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32 - Life and Adventures of Kit Carson by DeWitt C. Peters · Life and Adventures of Kit Carson

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Speaker 1: Section thirty one, chapter seventeen of the Life and Adventures
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Speaker 1: of Kit Carson. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
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Speaker 1: recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
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Speaker 1: to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Dion
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Speaker 1: joins The Life and Adventures of Kit Carson by de
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Speaker 1: Witt C. Peters, Section thirty one, Chapter seventeen, Part three.
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Speaker 1: The word village has many times appeared in our pages,
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Speaker 1: and as it may prove ambiguous to a few of
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Speaker 1: our readers and render them liable to confound its meaning
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Speaker 1: with that of a fixed town, we will here stop
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Speaker 1: and explain its signification. When applied to Indians. An Indian village,
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Speaker 1: as understood in border parlance, comprises the lodges, the women, children,
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Speaker 1: old men, and such movable property as Indians may chance
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Speaker 1: to possess. They are usually found in some safe retreat
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Speaker 1: where the old men, women and children stay while the
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Speaker 1: warriors are in aged following the hunt or warpath. The
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Speaker 1: word has become more generalized since it was first given
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Speaker 1: two stationary camps of the savages, and may now include
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Speaker 1: any band of Indians traveling with their families and property.
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Speaker 1: The village is the home of the red Man, where
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Speaker 1: those persons and things which he most cherishes he tries
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Speaker 1: to keep intact and sacred from the spoiler's hand. It
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Speaker 1: is also where the Indian allows his love, friendship, and
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Speaker 1: all the better feelings of his nature to exhibit themselves.
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Speaker 1: It is where, in early youth he has listened to
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Speaker 1: the legends of his tribe, and where he is taught
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Speaker 1: those lessons and forced to endure those trials which are
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Speaker 1: to prepare his heart in seeking out revenge. It is
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Speaker 1: the place where, as he approaches the age of manhood,
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Speaker 1: he takes those steps which are to make for him
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Speaker 1: the reputation of a daring hunter and brave warrior. Here
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Speaker 1: he first learns to shoot his errors with precision and
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Speaker 1: to handle the lance with dexterity. His boyish feats in horsemanship,
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Speaker 1: which he daily performs in the village, would be witnessed
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Speaker 1: with astonishment by skillful writers. It is here that he
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Speaker 1: runs to welcome his father when he returns, either from
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Speaker 1: the chase or the war path. And while he listens
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Speaker 1: to the marvelous adventures which his sire has encountered, he
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Speaker 1: secretly wishes himself a man so that he can emulate
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Speaker 1: his greatness. In fact, the same feelings exist between parent
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Speaker 1: and child with the Indian race, as with those who
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Speaker 1: boast of being more civilized. Youth and the vigor of
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Speaker 1: manhood are the golden days with the savage. To be
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Speaker 1: doomed to old age is considered by him to be
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Speaker 1: a punishment. When he is no longer able to hunt
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Speaker 1: and seek out his enemy, he loses his desire to live.
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Speaker 1: His life is then considered an encumbrance to camp. The
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Speaker 1: old and infirm, therefore are often willingly deserted that they
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Speaker 1: may the more quickly die. The village is always under
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Speaker 1: the surveillance of men who are past the middle age
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Speaker 1: and who no longer can act out the stirring deeds
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Speaker 1: of the warrior. Their experience renders them capable of giving
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Speaker 1: good advice and attending to the less active affairs of
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Speaker 1: the nation. They hold the power of restraining the rashness
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Speaker 1: and indiscretion of the younger men. Therefore, they are selected
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Speaker 1: to watch over the property of the tribe, while the
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Speaker 1: strong warriors are seeking to provide the dependent portion of
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Speaker 1: the band with food or to revenge their real or
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Speaker 1: imaginary wrongs. Order and good fellowship is made to prevail
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Speaker 1: in these villages somewhat similar to the habits found in
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Speaker 1: civilized communities, For the passions and evil propensities of all
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Speaker 1: men are found to be alike, no matter what differences
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Speaker 1: of education or color exist. We find that the Indian
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Speaker 1: tribes have their wise men, whose voices are heard and
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Speaker 1: heeded on all occasions. When these villages are located, or,
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Speaker 1: to use the soldier phrase, when the Indians go into camp,
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Speaker 1: care is taken that each lodge shall be placed where
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Speaker 1: it will not interfere with the common good. The internal
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Speaker 1: economy of these habitations is arranged on a social system, which,
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Speaker 1: in many respects is commendable. When one person is poor,
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Speaker 1: generally speaking, the whole tribe is found to be so.
