Cornell University Library 
 F 761 C87 
 
 History of Wyoming from the earliest Icno 
 
 olin 
 
 3 1924 028 877 748 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tiiis bool< is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028877748 
 
THE AUTHOR, 
 
THE 
 
 History of Wyoming 
 
 FROM THE EARLIEST KNOWN DISCOVERIES. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 
 C. G. COUTANT. 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 VOLUME I. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 , 1 
 
 Laramie. Wyoming : 
 Chaplin, Spafford & Mathison, 
 1890. 
 
 ■Ov 
 
 Printers. 
 
 <'* " 
 
ca 
 
 To the memory of those pioneers, living 
 and dead, who explored our mountains 
 and valleys regardless of the dangers 
 which beset them on every hand and who 
 finally conquered the wilderness and 
 made it possible to organize here a com- 
 monwealth, these pages are reverently 
 dedicated. 
 
 THE A UTHOR. 
 
 to 
 
 Copyright, 1899, '^y *^' ^' Coutant. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 In the preparation of this work I have endeavored to 
 trace the early explorers who came to Wyoming. It will 
 be observed that, with a single exception, every account 
 given is based upon authentic history; the exception being 
 the chapter devoted to "Spanish Occupation." While it 
 ihust be admitted that these traditions are reasonable and 
 interesting, I have deemed it better to utilize only a small 
 portion of the Spanish claims. It would have been possible 
 to have gone back to 1591 and traced the expedition of Don 
 Juan de Onate from Mexico through Colorado and the north- 
 west. It is believed that he explored the South and North 
 Platte and if he did he must have reached Wyoming. While 
 interesting speculations might be indulged in regarding 
 numerous Spanish expeditions to the north, I have refrained 
 from this for the reason that these are tradition and not 
 history. The more modern explorations and occupations 
 are quite as interesting as those of the sixteenth and seven- 
 teenth centuries. The searcher after facts will find many 
 surprises in regard to the early occupation of this country 
 by white men. When Robert Stuart passed down the Sweet- 
 water and North Platte in 1812-13, he met Dornin and Roi, 
 two white traders, not far below Grand Island on the Platte 
 River. At that early date there were many white trappers 
 in this part of the west. John B. Sarpey, his brother Peter 
 A. Sarpey, Godfrey Gerry and Elbridge Gerry, two brothers, 
 came during the twenties and remained permanently. The 
 Gerrys were grandsons of Elbridge Gerry, one of the sign- 
 ers of the Declaration of Independence. I have every reason 
 to believe that Manuel Lisa's trappers also visited eastei*n 
 
iv Preface. 
 
 Wyoming as early as 1809. The Chouteau brothers of St. 
 Louis sent their men into this part of the west at an early 
 date, that is previous to 1815. Just what time they reached 
 the upper waters of the Platte, it is impossible to say with 
 any degree of certainty. Desiring to confine this work to 
 matters of known record, I have carefully avoided entering 
 the realm of tradition. 
 
 The fur trading period forms a distinct epoch in the 
 history of Wyoming. The prosecution of this business, to 
 a large extent, changed the conditions of the Indians, the 
 white men and the country. Few of the great leaders in 
 the fur trade cared to interest themselves in explorations. 
 Previous to 1832 onJy General W. H. Ashley, of all the fur 
 traders and trappers, took an interest in exploring the coun- 
 try. Following this renowned leader, came the first oflflcial 
 explorer, Captain B. L. E. Bonneville. Much care has been 
 taken to point out the official character of this, the first ex- 
 pedition to enter W^yoming under instructions of the gov- 
 ernment. Irving's channing story of Captain Bonneville, 
 to some extent, was regarded as a romance at the time of its 
 publication, but I hope I have succeeded in showing that 
 the expedition was intended to accomplish a scientific and 
 useful purpose. Because of the official character of Captain 
 Bonneville, I have made copious extracts from his report 
 and it must be admitted that his investigations in this coun- 
 try form a reliable part of our early history. Fremont came 
 ten years later and the scientific nature of his work in this 
 section, as well as its high official character and importance, 
 has demanded at my hands no less space than is accorded it. 
 Great pains have been taken to search out all that re- 
 lates to the Overland trail, including the depredations com- 
 mitted by Indians along this famous highway, the Oregon, 
 Mormon and California emigration, the establishing of the 
 mail line across the mountains, the starting of the Pony Ex- 
 press, the building of the telegraph line and all the incidents 
 of a public nature which contribute to the history of the 
 times. The Indian wars which followed are covered by oflS- 
 
Preface, v 
 
 cial reports, which have been used and which form the basis 
 of the history of all military operations connected with the 
 protection of emigrants. 
 
 I make no claim that this history is entirely free from 
 error, but I will assure the reader that every precaution has 
 been taken in its preparation, and, as far as possible, dates, 
 incidents and circumstances have been secured from official 
 reports and from other reliable sources. 
 
 The illustrations in this volume, for the most part, have 
 intrinsic value, and some of them have been secured with 
 difficulty. The portrait of Captain B. L. E. Bonneville was 
 kindly furnished me by the Hon. N. P. Langford. That of 
 Father De Smet was secured through the kindness of Bish- 
 op Lenihan. T. Jeflf Carr presented the portrait of General 
 Connor. These are rare portraits and difficult to obtain at 
 this late day. Most of the illustrations along the Overland 
 trail are by the Wyoming artist, M. D. Houghton, who pro- 
 duced them after much study and investigation. They are 
 not mere ideal drawings, but were made with the assistance 
 of pioneers who took the trouble to visit, with the artist, 
 the locality, and explain the forts, buildings, bridges, etc. 
 These drawings have stood the test of critical examinations 
 on the part of many old timers who were familiar with the 
 appearance of everything along the Overland road in the 
 old days. 
 
 This work will be completed in three volumes, each of 
 which will have a table of contents, and the last book will 
 contain a full index covering the subjects treated upon in the 
 three volumes and these subjects will be subdivided and in- 
 dexed for the convenience of those in search of information. 
 The index will also give names, battles, incidents and all 
 matter connected with the history of the State, so that the 
 reader will be enabled to find, without delay, any subject, 
 incident or name mentioned in the work. 
 
 I owe it to myself to say that the undertaking has grown 
 on my hands and has become of greater magnitude than was 
 contemplated. Other states have histories that simply re- 
 
vi Preface. 
 
 late to events which are a part only of their occupation and 
 settlement; while Wyoming was the highway where con- 
 verged all roads leading across the plains to the territories 
 beyond. This made our State the theater of bloody wars from 
 the time of the discovery of South Pass, for more than seventy 
 years. Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado each have histories 
 filled with thrilling tales of the border; while our State had 
 to bear the concentrated warfare engendered in the territo- 
 ries named. Our mountain passes afforded opportunity for 
 ambush suited to the character of the savage tribes who 
 disputed the passage of white men through the country. 
 This holds good from the earliest record of trappers and 
 traders, down through the emigrant days, the building of 
 the railroad, and only ended when the government succeeded 
 in utterly crushing the red warriors. This volume covers 
 many startling situations and yet the happenings of the 
 territorial period, which are told in the second volume, are 
 no less dramatic. This is now in preparation and will be 
 completed in a few months. It opens with the history of the 
 founding of Cheyenne, the organization of Laramie County, 
 the founding of Laramie City, the organization of Albany 
 and other counties, together with the commencement of the 
 Territorial Government. These events were intended for the 
 first volume, but a proper division of the matter, after it was 
 prepared forced me to assign these subjects to the second 
 volume. By this change a large number of illustrations, 
 which go with the matter mentioned, are left out of this vol- 
 ume, but will appear in the next. 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. PAGE. 
 
 Introductory Remarks 17 
 
 Grand Possibilities — Mineral Wealth — Backbone of the 
 Continent — Fountain Head of Mighty Rivers — Boundary of 
 Wyoming — Names of Rivers and Mountains. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Spanish Occupation 23 
 
 The Claims of the Spaniards Regarding the Northwest — 
 What Different Writers Say— Where Did the White Blood of 
 the Mandans Come From? — Relics of Iron Tools Found in 
 Northern Wyoming and Montana — Evidences of Mining and 
 Agriculture Carried on Probably in the Seventeenth Cen- 
 tury — The Subject Referred to Future Historians. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 French Canadian Explorations 33 
 
 The De la Verendryes Lead an Expedition from Canada 
 to the Headwaters of the Mississippi Across to the Missouri 
 Into the Yellowstone and Wind River Countries — Turned 
 Back by the Shoshones, Who Persuade the Explorers That 
 They Will be Killed by the Sioux at South Pass— Eleven 
 Years Spent in the Wilderness — Return to Montreal — Second 
 Expedition Is Prevented by the Death of De la Verendrye 
 — Unprincipled Politicians Rob the De la Verendrye Family 
 and Get Their Hands in the Coffers of the King — Fur Trade 
 Under English Ownership of Canada — ^American Revolution 
 Leads to Great Changes in the Fur Trade. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The First American Explorers 43 
 
 History of Western Course of Empire — Thomas Jefferson 
 Becomes a Leader and Finally Succeeds in His Cherished 
 Scheme of Sending Expeditions up the Headwaters of the 
 Missouri to Search For a Gateway Through the Rocky 
 Mouatains — The Lewis and Clark Expedition — They Winter 
 
vm Contents. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 at the Mandan Village on the Upper Missouri in 1804 — In 1805 
 Spend the Winter at the mouth of the Columbia— Re- 
 turn to St. Louis in 1806. , 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 The Famous John Colter 61 
 
 The First American to Enter Wyoming — A Member of 
 the Lewis and Clark Expedition — Remains in the Vicinity of 
 the Yellowstone From 1806 to 1810— He Traps Along the Big 
 Horn, Big Wind River, and Crosses the Range to the Pacific 
 Slope in 1807 — Returns by the Way of the Yellowstone 
 National Park, of Which He Was the Discoverer — His Ad- 
 venture With the Blackfeet — A Race for Life — Relates His 
 Story to Captain Clark, Bradbury and Others. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 Ezekiel Williams' Party in Wyoming 70 
 
 They Follow Up the Yellowstone and are Attacked" by 
 Blackfeet — Cross Over to the Big Horn and go South — Reach 
 the Sweetwater — Another Attack by Indians — Retreat South 
 Across the Laramie Plains and Reach the Headwaters of 
 the South Platte — Comanches Attack the Party and Kill all 
 But Three — Williams Returns to St. Louis and the Two 
 Others go to Southern California — The Leader Again Visits 
 the Sweetwater in 1809. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 The Astoria Expedition 74 
 
 The Tonquin Sails For the Mouth of the Columbia — 
 Wilson P. Hunt Organizes a Land Expedition and Goes up 
 the Missouri— The Party Reaches the Country Which Is 
 Now Wyoming — Numerous Attempts Made to Cross the Big 
 Horn Mountains— Finally Ascend the Middle Fork of the 
 Powder River and Reach the No Wood— Journey Up the Big 
 Horn and Big Wind Rivers— Cross Sheridan Pass to the 
 Headwaters of Green River— First View of the Grand Tetona 
 —Crossing the Green River Valley— They Reach the Head- 
 waters of the Columbia. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Astorians in Wyoming 85 
 
 Hunt and His Party Follow Down the Mad (Snake) River 
 —They Reach Henry's Fort— Build Canoes and Attempt the 
 
Contents. ix 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Further Journey by Water — Three Hundred and Forty Miles 
 Below Again Take to the Land — Great Suffering of the Party 
 Through Hunger and Cold — At Last Reach the Falls of the 
 Columbia — Balance of the Journey Made by Canoes — Arrival 
 at Astoria. 
 
 CHAPTEE IX. 
 
 Conditions at Astoria 91 
 
 Aarrival of the Tonquin — ^David Stuart's Expedition to 
 Establish a New Trading Post — David Thompson, of the 
 Northwest Company, Comes Down the Columbia to Plant 
 the British Flag at the Mouth of that River, But Is Too Late 
 — Disaster to the Tonquin and the Murder of Her Crew by 
 Indians — Mr. Lewis' Terrible Revenge — Indians at Astoria 
 Held in Check by Threats of Spreading Small-pox Among 
 Them — Arrival of the Beaver From New York — Departure 
 of Hunt For New Archangel and the Sandwich Islands — 
 Treachey of McDougal^Abandonment of Astoria. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Great Overland Trail Discovered 101 
 
 Robert Stuart and His Little Band of Six Pass Around 
 the South End of the Wind River Range during the Early 
 Winter of 1812 — Discovery of the Sweetwater River and 
 Passage Down That Stream — They Camp at Bessemer for the 
 Winter — Leave Their Winter Camp For Fear of Indians — 
 Great Suffering of the Party as They Journey Down the 
 Platte — Discovery of the Platte River Canon — Second WinCer 
 Encampment — Journey Down the River in the Spring of 
 1813. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Ashley's Trappers in Wyoming 119 
 
 Trapping on the Yellowstone, Big Horn, Big Wind, and 
 Other Sources of the Missouri — Names the Sweetwater and 
 Changes the Name Spanish River to Green River — Employs 
 Over Three Hundred Trappers — His Expedition to Salt Lake 
 — Marvelous Success As a Fur Trader — Makes a Fortune and 
 Sells Out to Sublette, Campbell, Bridger and Others — His 
 Speech to the Mountain Men — Changes the Character of the 
 Trapper by Mounting Him on Horseback — A Lifelong Per- 
 sonal Friend of Every Trapper Who Shared With Him the 
 Dangers of the Mountains — Author's Tribute to the American 
 Trapper. 
 
X Contents. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. PAGE. 
 Fur Trappers and Traders ^^" 
 
 Captain William Sublette Succeeds General Ashley— He 
 Organizes the Rocky Mountain Fur Company With Jedediah 
 S. Smith, David E. Jackson and Others as Partners— Brilliant 
 Campaign Planned and Carried Out — Names Jackson's Hole 
 and Lake— Introduces Wagons Into the Service in Wyoming 
 —Captain Nathaniel J. Wyeth— Battle of Pierre's Hole- 
 Death of Vanderberg— Bridger's Affair With the Chief of the 
 Blackfeet— Success Attends the Fur Trade. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Captain Bonneville in Wyoming 148 
 
 Leaves Fort Osage With Twenty Wagons and One Hun- 
 dred and Ten Men— Reaches the Platte River Below Grand 
 Island— Scott's Bluffs and Origin of the Name— Follows the 
 North Fork of the Platte— Crosses Over to the Sweetwater— 
 Experience of Tom Cain— Rejoicings After Crossing the Con- 
 tinental Divide— Fontenelle Overtakes the Bonneville Party- 
 Arrival at Green River— Fortifies His Camp — Free Trappers 
 Visited by Blackfeet. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Bonneville Sends Out His Trappers 157 
 
 Various Detachments in the Field — ^Main Party Pass 
 Through Jackson's Hole and Pierre's Hole on the Way to 
 Solomon River — Meets the Nez Perces — His Opinion of This 
 Tribe — ^Experiences During the Winter — Rendezvous <m 
 Green River in 1833 — Stories of His Several Leaders — Scenes 
 at the Rendezvous — A Digression by the Author, in Which 
 He Tells of the Relations Between Captain Bonneville alid 
 Washington Irving — Valuable Services Rendered the Govern- 
 ment. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Bonneville Leaves Wyoming 171 
 
 Furs Collected, Convoyed to the Big Horn and Shipped 
 by Bull Boats — Interesting Incidents of the Journey North-^ 
 Discovery of the Great Tar Spring — Dangers and Difficulties 
 of the Return Trip — Discovery of the Big Hot Spring Near 
 the Present Site of Fort Washakie — Captain Bonneville At- 
 tempts to Work His Way Through the Wind River Range- 
 Ascent of Mount Bonneville — ^Toilsome Journey — ^Discovers 
 
Contents. xi 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 a Community of Beavers — Returns to His Caches on Green 
 River by Way of South Pass — Crosses the Wind River Range 
 at the Head of Green River — Many Incidents of His Second 
 Journey to the Columbia — Last Winter in the Mountains — 
 Rendezvous in the Wind River Valley — Returns to Civiliza- 
 tion. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Sketches of Trappers and Traders 188 
 
 Trappers First Permanent Settlers in Wyoming — Per- 
 sonal Mention of Jim. Beckwourth — Nathaniel J. Wyeth — 
 James Bridger — Kit Carson — Jedediah S. Smith — Joshua 
 PUcher — George W. Ebberts — Robert Newell — Captain 
 William Sublette — Thomas Fitzpatrick — Frapp — Jervaise — 
 Fontenelle— Jennings — LeRoy — Ross — Sinclair Brothers — 
 Dripps — ^Vasques — Goodale — Pappen — Tulleck. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Opening of First Highway— 1835-1843 207 
 
 The Missionaries, Parker and Whitman, Pass Up the 
 Platte, Sweetwater, and Reach Green River — Dr. Whitman 
 Returns to the States — A Romantic Wedding Tour — First 
 Two White Women in Wyoming — Remarkable Fourth of 
 July Celebration at South Pass — Grand Reception Given the 
 Pioneer Women at Green River — ^Arrival in Oregon — ^Perilous 
 Ride of Dr. Whitman — Passes Through Wyoming With a 
 Thousand Settlers — The Indian Massacre — The Hero of West- 
 ern Civilization. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Father Peter De Smet 229 
 
 His Arrival in Wyoming and Passage Up the North 
 Platte and Sweetwater— The Flatheads Meet Him at Green 
 River — Wonderful Interest Shown by the Indians in This 
 Priest — He Tells of His Experiences and Future Labors — 
 Many Visits to Wyoming — Incident Among the Crows — 
 Supposed Knowledge of Gold in the Big Horn Mountains — 
 His Death at St. Louis — What Is Thought of Father DeSmet 
 in Wyoming. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming 238 
 
 The First Military Expedition to Visit Our State — Tne Main 
 Detachment Follows the North Platte to Fort Laramie — Fre- 
 
xii Contents. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 mont. With a Small Party, Visits Fort St. Vrain and Passes 
 North to Fort Laramie— Description of the Fort as It Appear- 
 ed in 1842— Indians Invite Them to Partake of a Dog Feast 
 —Indian Chiefs Warn the Party that if They Go Further 
 West, They Will Be Killed— Fremont's Speech of Defiance- 
 Expedition Goes iforward- Observations Regarding For- 
 mations, Soil, Climate, Etc. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming (Continued) 255 
 
 Meets a Band of Ogalalla Sioux— Discouraging Reports 
 of the Condition of the Country— Severe Drought and a 
 Grasshopper Plague— Advised to Give up the Expedition— 
 Boldly Pushes Forward- Journey Up the Sweetwater— 
 Crosses South Pass— Penetrates the Wind River Range- 
 Climbs Fremont's Peak— The Return Journey— Engraves a 
 Cross on Independence Rock— More Carefully Explores the 
 North Platte— Returns to Fort Laramie— Follows the Platte 
 to the Missouri— Goes Down the Missouri in a Ten-Oared 
 Boat — Arrives at St. Louis. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Fremont's Second Expedition Through. Wyoming 274 
 
 The Start From the Missouri— Follow the Kansas River- 
 Command Divided — Explorations in Colorado — Two Divi- 
 sions Meet at Fort St. Vrain— Twenty-Five Men With the 
 Baggage Go By Way of Fort Laramie to Fort Hall — Fremont 
 and Thirteen Men Explore Laramie Plains and Proceed 
 Westward to Eastern Rim of Red Desert — Proceed North to 
 Sweetwater — Journey to Bear River — Explore Great Salt 
 Lake — Join Balance of Command at Fort Hall — Explorations 
 in Oregon^ — Winter Campaign in the Mountains of Cali- 
 fornia — Third Exploring Expedition and Experiences in 
 California — Fourth Exploring Expedition — Great Suffering of 
 the Party and Eleven Deaths — Fremont's Public Services. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 Discoveries in Yellowstone Park 286 
 
 Joseph Meek Strays Into the Park in 1829 and Tells What 
 
 He Saw — An Unknown Explorer in 1833 Writes the First 
 
 Description of Geysers — Jim Bridger in 1850 Takes His 
 
 " Friends to See the Curiosities at the Head of the Yellowstone, 
 
 Which He Had Been Telling About for Twenty-five Years — 
 
Contents. xiii 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Reynolds' Expedition in 1860 Is Prevented by Deep Snow 
 Prom Entering tlie Geyser Country — Numerous Prospectors 
 See the Thermal Springs and Geysers — The Folsom Ex- 
 pedition of 1869 — Organization of the Washburn Expedition 
 in 1870. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 History of Fort Laramie 296 
 
 A Noted Post in the Wilderness — Story of Jacques 
 Laramie — Naming Laramie River — Robert Campbell Builds 
 Port William — Name Changed to Port Laramie — Purchased 
 by Milton Sublette, Jim Bridger and others — Sold to Ameri- 
 can Fur Company — Becomes the Capital of the Wilderness 
 — Palmy Days at the Old Trading Post — Important Station 
 on the Overland Trail — Closing Days of the Fur Traders at 
 Fort Laramie. 
 
 CHAPTER XXTV. 
 
 History of Fort Laramie (Continued) 310 
 
 Purchase of Port Laramie by United States Government 
 — The Price Paid — The First Garrison — Reinforcements — Re- 
 building of the Fort — Scurvy Attacks the Soldiers — Cholera 
 at Scott's Bluffs — Captain Ketchum Relieves Major Sander- 
 son as Commander — American Pur Company Retires Down 
 the River to Scott's Bluffs — Emigrant Trains — Indians for 
 the Most Part Peaceable — Valuable Services of American 
 Fur Company to Emigrants — Treaty of 1851. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 History of Fort Laramie (Continued) 320 
 
 Unpleasant Side of the Service at Port Laramie — Shut up 
 in the Wilderness — Gloom and Despondency — Insolent Sav- 
 ages — Indians Severely Punished — Lieutenant Grattan and 
 Thirty Soldiers Massacred — Sioux Tribes on the War Path — 
 Port Laramie Reinforced — Major Hoffman Takes Command 
 — The Sioux Make War on Emigrant Trains — Sir George 
 Gore's Hunting Expedition — Bridger Becomes Guide — 
 Terrible Conditions Along the Overland Trail — Government 
 Urged to Protect Emigrants — War Department Aroused at 
 Last. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 The Oregon Emigration 330 
 
 Dr. Elijah White's Train of 1842— Trials and Tribula- 
 
xiv Contents. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 tions by the Way— Fitzpatrlck the Guide— Emigrants of 1844 
 — Extravagant Prices at Fort Laramie That Year — One 
 Thousand Four Hundred and Seventy-five People Go to 
 Oregon in 1844— Senator Benton's Prophecy— The Business 
 of the Trail in 1845— The Rush in 1846— Indians Say White 
 Men Are as Numerous as the Leaves of the Forest— Scenes at 
 Fort Laramie— Increasing Emigration of 1847-8— The "Days 
 of Forty-Nine." 
 
 CHAPTEK XXVII. 
 
 Mormon Emigration ^"^^ 
 
 Brigham Young's Pioneer Train — An Incident on the 
 Eastern Border of Wyoming — Arrival at Fort Laramie — 
 Crossing the Platte Above Caspar With Boats and Rafts — 
 The Train Crosses South Pass — Reaches the Big Sandy and 
 Green River — Jim Bridger Meets Brigham Young — The Stop 
 at Fort Bridger— Train Passes Out of Wyoming— Arrival in 
 Salt Lake Valley — Incidents Connected with the Mormon 
 Settlement — Character of Brigham Young. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 History of Fort Bridger 349 
 
 First a Trappers' and Traders' Rendezvous — Bridger 
 Builds a Block House — The Bridger and Vasquez Partnership 
 The Mormons Settle Around the Fort in 1853 — Rebuilt in 
 1855 — Occupied by Government Troops, Winter of 1857-8 
 — Troops on Short Rations — Captain Marcy's Winter Journey 
 — Port Rebuilt by the Government — Practically Abandoned 
 in 1861 — Judge Carter Organizes a Company of Mountaineers 
 to Garrison the Port — California and Nevada Volunteers 
 Occupy the Post From 1862 to 1866— Arrival of United States 
 Troops to Replace Volunteers — Troops Protect Overland 
 Stages and Engineers of Union Pacific Railway — Abandoned 
 in 1890. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 Events on the Overland 359 
 
 What Came of Fremont's Explorations — Hockaday and 
 Liggett's Monthly Stage from the Missouri to Salt Lake — Fort 
 Kearney, South Pass and Honey Lake Wagon Road — Winter 
 Camp in the Wind River Valley — Colonel F. W. Lander and 
 the Shoshone Indians — Russell, Majors and Waddell, the 
 Freighters- Daily Stage Line — The Pony Express— Fight Be- 
 tween the Shoshones and Sioux — Death of War Chief Wash- 
 akie's Eldest Son— Construction of the Telegraph Line. 
 
Contents. xv 
 
 OHAPTEE XXX. page. 
 
 Changing the Overland Trail .374 
 
 Ben Holliday Becomes Proprietor of the Stage Line — 
 Shoshones Capture all the Horses For a Distance of 200 Miles 
 — The Mormon Battalion — Arrival of Volunteer Troops — The 
 Emigrant Road Expedition — Colonel P. Edward Connor Takes 
 Charge of the Military District of Utah — Fort Douglass Lo- 
 cated — Fort Bridger Garrisoned — Mormon Effort to Have 
 Troops Removed From Fort Douglass — Colonel Connor's 
 Letter to the War Department — Removal of the Stages to the 
 Laramie Plains and Bridger Pass Route — Whisky Gap Named 
 — Thorough Equipment of the Holliday Line. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 Indian Depredations on the Overland 390 
 
 Colonel Connor's Winter Campaign — Battle of Bear River 
 — Two Hundred and Twenty-Four Indians Killed — Colonel 
 Connor Made a Brigadier General — Southern TJtes Go on the 
 War Path — Additional Troops Asked For — General Connor 
 Makes a Statement to the War Department Regarding the 
 Mormons — Major Wynkoop Ordered to the Overland Trail — 
 Hostiles Attack Sweetwater Station — Utes Attack Stage 
 Station on Laramie Plains — The Bannocks and Snakes Want 
 Peace — Wyoming Attached to the Military District of 
 Colorado — ^Utes Sue For Peace in Utah — The Career of the 
 Notorious Joseph A. Slade In Wyoming — His Execution by 
 Vigilantes in Montana. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 Indian Troubles on the Overland 406 
 
 Events of 1864 — A Glance Backward — The Crow Country 
 — The Crow Character — What Robert Campbell Says of Them 
 — The Bozeman Road — The Man Who Laid It Out and His 
 Death — Overland Stage Company Complains — General Con- 
 nor's Policy With the Indians Successful — Return of Stolen 
 Property — General Connor Ordered to Protect the Over- 
 land From Salt Lake to Fort Kearney — Mormons Attempt 
 to Have Camp Douglass Removed — General Connor's Trouble 
 With the Mormons— The Outlook for 1865. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 The Bloody Year on the Plains 422 
 
 Indians Become Experts in Killing and Robbing — Hos- 
 
xvi Contents. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 tilities Open on January 7— Captain O'Brien's Desperate 
 Fight Against Overwhelming Numbers— The Burning of 
 Julesburg Station— The Attack on Mud Springs Station- 
 Colonel Collins Brings Relief— Fight at Rush Creek— De- 
 struction of the Telegraph Line— Colonel Collins Returns to 
 Fort Laramie— His Recommendations to the Government 
 —Organization of the Department of the Plains— General 
 Connor Placed in Command— Indians Attack Deer Creek 
 Station— Colonel Moonlight's Expedition to Wind River- 
 Renewed Trouble at Julesburg— Capture of Two Face and 
 Blackfoot— Their Execution at Fort Laramie — Rescue of Mrs. 
 Eubanks — The Schuyler Colfax Party. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 The Bloody Year on the Plains (Continued) 445 
 
 Headquarters Removbd From Denver to Julesburg — 
 Colonel Moonlight Places Additional Troops on the Telegraph 
 Line — District Inspectors Appointed — Commanders of the 
 Different Posts— Indians Attack Rock Ridge and Sweetwater 
 Stations — Attack and Burning of St. Mary's Station— Affair 
 at Platte Bridge — Trouble at Sage Creek.Pine Grove and 
 Bridger Pass Stations — Second Attack on Sage Creek Station 
 — The Stage Company Refuses to Run Coaches — Soldiers 
 Mutiny — So-Called Friendly Indians Mutiny — Colonel Moon- 
 light's Troubles — General Connor Getting Ready For a Cam- 
 paign on Powder River— Troops Delayed By Bad Roads — 
 Additional Troubles on the Telegraph Line and the Stage 
 Route Across Laramie Plains — Niobrara and Montana Wagon 
 Road. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXV. 
 
