New-York tribune., 1879-02-03
BLUNDERING And BLOODSHED.

The following request from NewEngland merits
attention:
TO the Edftor Of The Trf6rne.
SIR Allow me to express the hope thai TIE TRIBUNE,
tti1t Of the Cheyennes by our soiir r. II Captain
H. w. Vessels aud his men aie uniusy charged, let
the country know IT, II Bu al1a9 airocy has been
peIpctratcd within our own borders, let us Know that.
HdOrc. ". H., Jan 30, 1879 sP L.
This IS one Of the most narrowing incidents in the
annals of Indian warfare in the Far West Our re-
ctal is based upon the general press dispatches and
the most trustworthy special correspondence which
has fallen under our eyes. The "exact facts can
not be learned until the official reports are received
and the military investigation is closed.
These Cheyenne braves were outlaws who had
broken away from their reservation in the Indian
Territory and had set out for their former hunting
ground. committing murders and atrocities on the
way. For ten weeks they had been confined
in barracks at Camp Robinson, Ncb. Early
in January. Captain Vessels informed them
that the Government had decided TO
Il them back TO the Indian Territory.
q SAID that they would rather die where they
were than 90 back and starvc. One of their chiefs
refused to prepare for the Varch and made so
desperate a resistance that he was put i'll irons.
Captain Wess lis, tho rumor runs, resolved to
starye and freeze them into submission. For five
they would not. They even refused to send the
women aud children to the barracks to be-
fed. Men, women and children starved and
shy"red together This may be "a cheap
way Of enforcing the policy Of the Government. II
certainly did not work well in this instance. The
prisoners made preparations first for defence and
subsequently for flight. They tore up the boards of
the floor and threw up brcastwork of earth I, pro-
tcct thcm,elT,- against attack through the VIII
dDw-. Oncnight when the camp was drowsy and the
darkness wa intense they escaped from the prson
lt l. charged that Captain Vessels had been warned
that a sortlc wOud be made at night but regarded
il = silly threat Certainly the guard which sur
rounded this barn wherein 100 starving Indians
were confined was a very weak one. There were
five companies in camp and yet Ouy twemty-s
men were left on guard. The soldiers turned
ont of their quarters IN hot haste, and
taruty-onc Indians were killed by random
firing. Nineteen mon and thirteen women and
children had made good their escape Not
long aftcrward they wee hunted down. about forty
miles from camp and 100 men were brought into
action against them. They would not surrender
They had determined TO die in the PIT thcy had
dug ra her than 20 back to the Indian Territory
A. the companies advanced the amuInnItion
of the warriors gave ont; yet they dloncd
their war song, branGshcd their knives. and
held their ground. One fell after another. Al
last when the smoke cleared away there were
twenty-thrrc bodies in the pit and nine wounded
souaws OF the forty nine warrior, confined in the
harrach only nino remained alive. the rest had
carried Their point. They are all dead, but they
will not go back to the Indian Territory and
starye.
Now. however heroic nav have been their de-