The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-28
Washington Territory.
4. OUR sTEILACOoM CORRESPONDENCE.

STEILACooM, w. T., March 80, 1854.
Capsising Of a Boat and Loss of Ten Lires-An
Officer Of the United States Army, acih Eight
Soldiers and a Citizen, Drotcncd-Names Of the
Eseeosed-G oronmem Neglect the Army.
Never has ii been my lot to have to transmit such
piece of painful news as what am now about to
make known; and trust, yea, fervently trust, that
1t may be the last time. You will please to give
il place in your columns, SO that it may not only
be for the subscribers Of your very valuable Journal
but that it may come to the of some of the friends
or relatives Of the deceased parties.
Intelligence having been received by the COM
handing officer Of the military station near Stella
coom that some white men had been killed by In
dams on the Sound, he (the ofacer) ordered an
officer and fifteen men to proceed Immediately down
the Sound for the purpose of bringing to Justice
such Indians as might be legally accused. In ODE
dence 10 such orders party Of fifteen men and one
officer left the station the 10th of March, and pro-
ceeded to the place in question, where they arrived
on the 18th.
This detachment was joined to party of volun-
teers who were commanded by his Excelle ncy, J.
Stevens, the Governor Of the Territory and Supern
tendent Of Indian AfAirs In about fourteen or ff.
teen days after leaving the garrison they met canoe
@ naming the omCer In command Brevet Major
G. II. Larnard, Captain 4th Infantry u. S. A.. Cor.
pcrsl J. I. Barlow, Musician Mcintyre, and Privates
Ross, Clarke, and Fitzpatrick.
When they left us, which was at Port Ludlow,
the entire party consisted of the Major and Corporal
Barlow Musician Mcintyre, and Privates Charles
Ross, Of Philadelphia, Pa; Fitzpatrick and Fitz-
simmons, of Company A., 4th Infantry Musician
Henry Hail. Of New York; Privates Clarke and Lees,
Of Company c., 4th Infantry. and one citizen named
Hamilton, who had command Of the boat. Twoonly,
(pyjyafes DaDford and Owensl of Company A. Afh
Infantry, were saved
This dreadful catastrophe happened on Monday
morning the 2Tth inst, the boat being struck by q
squall.
In winter and spring an open boat is unfit for men
to travelin, especially such waters as the Sound
and 1t Is the belief of every person here that govern
ment is very much to blame for not having suffi.
cient military force the Sound, as the number of
enlisted men stationed here for the protection OF the
settlers on ak Puget Sound, very large tract,
does not amount to more than about forty men; and
the government should have sufficient force-say
six or eight companies-stationed on Puget Sound,
and also q steamer Of such dimensions as would
carry about one hundred men and the necessary
luggage, and have proper arrangements for cooking
ard beds for the men to sleep at night. This would
he greatly to our advantage well to that OF the
settler because il would not occupy so much time in
going from place to place as il would in boat or
schooner, and the government would only have to
employ an engineer OF two and n captain, as the
crew, &c. could be detailed from the military sta
iions and placed on extra duty.
trust that ere long we ehnll have the pleasure Of
secrg neat little United States steamer poughing
the waters Of Puget Sound.