The Tipton advertiser., 1874-12-03


A BORDER TRAGEDY.
Two Masl-Carrscrs Attacked 81
Apachcs In. New Mcxlc0-Thc
Heroic Defense Or . C00pan.
Ion BY gohn Dorn.
A correspondent Of the Sante Fe
Ner Mericnn. writing from Fort
Wingate, N. NJ, gives the following
additional particulars of the attack
by Apaches on Dorm and Kennison:
sIt may be Of some interest to
your citizens to know that the mail
which left your postoffice the 3ls,
ult., for Prescott, arrived at this Of.
6ce on time, and was forwarded from
here at 2 o'clock A. NJ. on Wednes-
day, the Sd inst, in charge of John
Dorm, mail-carrier, who arrived at
Sunset Crossing, on the Colorado
river-one hundred and fifty miles
west of i;,is pos;--oa hursday, tho
4th inst, at 10 P. M.-the end Of his
drive. At this place be met and
camped with Daniel Kennison, a
carrier on the same line, running from
Sunset Crossing to Arnold's Ranch,
on Beaver Creek. On Friday, the
5th inst, just at daybreak, these
mail-carriers, while sleeping, a. they
usually did, about sixty yards apart,
were attacked by Indians, Kennison,
At the FIRST fire, being shot through
the left hand. The firing aroused
Dorm, who Immediately returned ERE
upon the savages. Kennison, though
wounded, assisted to keep the In
dams at bay. After one-half an
hours fighting, Kenniscn received
three other wounds in the body,
which completely disabled him from
active participation in farther as
sault; but as he lay upon the ground,
held his gun in readiness in case
charge vas made bv the Indians. In
about an hour after the first attack,
Dorm got good sight on one Of the
Indians, and sent ball through his
brain, killing him instantly. This
shot had demoralizing effect on the
Indians, and they retreated to safer
distance, though they kept a con-
tinuous FIRE on the two mail carriers.
One Of the Indians had crawled up
to the mail-wagon and took there
from the mail bag and an Ak. As he
was making off with his booty he
was discovered by Dorm, who imme-
diately gave chase and fired so close
" to him that he was compelled to
drop it to save his life. Dorm, after
recovering the mail and Ak, returned
10 the wagon, determined to defend
himself till the last shot was fred.
Having placed his wounded com.
panion in the most sheltered place
within his reach, he prepared himself
us we'll as he could to stand the siege.
All that day the Indians were in
sight, sending occasional bullets into
his camp.
When night came the firing ceased,
but not the vigilance Of Dorm. That
night was given to the guarding Of
and minstration to his suffering com
panion. Salve for his fearful wounds
was taken from the cans Of axle
grease, which was the only remedial
agent at hand. The long night was
passed, and Saturday morning at
break Of day the Indians were seen
in force on the hills overlooking the
camp. Dorm, who hadn't tasted food
since Thursday night, now began to
study up the chances of escape. He
had saved his mules and his wagon,
with all the property committed to
his care--now he had the additional
care Of his helpless friend, and must
make an effort to save him from the
bloody scalping- knife of the savage.
There he could stay no longer; with
out food h. knew he would soon be
overpowered, so he set his life on
the hazard of the road, and deter
mined to reach Fort Winga,e If pos
sible. At ten o'clock on the morning
Of the 9Th, he placed the wounded
Kennisan in the wagon, hitched on
his mules, and started east, in the
presence of his tormentors. Onward
he urged his animals, with his eyes
ever on the lookout for attack, and
ever and anon would the whizzing
bullets pass close to his hurrying
team; occasionally he would place
the reins within the pressure of his
knees, and return from his seat the
leaden compliment. For forty miles
did the Indians keep along parallel
with him, fearing, however, to make
close attack, lest another Of their
number should smiie the earth; they
left him just before nightfall to pur-
sue his Journey without further mo-
lestation. All the second sleepless
night did he push forward, OCCASION
ally talking with poor kennison,
whose life then seemed to be fast
flowing from his wounds, and taking
from him such scraps of information
regarding his family as might be Of
interest in case death should result.
Sunday, the 7th, found the heroic
Dorm still urging forward his jaded
animals, and not until the end of the
day and full ninety miles lay between
him and the camp ON Sunset Cross
ing, did he stop to sleep or rest.
This was at Emigrant Springs. At
the fist approach Of day, on Monday,
the 9Th, Dorn made ready to start
for the terminus of his route. OBJ
serving, however, the almost lifeless
condition of his charge, he tarried
till Just as the sun was rising, when
poor Kennison breathed his last.
Dorm did not then forsake his
friends mortal remains, but en-.
veloped his body in blanket for a
winding sheet, and carried it that
day over sixty miles, that he mig ght
assist at its Christian burial. At
seven o'clock in the evening this
funeral in the wilderness arrived, and
the body was exposed to the view Of
the commanding officer of the post,
Capt. J. P. Brown, Fifteenth United
States Infantry, who gave directions
for its care and proper preparation
for interment on the following day"