The New York herald., 1879-10-03

along the road, owing TO the news OF the out
break Fears are felt at many points that all
the Colorado Indians, including the Southern
Utes, will join in this enaeute, which will mean a
most serious Indian war.
MOVEMENTS oF TRAINS
General Merritt pushed the arrangements for
the moving of troops at Cheyenne with great
rapidity. A party of officers left Cheyenne on
the regular noon train westward. A special
train, starting about two o'clock, was made
up of every kind of car that could serve i'll
contingency. Horses and equipments were
loaded inside and groups of soldiers rode on
the top of cattle cars. The overland train
passed trains bearing troops on Wednesday,
two at Cheyenne and one near Sidney, the latter
with reinforcements from Fort MCPHERSON
ARRIVAL OF TROOPS.
Lieutenant Colonel Gilbert reached here this
evening with the following companies of the
Seventh infantry en- route for Rawlins, where
he will be held in case of need d:-COmpany
II, Captain Frean; Company b, Captain Kirt-
land Company E, Captain Clifford Company C,
Lieutenant Quinton; Company X, Lieutenant
Jackson; Company F, Captain Williams, max
ing u total of 24O men. They will leave here
Paul at five o'clock Wednesday evening, under
orders from General Sheridan, instructlng
them to leave at halfpast seven o'clock with
four days rations. Several officers Of the regt-
ment are old Indian fighters. They left Fort
Smelling in charge of eighty new recruits, the
smallest force left at that fort in many years.
EXCITEMENT OVER THE OUTBREAK AT LEAD
| WILLIE.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
| LEADvILLE, Col, Oct. 2, 1879.
| The report of the murder of Indian Agent
Mecker and his family, at the Ute Reservation,
and the surprise and killing of Colonel Thorn
burgh, create great excitement here. Governor
| Pitkin has despatched couriers from this point
to the Eagle River and Bear River districts,
which full of prospectors, to warn them Of
| their danger. General Joe Wilson has been
| notified that the Leadvile militia may be re-
| quired to take the field, and three companies
are holding q meeting at the present hour to
find out what members are prepared to march.
| VIEWS ENTERTAINED AT THE DEPARTMENTS
| FEARS FOR THE AaENT-OBJECT OF THORN
BURGH's MovEMENT-cAUsEs OF THE OUT
BREAK-wHAT THE INDIANS HAVE SUFFERED.
| [BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
| WASHINGTON Oct. a. 1879.
| There has not been o despatch Of any kind
| ceived to-day at the Interior Department and but
at the War Department in reference to the out
break among the Utes. General Sheridan tele
graphed the arrival of General Merritt with 500
at Rawlins this morning 1t is the opinion Of officers
on duty the War Department that Gener al Merritt
| will have no trouble whatever in reaching tho be-
leagured command Of Captain Payne. but the In
dams will long before hs arrives within srik
ing distance. They never known to attack su-
perior force resist it when flight will serve their
purpose best. General Merritt is not expected to
| reach Milk Greek before tomorrow afternoon. A
forced march Of thirty-six hours will bring him IN
the vicinity Of the place where the command of the
late Major Thornburgh is intrenched. When this
party is released the troops will press forward to
tho agency the hope Of finding the white residents
still all alive but there is little doubt OF their
massacre this. These movements will morely
give troops possession OF deserted eagency all
! tho old men, women and children having by this
time been sped upon their journey southward to the
| mountains in the neighborhood Of tho Los Pinos
| reservation.
OBJECT OF rHoRNBuRaH's MOVE.
The object of the Interior Department in calling
| upon the War Department for troops to visit the
White River agency to merely preserve order.
II was thought presence Of several companies of
cavalry would have quieting effect upon -
| minds of the dissatisfied Chiefs. There was
not the slightest intention OF provoking
a hostile feeling in any direction. and the
report that Major Thornburgh refused to order the
men to fire. on the ground that his instructions
were explicitly to the effect not to provoke hostii-
ties confirms tho statement made by the War and
Interior Department authorities that nothing was
| further from the purpose OF Major Thornburgh 8
mission to incte tho Utes to deeds OF violence
THE PEACEFUL INTERIOR DEPARTMENT..
| II will be remembered that when the news OF
Colonel Miles last engagement received in
ington tho Interior Department promptly announced
that Colonel Miles had exceeded his instructions In
| attaching what believed to be peaceable body
| of Indians, and the Secretary Of War was
equally emphatic in regretting tho occurrence.
as calculated to make unpleasant feelings
between the War aud Interior departments Major
| Thornburgh was thoroughly acquainted with the
character of the Indians he was going among. and
| was as well aware anybody Of their treacherous
habits when melted to anger. On the 26th OF Sep
| tember he telegraphed to General Sheridan from
| Bear River, Colorado, as follows:-
| Have met some Ute chiefs here. They seem
friendly, and promise to 60 with me to the agency.
The Utes say they do not understand why have
| come. have tried to explain satisfactorily and do
! not anticipate any trouble.
He did not purpose taking his COM
mand to the agency IL it could be avoided.
such is the repugnance of the Indians to
seeing soldiers about their reservation. and
| he was instructed to be extremely careful to
avoid every sign of coming for any purpose to
awe by the presence of his command the turbulent
| Indians.