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Speaker 1: The herds of horses and mules belonging to the tribe
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Speaker 1: are turned loose in one body, as if they were
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Speaker 1: the property of one man. If game exists in plenty
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Speaker 1: and danger is not apprehended, happiness holds complete sway within
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Speaker 1: these Indian homes. The proverbial caution of the red man
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Speaker 1: rarely allows him to be surprised. Therefore, even in times
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Speaker 1: of peace, he keeps his fleetest horse tied at the
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Speaker 1: door of his lodge, so that he may make haste
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Speaker 1: and collect his property and be away before his enemy
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Speaker 1: can harm him. These favored animals are fed by hand
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Speaker 1: before trusting his body in sleep. Some warrior in whom
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Speaker 1: the tribe reposed the utmost confidence must ascend a neighboring
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Speaker 1: eminence if their chance to be won and examine the
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Speaker 1: country in search of dangers. Parties are always kept out
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Speaker 1: as spies, and at the least appearance of suspicious signs
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Speaker 1: they become easily aroused and vigilant, and if danger really exists,
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Speaker 1: word is immediately sent to their village to be ready
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Speaker 1: to move. This is a homely but literal interpretation of
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Speaker 1: the term Indian village. The reader has seen that the
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Speaker 1: dragoon horses gave out before the fatigues of the march,
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Speaker 1: while the Mexican ponies performed their tasks so admirably and easily.
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Speaker 1: This was a painful subject to contemplate, and one which
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Speaker 1: no man who loves the noble horse could wish to witness.
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Speaker 1: The second time, the dragoon horses reduced to skeletons from starvation,
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Speaker 1: while retaining all their natural spirit, with tottering limbs faithfully
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Speaker 1: tried to perform the labor which their riders seem they
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Speaker 1: asked of them. Long before the arrival of the time
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Speaker 1: when they could no longer support a burden. The soldiers
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Speaker 1: had humanely relieved them from this work and were assisting
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Speaker 1: them by all the means in their power to reach
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Speaker 1: a haven of safety where food, so essential in restoring
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Speaker 1: their sinking powers of life, existed in abundance. As their
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Speaker 1: little remaining strength was leading them, they would exhibit the
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Speaker 1: fact by staggering. Finally breaking down in their hinder legs.
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Speaker 1: They would sink to the ground, but not until they
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Speaker 1: had made the effort to drag themselves along with their
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Speaker 1: fore feet to relieve them from their agonies and prevent
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Speaker 1: their falling into the hands of the Indians. One by one,
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Speaker 1: they were shot. When these horses broke down and began
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Speaker 1: to die off, it was decided to be best to
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Speaker 1: return to Fort Massachusetts in order to recruit, and also
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Speaker 1: to allow the Indians an opportunity to concentrate their forces
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Speaker 1: when another effective blow could be struck against them. On
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Speaker 1: his return, Colonel Fauntleroy met at the designated place Lieutenant Beale,
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Speaker 1: who had managed the affairs entrusted to him very much
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Speaker 1: to his credit. Having once more consolidated his command, Colonel
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Speaker 1: Fauntleroy retired to Fort Massachusetts, which he made for a
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Speaker 1: time his headquarters. Kit Carson, the guide of this expedition,
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Speaker 1: when afterwards, speaking of it, says, during the time our
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Speaker 1: forces were in the field, they were exposed to the
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Speaker 1: utmost intense cold weather I ever remember experiencing. We were
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Speaker 1: overtaken by several severe snowstorms which came near completely using us.
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Speaker 1: Up For the success that had so far attended the
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Speaker 1: labors of this body of soldiers, the greatest amount of
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Speaker 1: praise is due to their leader, who set a noble
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Speaker 1: example to his men during those hours when hardships and
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Speaker 1: trials came thickest upon the command, all eyes were turned
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Speaker 1: to the commander, and as the result proved, with no
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Speaker 1: lack of confidence, Kit carson services were found to be invaluable.
