The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-10-31
THE. SANTA re MAIL TRAIN ENCOUNTER WITH
THE INDIANS
iaDrrrsDfscr, (Mo. , Sept 70, isSi,

. . - isDETESDfSCS (Mo.) Sept. rs, 1861
Ds.u am As YOU have Just arrived here passel
Ger In the Santa Fe mail and knowing that you have
been under the employment Of the government for some
time as geolog of the Paciforailroad surveys, desire
"a obtain from you statement OF facts in reSar'i to the
Indian disturbances the ma route nom hcre to Santa
y, New Mcxicol-of the encounter Of the out going mail
with the Chosces which mail you met at the crossing
NJ M great Arkansas liver Of the conduct Of mail hands
and Messengers ON that occasion also, your opinion
If the manner snd system of running the mail on this
route
Tb, statement viii doubtless allay much anxiety now
t,t N this community on this subject, occasicned by re-
rors Of the recent conflict between tho United States
,roops under Col Sumner with these indiana.
would also request your opinion Of the prnctcabiiity
a this route as link in the great Pacific overland mail
yf and rsiitoad much written and alksd OF in
ibe itJltcd AtMta
I'd Yours, very respectfully.
JACOB HALL, n n'#.s"'
u s Nail Contractor from Independence Mo-, to Santa
Fe, New Mexico.
VIZ P. BL.Er, Esq, hsar e
81. asaHaf INDEPENDENCE, MO, J Sept. "a, 1857.
SIM In compliance with the wish expressed in your
letter dated Esd send you the following narrative Of
opr experience with the Indians between this place and
Santa Fe promising, however that neither our party nor
the other fought with or violently assaulted by, the
indiana although our lives were un4uestionaby In Inn
piuept danger for a considerable part of the way.
fbs stsss gftd a. sagon ip charge of Thomas Yields
and three men, with lHtlf all elmo rt myself as
passengers left Santa Fc the morning cf the first and
nraeceed ~ far the first crossing OF tho omaroh re
without seeing any Indians. AT that place. whhe We
were preparing breakfast two mounted indians came g
opng up through the tall gras. on The left and on put
,nt away their bows and arrows allowed to come
INTO rapt They said they were Kioways, and wanted
something to eat We fed them and gave them sugar,
and they then wanted powder and lead, and fa's or
isco,nncnla WHICH ysre refused ana we drove on,
lc,v,nu then, n sssafisied They we're equipped for
war and we regarded them as spies supPoson which
We afterwards had reason believe correct Indeed,
they we're probably the same Indians that lew DAYS
previously had been in the camp of Col. Johnston ana
spent the night and the next day seized opportunity
to kill the driver of the surveyors ambulance and
Of with the mules This daring act performed
within 200 yards Of company Of soldiers which had
turned the brow Of HILL and left the ambulance
ont OF view behind them. The soldiers, being
foot could not pursue and the Indians made their escape
with the mules rs .aa.gra VI. a. 81. .aa.nar s. o.
Several miles the point at which we were visited by
these "Kiouays reached the cncampment of large
train with provisions for Col Johnstons command
also, wagon and party Of sixteen men, which had
preceded the road and bound for the States.
This party had been far beyond but had turned back
tracing their steps for several days journey, having
learned from Mexican captive in q band of Kioways
that large force Of the Chcycnnes had concentrated be-
low the lower crossing of the Cimarcn AMI the
Arkansas river waiting for party to arrive intending
to stop IT, This Mexican reported that the Cheycnnes
we're very angry and had declared that the mail should
and
here Col Johnston and his force of about 500 men, in
hntry and cavalry the escort of the Kansas boundary
survey, passed up towards the upper crossing From Col
Johnston learned that the road was highly dan
Gcros for small parties and he advised to remain
until the return Of the OK train We did So and trav
eled with it day, but the progress of the train
slow that concluded to push on in company with
the party Of sixteen mcn and their wagon
We passed the Lower Springs without seeing Indians,
and crossing the tornado, the 18th, when we
group Of black objects the verge If the prairie,
and by the aid Of glass could distinguish eight ten
Indians in full gallon towards us others
in different directions and they all rapidly approached
The and ammunition were laid out in readiness, and
We travelled ON usual
Before coming within rifle range several of the
Indians turned oG, and only came towards us,
and made signs for to stop, but we kept on, and
they trottcd behind at respectful distance They
SAW that we were too strong for them, and after
little consultation they called for conductor. '.Ihe
captain, Fields, conyersed with them by signs, and
dered them to unstring their bows, which they imme
Gately did snd then rode alongside of party They
travelled with for four FIVE miles, and then sgni-
ned tlsr willingness to leave If would give them
Paper, recommendation Of good claracter) We stopped
a few moments wrote " few words for them, and gave
ont sugar ana crackers, There four old chiefs and
three young warriors, 6ncy-iormed men, and beautifully
dressed in suits q beaded bucsin and adorned by large
plates of silver their breasts The chiefs sat down.
and, lighting pipe went through the ceremony of
smoking all around In this observed that the young
men did not participate, did they sit down, or take
any part in the proceedings. aaa
We then drove very cautiously hut rapidly and
reached the Sand hills after dark found double track
or the trail Of the other mail party which lad evidently
turned beck and great number OF tracks # Indian po
mes ON each side to fear that this party
had been forced TO return by the indiana When we
crossed the Arkansas river the next morning we found
The roadway completely covered with moccas tracks on
each side Of the trail of the wagons Fragments of crack
erH anil drppnSs of molases in the road showed plainly
that the other party had been dealing out their pro
visions. 20 ........-t
There were two places where the party had been made
stop o. was evident by the tracks around and the
trAilinss and prints Of blankets in tho sand We also
observed that subsequently to this the Indians Ind
changed their camp for found the marks made by the
direction OF Pawncc fork where we concluded part OF
the Indians had gone
oOr fears for the safety Of the other mail party