 The Bloody Year on the Plains (Continued) 469 
 
 The Massacre at Platte Bridge — Lieutenant Caspar W. 
 Collins Goes Out to Insure the Safety of a Wagon Train and 
 Is Killed Together With Eight of His Men and Seven More 
 Wounded — Twenty-One Men Belonging to the Wagon 
 Train Are All Killed But Three— Three Thousand Indians 
 Threaten Platte Bridge — How Fort Caspar Received Its 
 Name — Able Letter on the Indian Question by Major General 
 John Pope — Indian Affairs Discussed by the Author — Mis- 
 takes Made by the Government in the Management of the 
 Indians — General Connor Is Given a New Command — General 
 Wheaton Assumes Command of the District of Nebraska, 
 
Contents. xvii 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 With Headquarters at Port Laramie — Reduction of the Army 
 on the Plains — Its Effect on the Savages — The Much Talked 
 of Peace Conference to be Held at Fort Laramie, May, 1866. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 Tlie Bloody Year on the Plains (Continued) 491 
 
 Troops Operating Against Savages— Divided Into Small 
 Detachments — Red Men Have Things Their Own Way — In- 
 dian Affairs and the Indian Question — The Powder River 
 Campaign Discussed and Determined by Generals Pope, 
 Dodge and Connor — General Connor Issues His Instructions 
 to Colonel Cole and Makes Known His Plan of Campaign — 
 Departure of the Expedition— Captain George F. Price Left in 
 Command at Fort Laramie — Pope Abolishes the District of 
 the Plains — Assigns Connor to the District of Utah — General 
 F. Wheaton Assigned to the District of Nebraska With Head- 
 quarters at Fort Laramie — Indian Depredations on the Tele- 
 graph and Mail Line After General Connor's Departure For 
 Powder River. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVII. 
 
 Report of the Powder River Expedition 505 
 
 Captain Palmer's Dairy — The Army of Invasion Starts 
 North — Crossing the Platte at LaBonta's Ranch — Incidents by 
 the Way — Building of Fort Connor — A Running Fight — 
 Twenty-Four Indians Killed — A Skirmish — Visits Lake De 
 Smet — Something About Jim Bridger — Battle of Tongue 
 River — Exciting Scenes on the Field of Carnage — The March 
 Down Tongue River — Anxiety About Colonel Cole's Com- 
 mand — Scouring the Country For Indians — Colonel Cole 
 Heard From and His Troops Reported to Be in a Starving 
 Condition — He Fails to Meet General Connor at the Appoint- 
 ed Place of Rendezvous — Return of the Various Commands 
 to Fort Laramie. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
 
 Thrilling Events of the Bozeman Road 541 
 
 Mountain District Organized — Colonel H. B. Carrington 
 Assumes Command — Expedition Moves From Fort Kearney 
 — The Peace Conference at Fort Laramie — Red Cloud's 
 Position and Brave Words — The March to Port Reno — The 
 Building of the New Fort — Selecting a Site for Fort Phil. 
 Kearney — Erection of the Post Commenced — Conference 
 
xviii Contents. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 With Hostlles— First Encounter With the Savages— Attack 
 on Train at Clear Creek— Lieutenant Daniels Killed— Fort 
 C. F. Smith located— General Hazen Inspects the Posts— Fort 
 Phil. Kearney Practically Completed October 31st. 
 
 CHAPTEE XXXIX. 
 
 Thrilling Events of the Bozeman Eoad (Continued) 560 
 
 Description of Fort Phil. Kearney— Colonel Carrington's 
 Address and Hoisting the Flag— A Night Attack— The Gar- 
 rison Harassed by Night and by Day— Fight of December 
 6th, Lieutenant Bingham and Sergeant Bowers Killed — The 
 Fetterman Massacre— Eighty-One Brave Men Meet Death- 
 Scenes at the Fort— Burial of the Dead— John Phillips' Daring 
 Ride for Help— His Arrival at Fort Laramie— Reinforce- 
 ments Go to Fort Phil. Kearney— Suffering of the Troops 
 From the Cold on the Journey— A Review of the Causes 
 Which Led to the Massacre. 
 
 CHAPTER XL. 
 
 Red Cloud Continues the War 1867 580 
 
 Government Wants Peace — Red Cloud Jubilant — Brig- 
 adier General Wessels Takes Command of Fort Phil. Kearney 
 — Carrington Goes to Fort McPherson — General P. St. George 
 Cooke Removed and General Augur Assumes Command of 
 the Department of the Platte — Report of Congressional Com- 
 mittee on the Fetterman Massacre — Red Cloud, With a Large 
 Force, Hovers About Fort Phil. Kearney — Makes Preparations 
 to Storm the Fort — Major Powell's Desperate Fight With 
 Red Cloud — Indians Severely Beaten — Recruits His Forces 
 From Other Tribes — Spotted Tail Punishes Deserters — 
 Building of Fort Fetterman — Fort D. A. Russell I^ocated. 
 
 CHAPTER XLI. 
 
 Mistaken Policy of the Government 1868 598 
 
 Indians Continue Hostilities — Record for the Month of 
 March — Peace Commissioners Assemble at Fort Laramie 
 —Red Cloud Agrees to Terms But Does Not Sign — Six Hun- 
 dred of His Warriors Dissatisfied and Withdraw — The 
 Marauding Bands Continue the War- Forts Reno, Phil. 
 Kearney and C. F. Smith Abandoned— Several Regiments 
 Withdraw From the Plains— General Sheridan Points Out 
 the Mistakes of the Peace Policy of the Government— Indian 
 Troubles Renewed — Schuyler Colfax's Message to the War 
 
Contents. xix 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Department — Governor Hunt of Colorado Asks for Arms — 
 General Sherman's Reply — Generals Sheridan and Custer 
 Take the Field— Text of the Sioux Treaty— Building of Fort 
 Fred. Steele. 
 
 CHAPTER XLII. 
 
 The Territory of Wyoming 1868 621 '^ 
 
 The Building of a Railroad Necessitates a Government — 
 The Name Wyoming and Its Origin — ^The First Bill in Con- 
 gress — Dr. Hiram Latham Sent to Washington as an Agent of 
 the People — Circular Distributed Among the Senators and 
 Members of the House of Representatives — Bill Passes the 
 Senate — Difficulties Encountered in the House — It was 
 Finally Passed and Signed by the President — Territorial Offi- 
 cers Nominated by President Johnson But Not Confirmed 
 by the Senate — Bill Delayed Until General Grant Becomes 
 President — The Act Organizing the Territory. 
 
 CHAPTER XLIII. 
 
 South Pass Gold Discoveries 1842-1869 636 
 
 A Georgian Makes the First Discovery In 1842 — Thirteen 
 Years Later Forty Men Arrived and Made Rich Discoveries^ 
 Next Year They Are Driven Out of the Country by United 
 States Troops— The Attempts at Mining From 1858 to 1864— 
 Lieutenant Brown's Discoveries — Major Baldwin Outfits Two 
 Prospectors — Organization of the Lincoln Mining District — 
 Discovery of Carissa in 1867 — Killing of Captain Lawrence 
 and Tony Shields by Indians^ — Mad Rush to South Pass in 
 1868 — Numerous Rich Mines Discovered That Year — Attack 
 by Indians — Building of Sawmills and Quartz Mills — Dis- 
 coveries of 1869 — More Indian Depredations — Murders of 
 the Year — Pioneers of the Camps. 
 
 CHAPTER XLIV. ^ 
 
 Building the Union Pacific 675<^ 
 
 National Surveys — Chartered by Congress — Subsidy in 
 Lands — Government Bonds Loaned — The Road a National ~ 
 Necessity — Patriotic Private Citizens Furnish Money and 1 
 Construct the Road — The Government Secures Great Benefits ■; 
 For Which It Pays Practically Nothing — Incidents in tht, , 
 History of Construction — Marvelous Speed of the Track • 
 Layers — A Well Organized Army of Builders — Building 
 Across Wyoming — Bear River Riot — Close of 1868. 
 
XX Contents. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 CHAPTER XLV. 
 
 Pioneers and Origin of Names 685 
 
 August Lucius, First Government Interpreter at Fort 
 Laramie — Sergeant Leodiger Schneider — Ward and Guerrier 
 and Other Post Traders at Fort Laramie — James Baker — 
 Origin of the Name of Independence Rock— Richard Wootten 
 in Wyoming — Origin of the Name Platte River — B. F. Lowe, 
 Henry Perri — Old Trappers and Traders — Origin of Names 
 of Big Horn River and Mountains, Big Wind River, Wind 
 River Range, Shoshone Range, Popo Agie Rivers, Teton 
 Range and Peaks — Climhing the Grand Teton. 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Opposite 
 Page 
 
 Ames, Oakes 681 
 
 Amoretti, E 656 
 
 Author, The Frontispiece 
 
 Baker, Jim 689 
 
 Baker, Jim., Residence of 544 
 
 Baldwin, Major Noyes 672 
 
 Baldwin, Mrs. Noyes 672 
 
 'Bonneville, Capt. B. L. E 192 
 
 Bridger, James 192 
 
 Bridger's Ferry 368 
 
 Bucknum, C. K 704 
 
 Cannon, George Q 344 
 
 Carson, Kit 256 
 
 Cheney, Ervin F 672 
 
 Connor, Maj. Gen. and Staff 512 
 
 Connor, Maj. Gen. P. E 512 
 
 Deer Creek Overland Stage Station 361 
 
 De Smet, Father Peter 192 
 
 Devil's Gate 264 
 
 Dickinson, Mrs. Margaret 664 
 
 Dillon, Sidney 681 
 
 Durant, Thos. C 681 
 
 Emigrants Crossing the Platte 336 
 
 Fetterman Massacre, Map of Ground 570 
 
 Fort Caspar 480 
 
 Fort Fetterman 320 
 
 Fort Philip Kearney 561 
 
 Fort Laramie, 1836 304 
 
 Fort Laramie, 1871 304 
 
 Fort Laramie, 1889 320 
 
 Fort Reno 544 
 
 Fremont, Gen. John C 256 
 
 Fremont's Speech at Fort Laramie 256 
 
 Fremont's Peak 272 
 
 Gould, Jay 681 
 
 Hoback Canon, Entrance to 88 ' 
 
xxii Illustrations. 
 
 Opposite 
 Page 
 
 Hooper, W. H 344 
 
 Hyde, Orson 344 
 
 Independence Rock 264 
 
 Indian Attack on Overland Stage 480 
 
 Irwin, Dr. James ^^* 
 
 Kelly, H. B 465 
 
 Kime, James ^''2 
 
 La Bonte Stage Station 368 
 
 Lander, Gen. F. W 465 
 
 Langf ord, Nathaniel P 192 
 
 McAuley, Robert 649 
 
 McAvoy, James A 664 
 
 Mormon Pioneers 344 
 
 Morris, Esther, at age of 50 640 
 
 Natural Bridge 112 
 
 Nickerson, Capt. H. G 649 
 
 O'Brien, Capt. N. J 512 
 
 Palmer, Capt. H. E 512 
 
 Platte Canon, Looking South 112 
 
 Platte Canon, Looking North 112 
 
 Phillips, John 465 
 
 Phillips, John, at Horse Shoe Station 592 
 
 Pony Express Station 361 
 
 Pratt, Orson 344 
 
 Ramsey, Mrs. Addie 664 
 
 Red Cloud, Chief, at age of 72 592 
 
 Richards, Lieut. A. V ■ 512 
 
 Ricketts, R. M 672 
 
 Sawyers, Col. James A 465 
 
 Scott, Thos. A 681 
 
 Sharp, John 344 
 
 Spangler, Samuel L 672 
 
 Sun, Tom 704 
 
 Taylor, John 344 
 
 Tetons, from Jackson's Lake 88 
 
 Ware, Lieut. Eugene F 512 
 
 Wells, Mayor Daniel H 344 
 
 Wiggins, O. P 192 
 
 Wind River Range 272 
 
 Woodruff, J. D 649 
 
 Woodruff, W 344 
 
 Young, President Brigham 344 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 BY JUDGE J. H. HAYFORD. 
 
 Haying been one of the earliest pioneers in Wyoming, 
 the oldest journalist in the State, being intimately acquaint- 
 ed with the author, having had free access to the advance 
 sheets of this history during all its preparation; is my apol- 
 ogy for accepting an invitation to write a brief introduction 
 to this great work. 
 
 It is fortunate for the State that the task of writing 
 its history has fallen into the hands of one so well qualified 
 and equipped for the undertaking as C. Gr. Ooutant. Prom 
 his youth he has engaged in literary work, for many years 
 connected with, the Metropolitan Press of New York City, 
 by which he was detailed to examine proposed railroad 
 routes across the continent, and later he followed along 
 the lines of the great trans-continental railways during the 
 period of their construction. Since the year 1859 he has 
 been familiar with all parts of the Rocky Mountain coun- 
 try and been personally acquainted with many of the noted 
 pioneers. The events which make up the history of Wyo- 
 ming, have to a greater or less extent been familiar to him 
 from his boyhood. These circumstances and his literary ex- 
 perience have especially qualified him to write the story of 
 Wyoming's past. 
 
 The public can never know or realize the vast amount 
 of travel, research, experience and hard work which was 
 necessary in going back into the misty past to gather from 
 tradition, from early explorers, from ofiBcial data contained 
 in the War Department; as well as the investigation of per- 
 sonal adventures of individuals, all necessary in the produc- 
 tion of a work of this character. It was truly a Herculean 
 
XXIV Introduction. 
 
 task. It has been pioneer work. No history of Wyoming 
 had ever been written. The author has felt an overwhelm- 
 ing sense of responsibility of the task in writing a history 
 which is to be a record, not only for this, but for coming 
 generations. It must be accurate and in every way reliable 
 and it is this that made the undertaking laborious and dif- 
 ficult. This experienced writer and searcher after facts 
 has done his work with a most scrupulous and conscientious 
 regard to accuracy in every particular. The conclusions 
 drawn from the facts of history are given fairly and impar- 
 tially, without flattery on the one hand or censoriousness 
 on the other. 
 
 The work will be found to be, not only reliable history 
 of our State, but more intensely and thrillingly interesting 
 than any romance of the period. The hardships, privations 
 and hair-breadth escapes of the pioneers, the adventures of 
 the hunters and trappers of a century ago and the Indian 
 wars of later times are all graphically and accurately writ- 
 ten out. The work, when completed, will be of the greatest 
 value and of the most absorbing interest, not only to the pi- 
 oneers and citizens generally of the State, but to coming 
 generations and to the whole country. Let us all hope and 
 pray that Mr. Ooutant may live to complete this lasting 
 monument to his honorable and useful labors of a lifetime. 
 
HISTOET OF WYOMING. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 
 
 Grand Possibilities — Mineral Wealth — Backbone of the Continent 
 — Fountain Head of Mighty Rivers — Boundary of Wyoming — 
 Names of Rivers and Mountains. 
 
 With beauty as rare and scenery as grand as can be 
 found in the known world; with a wealth of mineral re- 
 sources which will equal, if not surpass, all other geographi- 
 cal divisions of the United States, Wyoming is found in the 
 closing years of the 19th century possessing great possibili- 
 ties in the way of future development. The vast storehouses 
 filled with coal, oil, iron, copper, gold, silver and countless 
 other minerals, await capital and enterprise to unlock the 
 deposits and make them available for the use of man. 
 
 Side by side with the mineral wealth is to be found a 
 soil to produce a food supply sufQcient for the wants 
 of more than two million of population. The inexhaust- 
 ible quantity of water for irrigation insures the success of 
 agriculture for all time to come, and hand in hand all these 
 await the coming of those who are in search of opportunities 
 to earn their bread in the manner set forth in the divine law 
 governing the affairs of the children of men. As the story of 
 Wyoming proceeds it will be seen that its people have laid 
 a broad and solid foundation whereon to build a great and 
 prosperous commonwealth. 
 
 Wyoming, is, so to speak, the backbone as well as the 
 heart of the continent. From her almost inaccessible 
 
 -(2) 
 
i8 History of Wyoming. 
 
 mountains flow the headwaters which form the mighty 
 rivers of the West. Thus our State is the fountain head 
 of the great streams that find their way into the Atlantic, 
 the Pacific and the Gulf of California, insuring us water 
 wherewith to fertilize our many valleys and broad plains. 
 Here under the very shadow of awe inspiring mountain 
 peaks, a vast population has ample opportunity to build 
 homes and develop farms which' shall nevfer suffer from 
 drought but will year after year give an abundant harvest 
 to the husbandman. Where else on this or any other con- 
 tinent has nature bestowed so many rich blessings to be 
 utilized by mankind? In many locations are to be found 
 rich minerals which are in demand the world over, and as 
 if to induce man to develop them, fuel is found in abundance 
 for manufacturing purposes and within the same territory, 
 rich farming lands abound. Added to all this ife a cli- 
 mate of so equitable a temperature as to make it the desir- 
 able home of man. 
 
 In these pages I have grouped together the conditions 
 of the wilderness at the time when white men first attempted 
 to bring civilization into these solitudes. The story of the 
 trapper and trader will be found full of interest and the 
 reader will unconsciously become an admirer of the brave 
 men who plied their vocation along our mountain streams. 
 The more scientific man— the explorer — closely follows the 
 trapper and trader and completes the conquest of the wild- 
 erness. The work of these two classes forms a story of 
 pioneer days which for all time will thrill the heart of 
 American youth and make the history of Wyoming compare 
 in interest with that of any other State. 
 
 This was while the savage hordes lurked in the dark 
 defiles of our mountains and before our pioneers had freed 
 the land from dangers seen and unseen. Before our cities, 
 churches and school houses were built. Before our civil 
 institutions were founded and law and order had come to 
 rule the State! Before the great battle of civilization had 
 been fought and won! 
 
 The opening of that great highway, the Overland trail, 
 
Introductory RemarTcs. 19 
 
 across our State, is a story of all-absorbing interest, from 
 tfee time (1812) when Eobert Stuart and his little band 
 lost themselyes in the then unknown and unnamed interior 
 of what is now Wyoming and wandered aimlessly through 
 the deep snows of winter, down to the banks of the Sweet- 
 water and followed on, only hoping and belieying that they 
 had discovered a stream which wouJd eventually empty its 
 waters into the Missouri. The path marked out by these 
 wanderers became, in a few years, a great highway over 
 which passed a restless tide of humanity numbering hun^ 
 dreds of thousands, until every mile of the way was 
 marked with the blood of innocent children, their loving 
 mothers and brave defenders. The march of empire west- 
 ward brought bands of steel to bind together the two shores 
 of a continent. 
 
 Savage men and savage beasts no longer lurk at will 
 in" our mountains or roam through our valleys. That great 
 law of nature, "the survival of the fittest," has been applied 
 and has done its perfect work. It will be found that what 
 comes after is even more wonderful. The building of the 
 railroads, the introduction of the stock business, the founding 
 of cities and counties were all interspersed with tragedies, 
 Indian wars and thrilling personal adventures. All these 
 things are the foundation upon which was builded a com- 
 monwealth having for its cornerstone equal rights for its 
 sons and daughters. For the pioneers it was a glorious 
 achievement, and as we look back at the record we cannot 
 help saying that the past is safe, and when we tu,rn to the 
 future it is not without hope, for it naturally follows that 
 the sons and daughters of such progenitors will hold sacred 
 the institutions founded by their fathers. Those who pur- 
 sue this story of the building up of a State will hardly fail 
 to notice that the newspaper, the school house and the 
 church played a conspicuous part in every community in 
 pioneer days. These were the great engines of civilization 
 and to their influence must be attributed results which have 
 placed Wyoming in the highest rank of intelligence. But 
 what of the future? Will the brave blood of the pioneer 
 
20 History of Wyoming. 
 
 when assisted by the pure air of these high altitudes result 
 in a race of men and women bordering on physical as well 
 as intellectual giants? All we can answer is that the 
 foundation has been laid for such a result. Time alone will 
 answer the question. 
 
 The Wyoming of which I have written is bounded as 
 follows: Commencing at the intersection of the twenty- 
 seventh meridian of longitude west from Washington with 
 the forty-fifth degree of north latitude, and running thence 
 west to the thirty-fourth meridian of west longitude; thence 
 south to the forty-first degree of north latitude; thence 
 east to the twenty-seventh meridian of west longitude, and 
 thence north to the place of the beginning. 
 
 While Wyoming is known and must forever be classed 
 as a mountain State, it is in fact made up largely of broad 
 plains, out of which rise mountain ranges of great beauty, 
 and from these flow the headwaters of innumerable rivers. 
 Commencing near the southeast comer of the State is the 
 Laramie range which extends to the northwest, the highest 
 point being Laramie Peak, located 84 miles in a direct line 
 from the southern boundary of the State and 72 miles west 
 of the eastern boundary. This range is made up of broken 
 and detached mountain spurs which extend into vast plains 
 on nearly all sides. West and south is the Snowy Range 
 and further west are the Medicine Bow Mountains, a spur 
 of the latter range; to the northwest of these is the Sweet- 
 water Range, made up in part of Seminole and Green 
 Mountains, and continuing northwest, is the Wind River 
 Range, one of the main barriers of the Rocky Mountains, 
 forming the Continental Divide. Beyond this are the Gros 
 Ventre and Teton Ranges. To the south on the west border 
 ■of the State is the Snake River Range, and south of this, 
 the group of mountains known as the Salt River Range'. 
 Commencing again on the east line of the State and north of 
 the Laramie range, are the Black Hills, which are properly 
 a part of the latter, also the Powder River Range. North 
 of the center of the State are the famous Big Horn Moun- 
 tains, like the Wind River Range, a continuation of the main 
 
Introductory Remarks. 21 
 
 chain of the Rocky Mountains; west of this range are tlie 
 Owl Creek Mountains and to the northwest of the latter 
 are found the Shoshone Mountains. The mountains above 
 mentioned are divided into numerous groups which for my 
 purpose need not be explained here. 
 
 The water courses of Wyoming are very numerous. 
 Commencing in the southeastern portion of the State they 
 are, the North Platte with its branches, the Big and Little 
 Laramie and Sweetwater. These drain the southeastern 
 portion of the State. The North Platte rises in Colorado, flow- 
 ing generally in a northwesterly direction as far as Sage 
 Creek, from which point it continues due north until it 
 reaches the mouth of the Sweetwater where it takes a 
 northeastely course around the end of Caspar Mountain, 
 from which point it flows directly east for a distance of 50 
 miles and from thence takes a southeasterly course, re- 
 ceiving the waters of the Laramie River, and passes into 
 the State of Nebraska. The Laramie River rises in the 
 mountains of Colorado and after reaching Wyoming flowa 
 northeast for a distance of 25 miles and then north for 50 
 miles; it then takes a northeasterly course for a distance 
 of 100 miles where it empties into the North Platte River. 
 The Little Laramie rises in the Medicine Bow Mountains, 
 flows northeast a distance of about 30 miles where it joins 
 the Laramie River. The Sweetwater, rising as far west as 
 the south end of the Wind River Range, flows eastwardly 
 about 100 miles where it empties into the North Platte. 
 Cheyenne River is located in the eastern portion of the 
 State, about 100 miles from the northern boundary. It» 
 tributaries are Beaver, Black Thunder, Bear, Walker, 
 Twenty-mile and Hat Creeks, with a dozen other smaller 
 streams. The Belle Fourche rises northeast of the central 
 portion of the State and flows 100 miles to the northwest 
 where it turns abruptly to the southeast for 20 miles and 
 here enters South Dakota. Its principal tributaries are, 
 Beaver, Miller, Inyan Kara, Wind, Buffalo, Horse, Donkey 
 and Iron Creeks. The Little Missouri rises in the northeast 
 part of the State and flows in a northeasterly direction and 
 
22 History of Wyoming. 
 
 enters Montana. Its principal tributaries are, North Fork, 
 Prairie and Thompson Creeks. The Little Powder River 
 rises west of the Little Missouri and flows north into Mon- 
 tana, where it joins Powder Kiver Its principal tributaries 
 are Horse, Wild Cat, Buffalo Hide and Cottonwood Creeks. 
 Powder Eiver rises east of the Big Horn Mountains, nearly 
 opposite their southern end, flows north about 100 miles 
 into Montana where it becomes a tributary of the Yellow- 
 stone. Its principal tributaries are. Clear, Crazy Woman, 
 Nine Mile, Meadow, North Fork, Middle Fork and South 
 Fork. The Big Horn River is one of the large streams of 
 the State. It takes its rise in the Wind River Range and 
 flows north over 150 miles. Its principal tributaries are 
 the Stinking Water, Grey Bull, Wind, Little Wind and 
 Popo Agie Rivers with numerous creeks, among which the 
 largest are Shell, No Wood, No Water, Kirby, Poison, 
 Beaver, Owl and others. Green River takes its rise on the 
 west side of the Wind River Range and flows in a southerly 
 direction and passes into Utah. It is a noble stream and 
 has numerous important tributaries, among which are the 
 following creeks: Bitter, Big Sandy, New Fork, Lead, 
 Horse, Marsh, White Clay, Bitter Root, Piney, Le Barge, 
 Fontenelle, State, Ham's Fork, Pacific and Black Fork. The 
 Snake River rises in the Yellowstone National Park, flows 
 south into Jackson's Lake and continuing its southerly 
 course passes out of the State through the Grand Canon 
 at the south end of the Snake River Range. Some of its 
 branches are Lewis River, Buffalo Fork, Elk Horn, Gros 
 Ventre, Hoback's River and John Day's River. The Yel- 
 lowstone Eiver rises on the west side of the Shoshone 
 Mountains and flows northwest into Yellowstone Lake, 
 from which point it takes a general northwesterly course 
 and enters Montana, having passed entirely through the 
 Yellowstone National Park. Its tributaries are too numer- 
 ous to mention, but not one of these in the State of Wyo- 
 ming is large. 
 
Spanish Occupation. 23 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 SPANISH OCCUPATION. 
 
 The Claims of the Spaniards Regarding the Northwest — What 
 Different Writers Say — Where Did the White Blood of the 
 Mandans Come From? — Relics op- Iron Tools Found in North- 
 ern Wyoming and Montana — Evidences of Mining and Agricul- 
 cuLTURE Carried on Probably in the Seventeenth Century — 
 The Subject Referred to Future Historians. 
 
 It has long been claimed and generally believed that 
 during the latter part of the sixteenth and the beginning 
 of the seventeenth century, one of the numerous Spanish 
 expeditions which left Mexico penetrated as far north aa 
 the Missouri Kiver and reached the Yellowstone country. 
 I can find no positive evidence of this, but the wild scram- 
 ble for wealth by Spanish adventurers about that time and 
 the over-running of the country from Santa Fe north and 
 northwest into Kansas and Colorado would leave the im- 
 pression that it is not at all unlikely that some of these ex- 
 peditions came into Wyoming and went even farther north. 
 The Franciscan Friars never tired of talking about cities 
 of fabulous wealth which were located, they said, near the 
 great mountains. These, they claimed, contained store- 
 houses, filled with precious metals, in such quantities as 
 were never known before. I can readily understand that 
 these Franciscan Friars were anxious to spread their re- 
 ligious teachings among these strange people, who were 
 reputed to be possessed of great wealth but destitute of 
 religion. The sword of the Spanish conqueror and the 
 Cross of Christ had for a century been carried into new 
 provinces to the south of us and the people subjugated, 
 duly robbed, often murdered and christianized, according 
 to true Spanish civilization. These are the claims made 
 by the nation which Columbus taught the art of discover- 
 ing new worlds, and who rewarded his services by sending 
 
24 History of Wyoming. 
 
 him home in chains when he was no longer needed. In 
 support of the Spanish claims, of having sent expeditions 
 into the northwest as far as the headwaters of the Missouri 
 and having taken back rich furs and gold, I will group 
 together a few of the evidences of Spanish occupation of 
 the country. When the American trappers came to the 
 Eocky Mountains and reached the Seeds-Ke-dee Eiver, 
 they were told that the Spaniards had lived on this stream 
 It was therefore promptly called by the trappers Spanish 
 River (Green River). There is evidence that the Indians 
 had a knowledge of the Spanish people. Lewis and Clark, 
 in passing through the country at the head of the Missouri, 
 found Spanish saddles and bridles in use among the Indians. 
 It is a fact known to all writers who have made investi- 
 gation among the Indians that they acquired the horse from 
 the same source. Washington Irving, in his Astoria, in 
 speaking of the Indians of the Northwest, says on page 164 
 "The Spaniards changed the whole character and habita 
 of the Indians when they brought the horse among them." 
 I have sometimes thought that it was not impossible 
 that the Indians may have learned from the Spaniards the 
 art of horse stealing. The student of history will, upon 
 reflection, discover quite a number of Spanish peculiarities 
 among some of our Rocky Mountain Indians. In some in- 
 stances it is possible that the Spaniards are in no way 
 responsible for the evidences of civilization among our In- 
 dian tribes and yet they lay claim to this distinction. Lewis- 
 and Clark describe the Mandans as the most civilized tribe 
 they found in their travels. Their domestic habits were 
 nearer those of white people, they lived in permanent vil- 
 lages, slept on bedsteads with buffalo robes for mattresses, 
 pillows and blankets, and cultivated the com, squashes and 
 pumpkins upon which they lived. Many of them were re- 
 markable for the whiteness of their skin and the light color 
 of their hair. Vaughn says that they always received the 
 whites with graceful and dignified hospitality, and that a 
 stranger in a Mandan village is first struck with the dif- 
 ferent shades of complexion, and various colors of hair,. 
 