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Speaker 1: His long experience and untiring energy proved to be one
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Speaker 1: of the best anchors of the goodly ship. We should
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Speaker 1: not omit to state, in regard to the severity of
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Speaker 1: the cold, that it was early in the morning, just
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Speaker 1: before the break of day, that the cold was invariably
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Speaker 1: found to be the most intense during this time. It
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Speaker 1: is the greatest wonder that the Mexicans did not perish,
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Speaker 1: for but few of them had more than one blanket
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Speaker 1: as a covering by night, and the remainder were but
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Speaker 1: very little better provided for. When wood was plenty and
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Speaker 1: they were allowed to do so, they made large fires
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Speaker 1: and laid down near to them to attempt sleep. After
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Speaker 1: about one hour thus spent, they were routed out by
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Speaker 1: being nearly frozen, getting into close contact with the fires.
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Speaker 1: They would thaw out, and then were ready to make
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Speaker 1: another endeavor to repeat the sleeping operation. In this manner,
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Speaker 1: they managed to live through each night, and on the
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Speaker 1: following day they were apparently none the worse for wear.
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Speaker 1: A person judging these men as he oftentimes sees them
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Speaker 1: during the summer season basking in the sunlight on the
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Speaker 1: sunny side of their houses in New Mexico, would not
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Speaker 1: for an instant suppose that they could undergo such hardships.
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Speaker 1: And yet they can do so, as the above example
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Speaker 1: sufficiently proves, without allowing one murmur of complaint to escape
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Speaker 1: their lips. With the regulars, who were amply supplied with
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Speaker 1: blankets and buffalo robes, it would appear that they could
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Speaker 1: have obtained sound sleep, but this too proved to be
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Speaker 1: almost an impossibility. The heat of the man's body during
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Speaker 1: the early and warmer part of the night served to
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Speaker 1: melt the icy covering of the mother earth just under him.
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Speaker 1: When the cold increased, this was again frozen, rendering the
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Speaker 1: portion of the body nearest to the ground almost be numbed.
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Speaker 1: By frequently reversing the posture, a little some relief from
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Speaker 1: suffering was attained, but not sufficient to reach a degree
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Speaker 1: which could be called comfortable, or in the least be
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Speaker 1: claimed as desirable. Every member of this expedition can truthfully
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Speaker 1: assert that they have experienced a foretaste of what the
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Speaker 1: first symptoms of freezing to death must be. Finally, the
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Speaker 1: command reached Fort Massachusetts, where, in ease and plenty, the
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Speaker 1: half starved, half frozen, half used up men soon forgot
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Speaker 1: all their troubles and privations. A few weeks spent at
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Speaker 1: the fort acted like a magic charm in recruiting the
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Speaker 1: men and their remaining animals when they were once more
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Speaker 1: in a fit condition and again eager to go on
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Speaker 1: the warpath anxiously desiring to surpass the splendid deeds of
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Speaker 1: their first tramp. At the permanent camp, which was made
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Speaker 1: near Fort Massachusetts, the Mexican volunteers especially enjoyed themselves hugely
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Speaker 1: from privations of various kinds to which they had shown
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Speaker 1: themselves to be well trained, and which consequently affected them
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Speaker 1: but little. They were suddenly placed in a state of
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Speaker 1: comparative comfort and even luxury rarely realized at their own homes,
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Speaker 1: not much else to do beyond guarding their animals and
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Speaker 1: attending to such other minor duties as were required by
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Speaker 1: camp duties. Had not their hardy ponies required the rest
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Speaker 1: that was now being given them, these troops would have
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Speaker 1: been kept in more active service, But as this could
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Speaker 1: not be they were allowed a respite, which they themselves
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Speaker 1: turned into pleasure. Foot races and various athletic games were
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Speaker 1: concocted and played by them, making the time pass merrily
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Speaker 1: by Their discipline and respect for their officers had reached
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Speaker 1: a degree seldom, if ever, attained by volunteer soldiers, and
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Speaker 1: which in many respects could be imitated with advantage by
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Speaker 1: regular troops. But the time soon arrived for the march
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Speaker 1: to be resumed at a council held among the chief officers,
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Speaker 1: it was decided that the best and surest course to
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Speaker 1: be followed would be to divide the forces and send
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Speaker 1: them out in quest of the Indians, as if they
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Speaker 1: were separate commands. Thus it might happen that, being caught
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Speaker 1: between the two, as they were running from danger, they
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Speaker 1: would rush into it and receive chastisement sufficient to answer
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Speaker 1: all purposes. Acting on this plan, Colonel Saint Vrain, with
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Speaker 1: most of volunteers, was ordered to proceed in one direction,
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Speaker 1: while Colonel Fontleroy, with the main division, started in another.
