| OCR Text |
Show H How Col. Connor Killed the Snakes H Tho Hereout mid most dondly baltlo ovor fought in tlio H West, oxcoptiiif,', porhnpp, tlio end nnd fntnl ono on tho Llttlo IJif? Horn, wlioro tho Rnllntit Giintor nlid IiIh bravo inon woro nnnihilntod, occurred on Ucnr rivor, nt a point Hinco cnllod Bnttlo Orcok.nnd diHtnnt nbout twolvo milofl 1 northwest from Franklin, ldnho. Tho imrtlolimiitH woro nbout throo hundred United Stnton Holdlorn from H Fort DouglnH, Utnli, commanded by Colonel P. Edward H Connor, on ono sldo nnd on tho othor n baud of eomo H four or Jlvo hundred Snnkos nnd Hnnnock IndinuH, H including Bqurtwn nnd pnpooaos, under tho command of H ljoar Huntor aud othor noted cholffl. For years largo H , jmrtlos of Indians had been committing dopredntionH H along what wan thou known at) tho Northern routo to H California. EmlpruntB and minora passiiiR that way H -woro attacked and murdered by tho merciless biivorob, H who tlniH Kecurod much plunder. TIicho sumo marauding H ImudH of redsklno also mado incuraioiiH upon tho almost fl dofoiiBoloHH Bottlers of Caclio Valley, killing a numbor H of pooplo and driving oir many horses) and cattlo. H During tlio early winter of 18011 tho IndimiR woro tin- H umiully hoHtilo, and among othor miBdoodH killed a H party of travelers and secured as booty Bovornl wagon loadH H of good sand u numbor of muloH and oxon. Tlio citizons H of Cacho Valloy dotorminod to sond n posBe, to try by H poacoablo means to dotor tho Indians from further do- H prodntious, and to regain if poHsiblo tho stolon propor- H ty. A council was callod of tho leading men, and after H Homo discuBslou, it was doomed inndvlsnblo to sond a H largo forco,as thnt would no doubt nggravnto tho savages H to furthor liostilltios. It was finally decided that only H' two men should go, aud volunteers woro cnllod for. , Those who wont upon that porilous journoy woro H "Syl" Collott and Thomas E. Ki6ks, both lately do- ceased. Tlioy nt onco proceeded on horsoback to tho wiutor homo of tho Indians on Boar Rivor, somo thirty H miles distant from Lognu. Arriving nt tho villiago, H thoy found tho snvnges encamped in u vory favorablo H spot, protected not nlouo from tho wintry winds, but H from an iuvnding foo. At that point tho rivor courses H directly wost, and tho ravlno in which tho temporary vil- H lingo lmd boon built, intersects with tho rivor from tho H ' north. Tho oast nnd west sides of tho rnvluo are high H dud precipitous, tho north end is far in tho mountains H above, while at tho south there is a natural wall of H oarth, plorccd only by tho narrow bed of tho crook. H Dotwoon this wall aud tho rivor is an opon plateau. H Thus woro tho Indians well protected on tho north, on H tho east, and on tho west, while from tho south thoy H., could, thomsolvos uuseou, look into tho vory fnco of an H enemy. H Riding up, tho two ambassadors encountered n young H warrior nt tho first topee. Thoy inquired of him tho H whroonbouts of Ohiof Boar Huntor. Ho answorod only H with n siillon grunt. Thoy snw thnt his manner lndi- H catod tlio probably ugly framo of tho wholo village, aud L thoy rosolvod that a bold frotlt on thoir part would bo H thoir only Bnfoty. Thoy told tho bravo to tako thoir 11 r rioviynwl food thorn woll, as thoy would need them B '' ''boofrtor u long rldo, at tho Mimo timo assuring him H that thoir mission was ono of peaco. Ho roluctautly obeyed nnd thoy soon found thomselvcs iusido tho tout B of Boar Huntor, nnd surrouudod by tho chiofs of tho two H tribes.' Tlioro woro fourteou of tliom in nil four prin- H oipnl chiofs Boar Huntor, Pocatollo, Sanpltch nnd Sag- H witoli and ton lessor chiefs, mostly young men. Tlio H Indians sat in n oirolo, thoir backs to tho wall of tho H tent, whilo tho visitors woro seated in tho couter. Tho H white men woro asked tho naturo of thoir orrnnd, nnd H brleily stated it. Then cnoh warrior had his say as to H whothor thoy should accopt tho advico given mid acccdo