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Show OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY a pray el a had BOtsetse LET EL PEE PT ns Rf summer time wandered to the east in search of buffalo upon the plains. These Indians were nominally at peace with the people of New Mexico, but it was their custom, whenever they had the advantage, to lay the hunters and traders who happened to fall in with their scouting parties under severe contributions, and on some oc¢asions to subject them to violence. A prominent Mexican officer, Don Juan Andrés Archuleta, happened at one time to fall into the clutches of a party of Utes and was fearfully assaulted and whipped by the Indians, and so feeble was the Mexican government that . a Ps a Ps Cs ar ur Oe Re os Seere eae — eT et ee te it never dared to resent the outrage, In the summer of 1837, a small party of Shawnees fell in with a large band of Ute Ind ians south of the Arkansas, on the northern confines of New Mexi co. At first they were received with every demonstration of frie ndshi P, but the Utes, noting the small number of their Visitors, very soon concluded to relieve them of their surplus property. The Sha wnees, however, much to the surprise of the marauders, instead of quiet] y Surrendering their goods and chattels, offered to defend them, upon which a skirmish ensued which cost the Utes several of their men, including their chief while the Shawneés oe ee ® de eh A oe es 2 A #. ¢@~% ~# eek ae tr made good their escape to their eastern homes, 39 Gregg, Josiah, Commerce of the Prairies, i, p. 299. D ee a =< Shae FACTS habit of spending their winters in the vicinity of Taos and in the * on LEADING can force, composed of a small detachment of regulars and the local militia. The Mexicans were soon completely routed and chased into the streets of the town, suffering a loss of thirty-three killed and many wounded. The savages bore away their dead and wounded, of which there were only six or seven. Gregg, who happened to be in the vicinity on the day following the fight, says that the utmost consternation prevailed among the inhabitants, who were hourly in expectation of another raid from the Savages. Many schemes were devised from time to time to check these horrible outrages, but with poor success. A regular price was paid for the scalp or ears of the hostiles, and it was customary, during the time of Manuel Armijo, to decorate the walls of the executive office in the old palace with these barbarous trophies of battles with the Indians.*° One of the most extensive Indian tribes, living partly in New Mexico, was the Ute. Large numbers of these Indians were in the es eaere Veetree pO ~— 48 Prominent ) % l. Gov. Officers, Military 2 Charles Bent: 4. Gen. Edwin c aries eye and Civil, of the American pation Period me s / 2. Gov. Donaciano Vigil. 3. Gen. Vose Sumner. 5. Gen. Alexander ° 7? ° € a Occu I« ie Stephen W. Kearny. W. Doniphan YY AY oe te “= |