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Speaker 1: While on his route, Colonel Fontleroy traveled close in under
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Speaker 1: the mountains and kept his men as much concealed as possible,
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Speaker 1: making most of his marches by night. He traveled through
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Speaker 1: the Valley of San Louis up to its head. The
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Speaker 1: Valley of San Louis is about one hundred miles in length.
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Speaker 1: Its greatest width is fifty miles on either side. It
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Speaker 1: is bounded by snow capped mountains. The scenery of the
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Speaker 1: valley is very prepossessing, being sure to enchant the eye
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Speaker 1: throughout its entire length. In the south, the valley is
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Speaker 1: continuous with prairie land which extends down as far as
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Speaker 1: the settlement of Rio Colorado. It is well watered by
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Speaker 1: mountain streams and bears the appearance of being an excellent
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Speaker 1: farming district, but the probability is that its climate is
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Speaker 1: too cold for raising crops, and that its true value
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Speaker 1: will be found chiefly to consist in using it for
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Speaker 1: grazing purposes. From time to time, the Indians have reported
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Speaker 1: that it contains gold mines, but there are no authentic
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Speaker 1: proofs that this is a fact. At one time, the
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Speaker 1: Indians succeeded in making the Mexicans converts to the belief
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Speaker 1: in the existence of these mines, as they showed them
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Speaker 1: specimens of gold which they affirmed to have been taken
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Speaker 1: from them. It was agreed that for this valuable information,
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Speaker 1: the presence such as blankets, horses, and guns, should be
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Speaker 1: made to those Indians who had openly proclaimed the good news,
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Speaker 1: provided they could conduct the Mexicans to them. A party
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Speaker 1: was formed and started to explore the valley, but as
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Speaker 1: nothing was afterwards heard of their success, and as many
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Speaker 1: of them to all external appearances were as poor as
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Speaker 1: ever when they returned, it is presumed that they were
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Speaker 1: duped by the Indians. The bottom land of the Rio Grande,
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Speaker 1: which skirts the southern border of the Valley of Sant Luis, is,
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Speaker 1: judging from the luxuriant hay crops which it produces year
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Speaker 1: by year, quite a good farming section, and no doubt
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Speaker 1: ere long the Mexicans will there establish a new settlement
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Speaker 1: and thus practically demonstrate the use to which this beautiful
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Speaker 1: valley can be put. While passing up the Valley of
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Speaker 1: San Luis, Colonel Fauntleroy came to the Punchi Pass. This
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Speaker 1: pass is the main opening through the mountains which bounds
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Speaker 1: the Valley of San Luis on the north. The pass
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Speaker 1: itself is less than half a mile wide, but yet
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Speaker 1: it presents some of the grandest scenery human eyes ever beheld.
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Speaker 1: The mountains on either side are not so lofty as
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Speaker 1: their comperes close by, but they are rubbered and picturesque.
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Speaker 1: Through the pass runs a bold stream, which, at about
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Speaker 1: midway and at this time was obstructed by a beaver
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Speaker 1: dam was so scientifically constructed as immediately to attract the
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Speaker 1: attention of the entire party. Near to this dam, there
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Speaker 1: is a very large hot spring which is located close
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Speaker 1: under the base of one of the mountain sides, and which,
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Speaker 1: under the favorable circumstance of a fine day, lends enchantment
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Speaker 1: to the view. The poonche Pass is but a few
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Speaker 1: miles long and leads into a beautiful little valley called
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Speaker 1: by the Mexicans after the same name which is given
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Speaker 1: to the pass. On arriving at the Poonchee Pass, Colonel
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Speaker 1: Fauntleroy proceeded on through it to the head waters of
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Speaker 1: the Arkansas River, where fortunately a fresh trail made by
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Speaker 1: the Indians was found. This trail was followed with such
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Speaker 1: assiduity and prudence that the camp of some spies belonging
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Speaker 1: to the enemy, and which was in their rear, was
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Speaker 1: passed by the Americans one night without their presence being noticed.
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Speaker 1: Early the ensuing morning, before the break of day, the
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Speaker 1: main village of the Indians was discovered. Its occupants were
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Speaker 1: enjoying a war and scalp dance, and their voices, as
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Speaker 1: engaged in the song which usually accompanies such festivities, could
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Speaker 1: be heard for a distance of at least a mile.