H to tlio domnud mado of thorn. Tho oldor chiofs, with ono H oxcoption, nnd thnt was Pocatollo, wero willing to con- H sldor fuvornbly tho ovorturos of tho oomniiMioners; H tho young uiou woro nil defiant, nnd wero eager not only H to roject any intorforouco, but to mako an end of tho two H ( intruders thoro nnd thou. Tho arguments liotwoon tho H rod'mon waxod strong and for n long timo tho majority H j of thorn woro deoidodly against tho proposed terms of H H sottlomout, namely, n cosBntiou of hostilities nnd tho H l roturn of what plunder romniuod in thoir possession. H j Ono of tho last ones to speak was an ngod warrior, who H 'I lmd romninod silout during tho outiro proceedings. Ho H j, lirobably savod tho llvos of tho two messongors, as with H t words,of powor nnd onrncstneps ho portrnyod to tho mnd- H doned nssombly tho diro results that would follow tho H ' rojcctiou of tho ponco ovorturos, and especially tho miir- H dor of thoso mon who had como among thorn with nono H but good intentions. Ho rominded thorn that tho soldi- H ' ors woro alroady on tho way to war agniiiRt thorn, and a H concession mado now might snvo much bloodshod. His H burning word of oloquouco turned tho scalo in favor H of tho envoys, much to tho nngor of Pocatollo, who do- B clnrod that if nny property woro glvon up, ho would M dopnrt that vory day, with his forco of ono hundred and H llfty warriors, who woro oncumborod with sqmnvH or pn- H poosos. Whon asked where tho wngons-woro, tho Indians H ropliod thnt thoy had boon burned. In answer to a quos- H tion ns to tho whoroabouts of tho oxon, ono of tho angry H iiravos rooachod for n bono, nnd holding it up oxultnn- M tly, gavo nnswor that that wns part of ono of them. Tho m goods had mostly boon consumed, and llttlo remained B of all tho pluudor, oxcopt tho mules. It wns agreed that M .thoso lattor should bo tnkeu nwny by tho whito mon. H "9ar m ilia mimi! i ifcfciMii iiiitiiti 1 1 m nwai n Tliolr horses woro brought to them. od n 'n8806or wns nbout to bo dispntcliod for tho ulc,?' wh,oh W0I" ut th uppor end of tho villnago, wheatbo two proffered to go thomsolvos, ns thoy know that (o Mug tho nlI,mnlB lnto tho prosouco.0f Pocatollo, 'who with his maddoncd wnrrl-ors wnrrl-ors wub preparing to loavo, ns te ua(1 tliroatoned to do, would boliko flaunting tho n flag In tho fnco of an angry bull. Tho mulcH woro tied together n"(1 lak(m out of tl10 ravlno by it clrcultious route, oiio.of tho men going boforo and tho othor bringing lip o rear. Thoy rodo but slowly nt first, keoping up tho pretense thnt they hnd no fear of Pocatollo's band, w'10 woro now lnnkiB n furore in tho enmp, yelling and firing thoir guns in tho air, ns thoy snddlcd thoir uics to leave Whon tho two riders ronchod tho blufr on the opposlto sldo of tho rivor froin tho vlllago, thoy olorved that thoy woro boing followed by n numbor of mounted Indians, nnd then began n rnco for lifo, at least two of tho braves pursuing pur-suing tho whito men nearly as far n Prntikllii. When tho commissioners nrrlvcd nt Logan, thoy reported tho dopnrturo of Pocutello. and it vas divined thnt ho would proceed westerly to tho Promontory, whoro sovor-nl sovor-nl hundred horses nnd cattlo belonging to tho Cucho Valloy settlors woro on thoir winter rango, guarded by only half a dozen mon. A strong poso wns immcdlatoly formod to go to tho Promontory, which was a timely movo,for tho conjecture as to Pocatello's intentions pro-vod pro-vod to bo woll founded. Tlio posso had barely arrived nt tho camp of tho borders nnd made arrangements for n dofonso, whon tho wily chlof and his wholo band mado thoir npponrnnco. This timo .Pocotcllo hnd reckoned without wit-hout his host, or nt lonBt found that ho had to recon with n HOST of well nrmod and foarlosB mon, nnd nftor a brief stay ho whooled bis warriors and returned northward. north-ward. As boforo stated Colonol Connor and his mon woro nl-rcady nl-rcady on tho mnrch from Salt Lake City, to wreak