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[464] held as prisoners, to the Indian Territory. My aiddecamp, Captain M. C. Wilkinson, who had done a like service the preceding fall, was detailed to have charge of the party. At first he treated the Indians with some severity, handcuffing the leaders, but soon finding them obedient and well disposed, he took off the handcuffs and fully trusted them. His expedition was successful and gave another instance where kindness conquers and wins.

It was not long after our arrival before I counted up some twenty Indian tribes within the limits of my department, not including those in Alaska. I discovered further that I had inherited quite a number of Indian troubles which unless well handled would lead to war; so I began very soon to visit the different tribes of Indians in order to look into their condition and consider carefully their causes of restlessness.

A very remarkable instance of hardship to a boy, and my later personal experience with him, I recall whenever I think of my journey from Washington to Oregon. I had hardly taken my Bureau headquarters in Washington at the corner of Nineteenth and I streets, when there came into my office a young man apparently about twenty years of age. He had a napkin about his head. He was straight, slender, of good build and soldierly bearing. He said: “General Howard, I have been trying in vain to get employment. I have to support my father and his family. My father, partially insane, struck me this morning, and I am in great distress both from this fact and from the want of means to give the family bread.”

I said: “Where are you from” He answered: “Richmond, Va.” At that time I was forbidden to employ anyone who

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