Description:

General Ulysses S. Grant approves the first reservations for Apache Indians! Campaigning for the Presidency the next year, his "Peace Policy" towards Indians was a major platform

Historic Manuscript Endorsement Signed "U.S. Grant" as Commanding General, U.S. Army, in center filing portion (3.5" x 8") of 10" x 8" lined paper beneath lengthy statement signed "E.D. Townsend" as Assistant Adjutant General," Headquarters, August 9, 1867. Detached from a sketch (not present) of the Military Reservation at Camp Goodwin, Arizona Territory, by Major Gurden Chapin (1831-1875), commanding Camp Goodwin from May 18, 1866, to October 21, 1867. Townsend has quoted Chapin's description in full. Slight smudge by Grant at "an" of his signature. Folds expertly strengthened on verso. Fine condition.

In full, "Adjutant General's Office, August 6, 1867. Military Reservation at Camp Goodwin, A.T. March 20th 1867. Major G. Chapin 14th Infantry, Commanding Camp Goodwin, forwards a sketch of the Military Reservation at that Post with the following description:

"6 miles square - Northern Boundary of the Gila River, the channel of which averages a depth of 2 feet. A small stream, Tuloiosa rises in the swamp lands immediately adjoining the S.E. side of the Camp- disappearing in the ground a mile and a half from Camp - Reservation composed chiefly of gravelly mesas, rising and falling at various altitudes and covered with stunted shrubs and different varieties of cacti. These mesas terminate towards the valleys in irregular ravines. Mesquite trees are found in the low grounds and cotton wood upon the banks of the Gila.

"Forwarded by General McDowell, Comnd'g Dept of California - approved and recommending that the military reservation be made by the proper authority, and stating that 'it is needed of the size indicated because of the small quantity of arable land it contains and the necessity of keeping a large number of Indian prisoners upon it.'" Not signed by Gen. Irvin McDowell, commanding Department of California from July 27, 1865 to March 31, 1868.

"Forwarded approved by Maj. Gen. Halleck, Commanding Mil. Div. Pacific." Not signed by Gen. Henry W. Halleck, commanding Military Division of the Pacific from July 27, 1865 - June 1, 1869.

"Adjutant General's Office, Washington, Washington. Aug. 6th 1867. Respectfully Submitted to Gen. Grant. E.D. Townsend Asst Adjt Gen'l." Signed by Gen. Townsend.

"Respectfully forwarded / to the Secretary of War, / approved./ U.S. Grant / General. / Hdqrs. A.US. / Aug. 9. '67." Grant's approval was, in effect, forwarded to himself!Three days later, on August 12, 1867, because of disagreement over reconstruction plans, President Andrew Johnson suspended Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton from his position and commissioned Ulysses S. Grant as ad interim Secretary of War. On January 24, 1868, a day after the Senate refused to concur with Johnson's removal of Stanton, Ad Interim Secretary of War U.S. Grant informed President Johnson that he will vacate his post and return it to Stanton. In February, Johnson formally removed Stanton and the House of Representatives voted to impeach Johnson for violating the Tenure of Office Act, passed over Johnson's veto.

Background

One of the first U.S. military posts in Arizona Territory, Fort Goodwin was established in June 1864 by California Volunteers to provide protection for settlers in the Gila Valley. The post was named for John N. Goodwin, the first Territorial Governor of Arizona. In the spring of 1866, the California Volunteers were relieved by two companies of the 14th U.S. Infantry and later that year, the post's designation was changed from Fort Goodwin to Camp Goodwin. Gen. Grant's order here offered is dated August 9, 1867.

Published in "The Citizen," a Tucson, Arizona, newspaper, on October 28, 1871, a report issued by the U.S. Grand Jury for Pima County. In part, "We find that ... during the time the Apache Indians have been fed under the name of prisoners of war or otherwise at Camp Apache, Camp Goodwin and Camp Grant, in this Territory, they were not disarmed or controlled in any way - drawing their rations on ration days, on the simple promise that they had come as friends, and would remain where the commanding officer would indicate, and if not they would be considered as hostile Indians ... That while being fed at Camp Goodwin a part of Apache Indians left that camp and stole stock from near Tucson ... That while being fed at Camp Goodwin a party of Apache Indians left the camp and killed Col. Stone, Deputy Collector of Customs, and five men, capturing the United States mail, on the 6th day of October, 1869 ... We find that the hostile bands of Indians in this Territory are led by many different Chiefs who have generally adopted the policy of Cachise [sic]... That the rations issued at these camps to the Indians have frequently been insufficient for their support and unjustly distributed, sometimes bones being issued instead of meat; that one Quartermaster of the United States said he made a surplus of 12,000 pounds of corn in issuing rations to the Indians of Camp Goodwin ..."

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