The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-10-11
THE NEW INDIAN WAR.

At last on Wednesday anxiety was relieved
and authentic news received from the seat OF
the latest Indian outbreak on Mill Creek in
Northwestern Colorado Two cOuriers arrived
on the 9Th at Rawins station from Capt.
Payne's besieged camp, bringing intelligence
up 70 Monday morning. Capt. Payne and his
little army had been closely besieged for six
days, hiding closely during the day IN rifle
pits and behind the wagons and dead ANIMALS
they had hastily thrown up on Monday night
of last week, Immediately after Thornburghs
disaster The Indians occupied the heights
around them and kept up constant fire dur
ing the day, but the only casualties up to Sun.
day had been the loss OF two men. On Sunday
the first help. This consisted of Capt. Dodges
Company of the 9th cavalry (colored), 4G men,
Capt d. had come down Bear river on Friday
night and learning Of Thornburghs fight and
Payne's situation, resolved to 60 to his relief
In approaching Payne's camp the cavalry
were met by the besieging ties, who turned up.
on them with fire so hot that they were com
PEELED to dismount, and in the engagement
lost all their horses but two, but they succeed.
ed in reaching Payncs camp without the loss
of man, and were received with every cX-
preston of Joy.
A few hours later Gen. Merritt, who had
been sent from Rawlins station with large
force numbers not gwen also arrived and the
siege was a. an end. One Of the messengers
who brought the news of Merritt's arrival at
Payne's camp also brought an apocryphal
story of Merritt having met the Utes on the
way and in a hot fight had killed 81 of them,
with no loss on his slde also that after the
fight Merritt had held council with the In
dams under flag Of truce; that most of the
chiefs were ready to surrender, but when the
Indians asked Merritt whether he was going
to the White river agency and he answered in
the affirmative, they then replied that they
would fight to the last man. and retired to the
hills. A brief dispatch from Gen. Merritt
himself, however, from Paync's camp, makes
no mention of this battle and talk" whence
no confidence is placed in the story.
Payne was found in a very critical position
indeed. He had been closely besieged for near
ly six days, the Indians keeping up constant
fire on him during each day, but retiring at
night, SO that the men were enabled each night
to get IN supply Of water for next day and to
draw away some of the dead animals the stencil
from which added greatly to the discomforts
Of their position. Payne's Thornburgh's) loss
up to the arrival of relief was 10 men killed
and 80 wounded. Some of the latter were in
q very bad condition, owing to the command
being without q surgeon or suitable medical
supplies, but these wants ceased with the arri-
val of Gen. Merritt.
Wednesdays dispatches also brought certain
in regard to Father Meeker and
his companions at the White river agency
Brief as the dispatch IL, it is enough to con-
firm the worst fears Two Indians, says the
account entered the agents Office, threw him
on the floor and shot him through the head.
The employees of the agency took refuge in the
building, which was set on fire and the men
shot in attempting to escape. The next near
est agency is that of Los Pinos, to which all
the white women and children in the settle
ments have been sent for safety. Chief Ouray,
Of the Los Pinos agency, reports: mo danger
here. All quiet at this agency"
MISSING Rail- OONIsTS ON Sunday Sent