The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1872-05-24
Another Terrible Massacre,

WASHINGTON, May ia report has
been received at the War Department
giving the details of n massacre by Indi-
ans, McXirans and negroes combined OF
the persons IN charge OF the train OF
supplies en- route to Fort Stockton. at
Towards wells, near old Fort Lancas-
ter. The facts, rs reported to Gen. Au-
CUR by Col. Merritt, of the Ninth cav.
airy, under date of April 10Th, from
Fort Clark, are given rs follows:
On the 10th inst. | arrived with the
calvary of my command at Howard
wells. few hours too late to prevent
ole oSthc most horrible massacres that
has ever been perpctrated on this from
tier. a Mexican train, loaded with
United States c0mmissary and Ordi-
nance stores, on lis way from San Anto-
MO to Fort Stockton, was attacked by
Indians, plundered. aud burned.
All the people with the train, seven
teen souls in all, were killed or wound
ed except one woman. My command
buried eleven bodies and brought three
wounded men and one woman into the
posi-.
Before arriving at the burning train,
he first intimation we had of the horri-
bic disaster was the charred and black
cncd corpscS Of some of the poor VIC
tins, but no one was alive to tell the
horrors of the affair.
supposed up to this time that Cap
tain Sheridan, with the infantry of nv
command. was in camp at Towards well
about mile from the scene of the mas
sacre land, while yet some distance from
the point, the smoke of the burning
wagons, mistaken for his camp fires.
confirmed me in this belief | knew at
least that Il sergeant and four men were
at the well in charge of forage.
The command moved rapidly toward
the well when the sergeant in charge of
the detachment at that point was met
and pointed out the course the Indians
had taken with the stolen animals be-
longing to the train.
In less time than it takes to relate. the
trail was found and rapid pursuit at
once made by companies A and II of
the Ninth cavalry. commanded respec-
lively by Capt. Cooncy and Lieut.. Vim
cent.
After following the trail some seven
or eight miles, the cavalry came up on
the Indians in force on the summit of a
steep and almost impossible bluff.
Here a sharp fight occurred, in
which ! regret to say that Lieutenant
Vincent fell. MORALLY wounded, while
bnvely leading and attempting to con-
troll his men. lie died shortly after re-
turning to camp, about IL o'clock that
night Captain Cooney was painfully.
though not seriously, injured BY his
horse falling while moving at a rapid
q it. He however rcmountcd and re.
turned to his command. The men of
his company behaved very well, but.
being in great part recruits. without ex.
perence in Indian fighting, which was
the case in Company II to a still great
er extent, they sqnandered their am
mnnitlOn. Lack of ammunition made
n protractcG pursuit of the Indians i'm
practicable.
A woman who escaped reports that
six Indians were killed in the fight
sickening atrocities committed by the
demons, who ovcrpowered the train
men.
1t is reported that the band consisted
of from l25 to $50 men, and was COM
posed Of Indians, Mcxicans and desert
crs from the army. A number of arms
and supplies Of ammunition were taken
from the train by the band before burn
ing it. How many arms. | cannot say
il was supply which was lately sent
from the arsenal at San Antonio to Fort
Stockton.
Gen. Augur, in his report, expresses
the opinion that the Indians came from
Mexico, and this belief is sustained by
the fact that Mcxicans and dcsprters
from cOlor,d regiments were with them
such deser,crs universally escaping into
Mexico.