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NEW TEACKS IN NOETH AMEEICA. 



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to within twenty-five miles of Salina, and killed three Germa; 

 farmers, wlio had that spring settled in tlie valley of tli 



Solomon. 



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As we advanced, every stage or train from the "West (the 

 were however becoming few) told the same tale. On th^ 

 12th, the stage horses at Hanshaw's Eanche were drive: 

 off ; lingo Wells Station was attacked ; and the mnles of 

 Mexican train on another part of the road were stampeded. 



On Saturday, the 14th, as we neared Fort Hayes, we mejt 

 the overland mail-coach from Denver: the passengers ha 



been obliged to 



fight their way tlu'ough, and 



had 



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cceded in running the gauntlet, with the loss of one soldi e 

 killed and one civilian wounded. They had been attacked b 

 twenty-five warriors, on the llth, near Big Timbers. Hopin 

 that the Indians only desired plunder, they threw some of t 

 baggage from the coach, and then started their horses oflp at 

 gallop, while the half-dozen soldiers on the roof, who acted a|^ 

 escort, kept up a brisk fire. In this way they reached th 

 next stage station. 



The coach was riddled with bullets and spattered witj 

 blood; so that I was not a little surprised at the remark of t 

 '4ady'' passenger inside, who, in answer to our sympath 

 said, ^-She had not been much frightened." I remembere 

 however, that we were in Kansas. 



Sunday, the 15th, -^as passed at Fort Hayes. We founfv 

 the garrison nearly all under canvas ; for, as I mention 

 before, the storm of the 7th had completely flooded the mise 

 able collection of log-huts which were known by that nam* 

 Here we left our temporary guard of two dozen dark 

 Boldiers, and met our regular escort, a company of the IW 

 United States Cavalry, numbering about fifty, under the co^^' 

 mand of Captain Barnitz, an officer in whose pleasant socio 



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