The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-10-23
War with the Naxajos.

Z
to fear there is to be very serious conflict
with the Navajoes Indians, powerful ana
semi-civi izei tribe inhabiting the fastness
of the Rocky Mountains to the West of
New Mexico. The tribe has for sometime
been committing depredations upon the
stock of the American settlers, and a few
menths ago a member of the tribe killed
negro. Mr.. Yost, the Indiana Agent de-
manded that the assassin should be given
up or his funetio as Agent would cease
and they be turned over to the mercies of
the Military to be dealt with. The muir
derer was not produced and Military force
was sent TO make the demand: t-A 90
On the l7fh] of September, SANpovAL, a
chief of some notorittv, and held in high
es j b. the a. t critics for his ri ,ndshiI,
reported that the assassin had been taken
after severe struggle, in which he was
wounded, and would be consequently given
up the next day. At the time appointed,
SANDovAL appeared, bringing intelligence
of the dea b of the captive during night
and requested the commander to send a
wagon for the remains. The corpse was
brought in, escorted by from three to five
hundred warriors, armed and ready for ac-
ton. They told the commander that this
was the remains of the murderer, whom
they had pursued into a cave forty miles
distant, in which he had defended himself
with su:h desperation till they were COM
PEELED to shoot him, and for this act they
claimed great credit, as exhibitive of their
friendly disposition.
Every thing passed off very we'll until a
post norton examination was carefully had,
by Assistant surgeon Mckee, who, from the
unmistakable evidences resulting therefrom.
the body was evidently that of q young
man about eighteen years of age, instead of
the naan of forty-five, whom it was pretty
we'll known had killed the negro. Thus the
| deception was made known, and the Next
can, whom it was thought had been inno-
Gently killed for the purpose, would not an
| swer the purpose. The Indians upon being
told of it, would not still give in, and deter
mined O. battle. The next day Col. Miles
at the head of column of three hundred
men, started on an expedition against them
| He penetrated the celebrated canon of Chul
LA fearful chasm whose sides tower som,
fifteen hundred feet precipitately, and return
ed to the Fort on the 10th. He had no
found any of the Indians in numbers, bu
felt the effects of some of their hostility
His buglar, imprudently riding alone in adj
vance of the troops, was riddled with ar
rows and Immediately killed, and pieue
guard MORALLY wounded in the night b,
similar means. Whether any Indians wer
killed, or not it was not known. Col. Mile
captured about six thousand head of fin
sheep, of which FIVE thousand head wer
killed as they could not be driven away
Whether this lamentable destruction of pro
perty will bring them to terms, remains t
be seen. 7ca .--.-.-.--..----..
The wanton killing of 5000 sheep, seem
a barbarous and discreditable mode of wal
fare for a "mighty empire" in a eontes
with few thousand saYages, armed wit
bows and arrows. . --...---. &.
Il Col. Miles was organizing two column
: for operations in the field and was to leav
: in a day ortwo, and it is thought that til
next mail will bring intelligence of sever
fighting. @
Il Col. Miles asked the Commander of ii
Department to make a requisition on I'll
Governor for six hundred volunteers. TIL
will not he done as yet, although twice ths
number could be at any time raised. Whe
> the matter will terminate, especially if an
: of the other tribes assist, it is hard to sa,
= The Navajes are a numerous pastors
tribe, possessing large herds and fiocks, o
! cupying some of the deepest and most ina
, cessible valleys and defles of the Rock
. Mountains. From the feeces of their flock
o the Navajos women manufacture the mo
O beautiful Mexican blankets, of the softe
o wool and most brilliant dyes, and of ia
: ric so perfect as to be impervious to watt
Q They rival in beauty and texture the fine
production of the Asiatic looms, and a
often worth $50 to 500 EACH. 1t is sad
e think that such a tribe is doomed to exte
h mination, instead of being advanced in CT
8 ilization and religion by the progress of o
8 own population.