Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-05-01
FRONTIER TROUBLES.

Convention, in Richmond, on the 18th of May.
FRONTIER TROUBLES.
The last lingering vestiges of the aboriginal inhab.
itants of America, serve still to awaken recolections
of the sanguiuary struggles with which the early
history Of our country ahounds.
Late accounts FROM the Northwestern frontier, re.
present the Sioux formidable tribe OF Indians, ss
having committed recent depredations upon the per.
Iowa and Minnesota, worthy the warfare OF more
turbulent times, when every inch Of ground Was die.
puted by the red man against the advancing civiiza.
ton OF the hardy pioneers Of the new world.
This race Of people presents au enigma which no
philosopher can explain. Wild as the wild deer they
chase, and almost erocious in disposition as the
panther or lion, they are possessed Of traits which
would seem 10 fit them for civilization And yet it
has proved impractcabls except 10 rare instances,
to as,imists them to hs habits of white men, or to
educate them in the arts and improvements of a
sphere of existence higher than that Of rowing rob.
bers and huners. With ideas Of divinity not exalt-
ed above the instincts Of that nature which warns
every creature endowed with reason, that there is a
Cod Indifferent to all other laws than those Of ne.
csssty; with tiger hearts and sinews of STEEL they
would really to have been designed only as
pants of earth, until superior race appeared TO
supply their place.
The sad fate OF the poor persecuted Indian, driven
from his native SOIL to the far forests of the West,
furnishes fruitful theme for the poet, and agree.
able entertainment for the lovers Of romance. And in
truth, the history OF the red man is calculated 10
awaken interest aud sympathy in the minds Of all
who reflect upon the records of the bloody days o.
colonial America. But the Indian, by his treachery,
his vindctiveness, his hatred Of all mankind except
his own race, or his own tribe, has brought upon
hrnself tho terrible alternative which forced him 10
y from civilization, when he refused to accept and
adopt il.
Driven to the frontier, they still. stand unsubdued;
and embracing ungnarded opportunities, they sally
out from their hiding places, and punder, burn and
murder, with unsparng ferocity. Such outrages
must call down upon them, the wrath Of the settlers,
aud If often repeated will incense them, proba
bly, to lead to war Of determination Mr. Williams,
the commander of the volunteer force, raised by Or
der of Gov. Grimes of Iowa, for the pursuit of the
lnul6Ds tUHhScu III tDp iolo CuhtiOuo III luut
country, gives an interesting account of the out
break, from which make the following extract:
The Indians we're known to have some 25 or 80
head Of horses and or 10 mules taken from the set
tiers. These indians commenced low down on Little
Sioux River, near the Southwest corner Of Buena
Vista comfy and proceeded 10 break up and destroy
all The settlements in that county Clay, Dickenson
and Emit counties; then intended coming down the
West Branch as far as they dare. Throughout their
a.. ,ta af.l 1.atr .ltahn
settlement, killed all the cattle, ravished the women
and most scandalously abused them. They stood
over the men with their guns cooked, while they were
engaged in their helsh oursgss
Along that river they approached and got into the
houses through professions of friendship, and with
rush .eized the and arms, taking the people by
surprise attacking in such a way thar one family
could not help the other all attacked simultaneously,
robbed them of everything, and lett them pless in
the midst of Geld ~eater aud deep SHOWS. They did
not commence to kill the settlers until they reached
Dickinson county. There at Spirit Lake, it appears
that the settlers had prepared to defend themselves
as we'll as they could, and from appearances they
fought bravey for their families. The settlers al
Spirit Lake numbered 40 souls,no of whom
is left TO tell the tale Finding that the troops from
Fort Rdgeley had not buried the dead, detailed 25
men to proceed Is miles To the luke, and reconnore
that district, and If Indians we're discovered to
inter the dead, ~ an act of humanity.
Guides were procured and they sct out under the
U
well of company C. They could find no Indians, but
found their encnmpreut, and dreadful destruction
of property. They performed the sad duty of inter-
ring the dead so far as they could lind any. They
found and buried 20 bodes-found the skulls and
bones of those who were burned in the ruins of
house, which, with the one buried by the troops
from Ridgeley made in all - dead found at Spirit
Lake, killed at Springfield, and l2 missing at the
Lake certainly kied-lt is supposed they are ly.
ing off at a distance, killed in attempting to es.
cane; some two or three we're found who had been
shot in attempting to escape four oi their women
taken off as D, lsoners and three badly wounded.
| may sum up follows: In NIL, Al killed II
,nissing, no doubt killed; badly wounded; two, |
fear, lnurally; women prisoners, besides several
men from Boone River and counties east OF this,
who crossed the Des Moines River with view Of
going 10 Dickinson county and the Lakes, have
not ye. been heard from-supposed to be killed
on their way.
From all appearances The Sioux Indians have de-
tsrlnlned to wage a war OF determination on our
fronters, as every thing goes to show 1t at every
point on the upper Des Mohlee' b'S ''lanu Grove
Spirit Lake, and all other points where we found
traces OF them. They had left the most threatening
signs, stakes ret up and painted red, trees barked
and painted, representing men pierced win arrows,
SC, &C. At every point they broke up and de-
s,royed all furniture, burnt The houses and killed the
catrle-over 100 head of fine catts were found shot
down and untouched in any way, but Knocking on
the horns-I suppose TO make powder horns. Their
whole cour-s goes to show that they intended to
break up and stop the settlement of that North and
North West country.
The St. Paul Pionee. and Democrat, The official
paper Of the territory, eays that at pabc meeting
held in that place, committee was appointed to
make inquiries Of the commandsnt at Fort Smelling,
whether he deemed it necessary or expedent that
volunteers should proceed from ST. Paul in pursuit of
the Indians, aud that officer replied that such step
WAS neither necessary nor expedient, the detachment
of troops already cent out being amply sufficient to
punish for the past and prevent repetition Of the
outrages The Pioneer adds:
The impression prevails among thoss we'll inform.
ed that the hostile Indians are from the upper Mis-.
souri and that their present action s in revenge for
the eummary punishment inflicted upon them by
General Harney last Summer. The report that they
number seven or eight hundred is also gross eIag
reration-sixty seventy would be much nearer the
mark.
70 the recent occurrences, should be particular in
stating the localities where the disturbances have
taken place. Spirit Lake is on the Iowa line and in
the extreme part OF the proposed State
Of Minnesota. The other points where II is rumored
murders have been committed, are remote from the
towns, and OIL the extreme verge of settlement.
INJUNCTION REFUSED.-The Baltimore Pa,
trot announces that Chief Justice Taney delivered
tn. opinion OF the circuit of that city in the
case OF the city of Wheeling U.s. the baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company, Oh an injunction to prevent
the repeating by said company OF the extra dividend
resolutions passed by the President and Directors
some weeks ago. The court held that the resembling
Of the resolutions declaring the extra dividend if il
is vested interest," affects no right, and, therefore,
refused 10 grant the injunction.
<e>
John Whitehead, late teller OF the Virginia Bank at
Lynchburg died on Saturday.