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

yief des Atafs Unts, and inserted 10 you
paper Of Friday evening, that some Of on
friends seem to chuckle at the idea Of tn
trouble Cumanche Indians may give I
the government in the carrying Out OF Ii,
annexation OF Texas, il may moi be alto
gether useless TO make few remarkes OF
that nation, as we have cause 10 know
them; and we believe them not 10 be 81
very formidable. a N
The Cumanchies are migratory in th'
winter, they are found frequently as low
down as FL Bfasso de Santiago, on th,
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 neighbors of the
Mexicans. Their numbers cannot be
given with anything like accuracy. By
the Mexican government, they are repre-.
sented 10 have about nine thousand war
riors; by the Texans, they are said To be
fifty thousand strong. But we know for.
merly a man Samuel Davis,) who had
traded with them for a number of years,
and who spoke their language we'll, who
believed them to have twenty five thousand
braves; but he represents them as 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; for 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 we're burning
and destroying every thing they came a
cross in the States Of Purango- Coahnla,
Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas, to The west
of the Rio del Norte. In 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 Mexicgn terri
tory with but little loss. The Mexican
government has long since abandoned the
northern States to the mercies of these
savage hords; for it has been customary Il
maintain large bodies Of troops in Mcxi.
co and the other central cities, while Du-
range, &c, have been deprived even Of
arms wherewilh 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
broken up by them, was that
winch started from Santa Fe in the year
1884, Commanded by Judge Carr, OF ST.
Louis, consisting of twenty-five men,
They were encambered by pack mules,
loaded with dollars. On The headwaters
of Red river, they came upon three hum
lred Indians, in difficult rocky piece of
ground, with level piece of sand in lae
centre. On this sand did the Americans
make their stand--frst taking off the
Jacks; and with these, and the bodies OF
he mules, Whose throais they cut for the
purpose they made breaslworl, and de-
ended themselves for fity.two hours, when
he Indians ceased firing, and let the twelve
Who survived pass; and some OF them mr.
lived in safety among the Osages. These
men were not soldiers. but clerks. &c
Imono ,hem ner;shod tro,has 81 ~,
@ 'nem, Po,'sncu Diouer OF me
Five Americans with w,nons ,.ha
yere On ibe;r wov f,om Mov;a5; g, ~ ~
,uabua with br;ms,ore wers a,,ocLad ~,
numerous hand If cumanches uha,,
hey heat off kiIIing six Of ,bem ond 70
,eiyino bui one wound ,broaah III aashv
,art Of he tbiob a one Il tbem
Col. Almendariz with 25o Mex;cons
,illed AZ IN, of ,hroa hnndrod Ind;ans