INDIAN AND ARMY NEWS.
Items from Salt Lake City— Minnecongu Indians Prowling About- Party of Merchants— Mr. Grow, of New York— Swift- Wind, the Indian who saved the life of Private Cuddy— Buffalo Robes— Returning Emigrants.
Correspondence of the Pittsburgh Union.
FORT LARAMIE, N. T., June 19, 1855.
Mr. Keenan:— A mail party which left Salt Lake City on the 7th inst., arrived at this post this morning. This party will not start back un-til the arrival of the mail from Independence, which is expected to reach this post on the 21st : inst., with the escort which went down to Ash Hollow on the 13th inst. Instead of starting a party, as heretofore, from each end of the route to proceed through, it is now contemplated to have the parties meet about this place, exchange mails and return to their place of starting, which will keep each party on its half of the route, with which they will soon become thoroughly ac- quainted, and be able to select the most favorable encampments for grass, wood and water, and make the best time. The mail party gives the following items of news from Salt Lake City and valley, viz: The Utah Delegate, Dr. Bernheisel, reached the City from Washington on the 5th inst. Grass-hoppers were abundant in the valley, and bid fair to des-troy vegetation. Times were hard, and business dull at Salt Lake City. By this party I learned that Mr. John Richards, a trader at the bridge, 120 miles above, on the Platte river, lost 30 head of horses and mules quite recently. These ani-mals were stolen by Indians who left him but a single animal, which he had with him— away from home. There is at present a party of six Minnecongu Indians, prowling about the country with the avowed intention of borrowing some good horses to ride, as they are on foot, the weather warm, and they are many miles from home. These In-dians belonged to a war party of twelve from the Upper Missouri. Six of the party took the 13 head of horses mentioned in a previous letter, as missing from the trading post of Messrs. Ward & Guerrier, nine miles above this place, on the Platte. These and 19 lost before make 32 head taken from W. & G. On the 13th inst., a party of merchants from Salt Lake City passed down and informed us that the troops had left Utah, and that Mr. Read, formerly from your city or State, had succeeded in overtaking them and would accompany them to Benicia, California. On the 15th inst., A. Grow reached this place with two children, and represented him- self and children as being destitute of food and funds. Grow states that a man by the name of Grigsby had stolen his (Grow's) daugh-ter, quite a child, and started with her to Califor-nia, and had actually proceeded on his journey as far as Fort Kearney, before he could be over-hauled, and the child recovered. Grow repre- sents himself as a lawyer and doctor from the State of New York, and states that he lost his wife by death in Illinois. Whirlwind, a good and influential Ogallallah, died on the 10th inst., near the Platte Bridge, and Swift- Wind, a Brulee, (who saved the life of pri-vate Cuddy, who was wounded at the Gratton massacre in August last) represents himself in a destitute condition, and in fear of being killed by the band to which he formerly belonged. He is now, with about 15 lodges, encamped on Raw-Hide; and is threatened by his old companions for saving the soldier's life. He wants ammuni-tion to kill small game upon, which he has to subsist in consequence of the fear of being killed should he go after Buffalo, which are constantly followed by those hostile to him. His foes have killed one horse for him, and taunt him with the remark that, although he saved the life of a white man, he dare not go to the garrison for protec-tion or for aid: for, if he did, he would be shot down as quick as any other Brulee, who it was known had participated in the massacre of Lieut. Gratton and party. When Gen. Harney reaches this section of the country, it is to be hoped that he will take this Indian under his protection, or into his service as guide, or in some way com pensate him for his friendly feeling and his bravery in saving the life of a white man— over whom he stood as sentinel; and, while so doing, told told those Indians that he (Swift-Wind) must be killed first, for he intended to defend the wounded white man. From what I have heard, I think the following statement embraces about all the Buffalo robes traded for in this section, during the past season, viz : Gratiot had about - - 260 packs. Drips & Machette, - - - 70 do Beauvaix & Robidoux, - 200 do Bissounette, - - - 209 do Jott, - - - 10 do Ward & Guerrier, - - - 632 do Total, - - - 1,372 packs. Which, at ten robes to each pack, gives 13,720, as the amount for the Platte river trade. RANGIER. P.S.- From the Deseret News, I learn that a small party of packers arrived at Salt Lake City on the 4th inst., from California en route to the States. They report 50 more returning emigrants between Salt Lake City and Ogden, and that from 600 to 1,000 will return home by the overland route this season, and a very large number byway the Isthmus. Hard times in California, is said to be the reason for this reflux movement. R.
