The Sun.
London, England, 1869-07-01 00:00:00

According to the reports by cable the surveying
parties in Western Kansas, on whose behalf so rnuel!
anxiety was felt, did not escape contact with the
Red Indians, but in catching one of them the Chey-
ennes caught a Tartar, for their attack was repulsed
with a loss of ten killed and many wounded ; the
loss to the surveyors being two whites wounded.
A telegram, dated Philadelphia, June 21, informs us
that the Sioux and Reis tribes having quarel-
led, there had been a skirmish near Fort Bufort.
Eleven (chiefly Sioux) were killed and 40 wounded.
The Arizona papers say that Colonel Green's de-
tachment surrounded a large body of Indians dur-
ing the night, and serprised and attacked them at
daylight, of whom 27 were found dead on the field,
20 more were believed to be mortally wounded, and
eight prisoners taken. From the official account of
these military operations, we learn that 40 Indian
warriors had been killed du, lug the last three
months, and an immense quantity of supplies,
stock, and other property captured and de-
stroyed. General Given alludes to these results
against the Apaches as very satisfactory, being ob-
tained by a small force, and h highly compliments
the troops south of the river Gila, under the
command he then relinquished, on the conduct
which enabled them to achieve it. Reinforce-
ments are to be sent to Ariz )na, and at the
request of the Legislature, General Sherman has
ordered that arms ant rations be issued to citizens
actiug with the troops against the hostile Indians.
Apprehension has induced many settlers to abandon
their horn:steads, and the question has come before
the General Commissioner of the Land-office whether
they could be permitted to improve their property
while residing in more thickly peopled parts with-
out forfeiting their rights under the homestead
law. Ile adds that at the time of making proof
and payment they must show, under oath, that
the reason of their teinporary absence was from
apprehension of danger caused by actual incur-
rsions of hostile Indians in that vicinity, resi-
dence being resumed when consistent with safety.
The story of the late attack on the settle-
ments of the Republican is as follows :—On Sun-
day, the 30th May, as two men, Alverson and
Z.igler, were driving with a horse-team down the
valley of Spilman Creek, Lincoln County, Kansas,
they perceived a body of about 50 men, they sup-
posed to be soldiers, riding by fours in regular order
behind them. As they approached the horsemen bore
to the hills, keeping half a mile distant, till they got
belowthem on the valley,when they broke and charged
the Germans. The Indians wheeled and chased
the flying waggoners, one of whom held the reins, the
other a rifle, ready for the first who might approach.
After a pursuit of several miles Alverson and Zeig-
ler reached a wood, when they abandoned the
team and escaped through the undergrowth, rifle
in hand. A short distance down the Creek a
Swede and his wife, in Sunday dress, were walk-
ing out, when they were surrounded and killed.
On their little boy, running back to an adobe
(or dug-out) house to report the outrage several
families clustered together into the house, and
closing the door, the Indians were unable to effect
an entrance. A Swedish silversmith from Chicago,
named Peterson, had already gone some distance
down the creek, and the besieged hoped be would
procure assistance; but in the evening the Indians
threw his boots against the door, and one of them
who could speak English called out with oaths that
his body would be found down the road. About
the same time a party of 16 Indians surrounded a
settler's house at the ninth of the Spilman Creek,
on the Salina, where an old Swede and his two
sons drove them off with a shot-gun, and a detach-
ment of those who had chased Alverson and Zeigler
on emerging frem the hills between Spilman and
Bull Creeks pursued two mounted Germans, who,
at the valley of the Salina, were overtaken, r iddled
with arrows, and beaten to death with war clubs.
They were receutl.y from Lunenburgh, Hanover, and
the wife of one named Wishel, a young and beauti-
ful worn in, is now in the hands of the Indians. Close
:o this scene of horror were several houses, and in
one was Mrs. Alderdice, with an infant and three
young children, the eldest cm!), nine years of age.
Mrs. Kinds and her baby were also iti the Louse;
the husband of Mrs Al .erase:; was 45 miles off I.et-
ting pro% i ions, and Mrs. Kinds' husband 75 miles
distant, at the Land Office. In the house were a
co ti le of Irishmen, whom the women implorid to
stay, as they weie armed, but they started fur their
horses inn toad f r qtiaining in the house, where they
were in Lir greater safety. Mrs. Kinds took the
second chill of Mts Al lerilice on her back and her
own baby in Ir r a ini ; Mrs. Alderdice hot- itilint
in her atin4, another child on her back; sot I her two
others on either si le; and ail lled down Salina It ver.
They were i erceived by the Indians and pursued ;
the child, en were tired, the women were exhausted.
Mos. .Alderiiice exclaimed, •' I can go no further,
whon Mrs. Kinds, I uttiug down the child on her
ba k, and flying with her own baby crossed the
Salina River, hid herself and baby in the under-
growth,and escaped, reachingSchemmerhorit'sranch
late that night.. Pour Mrs. Alderdice was sur-
rounded, her three children shot before her, andshe
and her babe placed on a horse and carried off.
Her eldest boy had four balls and an arrow through
him, but by the last accounts it was thought he
might recover. During this time three Indians had
galloped down the Salina valley, nine others follow-
ing. Of the three first, one appeared to be the
leader. He was an old man, gaily dressed with a
plume of feathers, and carried a revolver, besides
bow and arrows, a bright steel-headed lance, and a
shield ornamented with plates of silver. They sure
rounded some houses, but when the inmates closed
them for defence they stole all the horses they
could find, and dashed on. Two boys, of eight and
nine years, named Strange and Smootz, were on the
prairie when the three Indians came up. Strange was
immediately killed with a war club, but Smootz,
with an arrow deep in his body, fled towards the
house, where were only women and children. A
brother of Strange's, a boy only ten years of age,
seized a rifle and went out, followed by a child of
six carrying the ponder horn and ball pouch. As
the son of Mr. Smootz ran screaming towards
them young Strange raised his rifle on the nearest
Indian, when they turned and fled, permitting the
wounded child to reach Hendrickson's house in
safety. Mr. Shaeffer, another settler, with his wife
and child, coming up at this moment, wheeled his
horses round and made for the military camp, not
more than a quarter of a mile distant, where they
found a company of the 7th Cavalry, well equipped
and mounted. When Mr. Shaeffer gave the alarm
the troops mounted, and abut a mile off came on
the three Indians in a ravine, where they were
tying the captured horses. The old Indian
shook his shield defiantly at them, and he and
his companions saddled fresh horses and galloped
off. After two hours' limit the cavalry returned
to camp, and next morning, with all their horses,
started after the Indians ; but, coining on a party
they considered too strong to attack, fell back on
Salt Creek, and sent to Forts Hays and Harper for
assistance. During the night settlers continued to
come in from the upper and more remote creeks ;
fires blazed on the hills, kindled by the Indians,
who were Sioux, Cheyennes, and Arapahoes, as
signals to concentrate their forces on discovering
the proximity of the troops.

Skipp-r
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