The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-19
From Ms San Diego Herald, AprIl.
Indian Hostilitles In California.

An express arrived yesterday afternoon from the
ella. to Major McKinstry, and we have kindly
been permitted to peruse certain letters, from
which, and conversation with the express rider,
we have cleaned the following in tcrcstiDg but mel
ancholy state Of affairs at Camp Yuma
The courier (theindefaiigabe private Morris. Of
company ID. second Infantry left camp on FRI
day last, making, ia usual it'll him, trip that
under the circumstances, may well be considered
extraordinary. The Sierra Nevada (ior the safety
| OF which much anxiety has been felt herc,) loaded
! with Government supplies, and carrying as pas
sengers Major Andrews, Lieutenant Fraser, and
small party of soldiers. arrived at the mouth Of the
Colorado, February ~ II required nine daysto
put together their flat boats for the transportation
| OF the supplies up tho river. The boatmen, on
their last trip up the river. were peculiarly unfor-
| tunate. One boat was swamped-boat and cargo
| entirely lost The contractors have experienced
very great and unexpected difficulties the river
| Major Heinzelman's command at Camp Yuma use
up the stores fast the contractors can deliver
them. It's not expected that the delivery Of the
supplies will be completed before the lst Of July;
| in the mean time decisive steps must be taken by
| the authorities here to maintain the troops the
| river, and enable them to prosecute q vigorous
campaign against foe that has become embol-
dened by temporary success, growing out OF
their cowardly mode Of warfare, and their superior
| knowledge Of tho country. That portion Of the
/ country TO which the Indians have fled is repre-
| septed as overgrown by thick and almost i'm
penetrable hammock, and crossed and recrossed
by soughs, rendering it amost impossible for
| troops to encounter an enemy who declines fair
| and stand.up fight
| On the 4th ultimo Major Heintzellnan despatche
Major Fitzgerald, with sixty men, with orders to
| proceed to the mouth Of the Colorado, and aacer-
| tain whether the Sierra Nevada had arrived At
a point twenty two miles down the river, party
of seven men, hunting up some packmulcs, were
surprised and inhumanly killed by very large
party OF Indians armed with clubs. The Indians,
after possessing themselves OF the arms belonging
to the murdered party, amused themselves that
night by firing into camp. The following arc the
| names Of the men killed.
Sergeant T. Il. Taylor, Prvates Knorth, Sim
| mons, McCluan, Belts and Beories. Of company f,
let dragons; d. b. Mccoy, teamster, Quartermas-
ter's Department; Private Mullins, company E,
wounded
Finding the Indians in great force, Major Hcint.
| zelman determined on forcing passage to the
mouth of the river, which he accomplished after
great hardships and difficulties. For ten milcs
the troops were compelled to wade through water
thigh deep. The mule train is well used up, ow-
ing to the scarcity OF forage. The grazing next
to nothing, and the Yumas do not fail to pick off
any wandering animal in search Of grass. The
detachment Of recruits that left here few weeks
since arrived at Camp Yuma on the 25th ultimo.
No one unacquainted with the section of country
In winch our troops are now compelled to operate
can form an idea Of the difficulties they will have
to contend with. IL ia evident that most liberal
outlay of money and supplies will be required to
sustain our force on the ella. The Indians roam
over country more than 1000 square miles in
extent, covered with thckets as bad as any in
Florida. interlacod with intermediate network
Of sloughs that renders it the easiest thing in the
world for the Indians TO avoid the troops.
Their planting season is not until July, and il
viii! be long after that before the enemy will feel
our power over them. The abandonment OF Camp
Yuma last winter has entaied series Of difficult
ties upon our suffering county, from which we will
not easily recover. The Indians boast the Sono-
rians that they drove the Americans from the river
and killed their soldiers. There lie much truth in
the fret part Of their story, and fearful respo:si-
biity rests somewhere.
We have been permitted to copy the following
additional particulars from private letter re-
ceived by gentleman in town from friend at
Colorado:
- "Thcrc were six soldiers and one citizen
tcamster. who were herding the animals Of Major
Fitzgerald, cut of from the camp by body Of
more than two hundred Indians, and killed; after
which, the Indians made open attack the camp,
and were repused with the loss of four, and many
wounded"
Lieutenant Sweeney with his command arrived
at Vallecito on the 10th. The only accident they
met with was the manning Of one OF the men by o.
wag IN wheel running over his foot. The man will
remain with Lieutenant Murray at Vallecito.
Sweeney left the following Thursday to Join Major
HeintIelman's command at Camp Yuma. There
Is no news from the ella since the last advices.