield S. Hancock, major general commanding. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, January 17, 1867. It is not unlikely that a demand will be made before long upon the Cheyennes to redress some grievances. When that time arrives you will be notified of the fact. They will be allowed some time to consider and talk over the matter. If you have any fear of the result leading to hostilities, you had better place yourself at Fort Larned or Fort Dodge, as you may think best. If you can get any evidence concerning the reported murder of the Kaw by Bent's band of Cheyennes, please furnish the same to me, as I am collecting all the evidence I can in relation to the outrages committed by that tribe. Your remark that Indians should not be allowed to visit military posts save on business is perfectly correct as a rule, and I will call attention to that matter. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WINFIELD S. HANCOCK, [From the Washington Chronicle, February 4, 1867.] Sale of arms under authority of the Indian Bureau.-Interesting correspondence. -Opinions of Generals Grant and Sherman.-Necessity of transferring the bureau to the War Department. The Secretary of War has addressed a communication to Representative Schenck, chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs, enclosing, for the information of the committee, a copy of a letter from Major Douglass, commanding Fort Dodge, dated January 13, in relation to the issue of large numbers of arms, with ammunition, to the Kiowas and other Indians, and expressing his apprehension of Indian hostilities in consequence thereof. The anxiety of the Indians for such articles is not caused by the lack of supply, because they have plenty to last for some time, but everything tends to show that the Indians are laying in large supplies preparatory to an outbreak. Major Douglass represents the Indians to be in an unsettled condition, with much dissatisfaction on account of the unequal distribution of presents. General Grant, on the 1st instant, enclosed a letter from Lieutenant General Sherman to the Secretary of War. General Grant says the letter shows the urgent necessity for an immediate transfer of the Indian Bureau to the War Department, and the abolition of the civil Indian agents and licensed traders. "If," he says, "the present practice is to be continued, I do not see that any course is left open to us but to withdraw our troops to the settlements, and call upon Congress to provide means and troops to carry on formidable hostilities against the Indians, until all the Indians or all the whites on the great plains, and between the settlements on the Missouri and the Pacific slope, are exterminated. The course General Sherman has pursued in this matter, in disregarding the permit of Mr. Bogy and others, is just right. I will instruct him to enforce his order until it is countermanded by the President or yourself. I would also respectfully ask that this matter be placed before the President, and his disapproval of licensing the sale of arms to Indians be asked. We have treaties with all tribes from time to time. If the rule is to be followed that all tribes with which we have treaties and to which we pay annuities can procure such articles H. Ex. Doc. 71-2 without stint or limit, it will not be long before the matter becomes perfectly understood by the Indians, and they avail themselves of it to equip perfectly for war. They will get arms either by making treaties themselves or through tribes who have such treaties." General Sherman's letter is dated January 21 last, and addressed to General Hancock, commanding the military division of the Missouri, in which he says: "We, the military, are held responsible for the peace of the frontier, and it is an absurdity to attempt it if Indian agents and traders can legalize and encourage so dangerous a traffic." He says he regards the paper enclosed, addressed to Mr. D. A. Butterfield, and signed by Charles Bogy, W. R. Irwin, J. H Leaven worth, and others, as an outrage upon our rights and supervision of the matters, and authorizes General Hancock to disregard that paper, and at once stop the practice. This paper, addressed to Mr. Butterfield, is as follows: "SIR: You having requested verbally to be informed in regard to your right to sell arms and ammunition to Indians, we have to state as follows: You, as an Indian trader, licensed for that purpose by the United States government, are authorized to trade or sell arms and ammunition to any Indians that are at peace with and receiving annuities from the United States government. This rule of course applies to any other regularly licensed trader as well as yourself." RIOT AT NORFOLK. LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR, IN ANSWER TO A resolution of the House of December 10, calling for information relative to the riot at Norfolk. JANUARY 24, 1867.-Referred to the Committee on Freedmen's Affairs and ordered to be printed. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, January 21, 1867. SIR: In compliance with a resolution of the House of Representatives of December 10, 1866, I have the honor to transmit herewith a report in relation to the riot at Norfolk, Virginia, on the 16th April, 1866; also, a letter of January 19, from the Commissioner of Freedmen, with the documents relating to the imprisonment in Georgia of Reverend William Fincher, a missionary to the freedmen in that State. Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. S. COLFAX, EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. Speaker of the House of Representatives. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA, Richmond, Va., May 21, 1866. MAJOR: I have the honor to forward herewith the report of the board of officers convened in pursuance of instructions from the headquarters armies of the United States to investigate the circumstances attending the recent riot at Norfolk, Va. I also enclose copies of the orders convening the board. I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Major GEORGE K. Leet, ALFRED H. TERRY, Major General Commanding. Ass't Adj't Gen'l U. S. A., Headq'rs Armies of the U. S., [Special Orders No. 94.