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Speaker 1: Unconscious of danger, they were having a merry time. One
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Speaker 1: could imagine better than can be described the scene that
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Speaker 1: followed when three hundred loaded rifles poured their contents into
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Speaker 1: this crowd. Suffice it to say that among those who
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Speaker 1: survived this terrible retribution the greatest consternation prevailed. But as
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Speaker 1: a durnier resort, they began to fly when they were
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Speaker 1: hotly pursued by the soldiers. Before quitting their late camp,
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Speaker 1: some of the savages had managed to get their own
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Speaker 1: rifles and with them to fire several shots, which did
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Speaker 1: some execution, as two soldiers were killed and two wounded.
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Speaker 1: Thus it will be seen that the main village of
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Speaker 1: these Apaches and Utahs fell into the hands of the Americans.
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Speaker 1: It proved to be rich in plunder, for it contained
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Speaker 1: all their so dock of dried buffalo meat, besides other provisions,
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Speaker 1: also several cartloads of robes, saddles, weapons, ropes, skins, blankets, trinkets,
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Speaker 1: and camp equipage. Most of this property was collected and
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Speaker 1: destroyed by fire, being of little use to the command,
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Speaker 1: whose means of conveyance was limited to their own actual wants.
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Speaker 1: The number of Indians killed in this surprise has been
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Speaker 1: variously estimated, as has been also the number of the
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Speaker 1: red men on the ground when the carnage commenced, But
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Speaker 1: all agreed that this was the severest blow these savages
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Speaker 1: had ever received. Among the many other objects of curiosity
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Speaker 1: found by the victors was a medicine lodge which had
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Speaker 1: from appearance but recently been in full blast. It was
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Speaker 1: highly and to Indian eyes it must have been very
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Speaker 1: artistically decorated, and contained all the emblems and symbols of witchcraft.
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Speaker 1: If sickness was to be frightened away, or even coaxed
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Speaker 1: to dethrone itself from the afflicted, there was sufficient in
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Speaker 1: this temple of the Indian gods seemingly to have answered
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Speaker 1: either purpose. Some potentate of the magnitude of a great
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Speaker 1: chief had evidently, but a few hours since been its occupant,
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Speaker 1: for in his hurry to desert the premises, on hearing
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Speaker 1: the music of the white man's rifle, he had forgotten
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Speaker 1: his beautiful head dress of feathers, and other articles pertaining
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Speaker 1: to his wardrobe, which designated to the captors his high rank. Perhaps,
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Speaker 1: and the surmise may not be far out of the way,
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Speaker 1: this chief was suffering from a gunshot wound inflicted on
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Speaker 1: a recent fight by his pale faced enemy, and having
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Speaker 1: received one of their most dangerous potions of lead he
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Speaker 1: was not anxious for another, and therefore made his escape
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Speaker 1: with the activity of a well man. In this expedition,
18:52
Speaker 1: a company of artillery, who have before been described doing
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Speaker 1: duty as infantry, performed a feat that will compare well
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Speaker 1: with anything of the same kind on record. These men,
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Speaker 1: under the command of Lieutenant Bell, who shared all the
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Speaker 1: privations of his soldiers, marched on foot through a mixture
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Speaker 1: of mud and snow, nearly ankle deep, over an uneven
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Speaker 1: country from the Moscow Pass in the Valley of San
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Speaker 1: Luis to the head waters of the Arkansas River, a
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Speaker 1: distance which is computed at eighty five miles in thirty
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Speaker 1: six hours, including all their stoppages. This company had been
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Speaker 1: long celebrated as being expert marksmen. Therefore their services were
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Speaker 1: much needed when the Indian village was discovered. Although nearly
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Speaker 1: broken down with fatigue, yet as soon as the electrifying
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Speaker 1: news of the enemy being so near at hand reached them,
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Speaker 1: it seemed to inspire them with new vigor. They dashed
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Speaker 1: ahead and gallantly led the van in this assault, which
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Speaker 1: terminated so favorably to the side of the Americans. Colonel
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Speaker 1: Fauntleroy was not satisfied with the victory already obtained. But
19:59
Speaker 1: after having accomplished all that was possible for him in
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Speaker 1: this quarter, and having scattered the Indians to the four winds,
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Speaker 1: he determined to make forced marches in order to surprise
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Speaker 1: another band of them, who were supposed to be located
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Speaker 1: in a distant mountain haunt well known to his guide.
