The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-07-26
WHO ARE THE sAvAGEs z
Lieut.. Royal E. Whitman's Account Of the
Camp Grant Massacre.
Over a Hundred Women and Children Of
Peaceful Savages Murdered by Whites.

Oalup 0ioue IAooSooiS' |
Over a Hundred Women and Children OF
Peaceful savayes Murdered by Whites.
The fact that there has recently been mas
sacree of Indians in Arizona is known to the
public, But it is not generally known that the
victims of frontier cruelty were the women
and children of Indians whose only offense
was engaging in peaceful industry, which
to diminish the gains Of the whites
who had heretofore had a monopoly of the
busines IS of supplying the troops with forage
We give first the report OF Lieutenant White
man. who is in command of Camp Grant.
That officer is well known in this state, where
he was born and where his family still resides,
and his statements will therefore be received |
unhesitatingly as true. The report has lust |
been received by the Iudian Commissioners at |
Washington and is dated May 10th. Lieut.. |
Whitman, after describing the settlement of |
the Indians near the camp, ami praising them
for their peaceableness and good behavior, pro-
ceeds as follows:
On the morning of April 20, was at break
fast at IL A. M, when dispatch was brought
to me by sergeant of Company D, 21st In
tantry, from Captain Plum, commanding Camp
Lowell, informing me that large party had
LETT Tucson on the 18th with the avowed pur
pose of killing all the Indians at this post. l
Immediately sent the two interpreters, mount
ed, to the Indian camp with orders to tell the
chiefs the exact state of things, and fer them
to br ng their entire party inside the post As
| had no cavalry and but about so infantry
(nearly all recruts), aud no other officer, /
could not leave the post to 60 to their defense.
My messengers returned in about an hour with
intelligence that they could find no living In
dian; that their camp was burning, and the
ground strewn with the mutilated bodies of
their women and children.
Immediately mounted party of about 20
soldiers and citZens and sent them with the
post surgeon, with a wagon to bring in the
wounded, if any could be found. The party
returned late in the evening, having found no
wounded, and without having been able to
communicate with any of the SURVIVORS Early
the next morning, took similar party with
spades aud shOvels, and went out and burned
all the dead in and Immediately around the
camp. had the day before offered the inter-
prefers, or any one who would do so, 800 to 60
to the mountains and communicate with them,
and convince them that no officer or soldier Of
the United States Government had been con-
cerned in the vile transaction, and, failing in
this, thought the act of caring for their dead
would be an evidence to them of our sympathy
at least The conjecture proved correct, for
while at the work many of them came to the
spot and INDUCED in expressions of grief. too
wild and terrible to be described. That eve
ming they came in from all directions, singly
and in small parties, SO changed in 48 hours as
to be hardly recognizable, during which time
the y had neither eaten or slept.
Many OF the men, whose families had all
been killed, when spoke to them and express
ed sympathy for them, were obliged to turn
away, unable to speak, and too proud to show
their grief The women, whose children had
been killed or stolen. were convulsed with grief,
and looked to me appealingly, as though was
their last hope on earth. Children, who, two
days before, had been full Of fun and frolic,
kept at distance, expressing Wondering hor-
ror. did what could. fed them and talk
| ed to them, and listened patiently to their ac-
counts sent horses into the mountains to
bring in two badly wounded women, one shot
| through the left lung and one with an arm
| shattered. These were attended to, and will
recover.
Their camp was surrounded and attacked at
| daybreak. So sudden and expected was it,
that no one was awake to give the alarm, and
| found that quite number of women were
shot while asleep beside their bundles of hay,
which they had collected to bring in to the
| post that morning. The wounded, who were
unable to get away, had their brains beaten out
with clubs or stones, while some were shot full
OF arrows after having been mortaly wounded
by bullets. The bodies were all stripped. OF
the whole number buried one was an old man
and one well-grOwn boy. All the rest were
women and children. OF the whole number
killed and missing (about 1851 eight only were
| men. 1t has been said that the men were not
there, but they were there On the 8th we
counted l28 men, a small number being absent
for mesca, all of whom have since been in. 1
have spent good deal of time with them since
| the affair, and have been astonisbed at their
| continued mistaken faith in me, and their per-
fectly clear understanding of their misfortune.
