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Show Goshute T H E N AVAJ O S 5 1 W E S H A L L R E M A I N : U TA H I N D I A N C U R R I C U L U M G U I D E New York Times, Sept. 21, 1863, p. 9. The following newspaper stories contain highly inflammatory and racially charged language and attitudes regarding the Navajos. Such language was, unfortunately, common in that time period, but it is entirely inappropriate today. It does, however, suggest the historic extent of bias against Indian peoples. THE CARSON EXPEDITION - DEPREDATIONS OF THE NAVAJOES We learn from the Santa Fe papers that at last accounts from the Navajo country, Col. Car-son's expedition was making good progress. While near the Moqui villages, in the western part of the Territory, he encountered a band of Navajos, killing twelve men, and capturing thirty women and children; also three hun-dred horses and a large flock of sheep. After the battle, Koneatchs, the Utah Chief, and the men left Col. Carson, and arrived at Fort Defiance, (now Ford Canby,) on the 15th ult. He claimed that he and his Utes, having done the killing and capturing, were entitled to the horses, &c. and said that Col. Carson having refused to let him have them, he concluded to leave and go home. However valuable these people may be as guides and spies, it is not to be presumed that Col. Carson would allow them to dictate to him the terms upon which the prisoners and stock captured should be disposed of. The command was in pursuit of another party of Indians when the Ute Chief left. It is sup-posed that the larger part of the Navajos are in the country where Col. Carson is operat-ing. In the more southern portion of the Territory the Navajos occasionally make their appear-ance with booty stolen from the settlements. These occasions give rise to exciting pursuits on the part of the volunteers stationed there, which develop and manifest their capacity and fitness for Indian fighting. We will here direct attention to one of these pursuits, which was conducted by Capt. Henry A. Green, First Infantry, California Volunteers, from Fort McRea on the 8th ult. With a small body of men (twenty in number) mounted on wagon mules, he followed the Indians for five days through a desert country and finally overtook them among the mountains, the numerous cañons of which afforded them opportunities to escape without being drawn into a conflict with the Captain and his men. But the booty was recovered. About 1,600 sheep were recov-ered and returned to Fort Craig. The difficulties in the way of hunting up the enemy in that country (as in all wild country) are, however, very great. As showing this, Maj. Wills reports that with one hundred and thirty men he spent twelve days and traveled two hundred and eight miles, in the direc-tion of Zuni, accomplishing nothing beyond the arrest of a Navajo squaw, though he was satisfied there were bands roving through the region he traversed. The Santa Fe Gazette of the 29th says: "Major Wallen, Inspecter-General of the Department, leaves for Denver City to-day, accompanying his family that far on their way to the East. On the Major's return to Fort Union, he will enter on a tour of inspecting duty from that point to Forts Bascom, Sumner and Stanton to Santa Fe." - St. Louis Republican, 18th. |