Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1845-09-20
From the Uuion.
THE CUMANCHES 4

Mexicans do-with the u, (CumanchesO as
they are presumed to be best acquainted
} with the pronunciation and photography Of
the name.1
AS it appears from an article extracted
from the Boston Advertiser" and "Cour.
r'er deS Etdts UniS," and inserted in you
paper Ct Friday evening, that some of ou
friends seem TO chuckle at the idea OF the
trouble which the Cumanche Indians NAV
give 10 the government in the carrying Out
OF the annexation Of Texas, it may not BE-
altogether useless 70 make few remarks
on that nation, as we have cause 10 know
them; and we believe them no, 10 be so We
ry formidable.
The Cumanches are migratory; in the
winter, they are found frequently as low
down as Ell Brasso de Santiago, on the Gull
OF Mexico; from whence they proceed with
The buffalo, in the summer, north of New
Mexico. They are hemmed on the cas-, b.
our own indians, and on the west they are
neighbors OF the Mexicans. Their numbers
cannot be given with any thing like accura-
cy. BY the Mexican government, they are
represented to have about nine thousand
warriors; by the Texans, they are said to
be fifty thousand strong. But we knew for
merly man Samuel Davis) who had traded
with them for number Of years. and who
spoke their language well who believed them
OF have twenty-five thousand braves; but he
represents them as being divided into a
grea, many bands who, never can be united,
owing to the difficulty of finding subsis-
tence. We know them to be numerous:
tor in the month Of October last, we saw
three different parties (of at least three hun
dred in each band) in the state of Chihua
hua, laying waste the country; while, at II e
same time, equally as strong parties were
burning and destroying every thing thu Y
came across in the state of Durango. Coahu. |
lila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas, to the
west Of the Rio del Norte. In some places
they penetrated three hundred miles from
the frontier.
Owing to the velocity with which they
move when on campaign, they have gen.
orally escaped from the Mexican territory
with but little loss. The Mexican govern
ment has long since abandoned the northern
states to the mercies Of these savage hordes:
for i! has been customary TO maintain large
bodies Of troops in Mexico and the other
central cities, while Durango, &c. have been
deprived even Of arms wherewth 10 defend |
themselves. We have seen x Ell Sigo Diez
y Nueve," Of June 18th, letter from Don
LuIss LuIasego, informing Don Cayetano
Justnianl, commandante general of Chihua-
hua, that forty Apachees were, in the month |
OF June, within twenty miles OF that city, in.
undatlng the country with blood. JUSTIN.
ami tells him he can't help it, that he has
not soldier al his disposition.
From the above statement, it would ap
pear, at first sight, that the Cumanches are
formidable; but they are not SO; and we will
convince you that they are not to be COM
pared to the Shawnees and others.
The caravans which trade from ST. Louis !
to Santa Fehave 10 pass completely through
the Cumanches, and are sometimes compOs-
ed OF lew persons. Companies Of twenty |
have gone there without losing a man; in |
TACT, the only caravan completely. broken |
up by them, was that which started from
Santa Re in the year 1884, commanded by |
Judge Carr OF st. Louis, consisting OF TWEEN |
ty.two men. They were encountered bv !
pack mules, loaded with dollars. On the |
head-Waters OF Red river, they came upon
three hundred Indians, in difficult rocky |
piece oil ground, with level piece of sand |
In the centre. On this sand did the Ameri. |
cans make their stand-frst taking off the |
packs; and with these, and the bodies Of the |
mules, (whose Threats they cut for that pur-
pose.) they made breastwork, and defended |
themselves for fiity-two hours, when the In. |
dams ceased firing, and let the twelve who |
survived pass; and some Of them arrived IN |
safety among the Osages. These men were
not soldiers, but clerks, &c; among them.
persisted brother Of the hon. Mr.. Schenck.
Of Ohio.
Five Americans, with wagons, who were
on their way from Mapimi for Chihuahua,
with birthstone, were attacked by a numer.
Gus band OF Cumanches, whom they beat
off, killing six OF them, and receiving but one
wound through the tleshy part of the thigh
OF one of them.
Col. Almendariz, with $50 Mexcans, kill. |
ed AZ out of three hundred Indians, in No.
vember last. Don Mauricio Ugarte killed
rs out Of five hundred-he having an equal
number Of Mexican larmers-in Decembel
last.
They are not supplied with firearms but
all carry lances and bows and arrows. The
writer of this went out last fall, with par.
ty of Mexicans, in pursuit Of the Cumanches;
and, on meeting with them, the Mexcans
retreated, leaving your umble servent in
rather an ugly fix, with six of his country.
men and one English gentleman; we retreat.
ed to piece OF broken ground, and main,
tanned our position until night came on,
when we got out OF the scrape.
They have been frequently beaten by the
Americans in the interior of Mexico, when
thnxy ha.,a haI al 81, -,