Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1855-01-25

ShPPCU Snlcll llnSkCL IL IOh1 blC NIONu
and tied it into a knot. The other
bodies which were exhumed-one OF
two in number-werel only partially
petrifed, and were mostly decayed.
"a Dayton Empire, Of 1Sh inst,
A MAIL TRAIN ATTACKED By INDIANS
AT Ell PAso.-The San Antonio Ledger,
of the 28th ult., publishes the following
account of an attack made upon mail
train on the 18th of November. 1t is
written by Mr.. c. A. Rand, and dated
Ell Paso, Dec. 10. iiT s5-1l l.ao Ie5a
You are aware that Capt. Skillman
and myself, with Mr.. Gordon and two
Mexicans, left San Antonio on the Cd of
November, DIR. Giddings and party,
who were in charge of the mail, having
started the day previous. We overlook
them on the 18th, at O'Clock in the
evening. The next morning we break
tasted at the "Muerte," or Dead Mans
Hole. DIR. Gidding's company having
avoided that place, as being dangerous
stronghold for the Indians. After
breakfast we passed on, and at about 9
O'Clock met Skillman's mail party going
down, with Capt. Daley. in command,
and Mr.. Lockwood and company travel-
ing with them. We stopped with them
about halfan-hour and separated, hay-
ing exchanged Mr.. Gordon for Mr..
Cooper, (Skillman's driver between
here and Santa Fe, and being reintor-
ced by the Hon. RufasD Doane, (who
also had come down with Daley to meet
Skillman. vr OBS h5rir.rzs irs .si--rta
Abcrt an hour after separation, we
stopged t. feed our animals and to shoe
2 mule which had been lame, and had
hardly turned the mules loose when We
discovered animals approaching u.s.
Knowing that DIR. Giddings could not
be far in the rear, we of course thought
it was his. party approaching; but on
examining them with spy-glasses, we
found them to be Indians. Still wefelt
no apprehension of their being hostile,
because, being between us and the 9TH
er mail party, we naturally supposed
that, after a friendly interview with
them, they had come on to greet us in
a similar manner. They accordingly
approached within about sixty yards,
waving a white flag, and shouting,
"Amigos! amigosl" but all at once as
tonished US by firing their guns upon us.
They were then six in number, and af-
ter firing, they passed northward around
a bill, the summit of which was some
two hundred yards from our camp
we then found that there were other In
dams on the top Of the hill, and all
hands poured in their shot upon us in
the most impolite manner
While we were gathering and fasten-
ing our mules, DIR, GiddTng's party
came up and did likewise, reporting that
the ssyages had also fired on them'in
passing, killing mule and wounding an
other. Their arrival increased our
to fifteen men. Everybody
having solicited Capt. Skillman to take
of both trains during the en-
he did so, and made his ar
rangement, with his usual valor and
two qualities which he is uni
versally acknowledged to posses in the
most eminent degree, and which are
rarely found SO happily combined
Finding that We we're rather too near
the Indians, they having every adTant- !
age of position, we harnessed up, and
withdrew to the southwark of the road,
to secure an open clear space. AS soon
as the Indians discovered our intention,
they set fire to the grass on our north.
east and west, but knowing that our
only hope was in getting out of reach
Of their shots from the hill, we pushed
On aboutfsix hundred yards, and then
set FIRE to the grass before us to make a
clear space to drive upon. 5i ii
By this time the Indians were over
forty in number-fnost Of them mount
I'd on good horses, and more than half!
Of them armed with rifles and Mississip-
pi yagers. We again Embarrassed, and
placed the mules as much as possible
between the. carriages--the sayages
shooting at us all the time, but keeping
he respectable distance of Eve OF SIX
hundred yards-haying been convinced. /
by Skillman's long shots, that distance
ends enchantment.,e 5radaiv .s1r0f 81 /
: Skillman had before killed or wounded !
1t least one of the assailants. and inl
BUR second encampment he fred ten or
.welFe shots with his "Sharp's rife,''
1nly three Of which shots took effect.
These three wounded two Indians and
a horse. We cannot be certain whether