The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-31
From the Providence Journal.
Mexican Boundary Conn mtssion,

To the party with MIR. BARTLETT. 1t was MIR.
BARrLETT's intention to start the next day, by
way Of Saltillo and Monterey, for Camargo,
which he expected to reach in forty days, and
where he had appointed to meet Major EMORY:
CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO, October %, 1852
We arrived here yesterday, after a journey Of
fifteen days from Ell Paso-the distance about 800
or $40 miles,
The first day from Ell Paso we reached San Flea
carlo, % miles, the next about 20. when we
encamped near the Rio Grande, which had yet to
be crossed. Finding the river deep nd the banks
steep, We cut awaythe latter with spades.
After this we journeyed on very pleasantly.
with delightful weather and a natural road as
smooth as the Pawtucket turnpike. The party all
enjoyed themselves much, and the march was
more agreeable than any have had since have
been in the Commission. But on the 18th occurred
one of those terrible events which, though Of fire.
quent occurrence in this country, had not before
happened to US. This was an attack on our train
by the indiana, and short but severe fight.
On the morning of the day mentioned. / started
from the camp with four others, little in advance
OF the train, which after started. Those in ad
vance were mounted. Our camp was in the mid
die of broad plain, without tree, shrub or rock
near, and from the time we had left the Rio
Grande we had not passed hill or ravine-all was
twenty miles distant. From the camp in question
there were some mountains from one to two miles
distant, but all was open between US and them.
When about a mile from the camp, crossed
a small ravine, some eight ten feet deep, filled
with low bushes; coon after which hearing guns
discharged and unusual yells, looked around and
saw n band oflndians mounted on horses and charg-
ing furiously on the wagons, then two hundred or
three hundred yards behind US, and who had come
from the ravine mentioned We tn rned about
and in one or two minutes were alongside of the
train. by the time we arrived, the Indians hav-
ing crossed and recrossed, and failed to stampede
l. e., brighten the mules, and seeing us close on
their heels with our pistols and rifles presented ,
pushed on to the of the train, where they made
a tremendous charge on the party there which
were driving the loose mules, eight in number.
So sudden was the attack, that those in the rear
did not perceive the enemy until the foremost we're
upon them, their arrows flying and lances poised
Two men were endorsed in this charge, and third,
pierced to the heart by thrust from lance, fell
dead from his horse, although it is said he also
| received an arrow. The fight was now around
the last wagon, which the savages had cut off from
the rest. aud from which they endenvored to de-
tach the mules and cause them to run and break
loose themselves but the teamster, with much pre-
| sence Of mind, jumped from the mule he rode,
and bringing his leaders around, fastened their
heads to the wagon He then got his rifle from the
wagon and bravely defended it. The arrows now
flew in all directions, and ances were thrust at the
from the wagons, and were firing their muske to as
fast they could; in fact, by this time the firing
was pretty general; but with men on horseback,
or rather on mules, with the enemy on the full
| run, or throwing himself about on his spirited
horse to avoid being shot, our firearms had but
little effect, one Indian only being killed. 1t was
satisfaction, however, to us all to know that this
was the man who had anced one of our party and
caused his death. The span of mules driven in
the of the train all lost; also the horses
| ridden by the two men, who were endorsed on the
first chnrg"; and one other-making eleven in all
They were frightened by the yelling Indians,
when all control over them was lost, and they
were rushed off with all speed across the plain 80
| tina it would have been useless to follow. Our
only trophy was the horse, saddle, blankets, and
equipments Of the Indian killed
The rascals, when we had come up and charged
on them, found it rather too hot, and gave way.
making for the mountains with all speed, followed
tage was all their side, for they had fresh horses
while we only had mules to pursue with. Yet the
men could not be restrained, and pursued them
without any advantage for about one and a half
or two miles into the mountains, where, fearing
that larger numbers might be Concealed behind
rocks or in ravines, they very reluctantly gave up
the chase. ...... '#r
We were unwilling to run farther risk by sepa-
| rating our party and exposing the wagons to ano-
Their attack, for we feared that many of the Indians
had concealed themselves under the bushes and
otherwise disappeared. This is their mode of war
fare. to lie concealed and surprise small parties.
Mr. Thn,her bad marrow escape from being
cut off. Being in the rear of the train, he was
Just putting plant in his portfolio, when the In
his plants, but mounting his mule stood on the de-
fensive. The Mexican soldiers, seeing his pre-
dicament. ran to his aid and being on foot were
more feared by the Indians, who fastened away
out OF reach Of their muskets.
Although We lost but one man and eleven ami
mals, we think we got off well, for saved our
train and the valuable property it contained, and
drove off the enemy. Their plan was to stampede
q a friuhten her uhep thpv
are uncomfortable jumping in their traces, break
| ing the wagon tongues, and extricating them.
selves. The Indians then keep up their yells and
| screams, prick the animals with their lances, and
when they once get them started no human power
can restrain them. With the speed of racehorses,
and frantic with alarm, they rush across the plains
and over mountains, until they get from sixty to
| one hundred miles from their starting place, when
they conceal themselves and their stolen animals
in some ravine in the mountains where they can
not be found. ..
more than upon any one else, depended the safety
| of the train. When the Indians charged on them,
flrst discharging their arrows and then posing
their long lances towards them they first restrain
ed their restve and frightened animals, and then
presented their pistols or rifles at the Indians,
without diecharging them. This kept them DO.
yond the reach of their long lances and with their
bows and arrows the Indians missed their mark:
although our men had very narrow escapes. Sew
eral arrow points with broken shafts were found
after the fight deeply imbedded in the wagon
boxes, as well as few bullet holes, for some of
the Indians had firearms. After burying our
man, we again moved off, anxious to get as far as
possible from the scene of this disaster. We all
believed the Indians would rally and again attack
us; we therefore moved with great caution, keep
ing as compact as possible, and posting men on
every little eminence we passed, in order that we
might see all the approaches to the road. We also
took in water at the first pool met, so.that we
| could encamp where could best fortify our
selves. An open plain was selected, a corral or
enclosure made of the wagons, a double guard
placed. and think can with truth say that every
one slept with one eye open. Within a mile of the
ravine where we were attacked we saw many
graves and fragments of clothing, marking the
| spot where a similar attack was made on a large
train week or 40 before, several men killed and
thirty animals captured. 1t is the same spot, too,
where an entire train was destroyed two years ago.
A REAPING MAcHINH.-Mr John II. Smith, of
Brooklyn, New York, has invented aping ma
chine which certainly seems to be the simplest yet
brought before the public. The inventor has Just
| taken out his patent. The machine s very COM
pact and light Four scythes with three cradle
frames are fastened to the rim of drum or cylin-
der, having vertical or rotary motion. The drum
for medium size machine Is to be six feet in dia-
meter. The scythes are arranged that every
| revolution Of the cylinder simultaneously with the
akro b. oDA irA it,