Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-08-29
AN INDIAN KILLER INTER.
VIEWED
A Talk with Camanche Ri,,,

From the Davenport Towa) Gazette, Aug. 10.
There has been stopping in this civ for
a couple OF days past, one of those charac-
tiers who have made for themselves a
celebrity for their bravery and daring on
the plains of the far west, among the In
dams aud the buffalo; in recounting whose
deeds, hair breadth escapes and peculiar
LIE, the pages of romance are filled, The
person to whom we refer il no less char
scter than 'Camanche Bill, }" who is re-
puted to be the slayer of no less than one
hundred and eighty three Indians. He
mas Deen nine years on the plains, part of
which time he has been in the employ of
tne Government as scout. He has
hunted and killed Indians for the pleasure
ana sweets of revenge, and hunted and
trapped OF necessity. He is now on his
return TO his old life in the West, having
been ON visit to his early home in Min
neSots' de is about twenty eight years
OF age, of slender build, sandy complex
Toned, with profusion of hair that he
wears long on his neck. His dress ia n
pair OF buckskin pants, ornamented from
the outer seams with q row of steel but
tons, a coarse shirt, az old coat and
oroad-brimmed hat. His eye is piercing
Keen, and he has grip like dozen
Dlacksmlths. In response to our sques-
tons he said:
my name is George w. Porter. |
have been on the plains since '62, was
In the Minnesota massacre, near New |
Ulm, the 18th of August of that wear.
All my folks were killed, except me and
my little sister three years old whom they
took prisoner"
Where were you2"
was away at the military station on
business; went the day before. The first |
knew of the massacre, l was coming |
along the road on my way home, when / |
saw little ways ahead of me a wagon !
nlled with women and children, that the |
settlers had sent to the station for protec- |
ton. Just then saw the Indians pounce |
upon them, end lodged into the woods. |
l could hear the hatchets crushing into |
their heads. They killed them ali, every |
one"
''What did you dol"
They scslped 'em, and when the coast
was clear, got out, and pretty soon |
along came a company of cavalry, and |
We buried them
"Why didn't you follow after the In |
dians2"
II had no horse, and the captain didn't |
want his men to go. You see that |
was in '62, and everything was topsy-
turvy."
'Did you visit the scene of the massa-
ere at New Ulm9"
"Yes. l went there the next day, and
saw my father and mother all scalped and
cut up, and my sister was gone. / swore
by the eternal God, l would never rest
until l had had revenge bloody re-
Venge."
did you get any traces of your
sister,"
"Why, yes, they was the Yankton,
Swsnee and Sioux Indians, and l knowed
them pretty well. / learned that they
tad her. l knowed what they'd Go with
her,
''You have not been successful in your
efforts to secure her9"
'sNo; you see, single handed and alone,
man don't stand much chance. That's
what l had been doing all the time. Once,
in Arizona, l was right in sight of her
The way l knowed it was her was, had
been on the trail of the band of Sioux
that had her long time, and she was the
only white person they had. This was in
1865, and then she looked Just like moth
er. waited, and watched, and watched,
and picked an Indian off every little while,
when he'd get mile or two from camp,
but twas no use. They kept too good
watch over her,"
"W ere you ever captured 2"
''Yes. The Blackfeets. captured me
and Jim Bfaden in "a, when we were out
hunting. They came on us with a rush,
but they didn't get US though until had
killed one young buck. u
''Whst did they do with you?"
''They marched about twenty five
miles to their camp, and there they
stripped us of everything we had, and
tied US up to stake, and let the women
pound US with clubs. They did this
every day for eight days. We were tied
with buckskin thongs, aud one night it
rained, and we slipped out of 'em when
they got wet. Jim got away all right,
but just as was gittin' my things On,
Old squaW woke up and gave the a'arm.
There was but four Indians in camp
The rest had gone on hunt. Irun, with
only my knife. They came up to me,
and l had a desperate fight. One shot
had hit me in the left arm" exhibiting
scar 81 cut and slashed the buck that
got hold of me, and finally give him one
under the ribs, so he won't tie any more
thongs. And he cut me, too, here, and
here, and here, " Showing scars in his
arm, neck and breast.) ''The other buck
never came near, for I'd got this bucks
gun afore he'd reached u.s.
The rest of "Camanche Bills" story,
how he followed his sister among tie
Csmanches, and had q fight with the
white chief of that nation, and other
equally interesting accounts, we shall
have to omit. But if our readers wish
to see a genuine frontiersman, they
should call upon the "Indian fighter"
himself.
INFLUENCE OF DOORS ON