Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress with the Annual Message of the President, December 2, 1872, Part I
No. 339.
Mr. Hunter to Mr. Nelson.
Washington, August 13, 1872.
Sir: A copy of a letter is herewith inclosed for your information, addressed by the Secretary of War to the Secretary of State on the 7th instant, and transmitting the reports of Major G. W. Schofield in relation to the Howard’s Well massacre.
I am, &c,
Acting Secretary.
P. S.—Since the above was written a further communication in relation to the Howard’s Well massacre has been received from the Secretary of War, under date of the 10th instant, and is herewith inclosed.
Mr. Belknap to Mr. Fish.
Sir: In connection with copies of papers relative to the Howard’s Well massacre, transmitted to you in communication from this Department of May 22 and July 19, 1872, I have the honor to send you herewith copy of a letter from Major G. W. Schofield, Tenth Cavalry, commanding Fort Hill, Indian Territory, upon the same subject.
Very respectfully, &c,
Secretary of War.
July 6, 1872. (Received August 9.)
Sir: * * * * * *
The Cheyennes referred to as just in from the Kiowa camps, confirm the report of three captive children in the hands of White Horse, of Big Bow’s band of Kio-was, but they represent one of them as being a girl, nearly grown to womanhood. They also confirm the report (not previously alluded to, because not considered reliable) that Big Bow and his band were alone engaged in the massacre at Howard’s Well. They say that Big Bow’s story is, that he captured a train and burned it, killing seventeen persons, and lost one Indian, killed. Was followed by black soldiers and attacked, and that he killed two of the soldiers, and then returned to his lodges in the Indian Territory.
It is possible that the young woman said to be with this band is the one missing from the party massacred at Howard’s Well.
* * * * * * *
Very respectfully, &c,
Major, Tenth Cavalry, Commanding Post.
The Acting Assistant
Adjutant-General,
Department of
Texas, San Antonio, Texas.
July 20, 1872.
Sir: Since my last communication, additional information has been received from the Indians of this reservation in regard to the Howard’s Well massacre, the killing of the Lee family, and carrying off of two of its children, and the capture of a train, and [Page 451] the killing of nine persons on Salt Creek, between Fort Richardson and old Fort Belknap. This latter is not confirmed, and is discredited. We now have no doubt as to who was engaged in the Howard’s Well massacre, and in the killing of a portion and carrying off of the remainder of the Lee family: Kiowas, with a few Comanches, and probably one or two colored men, (one of them supposed to be a deserter from the Tenth Cavalry, who is known to be with the Kiowas,) and some Mexicans, who are really Kiowas. All of the bands, both of Kiowas and Comanches, have a number of Mexicans, generally brought up as Indians, having been captured when children.
The Indians describe the train, the number of persons killed, the burning of the train, the tying up of the Mexicans to the wagons and burning them, the pursuit by soldiers, and the killing of a captain and one soldier. They say that the train contained a “big lot of arms and ammunition,” and that they got “plenty of guns and cartridges.” These stories come to us from the Comanches, Cheyennes, and Caddoes, and they all agree, except that some report nineteen and some as high as thirty persons killed.
Very respectfully, &c.,
Major, Tenth Cavalry, Commanding Post.
Acting Assistant
Adjutant-General,
Department of
Texas, San Antonio, Texas.
San Antonio, July 19, 1872.
Respectfully forwarded to headquarters Military Division of the Missouri, for the information of the Lieutenant-General commanding.
Brigadier-General Commanding.
Chicago, Illinois, July 29, 1872.
Official copy respectfully forwarded to the Adjutant-General of the Army for his information.
Assistant Adjutant-General.
Washington, August 2, 1872.
Official copy:
Adjutant-General.
The Honorable the Secretary of State.
Mr. Belknap to Mr. Fish,
Sir: In connection with the report of the massacre and destruction of property at Howard’s Well by Indians, Mexicans, and negroes, transmitted to you on the 22d of May last, I have the honor to invite your attention to the inclosed copy of the correspondence of one Moses E. Kelly, which embraces additional information on the subject.
Respectfully yours, &c,
Secretary of War.
Dear Sir: I arrived here a week ago, and had arranged my business so as to go to Davis this coming week, to stay for some time. I did not pass by Davis on my return, [Page 452] but came direct from Stockton. I delivered your dispatch to Hagelseib, but don’t know what disposition he intends to make.
I have made all inquiries I can about these Indians, but haven’t any positive evidence that they were engaged in the Howard Well affair. They have probably left again by this time “on the war-path.”
The governor of Chihuahua gave up the wife of Chief Colorado on the condition that he would make war on Gordo’s gang, but he kept the mother of Colorado and one of his sons, as hostages of his good faith.
I saw Colorado three days ago, and asked him what he intended to do and where he was going. His reply was, “To hunt Gordo.” I haven’t seen any of them for the last two days, which makes me think the whole gang has left. I will make further inquiries as to their being the gang that attacked Gonzalez. The general impression here is that a fellow-chief, Alzarte, and part of Colorado’s gang, were the Indians. The person reported to be a Mexican, from this place, who was with the attacking party, was an Indian, who left the Mescaleros some years ago, and resided at this place in peace, but disappeared some two years ago, and the general impression was that the Indians had killed him. His name was “José Maria Vesoi.”
We have word half hour ago from Chihuahua. The whole country is in an uproar. The revolutionists, about fifteen hundred strong, are in Parral, and marching on to Chihuahua. The United States consul has called on Colonel Andrews for protection of American citizens. The general impression is that everybody will be plundered, and many are making their escape to El Paso and this place, bringing with them what they can. Unless the revolutionists are greatly overestimated, the government party will not make a stand. In this case our burg will have a call, and we can expect lively times. Hagelseib has a large lot of goods on hand for merchants of Chihuahua, and they all write not to send them, and some fifteen put them back over the river to the Texas side.
I think probably that I will have a lot of Mexican officials to accompany me to Davis for safe-keeping, and probably the custom-house funds to guard. I feel a little interested in what Colonel Andrews” will do in response to United States consul’s call. Let me know what General Augur thinks of extending the required protection, and the general aspect of affairs at Monterey.
Yours, &c.,
H. B. Adams, Esq.,
San Antonio.
July 15, 1872.
Dear Sir: Yours of the 8th instant came yesterday, and contents noted.
I could get no further information (positive) relative to those Indians. They left on the war-path about the day I wrote you last, and have come into Texas again. They offered no arms or mules for sale, nor had they any buck-skins, or anything to trade, and but very few came into town. I should have gone to their camp, some sixty miles below Del Norte, had they not put off so soon after my return from San Antonio. I informed Colonel Bliss, at Stockton, of their leaving, at his request, and send him a couple of guides to-morrow to cut their trail. They were undoubtedly near Howard’s Well again, and were the same party, in company with a chief, Alzarte, who fought General Merritt.
* * * * * * *
Yours, truly,
H. B. Adams, Esq.,
San Antonio.
San Antonio, July 23, 1872.
Respectfully forwarded to the Adjutant-General United States Army, through division headquarters.
These two letters contain all the information I have been able to get from Del Norte concerning the Indians said to have been engaged in the Howard’s Well massacre.
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
Chicago, August 2, 1872.
Respectfully forwarded to the Adjutant-General of the Army.
In the absence of the Lieutenant-General commanding.
Assistant Adjutant-General.
Washington, August 7, 1872.
Official copies:
Adjutant-General.
The Honorable the Secretary of State.