Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1848-01-01
The Massacre At Fort masn.

.f Ths Massacre at Fort Maan. ..s--
A correspondent Of the St. Louis Revle.
writing from Fort Mann, on the Arkansas Ri
yer, gives some further particulars Of the mn.sa.
ere Of The Sants Fe battalion Of the Pswnees:
Wa had quite melee ont here on the after.
nom Of tho 18th November, the particulars Of
which are as folowr: About 3 o'clock in the
afternoon, some OF our men deserted party of
Indians coming down the heights Opposite the
tort, on the other side of the river. Not know.
ing what their intention might be, Capt. Pelzer.
then in command, ordered the ,roops to beat ITO
arms" BY this time the Indians had crossed
the river, and eneamped about halfs mile below
the fort. They were over one hundred in NUN.
Der. Their chief end three others advanced TO.
wards ns with white flag, when they were
met by Capt. Pelzer, company c, and Lieut.
Tuttle, company E, and embraced in the warm.
est manner, when they oil returned to the tort,
Pelzer took them around outside the quarters.
showing them one thing or another. in the
meantime firing off one of the brass pieces,
which appeared not to Gisconccrt them in the
least.
At the report, about sixty came up--a coun.
Gil of the officers had been held to decide upon
some measures to be taken. the conclusion of
which was to take them oil prisoners. After
strolling about outside for some time, they in.
duced them to enter the fort, which they readi.
ly consented to, and seated themselves in a cir.
Gle inside The guard was then ordered to
bring in few that had remained outside; but
they became alarmed at this movement. and
one OF them, who had been taken in by the
guard, as he approached The circle, horangued
for a few moments. when they all rushed sim.
ul,sneously for the gate. We were now order.
ed to fire ON them; those who had their guns
loaded did so, and the balance commenced load.
ing and firing. A number of our men were
outside of the fort at the time, and without their
guns and in their hurry to reach these, they ru'
shed into the fort, exposing themselves TO the
fire Of our own men, and it seems slmost miracu
lous that not one of them ives hurt.
from the fort, when We returned. Three were
shot down the first voley we ired-one killed,
the other two wounded. Three were in Capt.
Pelzer's quarters at the time. one Of them, how.
ever, endeavored to effect his escape by rush
ing out of the room through the gate, and had
so far succeeded as to get about fifty yards from
the fort, when he was shot down Amid this
confusion, and excitement, shot was fired BY
without doing any damage. The guard .her
commenced firing in on then from the doc
and window of the rooI, where they we're coR
cealed; and the lndiaas, 10 prevent being to-
plainly seen. commenced throwing on the fir
such materials as came in their way, such Q
officers c!oaks, coats and uniforms, &C., to sme
ther it. ss g.. -,rf'.
One of them had encased himself in an srt
!ery-man's uniform, hoping by means to efee
his escape, but to no effect they were pcrfec
ly riddled with balls, as also was the ctothin
and effects Of the officers who occupied the qua
ters There were in all four killed, two take
prisoners, and come fifteen or twenty wounde,
They were party OF Pawnees. supposed to
the same that has troubled our trains so muc
this last summer. It might be well here
state that Capt Koeislowski and Lieut.. Tutt
who were opposed to bringing them into III
fort, did no. participate in any Of the procee,
ings, otherwise than obeying positive orders
Captain Pelzer, who was than in command.
Gen. Price, Maj Beall. Lieut.. Prince. al
escort, arrived here on the 10Th, and were y
ceived with military honors. They RENAME
here but few hours. beiug en- rouie for San
Fs. Col. Gllpn, with the two mounted cou
psnies lett here on the 9th, for the Big Timbe
about one hundred miles from here.
JoHS FITcB.-While John Fitch, the m,
celebrated in his connection with the stesI
boat, was confined on Prison leland, he ms,
himself q set Of tools with scarcely any mea
st his command. His tools were On axe, ban
, saw, chisel, iron wood wedge, shoemsker's hal
mer, fors.Plsne, auger, grindstone, jack kn'
blade, and some old hoop iron. With the
tools he constructed nire wooden time.piecs
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