The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-18
To the Editor Of the Union:
THE CUMANCHES.x

,
-The first syllable has varousy spelt with the three
vowels and a. Our present correspondent spells as
the Mexcans do-with the ~ (CumanchesD as they are
to be best acquainted with the and
photography of the name
As it appears from an article extracted from the
"Boston Advertiser" and the Courier des Etais
Unis," and inserted in your paper of Friday
evening" that some of our friends seem to chuckle
at the idea Of the trouble which the Cumanche
Indians may give to the government in the car
rying out of the annexation of Texas, 1t may
not be altogether useless to make few remarks on
that nation, as we have cause to know them; and
we believe them not to be so very formidable.
The Cumanches are migratory; in the winter, they
are found frequently as low down Ell Brasso de
Santiago, on the Gulf of Mexico; from whence they
proceed with the buffalo, in the summer, north of
New Mexico. They are hemmed in on the east by
our own Indians, and on the west they are neigh
bors of the MeXcans. Their numbers cannot be
given with anything like accuracy. BY the Mex
lean 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 a number Of years and who spoke their
language well, who believed them to have twenty
five thousand braves; but he represents them as
being divided into great many bands, who never
can be united, owing TO the difficulty of finding sub
slstence. 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 handy in the
State of chihuahua, laying waste the country; while,
at the same time, equally as strong parties were
burning and destroying everything they came
in the States of Durango-Coahuila, 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 generally escaped from
the Mexican territory with but little loss The
Mexican government has long since abandoned the
northern States to the mercies of these savage
hordes; for it has been customary maintain large
bodies Of troops in Mexico and the other central
cities, while durango, &c, have been deprived
even Of arms wherewith to defend themselves We
have in "El Siglo Diez Nueve,' of June 18th,
letter from Don Luis Lulasego, informing Don
Cayetano Justinani, commandante general Of Chi
huahua that forty Apachees were, in the month of
June within twenty miles of that city, inundatng
the country with blood. Justiniani tells him he
can't help IL that he has not soldier at his dis
position.
From the above statement, it would appear, at
first sight, that the Cumanches 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. Louis to
Santa Fe have to pass completely through the
Cumanches, and are sometimes composed of few
persons. Companies 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 year 1884, commanded
by Judge Carr of St. Louis, consisting of twenty
two men. They were encountered by pack mules,
loaded with dollars. On the head-waters of Red
river they came upon three hundred Indians, in
difficult rocky piece of ground, with level piece of
sand in the centre. On this sand did the Americans
make their stand--frst taking off the packs; and
with these, and the bodies Of the mules, (whose
threats they cut for that purpose) they made a
breastwork, and defended themselves for ffty-two
hours, when the Indians 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 a
brother Of the Hon. Mr.. Schenck, of Ohio.
Five Americans, with wagons who were on
their way from Mapmi for chihuahua, with brn1-
stone, were attacked by numerous band Of
Cumanches, whom they beat off, killing six of
them, and receiving but one wound through the
heshy part of the thigh of one of them.
Col. Almendariz, with $50 Mexcans, killed At
out of three hundred Indians, in November last.
Don Mauricio Ugarte killed IS out of about five
hundrcd-he having equal number Of Mexican
farmers-n December last.
They are not supplied with firearms, but all
carry lances and bows and arrows The writer Of
this went out last fall, with party of Mexicans,
in pursuit Of the Cumnnches and, on meeting with
them, the Mexicans retreated, leaving your humble
servant in rather an ugly fix, with six Of his
trymen and one English gentleman; we retreaed
| to piece Of broken ground, and maintained our
position until night on when we got out Of the
| scrape.
They have been frequently beaten by the Amer
leans in the interior of Mexico when they have had
immensely the advantage in numbers; and, in fact,
so much do they dread the rife, that wherever busi.
ness calls an American in Mexico, he never hestates
IN starting although he knows that his road is full
of Indians; in fact, the Mexicans had much rather
have a hafdozen Americans for an escort than a
company of their own Dragons
The Cumanches have been hogged over and over
again by the Texans and the former only go into
the frontiers of Texas in large numbers and depend
altogether on the eetness ofther horses bunot
so do they always escape About four years ago,
very large band Of them got into Linnville, the
Aranses, and burnt the little village of four five
houses, making preciptate retreat but the people
rallied, and put themselves under the orders Of Col
Thomas Howard, "a native. Of Navy-yard hill, Of
this city, and followed them ten days, overtaking
Il them nnrfh Of San A taria de Rexar and aftsr q