Spanish Occupation. 25 
 
 which he sees in the crowd about him, and is at once almost 
 disposed to exclaim that "these are not Indians!" There 
 are a great many people whose complexions appear as light 
 as half breeds, and, among the women particularly, there 
 are many whose skins are almost white, with the most pleas- 
 ing symmetry and proportion of features, with hazel, gray, 
 and blue eyes, mildness and sweetness of expression and 
 remarkable modesty of demeanor, which render them ex- 
 ceedingly pleasing and beautiful. 
 
 Mr. Catlin, who visited this tribe about the year 1831 
 says that they are acquainted with the Mosaic account of 
 the deluge and that they have an annual religious ceremony 
 which is fixed at a date when the willow is in full leaf and 
 that this ceremony refers to their traditional history of the 
 flood, which they in some way or other have received and 
 endeavor to perpetuate by vividly impressing it on the minds 
 of the whole nation. He adds, that this is not surprising, 
 as in the vicinity of almost every Indian tribe there is 
 some high mountain where they insist upon it the "big 
 canoe" landed; but that these people should hold annual 
 celebrations of the event, and the season should be decided 
 by such circumstances as the full leaf of the willow, is 
 truly remarkable. Their tradition is that the twig that 
 the bird brought home was a willow bough and had full 
 grown leaves upon it, and the bird to which they allude is 
 the turtle dove, which is not to be destroyed or harmed by 
 anyone, and even their dogs are trained not to do it injury. 
 
 Edward Everett Hale, in a work published in 1854, 
 called Kansas and Nebraska, in commenting on the annual 
 religious ceremony of the Mandans, says: 
 
 "It would seem from these traditions that these people 
 must have had some proximity to some part of the civilized 
 world; or that missionaries or others have been formerly 
 among them inculcating the Christian religion and the 
 Mosaic account of the flood, which is, in this and some other 
 respects, decidedly different from the theory which most of 
 the aborigines have regarding that event. This vague re- 
 semblance, however, to the Mosaic account of the deluge^ 
 
26 History of Wyoming. 
 
 seems to be the only token that has been observed of any 
 knowledge of any of the Christian Scriptures. Now, Modoo 
 and his colony were men trained in the Christianity of their 
 day and took with them, doubtless, Christian ministers, and 
 the symbols of the Christian faith." 
 
 I think that Lewis and Clark, Vaughn and Catlin have 
 produced sufficient evidence to prove there was white blood 
 in the Mandan tribe. If it did not come from the Spaniards, 
 where did it come from? I admit that so far, I have been 
 unable to show Spanish occupation of the upper Missouri 
 and yet the evidence adduced bears on the subject. I know 
 that it has been claimed that the Mandans were of Welsh 
 origin, but that is a tradition more than a thousand years 
 old. The story goes that Modoc sailed away with his Welsh 
 colony from his native country with ten ships loaded with 
 his people more than six hundred years before Columbus 
 discovered America, and that they probably came to this 
 country. When Lewis and Clark told their story of the 
 Mandans Southey wrote his poem "Modoc," and in a note 
 claimed that there was strong evidence that the Wales 
 adventurers reached America and that their posterity 
 dwelt on the Missouri. In another edition of his work, pub- 
 lished in 1815, he adds another note in which he says: 
 
 "That country has now been fully explored, and, where- 
 ever Modoc may have settled, it is now certain that no Welsh 
 Indians are to be found upon any branches of the Missouri." 
 
 The Spaniards in the south were the first to attempt 
 expeditions from the east to the west. The French followed 
 closely after them. It is said that La Hontan made a trip up 
 the Long Eiver, meaning of course the Missouri, in 1688 and 
 made a deer skin map of the country, showing the moun- 
 tains and a river beyond which flowed into a great salt lake. 
 La Hontan certainly told a good story and some of it was 
 true. The mountains and the great salt lake remain today 
 as proof of the correctness of the deer skin map. He did not 
 take with him friars or missionaries and, for that reason, 
 church people discredited his discoveries. He speaks of 
 having found a people near the mountains who resembled 
 
Spanish Occupation. 27 
 
 the Spaniards. They were clothed, and he said, had thick, 
 bushy beards. Araong the clergy who denounced La Hontan 
 was a learned priest named Babe. La Hontan may have 
 imagined all these things he told but in the light of what 
 followed after, the world must say that he spoke the truth 
 and that this over-zealous priest was ignorant beyond meas- 
 ure. If the mountains and lake were pointed out, and he 
 spoke correctly about these, why may it not be true that he 
 met these people whom he thought were Spaniards? 
 
 In Strayhorn's Handbook of Wyoming, published in 
 1877, are the following items of interest which bear upon 
 the subject of Spanish occupation of the Northwest : 
 
 "Although the Genoese navigator had no idea of enrich- 
 ing himself by his perilous launch, in 1492, he at least hoped 
 that the coffers of Ferdinand and his queen would be re- 
 plenished by the wealth of new possessions. But most of 
 his companions were adventurers in quest of gold and glory, 
 reckless and oftentimes cruel to brutality. The missionaries 
 who accompanied him were Franciscan friars, whose zeal 
 for the conversion of the savages was only surpassed by the 
 thirst of their companions in bucklers for gold. Thus a relig- 
 ious zeal, which teaches its votaries to despise riches on 
 earth and lay up treasures elsewhere, and a most avaricious 
 desire for wealth on the part of these adventurers, went 
 hand in hand exploring the southern part of North Amer- 
 ica more than three centuries ago. 
 
 Four survivors of the ill-fated Spanish expedition to 
 Florida, in 1528, bravely made their way westward across 
 the Mississippi, traversed those sections now known as the 
 commonwealths of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, and 
 finally reached the Gulf of California. Reappearing to 
 former friends after several years of absence, they occa- 
 sioned no little astonishment. Their glowing accounts of 
 the kingdoms, cities and towns they had passed through, 
 and the barbaric wealth and splendor they had witnessed, 
 excited and fascinated their listeners to such a degree that 
 an Italian friar named Mark determined to visit the country. 
 He induced one of these four men, a negro named Stephen, 
 
28 History of Wyoming. 
 
 to return, and boldly penetrated the wilderness until he 
 came within sight of the city of Cibola, a location not made 
 plain by early chroniclers. Here the venturesome friar and 
 his companion were attacked by natives, and in the fight, the 
 negro was killed, leaving the isolated explorer only the al- 
 ternative of swiftly retracing his steps. 
 
 Friar Mark did not abandon his project, however, and 
 in 1540, he induced the chieftain Coronado to head an ex- 
 pedition to Cibola, stimulating the new adventurers by 
 richly colored tales of the vast riches and entrancing beauty 
 of the place. Other Franciscans accompanied the expedi- 
 tion. Finally Cibola was reached, but not so the reputed 
 wealth, for the place proved a barren prize. The friar was 
 overwhelmed with reproaches, and returning to the coast 
 soon died. 
 
 But enchanting tradition whispered that there were 
 other cities of untold wealth farther in the interior, and 
 Coronado pushed on. He crossed the Eio Grande near the 
 present town of Santa Fe and pushed northward to the 
 Arkansas, but still failed to find the golden cities. True, 
 he encountered numbers of small Indian villages, but for- 
 tune was no nearer than when he started from the sunny 
 shores of the southwestern gulf. Growing thoroughly dis- 
 couraged, after a two years' search, Coronado returned, 
 leaving two zealous friars, however, at Indian villages 
 along the Rio Grande. 
 
 The fame of the supposed rich cities had now reached 
 ihe City of Mexico and Tampico, and an expedition in quest 
 of them started from the latter place in 1542. During the 
 march northward an Indian village on the east side of the 
 Rio Grande was named Sante Fe (holy faith), and became 
 the base of future explorations. The two missionaries left 
 behind in this vicinity by Coronado had already suffered 
 death at the hands of the Indians. From this time forward 
 there were alternate successes upon the part of the Span- 
 iards in establishing missions in New Mexico and of the 
 savages destroying them. The rich cities to the northward 
 
Spanish Occupation. 29 
 
 were yet undiscovered, although little doubt prevailed aa 
 to their existence. 
 
 During the progress of the Mexican war, in 1846, a 
 highly educated Mexican padre, named Ortiz, was captured 
 near El Paso in the act of bearing dispatches to his country- 
 men south of the Rio Grande. While a prisoner in the hands 
 of General Stephen W. Kearney's followers, he volunteered 
 the statement to different American army ofScers that the 
 Spaniards had early in the seventeenth century obtained a 
 footing in the mountainous region some seven or eight hun- 
 dred miles north of Santa Fe, but still south of the great 
 muddy river (the Missouri) ; that they had built stone houses 
 and arastras, and for nearly a quarter of a century had sent 
 trains to the south laden with gold and rich furs. About 
 1650, however, the savages of the region commenced a whole- 
 sale massacre of these pioneers, and all were swept away 
 as far south as Santa Fe. Ortiz had in his possession an 
 old Spanish book, written late in the seventeenth century, 
 describing all of the country between the Rio Grande and the 
 Missouri, and also containing statements verifying those 
 volunteered by himself, to the effect that the ruins of these 
 settlements existed in the northwest, and that great canals 
 and other auxiliaries to mining had been there constructed. 
 
 At intervals of many years following, reckless adven- 
 turers risked their lives to reach the northern land of prom- 
 ise, but these never returned after crossing the Arkansas. 
 As late as 1781, a small expedition, accompanied by Jesuit 
 missionaries, left Santa Fe and penetrated the great north- 
 western plains, but there is no account of the return of any 
 of the party. 
 
 These facts become especially interesting in connec- 
 tion with the developments of American explorers in our 
 own time. Members of General Connor's Big Horn expe- 
 dition of 1865, now residing in Cheyenne, vouch for the 
 statement then made that ruins of stone houses, evidently 
 more than a century old, were found near the shores of the 
 beautiful Lake de Smet, at the eastern base of the Big Horn 
 Mountains. In 1866, the remains of an old Spanish arastra 
 
30 History of Wyoming. 
 
 —a quartz crushing implement— were found in the same 
 region, at a point about fifty miles southwest of Fort Phil 
 Kearney. Kuins of stone houses and fortifications were 
 also discovered by Colonel Mills' expedition in the Big Horn 
 country as late as the fall of 1874. Montana miners who 
 were driven by the Indians from the Rosebud Mountains^ 
 east of Port C. F. Smith, where they were prospecting in 
 1866, reported that there was evidence that mining had been 
 extensively carried on, on some of the bars there, a long 
 time previous to their visit. They found traces of iron tools 
 which had been devoured by rust, the line of a former ditch 
 to convey water upon the bars and some other indications 
 which lead to the conclusion that the Spanish adventurers; 
 alluded to had not only obtained a footing in the region, 
 but had perished there while in the realization of their wild- 
 est dreams. 
 
 It is stated as a fact, capable of verification, that there 
 is now a map in the archives of Paris, prepared by Jesuits 
 as early as 1792, which contains a correct topographical 
 sketch of the Black Hills and Big Horn Mountains, and that 
 both are marked as auriferous regions; but from whence 
 the information was derived is more than can be definitely 
 ascertained. Certain it is, however, that missionaries and 
 gold seekfers visited portions of the present States of Wyo- 
 ming and Montana, in search of souls and the royal metals, 
 during the last century." 
 
 In commenting on Mr. Strayhorn's last paragraph, 
 Hubert Howe Bancroft, in Volume XXV of his history, 
 says that there is nothing true in this statement; that the 
 Spaniards had all they could do to hold their own in New 
 Mexico, during the seventeenth century, without ventur- 
 ing 800 miles into the wilderness among the Indians. There 
 were no such expeditions as represented, although in order 
 to secure grants of land or patents of nobility Spanish ad- 
 venturers related such stories to the king. Further on, he 
 says : "Some coloring has been given to the story by the dis- 
 covery, 1865, of what appeared to be the stone foundations of 
 houses, and what might pass for an ancient arastra on the 
 
Spanish Occupation. 31 
 
 head waters of Powder River and about Smet Lake. 
 But if we explore the past critically we shall find that 
 at some period anterior to the history of the country, and 
 perhaps contemporaneous with the Cliff-dwellers of Colo- 
 rado, a people to whom the present tribes of redmen were as 
 little known as the Caucasian was at a later period to these, 
 had their habitations here. Of their presence the traces are 
 distinct, their relics being found chiefly in the country about 
 the head of the Yellowstone, and in the Big Horn and Wind 
 Eiver vaJleys. They consist of steatite vessels, bowl-shaped, 
 and neatly finished, stone lance heads, knives and scrapers, 
 and sinkers for fishing lines made of volcanic sandstone, or 
 of green-veined marble. The workmanship of these ar- 
 ticles is different from any found on the Pacific or Atlantic 
 coasts, and unlike any in use among the present native 
 tribes inhabiting Montana and Wyoming. Other remains 
 point to a scarcity of timber in the past in that part of the 
 mountains where timber is now plentiful, the driveways for 
 game being constructed of stone instead of wood, and the 
 occurrence of small, circular enclosures of stone seeming 
 to indicate that, if not the foundations of houses, they were 
 used for covers from which to shoot game. Heaps of bones, 
 tools, ornaments, weapons, burial cairns, and mining shafts 
 are among the proofs of their presence. At what period 
 they disappeared and recent tribes took their place is 
 among the silent secrets which the past refuses to disclose. 
 The debris of ages covers the silent witnesses of their exist- 
 ence, which patient research is only now bringing to light, 
 and to them I should refer the stone ruins accredited to 
 Spanish occupation." 
 
 It will be noticed that Bancroft does not explain the 
 traces of iron tools which had been devoured by rust. Many 
 people in Wyoming even at this day have seen such ancient 
 relics and no one can claim that a race contempora- 
 neous with the Cliff-dwellers possessed iron implements. 
 These belonged to white men and their presence must be 
 accounted for, as they are too numerous to be brushed aside. 
 The whole Wind River, Big Horn and Yellowstone districts 
 
32 History of Wyoming. 
 
 are full of these relics, and a close examination of them will 
 convince any ordinary man that they have been in the 
 ground two or three hundred years. White men brought 
 them into the country, without a doubt, but unfortunately 
 for those who hold to former Spanish occupation there is 
 no proof that these people were the owners of these iron 
 implements. The most that can be said on this subject, from 
 the evidence before us, is that the country of which we have 
 spoken was inhabited by white men a long time ago; prob- 
 ably in the seventeenth century. They mined, they tilled 
 the soil, and it necessarily follows that they built domiciles, 
 which undoubtedly were of stone or had stone foundations. 
 I regret that I am obliged to leave this subject in an 
 unsettled condition, but some future historian will un- 
 doubtedly solve the vexed question. I trust that enough 
 has been shown in this chapter to induce further research. 
 I must of necessity leave my readers to draw their own con- 
 clusions from the evidence which has been presented. 
 
French Canadian Explorations. 33 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 FRENCH CANADIAN EXPLORATIONS. 
 
 The De la Verendryes Lead an Expedition From Canada to the 
 Headwaters of the Mississippi Across to the Missouri into the 
 Yellowstone and Wind River Countries — ^Turned Back by the 
 Shoshones Who Persuade the Explorers that They will be 
 Killed by the Sioux at South Pass — Eleven Years Spent in 
 the Wilderness — Return to Montreal — Second Expedition is 
 Prevented by the Death of De la Verendrye — Unprincipled 
 Politicians Rob the De la Verendrye Family and Get Their 
 Hands in the Coffers of the King — Fur Trade Under English 
 Ownership of Canada — American Revolution Leads to Great 
 Changes in the Fur Trade. 
 
 The French Canadians discovered and developed the fur 
 trade of North America. They trapped along the great 
 rivers of Canada almost from the first occupation of the 
 country by the French. They taught the Indians the com- 
 mercial value of the skins of all fur-bearing animals, and 
 they also instructed them as to the seasons when these 
 animals were to be caught to insure the quality of the furs 
 in the markets. These French Canadians were an easy- 
 going, jovial set of fellows; were more inclined to trapping 
 and trading than they were to other occupations. They 
 made friends of the Indians, treating the children of the 
 forest with great fairness and kindness, and the result was 
 the French were allowed free navigation of the rivers as 
 far to the north as they chose to go. The business of trap- 
 ping and trading grew to be extensive and highly profitable, 
 and thus encouraged a peculiar civilization spread itself 
 along the great water-ways of the wilderness, around the 
 Great Lakes, Erie, Huron, Ontario, Michigan, and as far 
 north as the Great Slave Lake. Expeditions were sent out 
 with canoes loaded with merchandise designed for the In- 
 dian trade. These on. their return were laden with peltries 
 which found a ready market in Montreal. After a time 
 
 -(3) 
 
34 History of Wyoming. 
 
 large capital was employed in the business, which was 
 managed by men of ability. These sent out expeditions and 
 gave employment to an army of voyageurs, trappers, hunters 
 and men-of-all-work. Establishments were founded in the 
 interior, where Indians were invited to come and trade. The 
 men who managed these trading posts were, we are told, 
 "hail fellows well met" on all occasions,and the profits of the 
 business enabled them to pursue a liberal policy and befriend 
 the Indians. These establishments not only employed 
 trappers on contract for a term of years, but bought furs of 
 independent trappers as well as the Indians. The founding 
 of these trading posts in the far-off wilderness weaned the 
 trappers of the desire to return to their homes and many of 
 them became permanent residents and founded families by 
 marrying the daughters of Indian tribes. 
 
 Following the traders who organized the great expe- 
 ditions about the Lakes and beyond, and established posts, 
 was the Catholic missionary, who labored among the In- 
 dians. These religious enthusiasts endeavored to persuade 
 the trappers to legally marry their Indian wives, but the 
 good fathers were not always successful in inducing the 
 reckless hunters to consider marriage a sacrament. They 
 preferred to have the bonds of matrimony as little binding 
 as possible, so they might, if occasion required, throw off 
 the matrimonial yoke and marry into another tribe. The 
 Canadian voyageurs, as well as most of the trappers, were 
 devout Catholics and were willing to confess themselves 
 to the priest at stated intervals, but they gave the good 
 fathers to understand that they did not consider marriage 
 with a squaw a legal or binding obligation. The Indians 
 were much more interested in religious matters than were 
 the white men. An Indian believes in what he calls the 
 Great Spirit, and a hereafter, which he designates as the 
 Happy Hunting Grounds. The good fathers thought they 
 saw an opportunity to greatly benefit the redmen and for a 
 time made some headway, but the introduction of spirit- 
 ous liquors among the natives, to a large extent destroyed 
 
French Canadicm Explorations. 35 
 
 the influence of the priests, but it can be said for them that 
 they made an honest effort to benefit the savages. 
 
 A quarter of a century more peopled the wilderness 
 with a half-breed population, and these in turn became 
 trappers and voyageurs. A singular result is related regard- 
 ing the offspring of these marriages. For the most part 
 the children were inferior in character to both the white 
 and the red race. It seemed that they partook of all the 
 Tices of both the French and the Indians and retained none 
 of the virtues. They were for the most part indolent, ignor- 
 ant and superstitious, and yet they trapped and hunted and 
 added to the business of the fur trader. The conditions I 
 have related gave the French great influence over the savage 
 tribes and resulted later in Indian depredations on the 
 English settlements along the Canadian borders. The sav- 
 ages were easily persuaded to hostility and later became 
 allies of the French in their wars against the English. 
 
 The French merchants of Montreal grew rich out of 
 the trade in peltries. The successful methods adopted by 
 the trappers and traders resulted after a time in the de- 
 struction of fur-bearing animals throughout Canada and 
 the tributary streams of the Great Lakes to the west and 
 soon everything pointed to the early collapse of the great 
 industry. The demand for furs was at its highest point. 
 London, Paris and all the great cities of Europe sent in 
 large orders and the question of supply to meet this demand 
 became an important one to the French merchants of Mon- 
 treal. Far-seeing business men began to discuss measures 
 which should ward off the evil threatened. These condi- 
 tions, stimulated a desire to penetrate the interior of the 
 great West for the purpose of securing new fields for the 
 trapper. Public attention, once turned in this direction, 
 was followed after a time by practical action on the part 
 of men who possessed a turn of mind for exploration, and 
 these proposed an expedition into the interior of the conti- 
 nent. Finally a bolder class of merchants came to the front 
 and offered capital td explore the unknown wilderness which 
 lay between Canada and the Pacific Ocean and thus meet the 
 
36 History of Wyoming. 
 
 demand for new trapping grounds and supply of the fur 
 market. In every great emergency which demands a leader 
 suited to the requirements of the occasion, the man for the 
 place appears at the right time. The leader in this instance 
 was an educated Frenchman of noble birth who had inter- 
 ested himself in the study of the exploring expeditions which 
 had from time to time visited the Pacific coast. He had one 
 hobby, and that was the planting of a colony at some suit- 
 able place on the west side of the continent and the building 
 up there of a commercial city which should monopolize all 
 the Indian trade of the territory west of the great moun- 
 tains. His theory was that commercial relations could be 
 entered into with native tribes and through the fur indus- 
 try large wealth accumulated by the colonists. His plan 
 included a great supply point at or near the west coast and 
 trading posts in the interior. Practical business men at first 
 were slow to comprehend the colossal scheme, but the con- 
 ditions which I have related favored the plan. The man 
 referred to was Sieur de la Verendrye, who was earnestly 
 supported by his eldest son, Chevalier de la Verendrye; 
 also his two younger sons. Associated with them was 
 Pierre Gauthier de Varennes. After discussing the sub- 
 ject in all its phases it was finally decided to outfit an ex- 
 ploring party to traverse the Great Lakes northwest, cross- 
 ing to the headwaters of the Mississippi, thence west again 
 to the headwaters of the Missouri and search for a gateway 
 through the "Stony Mountain." 
 
 Sieur de la Verendrye and Pierre Gauthier de Varennes 
 were dealers in furs and skins and had been located on 
 Lake Nepigon since 1728. Four years later the latter went 
 to Quebec to consult the governor and other officials on the 
 subject of explorations to the west. It was no new idea with 
 him, as he had talked it over with many persons of education 
 and had become, so to speak, wrapped up in the subject. 
 He was an enthusiast, it is true, but he was given to deep 
 thought, earnest study and withal was capable of concen- 
 tration of effort and singleness of purpose. These qual- 
 ifications enabled him to undertake great enterprises and 
 
French Canadian Explorations. 37 
 
 to carry them through successfully. The governor of the 
 proTince was the Marquis de Beauharnais. As soon as Ver- 
 endrye spoke to him of the expedition and his plan for car- 
 rying it out, he without hesitation gave his indorsement. 
 Montreal merchants were to famish the funds to equip the 
 party and goods to trade with the natives for furs. The 
 expedition was to go west and find a river that flowed into 
 the Pacific Ocean. In the year 1733, all things being in 
 readiness, De la Verendrye received his instructions to take 
 possesion, in the name of the King of France, of such coun- 
 tries as he should discover. His first point was Lake Supe- 
 rior for which place he embarked with a fieet of canoes, 
 taking with him a missionary, Pierre Messager. He estab- 
 lished forts as he proceeded from point to point, gradually 
 working his way westward. 
 
 From each of these forts he sent out expeditions to ex 
 amine the country. One of these, in charge of one of his 
 younger sons, met with disaster. The entire party, including 
 young Verendrye and twenty men, were killed by a war 
 party of Sioux. The examination of the territory which 
 he passed through required time, and it was not until 1738 
 that he reached the Mandan country, where he erected Fort 
 La Eeine on the Assiniboine, completing the work in Octo- 
 ber of that year. The following season an expedition was 
 sent up the Missouri, but did not reach the Yellowstone 
 until 1742. This expedition was in charge of De la Veren- 
 drye's eldest son, who found on this trip the great moun- 
 tains through which he could find no practical route. I find 
 in the first volume of the Montana Historical Society a com- 
 munication written by Granville Stuart which throws some 
 light on the trail of the explorers. He says that the expe- 
 dition traveled from Fort La Eeine, on the Assiniboine, up 
 Mouse River and across to the Missouri, which he touched 
 just below where since was built Fort Berthold, thence they 
 ascended the Missouri to the gates of the mountains near 
 Helena, Montana. The first of January, 1743, found them 
 on these mountains whence they passed up Deep or Smith 
 River, crossed to the head of the Mussel Shell, and then 
 
38 History of Wyoming. 
 
 to the Yellowstone, which they crossed and ascended Pryor 
 Fork and passed through Pryor Gap to the Stinking River, 
 •crossing which they continued south to Wind Eiver, where 
 the natives told them of Green River over the mountains, 
 and of the armed bands of Sioux waiting at the pass to slay 
 anyone who should come from the land of their hereditary 
 foes, the Shoshones, Hence the explorers turned back and 
 reached the mission in May, 1744. 
 
 I find nowhere any particulars in regard to this party 
 which reached the Big Wind River. They went south from 
 the Stinking Water and must have gone to the Wind River 
 valley. Chevalier de la Verendrye says that the natives he 
 met were of the Shoshone tribe. I think that Mr. Stuart 
 makes a mistake in regard to the river the natives men- 
 tioned. The explorers were looking for a river flowing to 
 the west. The only stream flowing in that direction was 
 Snake River, and as the Shoshones were well acquainted 
 with it, they must have mentioned it. Green River, the 
 Indians well knew, flowed to the south. The Verendryes 
 returned to Montreal in the fall of 1744, having been eleven 
 years in the wilderness. The enterprise was a financial fail- 
 ure, but sound business men admitted that if it had gone 
 forward and the Pacific coast reached it would have been 
 a great success. Unfortunately De la Verendrye had spent 
 his entire fortune in the enterprise, but friends came to his 
 aid and offered additional capital, but at this point it was 
 proposed to send out the next expedition at the expense of 
 the government, but before anything was accomplished De 
 !a Verendrye was taken sick and on December 6, 1749, he 
 ■died. His eldest son claimed the right to continue the dis- 
 coveries, but an association was formed to carry out his 
 father's plans and he was ignored. It was the old story- 
 men who lacked thebrains to originate plans for themselves 
 stood ready to rob Verendrye's family, and they did it under 
 sanction of the government. This is the fate of a pio- 
 neer. Columbus suffered in this way and thousands of 
 other pioneers since his time, including not a few in Wyo- 
 ming. It should be stated here that the king graciously 
 
French Canadian Explorations. 39 
 
 recognized De la Verendrye's services by conferring upon 
 him the empty honor of the Order of St. Louis, and this was 
 all he possessed at the time of his death. The new combi- 
 nation was entirely political, that is, made up of politicians 
 — Jonquiere, the new governor; Breard, the comptroller of 
 marine; Capt. Lamarque de Marian, Le Gardeur, De St. 
 Pierre and others equally incompetent for a great undertak- 
 ing. Here was a chance to get their hands in the public 
 treasury and they helped themselves right royally. It is said 
 of them that they divided large spoils among themselves, 
 the governor receiving for his share 300,000 francs. They 
 did attempt an expedition and reached the base of the Rocky 
 Mountains, where they in 1752 built Fort Jonquiere; but 
 this is all, the time being spent trading with the natives 
 and making fortunes for themselves. 
 
 Chevalier de la Verendrye was the first white man to 
 discover the Yellowstone, unless we concede the occupa- 
 tion of the country by the Spaniards a century before. 
 Educated French Canadians believe that he named it Eoche 
 Jaune, which in English means yellow rock, and this dur- 
 ing this century has been written Yellowstone, but Capt. 
 Chittenden in his scholarly work on the Yellowstone 
 National Park holds a different view and says there is no 
 doubt but that the name is of Indian origin and that it 
 comes from the yellow rock which is conspicuous along the 
 banks of this river. He sums up his investigations in this 
 language: "Going back, then, to this obscure fountain- 
 head, the original designation is found to have been Mi-tsi- 
 a-da-si, Rock Yellow River; and this in the French tongue, 
 became Roche Jaune and Pierre Jaune; and in English, Yel- 
 low Rock and Yellow Stone. Established usage now writes 
 it Yellowstone." 
 
 Had it not been for the unfortunate death of De la Ver- 
 endrye the French in all probability would have been the 
 first explorers to cross the Rocky Mounains and as it was 
 they undoubtedly gave the idea to Capt. Jonathan Carver, 
 who, as I explain elsewhere, projected a journey across the 
 continent somewhere between the 43rd and 46th degrees 
 
40 History of Wyoming. 
 
 north latitude to the Pacific Ocean. This was certainly the 
 plan of Sieur de la Verendrye, which was attempted more 
 than thirty years before Carver's time. 
 
