Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1857-05-21
Fsonht6e Weekly (ssA> AntoniO) Herald.
THE LATE INDIAN sCouf ON THE HEAD
], 9E THE N6EdEs.
CORRECTION

Of THE NUECqES.
CORRECTION.
In , notice. sf.s late ,skirmish between
small peNx of soldiers, from Fort Inge and
party 0fIhdiahs, on the head of the Nue.
ces. made in our paper few days ago, we
published a version of the affair, which,
without any intention On our part, might be
constructed into reflection upon the officer
in command of the scout, to-wit: Lieut..
JENIRER, I'd Cavalry-an officer of whom
we have uniformly heard the most favorable
accounts. Wewere on Saturday permitted
to see the official account of that skirmish.
and can now state that so far from any blame
being imputable to the conduct of Lieut..
Jenifer in that matter, that his conduct on
the occasion was entirely proper, and has
met with the fullest appreciation of the COM
handing officer of this Department.
From the official account of the above
scout. dated Fort Inge, April IA, 1857, we
make the following extract, from which it
will be seen that there is formidable body
of Indians on and about the head-waters of
the Nueces
4 ''On the morning of the list of
April, | discovered large trail, Of about
40 animals, near the head of the Sabinal,
which trail took northwest course, until it
reached the head of the South Fork of the
Llano, where the guide was unable to follow
it longer, owing to a heavy rain which had
cessful search of nearly two days for the
trail, [ directed my course to the head-waters
of the northwest fork of the Nueces, and
In descending that river found large num-
Der of. Indiap lodges, and many indications
of where horses had been grazing the past
winter. On the morning of the 4th April,
/ saw an Indian trail, some 20 miles below
the head of the northwest fork of the Nue.
ces, and followed it up the north fork Of the
same river, six or eight miles. As the trail
was quite new and the ground rocky and
almost inaccessible for horses, halted, dis
mounted my party, and took seven men with
me and proceeded on the trail, and after
tedious march of four miles through thick
underground of bushes, I suddenly came
upon camp which appeared to be occupied
by a very large body Of Indians, who were
situated in strong defensible position, on
the side of mountain and over high bluff
Creeping up to within $50 yards Of their
camp, I was accommodating their position
previous to making an attack, when party
of Indians driving horses discovered some
of my men. The alarm was given, and
large body of warriors sailed out from their
camp to the attack. Finding much supe-
rior force opposed to me, and being between
two fires, I threw my men Immediately be-
hind a cluster of bushes, which admitted of
strong defence, and ordered them to re-
serve their fire until the Indians approached
to within 40 yards. My orders were prompt
ly obeyed, and my men repulsed the attack
ing party, killing two and mortally wound
ing third, at the first fire. None of my
men were injured. At the same time par
ty of mounted warriors showed themselves,
whooping and yelling, in my rear, but dis
appeared so soon as the party attacking in
front was repulsed.
4.It was now becoming dark, and fearful
for the safety of my horses, which were two
miles from me, and knowing that the enemy
was unaware of my small force, fell back,
with the intention of uniting my whole par
ty, and returning to the attack in the morn
ing. After returning to where I had left
my horses, which took me till half-past 8
o'clock at night, I picketed them and en-
camped for the night. Early on the follow
ing morning I returned to the camp Of the
Indians, but they had left and could find
no trail among the thick bushes and rocks
which surrounded their camp, they having
scattered in every direction after leaving
The Indians I supposed to be Camanches,
and as near as could judge numbered be-
-
and children.
"On examining the position which the
Indians occupied, I found it would have
been impossible, with my small force, to
have made successful charge upon their
camp, as it was well defended on all sides,
having high mountain in the rear, deep,
rocky ravine so or 60 yards in width in
front: and the bluff on which their lodges
were built was too high to ascend except by a
narrow entrance little to the left of the
Camp, which would only admit one man at
time. The right and left of their position
were protected by bushes and rocky ravines,
inaccessible for troops. The guide, Mr.
Westfall, had not seen SO large number
of Indians together for many years, and has
never known the country over which scout
ed to be travelled by troops before It is
more than probable that the Indians would
have renewed the attack upon me at night,
or early in the morning, had they not have
had their families with them, but fearful
lest the women and children should get in
jured, they fed for the mountains. I do
not think these Indians were of the party
who carried off the animals belonging to CT
tizens some weeks since, for could see no