Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-09-17
THE CUMANCHIEs.

paper of Friday evening, that some of our
friends seem to ChuckIe at the idea of the
trouble Cnmanche Indians may give to
the government in the carving out of the
annexation Of Texas, il may not be alto.
gether useless TO make few remarkes on
that nation, as we have cause TO know
them; and we believe them not 10 be SO
very formidable.
The Cumanchies are migratory IN the
winter. thew are found frequently as low
down as FL Brasso de Santiago, on the
Gulf of Mexico; from whence they pro-
ceeded with the buffalo, in the summer,
north of New Mexico. They are hemm-
ed in on the east by our own Indians, and
on the west they are nelghbors OF the
Mexicans. Their numbers cannot be
given with anything like accuracy. By
The Mexican government, they are repre-
scented 10 have about nine thousand war
riors; by the Texans, they are said 10 lie
fifty thousand strong. But we know for
merly a man Samuel Davis,) who had
traded with them for n number of years,
and who spoke their language well, who
believed them to have twenty live thousand
braves; but he represents them rs being
divided into great number of bands,
who never canbe united, owing to the diff.
Guilty Of finding subsistence. We know
them to be numerous; Tor in the month of
October last, we saw three different par
ties (of at least three hundred in each
band,) in the State of Chihuahua, laying
waste the country; while, at the same time,
equally as strong parties were burning
and destroying every thing they came a.
cross in the States Of Purango- Coahuila,
Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas, to the west
of the Rio del Norte. Ia some places
they penetrate three hundred miles from
the frontier.
Owing TO the velocity with which they
moved when on campaign, they have
generally escaped from the Mexican terri
tory with but little loss. The Mexican
government has long since abandoned the
northern States TO the mereies of these
savage lords; for it has been customary to
maintain large bodies of troops in Mexi.
co and the other central cities, while Du-
range, &c, have been deprived even o.
arms wherewith to defend themselves.
From the above statement, il would ap-
pear, at first sight, that the Cumanchies
are formidable; but they are not SO; and
we will convince you that they are not 10
be compared to the Shawnees and others.
The caravans which trade from St Lou
is to Santa Fe have TO pass completely
through the Cumanchies, and are some
times composed of few persons. Com
panies of twenty have gone there without
losing man; in fact, the only caravan
completely broken up by them, was that
which started from Santa Fe in the yeal
1884, Commanded by Judge Carr, OF ST.
Louis, consisting of twenty-five men,
They were encountered by pack mules,
loaded with dollars On The headwaiers
Of Red river, they came upon three hun
bred Indians, in difficult rocky piece o.
ground, with level piece of sand IN the
centre. On this sand did .the American:
make their stand-6rst taking eff the
packs; and with these, and the bodies Of
the mules, (whose throats they cut Tor the
purpose,) they made bFeastReFk, andde-
tended themselves for fifty two hours, when
the Indians ceased firing, am letthe twelve
who survived pass; and some of them ar.
rived in safety among he Osages. These
men were not soldiers, but clerks, &c.
among them, persisted brother of the
Hon. Mr.. ScheBck, Of Ohio.
Five Americans, with wagons, who
were on their way from Mayimi fer Chi
huahua, with birthstone, were attacked by
numerous band of Cnmanches, whom
they beat off, killing six of them, and re
ceiving but one wound through the flesh,
part OF the thigh of one OF them
Col. Almendarlz, with $50 Mexicans
killed AZ oul of three hundred Indians, il
November last. Don Maurcio Ugart,
killed rs out Of about FIVE hundred-h
having an equal number of Mexican far
mers-in December last.
They are not supplied with firearms, bu
all carry lances and bows and arrows
The writer of this, when out last fall, wit
party of Mexicans, in pursuit OF III
Cuman HES; and. on meetlrg with then
the Mexicans relreated, leaving our hum
BILE servant in rather an ugly fix, with i
Of his countrymen and one English gen
tleman; we retreated to piece of broker
ground, and maintained our position unit
night came on, when we got out Of tn
scrape.
They have been frequently beaten b
the Mexicans in the interior OF Iiexice
when they have had immensely the ad
vantage in numbers; and, in fact, so niue
do they dread the rife, that, wherever bu
siness calls an American in Mexico, h
never hesilates in starting, although h
knows thai his road is full of Indians; i
fact, the Mexicans had much rather hav
half-dozen Americans for an escort tina
company of their own dragons.