 It is a great misfortune that the fuU records of the 
 Sieur de la Verendrye's exploration party were not pre- 
 served, and I was in hopes of being able to secure additional 
 facts regarding the De la Verendryes and their expedition 
 from the private libraries of old French families in Mon- 
 trealj but the effort resulted in procuring very little more 
 than was known before. What is here given is reliable, and 
 yet all reports are confined to the meagre facts. Of the 
 expedition, it may be said that it was a grand undertaking 
 and entirely feasible even at that day. Had the second 
 expedition not been interfered with by the death of De la 
 Verendrye there would have been no doubt of its suc- 
 cess, for the reason that Chevalier de la Verendrye had 
 already found the one easy pass through the Rocky 
 Mountains. He was almost within sight of South Pass, 
 the natural gateway to the Pacific. The government 
 expeditions which reached the base of the Eocky Moun- 
 tains in 1752, as I have heretofore explained, fell by the 
 weight of boodlers who were hanging on and using it 
 for their own selfish purposes. A scandal was finally 
 raised and the king did the only thing he could do — with- 
 drew government aid, and this brought the expedition to 
 an end. The war between France and England soon fol- 
 lowed and Canada became the theatre of military events, 
 which resulted in the defeat of the French and the ceding 
 of Canada to the English by the treaty of Paris in 1763. 
 
 Before closing this chapter I will relate what followed 
 the British occupation of Canada as relates to the fur trade. 
 In consequence of the acquisition, the fur trade received a 
 severe check. English merchants located in Montreal and 
 at once attempted to control all lines of trade, and the fur 
 business with the othprs. They organized with large ag- 
 gregations of capital and sent men out with a full comple- 
 ment of trappers, but it was found difficult to win the con- 
 fidence of the Indians and for some years the business 
 
French Canadian Eaeplorations. 41 
 
 languished. Finally the trade fell into the hands of Scotch 
 merchants, and these recruited their kinsmen. The de- 
 scendants of feudal lords who had reigned over Scot- 
 tish clans took kindly to the occupation and they built up 
 at the trading posts a sort of imitation of the baronial halls 
 of their ancestors. The French, the half-breeds and the 
 Indians were at last induced to co-operate in the develop- 
 ment of a trafQc that was highly profitable to all concerned. 
 The business was managed by securing government conces- 
 sions and the organization of a system which gave promo- 
 tion to faithful employes. Great fortunes were built up 
 and the Northwestern Fur Company became one of the 
 great corporations of the world. Hardy Scotchmen pene- 
 trated the wilds and with the assistance of the French Can 
 adians traversed every stream north as far as the Arctic 
 Circle. Under the protection of the British government 
 this company became aggressive and insolent. Montreal 
 was the great gathering point of rich peltries and London 
 was the distributing center from which these goods were 
 supplied to the world. At Montreal there grew up an aristoc- 
 racy composed of personages connected with the fur trade. 
 The Northwest Company from that center excercised lordly 
 sway over a vast extent of country throughout which their 
 operations were conducted. Their numerous posts were 
 distributed far and wide, on interior lakes and rivers, and 
 at great distances from each other, and employed from 2,000 
 to 2,500 men. An annual meeting was held at Fort William, 
 on Lake Superior, the central trading post of the company. 
 At this annual gathering appeared representatives from all 
 the other trading posts and the occasion was the signal for 
 banquets and jollity. The banqueting was conducted after 
 the manner of those in Scotland in feudal times. The voy- 
 ageurs and Indians did not appear in the banquet hall, but 
 were generously fed for a season at the expense of the com- 
 pany. Liquors of all kinds, including costly wines, were 
 served at these banquets and many of these distinguished 
 representatives were found under the table at the close of 
 each of the daily festivities. This was at a period when hard 
 
43 History of Wyoming. 
 
 drinking was the rule and when Bacchanalian songs were 
 sung, toasts given and speeches made. Every man at the 
 table drank until he convinced himself that he was indeed 
 a British noble or a Scottish lord, or at least the chieftain of 
 a Highland clan. These were the golden days of the fur 
 trade. But all this show had its effect on other enterpris- 
 ing men with capital. As has been explained, the Northwest 
 Company confined its operations largely to northern lati- 
 tudes. A new British company was organized to operate 
 further south and west. Accordingly the Mackinaw Com- 
 pany took possession of the territory around Green Bay, 
 Fox Eiver, Wisconsin River and some of the tributaries of 
 the Mississippi, and an occasional party of trappers operated 
 along a portion of the Missouri River. The government of 
 the United States saw with anxiety the encroachments of 
 these companies and an effort was made in 1796 to induce 
 American merchants to enter the fur trade and, as it were, 
 head off Great Britain in her invasion of the West, but 
 nothing immediately came of it. About this time another 
 powerful British fur company, the Hudson Bay, which had 
 been organized in the year J670, pushed its operations into 
 American territory. These rival companies all secured busi- 
 ness, but there was often great loss through competition, 
 and sometimes personal encounters between the trappers of 
 rival organizations. 
 
 The war between England and America was destined 
 to bring about great changes in this lucrative trade. John 
 Jacob Astor, who shortly after the revolution became a 
 large shipper of furs, which he purchased in Montreal, saw 
 an opportunity, which I explain in another chapter, of di- 
 verting this trade into American channels. The agitation 
 of the subject by Mr. Astor induced a number of Americans 
 to organize expeditions to enter the far west and claim the 
 territory and the business within the American borders. 
 This business was carried on and developed by fearless 
 Americans, and St. Louis and New York became centers 
 for the encouragement of the fur trade. The American 
 trapper won renown by his fearless exploits in the great 
 
The First American Explorers. 43 
 
 West. Then came another era in the traflfic which resulted 
 in the developing of American leaders who won fortunes 
 as well as fame by their exploits in the mountains. But 
 all this is explained further on in the early history of Wyo- 
 ming. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE FIRST AMERICAN EXPLORERS. 
 
 Hr.TORY OF THE WESTERN COURSE OF EMPIRE — THOMAS JEFFERSON BE- 
 COMES THE Leader and Finally Succeeds in His Cherished 
 Scheme of Sending an Expedition up the Headwaters of the 
 Missouri to Search for a Gateway through the Rocky Moun- 
 tains — The Lewis and Clark Expedition — They Winter at the 
 Mandan Village on the Upper Missouri in 1804 — In 1805 Spend 
 THE Winter at the Mouth os the Columbia — Return to St. 
 Louis in 1806. 
 
 The departure of Lewis and Clark in 1804 to explore 
 the headwaters of the Missouri and mark out a highway 
 across the Eocky Mountains, down the Columbia, begins 
 a new era in the civilization of the great Northwest. There 
 were plenty of enterprising Americans ready to undertake 
 the trip but up to that time our government had felt too 
 poor to pay the expense incident to such an expedition. 
 Thomas Jefferson, in 1786, while minister to France, had 
 become interested in the subject of exploring the West, and 
 when he returned to America in 1789 his mind was filled to 
 the utmost limit with the importance of pushing explora- 
 tion up the Missouri and beyond. The dark continent lay 
 to the west and northwest and its mountains were alike 
 unknown to the geographer of that day. This subject be- 
 came almost a hobby with this broad-minded American 
 statesman. In 1792, the record shows that Mr. Jefferson 
 urged the American Philosophical Society to find some 
 competent person to ascend the Missouri, cross the great 
 mountains, and follow the nearest river to the sea. As such 
 an undertaking would be expensive, the future president 
 sugjcested that a subscription be taken up among such 
 
44 History of Wyoming. 
 
 people as might be interested in what he believed to be an 
 important subject. This proposition was discussed at the 
 time in the newspapers of the country and was talked over 
 by the scientific men of that period. It was not a new idea, 
 for in 1763 Capt. Jonathan Carver, who had been in the 
 British provincial army, proposed a journey across the conti- 
 nent somewhere between the 43rd and 46th degrees of north 
 latitude to the Pacific Ocean. His was a grand plan and he 
 urged it with spirit and determination. He had studied the 
 fur trade in all its bearings and in his mind he saw clearly 
 that new scources of wealth would be opened up and that 
 in the natural course of events a great city would spring 
 up on the Pacific coast. He had in his mind a northwest 
 passage between Hudson's Bay and the Pacific Ocean, also 
 a more direct route to China and the English settlements 
 in the East Indies., Capt. Carver was a man of ability and 
 influence and notwithstanding the fact that his undertak- 
 ing was one that required great capital he succeeded in 
 inducing Eichward Whitworth, a member of the British 
 Parliament and a man of great wealth, to join him in the 
 enterprise. Their plans were made on a most liberal scale 
 and worked out in every detail. They were to go up the 
 Missouri with sixty men, cross the backbone of the conti- 
 nent and discover some navigable stream that flowed to the 
 west. Here they were to build boats and accomplish all and 
 more than was done by Lewis and Clark, thirty years later. 
 They were to build a fort at the mouth of the unknown 
 river which they expected to find, and construct sailing 
 vessels in which to make voyages of discovery along the 
 Pacific coast. Capt. Carver having secured the necessary 
 capital and the plan having the sanction of the British gov- 
 ernment and the promise of grants and franchises in the 
 new country to be discovered, all things were in readiness 
 for sending out the expedition when the war of the revolu- 
 tion interfered and put a stop to the undertaking. Thomas 
 Jefferson was aware of this projected expedition, as he had 
 talked it over with John Ledyard of Connecticut, who was 
 a member of Capt. Cook's company when he made his cele- 
 
The First American Explorers. 45 
 
 brated voyage to the Pacific. Ledyard had a scheme of his 
 own in which he tried to interest Jefferson in Paris in 1786. 
 He had the reputation of being reckless and impecunious, 
 but with a brilliant mind and winning manners. This man 
 Ledyard was certainly a wonderful character, if we may 
 believe his biography in Sparks and Bulflnch's "Oregon." 
 Evidently Thomas Jefferson possessed some admiration for 
 the man but at the same time he noted his hare-brained and 
 impracticable schemes. Nevertheless Ledyard succeeded 
 in firing him with enthusiasm and sending him home from 
 France with his mind filled with the importance of discover- 
 ies to be made by penetrating the continent. Jefferson had 
 also the experience of Sir Alexander McKenzie in his desire 
 to explore the continent. McKenzie had made a successful 
 trip from ocean to ocean in 1793, reaching the Pacific in 
 latitude 52° 20' 48"- This was several degrees north of the 
 route Jefferson had in his mind. At this time numerous 
 vessels were trading along the Pacific coast and not a few 
 of them were American. The fur trade was at its height. 
 The Russian government had acquired Alaska and England 
 had secured a foothold on the Pacific coast. Capt. Cook 
 had discovered vast quantities of sea otter and had found 
 a remunerative market in China for the furs. Among the 
 American ships trading on the Pacific coast was the Colum- 
 bia of Boston. Her commander was Capt. Robert Gray, a 
 navigator of experience and with a turn of mind to include 
 discovery as well as profitable trade in his voyages. About 
 the time Jefferson was urging the American Philosophical 
 Society to find some one to follow the source of the Missouri, 
 discover a gateway through the mountains and find a river 
 flowing toward the Pacific, Capt. Gray on his voyage that 
 same year discovered the mouth of a large river in latitude 
 46° 19" north. He entered the mouth of the river May 11, 
 1792, with some difficulty and came to anchor in a broad 
 bay. Capt. Gray seeing a village on the shore sent off a boat, 
 the crew of which visited the village; this turned out to 
 be a tribe of Indians. The natives fled on approach, but 
 were persuaded after a time to return. This was the first 
 
46 History of Wyoming. 
 
 time that these untutored savages had beheld a white man 
 or a ship. The latter they regarded as a floating island or 
 some monster of the deep and they thought the white mea 
 when they first came ashore were cannibals who would 
 destroy the country and devour the inhabitants. On this 
 same voyoge Capt. Gray fell in with Vancouver, the dis- 
 coverer, and furnished him a chart of the bay and river he 
 had discovered and urged him to ascend the stream and 
 determine how far it was navigable. This Vancouver did 
 and ascended the river more than a hundred miles and dis- 
 covered a mountain covered with snow which he named 
 Mt. Hood. When Capt. Gray returned to Boston and an- 
 nounced his discovery of a river that flowed to the west from 
 mid-continent, it created much interest not only in scien- 
 tific circles but among statesmen, and Thomas Jeflferson 
 became more enthsiastic than ever. The river was named 
 after the ship Columbia and the inlet after Capt. Gray. 
 It is not my purpose to write a history of the discoveries 
 made on the Pacific coast , only in so far as they directly 
 bear on the discoveries made a few years later by men in- 
 terested in bridging the distance between the Columbia and 
 the Missouri. The facts I have given are drawn from Car- 
 ver's Travels, Irving's Astoria, Perkins' Annals of the West, 
 Bulfinch's Oregon, Spark's Life of Ledyard, Bancroft's His- 
 tory of the Northwest, M. P. Langford's works and other 
 writers. 
 
 The conditions that existed west of the Allegheny 
 Mountains should here be mentioned. After the Revolu- 
 tion colonization set in beyond the mountains mentioned, 
 around the Great Lakes, along the Ohio and down the Miss- 
 issippi, and year by year this movement continued. These 
 new settlers had made their homes beyond civilization and 
 far from the reach of protection from the States or the 
 government. Those along the Ohio and the Mississippi had 
 but a single object in view, and that was the outlet for 
 their produce down the great "Father of Waters" via New 
 Orleans to the sea. They had not counted on the dangers 
 from the savage tribes or the unfriendliness of the Spanish 
 
The First American Explorers. 47 
 
 authorities. They were in the enjoyment of a dream of 
 wealth from which they were to be rudely awakened. The 
 sarages came first to disturb their peace and tranquillity. 
 The Indians ran off their stock, burned their homes and 
 scalped the scattered settlers. The Mississippi River, which 
 was to be such a great advantage to them, was worse than 
 useless, for the Spaniards at New Orleans, in spite of 
 treaties, refused to afford them shipping privileges or ex- 
 tend to them the common courtesies, simply because they 
 were Americans. These pioneers were truly in a lament- 
 able condition and they felt keenly their helplessness, and 
 just here the Spaniards saw their opportunity to spread 
 dissatisfaction among the settlers and not a few of them 
 listened to the proposition that the country should become 
 a part of the province of Louisiana, but as if to hold this; 
 movement in check, a party arose in favor of organizing an 
 independent government, a new Eepublic free from the 
 United States, which latter they said was too weak to pro- 
 tect them against Indians or to enforce its treaty with Spain 
 for the navigation of the Mississippi. Others there were 
 who desired the United States to declare war with Spain 
 and seize New Orleans. The wisdom of our government at 
 this time is clearly apparent. A formidable army was sent 
 against the Indians, Gen. Anthony Wayne at its head. 
 The savages were put to rout wherever encountered and 
 were only saved from total annihilation by suing for peace. 
 This successful war against the Indian tribes produced great 
 rejoicing among the settlers of the then Far West. The 
 president, who had not been unmindful of the conditions 
 that prevailed among the western settlers, had wisely af- 
 forded this relief and the successful termination of the 
 Indian war roused a spirit of loyalty. The settlers saw 
 that the newly-formed Federal Union was not only a power 
 to be respected but to be proud of. The new nation had 
 gone beyond the borders of the thirteen original States 
 and extended protection to a large territory by treating 
 it as accretions, and thus Washington and his successors 
 solved the problem of how the United States should acquire, 
 
48 History of Wyoming. 
 
 protect and develop the great West. President Adams con- 
 templated an expedition against New Orleans, the Spanish 
 Intendant at that point having issued an order prohibiting 
 New Orleans as a place of deposit by Americans. This 
 order set the West in a blaze and the expedition was the 
 all-absorbing topic among the people. President Adams 
 put on a bold front and ordered three regiments of regulars 
 to the Ohio River. The order also included the getting in 
 readiness of a sufflcient number of boats to transport the 
 troops down the river. At the same time twelve new regi- 
 ments were recruited and it looked very much as if war 
 between the United States and Spain was inevitable, and 
 would certainly have followed if the term of ofiQce of Mr. 
 Adams had not been too near its close to admit of a ter- 
 mination of the proposed war during his administration. 
 The following year Thomas Jefferson was elected presi- 
 dent and the same year the Louisiana domain became the 
 property of France. 
 
 Resuming the thread of events leading to the explora- 
 tion of the West, it should be here mentioned that at the 
 time the expedition up the Missouri was talked of Oapt. 
 Meriwether Lewis, of the United States army, made known 
 his desire to command the proposed expedition, and after 
 making his application to the American Philosophical 
 Society and having it rejected, sought out Mr. Jefferson 
 and the two men had long conferences and Jefferson un- 
 folded his plan to Capt. Lewis. To those who live in Wyo- 
 ming today and have a knowledge of the dangers and dif- 
 ficulties of such a journey, the plan of Thomas Jefferson 
 looks like the weakest folly. He explained to Capt. Lewis 
 that the man who should undertake the journey must have 
 but a single companion in order not to alarm the natives 
 to be encountered on the way. Fortunately this plan was 
 not adopted, as it was pronounced impracticable by men 
 who had experience in this line of work. Capt. Lewis did 
 not take kindly to Mr. Jefferson's idea and in return sub- 
 mitted one of his own which included a force sufflcient to 
 command the respect of savage tribes and to be able to 
 
The First American Explorers. 49 
 
 manage canoes, transport supplies, hunt game and con- 
 struct cabins for the use of the party during a winter which 
 must be spent on the Pacific coast. Mr. Jefferson listened 
 attentively to this man of military experience and evidently 
 was won over by the captain. An intimacy sprang up be- 
 tween the two men, and a friendship was cemented which 
 lasted through life. In the year 1801, when Jefferson was 
 inaugurated, Capt. Lewis became his private secretary. 
 The president did not lose sight of the exploring expedition. 
 The new Eepublic was fast making history. Robert Living- 
 ston, who was our minister to France, negotiated a treaty 
 in 1803 with Napoleon for the purchase of the Louisiana 
 domain, $15,000,000 being the price agreed on. This pur- 
 chase was regarded at the time as a necessity by leading 
 American statesmen of all parties. This same year Pres- 
 ident Jefferson, who had been watching the course of events, 
 saw that the time was ripe to recommend his exploring 
 expedition and he accordingly sent to Congress a special 
 and confidential message and proposed an exploring party 
 be sent up the Missouri in accordance with the plans long 
 talked of. Congress acted promptly, giving the required 
 authority and made the necessary appropriation. Capt, 
 Lewis of course received the appointment and was to com- 
 mand the expedition. He asked for an assistant and the 
 choice fell on Lieut. William Clark and he was accordingly 
 appointed. 
 
 Never was expedition started under more favorable 
 circumstances. The Louisiana purchase had been made 
 public about the 1st of July, ten days after Capt. 
 Lewis had received his instructions, and this purchase in- 
 cluded a portion of the territory to be explored. The people 
 of the whole country were anxious to know the character 
 and extent of our western possessions. The journals of the 
 day had discussed the subject of the expedition with an 
 earnestness that betokened the interest the people felt. 
 Capt. Lewis was regarded by President Jefferson as the 
 ideal explorer and his opinion was taken up by 
 the people and consequently everything that pertained to 
 -(3) 
 
50 History of Wyomimg. 
 
 the expedition was discussed by the press until the under- 
 taking assumed great national importance. How it came 
 about that Capt. Lewis permitted the name of Clark to ap- 
 pear co-equal with his own has never been explained by him 
 or anyone else. Lieut. Clark was made a captain for the 
 purposes of this expedition and was in every way worthy 
 of his associate. He was brave, untiring and cautious and 
 he left throughout the West many friends among the sav- 
 age tribes with whom he came in contact. Never were two 
 men better fitted for a great undertaking, and the manner 
 in which they carried out their instructions is creditable 
 to them as explorers. On their return numerous volumes 
 appeared giving an account of their travels. One was pub- 
 lished in Pittsburg in 1808 and republished in London. 
 Another was published in Philadelphia and two more in 
 London in 1814-15. 
 
 Capt. Lewis felt the weight of responsibility placed 
 upon his shoulders and he at once fitted himself for the high 
 calling by such scientific studies as to enable him to take 
 astronomical observations and to make a report of the 
 geography of the route. Congressional action had been 
 secured on January 18, 180.3, and the instructions had been^ 
 signed on the 20th of June following. Capt. Lewis left 
 Washington July 5, for the West and arriving at Pittsburg, 
 where his outfit for the expedition was presented him. 
 Here also he received his instructions, which were of the 
 most comprehensive character. These instructions were 
 written by President Jefferson, and as they form the foun- 
 dation upon which was builded the plan of all explorations 
 in the West, I give them in full. It will be seen that they 
 were intended for Capt. Lewis, whom he held responsible 
 for the success or failure of the expedition. 
 
 "Your situation as secretary of the President of the 
 United States has made you familiar with the objects of my 
 confidential message of January 18, 1803, to the Legislature j 
 you have seen the act they passed, which, though expressed 
 in general terms, was meant to sanction those objects, and 
 you are appointed to carry them into execution. Instru- 
 ments for ascertaining, by celestial observations, the geog- 
 
TAc First American Explor&ra. 51 
 
 rapliy of the country through which you will pass, have al- 
 ready been provided. Light articles for barter and trade 
 among the Indians, arms for your attendants, say for from 
 ten to twelve men, boats, tents and other traveling appara- 
 tus, with ammunition, medicines, surgical instruments and 
 provisions, you will have prepared, with such aids as the 
 Secretary of War can yield in his department, and from 
 him also you will receive authority to engage among our 
 troops, by volunteer agreement, the number of attendants 
 above mentioned; over whom you, as their commanding 
 officer, are invested with all the powers the laws give in 
 such a case. The object of your mission is to explore the 
 Missouri Eiver, and such principal streams of it, as, by its; 
 course and communication with the waters of the Pacific 
 Ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregon, Colorado or any 
 other river, may offer the most direct and practicable water 
 communication across the continent, for the purposes of 
 commerce. The intersecting points of the portage between 
 the heads of the Missouri and of the water offering the best 
 communication with the Pacific Ocean should also be fixed 
 by observation ; and the course of that water to the ocean,, 
 in the same manner as that of the Missouri. Your obser- 
 vations are to be taken with great pains and accuracy, to. 
 be entered distinctly and intelligently for others as well as 
 :,yourself ; to comprehend all the elements necessary, with the 
 Hfeid of the usual tables, to fix the latitude and longitude of 
 the places at which they were taken; and are to be ren- 
 dered to the war office, for the purpose of having the cal- 
 culations made concurrently by proper persons within the 
 United States. Several copies of these, as well as of your 
 other notes, should be made at leisure times and put into 
 the care of the most trustworthy of your attendants to 
 guard, by multiplying them against the accidental losses 
 to which they will be exposed. A further guard would be, 
 that one of these copies be on the circular membranes of 
 the paper birch, as less liable to injury from damp than com- 
 mon paper. The commerce which may be carried on with 
 the people inhabiting the line you will pursue renders a 
 knowledge of these people important. You will therefore 
 endeavor to make yourself acquainted, so far as a diligent 
 pursuit of your journey will admit, with the nam(3s of the 
 nations and their numbers; the extent and limits of their 
 possessions; their relations with other tribes or natives; 
 their language, traditions, monuments; their ordinary oc- 
 cupations, in agriculture, fishing, hunting, war, arts and the 
 
52 History of Wyoming. 
 
 implements for these; their food, clothing and domestic ac- 
 commodations ; the diseases prevalent among them, and the 
 remedies they use, moral and physical circumstances which 
 distinguish them from tribes we know; peculiarities in their 
 laws, customs and dispositions; and articles of commerce 
 they may furnish, and to what extent. And considering 
 the interest which every nation has in extending and 
 strengthening the authority of reason and justice among 
 the people around them, it will be useful to acquire what 
 ImowJedge you can of the state of morality, religion, and 
 information among them ; as it may better enable those who 
 may endeavor to civilize them to adopt their measures to 
 the existing notions and practices of those on whom they 
 are to operate. Other objects worthy of notice will be the 
 soil and surface of the country, its growth and vegetable 
 productions, especially those not of the United States; the 
 animals of the country generally, and especially those not 
 known in the United States; the remains and accounts of 
 any which may be deemed rare or extinct; the mineral 
 productions of every kind, but more particularly metals, 
 limestone, pit coal and saltpetre; salines and mineral waters, 
 noting the temperature of the last and such circumstances 
 as may indicate their character; volcanic appearance, cli- 
 mate as characterized by the thermometer, by the propor- 
 tion of rainy, cloudy and clear days ; by lightning, hail, snow, 
 ice; by the access and recess of frost; by winds prevailing 
 at different seasons; the dates at which particular plants 
 put forth, or lose their flower or leaf; times of appearance 
 of particular birds, reptiles or insects. Although your route 
 will be along the channel of the Missouri, yet you will en- 
 deavor to inform youself, by inquiry, of the character and 
 extent of the country watered by its branches, and espec- 
 ially on its southern side. The North River, or Rio Bravo, 
 which runs into the Gulf of Mexico, and the North River, 
 or Rio Colorado, which runs into the Gulf of California, 
 are understood to be the principal streams heading oppo- 
 site to the waters of the Missouri, and running southwardly. 
 Whether the dividing lines between the Missouri and them 
 are mountains or flat lands, what are their distance from 
 the Missouri, the character of the intermediate country, and 
 the people inhabiting it, are worthy of particular inquiry. 
 'The northern waters of the Missouri are less to be inquired 
 after, because they have been ascertained to a considerable 
 <!xtent, and are still in the course of ascertainment by Eng- 
 lish traders and travelers; but if you can learn anything 
 
The First American Explorers. 53 
 
 eertaJn of the most northern source of the Mississippi, and of 
 its position, relatively to the Lalie of Woods, it will be inter- 
 esting to us. Some accounts, too, of the Canadian traders 
 from the Mississippi, at the mouth of the Onisconsine to 
 where it strikes the Missouri, and of the soil and rivers in 
 its course. In all your intercourse with the natives treat 
 them in the most friendly and conciliatory manner which 
 their own conduct will admit; allay all jealousies 
 as to the object of your journey, satisfy them 
 of its innocence; make them acquainted with the 
 position, extent, character, peaceable and commercial dis- 
 position of the United States, of our wish to be neighborly 
 and friendly and useful to them, and of our disposition to a 
 commercial intercQ,urse with them; confer with them on 
 points most convenient as useful emporium, and the article* 
 of most desirable interchange for them and us. If a few 
 of their influential chiefs, within a practicable distance, 
 wish to visit us, arrange such a visit with them and furnish 
 them with authority to call on our officers on their enter- 
 ing the United States to have them conveyed to this place at 
 the public expense. If any of them should wish to have 
 some of their young people brought up with us, and taught 
 such arts as may be useful to them, we will receive, and 
 take care of them. Such a mission, whether of influential 
 chiefs or of young people, would give security to your own 
 party. 
 
 "Carry with you some matter of the kine-pox; inform 
 those of them with whom you may be, of its efficacy as a 
 preservative from the small-pox, and instruct and encour- 
 age them in the use of it. This may be especially done 
 wherever you may winter. As it is impossible for us to see 
 in what manner you will be received by those people, 
 whether with hospitality or hostility, so it is impossible to 
 prescribe the exact degree of perseverance which you are 
 to pursue your journey. We value too much the lives of 
 citizens to offer them to probable destruction. Your num- 
 ber will be sufficient to secure you against the unauthor- 
 ized opposition of individuals, or of small parties; but if a 
 superior force, authorized, or not authorized, by a nation, 
 should be arrayed against your further passage and inflex- 
 ibly determine to arrest it, you must decline its further pur- 
 suit and return. In the loss of yourselves we should lose 
 also the information you have acquired. By returning safe- 
 ly with that, you may enable us to renew the essay with 
 better calculated means. To your discretion, therefore. 
 
54 History of Wyoming, 
 
 must be left the degree of danger you may risk and the point 
 at which you should decline, only saying we wish you to err 
 on the side of your safety, and to bring back your party safe, 
 even if it be with less information. As far up the Missouri, 
 as far as the white settlements extend, an intercourse will 
 probably be found to exist between them and the Spanish 
 posts of St. Louis opposite Cahokia, or Saint Genevieve 
 opposite Kaskaskia. From still further up the river the 
 traders may furnish a conveyance for letters. Beyond that 
 you may perhaps be able to engage Indians to bring letters 
 for the government to Cahokia or Kaskaskia, on promising 
 them that they shall receive such special compensation as 
 you shall have stipulated with them. Avail yourself of 
 these means to communicate to us, at seasonable intervals, 
 a copy of your journal, notes and observations of every kind, 
 putting into cipher whatever might do injury if betrayed. 
 •Should you reach the Pacific Ocean, inform yourself of the 
 circumstances which may decide, whether the furs of those 
 parts may not be collected advantageously at the head of 
 the Missouri (convenient as is supposed to the waters of the 
 Colorado and Oregon or Columbia) as at Nootka Sound, or 
 any other point of that coast; and that trade be conse- 
 quently conducted through the Missouri and United States 
 more beneficially than by the circumnavigation now prac- 
 ticed. On your arrival on that coast, endeavor to learn 
 if there be any port within your reach frequented by sea 
 vessels of any nation, and to send two of your 
 trusted people back by sea, in such way as shall 
 appear practicable, with a copy of your notes; and 
 should you be of opinion that the return of your party by 
 the way they went will be eminently dangerous, then ship 
 the whole and return by sea, either by the way of Cape 
 Horn, or the Cape of Good Hope, as you shall be able. As 
 you will be without money, clothes, or provisions, you must 
 endeavor to use the credit of the United States to obtain 
 them; for which purpose open letters of credit shall be 
 furnished you authorizing you to draw on the executive of 
 the United States, or any of its officers in any part of the 
 world in which drafts can be disposed of, and to apply with 
 our recommendations to the consuls, agents, merchants, or 
 citizens of any nation with which we have intercourse, as- 
 suring them in our name that any aids they may furnish 
 you shall be honorably paid and on demand. Our consuls 
 Thomas Hewes, at Batavia in Java; William Buchanan in 
 the isles of France and Bourbon, and John EJmslie at the 
 
The First Americam Explorers. 55 
 
 €ape of Good Hope, will be able to supply your necessities, 
 by drafts on us. 
 
