The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-20
WASHINGTON. July 10, 1871.


OF the massacre at Camp Grant. Arizona, by Lieu
senant Royal T.. Whitman just received here by the
Board of indian Commissioners 1t Is dated Camp
Grant May IT, ana addressed 10 Colonel J. G. c.
lee, Tucson. Lieutenant Whitman, after describing
the settlement Of the Indians near the camp, and
pr1ising them Tor their peaceableness and good oe-
havonr, proceeds as folows:-
On the morning OF April 80 was at breakfast at
haiipast seven, when despatch was brought 10 me
ny a sergeant OF company ~ Twenty first Infantry
from Captain PUN, commanding Camp Lowell In
lermng me thai large party had left Tucson on
the 18th with the ayowed purpose of killing all the
Indians at this post. Immediately sent the two in
terpreters, mounted TO the Indian camp with orders
To tell The chiefs the state Of things, and Tor
them 10 bring their entire party inside the post As
had no cavalry. and but about nIty infantry, nearly
al recruits, ana no other oficer, l could not
leave the post to go 10 their defence
any messengers returned in about an hour with
Intelligence that they could find no llvirg Indian
their camp was burning and the ground strewn
with their mutiIaed women and children.
soldiers and citizens, and sent them with the post
surgeon, with wagon, TO bring IN the wounded If
evening, having found no wounded ana without
having been aole 10 communicate with any OF The
survivors.
Early the next morning ! took similar party
win spades ana shoves and went out and buried all
the dead IN aud Immediately around the camp. |
hao tie DAY before onered the interpreters or any
Que VINO could do 500 to go to the mountains and
officer soldier Of the United States government had
been concerned IN the vie transaction, and, failing
An this, thought the act OF caring for their dead
would be an evidence 10 tnem OF our sympathy at
least and the conjecture proved correct, for while
al the work many OF them came 10 the spot and
INDUCED IN their expressions OF grief. too wild
ana terrible to be described. That evening
they came IN from all directions, singly and IN
small parties, changed IN forty-eignt hours as 10
he hardly Recognizable, during which time they had
neither eaten nor slept. aiany OF the men, whose
families had ali been killed, when spoke to them
and expressed sympathy for them, were obliged to
inrn away, unable TO speak and too proud
10 show Their grief. The women, whose children
Rnef and looked TO me appealingly as though was
nao 5 he On nm EARN ~ INN ro WHo .w9 Gays
distance expressing wondering horror. !
did what could led them and
their account, sent horses into the mountains TO
bring in TWO badly wounded women, one shot
fhro ugh the ieit lung and one with an arm shat
tered. These were attended TO and are doing well
and wiz recover.
break. so sudden ana unexpected was il that no
one was awake 10 give the alarm, and found quite
a number OF women shot While asleep beside their
bundles Of hay they had collected 70 bring in on that
morning. The wounded, who were unable get
away, had their bIains beaten out with clubs
stones while some where shot full OF arrows, after
having been MORALLY wounded by gunshor. The
bodies were all stripped OF the whole NUMBER
buried one was an old man and one wei
grown boY all The rest women and children
or the whole number killed and missing, about
oDe hundred and twenty i've, eight only were men.
il has been said The men were not there. They were
al there. On the 2Sth we counted lbs men "a small
hummer being absent for mesca!-a oil whom have
SINCE been III. ! have spent good deal Of time
with them since the AFFAIR, ana have
sSaren Tauh in me '" ard tb",r n u
fecrly clear understanding Of their misfortune
They say, 1--WE know there are a great many White
men ana Mexicans who do not want US 10 live at
peace; we know That the Fapae0es would not have
persuaded 10 do sou What they do not understand
Is, while they are at peace aad conscious OF no
wrong intent, that they should be murdered by
government arms III the hGE0s OF Papagoes and
MeXicans. One OF the chiefs SAID, al no
longer want TO live my women and children have
lsnnn LODI hnfn INV npt hnXA nann ma ain
20 defend them. Most Indans in my place would
take knife and cut his throat, but VIII live 10
they can do shall not make one break faith with
you, long "a you win stand by Us and defend us
IN q language We know nothing OF, 10 q great Gov
ernor we never have nor never shah see.n
About their captives they say ''Get them back for
girls, soon as they are large enough viii be dis
eased prostitutes 10 get money for whoever owns
1hem: Our women work l hard and are good women.
and they and our children have no diseases Our
mai are living we gave to you and
talk and have soldiers to get them bacg.'
wil assure you II Is no easy task to convince
them my zeal when they see so little heing done.
lhave pledged my word TO them that never would
rest easily, night or day, until tley should have
justice, and just now ] would as soon
leave the army as to be ordered away nom
them, or to be obliged TO order Them away from
here But YOU well Know the diiicutIes IN the Wav
You know that parties who would engage IN muir
ders IKE this could ana would land already hayel
make statements and multiply aildavits without end
IN their Justification. / know you VIII use your
influence On the right SIDE l believe.
with them, this may be made either means
OF making good citizens Of them and their children
drive Them into a hopeless war OF eXtermination.
They ask 10 he allowed 10 live here In their Old
homes, where nature supplies nearly all her
wants. Ihey ASK LOT lar ana impartial
trial or their iath. and they ask that all Their
Is their demand unreasonable Unless acton
is taken 10 convince them that government
means kindness ana justice, and they are driven
away desperate and disappointed blinded by igno-
rance, rage aud superstition, assure you l could
han ~ o 6r men n@ E n nae on eye Re a 10
INV power, ! should expect 10 be remembered
against me when aIn finally called 10 account as
bii i st"'''' OH'"'' ' NY s''''' mt 'e''0H''
TINS letter has been hastily written but not IN
CONSIDERABLY. You may consider yourself at liberty
willing for a copy TO 20 to the indian
send full account of the matter direct TO division
Headquarters. II you are able to accomplish any
thing | know you viii crafty yourself, ana your
anxiety TO do so has already been gratined Yours
very respectfully, ROYAL f. WHITMAN,
First Lieutenant Third United States Cavalry
Letter from the Governor of New Mexico on
Indian Affairs in ,hs Tcrritory--War Upon
fbe Apaches-A Toucting Letter from
Indian Woman-OregOn Tribes Dying Of
starvaiion--viIauy Of Indian Agents.
WAsHIYGToN July 10. 1871.
letter from Governor Pile. OF New Mexico, dated
June 19 and addressed TO Secretary FISH states That
ne had visited the settlements in Southern and
Southwestern New Mexico for the purpose OF inves-
,igstng the condition OF AFFAIRS ana especially the
depredations committed by the Apache Indians. lie
found IN The region OF the country bordering Oh
the Rio GranGe, IN the vicinity Of the Argan Noun
tains and St Augustine Pass, where many murders
and robperies had occurred one two years ago,
there was now but little trouble, the citizens being
IN imperative quiet and security; but in all tue
southwest part or the Territory. and especially along
ibe Vine between the Territory and Arizona, there
were serious troubles and constant nostnities be-
tween The Indians and citizens. large party
WAS on the point OF leaving Silver City for
the purpose OF attacking the Indians at Canada
hiamosa, and had The Governor not gone there per-
sonally there would have been in the Territory a