The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-06-18
A BATTLE WITH THE CAMANCHEs
THE RANGERS VICTORIOUS.

THE RANGERS VICTORIOUS.
We copy from the Galveston Ne,os of June lst
Captain Ford's Official Report of these battles ad
dressed to the Governor of Texas:
BATTLES BETWEEN THE TEXAS RANGERS AND THE
INDIANS
We have previously published brief account of
an an engagement between the Texas Rangers under
Niapt; Ford, and the Camanche Indians, in which
@ ong latter were routed The following is the off
G ga TT report made by Captain Ford to the Governor
HEADQUARTERS Texas RANGERS,
! camp tunnels, May %, 1858.
GOV RUNNELs: have the honor to renort that
| on the I'D OF April I made a forward moyomnnt
from this camp, at the head of ono bunJrod d t
men, including officers on-commissoned oIIicors
Prlvaies ana guides. also had two WAGONS one
ambulence and fifteen pack mules ""a'A'' ono
At the Cottonwood SPRINGS Voc ;o;5 IT
| tain .. J.. Ross and one hundred and tbir+oo Ir
dians oil the BraZos Reservation. We directed our
march upon Red River reaching and cross;nrr tbat
stream on the 2Sth. The command marched nm
the valley of the river, made frequent halts and
sent out spies and detachments to make fre1nnnt
recOnn0lssances of the surrounding country This
plan OF operations was continued until the 7th of
May without discovering any very recent Indian
sign. we then determined to march in the direc-
ton OF the Wachita rivera branch of which was
reached on the Sth of May. Our spies reported a
large trail leading down the country We followed
IL ior Two days. on the evening of the 10th, the
spies brought in couple of Camanche arrow
heads, extracted from buffalo found wounded
which they killed. Convinced that we were now
IN the vicinity of large body of the enemy every
precauton was taken to avoid being discovered
and every possible eXertion made to find their
camp.
Had we succeeded in the latter, we should have
moved near to it in the night and Just before day-
light sent in party of our Indians to stampede the
horses, and we should have attacked the enemy i'm
mediatey. On the llth, the spies reported having
seen Camanches running Buffalo; and they likewise
mad got correct notion of the course to their
camp, by watching pack animals as they transport
ed buffalo meat to it. Iprepared to move upon the
enemy without delay. left a small guard at nv
camp, and at O'Clock, F. NJ, marched with one
hundred Americans and Captain Ross command of
one hundred and thirteen friendly Indians When
we reached the Fort Smith and Santa Fe road we
saw CamancheS moving about in the valley beyond
the "divide," apparently unconscious of our prox-
unity. When they had gone resumed our march
coniInng ourselves to the low grounds and rayines
to keep out of sight. We halted at dusk camped
and sent forward some Indians to overtake our Ku-
chi spy and trailer.
Unfortunately they missed him and he remained
outside of camp until daylight, on the morning of
the 18th, when he joined the march. Our
plan was frustrated, and we were compelled to
march upon the foe in open day. The pursuit was
made most OF the time at gallop. At o'clock,
A. NJ, small camp of five dodgers was discovered
and taken. The Toncahua Indians remained de
mollshed the camp, took some prisoners and mount
ed their footmen. Two Camanchcs fed toward the
Canadian, and were ollOwed by the whole com
mand ut nearly full speed. After a run of three
miles, large encampmcnt was visible from a hill
top, about three miles Distant and the Cherokee
side of the Canadian.
We saw the two Camanches passing the river
and followed at a run-crossing the stream with
out holding up-and reached the camp Just after
they had given the alarm: Captain Ross led his In
dians between the lodges and the river, and they
engaged the enemy. | halted for a moment for
my men to come up, and then gave the order to
charge the camp, which executed promptly
and galantly. The Camanches intended to have
made stand at this point-the rangers pressed
them closely and they fled in every direction The
right wing in charge OF myself and Lieutenant
William A. Pitts, moved straight through the
camp and poured in calling fire upon the retreat
ing enemy. Lieut. Allison Nelson, in command of
the left wing, assisted by Lieut.. James II. Tank
! ersly and Lieut.. William g. Preston, charged to
! the left, and pursued the flying Camanches with
! yigor and effect. In the meantime the head chief,
| Iron Jacket, had ridden out in gorgeous arrav
clad in coat of mall and bore down upon our red
allies. He was followed by warriors, and trusted
| for safety to his armOr.