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Speaker 1: His object in thus hurrying away from the scenes of
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Speaker 1: his late triumph was to reach and surprise the Indians
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Speaker 1: before their friends had time to travel to and apprise
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Speaker 1: them of their defeat. In this maneuver he was also successful.
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Speaker 1: He came upon this second band also before they were
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Speaker 1: aware of their danger. They were routed, and, after severe loss,
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Speaker 1: were followed far into the mountains. At this camp Blanco,
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Speaker 1: the celebrated Apache chief, was driven to such close quarters
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Speaker 1: that he evidently began to feel that the safety of
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Speaker 1: his whole tribe stood in jeopardy. He made his appearance
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Speaker 1: on a high point of rocks and asked the white
20:55
Speaker 1: man who occupied the plain beneath, for a parley, which
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Speaker 1: was granted him. He said in the Spanish language that
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Speaker 1: he and his Indians wished to make peace, that they
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Speaker 1: were tired of fighting. In reply, he was informed that
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Speaker 1: the terms he demanded would be listened to. On his
21:12
Speaker 1: coming into the soldiers camp, he was going on to
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Speaker 1: say that he was afraid to trust himself there, when
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Speaker 1: a bullet was sent fuzzing by his head, which caused
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Speaker 1: him to DeCamp in all haste. It was ascertained afterwards
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Speaker 1: that a Mexican, who had great antipathy to this chief, had,
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Speaker 1: unknown to the rest of the party, crept secretly up
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Speaker 1: into the rocks. When he had reached a place where
21:35
Speaker 1: Blanco was within the range of his rifle, he fired,
21:39
Speaker 1: but as the reader has inferred, he missed an accurate aim.
21:43
Speaker 1: At this latter camp or village, and near the close
21:46
Speaker 1: of this same day, another incident happened, which will long
21:49
Speaker 1: be remembered by those who witnessed it. Two Indians, who
21:53
Speaker 1: probably had been absent to some distant section of the country,
21:56
Speaker 1: having no knowledge of the matters which had lately been transpired,
22:00
Speaker 1: were seen approaching. Gradually they grew near to a cottonwood
22:04
Speaker 1: grove of trees in which the soldiers were resting, thinking
22:08
Speaker 1: no doubt that they were there about to meet their friends.
22:12
Speaker 1: A mountaineer by the name of Stuart, who commanded the
22:15
Speaker 1: spy company and another man, one of the Mexican volunteers. Immediately,
22:20
Speaker 1: on seeing the Indians, sprang upon the backs of their horses,
22:24
Speaker 1: which chanced to be nearby, and started out to attack them.
22:28
Speaker 1: Not until these Indians saw the men advancing were they
22:31
Speaker 1: made aware of their danger, when instantly they turned around
22:34
Speaker 1: their animals and put them on a keen run for
22:37
Speaker 1: the nearest mountain. They were pursued and the race hotly
22:40
Speaker 1: contested for at least two miles, but the Indians succeeded
22:44
Speaker 1: in making their escape, although shots were fired at them
22:48
Speaker 1: and returned by the Indians. In doing so, one of
22:51
Speaker 1: them was obliged to dismount and leave his horse behind him,
22:54
Speaker 1: which fell into the hands of his pursuers. At the
22:57
Speaker 1: time that the Chief Blanco was endeavoring to gain a parley,
23:01
Speaker 1: a stirring seam was being enacted at the soldiers camp,
23:04
Speaker 1: which was several miles distant. Most of the soldiers had
23:07
Speaker 1: left it and were then out engaged in the business
23:10
Speaker 1: of scouring the country. In the camp there were all
23:13
Speaker 1: the pack animals, provisions, luggage, et cetera. At the command
23:17
Speaker 1: to guard this property. There were only about fifty men
23:20
Speaker 1: left who anticipating no danger, were employing themselves in cooking
23:25
Speaker 1: and otherwise providing for the wants of their absent friends
23:28
Speaker 1: against their return. The herd of mules was scattered about
23:32
Speaker 1: and bracing under the charge of a few herders. Suddenly
23:36
Speaker 1: a band of about one hundred warriors were discovered coming
23:39
Speaker 1: down the little valley where the camp was located. The
23:42
Speaker 1: alarm was given when each man, seizing his rifle, rushed
23:45
Speaker 1: to place himself in the line of sentinels which were
23:48
Speaker 1: forming around the property. The mules were quickly driven together
23:51
Speaker 1: in a compact body into the center of the camp.
