Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1853-07-01
AN EXTRAORDINARY NARRATIVE.

rlcan, is from gentleman connected with the
government service on our frontiers. We
have read of similar instances of selfimmola
ton among the American Indians rather
than fall into the hands of their enemies; but
do not recollect any other case in Texas. All
our late accounts confirm the fact, that since
| the rangers were disban led the Indians are
renewing their pedatory incursions with alar-
ming frequency:
Fort Croghan, Texas April I, SO.
have just returned from one of the most
arduous and exciting scouts have ever made.
We had been robbed here twice by the Indi-
ans In four months. The last time on the
night of the 18th of March. They took a
panel of my stable lot and led out nine of
my finest horses. 1t was one of the darkest
and most clustering nights of the season, and
! the robbery must have been committed be-
tween nine and ten o'clock. The next morn
ing | started with seventeen men in pu suit.
Failing to discover trail, proceeded to the
Indian agency, half way between Phannom
Hill and Relknap. Up to this point could
hear nothing of the robbery, except the opin-
ion entertained by the agent, Mr.. Stem, and
all the friendly Indians-which concurred
with my own-that the robbery had been
committed by Witchetas.
While at the agency, party of that tribe,
under their principal war chief, came in to
surrender some stolen horses which thew had
promised to Stem they would do. The hor-
ses they brought in were SO Indifferent and
broken down that it was evident thew were
acting in bad faith, and that this was only
intended subterfuge. | was not disposed
to be trltled with in this manner; and the
agent had also lost all patience with them.-
1t was accordingly agreed to detain the chief
and the principal portion of his party-con-
slsting of nine warriors and several women,
as hostages, until the whole of the property
recently stolen should be brought in. Mr..
Stem announced to them our determination
and | told them, | meant to carry them into
Belknap and hold them as prisoners, permit
ting two of their number to return to their
tribe and convey the talk we had given
them. Though | fully expected break on
the announcement, which would result in
the death OF MIR. Stem or myself or both, in
deed | would not have insured either of our
lives at 100 per cent.-we were compelled to
face the danger with comparative indifference.
Any manifestation of fear or suspicion would
have increased the chances of their resortinp
to the desperate alternative of a rush for L.
berty, plunging their knives into whomsoey-
er interrupted their passage.
AS soon as had told them they. were pri-
soners, | rose from the bear-skin upon which
L had been sitting facing them, and mounted
my horse, at the same time drawing my pis-
tol, and motioning them to their camp. The
chief requested that l should dismount, that
he wished to speak. | did so and took seat
on stool near by. He motioned me to sit
in my former position on the ground. did
SO, at the same time drawing my knife under
pretence of cutting tobacco to smoke He
rose addressed few remarks to me about
the difficulty of restraining his yonng men
from stealing, DC, and suggesting that it
would be better that he should return to his
tribe. This l refused. He then seemingly
yielded to his fate, approaching me and seiz-
ing me by the hand lifted me from the ground
and embracing me, first pointed to heaven
and to ourselves, to indicate that the Great
Spirit witnessed the proceeding. told them
| would not hold them as close prisoners, but
merely guard against their escape, by placing
sentinels around their camp. Meanwhile, |
encamped my command near theirs, and took
from them all the arms / could find. They
retired quietly to their tents at dark, mani
testing not the slightest intention of an at
| tempt to escape.
The moon shone as bright as day. had
posted two distinct guards over them of six
men each, with four sentinels. had been
up and moving about camp until twenty mi
nutes before twelve At IL, the sentinels
were relieved. The sentinel posted more i'm
mediately over their camp had gone near one
of their tents to count the number present.
while the corporal of the guard, the old sen.
tnel and citizen who had accompanied me-
stood near looking on. Suddenly one of the
Indians rushed from his seat towards the sem
tinel, and presenting pistol, fired. This
seemed TO be the signal for general break
| As the sentinel turned to retreat up the slope
toward his companions, the chief Ke-wa aka
rushed from his tent, threw himself upon the
back of the retreating sentinel and with his
knife inflicted several wounds before he was
shot down by the Old sentinel. The rest sue
ceeded in effecting their escape, running in
| different directions and answering the shots
fired at them with shouts of defiance The
chief, as was discovered on searching the
tents, had purposely sacrificed himself his
wife and boy seven years old. The wife and
child whom he had requested on the even
ing before to talk to, and give them assurance
of their safety, were found laying side by side
as if in deep Sleep but stabbed to the heart
The wife had consented to her fate as we
were informed by two old women who had
attempted to escape
She seemed to have received the fatal blow
without struggle-both were carefully COW
cred UP on the breast, the child lying upon
its mothers arm. The chiefs moccasins
were found near their heads, a sign, the Indi-
ans told us, that he did not mean to leave the
spot alive. Nothing in romance or history
that | have ever read approximates to this
act of devotion and self-sacrifce. Cooper