 "Should you find it safe to return by the way you go, 
 after sending two of your party around by sea, or with your 
 whole party, if no conveyance by sea can be found, do so; 
 making such observations on your return as may serve to 
 supply, correct or confirm those made on your outward 
 journey. On re-entering the United States and reaching a 
 place of safety, discharge any of your attendants who may 
 desire and deserve it, procuring for them immediate pay- 
 ment of all arrears of pay and clothing which may have ac- 
 crued since their departure, and assure them that they shall 
 be recommended to the liberality of the Legislature for the 
 grant of a soldier's portion of land each as proposed in my 
 message to Congress, and repair yourself with your papers 
 to the seat of government. To provide on the accident of 
 your death against anarchy, dispersion, and the consequent 
 danger to your party and total failure of the enterprise you 
 are hereby authorized, by any instrument signed or written 
 in your own hand, to name the person among them who shall 
 succeed to the command on your decease, and by like in- 
 instruments to change the nomination from time to time 
 as further experience of the characters accompanying you 
 shall point out superior fitness, and all the powers and au- 
 thorities given to yourself are in the event of your death 
 transferred to and vested in the successor so named, with 
 further power to him and his successors in like manner to 
 name each his successor, who, on the death of his predeces- 
 sor, shall be invested with all the powers and authorities 
 given to yourself. Given under my hand at the city of Wash- 
 ington, this twentieth day of June, 1803. Thomas Jefferson, 
 President of the United States of America." 
 
 Leaving Pittsburg ,the party proceeded down the Ohio 
 and went into winter quarters at the mouth of Wood 
 Eiver late in the fall of 1803. Here they remained until 
 May 14, 1804, and on the 16th they reached St. Charles, a 
 town 21 miles up the Missouri. On June 1st they reached 
 the Osage Eiver, 133 miles from the mouth of the Missouri. 
 On the 26th they reached the mouth of the Kansas, 340 
 miles form the Mississippi. They did not reach the Eiver 
 Platte until the 21st of July. Capt. Lewis and his party 
 spent much time exploring rivers which they passed, and 
 In visiting the various tribes of Indians encamped along the 
 
56 History of Wyoming. 
 
 upper Missouri. On October 27th, they reached the village of 
 the Mandans and after being royally entertained by these 
 Indians for several days they proceeded to build winter 
 quarters and erect a fort for the protection of the party, 
 which they called Fort Mandan. The winter proved very 
 severe and the party suffered greatly with the cold. They 
 left the fort on April 7th and proceeded onward up the Mis- 
 souri. At the same time seven soldiers, two Frenchmen 
 and a fur trader named M. Gravelines, started with a boat 
 down the Missouri, with dispatches for President Jefferson.. 
 Capt. Meriwether Lewis, in his published travels (Lon- 
 don, 1809), says: "While we were at Fort Mandan, the 
 Sioux robbed several of our party and murdered several of 
 the Mandan tribe in cold blood without provocation, while 
 reposing on the bosom of friendship. On hearing of this 
 massacre, Capt. Clark and the greater part of us volun- 
 teered to avenge the murder, but were deterred by not 
 receiving succor from the Mandan warriors, who declined 
 to avenge the outrage committed upon them. Soon after 
 this massacre we received authentic intelligence that the 
 Sioux had it in contemplation to murder us in the spring; 
 but were prevented from making the attack by our threat- 
 ening to spread the small-pox, with all its horrors, among 
 them. The same hour which witnessed the departure of 
 Graveline for St. Louis, also saw the main division leave Fort 
 Mandan for the Pacific in two pirogues and six canoes. 
 This division comprised thirty-three persons, the names of 
 which are given in the following roster : Capt. Meriwether 
 Lewis, U. S. A.; Capt. William Clark, U. 8. A.; Sergeants 
 John Ordway, Nathaniel Pryor and Patrick Gass; privates 
 William Bratton, John Colter, John Collins, Peter Crusatte, 
 Robert Frazier, Reuben Fields, Joseph Fields, George Gib- 
 son, Silas Goodrich, Hugh Hall, Thomas P. Howard, Jean- 
 Baptiste La Page, Francis Labiche, Hugh McNeal, John 
 Potts, John Shields, George Shannon, John B. Thompson,. 
 William Werner, Alexander Willard, Richard Windsor, 
 Joseph Whitehouse, Peter Wiser, the negro servant York,, 
 the two interpreters, George Drewyer and Toussaint Cha- 
 
The First American Explorers. 57 
 
 boneau, and the latter's wife, Sacajawea with her pappoose. 
 The story of the journeyings of this party is thus graphi- 
 cally related by Major Walker, in his paper on early explor- 
 ations published in 1879: Pursuing their journey, and reach- 
 ing the summit of the Rocky Mountains beyond the Three 
 Thousand Mile Island on the 12th of August, 1805, where, 
 leaving the hidden sources of the Missouri which had never 
 yet been seen by civilized man and following a descent of 
 three-quarters of a mile to the westward they reached a 
 handsome bold creek of cold, clear water, where they 
 stopped to taste for the first time the waters of the Columbia. 
 Pursuing their tedious way on foot, transporting their goods 
 on Indian packhorses, at times so scarce of food as to be 
 obliged to kill horses for subsistence and to purchase Indian 
 dogs to eat, they reached the Columbia Eiver on the 15th of 
 September, and on the 7th of November they enjoyed for the 
 first time the delightful prospect of the Pacific Ocean. 
 Wintering some few miles south of the mouth of the Colum- 
 bia River among the Clatsop Indians, they on the 23rd of 
 March, 1806, began their return, and, recrossing the moun- 
 tains on July 3rd, the party divided, Capt. Lewis going 
 northward to strike the waters of the Marias, and Capt. 
 Clark with fifteen men and fifty horses, set off to the south- 
 east and down to the forks of the Jefferson where the boats 
 and merchandise had been deposited the year before. Capt. 
 Clark's party arriving by boats and on horseback at the 
 Three Forks of the Missouri, this party again divided and 
 Sergeant Ordway and men set out in six canoes to descend 
 the Missouri while Capt. Clark and ten men, and the wife 
 and child of Chaboneau proceeded by land, with fifty horses, 
 to the Yellowstone River, the distance traveled by Capt. 
 Clark from the Three Forks of the Missouri to the Yellow- 
 stone Eiver being forty-eight miles. Capt. Lewis being 
 joined by Sergeant Ordway's party in five canoes and the 
 white pirogue on the 28th of July, 1806, and turning loose 
 all their horses, embarked on the river and proceeding down 
 the Missouri formed a junction on the 12th day of August, 
 thirty miles below the mouth of the Yellowstone with Capt. 
 
58 History of Wyommg. 
 
 Olark and party, who had come down the river. The whole 
 command being once more all together proceeded down the 
 Missouri, arriving at St. Louis on the 23rd of September, 
 1806." 
 
 Before closing the Lewis and Clark narrative I desire 
 to call attention to two men, comprising the party, John 
 •Colter and John Potts, as their names will appear again in 
 the history of Wyoming. When Lewis and Clark, on their 
 return trip, reached Fort Mandan, John Colter asked to be 
 •discharged at that point and his request was granted. John 
 Potts kept with the party and was discharged in St. Louis. 
 In 1807 he joined the Manuel Lisa trapping expedition 
 which went up the Missouri. This party met Colter at the 
 mouth of the Platte when he was on his return to St. Louis. 
 Lisa urged him to return to the mountains with his party 
 and thus it was that he and John Potts again became asso- 
 ciates in adventures in the Rocky Mountains. The name of 
 Colter has become famous in western explorations and his 
 deeds of daring are worthy of the early heroes of the Stony 
 Mountains. The chapter I devote to him proves that he is 
 the first American explorer to enter Wyoming. 
 
 After the expeditions of Lewis and Clark in 1804 and 
 Oapt. Zebulon Montgomery Pike in 1806, no further official 
 explorations of the west were made until 1819. The United 
 States Government at that time organized an expedition 
 which was fitted out at great expense and provided with 
 military officers and men of science. Major Stephen H. 
 Long was placed in command, and the expedition started 
 from Pittsburg, May 30, 1819. The party wintered at Coun- 
 cil Bluffs and the following spring explored the Platte Val- 
 ley; reaching the south fork of this river, they proceeded up 
 this branch and pretty generally explored the country which 
 is now Colorado. Long and his scientific associates proved 
 themselves to be the most stupid explorers that had ever 
 been in any country. They were not only stupid, but like 
 most men of this class, were opinionated. They pronounced 
 the whole country between the 39th and 49th parallels a 
 worthless desert, extending for 500 miles east of the Rocky 
 
The First American Explorers. 59 
 
 MowBtains. The strange part of all this is that they found 
 innumerable streams flowing from the mountains over these 
 vast plains, and the water courses had sufficient fall 
 cover a large extent of territorj. Evidently these scientiflo 
 gentlemen had never heard of irrigation, although it had 
 been in vogue for thousands of years. The stupidity of 
 Long made a blotch on the map of the United States. After 
 he made his report to the government, all that portion of the 
 country from the Kocky Mountains to a point near the Mis- 
 souri river, was noted on the map as the Great American 
 Desert and this misleading statement resulted in untold in- 
 jury to the West and kept the development of the country 
 back for half a century. Major Long's explorations were of 
 some value, it is true, but his opinions proved him to be a 
 man of superficial attainments. That country marked 
 "Great American Desert" on the map, is still remembered 
 by all persons over forty years old. The sandy, worthless 
 desert now contains hundreds of thousands of the best culti- 
 vated farms in the United States. If our government sent 
 out an explorer with a full staff of scientific assistants who 
 reported the country as worthless, is it any wonder that con- 
 servative members of the United States senate and of the 
 House of Eepresentatives should argue that the Rocky 
 Mountain country, including Oregon, beyond it, was not 
 worth possessing? Fortunately, Major Long and his stupid 
 assistants did not enter the Wyoming country, and I should 
 not have referred to this expedition at all had it not been 
 for the blighting effect of the official report. 
 
 I have mentioned the successful expeditions of Sir 
 Alexander McKenzie in 1789-1793, but if I were asked if 
 this intrepid explorer was the first to cross the mountains 
 to the Pacific, I should be obliged in all fairness to answer 
 "No." Poets, great military commanders, as well as ex- 
 plorers, are born with God-given powers in their particular 
 line of work. Even among savage tribes, history shows 
 that great leaders come to the front with full developed 
 powers. They are not numerous, I will admit, but occa- 
 sionally there is a bom leader in these tribes who in intel- 
 
6o History of Wyoming. 
 
 lect compares with the best developed white men of tlie 
 times. They may be called warriors, but they are often 
 statesmen. One of the most remarkable of these characters 
 was an American Indian — a native of the Mississippi Valley 
 belonging to the Yazoo tribe of Indians. He was called by 
 the French L'Interprete, because he spoke many languages. 
 He had for years, it is said, wondered from whence he came, 
 and spent much time in trying to solve the problem of life. 
 He visited neighboring tribes in search of knowledge. He 
 found the shores of the Atlantic and then turned to the 
 westward in 1745, and in due time crossed the mountains 
 at or about the place Lewis and Clark followed more than 
 sixty years later. He finally reached the sea, and when he 
 beheld it his astonishment knew no bounds. In telling the 
 story to M. Le Page du Pratz, a French savant, he said: 
 "When I saw it I was so delighted that I could not speak. 
 My eyes were too small for my soul's ease. The wind so 
 disturbed the great water that I thought the blows it gave 
 would beat the land in pieces." The waves of the oeean 
 were his great puzzle, and when the tide rose and the water 
 approached his camping place he believed that the world 
 would be engulfed, but when the tide began to recede he 
 stood for hours watching the water until his companions 
 felt sure that he had lost his mind. He told his story, when 
 he returned, of the long river beyond the mountains that 
 flowed into the ocean. 
 
The Famous John Goiter. 6i 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE FAMOUS JOHN COLTER. 
 
 The First American to Enter Wyoming — ^A Member of the Lewis 
 AND Clark Expedition — Remains in the Vicinity of the Yel- 
 lowstone FROM 1806 to 1810 — He Traps Along the Big Horn, 
 Big Wind River, and Crosses the Range to the Pacific Slope 
 IN 1807 — Returns by Way of the Yellowstone National Park, 
 of which He was the Discoverer — His Adventure with the 
 Blackfeet — A Race for Life — Relates His Story to Capt. 
 Clark, Bradbury and Others. 
 
 In the previous chapter I mentioned the name of John 
 Colter and his discharge from the Lewis and Clark expedi- 
 tion at Fort Mandan. From that date this member of the 
 exploring party has been identified with the country which 
 in later years became Wyoming. Colter while with Lewis 
 and Clark won the respect of the explorers and was often 
 called upon to perform important service where bravery 
 and cool-headedness were required. I regret that so little 
 is known of his early history and that nothing is chronicled 
 of his old age and death. No braver man ever entered the 
 Eocky IMountain country. All that is known of his early life 
 is that he was a hunter and woodsman and in his line had 
 won renown before he joined Lewis and Clark. Nothing 
 is to be learned of his education, but the chances are that 
 like most hunters of his day, he was unlettered. It is with 
 satisfaction that we read in the journal of the expedition, 
 under date of August 14th and 15th, 1806, the following: 
 
 "In the evening we were applied to by one of our men. 
 Colter, who was desirous of joining the two trappers who 
 had accompanied us, and who now proposed an expedition 
 up the river, in which they were to find traps and give him 
 a share of the profits. The offer was a very advantageous 
 one, and, as he had always performed his duty, and his 
 services might be dispensed with, we agreed that he might 
 go provided none of the rest would ask or expect a similar 
 indulgence. To this they cheerfully answered that they 
 
62 History of Wyoming. 
 
 wished Colter every success and would not apply for liberty 
 to separate before we reached St. Louis. We therefore sup- 
 plied him, as did his comrades also, with powder, lead and a 
 variety of articles which might be useful to him, and he 
 left us the next day." 
 
 This request on the part of Colter evidently produced 
 a profound sensation at Fort Mandan; the incident was so 
 remarkable that it was not passed over without further com- 
 ment; the journal makes this additional reference to the 
 subject : 
 
 "The example of this man shows us how easily men may 
 be weaned from the habits of civilized life to the ruder but 
 scarcely less fascinating manners of the woods. This hunter 
 has now been absent for many years from the frontier, and 
 might naturally be presumed to have some anxiety, or some 
 curiosity at least, to return to his friends and his country ;^ 
 yet just at the moment when he is approaching the frontier,, 
 he is tempted by a hunting scheme to give up those delight- 
 ful prospects, and go back without the least reluctance to , 
 the solitude of the woods." i 
 
 The names of the two trappers with whom Colter went 
 into partnership do not appear in the Lewis and Clark jour- 
 nal but I learn from other sources that they were Dixon and 
 Hancock, whose homes were on the Illinois Eiver. They 
 were trappers, and in 1804 made a trip up the Missouri 
 and trapped on the headwaters of that stream until 1806. 
 It so happened that they met the Lewis and Clark expedi- 
 tion on its return that year and persuaded Colter to join 
 them. The newly organized trapping outfit followed up the 
 Missouri and trapped on the Yellowstone and its branches. 
 Thus passed the balance of the season of 1806. The follow- 
 ing spring he and his companions started down the Missouri 
 river with the intention of going to St. Louis. When they 
 arrived at the mouth of the Platte, they met Manuel Lisa, 
 sometimes called de Lisa, and that enterprising trader 
 persuaded Colter to return with him to the Yellowstone 
 country, where he had reported an abundance of beaver. 
 The fur expedition went up to the mouth of the Big 
 Horn, where Lisa erected a fort. A small party was organ- 
 ized and with Colter at its head was sent out to trap and 
 
The Famous John Colter. 6} 
 
 trade among the Crows. In this expedition he was evidently 
 successful. His party trapped in all the tributaries of the 
 Big Horn, including Stinking Water, where he discovered a 
 boiling spring with a strong odor of sulphur and tar, which 
 gives rise to the name Stinking Water. Colter is in no wise 
 responsible for the name however, as it is of Indian origin, 
 being thus interpreted by explorers. They trapped on the 
 Grey Bull, Shell Creek, No Wood, Kirby Creek, Owl Creek, 
 Little Wind Elver, Beaver Creek and all the forks of the 
 Popo Agie. The party then went up Big Wind River to its 
 source and crossed over one of the low passes to the Pacific 
 slope. Capt. H. M. Chittenden in his work on the Yellow- 
 stone National Park, follows Colter closely in his meander- 
 ings on the west side of the Wind River Range. He says: 
 
 "From the summit of the mountains he descended to the 
 westward; crossed the Snake River and Teton Pass to 
 Pierre's Hole, and then turned north, recrossing the Teton 
 Range by the Ijidian trail in the valley of what is now Con- 
 ant Creek, just north ol -lackson Lake. Thence he contin- 
 ued his course until he reached Yellowstone Lake, at some 
 point along its southwestern shore. He passed around the 
 west to the northernmost point of the Thumb, and then 
 resumed his northerly course over the hills, arriving at the 
 Yellowstone River in the valley of Alum Creek. He fol- 
 lowed the left bank of the river to the ford just above Tower 
 Falls, where the great Bannock trail used to cross, and then 
 followed this trail to its junction with his outward route on 
 Clark's Fork. From this point he recrossed the Stinking 
 Water, possibly in order to revisit the strange phenomena 
 there, but more probably to explore new trapping territory 
 on his way back. He descended the Stinking Water until 
 about south of Pryor's Gap, when he turned north and 
 shortly after arrived at his starting point." 
 
 Capt. Chittenden, in his work, assumes that Colter, on 
 this expedition, was alone or possibly with Indians. I think 
 this an error. We must come to the conclusion that Colter 
 did not make this trip as an explorer but as a trapper. 
 There is evidence to show that he was engaged by Lisa 
 when these two met at the mouth of the Platte to go back 
 into the country from whence he had just come and there to 
 trap for the benefit of Lisa. When we study the character 
 
64 History of Wyoming. 
 
 of this fur trader we must naturally infer that his engage- 
 ment with Colter was strictly a matter of business and that 
 he fitted him out for a trapping expedition. Lisa was one 
 of the most enterprising fur traders ever in the Eocky 
 Mountain country. From first to last he pushed his trappers 
 up all the principal streams and covered the territory thor- 
 oughly; he sought new fields of enterprise and by his 
 superior diplomacy captured the Indian trade. Colter was 
 simply the agent of this enterprising Spaniard. Two cir- 
 cumstances occurred in the life of Colter which resulted 
 in handing his name down in a sort of half-hearted way to 
 posterity. First, when on a trip to St. Louis he met one of 
 his old commanders, Capt Clark, and told him of his explor- 
 ations and that gentleman traced his route on a map which 
 was soon to appear in connection with the Lewis and Clark 
 expedition. Capt. Clark evidently received Colter's story 
 with great allowance and he accordingly avoided saying 
 anything about it in his publication. It is quite certain 
 that Colter's story of hot springs, boiling lakes, geysers, 
 etc., was regarded by his old commander as beyond belief; 
 therefore he contented himself with tracing on his map 
 what he denoted as the Colter route of 1807. At this day 
 we feel thankful for even this slight recognition of the 
 services of John Colter. Besides Capt. Clark, Colter told 
 his story to John Bradbury, a scientific gentleman, who 
 accompanied Wilson P. Hunt's expedition a part of the way 
 up the Missouri in 1811. To this latter gentleman we are 
 indebted for a story of surprising bravery and thrilling ad- 
 venture that deserves a place in the history of pioneering 
 by white men in the Rocky Mountains. This incident in 
 Colter's life will be told further on. 
 
 While Colter had been on his expedition, Manuel Lisa 
 had returned to St. Louis and organized, or re-organized, I 
 am not certain which, the Missouri Fur Company. At any 
 rate he had secured additional capital, with the idea of mo- 
 nopolizing the fur trade of the tributary waters of the Mis- 
 souri River. This time he brought with him from St. Louis a 
 large number of recruits for his trapping service and among 
 
The Famous John Colter. 65 
 
 ■others, John Potts, who has been mentioned in connection 
 with the Lewis and Clark expedition. Potts was of course 
 an experienced mountainman, knew the Indian character 
 in detail, and was brave even to rashness. Colter and Potts 
 being re-united naturally made their plans to trap together 
 during the season of 1808. I take it that they were free 
 trappers attaching themselves to Manuel Lisa's company. 
 Colter evidently led the way and the two went up and 
 trapped on the northern tributaries of the Missouri. 
 
 In Bradbury's "Sketches of the Northwest, (London, 
 1812), the writer claims that Colter came to St. Louis in 
 May 1810, in a small canoe from the headwaters of the Miss- 
 ouri, a distance of three thousand miles which he traversed 
 in thirty days. "I saw him on his arrival," says Bradbury, 
 "and received from him an account of his adventures after 
 he had separated from Lewis and Clark's party. One of 
 these I shall relate. On the arrival of the party on the head- 
 waters of the Missouri, Colter, observing that there appeared 
 to be an abundance of beaver there, got permission to re- 
 main and hunt for some time, which he did in company 
 with a man named Dixon, who had traversed alone the im- 
 mense tract of country from St. Louis to the headwaters of 
 the Missouri. Soon after, he separated from Dixon and 
 trapped in company with a hunter named Potts; and, aware 
 of the hostility of the Blackfeet Indians, one of whom had 
 been killed by Capt. Lewis, they set their traps at night 
 and took them up early in the morning, remaining concealed 
 during the day. They were examining their traps early 
 one morning on a creek about six miles from that branch of 
 the Missouri called Jefferson's Pork, and were ascending 
 in a canoe, when they suddenly heard a great noise resem- 
 bling the tramping of animals, but they could not ascertain 
 the fact, as the high perpendicular banks on each side of 
 the river impeded their view. Colter immediately pro- 
 nounced it to be occasioned by Indians, and advised an in- 
 stant retreat, but was accused of cowardice by Potts who 
 insisted that the noise was caused by buffaloes, and they 
 proceeded on. In few moments their doubts were removed 
 
 -(5) 
 
C6 History of Wyoming. 
 
 by a party of five or six hundred Indians presenting them- 
 selves, and beckoning them to come ashore. As retreat 
 was now impossible, Colter turned the head of his canoe 
 to the shore, and, at the moment of its touching, an Indian 
 seized the rifle belonging to Potts, but Colter immediately 
 retook it and handed it to Potts who remained in the canoe^ 
 and, on receiving it pushed off into the river. He had 
 scarcely quitted the shore when an arrow was shot at him 
 and he cried out, 'Colter, I am wounded!' Colter remon- 
 strated with him on the folly of attempting to escape, and 
 urged him to come ashore. Instead of complying, he in- 
 stantly leveled his rifle at an Indian, and shot him dead 
 on the spot. This conduct may appear to be an act of 
 madness; but it was doubtless the effect of sudden and 
 sound reasoning, for, if taken alive, he must have expected 
 to be tortured to death, according to their custom. He was 
 instantly pierced with arrows so numerous that, to use the 
 language of Colter, *he was made a riddle of.' They now 
 seized Colter, stripped him entirely naked, and began to 
 consult on the manner in which he should be put to death. 
 They were first inclined to set him up as a mark to shoot 
 at; but the chief interfered, and, seizing him by the shoul- 
 der, asked him if he could run fast. Colter, who had been 
 some time among the Keekatsa or Crow Indiana, had in a 
 considerable degree acquired the Blackfeet language and 
 was well acquainted with Indian customs. He knew that 
 he now had to run for his life, with the dreadful odds of five 
 hundred or six hundred against him — those armed Indians. 
 Therefore he cunningly replied that he was a bad runner, 
 although he was considered by the hunters as remarkably 
 swift. The chief now commanded the party to remain sta- 
 tionary, and led Colter out upon the prairie three or four 
 hundred yards and released him, bidding him to save him- 
 self if he could. At that instant the horrid war-whoop 
 sounded in the ears of poor Colter, who, urged by hope, ran 
 at a speed which surprised himself. He proceeded toward 
 the Jefferson Pork, having to cross a plain over six miles in 
 width abounding with the prickly pear, on which he was 
 
The Famous John Colter. 67 
 
 every instant treading with his naked feet. He ran nearly 
 half way across the plain before he ventured to look over 
 his shoulder, when he perceived that the Indians were very 
 much scattered and that he had gained ground to a consid- 
 erable distance from the main body; but one Indian who 
 carried a spear was much before all the rest, and not more 
 than a hundred yards from him. A faint gleam of hope now 
 cheered the heart of Colter. He derived confidence from the 
 belief that escape was within the bounds of possibility ; but 
 that confidence was nearly proving fatal to him, for he 
 exerted himself to such a degree that blood gushed from 
 his nostrils and soon almost covered the fore part of hia 
 body. He had now arrived within a mile of the river, when 
 he distinctly heard the appalling sound of footsteps behind 
 him, and every instant expected to feel the spear of hia 
 pursuer. Again he turned his head and saw the savage not 
 twenty yards from him. Determined, if possible, to avoid 
 the expected blow, he suddenly stopped, turned round, and 
 spread out his arms. The Indian, surprised at this sudden 
 action, and perhaps at the bloody appearance of Colter, 
 also attempted to stop; but, exhausted with running, he fell 
 while endeavoring to throw his spear, which stuck in the 
 ground and broke in his hand. Colter instantly snatched 
 up the pointed part, with which he pinned him to the earth, 
 and continued his flight. The foremost of the Indians, on 
 arriving at the place, stopped till the others came up to 
 join him, when they set up a hideous yell. Every moment 
 of this time was improved by Colter, who, though fainting 
 and exhausted, succeeded in gaining the skirting of the 
 Cottonwood trees on the borders of the Pork, through which 
 he ran and plunged into the river. Fortunately for him, a 
 little below this place was an island, against the upper point 
 of which a raft of drift timber had lodged. He dived under 
 the raft and after several efforts got his head above water 
 among the trunks of the trees, covered over with smaller 
 wood to the depth of several feet. Scarcely had he secured 
 himself when the Indians arrived on the river, screeching 
 and yelling, as Colter expressed it, 'like so many devils.' 
 
68 History of Wyoming. 
 
 They were frequently on the raft during the day, and were 
 seen through the chinks by Colter, who was congratulating 
 himself upon his escape until the idea arose that they might 
 set the raft on fire. In horrible suspense he remained until 
 night, when, hearing no more of the Indians, he dived from 
 under the raft, swam silently down the river a long dis- 
 tance, when he landed and traveled all night. Although 
 happy in having escaped from the Indians, his situation was 
 still dreadful. He was completely naked under a burning 
 sun. The soles of his feet were entirely filled with the 
 thorns of the prickly pears. He was hungry and had no 
 means of killing game, although he saw abundance around 
 him, and was at least seven days from Lisa's Fort on the Big 
 Horn branch of the Koche Juan river. Those were circum- 
 stances under which any man but an American hunter 
 would have despaired. He arrived at the Fort in seven 
 days, having subsisted upon a root much esteemed by the 
 Indians of the Missouri, now known by naturalists as the 
 Psoralea esculeuta." 
 
 Irving, in "Astoria," also tells this story, yet makes 
 no reference to Bradbury as the author, but as he wrote 
 it many years before Irving published his Astoria, I prefer 
 to place the credit where it belongs. 
 
 It is not necessary for my history to trace Colter's life 
 further. I will only say that he remained another year in 
 the mountains, but whether he trapped in Wyoming in 1809, 
 or in some other locality, I do not know. Bradbury, it will 
 be observed, says that he returned to St. Louis in May, 1810. 
 Washington Irving says that John Colter met the As- 
 torians on their way up the Missouri in 1811 and kept with 
 the party all one morning, and would have returned with 
 them to the mountains had it not been for the fact that he 
 had married since his return. 
 
