Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1852-08-07


Comaacses.
The Fort Smith (ArS.b Herald, or the l7.l
instant, has the following important iateu
genee;
Two expresses arrived in this city 10 Culone
WILSON, Commander Of tho Fort. one from fur
Arhucke, the other from Fort Washita, on Wed.
/ uasday evening last bringing The melancholy and
4 distressing intelligence of the destruction Of tbe
/ expedition to the head waters af Red River, and
murder of Capt. Marcy and the whole Of bis oem.
msnd, ahou SO men
! L appears that Waco chief came into For
/ ArhuCke few days ago, and slated, thai when
! out on the plains with his bani 81 Indians about
twenty DAYS travel from Arhuegle a company Of
Comanches and K,oways came into his camp.
some Of them dressed ia soldiers clothes and
others with hayonsta fastened to sticks and other
articles be knew belonged 70 troops aad that they
stated "a him that as the Comane hes were on tleif
was TO attack the post on the Brazos they came
across Capt Marcy's expedition, aad when tbey
discovered him, they went into his camp, and ha
gave them presents, and then left.
Al hight, the indians succeeded in getting 10 a
stampede among the horses aud mules aud run
them otf, after which, about o'clock hey attack.
ed the command, there being about 900 Ia
dians, and fought all thar day, and he next al,
succeeded IN Killing off the whole company Ii
10 also reported by ihs same chief that the ..
maHcbes intend attacking Fort Arbuckle and the
posts on the Brszos. He says that be escaped by
giving up all the peItries, DC, that be had, and
was glad TO get off by that means The Wacos
live in the neighborhood of Fort Arbucke, and
ibe oihcers at that post place foil confidence in
The report,
The expresses sent in from Arbuckis and
Washita show plainly that an attack s appfa- |
hended Indeed, reports Of the gathering Of the !
Comanches in body, and their determination to /
attack the whites, has been lrequ ut 10 this place
for the last four or five months. aud il accards |
with the statement made by Col. Humphries, of |
Fort Washita, WHO went out some time ago to I
trade with them, and was robbed by them, bis |
companions murdered and he barely made his
escape an account Of which was published in
the Herald two weeks ago.
II THIS report proves to be true. and there ap.
pears to he nos much room to doubt it, an Indian
wW Is inevitable. There must be a combination
Of all the tribes that roam over the prslres and
through the mountains Of New Mexico. The
real strength Of these Indians is not known, and
when !, lined will present a formidable force
llmt Tho Uuiied States viii find very hard 70 sub.
due. The prairies wes; will Afford the Indians
means OF avoiding troops as intricate as the
hammocks Of Florida, They extend for hun.
drrds Of miles, and in many places are nothing :
buI a sandy plain, upon which man nor beast can
find subsistence, being generally destitute Of wa
eL The Indians are acquainted with the prai-
rias aud know every hiding place and places l0r
retreat most Of them being inaccessible to the
whites.
There is but one regiment OF troops on the ,
8razos, and that regiment having only half is ,
Dmplemon. Of men, divided into two posts, some
stanre apart, and are, therefore. Ia no situation
0 meet large and formidable band Of In .
ians, and are so hr from the white set
ements as to be able TO get no aid from that
uaHsr. "A
The lives Of hundreds Of soldiers and citizens /,
re sacrificed upon our frontiers annually, in con.
aqaence Of the penuriousness of oar Governs
,enL Instead Of sending Capt Marcy out with +,
IIy or eighty men, he should have had about !
lree hundred, as the importance Of the expedi- !
on demanded Il, the country being UNEMPLOYED
nd unknown, aud filled wih hands Of maraud-
lg Indians, who make murder aud robbery .
usiness. p
We regret exceedingly the loss Of 20 many 7,
iluable lives. and are led n mourn over the a,
I'd fate Of Capt Marcy, AN intimate friend, and !,
b enlerprising high minded officer Of ihe army q
nd DR.. G.. @. Shumsrd, aB amable and respect 3,
bic physician Of our city also Capt. Strain Of =,
ort OGacbi,s, and Mr.. J. X. Suydam Of New -
ork, who accompanied the expedition for pleas n
e, besides others Of less note, hui whose loss !,
their friends will be nothing tho less that 4,
count, and will fill their hearts with sadness Il
ID grief :.
An eIprsss lef here IN Tuesday morning for n,
iTls Rock. with dispatches from ihe eomman-
y Of this post, for Washington City. .,