Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1856-11-29
frrn,n The Pnrilnnd lMeN Argus |


ter, of the army. was extracted from letter
of the acting surgeon of Camp Lancaster
giving on account of the affair, partly rs u
spectator of some distance, and partly as he
was informed at the time by those immediate
ly engaged. Captain Carpenter is the son OF
Joshua Cnrrcnter formerly Collector OF the
District of Ppnobscut. lie WAS born in Par
is Oxford county, in 1918, educated Ut West
Point, and graduated in loi0.
CANr LANCASTER Texas. Oct. l6, 1856.
A few days since our camp was in a high
state of excitement in consequence OF n brush
with the Indians, aud the fears entertained oi
tie entire loss Of our party. Captain Car
Irnter. OF the FIRST infantry, who commands
this post, went ont with mule team to pro-
cure some poles for The purposes OF the en-
campment. The party consisted only OF the
! Captain, armed with II fowliDg-piecs aud IL
revolver, two musicians with rifles. prvatos
! Mccullough and Demon, with muskets, and
| the ttutnstrr, Nho was unarmed. laccOmpa-
MED them carrying my i0wllng- piece, lOnded
only with very tns shot, used Tor onithUlogi-
cal purposes, III III p"ctntion that mleht
come across some small birds Not the Sigh
trst danger OF any attack was hppreheDded.
| 1t was necessary to 20 further than hau
been expected to procure poles Of the requir-
! ed length; but they were at last obtained,
tb. lean loaded and we're on our return to
camp. the Curtniu. musician Bcurdall and
| u,,srlf ridiuU 81 short distance in adyaure not
| having seen anything to excite the least alarm
| While thus on our h0meward way, the Gap.
tain, on turning round, saw the team had
come To IL stofn. and rode back with Beardall
to ascertain Whyt was the difficulty. Kept
my ground, watching their progress, aud IN
tenuiug to await their retnrn. On their way
back they passt through II hollow and los.
iup their re.nppcnrance ou rising the other
side. when. imagine my CONSERVATION, on see
ing party Of Indians, some Oh foot and some
on horseback, suddenly make their appear
nnr. L.twn,n mo md my friends. who were
nowhere TO be seen.
NV interest was intcpse-there was not a
shadow Of doubt oil my mind that the captain
and Bpprdull had been cut off before they
r,ncbed IN. mon and tenm. which were now
,nrrnrndpd and pust inevitably share the
snmp fat. Nv evrs still riyeted on the spot
ma man. yhnin | rrrucnizpd as the unarmed
,.,,,,..,,, h,,rs, frnr, ~. ,hr6n,r nnrsued h,
,,,'s ',,, rFr liz, or de,,i
d" ;.,,,l ,I.,, ,,,,,,, ,L., maj, ,y
~ soI" - ,.i"'i H. s,r,,nk w.t.,
',. .''us'eu " W. ',, ,f aUr rr;.nJs would nt
'.',, w So, !" "u! t,,, cnnI,l 500 onIv tbe Indi
WV, "' rr,,,,i,',r ,',, ,sII;n,, ,rinn,,,h,n,lv il
| ."' 'a"'''"S ,iI ,,,rr n,r,v had hoo,
Was er'uF'' ,,o "'"e VI ,innI, U| shnt
,a'',,,l ir,,,,, an tL. bnr,id scenn III,
" "''o 't'I' u - a S',.,, ,h, ,a,,,e,ar tnrn
iIu'",' "o Ia" 'n. I''o,, i,,insd bv ,nn,L
GU 'o%"'"I mt! NV '",''T !!i,h,Id 6nr.,,
~ w r.,',,, ,,,, tr,nr. NOT mo
".s 'o"sVu 'ne 'o"' 49," ..n',, ,ya. ayn M si
"'t"t , "GS ~ ~ ,, to ,La road
'''.I' ,, ~ ,n,,. ba6 n.ynr bae
!n.,,.s - IrrdI, -,cse nvsr r,vinas am
"Ns,' Isi, r,, cL.pn Cnr ,sc,n
Wv H.; ~. i;r, ,,. - ,t,La | ,,u
was s','"'i, ~ ,,;u', snoaa and ha go;na
~: ,,,, ,,u,',,,rs HAVING satisfied mys.
, III -! i ,I,-t La S..s ,,,d Crr IN
,,,r,.I ~ t,Ls n,a Last lool, nt IN
|, .",,rn or a.,ior TL. Indians ouby were ,
,i,,ht
Grb.re woe tbar only ore course to pursu
f,d n,y v,v If nns;ibI, hack to the cam,
.u,d oivr ,bn .rl,,m We'll did nv horse d
he dn,y. Io,tinc, him ,,kp bs cyn way.
+ ',,,.l,I I'M. ru,Ir IN safety. and n ,trog uaI
r,.s ;o,,n odi.tnlv sant nif in ,.ursuit Of III
i Indians, to avenge the Geuth, and, if possible
recover the dead bodies of cur friends. o
: their route. much to their establishment, the
! met Captain Carpenter with his men an
their horses, and one Of the mules. the res
of the team having been carried oil by the Ii
dians.
The account given b. them was as follows
+, On approaching the men and team, Coptai
Carpenter saw that there were nearly SUI
rounded by from fifteen TO twenty Indians
armed with rifles aud bows and arrows, SON
on foot and some on horseback. When jOiG
ing his men they had their guns raised, abOu
to fire, the Indians then being at long riti
: shot. He immediately ordered his men
hold their fire and lay down in the the gras
of the prairie. Their guns once discharge
lie was aware there wouId be no time to re
load. and that they will reload, and that the
. would be rode down and crushed by the 81
peror number Of the enemy. This timely o
- der being observed, saved the party.
The Indians being thus defeated in the
> project OF Stampeding our men, and not deem
ing it safe to approach the Oh horse6acl
!. dISmounted and advanced un foot; and ~he
sufficiently near commenced Il fire with the
: rifles and hnws and arrows This fire WI
: coutnurd for fifteen minutes-the Indian
drawing nearer and nearer: our men crOuci