Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-02-23
1aiIp slennebre Sonrmt.

Mr. orrin w. Sims of this city, informs us
,,,., be was enlisted in Sept 1851, In the frst
cavalry regiment raised in California. He
crossed the plains from San Francisco to the
Rio Grande, distance of19o0 miles. Their
first engagement took place at Apacha Pass in
Southern Arizona, with band fguerrillas be-
longing to Sibley's command of the rebel army.
Their loss was eight men, among whom was
private Johnson, belonging in Halowell. He
was buried in the Pass, with head board
marking the name and regiment Mr.. Sims
was one of the first white men that entered
the then unexpIored country of Arizona. His
whole term of service was about four and one
half years, most of the time with the famous
Kit Carson and his regiment of Mexican cav
alrv, fighting the Navio, Apacha, and Canaan
che Indians During the last years OF his
term of service, the command to which Mr.
Sims was attached organized a Reservation
on the Rio Pagos, New Mexico, and placed
there eighteen thousand Indians from the diff
ferent hostile tribes for civilization. Many
were the hardships the soldiers were obliged
to encounter in that wild and barren country,
often being compelled to go from two to four
days without food or water, and with the Their
mometer at ll0'. Mr.. Sims regiment was
composed of practical miners from California,
and for some time was engaged in developing
the mineral resources of the Arizona country,
and he thinks that Arizona and Senoria, old
Mexico, are richer in gold and silver mines
than any other part of the American continent.
Speaking of Kit Carson, Mr.. Sims says he
was not a military man, as is generally sup
posed, but was an excellent guide and scout,
being familiar with the frontier country. He
could speak seven Indian dialects and was
very intimate with all the principal Indian
war chiefs. He was feared and respected by
all the civilized and hostile tribes of Indians,
being considered by them great warrior, and
this accounts for his great success in dealing
with them. Mr.. Sims says that Carson per-
formed one feat which probably no other white
man could. After many fruitless attempts to
conquer the Nayijo tribe, which numbered at
that time nine thousand warriors, fifteen hun
dred of whom were in a canon, Carson en-
tered their stronghold the Navijo canon, 300
feet Deep enclosing about 1000 acres, which
they had occupied for more than fifty years.
The soil in this deep basin was very pro-
ductive, the Indians having under cultivation
many acres of corn and wheat, and well
stocked with ponies, sheep and goats.
The only access to this canon was narrow
path on an inclined plane, only wide enough
to admit one man at a time, so it was impJs-
sible for an enemy to enter, as the Indians
would shoot them as fast as they emerged
into the canon. In 1868 Carson proposed to
Gen. Carleton, commanding the California
troops, to enter this canon and make treaty
with the principal chiefs. On arriving in
speaking distance he addressed them in their
native tongue and was permitted to enter.
He then succeeded in making treaty with
them and returning within two hours with
over fifteen hundred men, women and child
rem, with all their stock, &c. He then joined
his command and marched to the reservation
where the Indians were afterwards located,
and became civilized tribe. Hallowell
Gazette.