The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-05-20

SUCCESS OF THE CAMELS.
The following interesting report of operations ha
been received at the War Department from Mr.. f
+. Beale. 1t has been in type for some time, bu
loses none OF its interest by the delay in pubica
| ton:
KANSAS Cry, March 90, 1858
!, oiR; nave the honor to report my arrival a
TINS place, alter successful and agreeable winter
journey over the road which | explored last sum
| iner, In obedience to your orders
As informed you in my last Dispatch the object
Oh this journey was to satisfy myself fully as to the
practlcability mpractcability of travelling tho
contemplated road in mid winter. With this view
lett the TETON Pass, in the Sierra Nevada on the
"a OF January, and travelling leisurey arrived al
Albuquerque on the oath of February, having
passed the heart of the winter ON the more elevated
| portion of the road
From the Colorado river to Sabcdras Spring VIC
lound no snow whatever. From the latter point tc
Hltgreaves mountain we found it occasionally ir
patches where it was sheltered by banks and cedar
trees from the sun. From Sitgreavcs mountain tc
small NIL lying to the eastward of it, we founC
snow Tor the first time so deep as to cover the
ground This continued for a distance of three
ilies' anu was loot IN depth, and sometimes more
on the level. Ut the only occasion on which W.
lound the surface of the earth covered
crossing this, which is the highest point owe,
Whlch the road passes to the Roux Springs W.
gradually descend to the Little Colorado, finding
|
ing away. On the Little Colorado there was none
On the 18th February snow fell, but melted almos
as soon as il reached the earth: and, although il
showed al night there was not trace of it to bC
seen on the succeeding day. Timber was every
where so abundant that our camp blaZed every
night with cheerful fires; and, although brought
tents for the use of the men, they were never used
on single occasion, the preferrng, as well as
mySelt, TO lie IN the open air.
The thermometer, of which observations were
taken at shutdown, at O'Clock in the morning. and
at noon, Will give you better idea of the climate
than any descriptions the coolest night we expert
cnced being on the 9Th of February when the Their
mnmeter stood at Ito degrees at four o. clock in til
'nof ming. Grass we found as abundant as on oul
rre',ous Journey, and neither men nor animals suf
iered III the least from cold during the Journey
homeward. 49,
In previous letter / informed YOU that hac
sent the camels back to Fort TETON from the Coora
40 river IN tue charge of my clerk, in order that
Ihey might he used in the campaipn against Utah
parted with these noble brutcs with much rcrrct
a year OF hard and almost unremtting labor with
them had attached us all to them with feelinos
stronger, | think, than any one experiences for
either the horse the dog 1t is to be boped that
the Government will continue the importation OF
inns valuable animal, until sufficient have been
obtained for the use of the whole army II is
cheaper at hrst cost, lives longer and is infinitely
stronger and harder than the mule while its
capacity for work is four times greater For mill
tary purposes L regard it invaluable in country
where forage is difficult to obtain. In all of the
wars Oh the East, in ancient days it played a con-
spcuous part; and not only in ancient but also in
modern warfare, its excellence has been displayed.
Slr Charles Napier attributed much of his success
IN MS brilliant campaigns of Scnde to the efficiency
OF tne camel regiment, the organization of which
enabled him to transport his men with their proyi-
slons and arms to great distances over what had
peen hitherto considered an impossible country His
artillery was dragged by them through the sandy
desserts over which he passed
r quote the following extracts from the biography
a1,al 81.
aouDtless be read with interest by those Interested
In the experiment:
"My plans are fixed to march as far as the desert,
vi as lar rs water can be found; then cncamp, Sc
lect hVe hundred of the strongest Europeans and
natives, mount them on cameIs and load all nv
other camels with water, except few to carry half
ratons. My camel battery also shall 90, and as
many irregular horse as it will be prudent to take
ana slap Emaum Chan in the heart of the desert
II IL surrender, good; if not it shall have such a
la nam as snail make the fire fly out of its
etes. Twas a
strange sight, that midnight march, with the lone
strides OF the camels with English soldiers mounted
on them calm impassive and reliant as they always
are, the camels drawing the howitZers
IN reference to the preparations for the battle
OF Meeanee, the Scinde horses are on the left; be-
nina are the baggage and baggage guard; the cam
els are squatted in circle, with their noses turned
lnwards, add the men lying between their necks
With them go the famous camel
corps, the organization of which must not be omit
a carbine and sword, the other with musouetoon
and bayonet. One man guided the animal and
fought from his back the other was to act as an in
lantry soldier. On the camels were carried the
men packs, cooking utensils, and beds the latter
forming part of the saddle; and thus a body of
Soidlers capable OF acting infantry when required
having no tents, baggage, or commissariat to en-
barrass them, could make marches of sixty miles in
twenty-lour hours a country which had hitber-
to been considered impossible. =
This body gave to the solidity of English troops
the mobility and rapidity of Arab cavalry
d, AT this very time, when the terrible results of
ihe mutlny OF the native troops in India has made
1T necessary to forward regiment after regiment
with extraordinary dispatch, we see them sent on
camels, two and four men to the animal and march
ing day and night. The impression seems to have
taken hold OF our people, however, that the camel
is incapable of withstandng the cold of our winter
weather. There is greater error than this
wherever man can live there can the camel live
also. Nature has been bountifu to him beyond al
most any other animal, in clothing him with a
heavy coat of warm hair, through which an Arctic
blast cannot penetrate.
MIR. Beale here quotes at considerable length
from the "Travels of Father Hue in Tartary" to
snow that while horses, oxen and mules died from
the extreme cold the cames stood the severe wealth
er without injury.
But better than the experience of others is that
OF our own. The eamels are now living, fattening
and thriving in two feet of snow ON the summit of
the Sierra Nevada, in California
III Is now nearly year since set out on this Jour
ney. L have conducted my party from the Gulf of
Mexico to the shores of the Pacific and back again
to the eastern terminus of the road through new
country, much OF which was entirely unknown, and
for the most part inhabited by hostile Indians with
out an accident of any kind whatever, the loss of
man.
have obeyed your instructions as faithfully as
was able under the circumstances to do and hope to
lind my reward in the approval of the department
OF what has been DONE
Very respectfully your obedient servant
Z. F. BEALE.