Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-09-22
ILLINOIS.
Indian DepredatiOns.

Chicago, Sept. 81. Special dispatches
were sent out from Quincy, ILL.,, last night
| concerning alleged Indian depredations ncs:
camp supply, indian territory, and declaring
that Col. Miles had been compelled to fall
back to meet his supplies. that no had tele.
graphed Gen. Pope for renforcements, that
one large supply train of SO wagons had been
captured, the assistant wagon master killed
| and the men compelled to abandon tIr trairs
after desperate resistance, bringing -
wounded into camp; that 800 stand of arms,
together with large amount of ammunition
and commissary stores, had fallen into the
hands of the savages.-that the Sth cavalry
had came in from Arizona entirely destitute,
h avng lost all their supply and baggage
trains and joined Gen. Miles command On
enquiry at head quarters the story proves un.
true, or so slightly founded as to be virtually
q canard.
From official dispatches received by Lieut..
the associated press.
Col. Miles in despatch dated the 9TH inst,
10 miles south of Reed River, advised Gen.
Pope that he should fall back for supplies.
His despatch received by Gen. Sheridan to-
day is dated from his camp on Wichita River,
Sept. IA, and came VIA Fort Dodge, leaving
there the 18th. He says, l find that after
leaving the Canadian river Major Lyman,
commanding the escort to the supply ira IN
was attacked By from 300 to 400 indians on
the morning of the OH inst. The indians
charged the trains several times and made
every effort to capture it, fighting so deter
minedly as to dc,ain it 8 days. The fight
was very close and the train was completely
surrounded
On the Sd day the indians abandoned the
attack, retreatipg southwest From all the
information | can get here since my arrival
believe they formed o part Of the body we
drove off the staked plains, and they were be-
lieved to be led by Santana and Big Tree
During the fight Lieut. Lewis Of the oh
Sergt. Drarman, Co. l, 9TH infantry, was
killed. Sergt. Single, 9th cavalry; private
Buest, 9Th infantry, and wagon master SAT-
ford were wounded; the latter mortally.
The officers estimate the number Of Indi-
ans killed at $50 and the wounded many
more. Lieut.. Baldwin will have informed you
of his successful with fight Indians while com
ing bearer of dispatches. A part of the force
that attacked Major Lyman attacked a party
of SIX bearing dispatches, who intrenched
themselves il the sand, and after desperate
fight all day, in which one courier was killed
and four wounded. They compelled the In
dams to retire, having killed 70. Whenever
we fought them they were severely punished,
with slight loss on our side.
The river to the south Is SO swollen as to
be impassable for wagons. l am building a
bridge across the .Wachita. The cavalry
were obliged to swim their horses. Ga re-
turning, the march back was even more ex-
haustlng than the advance was with the Indi
ans in 'front.' owing to the terrible and eontin
uous rains which flooded the streams and
made the roads almost impossible.
This command now occupies the valleys OF
Mcclellan Creek, Sweet Water and the Vat
chita. Major Prices command is encamped
near US, acting independently.
Gen. Pope in a communication enclosing
Col. Miles reports says that Gen Miles has
force enough to beat any force that can be
met.