Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-08-04
Indian Massacre.

Dates have been received from Fort
Smith, Arkansas, bringing the painful in
telligence that force OF two thousand
Camanche Indians had met and murder
cd Capt. r. B. Marcy, (son of ex- Cover
nor Marcy. of New York, and his entire
command, consisting of eighty mon. The
battle lasted two days, but finally, the
brave captain and his slender force were
compelled TO yield to the superior num-
bers of the foe. The Indians arc report
ed to be gathering in large numbers near
the Fort.
The National 1ntclligencer is not dis.
posed to place implicit reliance on this re-
port, and in the absence of more definite
intelligence, it furnishes the following
statement from gentleman lately from
Fort Smith:
In the middle of April, Capt. Marcy
was about to proceed on an expedition to
the head waters Of the Arkansas his com.
mand consisted of eighty men, well noun
ted and well armed, and they probably
marched about the Goth of April. A large
party of emigrants for California had col
lected at Fort Smith from various parts of
Arkansas intending to go on with Capt
Marcy for the benefit of protection, AS lar
as his march should extend and there
was another party assembled and waiting
his arrival, at Fort Gibson for the same
purpose. One of the emigrants had sew.
eral hundred head of cattle which he in.
tended to drive across to California for
market. The news from New Orleans is
dated the 26th inst, and would have re-
qu'red about three weeks to reach there
from Fort Smith. If Capt. Marcy was at
tackled before the emigrating parties left
him, their combined force would have been
more than a match, VIC should think, for
any number of Camanche bows and ar
rows and if afterwards, we doubt if there
was time for the news of so distant AN
event to have made its way through the
wilderness, to Fort Smith. Uuon these
data, imperfect as they are, we hang a
hope that the New Orleans story NAV
prove to be incorrect"
The following extract Of a letter TO tho
New Orleans True Delta, dated Fort
Smith, July 18th, only four DAYS before
the news OF the massacre was received AZ
that place, gives some interesting items
concerning the previous movements of the
hostile Indians: W ~
oNS eEsH VI may last, CaUt, Mar
cy's party entered the depths Of The land
where telcgraPhs reach not and postaI
communications fail, and thus we viii
hear from them but seldom, and that In
definitely, until their return. / am told
Dy a gentleman recently from Preston
tnat the prairie tribes were becoming NOE
tlie' Camanche is applied almost indis.
cr1mlnately to all prairie Indians. and ,rbat
Is termed a Camanche, may belong 70 :
family Of serubby, cowardly thieves ~ ~ - 9
tall. athletic, and brave warriors. Tboss
Indians visiting the posts are een..r LII
tan. about six feet in height, Of fine couh.
tenance, and armed with rides Il s IA;
ton to their bows and arrows P 5. .,a
they are picked men. but are said a. e
certainly first rate specimens Of Wild I'M
manity. The mail rider from Fort Wa
shlta 70 Phantom Hill, who goes eiobtv
miles and returns, alone. through the a..
manche country, and gets the noble sum
ofeighteen cents per diem extra allowance
must have q fine time of It."