The sharp crack of five or six rifles brought his
horse to the ground, and in few moments the
chief fell ridded with balls. Our Shawnee guide
Doss, and Jim Pockmark the Anadarco captain
claim the first and last wounds The fight was now
general and extended very soon a circuit of
SIX miles In LENGTH and more than three in breadth
1t was in fact, alIsost a series Of single combats-
Squads of rangers and Indians were pursuing
the enemy in every direction. The Camanches
would occasionally halt and endeavor to make a
stand; however, their efforts were unavaing;
they were forced to yield the ground to our men in
every instance. The din of the battle had rolled
back from the rver-the groans of the diving cries
of frightened women and children, mingled with
the reports of firearms, and the shouts Of the men
as they rose from hill top, from thicket and from
ravinc.
The second Chief had rushed into the conflict
with the friendly Indians. a shot from the Shaw
nee captain, Chul-le-qua, closed his career The
Camanches between the camp and the river were
all killed or driven from the field and our red allies
sent up wild shout Of triumph. BY direction of
Capt. Ross, portion of them held the camp of the
enemy.
The rangers and the friendly Indians still pressed
the Camanches, nor did they stop pursuing until
their failing horses admonishcd them that they
could do no more. Between II and | O'Clock the
firing had almost ceased; and squad after squad of
the troops were returning to the Camanche camp,
bringing with them horses, prisoners and other tro-
phies of victors Capt. Ross had very properly sug-
gcsted Lit. Nelson the propriety of keeping the men
well together; and when returned from the pur-
suit, lfound large proportion of the men drawn
up in order of battle.
The Camanches had another large encampmcnt
three or four miles above on the Canadian. They
had heard the firing, embodied and threatened to
charge us. They were evidently playing for an ad-
vantage and their manmuvrcs induced our Indians
to believe them very strong. Our allies proposed to
draw them out, and requested me to keep my
in line to support them, if necessary. The Canaan
ches descended from the hill to accept their prof
Tered invitation. With wells and menaces AID
every species of insulting gestures and language
they tried to excite the reserve Indians into some
act of rashness by which they could profit scene
was now enacted beggaring description. 1t re-
minded me of the rude and chivarous DAYS of
knight-crrantry. Shields and lances and bows and
head-dresses, prancing steeds, and many minutin,
were not wanting to complete the resemblance
And when the combatants rushed at each other with
defiant shouts nothing save the piercing report of
the rifle varied the affair from a battle field of the
middle ages Half an hour spent in this with
out much damage to either party. A detachment
OF rangers was advanced to reinforce the friendly
Indians, and the Camanches quilted the field
1t was determined to leave the Indians in possess
sion OF the prisoners and captured horses and hur
the rangers upon the Camanches. Ny men made
forward movement, if not with the precision Of
practiced veterans yet with much GOODNESS and
bravery. The enemy instantly began to retreat. |
directed Lieut.. Pitts to show himself and detach-
ment upon the hill, with the intention to steal upon
them. Lieut. Nelson anticipated me and passed
around the base of the eminence at a run. The un-
fortunate arrival of the TOncahua Indians upon our
left flank prevented the complete success of the
Tuvre. The Camanches broke and fled in various
directions. We pursued fast as iaded horses
could carry After a run of two-and- a-half or
three miles, saw could effect no more, and
called off the In this second conflict the enc
my lost seven killed and left on the prOund and
several wounded.
Our loss Waco Indian killed and one
ranger wounded, Geo. w. Paschal, Jr.) 1t was
now o'clock, p NJ, and we had been running our
horses most of the time since A. NJ. | determined
to march to my camp that night-fearing the In
dians might ascertain its locality and overpower
the weak guard left to protect it, We learned from
a captured woman that Buffalo Hump was twelve
miles below us with a considerable number of war
riors, and knew fugtives had reached his camp
and notified him of our presence.
The forces of the enemy in these two engagements
amounted to upwards of three hundred. The cap
tured camp had seventy lodges and fires. The other
party numbered over one hundred
The enemy had many wounded, but it was impos
sible to ascertain the number, and therefore no
guess at it will be made. We captured over three
hundred head OF horses-moSt of them are in pos
session of the friendly Indians; some fifty or sixty
are in the hands OF my men. There are few if any
American horses among them. We took Is prison
ers, mostly women and children.
;, A Mexican boy was taken prisoner, and told
MeHiclI G muleteer that the Camanches were drying
and packing meat to make campaign against the
whites and Reserve Indians. 1t may not be true.