Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1849-04-27


sions in The camp; and these consisted Of re-
serve Of maccaroni, bacon, sugar, &C., intend
ed for the last extremity. ID was indispensable
to send Tor relief asked for volunteers for the
service. From the many that offered chose
King, Breckenridge, Creulzledt, and the guide,
Williams, and placed the parry under The COM
mand Ui hing, with directions 10 send me an
express in case Of the least delay at the settle
menis. lt was the day after Christmas, that
this little party set out for relief. That day,
like many Christmas days for years past, was
spent by me on the side Of the winlry noun
tain, my heart filled with anxious thoughts aud
gloomy lorebodings. You may be sure we con-
uaslcd II with the Christmas Of home, and made
warm wishes for your happiness. Could you
have looked into Agripa's glass for few mo-
menls only! You remember the volumes Of
/ Blackslone's Commentaries which took from
your fathers library when we were overlook.
/ ing II AT our friend Brantsl They made my
Christmas "amusemenis." read them 10 pass
the time, and TO. Kill the consciousness Of my
situation. Certainly you may suppose that my
first law lessons viii! be well remembered.
The party for relief being gone, we of the
camp occupied ourselves in removing the bag.
gage and equpage down the side Of the noun
tain TO the river in the valley, which we accom-
Ipshed in few days. Now came on the iedi-
ua Of waiting for the return Of the relief party.
Day alter dHy passed., and no news from them.
Snow fell almost necessarily in the mountains.
The spirits Of the camp grew lower. Life was
losing It's charm TO those who had not reasons
: beyond themselves to live. Proue laid down in
the trail and lroze TO death. lnasunshine day.
and having with him the means to make fire,
he threw his blanket down on the trail,
laid there till he lroze to dealh We were rot
T then with him.
Sixteen days pessed away, and no tidings
from the party sent for relief became op.
pressed with anxiety, weary of DELAY, and de.
, termncd to 60 myself both in search Of the
absent party, and in search Of relief in the Mexi
can settlements. was aware that our troops in
New Mexico had been engaged in hostiIites
} with the Spanish Utahs, and with the Apaches,
who range in the valley of the Rio del Noue
and the mountains where we were, and became
, fearful that they (King and his party had been
cut off by these Indians. could imagine no
, other accident TO them. Leaving the camp en-
ployed with the baggage, under the command
5 oil VlncenthaIer with nunctlons to follow me
in three days, set off down the river with
D small party, consisting Of Cooley, his young
nephew, Preuss, and Saunders, colored SER
| want. We carried our arms and provisions for
? two or three days. In the camp left under the
p command Of Vincenlhaler themesses had only
= provisions for few meals, and a supply of five
} pounds Of sugar to each man. If failed to
! meet King my intention was to make the Mcxi.
: can settlement on the Colorado, little aGluent
of the Rio del Norlc, about half degree above
Iaos, you will see it on my map, and thence
send back the speediost relief possible 10 lho
party under Vincenlhaler.
On the second day after leaving the camp we
came upon fresh IraiI of Indians-two lodges
with a considerable number of animals. This
did not lessen our uneasiness for our long.abSent
people. The Indian trail, where we fell upon
II, turned and went down the river and we fol.
lowed il. On the fifth day after leaving the
camp, we surprised an Indian on the ice of the
river lie proved TO be a Utah, son Of a Grand
River chief, whom we had formerly known, aud
he behaved towards us in friendly manner.-I
We encamped near them at night. by pre-
sent Of rifle, my Two blankets, and other pro-
missed rewards when we should get in, pre-
vailed on this Indian to 90 with us as guide 10
NllJ IIUC hlO CbuluuO SGlllClllGlll, anu ~ luke
with him four Of his horses to carry our little /
baggage. The horses were mSerably poor, and
could only get along at slow walk On the
next day The sixth Of our progress we left the
Indian lodges late and travelled only some six
or seven miles. About sunset we discovered
little smoke in grove of timber off from the
river, and thinking perhaps it might be our ex-
press party King and his men on their return,
VIC went to see. This was the twenty
day since that party had left US, and the sixth
since we had left the camp under Vincenthaler.
We found thcm--three of them: Creulzleldt,
Breckenridge, and Willams--the most misera-
! bic objects had ever beheld. did not rccog-
lpize CroulzIelts features, when Breckenridge
Drought him up and told mo his name. They
had been starving. King had starved 10 death
u few days before. Ills remains were some six
or eight miles above, near the river. BY aid Of
the Indian horses We carried these three with us,
down 10 the valley, to the Pueblo on the Lulo
Colorado, which we reached the fourth dav af-
terwards, the tenth after leaving the camp on
the mountains, having travelled through snow
and on foot, one hundred and sixty miles.
| look upon the feeling which induced ao to
set out from the camp as an inspiration. Had |.
remained there, waiting The return of poor
Kings party, every man of US must have per.
! ishod.
The morning after reaching the Little Colo.
rado Pueblo. horses and supplies not being there,
Cooley and rode on TO the Rio Hondo, and
thence to Taos, about twenty-five miles, where
We found what we needed; and the next morn.
ing, Cooley, with four Moxicans, thirty horses
or mucsy and provisions, set out on his return
to the relief of VneenthaIors party. heard
from him at the Little Colorado Pueblo, which
he reached the same day he left me, and pressed
on the next morning. On the way he received
an accession of eight or ten horses turned over
10 him, by tho orders of Major BeaIl, Of The
army, commanding officer of this northern dis
trct of New Mexico. From him ! received
the offer of every aid in his power, and such nc