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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4302, 5 January 1875, Page 2

In our issue of the 17th ultimo, we gave a brief narrative of the Indian war, on the frontiers of Texas, in which the Federal Government of the United States is engaged, together with an interesting description of the country from the pen of the Acw York Herald's special correspondent. Our latest American exchanges bring us additional nows, which may interest our readers. It appears that after the affair with the Comanches, at the lied River, detailed in our paper of December 17th," the American forces, divided into three columns of attack, closed in upon the Indians, who mustered from 700 to 1000 fighting men, described as ‘ 1 woll- “ armed, determined, ■ desperate war- “ riors.” “We are now in the pan- “ handle of Texas,” writes the war correspondent of the Herald, “ and the “ rascally cut-throats are exiles and re- “ fagees out of their own proper realm, “ and hence the milk and water humani- “ tarians cannot say that the Indian is “ being persecuted or even molested in “ his own abiding place by the violent “ and disturbing hands of the United “ States army.” We have next a detailed narrative of the fighting, subsequent to the date mentioned in our previous article. Major Price, of the Bth Cavalry, belonging to General Miles’ command, was attacked on the Sweetwater, in Indian territory, by about 250 of the Redskins. The troops wore victorious. But a few days subsequently the Indians attacked in force. The baggage train was first arrested on its march at the Canadian river, and the escort was kept busy repelling the Indians who assailed it at all points. It was found necessary to park the train in double columns, and sustain a siege. The firing was kept up till nightfall, when the escort dug riflepits parallel with the train, “ the Indians “ doing the same—the first time they “ were ever known to do this—at about “ 200 yards distance. The firing was re- “ newed at daylight from the rifle pits, “ and continued without intermission for “ three days and nights steadily, and ‘ ‘ every night they advanced their rifle “pits, until they reached within fifty “ yards of the train.” Reinforcements arriving the Indians drew off. The loss of life was not great, but the mules and horses of the train suffered considerably. “ The officers and men defending the “ train were four days without food and “ water, and spent sleepless nights and “ days, during which their sufferings “ were intense and almost entirely ex- “ hausting.” This.will serve to show that “ baokwood’s fighting ” in America is not a perpetual pic-nic, as many persona assume it to be, nor is it without its perils and inconveniences which appear to have been lost sight of, or wholly unknown to scribbling “ braves” during the Maori war. But to proceed. The attacking Indians had previously been “ whipped ” by General Davison, and consisted of three tribes, —Comanches, Kiowas, and Cheyennes, commanded by Lone Star. They were all armed with the latest improved breech-loading rifles, and are “great pots” of the Indian agency, answering to our Native Office. Another engagement took place between General Miles and the Indians in force, in which the artillery did good service and finally dispersed the enemy, who lost a great many lodge-poles—their most valuable species of property as winter approaches. The column under Miles suffered groat privations owing to short rations, but they pulled gallantly through. ( The latest despatch from the Indian Territory Expedition is dated from the Camp on Oasis Crook, October 10, 1874. The following extract will show the result of the operations referred to up to that date : For tlio last week General Milos has had hts headquarters on Oasis Creek, a small rivulet that runs into the Canadian lliver west of Antelope Hills. Hero ho has been waiting for his trains from Camp Supply to bring him enough supplies to enable Lira to move toward the South-west. The troops have been scouting the country around very thoroughly the last two weeks, and have occupied positions on all the rivers from the Wolf, in Indian Territory, to the Washita, in Texas. No Indians have been seen, and they seem to have cleared out of this country. The Cheyennes are still at largo. Santanta and his party, who attacked General Miles' train and was repulsed and so severely injured, have surrendered at their agency, have been disarmed and are held as prisoners, awaiting the action of General Pope. Santanta himself and Pig Tree are now in charge of Colonel Neill, Sixth Cavalry, at ilia Cheyenne Agency. Ho also holds twenty-four lodges of Kiowas, who have surrendered to him. One hundred and four lodges of Kiowas and Comanches. after their fight with ‘Miles’ troops, have also gone In, surrendered, and are now prisoners at Fort Sill, and some twelve Cheyennes. This takes quite a number of the .Kiowas and Comanches out of the field. Finding the country so well covered by troops, and being defeated la every case where they engaged them, these Indians Bucra to have given up all hopes of waging a successful war and have surrendered, it Is to bo hoped that tho

punishment that Santanta and Big Tree so richly deserve may now be dealt out to them without delay, and before the Peace Commissioners have. time to intercede for them and save'their lives a second time. Large amounts of supplies have come, to General Miles the last few days, and all the troops of his command are now moving in all directions to try and capture what is left of the hostile tribes. Colonel Compton, with the first battalion of the Sixth cavalry, moved to-day toward Adobe .Walls, Texas, so as to guard South-western Kansas from any raid in there. Colonel Biddle is moving along Wolf and Commission Creeks. General Miles leaves this place to-day with the Eighth cavalry battalion for the camp on the Washita, and on his arrival there all the troops now encamped there will move forward ; and it is hoped that in a short time the hostile bands that are still opt will bo picked up.