23:54
Speaker 1: Hardly had this movement been performed before the red men
23:58
Speaker 1: came galloping. By being the smallness of the force opposed
24:01
Speaker 1: to them, they made two or three attempts at an
24:04
Speaker 1: attack on the weakest points of the lines. They were
24:07
Speaker 1: about to succeed when a shout went up from the Americans,
24:11
Speaker 1: who described relief in the shape of the foot company, which,
24:15
Speaker 1: having been left behind for one night in order to
24:18
Speaker 1: make easy marches and thus partially rest themselves, was now approaching.
24:23
Speaker 1: The Indians saw the near approach of this powerful reinforcement, and,
24:27
Speaker 1: using that discretion which is often the better part of valor,
24:30
Speaker 1: they started off and were soon lost sight of. Had
24:34
Speaker 1: not this reinforcement providentially thus arrived, the Indians would have
24:38
Speaker 1: certainly captured the pack mules belonging to the soldiers and
24:42
Speaker 1: got away with them. Never was succor hailed with more
24:46
Speaker 1: delight than on this occasion, for had the Red Men
24:49
Speaker 1: succeeded in this endeavor, the benefits of this whole campaign
24:53
Speaker 1: would have been greatly frustrated. Colonel Fauntleroy, after thoroughly scouring
24:59
Speaker 1: the adjacent country in the hope of meeting with parties
25:02
Speaker 1: of straggling Indians, but as the result proved without success,
25:06
Speaker 1: returned to Fort Massachusetts, where he had the satisfaction of
25:10
Speaker 1: learning that Colonel Saint Vrain, in his expedition, had caught
25:14
Speaker 1: other bands of these same Indians and most severely chastised them.
25:19
Speaker 1: The Fort Massachusetts here referred to has recently been abandoned,
25:23
Speaker 1: and another one has been built distant, about six miles
25:26
Speaker 1: from the original site. The name is retained for the
25:30
Speaker 1: new defenses, which are located on the River Trinchera. The
25:34
Speaker 1: present location is picturesque and beautiful in the extreme. In
25:39
Speaker 1: one of his fights, Colonel Saint Vrain had overtaken the
25:42
Speaker 1: Red Men on the prairies, where a running battle ensued
25:45
Speaker 1: in which the volunteers killed many of the enemy and
25:48
Speaker 1: made several prisoners. During this skirmish, the Indians tried the
25:52
Speaker 1: ruse of setting fire to the prairie grass, and as
25:56
Speaker 1: the wind was blowing in the direction from which their
25:58
Speaker 1: foes were coming, they hope thereby to impede their progress
26:02
Speaker 1: and thus give themselves time to escape. But the volunteers
26:06
Speaker 1: boldly rode through the flames and successfully continued the chase.
26:10
Speaker 1: The time for which the new Mexican Volunteers had enlisted
26:14
Speaker 1: was fast drawing to a close, but as the hostile
26:17
Speaker 1: Utahs and Apaches were scattered to the four winds, it
26:21
Speaker 1: was thought best not to send out again a regularly
26:25
Speaker 1: appointed force to act against them. Instead, while awaiting the
26:29
Speaker 1: effect of their late telling blows, it was decided to
26:33
Speaker 1: be judicious to keep out in different directions small scouting
26:37
Speaker 1: parties who could better follow the trails of the small
26:40
Speaker 1: parties of fugitive Indians with some prospect of success. It
26:44
Speaker 1: was now the season for the richly laden caravans to
26:47
Speaker 1: arrive on the borders of the territory, and perchance they
26:51
Speaker 1: might fall in with the bands of the hostile savages
26:54
Speaker 1: of sufficient strength to cause them trouble. Or it might
26:57
Speaker 1: be the Indians would combine in sefficient strength, being driven
27:01
Speaker 1: by pressing want to capture some one of these trains
27:05
Speaker 1: and thus obtain the material for renewing the contest. In
27:09
Speaker 1: view of these apprehensions, it was decided that the regular
27:12
Speaker 1: troops should go out on the plains where they could
27:15
Speaker 1: be on hand, ready to afford protection in case of need.
