Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-02-19
From the Union Of Saturday.
The Massacre of Captain Gunnison.


ing to the public. The Hon. Mr.. Bernhisel,the
delegate from Utah, has received letter from
Governor Young, giving an account Of the
transaction, from which he has kindly permitted
us to make the following extracts:
GREAT SALT LAKE Cry,
November 80, 1853
About the 18th Of September ultimo, party
Of emigrants, under the command OF man
named Ellsworth, and on their way from the
States to California, passed through Fillmore
city, manifesting very hostile feelings towards
all Indians. They were informed by the lead
ing men of that city that the Pah-van-tes, who
live in that region, were friendly, and had no
thing to do with Indian Walker and his depre-
dations, and were requested to treat them
kindly. They encamped on Meadow creek.
eight miles south of Fillmore, and a few friend
ly Indians visited their camp to ask for bread,
and any spare articles of clothing, when they
unfortunately raised difficulty with the In.
dams, and fred upon them, killing one and
wounding two, and took away some guns and
one horse.
At the request Of the Indians four Of the cit
izens followed the emigrants, succeeded in OBJ.
tanning the guns and horse, and restored them
to the owners.
AT this time all possible efforts we're made to
induce the Indians concerned to overlook the
outrage, which all present agreed to do, with
the exception of one son of the Indian who was
killed; he rose up very angry and left the
place.
Soon afterwards Ka-no-she, one of the chiefs
of those Pah-van-tes who live on Corn creek,
informed us that he could not control the three
sons of the murdered Indian.
On the 23d of October, the late Captain j.
w. Gunnison visited Fillmore city to get $500
check cashed, which was done by Mr.. L. P.
Hoyt.
At this time he was fully informed of the
Meadow Creek Indian affair, and the then
hostile feelings of the three sons. Captain 6.
expressed strong Indignation at the conduct of
the emigrant party, and remarked that no diff
Guilty had occurred between his party and the
Indians they had met, and manifested much
confidence in his ability to preserve peaceful
relations in his future intercourse with the red
men.
He also said that he considered his trip thus
far had been as economically conducted as any
ever made in the west, and that he intended to
reconnoitre the Sewer lake, and Provo Kan
you, to the Kamass prairie, before going into
winter quarters for which purpose the weather
to the present date of November 30th, with
every prospect of continuing so, through what
promises to be an open winter.
October 2s.-Brevet Captain r. M. Morris,
with part of his command, rode into Fillmore
city, and stated that Captain Gunnison and
seven of his party had been killed by Indians
on the Sewer river; that he had just come from
the scene of the massacre but had left the dead
unburied as he had no tools on hand suitable
for digging. He wished Mr.. Arson Call to use
the best efforts in his power TO recover the in
struments, notebooks, horses, and other gov
eminent property taken by the Indians, and
employed him to send an express to Great Salt
Lake city with letters for the States, which it
was important should go in the lst OF Noyem-
Der mail. This was accomplished by very eff
cient and severe extra duty, the distance of
one hundred and fifty-three miles being passed
over in a little over thirty hours, hindrances in
cluded.
: Ka-no-she, the Corn Creek chief, knew no.
thing about the massacre until after it had hap
pened, and at the request of Mr.. Call, readily
and cheerfully started to visit the Pah-van ties,
who were stirred up and urged on to commit
the act by the three sons of the Indian killed
on Meadow creek, and solely on account OF
that transaction.
: l have derived the foregoing facts from Mr..
Call, and they are fully established by ample
and reliable corroborating testimony.
At six o'clock, p. M, of October 81, re-
ceived letter from Brevet Captain r. NJ. Nor
ris, containing the earliest news of the massa-
ere and loss of property.
Immediately pursued the best course my
judgment dictated to aid Captain Morris to re-
cover the lost property, and to carry out his
views of what might be requisite and proper
to be done.
BY halfpast one o'clock, q. M, of November
l, Mr.. Dimock 3. Huntington, interpreter for
Indian Agent E. A. Bedell, left my office for
Captain Morriss camp, having two guards to
Provo, and a sufficient quantity of Indian pre-
sents, with requisition for men and horses on
the route, and instructions to use all possible
skill and diligence.
On the evening Of the I'd, and SO miles south
of this city, Mr.. Huntington met Captain Nor
ris and party on their way here to quarter for
the winter. Captain Morris detached one OF
his company, who had escaped from the massa-
ere, to act as pilot in designating the localities
Of the bodies of the slain, and with the bal
ance of his party pursued his course for Great
Salt Lake city.
Mr.. Huntington reached Fillmore city on the
evening of the Sd. and Immediately proceeded
to carry out his instructions by gathering that
portion Of the lost property brought in by friendly
Indians, embracing all the notebooks and all
the instruments except the odometer; and on
the 18th despatched Mr. Call, with two friendly
Indians and nine men, including the man from
Captain Morris's party, to bring in the remains
Of Captain Gunnison and Mr.. Potter, and
bury the rest on the spot.
BY ten o'clock, a. m, of the 9th, Mr.. Call
reached the scene of disaster.
There graves were then dug in one OF which
the remains of Creuzfeldt we're deposited, in
another those of Kern and those of Bellows,
and the three soldiers were deposited together.
In addition to the instruments and note
books, Mr.. Huntington recovered several horses,
mules, guns, pistols, &C., all of which have
been turned over to Captain Morris.
From what can learn. appears that Cap
tain Gunnison had much confidence in his
ability to pass among the rcd men unmolested,
and on this account governed the position of
his camp-grounds more with view to conve-
nience and good grass than safety, This was,
r. - Al ,,,th he, lat