New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-06-02
THE MASSACRE OF GUNNISON-
To ne Editor Of The " y. Tribune.

To ne Editor Of The y. y. Tribune.
SIR: have read in one of the journals with regret
q statement written from Salt Lake City charging the
Momons with being accessory to the massacre of the
larnentcd Capt Gunnison and officers. Lot ask you
Therefore to publish the following extracts from my
journal of voyage from Great Salt Lake City to Cali
foinia in May and June last year. They will serve
to explain more clearly the cause of this sad event:
CTAH TIRRIToRY, SEVER RIVER CAN'T,
Tuesday, May 9, ls54. !
Our party campod about mile from the Paryan
IHdiun Village, and this afternoon, accompanied By
two interpreters aud several other gentemel pro-
oeedCd TO their cnmp to SEQ their celebrated Cietain.
Konoshc whose portrait i was anxious to obtain. ]
found him well armed with a rifle and pis0B and
mounted ON n noble horse. He has Roman nose,
with fine, intelligent cast OF counenance, AMI his
thick black hair brushed off his forehead contrary TO
tie usual custom of his tribe. Ho Immediately col-
SCI ted to my request that he would sit for lis portrait
and Oh the spot, after IN hours labor, produced
strong likeness OF him. which he was very curious to
see. orerod my portfolio and displayed The por;
troiis of number OF Chiefs among which he selected
Mn-ka-ra the celebrated terror of Travellers cised
Walker tsiroe dead lie took hold Off and wantedto
10 ain it. 1t was he said, wieno "a contractAoa
of the Spanish "bueao'-very good. l also lesrned
from him through the Interpreters the following facts
relating TO the Gunnison massacre. kanosho says:
There were thirty Parvain Indians encamped about
six miles Northwest of Gunn.son's camp. One Of
tlose Indians son of old chief who was slail By
q party of emigrants under the command OF Mr..
Hi!roih few days before, was out shooting rabbits.
He heard firing. He followed the sound and found
it proceeded from two men who were shooting ducks
near the lake. Cautiously d0geiDg them to their camp
and surveying tie whole party which consisted OF
eight persons he went TO his own camp hlled with re-
vtngtfu es lirgs and determined 10 kill the Mericats'
AmericGus) who had killed his father. lie then made
fictitious scalp of borse-haiT tied it to long pole
and eleysting it, uttered iniammatory speeches to his
tribe, who all commenced the wardance and
danced until daylight when they all
II - H. dol r,,r-
iisons camp when these eating their
breakfast and took deadly aim aud raised their war
whoop. Captain Gunnison was not killed by the
first discharge; but raised his hands while some OF the
dragons endeavored TO reach their horses They
were all finally killed with the exception of one dra-
COON who made his escape and gave the alarm to the
main body of the expedition distant about 80 miles,
One of the men killed was named Potter; he was
Mormon and acted az guide. Kanoshe oncamped
about 80 miles away One of the Indians came into
his camp with dragoon's horsc and told kanoshe of
| the murder Kanoshe Immediately drove the horse
| into Fillmore and gave him up. He then proceededto
the Indian camp and tried 10 obtain the papers and n-
srumcns belonging TO the officers. They refused to
give them MP and the leader of the massacre endeav
ored to inoiie tribe against their Chief for nterier
ing but his indomable courage savedh and he sue
ceeded in recovering nearly all the effects and took
them into Fillmore aud delivered them up to the proper
| authorities.
Imet Mr. HildIeth, one ofthe brothers who commanded
| a lar. emgrant party end whose unprovoked ana
fatal attack upon the Puvain Indians near Fillmore
csused that tribe 10 murder Capt. Gunnson and OIL
ctrs a description of which l have already noted:
| Mr. HldIeth saws bis brother the Commaaderl and
himself had left camp 10 hunt and when they returned
lev we've informed of the unfortunate and premature
attack of some of his people on the Indians 1t seems
| that small number of Paryain Indians came into
G. MP am ed with bows and Arrows begging 1000 ana
| clothing at shutdown. They were ordered out OF
camp; they refused They Were told If they gave up
their bows ard arrows they might remain ana one OF
The men used force TO obtain the bow nom an Indian
In tLe scufile tie American wounded whereapon,
without any further provocation, a number Of rlhe.
were discharged at the Indians killing several among
| whom was an old Chief. Capt Hioretn a. once
raised camp and proceeded ON has Journey ior esr Oh
the couseor enccs. Ills fatal event would not nave
occurred if Capt Hildreth had been IN camp, anu no
] lameuted the Occurrence.
| At Salt Lake City messed with Capt MOTIFS anu -
| Lieut.. Beckwitb. in command of the remainder Oh
Capt. Gunnisons expedition; and after reading ie,-
Ter in Missoari paper charging the Motmons van
having been accessory 10 this sad AFFAIR, they po'n
| pronounced the letter base SANDER ard lDei upon
that people. think am correct in saying that "sy
| did not entertain suspicion of such a thing.
am opposed 10 Mormonism as well as to tnelr spur
iiual wife system but this much Will say mar duf
| ing residence of three months among them ionn,
| them honorable, hosrable and friendly. attended
ther places of worship, and certainly they preached
sound morality. therefore think it only my duy "
| offer these facls TO the public. -.
sm respectfully &C. :. y. CAASALho' ATM
| Nay "a 1852