27:19
Speaker 1: Major Blake, in command of the dragoons, started out and
27:23
Speaker 1: faithfully performed this mission. After this duty was fully accomplished,
27:27
Speaker 1: he visited the mountains to the northeast of Fort Massachusetts,
27:31
Speaker 1: and then returned to Taos via the Fort and the
27:34
Speaker 1: intervening Mexican towns. While intimating the dangers which may befall
27:39
Speaker 1: trains on their journey across the plains, especially in times
27:43
Speaker 1: of Indian war, it may be well to narrate the
27:46
Speaker 1: fatal adventure which once happened to a small party while
27:49
Speaker 1: traveling this route. Not many miles from Fort Union and
27:54
Speaker 1: on the plains, there was a clump of heels known
27:56
Speaker 1: as the wagon mound, so called from their resemblance to
28:00
Speaker 1: one of those peculiar wagons which are used to transport
28:03
Speaker 1: valuable freight across the country. It being dangerous times, a
28:08
Speaker 1: party of ten picked men had been sent out to
28:11
Speaker 1: insure the safe transit of the mail. Everything went well
28:14
Speaker 1: with the little band of travelers, and their prospects were
28:17
Speaker 1: becoming bright for making a safe journey, when suddenly a
28:21
Speaker 1: large band of hostile Apaches and Utahs hove in sight.
28:25
Speaker 1: The mail party, on making this discovery, immediately halted and
28:28
Speaker 1: prepared for a fight. The Indians very soon granted to
28:32
Speaker 1: them this favor. At first the attack was sharply maintained,
28:36
Speaker 1: but at last fortune favored the Whites for the time being,
28:40
Speaker 1: and they succeeded in repulsing their foes, who retreated out
28:43
Speaker 1: of sight. The mail party, thus being freed from the
28:47
Speaker 1: unpleasant society of the Indians, at once hitched up their
28:50
Speaker 1: teams and proceeded on their route. It was afterwards learned
28:54
Speaker 1: that the Apaches made the first attack, but they were
28:57
Speaker 1: countenanced by the Utahs, who remained by. On the return
29:01
Speaker 1: of the unsuccessful war party of the Apaches to the Utahs,
29:06
Speaker 1: the latter at once commenced charging them with cowardice, and
29:09
Speaker 1: boasted that they could have done better. The true state
29:12
Speaker 1: of the case was that the Utahs were using the
29:15
Speaker 1: Apaches as tools by which to gain plunder, crying go dog,
29:20
Speaker 1: while they themselves were keeping out of harm's way. The
29:23
Speaker 1: anger of the Apaches was fully aroused at these derisive imputations.
29:28
Speaker 1: Under the new impulse, they said to the Utahs, if
29:31
Speaker 1: you will help, we will return and show you whether
29:34
Speaker 1: we are afraid to meet these pale faces. Another attack
29:38
Speaker 1: having been decided upon, the Indians set out and overtook
29:41
Speaker 1: the mail party once more, near to this wagon mound.
29:45
Speaker 1: It was snowing fast at the time. Therefore, the white
29:48
Speaker 1: men were comfortably traveling in their vehicles and had their
29:51
Speaker 1: guns protected with suitable coverings to prevent their being injured,
29:56
Speaker 1: for they anticipated no further danger. The curtains of the
29:59
Speaker 1: mail wagons were all fastened down, and there was no
30:02
Speaker 1: lookout kept, for it was considered sufficient to prepare for
30:06
Speaker 1: the furies of the storm. The Indians accordingly approached unperceived,
30:11
Speaker 1: and made such a desperate attack that all the white
30:14
Speaker 1: men were quickly killed. Not one if the boasts of
30:17
Speaker 1: the Indians can be believed had time to get out
30:20
Speaker 1: from his seat. Several days allapsed and no tidings were
30:24
Speaker 1: heard of the expected male party. Therefore, a body of
30:28
Speaker 1: men started out in quest of the missing men and
30:30
Speaker 1: found them sleeping the last sleep, which knows no awakening.
30:35
Speaker 1: The bodies of the dead were decently interred, and since
30:38
Speaker 1: that day the wagon mound is pointed out to the traveler,
30:42
Speaker 1: accompanied with an historical account of this awful tragedy and
30:47
Speaker 1: of section thirty one, Chapter seventeen, Part three, recording by
30:51
Speaker 1: Dion Joins, Salt Lake City, Utah,