New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-06-15
From the St. Louis Republican we extract the
following letter

following 1etLer:
MEsILLA, A. T., May 81. 1860.
Mr.. Sherrod Hunter, residing upon the Mimbres
sent express in this morning, with the news that
party of 400 Apache warriors had attacked the
settlements upon that stream on the morning of
the Doth. There were mustered some thirty Amer.
leans and Me3icans, who defended the settlement
as well as might be. The fight was a desperate
one, six Americans being killed and five Mex
leans, besides eight being badly wounded. 1t is
wounded among the Indians; it is supposed to be
from twenty to thirty. These Indians are mostly
well armed with rifles, and many of them have
Colts Navy reyolyors, besides being well mounted.
Fortunately all the American women and children
had arrived in Mesilla two days before this fight
came off. Upon the express reporting this news
Gov. 0wings Immediately communicated the facts
to Lieut. Lazelle, commanding Fort Fillmore, who
sent word over that he was powerless, there being
but ten men on duty in the fort, and not a single
animal.
Immediately upon the receipt Of this answer,
fifteen Of our most prominent citizens Gall that
could procure horses) volunteered to 60 to the as
sistance Of the persons upon the Mimbres. They
started this morning, under the command of Col.
s. j. Jones, (exSherf JONES' of kansas.1 They
will probably reach the Mimbres tomorrow morn
ing, when we may expect to hear more news. The
expressman who started with the intelligence was
attacked near Cooks Springs by the Indians and
badly wounded with two arrows but succeeded in
reaching the mail station at the Spring, when one
of the employees Of the Company started with the
dispatch, and succeeded in safely bringing it in.
The copper mines are fast being abandoned, also
the gold dggings. It seems as though the Indians
had determined to wreak their long delayed ven
geanee at once; they are continually stealing
stock from the valley, and have left our rancho
ros'' nearly destitute of cattle and mules. The
Overland are doubling their men at the different
stations, and fortyng themselves as best they can.
This disturbance it is feared will end III eventually
breaking mp the line. All this might have been ia
measure averted had cur Government Instead Of
breaking up our only military post in the valley
(and in fact in this part OF the Territory placed
more men there, better prepared to pursue and
punish these Indians. Had this been DONE much
valuable life had been saved, and much property.
now lost, rescued.
Our usual quiet town seems almost deserted, as
all those who could procure horses have left for
the scene Of the difficulties. What the final result
will be, God only knows. II IL generally feared
however, that the settlements upon the Mmbres,
and afonnd the copper mines, will be broken up.
Ihis Will throw many hundred hands out of en-
ployment. and bring us :. hard times with ven
geance. proper military force stationed in this
valley and in the valley Of the Rio Mmbres, would
do much towards holding these wild savages in
check; but as 1t is now, they can roam from the
Rio Bonito to the Colorado without meeting n
single regular The Overland Line is entirely
without protection in Arizona, not having single
military post nearer than sixty miles in the whole
Territory, and then but one, and that not vet
erected. Yet we are American citizens and have
some little right, at least ought to have to that
protection which we We're led to expect that we
should receive when we settled upon Uncle Sans
domain. Shall we receive it or notS Will Mr.
Secretary Floyd answer this question?