The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-06-30
INKLINGS FROM THE FRONTIER;
LIFE ON THE PLAINS AND ADVENTURES II
THE +, MED FIELD
Fort WAsHIrA, CHCKAsAw NATION,


few days after mailing my last, was un-
expectedly called upon to make journey down
into Texas, from whence have Just returned
This, hope, will be sufficient apology for my
seeming derection.
On my return, found awaiting me letter
from friend of mine, who is member of
Captain Lewellyn Joness Troop 3D." R. NJ.
H., giving an account of an engagement be-
Lieutenant Lazelle's party of thirty mounted
rifles and about three hundred Apache warriors,
at Dog Canon, (Canyon.) His letter interested
me very much conveying, it does, an insight
into the modus operdndi of our Indian fighters,
and also illustrating the character of our gallant
sons of Mars. And recollectng that | have
promised to furnish you with occasional ink.
| lings from the frontier, it occurred to me that
| a personal narrative of an engagement of a
portion Of our troops with hostile Indians might
not be altogether uninteresting to your read
ers; that his version of the affair." though writ
ten in private letter. might serve to illustrate
the extreme hardships, the great peril and Iri-
vatons, often undergone by the American
soldiery OH the frontier the peculiar charac-
| teristics and the spirit which animates our men
| of arms and that | could not do better than TO
| make all extract from his letter. am wcaried
| from long and laborous travelling, and do not
| feel in a humOr for writing communication
on the current events of the day. Indeed,
have not promised to detail the latest news from
thiS western region every time write.
The Indian fight at Dog Canon occurred last
| February, and the paragraphs concerning it
which ran round through the papers may have
entirely passed from the minds of the reading
public; yet hatter myself that the incidents
and particulars thereof will appear as fresh as
it the fight had been vi more recent occurrence
Here follows the extract, which | take the
liberty of sending you:
81 know that you will pardon my uncOuth,
and, j fear, most miserable chirography, when
| tell you that am but recovering from "A rather
| severe wound III my right arm. You have doubt
| less heard, through the papers, of our recent
engagement with large body of the Apaches,
| and are probably anxious to hear some of the
partcuars--at least, 50 far rs was "A partici-
pants therefore essay, for the first ti.ae eisee,
| TO use my arm and PEN
| A messenger from San Elizar brought us in
telligence that thieving party of Apaches had
| made descent upon that quaint village, and
| robbed the inhabitants thereof of a number of
horses, mules, and horned cattle, which they
had driven off. Thirty of us mounted rifles,
| under the command of Lieutenant Lazelle of
| the Sth infantry, were Immediately dispatched
| in pursuit of them. On arriving at the Mexi-
can village, one white man and ten Mexicans,
in the capacity of trailers, gnides and interpret
ers, were added to our party. We struck the
trail of the maraudng savages and their four.
footed booty some distance from San Bezaro,
| and proceeded to follow il in the direction of
the Warlanpa Mountains.
| For sirty four long and painful hours, at
| force march, did we continue to follow this trail,
without morsel of food, or DROP of water to
| cool our parchng lips or swollen tongues, or
quench the burning thirst that was raging within
us, and almost maddening many, who unlike
| myself, were unused TO such hardships. Many
| of the men would soon have become so ex-
hausted that they could not have proceeded
| farther, had we not come upon some holes
| where there had been water, but the Indians
had filled them up with mud. Some ofthe men
eagerly pitched into them, and drank, or rather
ate the black shiny mud, with all the eagerness
| of famished wolves. A little farther down, we
found II few stagnated pools of bitter water,
| which sufficed to quench our inordinate thirst.
| Dog Canon, IA noted stronghold Of the Apache
Indians, and place of resort in times of war
or trouble, where they remain undiscovered and
undisturbed.
| When this country belonged to Mexico, three
Mexican officers, with one hundred and fifty
soldiers, pursued party of Apaches into this
formidable canon, but not one of the poor fel-
lows ever escaped to relate their sad fate.
Shortly after its acquisition by our Govern
ment, Captain Staunton, with seventy Eve men
of Company 3D." first dragons, ran band of
| Apache warriors to the mouth of the Canon.
| Captain Staunton was, believe, the first Amer
lean officer TO attack this great natural strong
hold of a savage tribe; and the result Of that
action was, that the captain killed, and the
company was accused IF cOtcdrdice. In 1854,
three companies Of the Sd and two of the Sth
infantry made a campaign To Dog Canon, for
| the purpose of routing those savage despera-
| does but, on arriving at its mouth or entrance,
| the commanding officer did not deem it prudent
| to enter and make fight; so he made a s0t of
! a treaty with the fierce ApdcheS, and retired.
But, small as was our party, we determined
| to enter the much dreaded Canon at all haZ
ards, and either distinguish or Crtinguish our
selves.
APPROACHING thi. place, ] was struck with
| the grandeur and sublmity Of the scenery.
Large peaks and huge piles Of rock, towering up
| ward. till they seem To touch the blue sky, loom
up in front Of us, presenting the appearance of
| magnificent old towers, and ruined and dilapi-
| dated old castles, with all their weird accom-
panments. In coming in contact with such
sublime natural scenery, the mind is somehow
irresistibly seized with a feeling of awe, and
one feels inspired to involuntarily worship the
| Great Architect OF Nature.
But to proceed with my narrative. We en-
| tered his great natural fortress by very mar
row pass, through which issued very rapid
| ly-runnine mountain stream of clear and cold
| water: and, still following the fresh trail for
six miles up the Canon, we reached a plateau
about three thousand acres III extent. Here
we halted to take observation. On our right
| and front, the ground was rough, rugged, and
| very closely covered with scrubby pine bushes,
| and divided from the level plateau by deep
but narrow chasn, or ravine while the whole
was surrounded by huge towering mountains,
and perpendicularly steep rocky precipices, all
combining to render the scenery wild and awe
inspiring, even to the most superficial observer.
While standing at the lower edge OF the pla-
| teau, and taking observations, we saw the first
Indians, large athletic fellows, horribly painted
and bedecked in their war gear. Only five or
six at first approached within sight, to whom
the Lieutenant made signs to come forward
and have "tak" But they refused to come,
and we moved forward to n higher part Of the
plain and saw about hundred warriors come