 John Colter, from the most authentic accounts, was the 
 first American to enter Wyoming, and is also the discov- 
 erer of the Yellowstone National Park. Other white men 
 had been in Wyoming, but they were not Americans. Had 
 Colter been employed by the government and provided with 
 
The Famous John Colter. 69 
 
 a scientific outfit so as to have made an official record of his 
 travels and discoveries, his name would have rung down 
 the ages along with those of Lewis and Clark, Zebulon Pike, 
 John C. Fremont and others equally famous in the annals of 
 history. Unfortunately, he had to deal with people who 
 were too narrow-minded to comprehend the wonders of the 
 headwaters of the Yellowstone. His associates for the most 
 part were ignorant trappers who heard his stories with de- 
 risive laughter and referred to the locality of the Park as 
 "Colter's Hell." Why Bradbury, with his great enterprise 
 and love of adventure, did not investigate for himself the 
 locality, it is hard to say; or that the celebrated English 
 traveler, Mr. Nuttall, who heard Colter's story, should think 
 it unworthy of investigation, is strange indeed. H. M. 
 Brackenride, who knew Colter well and talked with him 
 about his travels, seems to have imbibed the opinions of 
 the ignorant trappers. He mentions Colter in his writings, 
 and speaks of his discovery of a low pass through the moun- 
 tains, but fails to give any account of our hero's discoveries 
 at the head of the Yellowstone. Here were three men who 
 went out in 1811 in convoy of fur traders, and each had an 
 opportunity to make his name immortal by investigating 
 Colter's discoveries, but they did not take advantage of the 
 knowledge they possessed. Colter will, without their aid, 
 be known and recognized as the discoverer of that wonder- 
 land which has been set apart by the American govern- 
 ment for the use and benefit of the American people. Other 
 men have done much in the way of exploring this world- 
 renowned Park and bringing it to the attention of the peo- 
 ple, but John Colter is without doubt the first white man 
 to behold the wonders of nature grouped together in that 
 part of Wyoming. At some day a monument will be erected 
 in the midst of this national pleasure ground, and on it will 
 be inscribed the name of John Colter, the discoverer of the 
 Yellowstone National Park, 1807. 
 
70 History of Wyoming. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. ' 
 
 EZEKIEL WILLIAMS' PARTY IN WYOMING. 
 They Follow Up the Yellowstone and are Attacked by Blackfeet 
 —Cross Over to the Big Horn and Go South— Reach the 
 Sweetwater— Another Attack by Indians — Retreat South 
 Across the Laramie Plains and Reach the Headwaters of the 
 South Platte— Comanches Attack the Party and Kill All But 
 Three— Williams Returns to St. Louis and the Two Others 
 Go to Southern California— The Leader Again Visits the 
 Sweetwater in 1809. 
 
 Captain Lewis, when ready to leave Fort Mandan on 
 his return trip, invited the chief of the Mandan tribe, Big 
 White, to accompany him to Washington. The chief prom- 
 ised to do so, and to take his wife and son with him, pro- 
 vided he was assured of an escort up the river on his return. 
 He feared warlike tribes who lived lower down on the river. 
 Captain Lewis readily promised that the government would 
 send a sufQcient escort to guarantee their safety past the 
 dangerous tribes who infested the Missouri lower down the 
 river. The president made good Captain Lewis' promises. 
 Twenty hardy Missourians who had all seen service were 
 selected to form the escort. The command of the expedition 
 was given to Ezekiel Williams, a man of large frontier expe- 
 rience — a hunter of renown who had the reputation of being 
 an excellent rifleman, cool, determined and brave. The 
 party left St. Louis on April 25, 1807. They were outfitted 
 for two years' stay in the mountains, it being understood 
 that they were first to return the Mandan chief and his 
 family to their native village, after which they were at lib- 
 erty to trap as long as they saw fit. The party was not only 
 well selected but well equipped, and they entered upon 
 their journey with enthusiasm, feeling satisfied that they 
 would bring home many thousand dollars* worth of rich 
 peltries. It was their intention to trap for a time on the 
 
Esekiel Williams' Party in Wyoming. 71 
 
 headwaters of the Missouri and then cross the mountains 
 and try their luck on the other side. The party, after leav- 
 ing St. Louis, passed up the Missouri river without incident 
 until they reached the mouth of the Platte, when William 
 Hamilton, one of their number, was taken violently ill with 
 a fever. In his delirium, he raved about home and loved 
 ones. His associates gave him the tenderest care and ad- 
 ministered such remedies as a well-selected medicine chest 
 contained, but all to no purpose. He died and was buried 
 by his comrades on the west bank of the Missouri, just below 
 the Platte. The party proceeded on up the river and by the 
 good management of Williams successfully passed the war- 
 like Sioux country and finally landed the chieftain at his 
 village. The Mandan people were greatly rejoiced when 
 they saw that their chief had been returned to them accord- 
 ing to the promise of Captain Lewis. They were loud in 
 their praises of Captain Lewis and the white people gene- 
 rally because they would not lie. They had pledged their 
 word and had kept it. Williams and his party remained a 
 week at the village, resting from their toilsome journey 
 against the current of the Missouri. From here they went 
 on up the river to the mouth of the Yellowstone, and turn- 
 ing up that stream, trapped in all its tributaries. The party 
 was well organized and well armed. Williams was a good 
 commander and possessed the confidence of his men. The 
 whole party, however, seemed to have entered the Indian 
 ■country with altogther a mistaken idea of the natives. They 
 were trappers, and did not expect to fight their way through 
 the country. They trapped successfully and finally reached 
 a locality which they considered an ideal one for the trap- 
 per and hunter. All the streams were filled with beaver, 
 and on the plains were thousands of buffalo. A camp was 
 formed and the business of trapping was carried on without 
 intermission. One day ten of the party went out bufifaJo 
 hunting, some distance from the camp, and were attacked 
 by a band of Indians whom they believed to be Blackfeet. 
 The appearance of Indians was entirely unexpected, and 
 the hunters being spread out over the prairie were unable 
 
72 History of Wyommg. 
 
 to defend themselves. They killed one Indian, but flye of 
 the white men were slain, and the remaining five only saved 
 themselves by fleeing to the camp. The Indians being in 
 overwhelming numbers, Williams broke up his camp and 
 made a rapid march to the south to escape from the country 
 of the Blackfeet. They finally fell in with a band of Crows, 
 and as these Indians treated them in a most friendly manner, 
 they were loath to leave the Crow country. One of their 
 number, Edward Eose, decided to remain with the tribe. 
 This man was the first American to take up a permanent 
 residence in the Big Horn country. He, in 1810, went to 
 St. Louis to market furs, but returned to the Crow tribe in 
 the spring of 1811 in company with Wilson P. Hunt and 
 party, whom he served as interpreter until they reached the 
 Crow nation. Eose, it has been claimed in St. Louis, was 
 an outlaw before he joined the Williams party, but that 
 explorer knew nothing of this part of his history previous 
 to engaging him. I might as well say here that Eose re- 
 mained with the tribe, which adopted him, until 1823. Af- 
 ter that date he was guide to Thomas Fitzpatrick and Will- 
 iam Sublette. Many harsh things have been said of him; 
 he being called unprincipled, treacherous, and a brawler. 
 He is mentioned by many writers as being of unsavory char- 
 acter, and in fact I have been unable to find but one person 
 who speaks well of him, and that is Jim Beckwourth, and as 
 his character is about the same as that of Eose, his testi- 
 mony will hardly be taken. 
 
 After Eose left the Williams party, there remained but 
 thirteen men, and these took a southerly course, presumably 
 up the Big Horn Eiver, and must have crossed the Wind 
 Eiver Valley, as- they went to South Pass. On reaching 
 what they called the headwaters of the North Platte (the 
 Sweetwater), they encountered, as they supposed, anothe^ 
 band of Crows. These freebooters first ran off all the 
 horses belonging to the party, and in an unsuccessful at- 
 tempt to recover them Williams lost five more of his men, 
 but succeeded in killing twenty of the Indians. The trap- 
 pers were now reduced to eight men— these on foot and con- 
 
Esekiel Williams^ Party in Wyoming. 73 
 
 sequently in a deplorable condition, as they were in a hos- 
 tile country. They had a considerable amount of valuable 
 furs which they cached, together with such other property 
 which they could not carry, and moving rapidly south they 
 in due course of time reached the headwaters of the South 
 Platte and were out of Wyoming. They must have passed 
 over the Laramie Plains and made their way to the South 
 Platte at a point near where Denver now stands. Fate 
 seemed to follow them, for they were next attacked by 
 Comanches and in a short time their number was reduced to 
 three, these being Ezekiel Williams, James Workman and 
 Samuel Spencer. The three lone wanderers now resolved 
 to get out of the country and return to St. Louis, but an- 
 other misfortune soon happened them. They quarreled and 
 finally separated, Williams going down the Arkansas and 
 after many adventures finally reaching St. Louis. He 
 returned to the Sweetwater in 1809 with a party of trappers 
 and recovered the furs cached in that locality. Workman 
 and Spencer on leaving Williams also bent their steps to- 
 ward the Arkansas, which they mistook for the Red River. 
 They went up this stream, expecting to discover a practi- 
 cal route to Santa Fe, but they wandered many months in 
 the mountains, and after a time joined a Mexican caravan 
 bound for California. The following year they returned 
 with the same caravan to Santa Fe, where they remained 
 until 1824. I am indebted for these facts to a little volume 
 published by David H. Cozner in 1847 under the title of 
 "The Lost Trappers." From other sources I learn that 
 Williams served as a volunteer in the war of 1812, but what 
 fate finally befell him I do not know. 
 
74 ' History of Wyoming. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE ASTORIA EXPEDITION. 
 
 The Tonquin Sails for the Mouth of the Columbia — Wilson P. 
 Hunt Organizes a Land Expedition and Goes Up the Missouri — 
 The Party Reaches the Country Which Is Now Wyoming — 
 Numerous Attempts Made to Cross the Big Horn Mountains — 
 Finally Ascend the Middle Fork of the Powder River and 
 Reach the No Wood — ^Journey Up the Big Horn and Big Wind 
 Rivers — Cross Sheridan Pass to the Headwaters of Green 
 River — First View of the Grand Tetons — Crossing the Green 
 River Valley, they Reach the Headwaters of the Columbia. 
 
 The expedition of Wilson P. Hunt was organized in 
 1810 by John Jacob Astor, native of Waldorf, Germany, 
 who came to America in 1783 and on his arrival entered the 
 fur trade. Mr. Astor was a clear-headed business man, 
 and he early saw an opportunity to compete successfully 
 with the Northwestern Fur Company for the profitable trade 
 in furs in the Rocky Mountain country. Mr. Astor in 1809 
 procured from the New York Legislature a charter for a 
 company to be known as "The American Fur Company," 
 with a capital of $1,000,000, with the privilege of increasing 
 it to two millions. This company had a board of directors, 
 but these gentlemen were mere figure-heads. Mr. Astor 
 furnished the money and conducted the business. His only 
 object in using the name of a company was to place his 
 operations on a par with the great Northwest Company, 
 whose domain he was about to enter, and secure for him- 
 self at least a part of the profitable trade. This shrewd 
 business man sought an interview with the representatives 
 of the United States government and laid before them a 
 plan whereby a large share of the fur trade within the 
 boundaries of the United States should come into the hands 
 of American citizens, and he offered, providing he could 
 receive the protection of the government, to turn the whole 
 
The Astoria Expedition. 75 
 
 of this lucrative busineaa into American oliannels of trade. 
 We are told that the President warmly approved of his 
 plans, but he was informed that the government could not, 
 directly, aid in the undertaking. Astor's plan was to send 
 one expedition up the Missouri, across the mountains, and 
 down the Columbia River to the mouth of that stream. An- 
 other was to go by sea, around Gape Horn, and thence by 
 the Pacific to the mouth of the Columbia. He fitted out the 
 ship Tonquin, a fine vessel of 290 tons burden. This vessel 
 was loaded with merchandise suitable for trading with the 
 natives, and also carried the ready-made parts of a schooner 
 which was to be put together at the mouth of the Columbia 
 and used in the coasting trade. Lieutenant Thorn of the 
 United States navy, on leave of absence, was given command 
 of the vessel. Previous to the departure of the Tonquin, 
 "The Pacific Fur Company" was organized by Mr. Astor 
 and Duncan McDougal, Alexander McKay and Donald Mc- 
 Kenzie, three ambitious gentlemen who had long been con- 
 nected with the Northwest Fur Company, and had be- 
 come dissatisfied with that corporation, because they were 
 not promoted to high salaried positions, became partners 
 in the new company. Mr. McKay was a man of great ex- 
 perience in the far west, having accompanied Sir Alexander 
 McKenzie on both of his expeditions to the Northwest 
 coast in 1789 and 1793. Wilson Price Hunt of New Jersey 
 also joined the company. David Stuart and his nephew, 
 Robert Stuart, became members of the corporation. Of 
 Mr. Hunt and Robert Stuart I shall have much to say 
 hereafter, as they become conspicuous characters in the 
 early history of Wyoming. 
 
 After the formation of the Pacific Fur Company, Wil- 
 son Price Hunt was given charge of the expedition which 
 was to cross the Rocky Mountains, and his instructions 
 were to note places where interior trading posts might be 
 established. The partners had agreed that this gentleman 
 should be placed in charge of the establishment at the 
 mouth of the Columbia, when the two expeditions should 
 form a junction at that point. From all accounts, Mr. Hunt 
 
1^ History of Wyoming. 
 
 was a man of upright character, fair in all his dealings, 
 amiable in disposition, and a representative business man, 
 though he had no experience with Indians or with Indian 
 trade. For some years he had been engaged in business at 
 St. Louis, which was at that time a border settlement, and 
 by this means it must be that he had acquired considerable 
 information regarding the mountain country and its in- 
 habitants. In July, 1810, we find Mr. Hunt in Montreal, 
 Canada, recruiting Canadian voyageurs for his expedition. 
 Late in the same month he arrived in Mackinaw, at the 
 confluence of Lakes Huron and Michigan. Here he was 
 joined by Ramsey Crooks, a Scotchman, who had been 
 engaged for some years with the Northwest Company, but 
 later had been trading with the Indians on the upper Mis- 
 souri on his own account, in company with a man named 
 McLellan. These two men had been on the upper Missouri 
 and had been robbed in detail, first by Sioux Indians and 
 again by Blackfeet. Crooks, being out of employment, 
 gladly joined the expedition. Mr. Hunt left Mackinaw on 
 the 12th of August, having with him Crooks and his Cana- 
 dian voyageurs. They went by the then popular route of 
 Green Bay, Fox and Wisconsin rivers, to Prairie du Chien, 
 and thence by the Mississippi, arriving in St. Louis on Sep- 
 tember 3rd. Joseph Miller, another independent fur trader, 
 here joined the company. He was a Baltimorean by birth, 
 well educated, and had been an officer in the United States 
 army. Years before he had applied for a furlough, and be- 
 ing refused, took, as the saying is, French leave; that is, 
 hastily resigned his commission, and then engaged in trap- 
 ping and trading on the frontier. After securing a number of 
 other additions to his party, Mr. Hunt started in three 
 boats, one a Schenectady barge, down the Mississippi to the 
 mouth of the Missouri, thence up that stream 450 miles to 
 the mouth of the Nodowa River, where they arrived on the 
 16th of November. As winter was now coming on, the 
 weather being cold, the party resolved to go into winter 
 qviarters. The place selected was an ideal winter camp. 
 There was abundance of timber for log huts, and the coun- 
 
The Astoria Expedition. y^ 
 
 try abounded in game. Under Mr. Hunt's practical man- 
 agement and with the able assistance of his partners, the 
 party was soon well housed. At this place Robert McLellan, 
 Eamsey Crooks' old partner, put in an appearance and was 
 easily persuaded to join the expedition. He rather liked the 
 opportunity of going back into the Indian country with a 
 strong force. This man McLellan, Washington Irving in 
 his Astoria describes as a remarkable character. That au- 
 thor says : "He had been a partisan under General Wayne 
 in his Indian wars, where he had distinguished himself by 
 his fiery spirit and reckless daring, and marvelous stories 
 were told of his exploits. His appearance answered to his 
 character. His frame was meagre, but muscular, showing 
 strength, activity and iron firmness. His eyes were dark, 
 deep-set and piercing. He was restless and fearless, but of 
 impetuous and sometimes ungovernable temper. He had 
 been invited by Mr. Hunt to enroll himself as a partner and 
 gladly consented, being pleased with the thoughts of pass- 
 ing, with a powerful force, through the country of the Sioux 
 and perhaps having an opportunity of revenging himself 
 upon that lawless tribe for their past offenses." 
 
 At this same place another man joined the party who 
 from his many remarkable qualities as hunter, explorer and 
 all-around heroism is deserving of even more than a passing 
 notice. This was John Day, an ideal hunter from Virginia, 
 who had drifted over to the Missouri river and had been in 
 the employ of Kamsey Crooks and other small traders. Day 
 is described as being forty years old, six feet two inches in 
 height, a handsome fellow, of manly bearing. He had made 
 money in the wilderness to spend it royally in the town. 
 He was one of nature's rangers in the mountain ; never lost 
 his bearings, his courage, or his presence of mind. Joined 
 to his other qualities, he was bold, an unerring shot and 
 an agreeable companion. Crooks knew him well, and it 
 was because of his strong recommendation that Mr. Hunt 
 was pleased to have him in the party. Mr. Hunt had numer- 
 ous conferences with Messrs. Crooks, McLellan, Miller and 
 John Day in regard to their journey through the wilderness, 
 
78 History of Wyoming- 
 
 ami these all advised him to employ more men for the expe- 
 dition. He saw that the Canadian Toyageurs, while they 
 were well enough as boatmen, could not be depended upon 
 in fighting their way through the wilderness if perchance 
 the natives should choose to be hostile; so on the 1st of 
 January, 1811, he set off on foot on his return to St. Louia 
 with the avowed purpose of procuring a number of Ameri- 
 can hunters possessed of the game spirit of the west. After 
 proceeding 150 miles on foot, he secured horses and made 
 the balance of the journey on horseback. In due course of 
 time he procured the necessary additions to his party and 
 took his way back to his winter encampment. 
 
 Among the men engaged for the expedition was one 
 Edward Bose, who claimed to have a knowledge of moun- 
 tain life, and who looked like a man of experience. Mr.^ 
 Hunt was prejudiced slightly against this individual on 
 account of his dark looks, sour visage and general aspect,, 
 but he realized that the hardships he might have suffered 
 in the mountains and the solitary life of a hunter which he 
 had led, might have marked his nature, but he thought the 
 chances were that the man might be possessed of good 
 qualities which the wilderness would develop, and so he 
 accordingly engaged him. Had he acted on his first im- 
 pressions he would have saved himself many days of wor- 
 riment. 
 
 His greatest difficulty had been to secure a Sioux inter- 
 preter. He finally procured the services of a half-breed 
 named Pierre Dorion, who would consent to accept the po- 
 sition of interpreter and hunter provided Mr. Hunt would 
 permit him to take his squaw and her two children along. 
 To this Mr. Hunt agreed. Washington Irving thus capitally 
 describes Mr. Hunt's Sioux interpreter: "Pierre was the 
 son of Dorion, the French interpreter who accompanied 
 Messrs. Lewis and Clark in their famous exploring expedi- 
 tion across the Rocky Mountains. Old Dorion was one of 
 those French Creoles, descendants of the ancient Canadian 
 stock who abound on the western frontier and amalgamate 
 or cohabit with the savages. He had sojourned among 
 
The Astoria Expedition. 79 
 
 variouB tribes, and perhaps left progeny among them all; 
 but his regular or habitual wife was a Sioux squaw. By her 
 he had a hopeful brood of half-breed sons, of whom Pierre 
 was one. The domestic affairs of old Dorion were conducted 
 on the true Indian plan. Father and son would occasionally 
 get drunk together, and then the cabin was the scene of 
 ruffianly brawl and fighting, in the course of which the old 
 Frenchman was apt to get soundly belabored by his mongrel 
 offspring. In a furious scuffle of the kind, one of the sons 
 got the old man upon the ground, and was on the point of 
 scalping him. *Hold! my son,' cried the old fellow, in im- 
 ploring accents, 'you are too brave, too honorable, to scalp 
 your father!' This appeal touched the French side of the 
 half-breed's heart, so he suffered the old man to wear his 
 scalp unharmed." 
 
 On Mr. Hunt's journey back to the encampment, he 
 mentions in his journal having met the renowned hunter, 
 Daniel Boone, who was then in his eighty-fifth year. The 
 old man listened with deep interest to the plans of Mr. 
 Hunt's proposed journey through the wilderness to the 
 shores of the Pacific, and his eye kindled with the fire of 
 youth as he hearkened to the story which Mr. Hunt had to 
 tell, and it was with a feeling of regret that he realized that 
 he was too old to join the party. This same journal notes 
 the meeting with another remarkable character the day 
 after the encounter with Daniel Boone, and this was John 
 Colter, of whose experiences in Wyoming I have related to 
 my readers in a previous chapter. Colter remained with the 
 party several hours, during which time he gave much valu- 
 able information to Mr. Hunt regarding the Blackfeet In- 
 dians, through whose country the expedition would be 
 obliged to pass. 
 
 After Mr. Hunt's arrival at the winter encampment, 
 preparations were made for the journey up the Missouri. 
 There were now about sixty persons in the party, and of 
 these, forty were Canadian voyageurs and a full comple- 
 ment of hunters. The expedition was composed of four 
 boats fitted with oars and sails. The largest boat contained 
 
8o History of Wyoming- 
 
 a swivel gun and four howitzers. On the 28th of April, 1811, 
 they reached the mouth of the Platte Elver, where Omaha 
 now stands. Could they have known the many hardships 
 they would escape by following the Platte River west they 
 certainly would have adopted this route, but as it was they 
 were bent on following in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark, 
 which led them many hundreds of miles to the north, and 
 consequently added greatly to their journey. 
 
 During the balance of the month of April and all of 
 the month of May they worked their way up the Missouri, 
 and on the 11th of June encamped on an island six miles 
 below the Arickara village. The next day they went up to 
 this village, where they remained until the 18th of July, 
 trading with the Indians for a supply of horses. Mr. Hunt 
 determined to leave the river at this point, so as to avoid 
 hostile Indians. It should be here mentioned that the party 
 had been joined lower down on the river by Benjamin Jones 
 and Alexander Carson, two experienced trappers who had 
 passed two years on the headwaters of the Missouri and 
 were now on their way to St. Louis. They were easily per- 
 suaded to enter the employ of Mr. Hunt and go with him 
 to the mouth of the Columbia. A few days after this acqui- 
 sition three more all-around hunters and men of reputation 
 in the mountains, as well as lower down the river, joined the 
 party. These men were Edward Eobinson, John Hoback 
 and Jacob Eizner. The three had been in the employ of the 
 Missouri Fur Company and had seen much service. Eobin- 
 son was sixty years old and had been one of the first settlers 
 in Kentucky. He had been in many Indian fights in the 
 Blue Grass country, and in one of these battles had had the 
 misfortune to be scalped. He wore a handkerchief tied on 
 his head to take the place of the scalp lock. 
 
 The village of the Arickaras was located near where 
 Pierre, S. D., now stands. On the 18th of July, Mr. Hunt 
 and his party, composed of sixty men with a full pack train, 
 took up their line of march to the northwest, but soon 
 changed their course, keeping to the southwest, as they 
 desired to avoid every possible chance of contact with the 
 
The Astoria Eaopedition. 8t 
 
 Blackfeet. On the 23rd they encamped on Big River (Big 
 Cheyenne), where they remained until the 6th of August, 
 going in a southwesterly direction. In due course of time 
 they came to the Little Powder crossing, in what is now 
 Crook County. They kept on across what is known today 
 as Johnson County, intending to cross the Big Horn Moun- 
 tains, and made their first attempt at a point a little 
 southwest of where the City of Buffalo is now locatfed. They 
 had reached the country of the Crows, and the services of 
 Edward Rose were to be called into requisition as interpre- 
 ter, but instead of being of service to the party, it soon de- 
 veloped that this unpromising individual had a plan of his 
 own. One night after they had gone into camp, Mr. Hunt 
 was visited privately in his tent by one of the men, who dis- 
 closed to him that Rose had organized a party consisting of 
 several of the men who were to leave the expedition and 
 desert to the Crow tribe, taking with them a number of 
 horses, together with a considerable portion of the merchan- 
 dise. Rose had revealed to his conspirators that he was 
 well acquainted with the leading chiefs of the Crow nation 
 and that he could guarantee to them not only good treat- 
 ment among the Indians, but each of them should have the 
 daughter of a chief for a wife and become great men in the 
 Crow nation, as the goods they carried with them would 
 make them rich and respected. Mr. Hunt was also in- 
 formed that this man Rose had formerly belonged to a gang 
 of pirates who had infested the Mississippi. Mr. Hunt, real- 
 izing that he was surrounded with great danger, not only 
 from the savage tribe in whose country he was, but from 
 a conspiracy among his own followers, resolved to make no 
 outward sign, and yet he would keep a vigilant watch on 
 Rose and those of the men who were considered to be in 
 league with him. They soon met a band of the Crow tribe, 
 when Mr.Hunt informed Rose that having engaged him prin- 
 cipally as guide and interpreter among the Crows, he could 
 dispense with his services after that duty was performed, 
 and he accordingly paid him a half year's wages in consid- 
 eration of his discharge, presented him with a horse, three 
 -(6) 
 
82 History of Wyoming- 
 
 beaver traps and a quantity of merchandise. This treat- 
 ment had a wonderful effect on the outlaw, and his deport- 
 ment underwent a radical change. His dark visage cleared 
 up, he left off his sullen skulking habits and made no fur- 
 ther attempts to tamper with the weak-minded individuals 
 with whom he had been conspiring, and a few days after- 
 wards Eose departed from the camp with a band of Crow 
 friends. The party made an attempt to cross the Big Hora 
 range in several places, but at each place they were met by 
 insurmountable barriers; but keeping along to the south 
 they finally found an opening through which they passed,^ 
 and came out upon one of the tributaries of the Big Horn 
 River running north, which must have been the No Wood. 
 It is difficult to trace them from their first entrance into 
 what is now Wyoming. Governor William A. Richards, 
 who is thoroughly acquainted with the topography of the 
 state, says that the expedition must have passed up the 
 middle fork of the Powder and through the pass at the head 
 of that river which leads to the No Wood, and it is his opin- 
 ion that their first camp on this stream was within the con- 
 fines of his own farm, now known as Red Bank. From this 
 point they went up the Big Horn and finally reached Big 
 Wind River. 
 
 It will be remembered that Mr. Hunt left Arickara on 
 the Missouri on July 18, and fifty-eight days later we find 
 that he has only reached the Big Wind River, up which 
 stream he is told by his hunters and guides he will find a 
 short cut to the headwaters of the Columbia. Following up 
 the Big Wind River, he crossed numerous streams which 
 flowed into the main river. After crossing and re-crossing 
 this stream many times, they at last reached a point above 
 Horse Creek, near the present location of Dubois, and find- 
 ing a well-beaten Indian trail which led through what is 
 now known as Sheridan Pass, they slowly made their way 
 across the mountains. In the course of the day they report 
 that they came to a height that commanded an almost 
 boundless prospect. At this point one of the guides trium- 
 phantly pointed out three mountain peaks glistening with 
 
The Astoria Expedition. 83 
 
 snow. These, he said, rose above a fork of the Columbia 
 River. It is no wonder that the tired travelers shouted for 
 joy as they beheld these lofty mountain peaks. It seemed 
 to them that the shores of the Pacific were almost in sight, 
 but yet there were hundreds of leagues between them and 
 their destination. These glistening mountains, Mr. Hunt 
 was told, were landmarks which denoted the source of the 
 Columbia. He christened them Pilot Knobs. They were 
 in reality the Grand Tetons, and are among the highest 
 points of the Rocky Mountains, the loftiest one being 13,762 
 feet above the level of the sea. The party continued on 
 through the pass, on the highest points of which they en- 
 countered patches of snow. At length they reached a stream 
 flowing to the west, down which they followed with light 
 hearts and eager footsteps, but it turned out to be one of the 
 tributaries of the Spanish River, so called by hunters, as 
 the Indians reported that the Spaniards lived down the river. 
 This was in reality Green River, so named by General Ash- 
 ley eleven years later. Mr. Hunt's party was greatly 
 cheered by a sight of the grassy valleys found along this 
 stream, and to their joy they discovered herds of buffalo 
 quietly grazing in the rich meadows. The hunters sallied 
 forth with much enthusiasm and with little difficulty soon 
 captured an abundant supply of meat, an article they were 
 very much in need of, as famine stared them in the face, and 
 no game had been obtainable for more than a week. Mr. 
 Hunt makes the record in his journal of that day "that he 
 had discovered three different kinds of gooseberries, the 
 yellow, the deep purple and the common purple; also three 
 kinds of currants." His journal reads that they continued 
 down the course of this river a distance of fifteen miles to 
 the southwest, where they camped opposite the end of a 
 mountain on the west, and the following morning they 
 changed their course, going in a northwesterly direction 
 a distance of eight miles and encamped on a tributary of 
 Spanish River, which Mr. Hunt said ran through rich mead- 
 ows which afforded pasture for numerous herds of buffalo. 
 Here they remained several days, replenishing their stock 
 
84 History of Wyoming- 
 
 of provisions with dried buffalo meat. In his opinion they 
 had a sufScient supply to last them until they should reach 
 the Columbia, from which stream they expected to procure 
 fish enough for the support of the party. While the hunting 
 of the buffalo and the preparing of the meat was going on 
 their horses were getting a much needed rest. The ani- 
 mals were certainly in a jaded condition, having traveled 
 for seventeen days and accomplished 260 miles with scanty 
 feed by the way. What happened after this is told by 
 Washington Irving, the facts being taken from Mr. Hunt's 
 journal, to which Irving had access. I will remark here 
 that the Mad River spoken of is Snake River, and the other 
 river recognized by Hoback, the hunter and guide, is the 
 present Hoback River, marked on the map of Wyoming. 
 
