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Native American Data for Natchitoches Parish
The Centinel (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) December 25, 1805 Page 3
Natchez, Oct. 22, 1805
Extract of a letter from a gentleman at Natchitoches to the editors of the Mississippi Messenger, dated Oct. 6
“A few days ago arrived here, Wm. Lang, John Davis and Jeffe Smith, who came before me, and made oath to the following circumstances, viz. That the deponents,
had been hunting for nine or ten months past up the Red river, in a direct line about three hundred miles above
this place. Their party consisted of Julius Saunders and John Saunders
(his son), Francis M’Keay and the deponents, all of them citizens of the
United States and that they had been successful in hunting, &c. having remitted to this place early the last
summer the proceeds of their hunting and trapping to that time; and that they experienced no accident or molestation
till about the 22d of August, when the Osage Indians stole thirteen out of eighteen of their horses. They were
at that time employed in making some perogues to descend the river as soon as they could and on the 9th of September
they were attached and surprised in their camp by about thirty Osages, who rushed suddenly upon them. The two
Saunders and M’Kay were killed,
and the deponents made their escape into a thick cane brake on a Bayou, a small distance from the camp, where they
secreted themselves till the next morning, when they sat off for the Caddo nation, where they arrived the 6th day
after, and were kindly received. The savages took possession of the remainder of their Horses and all the property
at the camp, consisting to towards ten thousand pound of Tallow, a considerable number of Skins, Arms and Ammunition,
Saddles, Bridles, Blankets, clothing, Camp equipage, tools, traps & X. Amounting in all at a reasonable calculation,
to near three thousand dollars.”
[submitted by Nancy Piper]
The Centinel (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) October 16, 1805
Lexington, Ken. Aug. 30
By a gentleman just arrived from Orleans, information has been received, that a body of Chicksaws, headed by Captain Colbert had made an attack on the Osages,
but were cut down by the latter. This warfare in some measure confirms the various accounts hitherto published,
relative to the hostile intentions of the Indians, east of the Mississippi, towards the Osage nation. Colbert
escaped and has returned home, but Captain Underwood,
a distinguished Chief of the Chickasaws, who was well known in the United States as the traveling companion of
Captain Lewis, the Agent of Indian Affairs, fell in the conflict.
[submitted by Nancy Piper]
The Centinel (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) October 27, 1805 Page 1
Letters by the Hannah, from New Orleans, are to the 20th of October. They continue to state several occurrences,
which lead to a supposition that a state of tranquility cannot be long maintained. The Marquis
De Cass’s Calvo had left New Orleans for Nathitoche, which occasioned
various conjectures. It was very confidently asserted that a very considerable body of cavalry had arrived on
the western frontier, either with a view of crossing thence to the Floridas, or to remain there ready for any sudden
emergency. The frigate Pomona had arrived at Pensacola and landed 400 men. These circumstances, it is added,
very naturally awaken in us strong apprehensions of the continuance of peace. – Phil. Paper.
[submitted by Nancy Piper]
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