To T. W. HARVEY, Esq., Supt. Indian Affairs, St. Louis, Mo.
Notwithstanding this humane effort on the part of the Commissioner to
make provision for the reception and accommodation of these emigrants, it
appears that from the hardships and exposures to which they were
subjected, and from the unwholesome nature of the climate one-third of
them perished within six months after their arrival at their intended
residence. When their distressed situation was made known to the
Department, the Commissioner immediately addressed a letter to the Indian
Agent at St. Louis, calling his attention to their case, from which the
following is extracted:
WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE INDIAN AFFAIRS. October, 29, 1846.
SIR:--I transmit herewith a copy of a letter just received from James
Cusick, one of the party of the New York Indians removed west last summer
by Dr. Hogeboom, from which it appears that there has been much sickness
and mortality among those Indians, and that they are in a distressed
situation. Mr. Cusick's letter, supported by Capt. Burbanks, is
calculated to excite much anxiety on account of these Indians. They were
removed contrary to the instructions and expectations of the Department
at the time, and their having gone west was not known until they were
some distance on the route. There was, consequently, no opportunity for
making the requisite preliminary arrangement for their comfort and
welfare on their arrival west. After giving you the instructions of June
10th for their subsistance, such had to be left to the judgment and views
of duty, under these circumstances, of yourself and the Osage Sub. Agent,
under whose immediate supervision they came, in regard to what further
required to be done for them. In my letter of the 30th ultimo your
attention was especially called to their situation, and no doubt is
entertained, that your answers to that communication will show you have
done, or caused to be done, all that could be done, under the
circumstances, for their relief. Should the amount now remitted not be
sufficient to cover the expenses of what you have already done, or what
it may be, in your judgment, further requisite to do for them in addition
to their subsistance, for which there is a special appropriation, you
will please report promptly accordingly, and the necessary funds will be
furnished. Funds will also be remitted on account of their subsistance
when this office is informed that they are needed.
Respectfully,