Astorians in Wyoming. 85 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 ASTORIANS IN WYOMING. 
 
 Hunt and His Party Follow Down the Mad (Snake) River— They 
 Reach Henry's Fort— Build Canoes and Attempt the Further 
 Journey by Water— Three Hundred and Forty Miles Below, 
 Again Take to the Land — Great Sufferings of the Party 
 Through Hunger and Cold — At Last Reach the Falls of the 
 Columbia — Balance of the Journey Made by Canoes — Arrival 
 at Astoria. 
 
 From this on there is no difficulty in following Mr. Hunt 
 on his journey to the mouth of the Columbia Eiver. Wash- 
 ington Irving says: 
 
 , "Five days were passed by Mr. Hunt and his com- 
 panions in the fresh meadows watered by the bright little 
 mountain stream. The hunters made great havoc among 
 the buffaloes, and brought in quantities of meat; the voy- 
 ageurs busied themselves about the fires, roasting or stewing 
 for present purposes, or drying provisions for the journey; 
 the pack horses, eased of their burdens, rolled on the grass 
 or grazed at large about the ample pastures; those of the 
 party who had no call upon their services indulged in the 
 luxury of perfect relaxation, and the camp presented a pic- 
 ture of rude feasting and revelry, of mingled bustle and 
 repose, characteristic of a halt in a real hunting country. 
 In the course of one of their excursions some of the men 
 came in sight of a small party of Indians, who instantly 
 fled in apparent consternation. They immediately returned 
 to the camp with the intelligence; upon which Mr. Hunt and 
 four others flung themselves upon their horses and sallied 
 forth to reconnoitre. After riding for about eight miles 
 they came upon a wild mountain scene. A lovely green val- 
 ley stretched before them, surrounded by rugged heights. 
 A herd of buffalo were careering through it, with a troop 
 of savage horsemen in full chase, plying them with their 
 bows and arrows. The appearance of Mr. Hunt and his 
 companions put an abrupt end to the hunt; the buffalo scut- 
 tled off in one direction, while the Indians plied their lashes 
 and galloped off in another, as fast as their steeds could 
 
86 History of Wyoming- 
 
 carry them. Mr. Hunt gave chase; there was a sharp scam* 
 per, though of short continuance. Two young Indians, who 
 were indifferently mounted, were soon overtaken. They 
 were terribly frightened, and evidently gave themselves 
 up for lost. By degrees their fears were allayed by kind 
 treatment; but they continued to regard the strangers with 
 a mixture of awe and wonder; for it was the first time in 
 their lives they had seen a white man. 
 
 "They belonged to a party of Snakes who had come 
 across the mountains on their autumnal hunting excursion 
 to provide buffalo meat for the winter. Being persuaded of 
 the peaceable intentions of Mr. Hunt and his companions, 
 they willingly conducted them to their camp. It was pitched 
 in a narrow valley on the margin of a stream. The tents 
 were of dressed skins, some of them fantastically painted, 
 with horses grazing about them. The approach of the party 
 caused a transient alarm in the camp, for these poor Indiana 
 were ever on the lookout for cruel foes. No sooner, however, 
 did they recognize the garb and complexion of their visitors 
 than their apprehensions were changed into joy; for some of 
 them had dealt with white men, and knew them to be friend- 
 ly, and to abound with articles of singular value. They 
 welcomed them, therefore, to their tents, set food before 
 them and entertained them to the best of their power. 
 
 "They had been successful in their hunt, and the camp 
 was full of jerked buffalo meat, all of the choicest kind and 
 extremely fat. Mr. Hunt purchased enough of them, in 
 addition to what had been killed and cured by his own hunt- 
 ers, to load all the horses excepting those reserved for the 
 partners and the wife of Pierre Dorion. He found also a 
 few beaver skins in their camp, for which he paid liberally, 
 as an inducement for them to hunt for more, informing them 
 that some of his party intended to live among the mountains 
 and trade with the native hunters for their peltries. The 
 poor Snakes soon comprehended the advantages thus held 
 out to them, and promised to exert themselves to procure 
 a quantity of beaver skins for future trafflc. 
 
 "Being now well supplied with provisions, Mr. Hunt 
 broke up his encampment on the 24th of September and con- 
 tinued on to the west. A march of fifteen miles, over a 
 mountainous ridge, brought them to a stream about fifty 
 feet in width, which Hoback, one of their guides, who had 
 trapped about the neighborhood when in the service of Mr. 
 Henry, recognized as one of the headwaters of the Colum- 
 bia. The travelers hailed it with delight, as the first stream 
 
Astorians in Wyoming. 87 
 
 they had encountered tending toward their point of destina- 
 tion. They kept along it for two days, during which, from 
 the contribution of many rills and brooks, it gradually 
 swelled into a small river. As it meandered among rocks 
 and precipices, they were frequently obliged to ford it, and 
 such was its rapidity that the men were often in danger of 
 being swept away. Sometimes the banks advanced so close 
 upon the river that they were obliged to scramble up and 
 down their rugged promontories, or to skirt along their 
 bases where there was scarce a foothold. Their horses had 
 dangerous falls in some of these passes. One of them rolled, 
 with his load, nearly two hundred feet down hill into the 
 river, but without receiving any injury. At length they 
 emerged from the stupendous defiles, and continued for 
 several miles along the banks of Hoback's River, through 
 one of the stern mountain valleys. Here it was joined by a 
 river of greater magnitude and swifter current, and their 
 united waters swept off through the valley in one impetuous 
 stream, which from its rapidity and turbulence, had received 
 the name of Mad River. At the confluence of these streams 
 the travelers encamped. An important point in their ardu- 
 ous journey had been attained. A few miles from their 
 camp rose the three vast snowy peaks called the Tetons, or 
 the Pilot Knobs, the great landmarks of the Columbia, by 
 which they had shaped their course through this mountain 
 wilderness. By their feet flowed the rapid current of the 
 Mad River, a stream ample enough to admit of the naviga- 
 tion of canoes, and down which they might possibly be able 
 to steer their course to the main body of the Columbia. The 
 Canadian voyageurs rejoiced at the idea of once more 
 launching themselves upon their favorite element; of ex- 
 changing their horses for canoes, and of gliding down the 
 bosoms of rivers instead of scrambling over the backs ot 
 mountains. Others of the party, also, inexperienced in this 
 kind of traveling, considered their trials and troubles aa 
 drawing to a close. They had conquered the chief diflScul- 
 ties of this great rocky barrier, and now flattered themselves 
 with the hope of an easy downward course for the rest of 
 their journey. Little did they dream of the hardships and 
 perils, by land and water, which were yet to be encountered 
 in the frightful wilderness that intervened between them 
 and the shores of the Pacific." 
 
 It was finally decided to construct canoes at this point 
 and embark on the river, and thus make their way by water 
 
88 History of Wyoming- 
 
 to the Columbia, and while the canoes were being con- 
 structed, Mr. Hunt detached a party of trappers to operate 
 on the upper waters of Mad Eiver and adjacent branches. 
 The detail was made up of Alexander Carson, Louis St. 
 Michael, Pierre Detaye and Pierre DeLauney. The party 
 was titted out with arms, ammunition and traps and in- 
 structed to remain in the country for several months and 
 finally to report at the mouth of the Columbia. They were 
 to pack their peltries on their horses until they reached 
 an upper post on the Columbia, which Mr. Hunt expected to 
 establish. Before trusting the expedition to the water, 
 John Day, John Eeed and Peter Dorion were sent down 
 the river with instructions to proceed for several days and 
 examine the course and character of the stream. After this 
 party had departed on their mission, two Snake Indians 
 came into camp and perceiving the canoes in course of con- 
 struction shook their heads and by unmistakable signs 
 indicated that the river was not navigable. In due course of 
 time the three men sent out to examine the river came back 
 and reported that it was narrow, crooked and contained 
 many rapids. The party then proceeded by land and finally 
 arrived at Henry's post on an upper branch of the Columbia, 
 which they reached on the 8th of October. Here another 
 party was detached to hunt in the neighborhood. This was 
 composed of Eobinson, Hoback, Renzner and Cass, and they 
 were also accompanied by Mr. Miller, one of the partners in 
 the Pacific Fur Company. At Fort Henry, as it was called, 
 they again constructed canoes and pushed on down the 
 river. Two hundred and eighty miles below they encoun- 
 tered a thirty-foot rapid in the current. From that time on 
 they had much difficulty in navigating the stream. The 
 portages were long, and yet they disliked very much to give 
 up their canoes. Finally, after passing 80 miles farther, 
 that is to say, 340 miles down the river from Fort Henry, 
 they reluctantly gave up the attempt to navigate the stream. 
 Three parties were here detached and sent in different di- 
 rections for relief. They were to try and discover friendly 
 Indians, and if possible return to the main body. with a sup- 
 
Astorians in Wyoming. 89 
 
 ply of horses and provisions ; but if they were unable to do 
 this, they were to keep in view the mouth of the Columbia 
 as their final destination. McLellan was in charge of one 
 party, consisting of three men, and these kept down the 
 river. Eamsey Crooks with five others started up the 
 stream, intending, should they not find relief nearer at 
 hand, to keep on until they reached Henry's Fort, where 
 they hoped to find the horses left there and return with them 
 to the main body. McKenzie took charge of the third de- 
 tachment of five men, and proceeded northward across the 
 desert in hopes of reaching the main stream of the Columbia. 
 Mr. Hunt, with thirty-one remaining men, prepared caches, 
 in which he deposited his merchandise and baggage that 
 could not be carried by land. Before this necessary work 
 was accomplished. Crooks and his party returned. They 
 had become disheartened by their retrograde movement 
 and had made up their minds that it would be impossible 
 to reach Fort Henry and return that winter. Some days 
 later two of the men under McLellan returned to camp and 
 reported that there was no hope of the expedition going by 
 canoes from any point down the river; that they had met 
 no Indians, and the stream presented the same furious as- 
 pect, brawling and boiling between rocks and high walls; 
 therefore the expedition moved forward on foot, and in their 
 displeasure they named the camp which they were leaving 
 "The Devil's Scuttle Hole." They were yet hundreds of 
 miles from the mouth of the Columbia. A dreary waste lay 
 before them, and for fear of perishing for the want of water 
 they resolved to keep near the Snake River and push on. 
 The party was again divided, with the idea of bettering 
 their chances of subsistence. Mr. Hunt, with eighteen men, 
 proceeded down the north side of the river, while Crooks 
 with a like number kept along the south side. The day that 
 the separation took place was the 9th of October. The two 
 parties went on, and after suffering with cold and hunger, 
 and being reduced to the point of starvation, often being 
 without food three days at a time, they at last came among 
 friendly Indians, who supplied their wants, but they sub- 
 
90 History of Wyoming- 
 
 sisted principally upon horseflesh and dogmeat. On the 31st 
 of January, 1812, they arrived at the falls of the Columbia. 
 Here they procured canoes, and on February 15th arrived at 
 Astoria. 
 
 This expedition of the Astorians was one of the most 
 remarkable on record; it had pursued a route through a 
 wilderness never trod by white men before, but they blazed 
 the way across the continent which proved vastly beneficial 
 to succeeding travelers. Yet we are not through with 
 them as explorers, for they are to make another trip through 
 Wyoming and discover a route by which hundreds of thou- 
 sands of their countrymen later crossed the Rocky Moun- 
 tains. 
 
 The colossal operations of John Jacob Astor, as we 
 have seen, possess national importance. He it was who 
 developed, in spite of disaster, the American fur trade, turn- 
 ing it into American channels, and thus encouraged Ashley, 
 Bridger, the five Sublette brothers, Robert Campbell, Thom- 
 as Pitzpatrick, Pierre Chouteau, Bonneville and a host of 
 other worthies to trap and trade in the Rocky Mountains. 
 
Conditions at Astoria, 91 
 
 CHAPTER IX. I i ; 
 
 CONDITIONS AT ASTORIA. 
 
 Arrival of the Tonquin — David Stuart's Expedition to Establish 
 A New Trading Post — David Thompson of the Northwest Com- 
 pany Comes Down the Columbia to Plant the British Flag at 
 the Mouth of that River, But Is Too Late — Disaster to the 
 Tonquin and the Murder of Her Crew by Indians — Mr. Lewis' 
 Terrible Revenge — Indians at Astoria Held in Check by Threats 
 of Spreading the Smallpox Among Them — Arrival of the Bea- 
 ver FROM New York — Departure of Hunt for New Archangel 
 and The Sandwich Islands — Treachery of McDougal — Abandon- 
 ment of Astoria. 
 
 As the building of tlie Fort, called Astoria, has a bear- 
 ing on future events in Wyoming, let me pursue the history 
 of Mr. Astor's operations in that quarter. I have already in 
 a previous chapter mentioned the departure of the Tonquin 
 from New York, bound for the mouth of the Columbia, with 
 supplies for the trading post to be established there. With- 
 out going into details of the voyage, I will say that the vessel 
 arrived in the waters of the Columbia on March 22nd, 1811, 
 and after various adventures and the loss of several men 
 they succeeded in making a landing and selecting a site for 
 a trading post, which they built. After the landing of the 
 stores, Mr. McDougal, who has been mentioned in a previous 
 chapter, took charge until Mr. Hunt should arrive, and the 
 Tonquin sailed north to trade on the coast at the different 
 harbors and to touch at Astoria on her return voyage. On 
 the first of June the ship sailed away, never to return. 
 About this time word was brought to the fort at Astoria by 
 an Indian from the upper part of the river that thirty white 
 men belonging to the Northwest Fur Company had appeared 
 on the banks of the Columbia, at the second rapids, and were 
 actually building homes there. This news disturbed the As- 
 torians, and to counteract the effect of this British estab- 
 lishment, David Stuart, with nine men under him, was dis- 
 
92 History of Wyoming- 
 
 patched to the Spokane River to establish a post and re- 
 main there, provided he found the situation advantageous 
 and the natives friendly. Before the expedition was ready 
 to leave for its destination, a canoe arrived, on board of 
 which was David Thompson, a partner of the Northwest 
 Company, who stated that he had started out the preceding 
 year with a strong party and a supply of Indian goods to 
 cross the Eocky Mountains, but that all except eight of 
 his people had deserted him on the eastern side of 
 the mountains and returned with the goods to the 
 nearest Northwest post. They had wintered in the 
 mountains, and in the spring had built the cedar canoe 
 and proceeded down the Columbia. This in fact was 
 an expedition sent out by the Northwest Company in 
 the name of the British Government to take possession 
 of the valley of the Columbia. Mr. Thompson carried 
 the British standard in his canoe, intending to plant it 
 at the mouth of the Columbia, but much to his chagrin 
 he found the stars and stripes floating from a flagstaff on 
 the fort. Astor's expedition had effected a lodgement on 
 the western coast, and to every appearance the fort had 
 come to stay. Much to the annoyance of the other partners, 
 McDougal invited Thompson to the headquarters and roy- 
 ally entertained him and his people, and he also furnished 
 him with provisions for his return journey across the moun. 
 tains. David Stuart, who was about to go up the river 
 to establish a post, remonstrated with McDougal for this 
 liberality toward the representative of the Northwest Com- 
 pany and the British Government by saying that he did not 
 think the object of his visit entitled him to any favor, but 
 McDougal having been associated in former years with that 
 company felt a friendship for it, and subsequent events 
 proved that his friendship was stronger than his loyalty to 
 the company of which he was now a partner, and it will be 
 shown later that he was a traitor in the camp of the brave 
 Americans at the mouth of the Columbia. 
 
 On the 23rd of July, David Stuart and his nine com- 
 panions started up the river to build their trading post, and 
 
Conditions at Astoria. 93 
 
 Thompson and his associates followed him, being on their 
 way to Montreal. The two expeditions kept together for 
 three or four hundred miles. Stuart iinally located a post 
 at the mouth of the Oakanogan where it empties into the 
 Columbia. After the sailing of the Tonquin and the de- 
 parture of Stuart, there came a whisper that the Indian 
 tribes of the locality had combined to make an attack on 
 the post at Astoria. Learning of this, the small garrison 
 fortified their position and mounted four guns on the two 
 bastions of the fort. They quaJifled themselves for military 
 duty by daily drills, and kept a guard posted day and night, 
 in the hope of being able to hold out until Mr. Hunt and 
 his party should arrive down the Columbia, or until Captain 
 Thorn returned with the Tonquin ; but a few days after, the 
 party at the fort learned from Indian sources that disaster 
 had overtaken the Tonquin. This report was not at first 
 credited, but it was later confirmed. The Tonquin, it will 
 be remembered, sailed from Astoria the first of June, but 
 did not leave the mouth of that river until the fifth of the 
 month. There were twenty-three persons on board the ves- 
 sel, but in one of the outer bays they picked up another, an 
 Indian named Lamazee, who had already made two voyages 
 along the coast, and as he knew something of the various 
 tribes and their languages, he was engaged for the voyage 
 to act as interpreter. The vessel steered to the north, arriv- 
 ing in a few days at Vancouver's Island, and there visited 
 the harbor of Neweetee, contrary to the advice of the Indian 
 interpreter, who claimed that the natives of this part of the 
 coast were of dangerous character and should be avoided. 
 In spite of the advice, Captain Thorn anchored his ves- 
 sel and numerous natives came off in canoes laden with 
 skins of the sea otter, which they offered for sale. It being 
 late in the afternoon. Captain Thorn refused to commence 
 traffic that day, but asked the natives to return in the morn- 
 ing. Mr. McKay, the super-cargo, taking with him a number 
 of men, went on shore to visit the village of Wicananish, 
 the chief of the tribe in that territory. Captain Thorn had 
 retained on board his vessel six of the natives as hostages 
 
94 History of Wyommg- 
 
 for the safe return of the white men. The McKay party, aa 
 the story was afterwards told, was received in a friendly 
 manner and entertained at the lodge of the chief, where they 
 spent the night. What followed is told in graphic language 
 by Washington Irving. 
 
 "In the morning, before Mr. McKay had returned to the 
 ship, great numbers of the natives came off in their canoes 
 to trade, headed by two sons of Wicananish. As they 
 brought abundance of sea otter skins, and there was every 
 appearance of a brisk trade, Captain Thorn did not wait for 
 the return of Mr. McKay, but spread his wares upon deck, 
 making a tempting display of blankets, cloths, knives, beads 
 and fish hooks, expecting a prompt and profitable sale. 
 The Indians, however, were not so eager and simple as he 
 had supposed, having learned the art of bargaining and the 
 value of merchandise from the casual traders along the 
 coast. They were guided, too, by a shrewd old chief named 
 Nookamis, who had grown gray in the traffic with New 
 England skippers and prided himself upon his acuteness. 
 His opinion seemed to regulate the market. When Captain 
 Thorn made what he considered a liberal offer for an otter 
 skin, the wily old Indian treated it with scorn, and asked 
 more than double. His comrades all took their cue from 
 him, and not an otter skin was to be had at a reasonable 
 rate. The old fellow, however, overshot his mark and mis- 
 took the character of the man with whom he was treating. 
 Thorn was a plain, straightforward sailor, who never had 
 two minds nor two prices in his dealings, was deficient in 
 patience and pliancy, and totally wanting in the chicanery 
 of traffic. He had a vast deal of stem but honest pride in 
 his nature, and, moreover, held the savage race in sov- 
 ereign contempt. Abandoning all further attempts, there- 
 fore, to bargain with his shuffling customers, he thrust his 
 hands into his pockets and paced up and down the deck in 
 sullen silence. The cunning old Indian followed him to and 
 fro, holding out a sea otter skin to him at every turn, and 
 pestering him to trade. Finding other means unavailing, 
 he suddenly changed his tone, and began to jeer and banter 
 him upon the mean prices he offered. This was too much 
 for the patience of the captain, who was never remarkable 
 for relishing a joke, especially when at his own expense. 
 Turning suddenly upon his persecutor, he snatched the prof- 
 fered otter skin from his hands, rubbed it in his face, and 
 dismissed him over the side of the ship with no very compli- 
 
Conditions at Astoria. 95 
 
 mentary application to accelerate his exit. He then kicked 
 the peltries to right and left about the deck and broke up 
 the market in the most ignominious manner. Old Nookamis 
 made for the shore in a furious passion, in which he was 
 joined by Shewish, one of the sons of Wicananish, who 
 went off breathing vengeance, and the ship was soon aban- 
 doned by the natives. 
 
 "When Mr. McKay returned on board, the interpreter 
 related what had passed, and begged him to prevail upon 
 the captain to make sail, as from his knowledge of the tem- 
 per and pride of the people of the place, he was sure they 
 would resent the indignity offered to one of their chiefs. 
 Mr. McKay, who himself possessed some experience of the 
 Indian character, went to the captain, who was still pacing 
 the deck in a moody humor, represented the danger to which 
 his hasty act had exposed the vessel, and urged him to weigh 
 anchor. The captain made light of his counsels, and pointed 
 to his cannon and firearms as a suflScient safeguard against 
 naked savages. Further remonstrances only provoked 
 taunting replies and sharp altercations. The day passed 
 away without any signs of hostility, and at night the cap- 
 tain retired as usual to his cabin, taking no more than usual 
 precautions. On the following morning, at day-break, while 
 the captain and Mr. McKay were yet asleep, a canoe came 
 alongside, in which were twenty Indians, commanded by 
 young Shewish. They were unarmed, their aspect and de- 
 meanor friendly, and they held up otter skins, and made 
 signs indicative of a wish to trade. The caution enjoined by 
 Mr. Astor, in respect to the admission of Indians on board of 
 the ship, had been neglected for some time past, and the 
 officer of the watch, perceiving those in the canoe to be 
 without weapons, and having received no orders to the con- 
 trary, readily permitted them to mount the deck. Another 
 crew soon succeeded, the crew of which was likewise ad- 
 mitted. In a little while other canoes came off, and Indi- 
 ans were soon clambering into the vessel on all sides. 
 
 "The officer of the watch now felt alarmed, and called 
 to Captain Thorn and Mr. McKay. By the time they came 
 on deck, it was thronged with Indians. The interpreter 
 noticed to Mr. McKay that many of the natives wore short 
 mantles of skin, and intimated a suspicion that they were 
 secretly armed. Mr. McKay urged the captain to clear the 
 ship and get under way. He again made light of the advice; 
 but the augmented swarm of canoes about the ship, and the 
 nnmber still putting off from shore, at length awakened 
 
96 History of Wyoming- 
 
 his distrust, and he ordered some of the men to weigh an- 
 chor, while some were sent aloft to make sail. The Indians 
 now offered to trade with the captain on his own terms, 
 prompted, apparently, by the approaching departure of the 
 ship. Accordingly a hurried trade was commenced. The 
 main articles sought by the savages in barter were knives. 
 As fast as some were supplied they moved off and others 
 succeeded. By degrees they were thus distributed about 
 the deck, and all with weapons. 
 
 "The anchor was now nearly up, the sails were loose, 
 and the captain in a loud and peremptory tone ordered the 
 ship to be cleared. In an instant a signal yell was given; 
 it was echoed on every side, knives and war clubs were 
 brandished in every direction, and the savages rushed upon 
 their marked victims. The first that fell was Mr. Lewis, the 
 ship's clerk. He was leaning with folded arms over a bale 
 of blankets, engaged in bargaining, when he received a 
 deadly stab in the back, and fell down the companionway. 
 
 "Mr. McKay, who was seated on the taffrail, sprang on 
 his feet, but was instantly knocked down with a war club 
 and flung backward into the sea, where he was dispatched 
 by the women in the canoes. 
 
 "In the meantime, Captain Thorn made a desperate 
 fight against fearful odds. He was a powerful as well as a 
 resolute man, but he had come upon deck without weapons. 
 Shewish, the young chief, singled him out as his peculiar 
 prey, and rushed upon him, at the first outbreak. The cap- 
 tain had barely time to draw a clasp-knife, with one blow 
 of which he laid the young savage dead at his feet. Several 
 of the stoutest followers of Shewish now set upon him. He 
 defended himself vigorously, dealing crippling blows to 
 right and left, and strewing the quarter deck with the slain 
 and wounded. His object was to fight his way to the cabin, 
 where there were fire-arms; but he was hemmed in with 
 foes, covered with wounds, and faint with loss of blood. 
 For an instant he leaned upon the tiller wheel, when a blow 
 from behind, with a war-club, felled him to the deck, where 
 he was dispatched with knives and thrown overboard. 
 
 "While this was transacting upon the quarter deck, a 
 chance-medley fight was going on throughout the ship. The 
 crew fought desperately with knives, hand-spikes and what- 
 ever weapon they could seize upon in the moment of sur- 
 prise. They were soon, however, overpowered by numbers 
 and mercilessly butchered. As to the seven who had been 
 sent aloft to make sail, they contemplated with horror the 
 
Conditions at Astoria. 97 
 
 carnage that was going on below. Being destitute of wea- 
 pons, they let themselves down by the running rigging, in 
 hopes of getting between decks. One fell in the attempt 
 and was instantly dispatched; another received a death blow 
 in the back as he was descending; a third, Stephen Weeks, 
 the armorer, was mortally wounded as he was getting down 
 the hatchway. 
 
 "The remaining four made good their retreat into the 
 cabin, where they found Mr. Lewis, still alive, though mor- 
 tally wounded. Barricading the cabin door, they broke 
 holes through the companionway, and, with the muskets 
 and ammunition which were at hand, opened a brisk fire 
 that soon cleared the deck. 
 
 "Thus far the Indian interpreter, from whom these 
 particulars are derived, had been an eye-witness of the 
 deadly conflict. He had taken no part in it, and had been 
 spared by the natives as being of their race. In the con- 
 fusion of the moment he took refuge with the rest, in the 
 canoes. The survivors of the crew now sallied forth and 
 discharged some of the deck guns, which did great execution 
 among the canoes, and drove all the savages to shore. 
 
 "For the remainder of the day no one ventured to put 
 off to the ship, deterred by the effects of the fire-arms. The 
 night passed away without any further attempt on the part 
 of the natives. When day dawned the Tonquin still lay at 
 anchor in the bay, her sails all loose and flapping in the 
 wind, and no one apparently on board of her. After a time 
 some of the canoes ventured forth to reconnoitre, taking 
 with them the interpreter. They paddled about her, keep- 
 ing cautiously at a distance, but growing more and more 
 emboldened at seeing her quiet and lifeless. One man at 
 length made his appearance on deck and was recognized by 
 the interpreter as Mr. Lewis. He made friendly signs, and 
 invited them on board. It was long before they ventured to 
 comply. Those who mounted the deck met with no opposi- 
 tion; no one was to be seen on board, for Mr. Lewis, after 
 inviting them, had disappeared. Other canoes now pressed 
 forward to board the prize ; the decks were soon crowded,and 
 the sides were covered with clambering savages, all intent 
 on plunder. In the midst of their eagerness and exultation 
 the ship blew up with' a tremendous explosion. Arms, legs 
 and mutilated bodies were blown into the air, and a dreadful 
 havoc was made in the surrounding canoes. The interpreter 
 was in the main-chains at the time of the explosion, and was 
 thrown unhurt into the water, where he succeeded in get- 
 
 -(7) 
 
98 History of Wyoming- 
 
 ting into one of the canoes. According to Ms statement,, 
 the bay presented an awful spectacle after the catastrophe. 
 The ship had disappeared, but the bay was covered with 
 fragments of the wreck, with shattered canoes, and Indians 
 swimming for their lives, or struggling in the agonies of 
 death, while those who had escaped the danger remained 
 aghast and stupefied, or made with frantic panic for the 
 shore. Upward of a hundred savages were destroyed by the 
 explosion, many more were shockingly mutilated, and for 
 days afterward the limbs and bodies of the slain were 
 thrown upon the beach. 
 
