The national Republican., 1862-03-21
TIE INDIANS AT PEA RiD0E.
The correspondent Of the New York Tribune

uS OII6hpOuueuL VI tu0 N0W 1VSA lTWAto
from the battlefield" Of Pea Riige, says:
The Cherokee, Choctaw, Greek, and Semi
Role Indians. Of whom some three thousand
were engaged In the battle, under the COM
mand Of Colonel Albert Pike, Northern man,
who deserves, and will doubtless receive, eter.
nal infamy for his efforts to induce horde Of
savages 10 butcher brave men who had taken
up arms 10 prevent the subversion Of the Re
public the outrsges upon civilized
warfare, and the shocking barbaritics with
which our early history has made US familiar.
They fought as they did 10 the olden times
10 the manner the rebels hove adopted as their
own, from behind logs and trees; anxious to
destroy, but fearful OF exposure; seeking by
every device and deception to draw our men
into ambush, and attack and clay them al
disadvantage.
10 many Instances they succeeded, but 10
otbers our men were a. willy as the aborigincf,
and defeated them at their own game. Many
savage, while he was peeriug cautiously
around u tree. or through the bushes, was re-
lievea OF life by musket or rifle ball crushing
through bis skull.
The Indians often assumed To be dead, throw
ing themselves upon their faces on the ground I;
and as soon as our troops would pass they
would rise, take deliberate aim, fire, and fly.
Scaiping and robbing were, a. Of yere, their
isvorits pastilnes. They plundered every
wounded, dying, and dead Unonist they could
discovered 20 badly hurt as 10 be incapable Ct
offering resistance.
The savages indeed seemed demoDized, and
II Is said the rebels did everything In their
power 10 excite them 10 frenzy, giving them
large quantities of whisky and gunpowder a
few minutes previous 10 the commencement oi
hostilities.
The appearance Of some OF the besotted
eavages Was fearful. They lost their sense o.
caution and fear, aud ran with long knvei
against large odds. and fell pierced by dozens
OF bullets. With bloody hands and garments
! with gllttering eyes and horrid scowls, they
, ragged about the field with terrible yells, and
so often frightened some OF our soldiers for :
few seconds as TO escape the fate that should
have betallep every one Of their number.
The Indians In many instances could no
refrain from scslping their enemies, and 1t Il
! said that a. many az Q hundred of our brave
men were thus barbarously treated. TheJ
frequently scalped the dead they found on the
field, and in ten or twelve cases 60 served SOL
diers who we're merely wounded.
have spoken Of the tarlibls excitement and
demoniac rage into which the savages wer'
thrown by the appeals and fire water Of th'
rebels, who, II appears, suffered from their alb
original associates nearly US much as the Union
lists themselves, and iu q manner they coult
I haye least expected
The secessionists overcharged their dusk,
. machines. and, when they were aeed, the trul,
! guilty suffered from the recoil.
The Indians, In tho midst of the excitemen
. and under he stimulus OF their burning pota
! tons, became frenzied, lost to every sense bu
that of slaughter.
Friend and foe were alike 10 them; they fire.
. at the nearest mark, and used their long knive
indiscrimiuatcly upon all within their reacl
For more than twelve hours they continue
this impartial warfare, killing and woundiul
o more of the Missouri and Arkansas troops,
Is believed, than they did Of ours.