-Extract.] HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT of Virginia, 2. In obedience to instructions from Lieutenant General Grant, commanding armies United States, a board of officers is hereby ordered to convene at Norfolk, Virginia, Monday, the 30th day of April, 1866, or as soon thereafter as practicable, who will investigate the cause and progress of the recent riots in that place, and all the facts connected therewith. The evidence taken by the board will be recorded in full and forwarded with their reports to these headquarters. The board is authorized to summon all persons whose testimony is desired. The post commander at Norfolk will render the board such assistance as they may require. The junior member of the board will record its proceedings. Detail for the board: Brevet Brigadier General H. S. Burton, colonel 5th United States artillery; Major Lyman Bissell, 11th United States infantry; Captain J. M. Goodhue, 11th United States infantry. By command of Brevet Major General Turner: Official: ED. W. SMITH, Assistant Adjutant General. CHARLES H. GRAVES, Assistant Adjutant General. [Special Orders No. 95.-Extract.] HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA, 3. Captain J. M. Goodhue, 11th United States infantry, is hereby relieved from duty as a member of the board of officers convened by Special Orders No. 94, current series, from these headquarters. 4. Captain D. M. Vance, 11th United States infantry, is hereby detailed as a member of the board of officers convened by Special Orders No. 94, current series, from these headquarters, in place of Captain J. M. Goodhue, 11th United States infantry, relieved. By command of Brevet Major General Turner : Official: ED. W. SMITH, CHARLES H. GRAVES, PROCEEDINGS OF A BOARD OF INQUIRY CONVENED AT NORFOLK, VIR GINIA, BY VIRTUE OF THE FOLLOWING SPECIAL ORDERS: [Special Orders No. 94.-Extract.] HEADQUARTERS DepartmenT OF VIRGINIA, 2. In obedience to instructions from Lieutenant General Grant, commanding the armies of the United States, a board of officers is hereby ordered to convene at Norfolk, Va., on Monday, the 30th day of April, 1866, or as soon thereafter as practicable, who will investi. gate the cause and progress of the recent riots in that place, and all the facts connected therewith. The evidence taken by the board will be recorded in full and forwarded, with their reports, to these headquarters. The board is authorized to summon all persons whose testimony is desired. The post commander at Norfolk will render the board such assistance as they may require. The junior member of the board will record its proceedings. Detail for the board: Brevet Brigadier General H. S. Burton, colonel 5th United States artillery. Major Lyman Bissell, 11th United States infantry. Captain J. M. Goodhue, 11th United States infantry. ED. W. SMITH, Assistant Adjutant General. [Special Orders No. 95.-Extract.] HEADQUARTERS DepartmeNT OF VIRGINIA, 4. Captain D. M. Vance, 11th United States infantry, is hereby detailed as a member of the board of officers convened by Special Orders No. 94, current series, from these headquarters, in place of Captain J. M. Goodhue, 11th United states infantry, relieved. By command of Brevet Major General Turner: ED. W. SMITH, Assistant Adjutant General. FIRST DAY. CUSTOM-HOUSE, NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, The board met pursuant to the above orders at 10 a. m. Present, Brevet Brigadier General H. S. Burton and Major Lyman Bissell; absent, Captain D. M. Vance. In consequence of the absence of the junior member of the board, the board adjourned to Thursday, May 3, 1866, at 10 a. m. SECOND DAY. CUSTOM-HOUSE, Norfolk, Virginia, The board met pursuant to adjournment at 10 a. m. Present, all the members. After consultation the board decided that the proceedings should be conducted with closed doors. The orders convening the board having been read by the junior member of the board, the members of the board were then duly sworn by the junior member, and he by the president of the board. The phonographic reporter, Joseph A. Dear, was also sworn faithfully to report the proceedings of the board. A number of documents relative to the recent riots were then laid before the board by the commanding officer of the post, Brevet Major F. W. Stanhope, 12th United States infantry. Brevet Major F. W. STANHOPE, captain 12th United States infantry, sworn, testifies : By the RECORDER: Question. What duty are you now on? Answer. Commanding the post of Norfolk and Portsmouth, and a battalion of the 12th United States infantry. Q. Were you in command of the post during the riots of the 16th of April? A. Yes. Q. Please state to the board all the circumstances attending those riots. A. I understood about the 12th or 13th of April there was to have been a procession by the negro people in celebration of the passage of the civil rights bill, and the procession was to have taken place on Saturday, the 14th, but for some reason it did not occur on that day. About this time I heard from reliable sources that it was highly probable that a certain class of whites in the city would undertake to interrupt the procession, and I ascertained that the procession would take place on Monday, the 16th of April. On Sunday afternoon I issued orders to the officers of my command, ordering each officer to his post and to remain there all Monday, and on no account to leave his post unless he had written orders from me to that effect, and the command to be under arms at reveille, and the men to have their belts on and their arms stacked, and be ready to fall in at a moment's notice, and to carry a quarter round of ammunition. I expected that if any trouble occurred the mayor of the city would call on me, and I wished to have the command ready to move at a moment's notice on application of the city authorities. The procession formed on Monday morning and marched by these headquarters in a perfectly orderly manner, and I rode out and kept the procession in view until it arrived |