Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-10-02
TELEGRAPHIC.
KILLED By INDIANS.
Death of Major 7. 7. Thornburgh.
He is Killed in a Fight With Ute
Indians,
One Hundred and Fifty Miles from
Fort Steele.
Capt. J. Scott Payne Wounded in
two Places, but Not
Seriously.
Ten Men Killed and twenty-five
Wounded. III

The melancholy intelligence reached
the city yesterday afternoon that
Major Thomas T. Thornburgh was
killed last Monday by Ute Indians.
The following brief dispatch an
nounced the sad news.
FORT STEELE, WYOMING TERRI
TORY, October lat, 1879:
" p. Chamberlain
Maj. Thorn burgh's command was
attacked by Utes last Monday.
Thornburgh, with ten men. killed.
The fight was $50 miles from here.
The diepAtch was signed by Maj. T.
s. Webb AID +. ]. Sanford, of the
firm of Sanford, Chamberlain &
Albers, # i. city, Who have been at
Fort Steele several days.
TIE OF ly intofmAti7n Of the expe-
dition against the U es, except the
meagre teIegraphic reports in our ex~
changes, is from a printed letter writ
ten by Hon. J. M. Thornburgh, who
has spent most of the summer with h 8
brother, Maj. Thornburgh, at Fort
Steele, to his wife in this city. Toe
letter is dated September 2Oth. II says:
"The Ute Indians are about 200
miles South of here and are getting
bell gerent and are threatening
trouble. This morning two companies
OF cavalry reached here by railroad.
J. Scott Payne ia in command of one
! of the companies. There is one com
| pany stationed here. These three
companies and one of infantry will
cOmpOse the command that goes o.
the expedition against the Utes."
Maj. Thornbur n, we presume, was
In ommand of the expedition. Capt.
J. Scott Payne, who is mentioned as
being in command of one of the COM
panies, was once a resident of this
city, and was married here to Miss
Lucy Alexander. He is safe, we pre-
sumo, or something would have been
said in the dispatch to the contrary.
The letter.from Hon J. NJ. Thornburgh b
was written a week ago last Saturday,
and the expedition doubtless set out a
day or two later.
Since writing the above we have re-
ceived the following special dispatch
fro n Hon. J. NJ. Thornburgh:
FORT STEELE, w. Y, Oct. l, '79.
Special Dispatch TO tn Chronicle.
Maj. Thornburgh's command OF
three companies of cavalry, fought the
Ute Indians day befole yesterday at
Milk River. The following dispatch
has just been received here: "Msj
T. L. Thornburgh was killed instant
ly while gallantly DIRE citing the moye
ment Of his troops. A more perft CT
gentleman and gallant soldier never
lived. CHERRY, Adjutant."
o her information received states
that J. Scott Payne is wounded in two
places, but hot seriously. Lieutenant
Paddock was also wounded in the hip;
DR.. GrIms was wounded; Adjutaut
Cherry's horse shot aud about ten men
were killed and twenty five woun ed.
About three-fOurths of the horses oil
the command were also killed and
wounded. The troops are in a good
position aud will hold their own IL
Is believed until reinforcements reach
them. General Morrill,, and perhaps
General Crook will go at oDcs to the 1
relief J. NJ. THoRNBURGH.
We are also permitted, through the
courtesy of Mr.. J. c. Duncan, AS o
ciated Press Agen', to use tie follow
ing:
NASHVILLE. TENNp Oct. 7. '79.
To j. O. Duncan, Agt. Asso Press
Information received here show
that tie fight between Msj. Thorn
borgh's command of $50 cavalry anC
from four to five hundred Ute Indian,
on Milk Greek, Colorado, was broughl
about as follows:
Seueral Ute Chiefs had met NJ j
fhornburgh and expressed friendship
out large bodies of Indians were sect
hovering about the command whil,
on the march. Maj. Thornburph wa,
moving with caution, his commant
we'll Ia hand and prepared for the de
fense, the Indians getting thicke
aud boid3r around the command
Rankin, guide and scout, urged NJ aj
Thornburgh TO fire on them, bu
Maj. Thornburgh replied, II hav,
no CT lers to kill them, onl,
| to arr st the leaders of tn,
trouble as they are pointed out b,
the Indian agent. About this time
shot was fired In the rear of the wag q
train. when the Indians attacket
all around. The fighting was des'
perate. The train was promptly
parked, and our troops went into gooe
position, where it is believed they vii
hold out until reinforeements reaches
| them. Mai Thnrnhuroh was kIIled