4 OCTOBER 1879, Page 2

The United States have had an Isandlaua of their own.

The Utes, a tribe of Red Indians dwelling on the border between Colorado and Utah, have inflicted a severe loss on the Regular troops. Major Thornburgh, with two hundred and fifty men, had been ordered to prevent some apprehended disturbance on the White River, and on September 29th reached and crossed Mill River. The Utes, who had in the meantime massacred all the whites in the White River Agency, here attacked him, and com- pelled the troops to fight " in laager," as it is called in South Africa. The Indians fired the grass all round the waggons, and, charging in, killed Major Thornburgh, wounded Captain Payne, his second iu command, and killed and wounded thirty-five men.. The troops fought steadily and repulsed the enemy, but were compelled to throw up earth entrenchments and send out a messenger for reinforcements. No aid is nearer than Rawlins, seventy miles off, but there are 500 sol- diers there, and if their commander is not trapped into an amubuscade, he may be in time to relieve the be- leaguered force. The incident, like many others, seems to show that in savage warfare the caution of Regular officers has diminished. They trust too much to the weapons of precision, and the distance to which they can scatter their lead spray.