Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-01-28
From the st. Louis Republican.
MURDER OF MIR. WHITE L. PARTY.


child; Mr.. Galloway, major-domo Of Mr. F. X.
Aubrey's train of wagons, and three others in
company; whilst travelling some days in adj
vance OF their trains had, when near the Point
OF Rocks, been attacked by band of Apaches;
MIR. White and all his male companions killed
and scalped and the amiable and highly inter.
estng wife and child OF Mr.. w, carried into
captivity, in comparison with which death,
WOULD indeed, be merciful. 1t is difficult to
imagine the deep sensation created in the minds
OF every one upon the reception of such appall-
ing news. Here we have TO lament the death
OF one who by his industry and enterprise has
done much towards the exteneioh of the COM
meree of our country with the Mexican States,
cut oil with his companions, in The prime of life
and the height of their usefulness by the rb,h-
less hand OF an unrelenting foe. Who can cou-
template without feelings of Undesirable hor.
ror, the fate of that wife and child SO suddenly
and awtully torn from the bleeding corpse Of i
husband and father, butchered before their ewes,
| and what the atrocities the torments and mile.
! rable degradations to which that wretched moth.
er and tender infant will be exposed Well
was Such intelligence calculated to arouse every
feeling of sympathy for the unfortunate suffer
ers, and Of loudly expressed Indignation against
a Government which has left our fellow citizens
at the mercy Of the tomahawk and the scalpina
knife: Why have we troops stationed at our
| towns and in the heart OF our settlements, in
stead OF Upon the frontiers and in the very fast
nesses of these Arabs of the Desert. Is j, to en-
courage our troops in idle so,h that they are
maintained among us, passing their days in list
less idleness, and their nights in revel.y, instead
OF Securing the country In quest of the marau-
ders who are daily committing outrages upon
the lives and property of detenceless citizens
Such it IS deemed was not the PURPOSE of the
powers in send1ng Soldiers among US that thew
shohld be maintained here at SO enormous cost
merely for the PURPOSE of making an idle parade;
an empty chow: Already the Mexicans, who
have been counting So largely upon the vain
promises OF our Government to snbdue the sava-
ges within Our borders and secure them from
their daring incursions, aye, and our own coun-
trymen, too, point in derison at the miserable
management which has characterized every at
tempt on the part of our commanding officer to
even <heck these outrages
Every principle of humanity, a solemn duty to
our citizens, whom the Government is bound to
protect, calls in thhnder tones upon the Admin.
istratior to take instant and active steps to rem.
edy the deplorable condition in which we exist
But, gentlemen, half the horrors are not vet toldi
The ink is not dry Upon the sheet now before
me, which will convey TO YOU this distressing
intelligence and our Delegate 10 Congress, Hugh
! N: Smith, Esq, has returned to this city after
having proceeded within some three miles ofthe
spot where the massacre of Mr.. White and his
party took. place. Upon his arrival iIl.the inme-
date neiehborilood of the "Point of Rocks" he
was met by a band of buffalo hunters ssllyina
out OF a canon or ravine, in which they had taxi
en- refuge the night previous, after having sui.
Tered severe defeat in an attack made upon
them by the same batch of Apaches who had
annihilated the party of Mr.. White but a few
hours before. 1t appears from the statements of
Mr.. Smith, that these Mexcans upon their raz
turn from Il successful hunt, with large num-
boro oly I'll 1,.n
fotlnd the carriages IN which Mr.. White and
family We're travelling, lying some short dis
lance of from THE road, surrounded by the mu-
tilated bodies of several americans They went
out to the spot, and whilst contemplating the
shocking scene, were suddenly fallen upon by
the Indians against whom they maintained Il
desperate defence until every arrow and ball in
their possession was expended, when they re-
treated to the canon already mentioned Wherg
they had been besieged by the blood thirsty en-
envy until the opportune arrival Of Mr.. Smith
and party relieved them. The Mexicans have
to mourn the loss in this engagement Of four of
their companions, the bodies of whom were left
in the road prey to wolves and sad warning
to travellers OF the insecurity of life upon tho
plains
| MIR; Smith, after hearing from these hunters
their dreadful narrative, endeavored 10 persuade
! them to go forward with him to the spot whero
Y
ed, that they might at least give to the bodies of
the murdered men 4 burial but so thoroughly
panic stricken We're they that no inducement 81
pay nor appeals to their feelings could induce
them TO run the hazard Of a return to The fatal
spJt
After exhatistins every effort 10 induce them
to aid him in this work of humanity and 10 NO
effect, and the Mexicans having awaited them-
selves OF the presence of Mr. Smiths party to
beat hasty retreat for home (which, as MI S.
was now between them and the indians, thew
could safely d. our delegate resolved to pro.
coed with his small force: He had, however,
gone but short distance ere the head of what
was supposed to be an Indian was seen peering'
above the rocks which here skirt the road, and
apprehensive of an immediate attack, Mr.. s.
put his party III position Of defence. Ii was
soon found, however, that The supposed Indian
was but small boy some IL Or Ia years of age,
who, in the action of the day preceding, had
been severely wounded and left on the field by
his companions in their retreat, for dead. Tie
manly little fellow gave clear and most thrill
ing account of the battle, himself presenting i
pitiable spectacle of the ruthless cruelty of the
"scourges of the Plains" He corroborated the
story of the buffalo hunter as to the massacre OF
Mr.. Whites party and the killing of four Nexi.
cans, among whom was his father, who fell al.
| ter having shot down two of the Apaches He,
himself, had four deep lance wounds on differ.
ent parts OF his body, and at the time he came
up with Mr.. Smith, had an arrow sticking in the
bone of his arm. He stated that he had escaped
with his life by feigning himself dead and whilst
lying apparently so upon the ground with his
face downward, a grim warrior rode np 20 nina
on horseback, and bending down from his horse,
picked him up by the hair of his head, tarned
him over, and believing the youth already effec-
tually done for, dropped him and rode of. He
thus miraculously bed with his life e. ,vbor
the Indian had retired, crept off & hid himsefa.
mong the rocks on an eminence close to the road
and where he was discovered by Mr.. Smith.
The boy assured MIR. S. that the entire band
of Indians Were then encamped in a position
which commanded the road BY which he wonlI