Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-07-31
REPORTED BATTLE WITH INDIANS.

Intelligence from Fort Smith, Arkansas, represents
that severe battle lasting days. had been fought by
Capt. MARCY and company of United States troops
against two thousand Camanches and that Marcy and his
whole command murdered. The despatch which
communicates this report does not state precisely where
the attack made. Capt Marcy recently in COM
mand at Fort Smith, the boundary line of the Indian
territory 1t is probable that the Indians attracted
in such numbers by the hopes of plumber from the nu
merous California trains which are now crossing the
plains Fort Smith being of the starting points for
emigrants Capt Marcy belonged to the 9Th Infantry
and was the of Governor MARCY who was Secretary
of War in President Folks Cabinet Capt Marcy was an
officer of great accomplishments and his DEATH if the
news as reported shall true will be severely felt in
the servce.-Ledger
| The information given above is so deficient in
the particulars of time, place, and the means by
which the rumor reached Fort Smith, as to leave
room for hope that the affair may have been much
exaggerated, If not altogether unfounded. In the
absence therefore, of more definite intelligence, we
state what we heard yesterday from gentleman
lately from Fort Smith and that is, that in the
middle of April Capt. MARCY was about to proceed
an expedition to the headwaters of the Arkansas;
that his command consisted of eighty well-mounted
and welarmed men, and that they probably march
ed about the 10th April; that large party of emf
grants for California had collected at Fort Smith
from various parts of Arkansas intending to 90 on
with Capt. MARCY for the benefit of protection as
far as his march should extend and there was anc
ther party assembled and waiting his arrival at Fort
Gibson for the same purpose. One of the emil
grants had several hundred head of cattle which he
intended to drive across to California for market
The news from New Orleans is dated the, Goth
instant and would have required about three
weeks to reach there from Fort Smith If Capt
MARCY was attacked before the emigratnk parties
left him. their combined force would have been
more than a match, we should think, fof any num-
Der of Camanche bows and arrows; and if after
wards 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 Upon these data
imperfect as they are, we hang hope that the story
may prove to be incorrect
After the above was prepared for the press, We
received the subjoined despatch from st Louis
As compared with the previous report from New
Orleans, it diminshes the number of the In
dams one-half; and although, like its predecessor,
1t announces the entire destruction Of the expe-
dtIon, yet it merely supposes that the officers in
command had been killed We cannot have faith
in these indefinite statements
ST.. LOUIS, (Mo.) July 27-Tbe Government exnress
arrived at Fort Smith the 18th instant bringing news
OF the entire destruction OF the EXPEDITION the
headwaers of the Red River, and ths murder of Capt
MARCY and eighty men by the Csmanyhes and Kiovay
Indians The Indians about one thousand strong
and fought the troops all day. Capt Marcy, Dr. Shu-
nard and Capts. Strain and j. Snyder of New York
are Supposed to have been killed The Camabches were on
ther way 70 attack the posts branches when they
met oap'' harcJ and his troops The Indians entered
number of presents At rht they mn off the horses and
mules Of the troop and the NOR no mad. their at
tack the camp is reported these Indians in
tended attack Fort Arbuckle and o,r noss ON the
branches The greatest excitement prevas on the from
tier.
The last information by mail from the Camancbe
country is the following from the Fort Smith Herald
Of July Sd:
Tuesday last that be met with Mr. Hunphres of Fort
Washita his return from the Camanche country on
Friday the 18th june Preston Texas Who informed
him that he had been trading expedition 10 the
Camanches and that the Indians had robbed him of all
his goods and mules, and had killed white nan and
negro, and that he narrowly escaped himself; that TIE
Indians at first took Mr.. Humphres for Chichssa but
afterwards thinking him to be white man, concluded to
kill him, but he made his escape.
Mr. HUMPHREYS said that the Camanches had melted
all the medals that have from time to time been dstr-
bued among them by the agents Of the Government and
that they declare eternal hostility tothe whites we
Of Texas
"Mr LAuGHLIS also informs that IL was rumored at
Preston that the express rider between Camp Beknap and
Phantom Hill had been murdered by the Indians
"a company Of Shawnees had arrived from the Plains
Mt Fort washita few days before Mr.. L. passed that
place and reported that Capt Marcy had battle With
the Camanches and that the Indians had killed two of his
men and two Of his hunters, Delawares, one Of whose
name is John Bull and is well known upon the frontier"
The following extract from letter to the New
Orleans True Delta, dated Fort Smith, July 18th,
only four days before the news of the massacre
received at that place. gives some interesting items
concerning the previous movements of the hostile
Indians:
On the l4th Of May last Capt Msrcys party entered
the depths Of the land where teegraphs reach not and
postal communications fail and thus win hear from
them but seldom and that indefinitely until their return
am told by gentleman recently from Preston that the pra
RE tribes were becoming hostile. Camanche sapplied al
most Unfortunately 70 all prairie Indians, and what Is
termed Camanche may belong TO family Of scrubby
srdly thieves tall athletic and brave warriors Those
Indians visiting the posts generally tall about SIX feet
in height Of fine countensnce and armed with rifles In
addition TO their bows and Perhaps they are
picked men, but said to be certainly frsrae spec
mems Of wild humanity. The mail rider from Fortws-
shia to Phantom HILL who goes eighty miles and returns
alone through the Csmsnehe country gets the noble
sum Of eighteen cents per diem extra allowance. must
have 6ne time Of IT."