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I have just received； with General Grant's indorsement of reference； your letter to me of the fourteenth （14th） inst。
The order to which you refer was made in good faith； and with a view to the best interests of the country and the service； as； however； your assignment to a new military division seems so objectionable； you will retain your present command。
ANDREW JOHNSON。
On that same 19th of February he appointed Adjutant； General Lorenzo Thomas to be Secretary of War ad intemim； which finally resulted in the articles of impeachment and trial of President Johnson before the Senate。 I was a witness on that trial； but of course the lawyers would not allow me to express any opinion of the President's motives or intentions； and restricted me to the facts set forth in the articles of impeachment； of which I was glad to know nothing。 The final test vote revealed less than two thirds； and the President was consequently acquitted。 Mr。 Stanton resigned。 General Schofield； previously nominated； was confirmed as Secretary of War； thus putting an end to what ought never to have happened at all。
INDIAN PEACE COMMISSION。
On the 20th of July； 1867； President Johnson approved an act to establish peace with certain hostile Indian tribes； the first section of which reads as follows： 〃Be it enacted； etc。； that the President of the United States be and is hereby authorized to appoint a commission to consist of three （3） officers of the army not below the rank of brigadier…general； who； together with N。 G。 Taylor； Commissioner of Indian Affairs； John B。 Henderson； chairman of the Committee of Indian Affairs of the Senate； S。 F。 Tappan； and John B。 Sanborn； shall have power and authority to call together the chiefs and head men of such bands or tribes of Indians as are now waging war against the United States； or committing depredations on the people thereof； to ascertain the alleged reasons for their acts of hostility； and in their discretion； under the direction of the President； to make and conclude with said bands or tribes such treaty stipulations； subject to the action of the Senate； as may remove all just causes of complaint on their part； and at the same time establish security for person and property along the lines of railroad now being constructed to the Pacific and other thoroughfares of travel to the Western Territories； and such as will most likely insure civilization for the Indians； and peace and safety for the whites。〃
The President named as the military members Lieutenant…General Sherman； Brigadier…Generals A。 H。 Terry and W。 S。 Harney。 Subsequently； to insure a full attendance； Brigadier…General C。 C。 Augur was added to the commission； and his name will be found on most of the treaties。 The commissioners met at St。 Louis and elected N。 G。 Taylor； the Commissioner of Indian Affairs； president； J。 B。 Sanborn； treasurer； and A。 S。 H。 White； Esq。； of Washington； D。 C。； secretary。 The year 1867 was too far advanced to complete the task assigned during that season； and it was agreed that a steamboat （St。 John's） should be chartered to convey the commission up the Missouri River； and we adjourned to meet at Omaha。 In the St。 John's the commission proceeded up the Missouri River； holding informal 〃talks〃 with the Santees at their agency near the Niobrara； the Yanktonnais at Fort Thompson； and the Ogallallas； Minneconjous； Sans Arcs； etc。； at Fort Sully。 From this point runners were sent out to the Sioux occupying the country west of the Missouri River； to meet us in council at the Forks of the Platte that fall； and to Sitting Bull's band of outlaw Sioux； and the Crows on the upper Yellowstone； to meet us in May； 1868； at Fort Laramie。 We proceeded up the river to the mouth of the Cheyenne and turned back to Omaha； having ample time on this steamboat to discuss and deliberate on the problems submitted to our charge。
We all agreed that the nomad Indians should be removed from the vicinity of the two great railroads then in rapid construction； and be localized on one or other of the two great reservations south of Kansas and north of Nebraska； that agreements not treaties； should be made for their liberal maintenance as to food； clothing； schools； and farming implements for ten years； during which time we believed that these Indians should become self…supporting。 To the north we proposed to remove the various bands of Sioux； with such others as could be induced to locate near them； and to the south； on the Indian Territory already established； we proposed to remove the Cheyennes； Arapahoes； Kiowas； Comanches； and such others as we could prevail on to move thither。
At that date the Union Pacific construction had reached the Rocky Mountains at Cheyenne； and the Kansas Pacific to about Fort Wallace。 We held council with the Ogallallas at the Forks of the Platte； and arranged to meet them all the next spring； 1868。 In the spring of 1868 we met the Crows in council at Fort Laramie； the Sioux at the North Platte； the Shoshones or Snakes at Fort Hall； the Navajos at Fort Sumner； on the Pecos； and the Cheyennes and Arapahoes at Medicine Lodge。 To accomplish these results the commission divided up into committees； General Augur going to the Shoshones； Mr。 Tappan and I to the Navajos； and the remainder to Medicine Lodge。 In that year we made treaties or arrangements with all the tribes which before had followed the buffalo in their annual migrations； and which brought them into constant conflict with the whites。
Mr。 Tappan and I found it impossible to prevail on the Navajos to remove to the Indian Territory； and had to consent to their return to their former home； restricted to a limited reservation west of Santa Fe； about old Fort Defiance； and there they continue unto this day； rich in the possession of herds of sheep and goats； with some cattle and horses； and they have remained at peace ever since。
A part of our general plan was to organize the two great reservations into regular Territorial governments； with Governor； Council； courts； and civil officers。 General Harney was temporarily assigned to that of the Sioux at the north； and General Hazen to that of the Kiowas； Comanches； Cheyennes； Arapahoes； etc。； etc。； at the south； but the patronage of the Indian Bureau was too strong for us； and that part of our labor failed。 Still； the Indian Peace Commission of 1867…'68 did prepare the way for the great Pacific Railroads； which； for better or worse； have settled the fate of the buffalo and Indian forever。 There have been wars and conflicts since with these Indians up to a recent period too numerous and complicated in their detail for me to unravel and record； but they have been the dying struggles of a singular race of brave men fighting against destiny； each less and less violent； till now the wild game is gone； the whites too numerous and powerful； so that the Indian question has become one of sentiment and charity； but not of war。
The peace； or 〃Quaker〃 policy； of which so much has been said； originated about thus： By the act of Congress； approved March 3；1869； the forty…five regiments of infantry were reduced to twenty…five； and provision was made for the 〃muster out〃 of many of the surpl