, 1883-09-15
A Red Indian Revenge Raid.
A TRUE STORY.

Before begin to describe this ter
rible, but ! am happy to say, very
rare episode of frontier life, l ought
to tell you what an "Indian Re,
venge" means.
1t is the attack upon the Indian,
by the settlers, who have had theil
homes destroyed and their familie,
massacred or worse, by the "nOblt
red man ~
The Indians, as perhaps some Of
my readers know, frequently break
out Of the territory reserved for them
where they have remained quietly
all the winter, and during the sum.
mer, skulk about the nearest settle.
ments, steal horses il they can get
the chance, but otherwise not mOlest.
ing the rancho men, again returning
to their reservations when the wealth.
er begins to get cold.
But once, every few years, a sort
Of frenzy scizes them, in consequence
Of the extortions Of the government
and the encroachments Of enterpris-
ing white settlers and then party
Of braves will stcalthily creep roudd
the ranches, and the misernhle stock
man wakes up some night to be
scalped and murdered, or worse, to
see his family outraged and killed
before his eyes, and himself after
ward tortured in way that dcfies
description.
Our settlement, situated in the
most northern portion Of New Mex-
leo, was considered one Of the most
unassailable and safe in that part OF
the country. To a stranger this
would have seemed peculiar, as there
were fewer people than in many OF
the districts further south, where
men turned pale at the mention Of
an Indian raid, while we received
the news with sublime indifference.
The reason was not hard to find,
however. Living among us as peace
able citizens, were men, who, in
davs gone by, had been noted des-
peradOes and Indian fighters and II
is a well known fact among western
men, that the Indians dread-and
with good reasOn-a man who has
fought against them, and who knows
their ways, more than twenty mex
perienced hands. But that was a
terrible summer. In a settlement
south Of US two hundred families
were massacrcd in a few months.
Troops were sent by government to
drive the Indians out, but as usual
could never find them, or when they
did, they were taken at a disadvant-
age and obliged to retreat.
Even tre got anxious and did not
breathe freely until November began
to draw to a close, and we were ex-
pecting day by day that the winter
would set in.
Never within the memory Of the
oldest frOntiersman had Indians re-
mained so far south during the win
ter. So by Christmas they were a
thing Of the past, and the public
mind was filed with excitementcOn-
cerning a great meeting of stock
men, to be held at a town thirty
five miles north, on the first Of JAN
uary.
Nearly every one was going to this
meeting and all the men were con-
graduating themselves upon the un-
precedentedly mild weather, which
enabled them to leave their sheep
and cattle with light hearts under
the charge Of a few boys.
1t was in the afternoon following
the departure Of the stOckmen, the
3lst Of December, /, then lad Of II,
was herding sheep, camped by my
self in a little hut mile from the
home-ranche. II was getting rather
late and l was beginning to think
with much satisfaction Of the supper
OF JUICY mutton chops that l would
devOur in a short time, when saw,
afar upon the prairie, a black dot,
that soon developed into man on
horseback coming toward me at full
gallop. As he approached saw that
he had no hat, and though his horse
was going at headlOng pace, he was
urging 1t furiously with both whip
and spur. In another minute he was
close to me, and Recognized ayoung
fellow, Ad. Stafford by name, who
lived at a rancho about ten miles
from us.
"What's the matter, Ad. ?"
shouted, as he came laundering up,
with difficulty pulling in as he
reached me.
"AIatter % he cried. "Why the
Indians were left after all. They
have just burned ten ranches, killing
every man they came across, but
carrying off the women alive. They
won't go any distance, however, to.
Cd