The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-09-01
The Indian Troubles.
WICHITA AGENCY, |. T..
nm ~ L.


Aug. -, 1874
Gen. j. w. Davidson, commanding
at Fort Sill, received information last
evening from Col Gains Lawson COM
handing company at this agency.
that the Oconees, hostile band mum
berlng between 60 and 20 lodges, had
come into the Wichita Agency. and as
the instructions are that any Indians
found outside of their reservations
should be arrested, disarmed and held
for punishment. Gen. Davidson de.
teffnined Immediately, in obedience to
ORDERS to proceed to this point with
companies G, f, III and l. of the 10th
Cavalry and, starting at o'clock last
evening made forced march of 80
miles. Arriving at about | o'clock this
morning, the troops, to the number of
about $50, were drawn up in line of
battle on the skirt of the reservation
along the river bank of the Wachita.
But in response to the requisition for
the appearance of the Oconee chiefs no
one but Big Red Fox answered for his
tribe.
Gen. Davidson Immediately proceed
ed to hold big" talk with the "big"
chief and bad man.
This was supposed 10 end everything
amicably and satisfactorily. when ali
of a sudden there was an excitement
which BODIED no good.
Almost instantly it was found that
The Indians, far from Keeping their
promises had begun war and blood
shed. The troops wheeled into line,
the company in Big FoX's tent return
ing the fire of the Indians, Meanwhile
receiving heavy fire in the rear,
opened on them by sympathizing
kiowas and COMMANDERS.
a runner reports four men killed by
the Indians. The engagement COM
menced about twelve o'clock and lasted
all day. Rapid picket firing continues,
and our men are attacked at many
points simultaneously. but the colored
troops behaved very fairly in the con
test with the Indians
Additional forces have been sent for,
and will arrive here in few DAYS, when
good deal Of fighting will undoubted-
ly be done. Tomorrow may be busy
day for us, but the Indians will doubt
less he overcome. over two hundred
of them ore under arms.
The days victory by Gen. Davidson
resulted in the destruction of a great
deal of Indian property after the camp
had been captured and burned. Their
ponies and squaws were the only things
saved, and these they secured by run
ming them of.
! The hostile indians will be pursued
hence up the Wichita with answering
force and "reminiscences Gen. David
son las endeavored to avoid this blood
shed with commendable magnanimity
by cndeavoring to effect II peaceful
settlement of the question bu; a hitter
war il now Imminent
The most significant thing is that,
while no unkind word was said to or of
the Kiowas and Comanchcs here when
the fire was opened on the troops by
the Oconees, they were the first to com
mence firing on the troops in the rear
Santana, Big Tree, Rouble, Viscon,
| Woman's Heart, and Lone Wolf are
out from their camps. The latter had
/ the impudenCe to send in to make Il
treaty just as the firing commenced.
Reports received at army head-quar-
tiers confirm the reported threatening
condition ofIndian affairs. Even those
Indians supposed to be friendly to the
government have assumed an insolent
manner and independence of speech
that indicates great confidence in the
ability of the hostile tribes to cope sue
cessfully with United States troops. A
party of friendly Cheyennes, who have
reached the Arrapahoe Indian agency,
having come direct from the Indian
camps, which are near the breaks of
the Staked Plains, say these Indians
intended to make warm work for our
troops whenever they meet them. Large
raiding parties of Kiowas and Conan
ches were out. Big Bow, a Kiewa
chief, had returned from successful
raid in Texas with 205 head of horses
and mules, and reported that many
more had died on the way from having
been over-driven and the weather being
hot. Some Kiowas had boosted to
Cheyenncs that they had killed q man
near Fort sill and thrown the body in
to the water after scalping him. a few
hours before they did this they drew
their rations from the agent. These
Cheyennes say that the klowas made
the first outbreak, this season and that
Lone Wolf, when he went to Texas af-
ter his sons remains, killed seven white
persons on the trip. White Horse made
the next raid. Since that the three
tribes have all taken an active part in
the outrages. The Cheyennes, up to
the time this party left the camp. had
eight of their young men killed. A
party returned from Colorado, short
time ago, with 20 head of horses, anG
report having killed three white men
in the raid The Cheyennes also killed
four white men north of this place, and
4 burned their wagons. but they say the
Osages packed all the property with
which the wagons were loaded. From
all that could be learned there are about
$50 men among the combined tribes OF
Cheyennes, Kiowas snd Comanches,
who are on the war-path and mean
business. They say they are more de-
termined than ever before.
The Apaches are reported to be max
ing more raids into Sonora and Lower
California. Don Irenio Landres sends
word to the president of the municipali-
ty of Bocatehuochi, that he was attacked
by savages on the 10th inst, and as
four of his party were not to be found
he supposes that they were killed. A
force of % men was sent to the scene
of attack, where they found the bodies
of three of the men who had been slain.
They had fought valiantly until their
ammunition gave out and they they
then broke their guns into pieces.
Tnn NATIONS WAnps,-New York,
Aug. Goa special from Wichita Agen-
dy says the fighting with the kiowas and
Naconees which hogan there week ago
was continued in desultory manner un.
til the morning Of the 25th. Indians in
bands ranging from 90 to 500 10 number
made a series of dashes upon Gen. David
sons post and set fire to the prairie grass
to destroy the agency buildings, but al
attacks were defeated, and the Indian.
finally fled westward, carrying off their
killed and wounded. The prairie fire
which was sometimes as high as the tree
tops, was tiualy subdued by the troops
and the buildings were saved. Gen. Da'
wilson has induced friendly Coddos
Wichittas, Commanches, Keches, Towac
onies and other tribes to return to thei:
reservations. Two additional companie.
of infantry arrived in Wichita on the 25tt
A