Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1879-11-08
WHAT INDIAN WARFARE MEANS
SAVAGE BRUTALITY OF THE NEW
MEXICO INDIANS.

The following is a copy Of q letter
addressed to John L. Sears, Jeffer-
son City, Missouri:
MEs1LLA, New Mexico October l6,
1879.
Our party has just returned. The
Indians have gone to the Florida
Mountains, to Old Mexico. We were
Oh the road four days and nights.
Found Jones' body and sent it home.
| Twas one of the first to ride upon it,
and was the most terrible sights you
can imagine. Also found the others
who were murdered with him. They
had their scalps taken off in some
cases; in others, eyes, noses, fingers,
toes, etc, were cut off and stuck in
the dead mems mouths and eye sock
cts. Before we got to that party,
though, we had buried eleven other
bodies who were murdered on the
same day by the same party. They
were Mexicans, coming here from
Silver City. The Indians took them
by surprise, and murdered the whole
train. They also killed all the oxen,
some twenty-five in number. About
100 yards on this side of that train
they had plundered another one, de-
stroying wagons and cargoes. The
only thing they took from the train
was coffee, sugar and whisky. They
cut the flour sacks and scattered -four
on the plains, throwing sand in it 50
that it could not he used. l rode
down to one cart to see if there were
any bodies. When l got within a
hundred yards l saw a Mexican sitting
bolt upright on the seat thought at
first he was alive, but as he did not
stir / went closer, and there he was
dead and stiff, with a bullet hole
through his forehead and both eyes
cut out and lying by his side. Some
of the cattle only had their legs cut
off to die from thirst and starvation.
We killed them with our six-shooters.
A few dogs were at the train with all
their toes cut off, starving to death.
We piled the mens' bodies together
on the plains, and heaped rocks on
them for grave. Then we went to
Lloyd's ranch, passing by plundered
trains, dead horses and cattle all the
way. But at Lloyd's was the worse
place; seven bodies were found and
buried; every living thing was killed;
horses, chickens, dogs, oxen, cows,
burrows and men the ranch was bur-
ned. 1counted sixty one dead cattle
before ] got tired; 16O head were ly-
ing dead on the plains all round us,
not including hogs, horses, etc. Then
we saw $50 head of fine Merino rams
dead in a corral, so think you couldn't
walk without stepping on them.
tell you Of many things we saw, the
work of the Indians, if were not SO
completely "played out" Have
travelled $50 miles on horseback,
night and day, over all kinds of coun-
try.
! l thought at one time we had
struck the Indians and would have
to fight. In fact everyone thought
SO, and our captain made us dis
mount and get everything ready for
the fight. We were passing along a
mountain where the Apaches had
killed some men the day before.
And then we saw their tents, early
in the morning and started for the
Floritas. On top Of the mountain we
found their dried beef and hides.
They will probably return in a week.
When we were Mt Mason's Ranch
we could see their signal fires on the
mountains. A light would flash up
for moment, and then go out. This
would..be answered by q light from
another place, and 80 on. We could
have whipped one hundred Of their
braves if they had jumped us. They
would have got some of us, but
wouldn't have won the fight.
hope ! will never have to 90 on
another scout. l have had enough,
and seen all | care to see. Unles YOU
see with your own eyes what blood
thirsty devils they are, you will
never belive what you hear.
Have not had anything to eat but
raw bacon for four days. You would
never know how good it was until
You get out on the plains where not
a thing is in sight but coyotes and a
rifle ball can't catch them.
Yours, H. G. Boon.
/ Wa chou, q .,nl;A;ool Lnn... c..l