New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-06-03

III
Tie Anstin State Gzzsste publishes ID n extr. X
the I'm ult tbs ofleai report Of Captains Fond "a
se'son who len Camp Runneis Texas, On t1s z3d s.
April WIN io2 men, ~ the Cottouweod sprinm th4t
were joined BY Capt Ross and lis Indlzns q ~
brazos RESERVATION. and then marched towards ~
heHd-rstefs o. Red river, IN Northern Texas Thxv
Crossed he1 river, and frst fell in with Co1,xncns
@ the ilth Of May, near the Fort smith and 86n1o
Fe road. On the 18th they cane anon ~ r.eI.-
camp Of the enemy on The north stoxs of f~ .n.1I-
river, and Immediately attacked them. csu< rorT
gives particular accoant Of Tie bottIe foxn MIR
we extract the following:
The right wing, IN charge of r.vur,s - t.,
William A. Pitts moved straight tbsour1 ~ e1s-r
and poured ID galiing fle MOON i6e rc1se7Sj11@
enemy: Lieut. Allison Melissa, IA command of H.
leit wing assisted BY 1t. James n Tankersley. nj
1t VIM g. Preston, charged 70 The ls< and u17sl,ef
the Tying Conanehes with viGOr and eff&rf N a.
meantime, the head chief, Iron Jacket had ridden
ont IN gorgeous array. clad in 4 coat or mall, and
bore down upon our red alIies He wzs followed 81
warriors and for safety 70 his armor. Ths sharp
crack OF five or six rides brought his horse t5 ths
ground, and In few moments the chief fell rddIed
win bsls- oar Shawnee guide: Dos, and Jim poct.
wounos The heht was nov general. and extended,
very soon, over circuit Of six miles in teuofh ard
more than three In breadth Iswss in fact almost
Indians were pursainx the cneny 10 every drecfioa
The Comanckes woad oecssionii]y halt ia sndesvSr
% make Stand. however their ez1rts were nuexsiI
ing a s9sy wsrs forced . ysd ths scena 2 oer -
back from The river-the eroaus Of the dyinx--c1iu
Of frightened women and chi}11eR mineled Wis ~
reports o. firearms. and the shents d ~ men -
The second Chief had rushed io2o ~ oo1Icf vi1< s
the friendly Indiana A sho1 from o. ak~-1s <~r
tain, Cbullegua, closed bis career Ibe coaranckss
between the camp and The river were - killsd "
lIFi frfluI xr1I - I-III--
wild shoat Of triumph. By diFcction of Can( Rom
portion Of them held the camp q tie eneu5e
The Rangers and the friendly Indians slil preursd
their falling horses adonshed them sst tScs cood
do no more. Between IL and O'Clock ne fxfSx ~
almost ceased and squad after squad Of the G0o1s
were returning 70 the Comznche camp, bringing wi7h
them horses, prisoners, and other trophies q victory
Capt. Ross had very properly suggested 70 Iie6k-
Nelson the propriety Of keeping the men we1l -
gesher; and when l returned from the pursnIf. T.
found large proportion Of the mon drawn up ].
The Comanches had another large encsmpmeuf
three or four miles above, on the Canadian. They
bad heard the firing, embodied and Threatened %
charge as u They hey, wsss evidently PLAYING is e a.
believe them very strong. ouF allies proposed 70
draw them ont and requested me to keep my men IL
line to support them, i necessary Ihs Comanehss
vitation With yelIs aud menaces and every specie6
Of Insulting gestures and languages they tried 10 ex
cite the reserve indians into some act 81 rxshno1
BY which they copld profit. scene Was now euaet
ed beggaring description. It reminded ne * ~
rude and chivalrous days Of knight erantry. Shieis
aud lances and bows and head-dfexes, praucinK
steeds and many minute were not wanting 70 com
plete the resemblance. And when the combstanfE
save the piercing report OF The rife varied the nr
! from battlefield in the middle ages Half
was spent in this without much injury 70 either party
detachment OF Rangers was advanced % rezn1pEos
the friendly Indians and the Comanchss qnitssd the
field and the imposing pageant quilted the eld, Iike
a mimic battle upon the stage
It was determined to leave the Indians in pozes
s0ns Of the prisoners and captured horses, and to
hurl the Rangers upon the Oamanches. Ny men
made forward movement, II not with the precision
of practIsed veterans, yet with mach c0oIues5 and
directed Lieut. Pitts 10 show himself and detachent
upon the hill. with the intention 10 steal cpou the
Lieut.. Nelson anticipated me and passed around tho
base Of the eninence at run The unfortunate
arrival OF the Tonchahna Indians upon our LEFT tank
prevented the complete success Of the n,anenver-
The Comanehes broke and fed in various directions
We pursued fast as our aded horses could carry us
After run Of two-anda-haif or three miles, saw
this second conflict the enemy lost seven killed, and
/ left on the ground several wounded. Our loss was
one Waco Indian killed. and one Ranger wounded,
/ George w. Pascal, jr,)
Il was now 2ociockk p. NJ, and we had been ran
ming our horses most Of the time since o'clock A.
NJ. determined to march to my camp that night
fearing the Indians might ascertain its locality and
overpower the weak guard left 70 protect it, We
learned from captured woman that Buffalo Hump
! was twelve miles below us with considerable num-
Der of warriors and we knew fagitives had reached
his camp and notified him Of our presence.
The force OF the enemy In these two engagements
| amounted to upwards OF 800. The captured camp
had seventy lodges and fires The other party num-
bered over 100.
The enemy had many wounded, but il was impos~
sibe to ascertain the number and therefore guess
at It will be made. We captured oyer 800 head Of
horsesmost o. them in possession OF the friendly
Indians; some hty or sixty are in the hands Of my
/ men. There are few IL any American horses among
them. We took eighteen prisoners, mostly women
| and children.
Mexican boy was taken prisoner, and told q
Mexican mnleteer that the Comanches were drying
and packing meat to make campaign against the
whites aud the Reserve Indians Ii may not be true,
though the bales Of dry meat were there to show for
themselves. The Mexican escaped on the night Of
| the l2th.
Capt. Ford speaks highly Of the conduct Of his
men and of the Reserve Indians In Capt Nelson's
report OF his share Of the battle he says:
regret to have TO report the loss Of Private Robt
Nickel, of my detachment, who became separated In
the ardor Of pursuit from bis comrades, and 1as
killed by party Of six Of the enemy. Private
Pearey, also of my detachment had his horse killed
and narrowly escaped after killing two OF the enemy
Capt Ford closes his report with the following Oh
servation:
This expedition has decided several questions In
dams be pursued and caught in the buffalo region
the country beyond Red river can be penetrated
and held by white men, and the Comanchea Gao be
followed overtaken and beaten provided the purpl-
ers will be laborous, ygiaut, and are willing to un-
ue'so p''' p a''e--..