They say, we know there are great many
white men and Mexcans who do not want us
TO live at peace We know the Papagoes would
not have come out after us at this time if thew
| had not been pursuaded to do 500 What they
do not understand Is while they are at peace.
and conscious of no wrong intent, that thew
shoqid De murdered by government arms in
| the hands of Papagoes and Mexicans One ot
the chiefs said, Il no longer want to live: INV
| women and children have been KIrIeu utr =
my face and I have been unable to defend
| them. Most Indians in my place would take a
/ huITe and cut his throat, but will live to show
| these people that all they haun dana, and Oil
| they can do, Will not make me break faith with
/ you, SO long as you will stand BY us and defend
us in language we know nothing Of to a
| great Governor we never have nor never shall
| see. About their captiveS they say get them
back for us, our little boys will grow up slaves,
and eur girls, as soon as they are large enough,
| Will be diseased prostitutes, to get money for
whoever owns them"
They ask to be allowed to live here in their
| old homes, where nature supplies nearly all
their wants: They ask for fair and impartial
/ VI duu t06y ask L0at all their
| captive children living may be returned to
them. Is their demand unreasonable? Unless
some action is taken to convence them that our
government means kindness and Justice they
ed, and blinded by ignorance, rage and super
stition. Yours very respectfully, 80
l E.-g ROYAL E. WHITMAN
First Lieut.. Sd U. s. Cavalry
The same officers previous report concern
| ing the habits and occupation of the Indians
| who were SO remorselessly butchered will be
found extremely interesting:
Some time in February party of five old
women came in under flag of truce. with a
letter from Col. Green, saying they were in
search of boy-the son OF one of the number
taken prisoner near Salt River some months
before. This boy had been well cared for and
had become attached to his new mode of life
and did not wish to return. The party were
kindly treated, rationed while iere, and after
Two Gays went away, asking permission to re-
turn again. They came in about eight DAYS. I
think, with still larger plumber, with some
articles for sale to purchase nantes, as thew
were nearly naked. Before going away they
said young chief would like to come in with
party and have talk. This I encopraoad
and in few days he came with about " of his
band. He stated, in BRIEF that he was chief of
band OF about 150 of what were originally the
Aravapa Apaches, that he wanted peace. that
ne ana ms people had no home, and could
nensive OF the approach of cavalry. | told him
that ne should go to the White Mountains. He
SAID: That IS not our country: neither are
they our people. We are at peace with them
but never have mixed with them, Onr fatbars
and their fathers before them have lived on in
these mountains, and have raised corn in tb;s
valley. We are taught to make mescal IN,
principle article of food, and in summer and
winter here we have never failing supply.-
AT the White Mountains there is none and
without it now We get sick. Some of our neo.
pie have been in at Good win, aud for a abort
time at the White Mountains, but thew are NOT
contented, and they all say, let us 20 to the
Aravapa. and make final peace, and never
break It,"
told him had no authority to make anv
treaty with him, or to promise him that he
could be allowed permanent home here. bnt
that he could bring in his band and wonIJ
feed them and report his wishes to the denort-
ment commander. He went ont and retmrn-
ed about the first of March with his wboIa
band. In the meantime runners had bean in
from two other small bands, asking the sama
privileges, and giving the same reasons |
made the same reply to ALL and by abont tho |
fifth of MI arch had over 800 here wrote a |
detailed account OF the whole matter, and sent |
1t by express to Sacaton, to department head
quarters, asking for instructions, haying onI,,
the general policy of the government ia sncS |
cases for my guidance. After waiting mora |
than six weeks my letter was returned to me- |
without comment, except calling my atteu0 |
ton to the fact that it was not briefed properlv
At first put them in camp about one-ha}f
mile from the post, and counted them. and
issued them rations every second dav. Tho
number stpadilv ipcraosa1 ,,nt;1