von-gonnco von-gonnco on tho offending savages. That lie fully intended inten-ded to oxtorminnto thorn was implied by n remark mado by him to Marshal Gibbs, boforo leaving Fort Douglas. Tho marshal had nsked for n military escort, that ho might go to tho camp of tho Indlnns and bring bnck as prisoners Bcnr Huntor, Snnpitcli and Sng-witch. Tho Colonel replied thnt ho was making preparations to go thoro hiniBolf, nud thatGlbbs miglit accompany him if ho wautod to, but ho would prromit-o him no prisoners, ns ho didn't intond to havo any. At Logan Colonol Connor summoned Messrs. Collott and Ricks, nnd from thorn learned many facts relative, to tho number, location nud general condition of tho Indians. Ho wns warned by tho gontlomon of, tho danger of facing that ra-vino ra-vino with his mon, but ho curtly replied thnt it wns information, in-formation, not advico, thnt ho wns Kicking. Tho nrmy pnssod on to Bonr Rivor, and thoro, oil tho morning of Jnnunry 29tb, 18G3, tho bloody ongogemont was begun. (Tho fight was witnessed from n distance by Mossors. Collott nnd Dudloy D. Moraill. ) Tho Indinns, nnnticl-pntlng nnnticl-pntlng tho nppronch of thoir enemy, had placed a heavy bank of enow on top of tho ridgo that sopnrnted them from tho river, and through this embankment, which looked liko a natural drift, thoy mado holes, through which to shoot. Contrary to tho plan of Gouornl Connor, Con-nor, liia cavalry arrived at tho rivor ahead of uK Infantry, Infan-try, nud Immediately crossejWirWviVgEptyA rolnfc nlmost directly opposite tho camp of tho Indians. Instead In-stead of waiting for tho delayed companies, tho cnvalry was commanded to dismount and advanco across tho plateau that lay between tho rivor and tho ravlno. All nt onco a blaze of fire and a rain of lead poured forth from tho bank of snow uhend, and tho hoys in bluo wont down liko "grass boforo tho mow'br." Twico moro tho bravo soldiers woro commanded to udvnnco, nnd each timo thoy wero mot by n deadly flro from unscon foes. Tho men woro now ordored to seek Covor, nud n wait wns mado for tlio bolntod infantry. Thou wns begun that which should havo been executed at tho vory com-nioncomont com-nioncomont a flanking movomont by tbo infnntry, whilo tho cavalry remained botwoon tho exit from tho ravlno and tho rivor. Howitzors wero placed on mulofl nnd carried to points commanding a view of tho ontrouchod IndinnS, and a galling flro was poured forth from tho backs of tho animals. Ono of tho fow Indians who escnpod on that momorablo dny, years nftorwards said that his pooplo woro coufldont of victory until tho mules began shooting nt thorn, whon thoy wore demoralized with huporstltlouB fear. Perhaps novor bofqro did rod mon fight with moro bravory nnd tact, nnd not until most of tho fight braves had fnllon, did tho remaining remain-ing fow seek to escnpo by tho egross from tlio ravlno. Hero thoy wero mot by tlio cnvnlry mid cut down nlmost to a man. Bour Hunter nud Sag-witch woro both slain, whilo Snupltch wns ono of tho vory fow to oscnpo. Many of tho squaws aud papooses haS boon killed during tho ongngomont, and many moro wero cruelly butchered whon tho conflict wns ovor. Every lodgo was ordered to bo destroyed, notwithstanding tho fact that moro than n hundred dofonBoloss women and children, bereft of ovory human hold and protection, woro there iu tho midst of doop snow nnd oxtromoly cold wenthor, Evorythlng of vnluo was taken by tho conquering soldiers, savo n scunty supply of food for tlio lllfutcd squaws nnd pupoo-bos. pupoo-bos. Colonol Connor lost twouty-two mon killed, forty-nino forty-nino wounded, somo of whom nftorwards diod of thoir wounds, bosldos nearly olghty who woro more or loss badly frozen, somo of thorn boing crippled for lifo. This loss would porhaps havo boon much grentor hnd Pocatollo and his baud beon in tho fight, but contrary to tlio prevnlont bollof, thoy woro not presont nt nil nt tho Bonr Rivor battlo. F. D. Collott, in tho Utah Pioneer. |
