Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1872-06-08 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

ATTACKED BY INDIANS. —The San Antonio (Texas) Herald contain the following story:—ln our Wednesday's issue we referred to the rumour of a train being captured by Indians, and that a party sent in pursuit, Lieut. Vinson in command, had resulted in the wounding of that officer and the abandonment of the pursuit—this was given on authority to Messrs Adams, Wicks, and Co., which ' said: About eight days since, while encamped at the Howard Springs, on the El Paso Road, 150 miles above this place, a train of wagons and about 15 persons were attacked by GO redskins, six or eight deserters, negro soldiers, and seven Mexicans. It was about ltl noon. Some of the men were cooking, some lolling in the pleasant shade, others attending to the various duties, and all in a state of lazy carelessness, when, like a thunderbolt, the fiendish yell of the savages deadened every heart with terror. Before the panic-stricken teamsters could collect their scattered thoughts and arms, the Indians had ridden among them and secured all but two. After having thus secured the now despairing teamsters they proceeded to pillage the contents of the wagon. They, to their great delight, found a quantity of United States Arms and ammunition, which they appropriated to their own use. They took a few articles of merchandise, with which the wagons were principally loaded, for the use of their sable recruits and Mexicans. They then rolled the wagons together, carefully tied their victims under the wagons, piled wood around, and set fire to the pile. They remained with a diabolical stolidity till the death throes of the tortured teamsters ceased to greet their ears, then they deliberately collected their mules and spoils with the dignified air of conquerors. By the mail of yesterday we received communications from several correspondents at Fort Clark giving the details in all their horrors, and we can in truth say that never in the long life we have spent on the Texan frontier have we any recollection of anything equalling in atrocity these barbarous murders at Howard's Well—nine ' persons burned at the stake. And this atrocity can only be attributed to the greater savageness of their n(w allies—the black troops. From our correspondence we are told that the negro troops behaved badly; that the officers (white) gall yutly led them, but that while rapidly in pursuit, Captain Crtney's he rse fell and disabled him. Of Lieutenant Vinson we cannot do better than quote from a letter before us :—" General Merritt, horror-struck at the catastrophe he witnessed, ordered instant pursuit, which was maintained with animationeuntil, on overtaking • them, Lieutenant Vinson, being in the advance, fell, but most gallantly, mortally wounded, saying, Tell .all my friends I died in the front.'" The impression from our correspondence is that the loss of Lieutenant Vinson and the miserable failure of the pm suit was probably owing to the negro troops being new troops—recruits. We confess our partialities are in favour of white troops. Now, to complicate our numerous difficulties is the new and most unexpected trouble, the very negroes enlisted and paid for by our (the United States) Government coalescing with the Indians, and making the raids the mode fiendish than the Indians when operating by themselves. That the negro is 'not reliable for the defence of our frontier must, from this terrible disaster, be apparent to the least redeeting person.  AN