The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1861-01-11
Horrible Indian Massacre of Or
egon Observation-Disclosures eat
ing the Dead Bodies of their
Husbands and Children.

cPOn EIn1S anus IN OCQerS eat
ing the Dead Bodies of their
Husbands and Children.
The following horrible news we gather
from letter to the New York XeraH,
dated Fort WalIa Walla. Washington Ter
ritory, Nov. s. 1860:
The command nf Capt. Dent, Cnite,l
States Army, has jut reached this poir,
from the scne "f the late Indian massacre
near Fort Boise bringing with him Twelve
men. women and children. who have been
rescued from ihis massacre. which has
been one Of the sa.llest that ha, ever oc
CURED on the emigrant route.
These wr-,ched Great Ires were found
almost nakei. and eating the dead bodies
Of those that had been nassacr-d. and in
one case eating the head OF man ,ha,
had been hnrled for ten days. The party
numbered forty four souls, out Of which
twenty nine We're massarred and fifteen
saved. They had moved from Wisconsin
up To Fort Hull. wEere they received An
escort of Dragons, who glarie,! them to
near Salmon Falls on Snake river. when
the dragoons turning back, they we're left
aIcne for 800 miles. when they expected
To reach Walls Walla.
Near Fort Boise they were attacked by
from $50 to 900 Snake Indians. They
fought for two davs when finding their men
falling, they abandoned everything and
fed for their lives The next day ,hey
saw by the smoke rha, their train had
been destroyed. They moved on for sew
eral miles on foot. the mothers. many of
them, carry ing their infants Al their breasts.
until they came TO small creek lined
with berries. where they had remained
five weeks. until the troops found them
Two men bad made their Escape and gave
The information. upon Which Col. Wright
ordered ont troops to their relief
The troops moved rapidly. and when
they came up with the emigrants it is
~aii that the heart of every soldier was
moved at the saddest spectacle that hu
msnitv ever witnessed TIL poor people,
men. women and children. bowed them
selves on the sandy d, sert where they
were found and offered M a solemn and
fervent PRAYER to Col ut their most rnrac
ulnus escape, and with one feeling the
soldiers swore vengeance aga'nst the saw
ages who have reduced this band Of emi.
grants 10 this condition.
But the mos. horrible sight was vet to
he Witnessed. They ware wi,hou, food or
clo'hing and had male shelters for 1hem>
selvps ont Of willow and erase. and the
infants that had been left after their moth
erS had been massarreh. were eaten most
ravenonsIV. and one lady ate two Of her
own children that had died Of starvation.
and afterwards dug mp her own husband
and the troops found bis heal roasting
over tho fire when they reached them -
Tlev said it was not not until Starvation
drove them to it that they ron'H allow
thpmselves TO be thus re luced TO live on
human flesh, and that, too, in pu,rd
state
The women had heen ravished bv The
h"llsh savag-s. and their naked dead bod
les bore all the marks Of horrible brutal
". When will onr government take
some action to guard and protect our EN-
igrant roads to the Pacific cnas, A ri
NOR has also reached here that the Flat.
head Indians in tie Bitter Root Valley
had risen and were giving great trouble
at Fort Owen.
EVERYTHING has been done hv Cnl
Wright. the commander of this depart.
ment. that a humane and noble command
or could do and much cra.li, is due the
officers and troops under Cap.. Dent. for
their efFirient a'd and kindness to these
amigran's. Lieutenan's Anderson and
Reno and nr. TaslOr United States Army
the officers wl'h the command, did every
hing that c"ul'! relieve these poor people
il 4 cir distress.
\ body of troops had been sent ont
| from this post as it was supposed, to
bring in anl protect anv e'n'granls that
might be left on the road. h,t the troops
Returned in August without bring NO ir
any. We can only trust. that the gov
! ernment may take warning fiom this, and
initiate such steps as to prevent lis recur
renee.