The New York herald., 1874-09-02
RED FOODS DESPERATION.
Revenge and Defiance Breathed
by the Hostile Tribes.
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED
Prospects Of Further Severe Fighting
in Indian Territory.
HEADQUARTERS OF TROOPS IN THE FIELD,
CAMP NEAR THE WICHITA RIVER.

Taking up the thread where left or on the In
dian question; II any one throughout the United
States has Tor moment failed to doubt the folly
and total inelcacy OF the sO-called "peace policy"
1t would have been we'll had he been present just
about a thousand yards hence on the banks OF yon.
der river, and had Witnessed. Saturday. the I'D
inst, the elegant manner In which the reputed
peaceful Indians can fire. not only on United States
troops, without cause but also on the peace estab-
hshment. part OF which your correspondent and
and government interpreter composed; but
their calling Afforded no exemption from the rat
tiing shower or bullets which sped about rs on
their playful, but hurtrul way. Had the vengeful
Kowas and Noconees been informed In humble and
ceremonious tones that there was sancttty about
the non-combatveness OF the press and media
torial representatives, which should have saved
them from the Ill effects OF the gleeful
pastime in which they revelled with vary
ing impulse for several hours here on Saturday
last, he would have probably been insulted. and,
with an ugly "ugh," have sgnided his dangerous
contempt Tor your discriminating advice. But 1t
is sad commentary, confirmed by the evidence
OF Mr.. Horace r. Jones, who has been among the
Indians for forty years. that they are worse now
In this respect than they were twenty years ago.
which he attributes to civilization and the Acting
Agent, Captain z. COnnen, corrOborates the fact
that Is useless to attempt to do anything from
absolutely peace standpoint. Now, whas shall be
done with the Indian ? The facts given in this
correspondence are Intended to show That those
most familiar with the whole question are per-
picked at times at its changing phases. and we'll
nigh give up It's solution in despair. But something
can and must be done, and that which generally Is
conceded on all hands, by good Indians, their
agents and the people who have lived among
them for a lifetime, is that they must get sound
thrashing frst as that Is the only reasoning
which they recognize.
THE TRANsGREssINa BANDS.
Now to the AFFAIR OF Saturday last, which
'ppened the ball" for the serious fighting which ts
to come before the winter Is over, tf not sooner
As already briefly stated in courier dispatches
from the field In these columns, General J. w.
Davidson, commanding at Fort Sill where there is
q reservation OF C0manches, Kowas and Apaches
was informed by one Of his officers, Colonel
Gaines Lawson, commanding here, that q body Of
dangerous Noconees, who belonged at Fort sill,
had come and settled down here without author
tty either from the Indian or Military Departments.
An enrolment having been taken, expected to
comprehend all peaceably disposed Indians. which
terminated August and having for Its object the
keeping Of this class OF Indians on their reserva-
tl0ns during the impending war, II not at all
times, the line was supposed to have been drawn
etYectually between those who could be regarded,
as the dear old Quakers would say, as good In
dians" and those whom the military are gong to
clean out, being found on tue warpath. The
transgressing class, IL they can be discerned,
who waywardly leave the reservation with
out authority, but not Intending war,
are to be arrested, their arms taken from them,
and they are to be held for such punishment as
the President shall direct This was exactly why
General Davidson, with four companies of the
Tenth United States cavalry, commanded by Cap
tains Carpenter, viele, Little and Lieutenant
Morrison started out for this place Friday night
last, at ten O'Clock. As soon as possible, after he
received the news from Colonel Lawson, he made
the forced march OF thirty five miles and arrived
in the presence OF the transgressing Noconees and
the camps OF the other sympathizng Though
friendly Indians hereabouts composed or Cadd0s,
Wichitas, Wakos, Kichis, Delawares, Towaconies
and all the species Of the genius Conlanche, whose
tongue is the court language OF the plains ana he
the arlstocrat or lordling OF the tribal denomina-
tlOns.
THE "FRIENDLY" INDIAN MYTH.
And here. by way Of parenthesis let me announce
1t solemnly to the world, to avoid future mistake
that there Is no such thing In existence, in the
full meaning OF the adjective as friendly Indian.
do this after close and impartial observation Of
the different tribes confirmed by the testimony
OF those who have done their best to cultivate
the godlike virtue among them, by kindnesses
and attentions that would draw gratitude from
q roaring lion or prairie w0l; but the Indian,
with few exceptions, can never love or evnce .
fealty to the white man, for with him, as with all
other nationalites blood Is thicker tnan water,
and the Indians blood il the thickest. The
strongest evidence of the Indians mutual SYM
pathy and preference for his own is very evident
lust about US here and win be seen in facts which
IN daac in Gau rol no oviAon 10 a
ence on his peace mission and the evidences this
morning In the still vacant camps OF the so-called
friendly Indians. The recalcitrant chief OF the
Noc0nees called "Big Red Food" from his aesthetic
taste and capacity In eating very large pieces Of
raw meat, came forward, mounted on q pony
with shufing gait, and matted under the tree
where General Davidson awaited MIN. He was
summoned In firm tones to dismOunt, which he
hestatingly did, and stood barel0oted and breech.
clouted. with blanket tightly drawn about his
hfps looking defiance In his very attitude,
which his every act subsequently confirmed.
With boodshot, ierce-snapptng eyes, which
seemed to have the faculty Of looking over
q double class OF objects, at che same time cheek
bones OF bulldog prominence and lips set as II
they would serve as vice; broad shouldered.
nrm set, about i've feet SIX inches In height,
was the figure OF the warrior VINO Is q type Of
those who are to test with Uncle Sam whether
lawlessness, murder, robbery and savage
pleasure shall be the ruling influence on the
prairies OF the Indian territory and Texas,
instead OF law and order, with subordination to
the regulations as prescribed for every other in.
dlvidual who nnds himself In the United States.
This is the problem to be solved, and the real
question, stripped OF all its surroundings, between
the Indian and white man. This tabieau uiUant
was presented when General Davidson thus ad-
dressed Big Red Food, in determined tones after
the latter made the strange announcement tnat
he did not know how many warriors nor people
he mad -
'This summer the President OF the United
states found that there were bad Indians, who
were killing and plundering his people, and he
had got tired OF It. They had promised they would
be good and would not Xiii his people. They lied
about 1t, and now he had got mad so he sent
word to his ofncers to punish these bad people,