Our engraving on page 825 illustrates a peculiar feature of SHERIDAN'S plan of Indian warfare. His object is to break up the nomadic habits and to destroy the irregular settlements of the hostile Indians. He finds them as at Black Kettle's village out of their proper place; he pounces upon them, shows his power by a physical conquest, breaks up their villages and lodges; but after that comes the most important and difficult portion of his work; he has to bag the whole parcel of vanquished savages and bear them off--the warriors, the aged, and the young--to their proper reservation. And there the Indian must stay, understanding that if again found wandering he must suffer the severest penalties of martial law.
    The action of Congress in transferring the entire management of Indian affairs to the War Department will very materially facilitate General SHERIDAN'S operations. The Department of the Interior has made a sad bungle of this Indian matter; its immense patronage has introduced corruption and almost criminal negligence, and thus Indian agencies as well as the Indians themselves have become demoralized. The new arrangement will make it possible to reduce the Indians to their proper position in relation to the Government; it will make coercion possible in so far as that may be necessary, and it will bring peace to our borders through the stern lessons of war--the only lessons which savages can appreciate.
    Our illustration shows the method adopted in transferring Indian prisoners to their reservations. The old men and women and pappooses are tied to ponies, as represented in the cut, while the hardy young Indians perform the tedious journey through the snow on foot.

Sources:

Unknown, "Indian Prisoners Taken by Custer," Harper's Weekly, A Journal of Civilization, New York, Saturday, 26 December 1868, Vol. XII, No. 626, p. 826.

Sketch:

Davis, Theodore H., "The Indian Campaign--Prisoners Captured by General Custer," Harper's Weekly, A Journal of Civilization, New York, Saturday, 26 December 1868, Vol. XII, No. 626, p. 825.

    Once again I'd like to thank my brother, Geoff, for his inestimable help with the scan of this picture.

    Geoff, you make it look so easy it takes my breath away. By comparison, I feel like a Neanderthal trying to hammer out a picture with a couple of rocks! What can I say, except:

    Thanks.

    Chris