New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-11-02
1he Texnn Pron.ier-lndian Diflcuities.
5fe following are extracts from letters from sa
officer OF the Government, addressed 70 gentle.
r.an in W ash!ngton.


man in W ashington
SAS ANTONIO. Sunday Sept /,
have received such inform alton in ra.lfs-5 n.
the recent Eostiie conduct Of tho Camanches as
induces me to delay day or two in order 10 oh.
rain an escort before going among the Tnt,;.o.
| There is no better evidence Of the warlike r,ov.
! ,Dents of the Southern Camanches at present be
!ort. ne than reports bat some Of these come in
shape that regimes that they should be at least
in part believed
One roport is, that axasperated by She death Of
several prominent and esteemed warriors killed
in The late engagements on the Rio Grande the
whole Camanche tribe has declared open hostili-
~ Another report says that only small portion
Of them have resolved on war, and that much the
larger number has fed to the Upper Brazos TO
avoid the difficulties which 1t Is feared, VIII fail
upon the whole tribe BY the anticipated collision
between part of it and the w bites Still another
report says that the Indians have only withdrawal
to seek place OF safety for their wives and chill
dren, intending to return and attack the frontiers.
All OF these statements are based upon CONVEX
satlon held by party OF gentlemen with the Lee
pans, a few days since, on the river Concho. The
Lepans no doubt made but one statement yet.
speaking language not understood by all they
have been made to say things not intended by
them. The statement OF the Lepsns probably wac.
that the Camanches We're hostile, and that would
be proper for the party to travel with caution, and
be guarded in their conduct
AS general rule little confidence can be placed
in the statements Of one band OF Indians in rela-
ton to another and none whatever IN the rumorG
Of Indian aggressons floating through the couu-
try: but fear that it is true that portion OF the
southern Csmancbes .maddened by hunger aad
exaSperated by their recent losses, have bee4
guilty Of acts of open and undlsguised THEFT and
murder 1t is upquestionably true that these Ca
manches visited 4 small trading establishment on
the Slano River only few days since, killed
young man who was standing in the yard. and
carried away large number oil horses and mules.
This trading house was about "a miles IN advance
of the settlements and within fifteen Of tho place
selected for the council to be held on the 2lst inst.
The owners had been repeatedly told that they
would not be considered under the protection of
the United States troops in the position selected.
as they had advanced beyond the line intended to
be defended. They are at present removing their
goods into the settlements under the protection Of
some United States troops
A large number of horses and mules have beea
stolen within the past few months but as tho
Mexcans whites and Indians are all stealing
when an opportunity offers it is difficult to say
how far the Indians stand chargeable with the
thets constantly going on. is probable how
ever that the Indians have taken all the horses
they could find they AFRO in starving condition,
and this is the only way in which they could obtain
food. The alternative with them il to steal or
starve.
In conversation held last night with General
Brooke he informed me that on the 18th of DC
mounted troops into the Indian country to de-
mand restitution Of the property stolen, and the
surrender of those who had committed murders.
The horses have been consumed as food and the
murderers will not be surrendered; and as many
of these troops will be volunteers, whom the In
dams hate a general conflict will probably be the
consequence. If can see and collect the friendly
Indians together and remain near them until TINS
expedition has "spent IFS force, general hght
may be prevented, but it will be impossible to see
them fear as they are scattered over thousands
of miles, and have no means OF subslstlng them
AUSTIN Monday September 80, 1850.
l wrote you on the 18th instant from san An
tonic that | was on my way to the Slano to hold q
council with the Indians. reached the place APP
pointed on the 2lst, and remained four days IN the
vicinity. The Lepan Indians came in, manifest
ing strong desire to be friendly, and enjoy the
protection of the United States. They are true
friends and willremain so, unless they are caught
aud murdered by some bands OF outlaws pur-
chased sixty dollars worth OF presents ant gave
to them, and they went away highly dele tod
with the "big Captain" who informed them
had sent those things out specially to them, at
ter hearing that the Lepans were good lndIans
and good friends of his people. The CdnanchcS
did not aitend They had been fully notified of
the time of meeting, and stated to my messen-
gers and to the Lepans that they would attend
but about one month before the time OF meeting,
they suddenly disappeared from their hunting
grounds on the Colorado and tributaries without
assigning any reason, and since that time they
have not been heard from by any OF the lndans
on the Colorado. There is l}tan0r that they are
high up on the BraZOs - and am on my way to
find them if possible and learn the reason OF their
strange conduct from themselyc The Lepans
say the CamanChes are hostile and will kill me
or any white man who goes among them. The
Kickapoos q few of whom | in the woods,
made the same report The Delawares are OF
like opinion and there are rumcrs here, too vague
and uncertain to be relied on, which favor the
same conclusion | differ, i'll my belief from all
oithem.
That some of the Camonchcs who have lost
friends on the Rio Grande would murder any
white man they might find unprotected, ID true
but that the nation desires general war; or will
euter into one unless forced to do so to protect
themselves do not believe, and shall not until
see thon md they have SO declared. Their non
Attendance at the place appointed to meet them is
easily explained upon other grounds than man
Hesitation Of hostile feeling and, when the wild
character Of these Indians is considered, their
fight ceases even to be very remarkable
The Indians who killed the man at the trading
h0use were a war party returning from the RId
Grande, the main body Of the tribe having left that
vicinity some weeks before. 1t viii require from
four to six weeks to make the trip upon which |
have started. If find the Camanches, and they
will talk shall attempt another general treaty
at the same place about the 10Th oil November
aud shall demand the surrender Of stolen prop
erty and the men who perpetrated the murder at
the trading house.
did not get an escort at San Antonio, and
could not procure one to my liking at Fort Mar
tin Scott ! therefore have employed, in addition
to my interpreter, eight Delaware Indians and
when ! reach Fort Graham which lies IN my
route, the number will be increased to fifteen.
have sent one.half ofthem up the Colorado 70 meet
me on the Brazos-the others ! have with me.
With these men shall seek the Camanches, and
shall rely upon them lor protection. Although
the number is small, haze sach confidence in
them in every way that think shall be safe.
-~8-------
Mt. Dor.,,y + and HIa;n,uufa