Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-14
Library of Congress Gets
Order Book and Record
of Campaign.
FAMOUS SCOUT URGED
NAVAJOS BE HELPED
Fierce Tribesmen Should Be Taught
Civilizations Methods
Slowly, He Said.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

BY 1HOAlAS n. HENRI.
When the United States defeated
Mexico in 1848 and took over large
slice of former Mexican territory, the
Government unexpectedly inherited
lively and picturesque war which lasted
for Is years.
The closing campaign was under the
command of Lieut.. Col. Christopher
Carson of the New Mexico Volunteers,
the celebrated Kit Carson of the Indian
scouts. and his order book has just come
into the possession of the division of
manuscripts of the Library of Congress.
Besides throwing new light on an
obscure bit of American history, Car
sons record of the Navajo War, con-
tanned in his orders and reports, shows
the plainsman to have been an able
statesman. The book is written in
fine. clear handwriting. and gives a
clear, grammatical picture of all the
actions in which the author par
ticipated.
Campaigned Over Desert.
The campaign was conducted in the
desert country of Northern New Mexico
and Southern Colorado. which at that
time was practically unknown to white
men, Carson and his men finally sue
ceeded in rounding up about 5000
Navajos and placing them on reserva-
ton. In his concluding report to Gen.
J. H. Carleton, commanding general of
the territory of New Mexico. the famous
scout summed up the whole 16 years OF
fighting. which ended in the last year
OF the Civil War.
He wrote: Since the first Spanish
settlements were made in this country
a little less than two centurieS-the
Navajo Indians have subjected the
people to a forced tax which swallowed
the fruits of industry. But it was not
alone their property which would satisfy
the Savages. The lives and honor of
their daughters were being continually
sacrificed to these remorselesS savages
and the carrying into captivity of their
innocent children was a common
occurrence.
owing to the strength of this tribe,
which then numbered 10000 or 10000.
and to the fact that they inhabited a
country amounting to one-third of the
whole territory, this country was a
terra incognito, and there is no part Of
the American continent so we'll adj
vantaged by nature for the peculiar
style of warfare waged by these Indians.
1t is not surprising that many power
full campaigns waged against them by
the Spanish governments were barren
of results as to subjugating them.
U. S. Seeks to Curb Attacks.
by the treaty of Guadalupe Hildago
in 1848 this territory became annexed
to the United States The Government
Immediately turned its attention to the
protection of its new citizens. Be-
lieving that the policy pursued with
other Indian tribes would be effectusl
in keeping the Eavajos at peace. pres
entS and annuities were distributed and
thus a truce was established, to be
broken as soon as want of food again
compelled them to visit the settlements
in their predatory manner. They had
to depend for their subsistence on the
increase of flocks and herds previous
ly stolen from the people. It is not to
be wondered at that the treaty of peace
soon was disregarded and the work of
murder and robbery recommended.
In 1861 the rebellion broke out
and all minor affairs were swallowed in
the major one of preserving the Union.
The troops were recalled from Navajo
country to take part in the struggle,
and hardly had they left the station
when the war whoop Of the relentless
foe snlote the hearing of our peaceful
citizens-the more appalling because
unexpected. They overran the country,
carrying holiness so far as to attack
settlements and towns. carrying CT
stock from before peoples eyes and
numbering citizens even in sight of
their camps. Every town and hamlet
became a fort.
People Strike Back.
"The people were not inert. Several
parties were organized to pursue and
punish the despoilers. In many cases,
I am sorry to say. failure and disaster
attended them"
1t was at this point that the genius
of Carson as an Indian fighter was
enlisted and volunteer regiment
placed at his disposal. The war with
the Nayajos already. according to his
statement, had cost S30.000000 in
money and property and hundreds OF
lives. A typical skirmish of the Navajo
War Is reported as follows:
About four miles farther on Sergt.
Naba sent me information that he OBJ
served several smokes about two miles
ahead. Taking 65 men. / proceeded
cautiously toward the smokes until 1
approached within 200 yards. when
halted a few minutes and deployed my
charge. At this each man went for
ward with cheer. charging the In
dams, who fled in confusion. leaving
their camp behind them and IL women
and children. whom / instantly cap
tured. A rapid and accurate fire was
kept up by my men for about five
minutes on the Indians. who numbered
about 80 warriors. They fingered some
time in the thick underbrush, perhaps
with the view of saving some OF their
women I saw one of the Indians killed
dead and another shot through the
right side. but he succeeded in escaping
through thick underwood. His son. a
little boy of 10 years old. very intelli-
gent. was captured a few minutes
later"
Nayaj0s Were Destitute.
A few days later he wrote: Judging
by their captiyeS, the Navajos are deS-
titute They are almost entirely naked
and had it not been for a good growth
of berries this Summer they must have
been without food of any description.
The dread of being discovered by my
scouting parties prevents them build
ing fires FOR warmth and adds to the
horror of their situation when all the
seventies of the Winter in the noun
tains must be borne by them"
Successful In fighting them. Carson
his Indians and considered
man. After he had rounded up about
3 900 OF them and herded them in
reservation he urged that they be treated
fairly and said: II am confident that i'll
a few years they can be made source
of wealth TO the territory instead OF It's
In the une2plored territory In which
the campaign was fought, Carson dis
covered relies of an old civilization
which he attributed to the teaching or
the Indians oy the Spanish misS-on-