Washington telegraph., 1865-08-09
Letter from Albert Pike.

To the Editors Of the New York Express:
@. nttsmen-I find in paragraph in the Kx-
press, Of June 20, noticing my arrival AZ Indian
apolis, this sentence: "Mr. Pike denies having
countenanced .he atrocities with which he is
charged at Pes Ridge, and is confident Of his
ability to excuipate himself"
As I did not know that was "charged with
countensncing any atrocities at Pea Ridge"
could not have denied it, nor been confident o.
my ability to excnlpate myself.
As Commissioner Of the Confederate States,
I made trea,i,s of alliance with the slaveholdiug
Arkansas. 1t was quite important for Arkan.
sas and Texas to secure the friendship Of these
people, and prevent Indian hostiliirs on the
frontiers of both States. I agreed with each
tribe that 1t should raise regiment Of men for
the Confederate service, not to be taken out OF
object WAS TO keep them in their country to
defend il.
The United States had often accepted the
services Of these very tribes, not only against
the British and Spanish Of Florida. knew
that was loudly censured in the North tor
agreeing to employ them and TOR commanding
them. Neither WAS it at all new thing, nor
one Of which the United States could complain
Not only were Kansas Indians armed and N
ployed BY them to fight against Us IN Arkansas
but they offered arms to the Couisnchrs, that
they might war against their old enemies, the
Texans. t.-
1 always opposed taking the Indians out o!
their own country. refused to take them into
Missouri forbade their making raids into
either STATE. and prohibited irregular bands Of
partsans from taking in the Cherokes country
and issuing out of Is 10 ravage the neiGhboring
States.
Compelled to obey the positive order Of Gen
Van Dorm, in February, 1862. 70 join him with
all my force. took into Arkansas only thos:
who Offer ed TO go-parts Of two Cherokee regi
men.s-in all about 700 men
At Pea Ridge we charged and took battery
with the help OF some Texan companies, and
our Indians here killed, in fair fight, some forty
men. They only fought at that point never
heard of any scalping until some days after
wards, when Surgeon +. l.. Massie, my medi
cal director, reported to me that they found one
man scalp-d. that having evidently been done
after he was dead. and probably late in tht
evening, when Drew's regiment. which after.
wards went over TO the enemy, retired toward
| their own country. DIR. Massie knew that
wanted the whole truth, aud have no doub;
told me the whole. / have seen half breed
shoot wounded man, which many tried e.
prevent, but be passed quickly out Of sight
and never coald BE- identified.
1 mnrdiatel, issued an order prohibiting the
killing Of wounded men and SEA ping as inhu
man and barbarous, aud sent Gen. Curtis. BY
flag of truce, copy of the order; and | also
ordered the arrest OF private, white man. re-
ported to have shot wounded man, had charges
preferred agsinst Linn. and Was tried by court
martial lie was acquitted for want Of testi-
mony; il he mad been convicted he would have
received no pardon at my hands.
| know that it was published that a great
number of men were scslpeJ, but never knew
that any one was SO except from Dr. Nsssie's
report. IL is an inisnous lie to say that ever
countenanced any atrocity- ever loadly con.
drmned the guerilla SYSTEM and shooting al
ste amboats; aud, in Fannin county, Texas. pre-
vented the execution OF 4 Union sentenced
by committee to be hung, until Twas actually
charged myself with being member OF = secret
Union association, and at the head 0. al ihs
Union iyhawk-rs q Arkansas.
A lie has more legs than crntipcdr. Some
correspondent wrote TO a news pap-r IN lllinoi.
that after get ing the Indians TO join Us ",
were utterly careless OF their !iV,r, and said iha
he sa,c sixty bodies Of Indians I think h.
said sixty, If not, il was mOr-) lying in pill,
unbuIiei. Thc Indiius lost two uen hi icd
and had one wounded.
The Dslavarrs under Gen. 81 ria scalpcd on.
people on his march to join Gu Banks, though
we n-y CT charged il as an atrOcify countensnc-
by the commander.
When mans lie is q. stake. a little jusiic.
should be shown him. He is entitled fair Lila!
even before tho tribunal of public opinion.
That ever countenanc-d an atrocity is ~
absolute a li- AS that. IS aJrd.e Of the Saprcm,
Court, csnfscaird the property et UAiuD men
The Supreme Court OF Arkansas has no jLIis
dictisD in matters 0! esn.iscs'ion.
i ,p-c,:ully,
ALBEIT FIK..