The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-20

To the Editor orthe Union:

papers and private letters teeming with news of
the continued depredations Of Indians upon that
border. As citizen Of that country, | wish to
make the following remarks through your journal
for the purpose of showing, as plainly as possibly
can, in letter so condensed as am compelled TO
make this, some of the present and past suferings
OF the people upon that frontier since January,
| lS49.
aforementioned date, below Eagle Pass, which
is point some FIVE hundred miles inside Of our
outside settlements--and our Indian frontier GER
tainly ought to be above all settlements, and not
between two--there have been upwards Of one
hundred farms broken up and destroyed, the stock
driven off, and the inhabitants compelled TO look
for protection elsewhere than in their own homes;
many of them forced TO flee into Mexico, and, UNI
der the flag and right arm of that country to seek
safety for their lives and the lives Of their families
and they have to thank their Almighty God that
that countryside country over which, but short
time previous, the American stars and stripes
foated to the breeze in all their conquerng glory
| and splendor--was not so imbittered against them
| as TO refuse them AN asylum and Il home. Most
of the farms and plantations upon the river, for
two seasons, have renamed uncutivated. More
than seventy women and children have been MUIR
dered and carried off captives; more than one hun
dred men have been butchered in cold blood; seven
different times has the United States mail been
captured the mail rider in some instances, getting
shot and killed, in others only wounded or escap-
ing afoot; and yet effective step has been taken
to relieve the sufferings of that people, and to
make secure their homes and fresdes, so to
enable them to return to their peaceful occupations
and business
| II is eighteen months, to my knowledge, since
the inhabitants of that country sent their first
petitions for adequate protection to the general
governments and they have done so time after
time during that period setting forth the facts as
to their real suerings by memorials by the press,
by private letters, by our representatives in Com
gress, and by our legislature the highest tribunal
Of our State. So as to remove all doubt, if any
existed in the minds of the rulers Of this govern
ment, to the truth of the reports that had been
made in relation to the Indian depfedations upon
our frontier, our legislature had evidence taken
and affdavits by the most respectable and honor
able men in our country were made TO prove those
statements true. Resolutions were passed in that
body, and forwarded to the general government,
calling upon her for our rights, for protection to
our bleeding frontier; but they have had no effect
they have so far done us no good.
The Congress passed bill short time since
for the increase of the rank and file of the army,
and to mount the infantry. l have no doubt but
| that many of the supporters of that bill thought
| they were doing all that was necessary to give
ample and perfect protection; but they were mis-
informed; that bill will be Of no benefit to our from
tier 1t is impossible to find Americans, back
woodsmen, hunters, and horsemen that will re-
cruit into our regular army under the present law
They know that when once they have enlisted
they liable to be placed in the artillery, in the
cavalry, or in the infantry corps, as chance may
be, as they will only be used to fill up companies
who may at that time be composed Of three
fourths Irish or Germans--good troops as ever
shoudered a mr,sket for any service in which they
can be made efficient; but there is not one out of
hundred that can ever be made horseman--and
. they know that they may be placed upon the from
tier in active service, or they may be sent to
portion Of the country where they will have no.
thing to do but to stand sentry and mend fortfca-
| tons; which kind of duty would not be congenia,
as general thing, with the restless spirit of the
young backwoodsman. But let a law be passed
to raise troops for the frontier serpice and send the
| recruiting officers TO the interior Statesmen to
seaport towns, but in the country--and in that
way you can get a sufficient number of men in
less than three months to fill two regiments, and
they will be the class of men suitable for that
duiy and only in that mode can they be procured
for the service.
/ will here make mention of some Of the depre-
dations committed by one party--for TO give an
account of all of the parties, and Of all Of the out
RACES, would fill volumes, not letters-of Indians
who visited our country last spring. do this
solely for the purpose of enabling persons who
are nnacguainfed with it to form correct opinion
of the true situation Of our frontier, when tell
them we are liable to have, and do have, such
parties almost weekly in our country.
SiXty-odd Indians went down between Browns
vile and Point Isabel as low as Palo Alto-that
battle-ground upon which General Taylor won
his first victory over the Mexican army-and there
remained FOR upwards of eight days, robbing and
numbering upon the high road, driving off stock,
and pundering wagon-loads Of fine merchandise.
During those eight days at no time were they
more than twenty miles from Fort Brown, one of
the largest military posts upon that frontier and
although the officers of that post, particularly the
commanding officer, and that splendid gentleman,
Major Chapman, Of the quartermasters depart
ment, to whom every citizen in that country feels
indebted, did every thing in their power to chas-
tise drive out Of the country the Indians, yet
during that period their troops in sight
Of them they were inefficient then as mounted in
fantry are, and will be everywhere, against that
enemy. The chief justice Of the county, seeing
there was no possible chance of our troops rout-
ing the Indians, and seeing that they would remain
as long as they thought proper TO do so, laying
waists the farms, and checking the business even
in the cities, unless other forces against
them then such as had been sent, and feeling it to
be his duty to use every means in his power to
protect the lives and proper Of his fellow citizens
seconded, too, by the people Of that country
made an official request of General .4raias, COM
handing officer of the Mexican army at Matamo-
ros to the Rio Grande, and to bring to their
relief light cavalry, to protect the women and
children of that portion of the United States.
General A. Immediately acknowledged his willing
ness to comply with the request of humanity that
had been made Of him, by marching his troops
without delay to the banks Of the Rio Grande.-
Knowing as he did, that it was contrary to the
treaty of peace between the United States and
Mexico for an armed party to pass under any pre-
ence from one country into the other, he requested
written permission from the commanding officer
at Fort Brown to cross the river that permission
was denied him, and he was thereby refused the
privilege Of protecting the lives and property of
the people that our troops had shown themselves
unable to protect. What state of things must
exist when American citizens, in their own coun-
try, are compelled to beg of Mexico protection
from national enemy There is no telling how
long these Indians would have held that country,
had not the citizens themselves turned out to hunt
them down. The merchant left his counter the
doctors and lawyers closed their offices and the
cartmen took their horses from the harness. and
all started in pursuit OF the savage foe. Then,
and not ill then, did the Indians make any attempt
to retreat.
must here give a faint description Of scene
that beheld while on their trail, although it is