The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-30 00:00:00

THE INDIAN WAR.

According to the reports by cable the surveying
parties in Western Kansas, on whose behalf so much
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-
tachtnent surrounded a large body of Indians dur-
ing the night, and surprised 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 during the last three
months, and an immense quantity of supplies,
stock, and other property captured and de-
stroyed. General Given alludes to these resu'ts
against the Apaches as very satisfactory, being ob-
tained by a small fore, and h.: highly company tuts
the troops south of the river Gila, under the
command he then relinquished, on the conduct
which enabled them t achieve it. Reinforcc-
merits are to be sent to Ariz ma, and at the
request of the Legislature, General Sherman has
ordered that arms and rations be issued to c tizens
actiug with the troops against the hostile Indians.
Apprehension has inducA many settlers to abandon
their homesteads, and the question has come before
the General Commissioner of the Land-office whet her
they could be permitted to improve their property
while residing in more thickly peopled parts with-
out forfeiting their rights under the homestead
law. He adds that at the tinns of making proof
and payment they must, show, under oath, that
the reason of their temporary absence was from
apprehension of danger caused by actual incur-
sions of hostile Indians in th it vicinity, resi-
dence being rostuned 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 mt n, Alvcrson and
Z igler, were driving with a horse-team dosvn 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 keeping half a mile distant, till they got
below them on the valley,w hen they broke aud 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.
Af era pursuit of several rail. s Alvcrson and Ze:g-
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 dr, ss, were walk-
ing out, when they were surrounde 1 and killed.
Oa their little boy running back to an adobe
(or dug-out) Louse 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 he would
procure assistance; but iu the evening th.; 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 mauth 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 from the hills between Si ilman and
Bull Creeks pursued two mounted Germans, who,
at the vall,y of the Salina, were overtaken, riddled
with arrows, and beaten to death with war clubs.
They were recently from Luuenburgb, Hanover, and
the wife of one named WTishel, a young and beauti-
ful woman, is now in the hands of the Indians. Close
to this scene of horror were several houses, and in
one was Mrs. Alderdice, with an infant and three
young children, the eldest Only nine years of age.
Mrs. Kinds and her baby were also in the house ;
the husband of Mrs. Alderdice was 45 miles off vet-
ting provisions, and Mrs. Kinds' husband 75 miles
distant, at the Land Office. In the house were a
cosple of Irishmen, whom the women implored to
stay, as they were armed, but they started for their
horses instead of remaining in the house, where they
were in far greater safety. Mrs. Kinds took the
second child of Mrs. Alderdice on her back and her
own baby in her arms ; Mrs. Alderdice her infant
in her arms, another child on her back, and her two
others on either side; and all fled down Salina River.
They were perceived by the Indians and pursued ;
the children were tired, the women were exhausted.
Mrs. Alderdice exclaimed, " I can go no further,
when Mrs. Kinds, putting down the child on her
back, and flying with her own baby crossed the
Salina River, hid herself and baby in the under-
growth, and escaped, reaching Schernmerhorn's ranch
late that night. Poor 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 sur.
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 powder 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 about 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' hunt the cavalry returned
to camp, and next morning, with all their horses,
f•tarted after the Indians ; but, coming on a party
they considered too strong to attack, fell back on
Salt Cre‘k, and sent to Forts Hays and Harper for
most Ince. 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.

The cable between Peterhead and Norway, be-
longing to the Great Northern Telegraph Com-
pany, has been successfully 1 tid this morning as
far as the shore ends of the Norwegian coast, and
may be expected to be lauded this afternoon at
Eyersund.