 "The inhabitants of Neweetee were overwhelmed with 
 consternation at this astounding calamity, which had burst 
 upon them in the very moment of triumph. The warriors 
 sat mute and mournful, while the women filled the air with 
 loud lamentations. Their weeping and wailing, however, 
 was suddenly changed into yells of fury at the sight of four 
 unfortunate white men, brought captive into the village. 
 They had been driven on shore in one of the ship's boats, 
 and taken at some distance along the coast. 
 
 "The interpreter was permitted to converse with them. 
 They proved to be the four brave fellows who had made 
 such a desperate defense from the cabin. The interpreter 
 gathered from them some of the particulars already related. 
 They told him further, that, after they had beaten off the 
 enemy and cleared the ship, Lewis advised that they should 
 slip the cable and endeavor to get to sea. They declined to- 
 take his advice, alleging that the wind set too strongly into 
 the bay, and would drive them on shore. They resolved as 
 soon as it was dark to put off quietly in the ship's boat, 
 which they would be able to do unperceived, and to coast 
 along back to Astoria. They put their resolution into ef- 
 fect, but Lewis refused to accompany them, being disabled 
 by his wound, hopeless of escape, and determined on a ter- 
 rible revenge. On the voyage out he had repeatedly ex- 
 pressed a presentiment that he should die by his own hands, 
 thinking it highly probable that he should be engaged in 
 some contest with the natives, and being resolved, in case 
 of extremity, to commit suicide rather than be made a pris- 
 oner. He now declared his intention to remain on board of 
 -the ship until daylight, to decoy as many of the savages on 
 board as possible, then to set fire to the powder magazine, 
 and terminate his life by a single act of vengeance. How 
 well he succeeded has been shown. His companions bade 
 him a melancholy adieu, and set off on their precarious ex- 
 
Conditions at Astoria. 99 
 
 pedition. They strove with might and main to get out of the 
 bay, but found it impossible to weather a point of land, and 
 were at length compelled to take shelter in a small cave, 
 where they hoped to remain concealed until the wind should 
 be more favorable. Exhausted by fatigue and watching, 
 they fell into a sound sleep, and in that state were surprised 
 by the savages. Better had it been for those unfortunate 
 men had they remained with Lewis and shared his heroic 
 death; as it was, they perished in a more painful and pro- 
 tracted manner, being sacrificed by the natives to the names 
 of their friends with all the lingering tortures of savage 
 cruelty. Some time after their death, the interpreter, who 
 had remained a kind of prisoner at large, effected his es- 
 cape, and brought the tragic tidings to Astoria." 
 
 This was the story which greeted the ears of the little 
 band of Astorians. The natives throughout a vast range of 
 country had heard the tidings and its effect on them could 
 only be conjectured by the white people at the fort, and 
 had it not been for McDougal, who possessed a thorough 
 knowledge of Indian character, not a white man would have 
 been saved. A short time before this the smallpox had ap- 
 peared on the Pacific coast among the Indians and the death 
 rate had been fearful. In some instances, we are told, it 
 nearly swept off entire tribes. The superstitious natives 
 were not certain as to its origin. Some attributed it to an 
 evil the "Great Spirit" had inflicted; others thought it had 
 been brought about by the white men. McDougal, taking 
 advantage of the ignorant and superstitious nature of the 
 savages, acted promptly and assembling a number of chiefs 
 whom he believed to be in league to murder the Astorians, 
 and assembling them in a room at the fort, he told them he 
 had heard of the treachery of some of their northern breth- 
 ren toward the Tonquin and its crew, and he was deter- 
 mined on vengeance. This the savages could understand. 
 McDougal went on, "The white men among you are few in 
 number, but they are mighty in medicine. See here,'' con- 
 tinued he, drawing forth a small bottle and holding it before 
 their eyes, "in this bottle I hold the smallpox, safely corked 
 up ; I have but to draw the cork, and let loose the pestilence, 
 to sweep every man, woman and child from the face of the 
 
lOO History of Wyoming- 
 
 earth." The stratagem was successful, for it acted like 
 magic; the chiefs were horrified and greatly alarmed. They 
 begged and implored him not to uncork the bottle, as they 
 and their people were the firmest friends of the white man 
 and proposed to remain so. They thought it unjust for him 
 to punish his friends for what his enemies had done. He 
 listened to their arguments and protestations of friendship 
 and finally told them that as long as they remained friendly 
 to the whites he would keep the bottle corked, but he as- 
 sured them upon the least show of hostility, out would come 
 the cork and they would be obliged to take the conse- 
 quences, and thus was preserved the lives of the first Ameri- 
 cans who planted a trading post at the mouth of the Colum- 
 bia, and so matters passed at Astoria until the arrival of 
 Mr. Hunt and his party on February 15, 1812. 
 
 It should be stated here that another ship, the Beaver, 
 had been despatched to Astoria by Mr. Astor on October 10, 
 1811, which arrived at the mouth of the Columbia and an- 
 chored in Baker's Bay on May 9, 1812. After the arrival of 
 this vessel expeditions were sent out in various directions. 
 Mr. Hunt sailed in the Beaver and made a voyage along the 
 coast and visited the Russian establishment at New Arch- 
 angel, where the vessel landed a quantity of supplies for 
 the commander of the Russian post and took in exchange a 
 quantity of furs. The vessel then proceeded to the Sand- 
 wich Islands, where Mr. Hunt remained to await the annual 
 ship to Astoria, while the Beaver proceeded to Canton to 
 market the furs and reload with merchandise at that point. 
 This voyage of Mr. Hunt's consumed considerable time, and 
 before he returned to Astoria McDougal closed out over 
 $100,000 worth of furs to the Northwest Company for |40,- 
 000; also a large amount of merchandise at this equally 
 ruinous rate. As part of the deal, this unfaithful servant 
 became a partner of the Northwest Company, and conse- 
 quently has gone down in history as a traitor to the Ameri- 
 can fur trade, and his memory is justly despised by all 
 American traders and trappers. This treachery on the part 
 of McDougal resulted in the abandonment of Astoria. 
 
Oreat Overland Trail Discovered. lOi 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 GREAT OVERLAND TRAIL DISCOVERED. 
 
 Robert Stuart and His Little Band of Six Pass Around the South 
 End of the Wind River Range During the Early Winter of 
 1812 — Discovery of the Sweetwater River and Passage Down 
 that Stream — They Camp at Bessemer for the Winter — Leave 
 Their Winter Camp for Fear of Indians — Great Suffering of 
 the Party as They Journey Down the Platte — Discovery op 
 THE Platte River Canon — Second Winter Encampment — Journey 
 Down the River in the Spring of 1813. 
 
 The journey of the couriers from Astoria east was an 
 event of no ordinary importance from the fact that circum- 
 stances impelled these men to make a new route across the 
 then dark continent. They were to become the discoverers 
 of South Pass, the most important gateway through the 
 Rocky Mountains. They were to make the pathway between 
 the Missouri and the headwaters of the Columbia more 
 direct and consequently much shorter than the route of 
 Lewis and Clark or that of Wilson P. Hunt. They were to 
 discover the Sweetwater, as well as the North Platte, and 
 were to be the first as explorers to trace out a river flowing 
 to the east directly from the mountains. The more north- 
 ern streams flowed to the north, but these couriers, who 
 were on their way eastward, were to add greatly to the 
 knowledge of the geography of the mid-continent. It can be 
 said of this band of explorers that they were brave, deter- 
 mined and withal possessed a conservative daring which 
 enabled them to overcome the wildness and wild men of the 
 desert and mountains. The history of their journey forms 
 an important chapter in the annals of Wyoming. At times, 
 it is true, they were lost and knew not in what direction to 
 turn their footsteps, but fortunately on such occasions their 
 brave leader argued with himself that it would never do to 
 falter and so he led the way along streams which according 
 
I02 History of Wyoming- 
 
 to his judgment were to empty their waters finally into 
 the Missouri river. In spite of the storms of winter, piercing 
 cold and deep snows, there was but one determination ever 
 present, and that was to push on and thereby save the lives 
 of the men entrusted to his care. This battle with the ele- 
 ments and the wilderness has never been excelled in this or 
 any other century. In telling the story for these pages, I 
 have followed closely notes taken from the original journal 
 first published by Washington Irving. 
 
 Again Wyoming is to be honored by the arrival of a 
 body of Astorians. This time they remain in her borders 
 several months. On the 29th of June, 1812, Robert Stuart, 
 Ben Jones, Eobert Mcljellan, John Day, Ramsey Crooks, 
 Andri Vallar and Francis Le Clerc left Astoria to make the 
 journey across the mountains, bearing dispatches to Mr. 
 Astor at New York. Robert Stuart, the leader of the party, 
 was one of the original partners of the Pacific Fur Company, 
 which organization was chartered on the 23rd day of June, 
 1810. He was a young man of spirit and enterprise and 
 was one of the four partners who embarked in the Tonquin 
 on the 8th of September in the year above mentioned. The 
 other three partners were Alexander McKay, Duncan Mc- 
 Dougal and David Stuart, an uncle of Robert. To illustrate 
 the sturdy character of this young man, it will not be out 
 of place to relate an incident of the voyage. Captain Thorn 
 of the Tonquin was a waspish individual, though thor- 
 oughly honest and devoted to the best interests of his em- 
 ployers. He was not a partner in the enterprise and con- 
 sequently the four men who were, deemed it their right to 
 assume authority on shipboard. This Captain Thorn did 
 not concede, and each time when the partners would make 
 their requests, the Captain would reply with much firm- 
 ness that "It was contrary to orders." On the voyage the 
 ship touched at various islands in the tropics and at each 
 place the partners went on shore and in some instances kept 
 the vessel awaiting their pleasure. This, of course, raised 
 the ire of Captain Thorn, who, being a naval commander, 
 was a strict disciplinarian. Finally, on the 4th of Decern- 
 
Great Overland Trail Discovered. 103 
 
 Tser, 1810, they landed at the Falkland Islands to obtain a 
 supply of water. McDougal and McKay took this occasion 
 to go on shore, but with the request from the Captain that 
 they "would not detain the ship." Once on shore, however, 
 they were in no haste to obey his orders, but rambled about 
 in search of curiosities. The anchorage proving unsafe and 
 the water hard to get, the vessel stood off shore and re- 
 peated signals were made for the absent partners to return 
 to the ship, but these gentlemen paid no attention to the 
 signals and did not return until nine o'clock at night. The 
 next day another attempt was made to procure water and 
 the same partners again went on shore, but with emphatic 
 requests from the Captain that they should return promptly, 
 but the same thing occurred again and Captain Thorn now 
 resolved to make sail without them, and the vessel moved 
 away. When those on shore saw the ship actually under 
 way they speedily took to their boats, and it was not until 
 they had a hard pull of eight miles that they reached the 
 ship. Two days afterwards they anchored at Fort Egmont, 
 on the same island, where they remained four days making 
 repairs, and this time McDougal and McKay were joined by 
 David Stuart, and all went on shore to make the best of the 
 time. They hunted, fished and enjoyed themselves to their 
 hearts' content. When the vessel was ready to depart, Mc- 
 Dougal and Stewart were in the south part of the island, 
 out of sight of the signals, consequently there was more 
 delay. The Captain paced the deck in nervous agitation, 
 stormed and raved. He declared that this sort of annoy- 
 ance should cease. It was the third time his orders had 
 been treated with contempt and the ship wantonly detained, 
 and he vowed it should be the last. Accordingly, the order 
 was given to hoist the anchor and make sail, and soon the 
 ship was standing out to sea. Robert Stuart was the only 
 remaining partner on board, and when he became convinced 
 that the Captain really intended to leave the three partners 
 on the island, he requested him to change his purpose, but 
 ■that only made matters worse and the obstinate Commander 
 -declared that they should be left on the island. Robert Stu- 
 
I04 History of Wyoming- 
 
 art's blood was now up, and feeling that the success of the 
 enterprise was jeopardized by the folly of Captain Thorn, 
 he seized a pistol and declared that he would blow out the 
 brains of the Captain if he did not shorten sail. Fortu- 
 nately, at this moment the wind changed and came ahead 
 and the partners were enabled to reach the ship. The im- 
 pression was created on board, however, that Robert Stuart 
 would not have permitted the other three partners to be left 
 on the island even had it reached the point of his killing 
 the Captain. The circumstance revealed the resolute char- 
 acter of young Stuart which was of service to him in the 
 wilds of Wyoming a little later. 
 
 Resuming the story of this expedition across the moun- 
 tains, and the thrilling events of the journey, which took 
 place within the borders of what is now Wyoming, we must 
 go back to Astoria, the starting point of the expedition. 
 They went up the Columbia in canoes and while going up 
 this stream the veteran John Day showed symptoms of de- 
 rangement of mind and shortly after attempted to commit 
 suicide. Mr. Stuart, falling in with some friendly Indians 
 on their way to Astoria to trade at the post, succeeded in 
 making a bargain with them to carry Day safely back. The 
 Indians performed the service, but poor Day never recov- 
 ered and died within the year. Mr. Stuart had received in- 
 structions before leaving the fort to follow the trail of Mr. 
 Hunt's party through the wilderness and thus reach the 
 Missouri river. While passing up the Snake River, they by 
 the merest accident encountered John Hoback, Joseph Mil- 
 ler, Jacob Rezner and Robinson, the scalped Kentuckian. 
 These four men, it will be remembered, were detached from 
 the main party the year previous, and had been trapping for 
 beaver on Beaver River. They had collected a considerable 
 quantity of these skins and were conveying them east, but 
 had encountered an outlaw band of Arapahoes, who had 
 robbed them of everything, including most of their cloth- 
 ing. Cass, another member of the party, they reported as 
 having left them. At the time they were found by Stuart's 
 party they were nearly famished. These wanderers were 
 
Great Overland Trail Discovered. 105 
 
 cared for and taken to the caches left by Mr. Hunt and there 
 fitted out. The hunters, Kobinson, Kezner and Hoback, took 
 a new outfit and remained in the wilderness rather than re- 
 turn to civilization penniless. Miller preferred to keep on 
 with Stuart's party and take the place of John Day. Thus 
 the party was recruited to the original seven. They kept 
 along the Snake River for some distance, then crossed over 
 to Bear River. They had an encounter with a band of Crows 
 and barely escaped being robbed, and as it was the savages 
 followed them for 150 miles. On September 18th the little 
 band again struck the Snake River, where they encamped, 
 considering themselves at a safe distance from the maraud- 
 ing band of Indians. Their horses, which were much jaded, 
 were turned out to graze. On the morning of the 19th the 
 Indians swept down upon them and carried off all their 
 horses. It was with mortification and despair that they 
 resumed their journey on foot. After much suffering, on 
 the 1st of October they reached the Grand Tetons and soon 
 they came into what is now Wyoming. The snow was al- 
 ready lying deep on the ground and they were without food. 
 Fortunately, Ben Jones succeeded in killing five elk and 
 starvation was replaced by joyful feasting. To add to their 
 distress, Crooks was taken sick and the party was obliged to 
 wait several days for his recovery. They finally moved 
 on, making slow progress through deep snows and being 
 obliged to ford many streams. They suffered much with 
 cold and hunger. Several days before this, McLellan left 
 the party, preferring to travel alone. In their anxiety to 
 struggle forward, they did not stop to hunt and it turned 
 out there was no game in their path. There was plenty 
 of antelope, but it was impossible to get near enough to 
 shoot one. For three days the forlorn travelers had noth- 
 ing to eat but a small duck and a few poor trout. After a 
 time they succeeded in killing an antelope, and on this they 
 lived for several days. The journal kept by Mr. Stuart says 
 that on the 11th of October they encamped on a small stream 
 near the foot of the Spanish River Mountain. Here they 
 met with traces of McLellan, who appeared to be keeping 
 
io6 History of Wyoming- 
 
 in advance of the party. He had encamped the night be- 
 fore on this stream. At their next encampment, on one of 
 the tributaries of the Spanish (Green) Kiver they perceived 
 a large smoke at some distance to the southwest. The sight 
 was hailed with joy, as they thought it might be an Indian 
 camp whence they could procure something to eat. Le Clerc 
 was despatched to reconnoiter, and the travelers sat up late 
 in the hopes that he would bring them good news, but he 
 did not come and they went supperless to bed. Le Clerc re- 
 turned in the morning to tell them that the smoke arose 
 from the camp-fire of McLellan. He had found that eccen- 
 tric individual in a worse condition than they were them- 
 selves. He had been ill, he reported, yet had kept pushing 
 forward ; but now his strength was exhausted and he could 
 go no farther. The party went to him and found the poor 
 fellow wasted to a perfect skeleton and so feeble that he 
 could scarcely raise his head. The presence of his comrades 
 seemed to revive him, but they had no food to offer, for they 
 were starving themselves. They urged him to rise and ac- 
 company them, but he shook his head. It was all in vain, 
 he said 5 there was no prospect of their getting speedy relief, 
 and without it he should perish by the way; he might as 
 well, therefore, stay and die where he was. At length, after 
 much persuasion, they got him upon his legs; his rifle and 
 other effects were shared among them, and he was cheered 
 and aided forward. In this way they proceeded for seven- 
 teen miles, over a level plain of sand, until, seeing a few 
 antelope in the distance, they encamped on the margin of a 
 small stream. All that were now capable of exertion turned 
 out to hunt for a meal. Their efforts were fruitless, and af- 
 ter dark they returned to their camp, famished almost to 
 desperation. 
 
 As they were preparing for the third time to lay down 
 to sleep without a mouthful to eat, Le Clerc, one of the Ca- 
 nadians, gaunt and wild with hunger, approached Mr. Stu- 
 art, with his gun in his hand. "It was all in vain," he said, 
 "to attempt to proceed farther without food. They had a 
 barren plain before them, three or four days' journey in 
 
Great Overland Trail Discovered. 107 
 
 extent, on which nothing was to be procured. They must 
 all perish before they could get to the end of it. It was 
 better, therefore, that one should die to save the rest." He 
 proposed, therefore, that they should cast lots; adding as an 
 inducement for Mr. Stuart to assent to the proposition, that 
 he, as leader of the party, should be exempted. This inci- 
 dent shows to what extremity these wanderers in the desert 
 had arrived. Even the strong nature of Robert Stuart was 
 shocked almost beyond measure by the horrible proposition. 
 He could suffer and if need be die in the desert, but he could 
 not consent to prolong life in the way proposed. He tried 
 to reason with the man, but it was useless. He used argu- 
 ment and spoke cheering words, but this had no effect; 
 finally, he snatched up his rifle and threatened to shoot the 
 man on the spot if he persisted in his inhuman argument. 
 The famished wretch dropped on his knees, begged pardon 
 in the most abject terms and solemnly promised never again 
 to offend by such a suggestion. Again the tired and hungry 
 wanderers went supperless to bed. At dawn of day they 
 were on their way, as they realized that to linger was to 
 perish. Nine miles farther on they ascended a range of 
 hills, and two miles distant they came upon a run-down 
 buffalo bull. The party stretched out along the plain in 
 order to encompass the animal, as their lives depended on 
 their success in killing him. A fortunate shot brought 
 the monster down. The meat was at once cut up, but the 
 poor wretches were unable to wait until a fire was built and 
 the food prepared. Each seized a piece of the flesh and 
 commenced to eat. After a while the remainder was carried 
 to a small brook, where a fire was built and a broth made by 
 Mr. Stuart, which he offered his companions, fearing they 
 would eat to excess on the solid meat. Each took a portion 
 of this broth and then waited until an ample supper was 
 cooked. That night they adopted the Indian style of cook- 
 ing and cramming, which was continued a greater part of 
 the night, and next morning the feasting was resumed. 
 They journeyed on, and on October 17th they passed two 
 tributary streams of the Spanish (Green) Eiver, close under 
 
io8 History of Wyoming- 
 
 the Wind River Mountains, which ranged along to the east. 
 That day they saw buffalo and antelope but did not succeed 
 in killing any. On the 18th, after crossing a mountain 
 ridge and traversing a plain, they waded one of the branch- 
 es of the Spanish River, and on ascending its bank met with 
 about a hundred and thirty Snake Indians. They were 
 friendly in their demeanor and conducted them to their 
 encampment, which was about three miles distant. It con- 
 sisted of about forty wigwams, constructed principally of 
 pine branches. The Snakes, like most of their nation, were 
 very poor; the meandering Crows, in their late excursion 
 through the country, had picked this unlucky band to the 
 very bone, carrying off their horses, several of their squaws 
 and most of their effects. In spite of their poverty, they 
 were hospitable in the extreme and made the hungry stran- 
 gers welcome to their cabins. A few trinkets procured from 
 them a supply of buffalo meat and of leather for moccasins, 
 of which the party were greatly in need. The most valuable 
 prize obtained from them, however, was a horse; it was a 
 sorry old animal, in truth, after a fell swoop of the Grows, 
 yet this they were prevailed upon to part with to their 
 guests for a pistol, an ax, a knife, and a few other trifling 
 articles. 
 
 On October 19th the party loaded their old horse with 
 five days' provisions, consisting of buffalo meat. They pro- 
 ceeded along a branch of the Spanish (Green) River and 
 soon striking a large Indian trail they kept on it to the 
 southeast. This trail was well-beaten and ran in a proper 
 direction, and they therefore determined to travel it as 
 far as safety would permit. This highway led through val- 
 leys and high ridges, keeping a general direction to the 
 southeast. That afternoon the two Canadians killed a 
 young buffalo which was in good condition and afforded 
 them a plentiful supply of fresh beef. The next morning 
 they crossed the continental divide. Here they left the 
 Indian trail, which changed its course, bearing to the north- 
 east; they therefore left the trail, keeping on their course 
 for eighteen miles, through a beautiful undulating coun- 
 
Great Overland Trail Discovered. 109 
 
 try. In the evening they encamped on the banks of a small 
 stream in the open prairie. The next day (October 21st) 
 they set forward, keeping to the northeast, toward the lofty 
 summit of. a mountain which it was necessary for them to 
 cross, and having traveled fifteen miles, they camped at the 
 base of the mountain and the next day crossed it. Mr. Stu- 
 art's journal says that when they arrived at the opposite 
 side of the mountain they found a rill of water oozing out of 
 the earth, and resembling in look and taste the water of the 
 Missouri. The next day they came upon a stream running 
 to the east between two hills of bluish earth, strongly im- 
 pregnated with copperas. Mr. Stewart was of the opinion 
 that this stream was one of the tributaries of the Missouri 
 and he determined to follow it, which he did for twenty- 
 six miles, when he reached the top of a high hill, from 
 which he con Id see the vast plain beyond, through which 
 wandered the same stream, in a southeast direction, and he 
 finally made up his mind that it could not be one of the 
 sources of the Missouri ; he therefore took an easterly direc- 
 tion toward a high mountain sixty miles away. For two 
 days they kept on toward this mountain. 
 
 On the 26th of October they steered east, northeast, 
 for a wooded ravine in a mountain, at a small distance from 
 the base of which, to their great joy, they discovered an 
 abundant stream running between willow banks. Here 
 they halted for the night, and Ben Jones luckily trapped a 
 beaver, and killed two buffalo bulls. They remained in 
 camp all the next day, feasting and reposing and allowing 
 their jaded horse to rest. This stream was the Sweetwater, 
 but it had not yet been named. The journal of Mr. Stuart 
 says : "Pursuing the course of this stream for about twenty 
 miles, they came to where it forced a passage through a 
 range of high hills covered with cedars, into an extensive 
 low country, affording an excellent pasture to numerous 
 herds of bujffialo." Here they killed three cows, which were 
 the first they had been able to get, having hitherto had to 
 content themselves with bull beef, which at this season of 
 the year is very poor. The hump meat afforded them a re- 
 
no History of Wyoming- 
 
 past fit for an epicure. It will be discovered that the trav- 
 elers had made a wide circuit to the south and crossed the 
 continental divide many miles south of the headwaters of 
 the Sweetwater. Had they kept the Indian trail to the 
 Sweetwater they would have saved themselves many weari- 
 some miles. 
 
 "Late on the afternoon of the 30th they came to where 
 the stream, now to a considerable size, poured along in a 
 ravine between precipices of red stone, two hundred feet in 
 height. For a distance it dashed along, over huge masses 
 of rock, with foaming violence, as if exasperated by being 
 compressed in so narrow a channel, and at length leaped 
 down a chasm that looked dark and frightful in the gather- 
 ing twilight." 
 
 They had now reached the North Platte, but having 
 crossed the point of land on the north side of the Sweet- 
 water, were not aware that they had come upon another 
 stream. The crossing from the Sweetwater to the Platte 
 is now considerably north of the place where Stuart and his 
 party came over. The northern road is comparatively 
 smooth, there being no steep hills to climb. 
 
 "For a part of the next day the wild river, in its ca- 
 pricious wanderings, led them through a variety of striking 
 scenes. At one time they were upon high plains, like plat- 
 forms among the mountains, with herds of buffaloes roam- 
 ing about them; at another, among rude, rocky defiles, 
 broken into cliffs and precipices, where the black-tailed deer 
 bounded off among the crags, and the big-horn basked on 
 the sunny brow of the precipice. 
 
 "In the after part of the day they came to another scene, 
 surpassing in savage grandeur those already described. 
 They had been traveling for some distance through a pass 
 of the mountains, keeping parallel with the river as it roared 
 along, out of sight, through a deep ravine. Sometimes their 
 devious path approached the margin of cliffs below which 
 the river foamed and boiled and whirled among the masses 
 of rock that had fallen into its channel. As they crept cau- 
 tiously on, leading their solitary pack-horse along these 
 giddy heights, they all at once came to where the river thun- 
 dered down a succession of precipices, throwing up clouds 
 of spray, and making a prodigious din and uproar. The 
 travelers remained for a time, gazing with mingled awe and 
 
Great Overland Trail Discovered. 1 1 1 
 
 delight at this furious cataract, to which Mr. Stuart gave, 
 from the color of the impending rocks, the name of The 
 Fiery Narrows." 
 
 Their camp was made on the banks of the river below 
 the cataract and the next morning they started on down 
 the river, and as they went along they discussed their situ- 
 ation and their whereabouts. What stream they were on, 
 they did not know. Some thought that it might be the 
 Cheyenne, as it inclined somewhat to the north of east. 
 They were certain that it was a tributary of the Missouri 
 and that if they kept on they would reach home and friends. 
 They talked over the probabilities of encountering the pi- 
 ratical Sioux, Crows and Cheyennes; then they weighed 
 their chances of being able to continue their journey through 
 the deep snows when they reached the open prairie country, 
 which they surely would farther down the river, where 
 fuel for camp flres would be out of the question. It was 
 finally agreed that the best thing to do was to select winter 
 quarters and go into camp as soon as possible. Robert Stu- 
 art says that they were brought the more promptly and 
 unanimously to this decision by coming upon an excellent 
 wintering place that promised everything requisite for their 
 comfort. It was on a fine bend of the river, just below 
 where it issued from among a ridge of mountains and bent 
 toward the northeast. Here was a beautiful low point of 
 land, covered by cottonwood and surrounded by a thick 
 growth of willow, so as to yield both shelter and fuel, as 
 well as materials for building. The river swept away in a 
 strong current, about a hundred and fifty yards wide. To 
 the southeast were mountains of moderate height, the near- 
 est about two miles off, but the whole chain ranging to the 
 east, south and west, as far as the eye could reach. Their 
 summits were covered with extensive tracts of pitch pine, 
 checkered with small patches of the quivering aspen. 
 Lower down were thick forests of firs and red cedars, grow- 
 ing out in many places from the very fissures of the rocks. 
 The mountains were broken and precipitous, with huge 
 bluffs protruding from among the forests. Their rocky re- 
 
112 History of Wyoming- 
 
 cesses and beetling cliffs afforded retreats for innumerable 
 flocks of the big-horn, while their woody summits and ra- 
 vines abounded with bears and black-tailed deer. These, 
 with the numerous herds of buffalo on the lower grounds 
 along the river, provided the travelers abundant cheer in 
 their winter quarters. 
 
 Those who are familiar with the country along the 
 North Platte below the Sweetwater will recognize this win- 
 ter camp of Robert Stuart's party. The bend of the river 
 spoken of is where Bessemer is now located. The mountain 
 across the river is Caspar Mountain, and the little brook, 
 where Ben Jones and his party collected their meat, is the 
 lower Poison Spider Creek. 
 
 "On the 2nd of November, therefore, they pitched their 
 camp for the winter on the woody point, and their first 
 thought was to obtain a supply of provisions. Ben Jones 
 and the two Canadians accordingly sallied forth, accompa- 
 nied by two others of the party, leaving but one to watch 
 the camp. Their hunting was uncommonly successful. In 
 the course of two days they killed thirty-two buffaloes and 
 collected their meat, on the margin of a small brook, about 
 a mile distant. Fortunately, a severe frost froze the river, 
 so that the meat was easily transported to the encampment. 
 On a succeeding day, a herd of buffalo came tramping 
 through the woody bottom on the river banks, and fifteen 
 more were killed. It was soon discovered, however, that 
 there was game of a more dangerous nature in the neigh- 
 borhood. On one occasion Mr. Crooks had wandered about 
 a mile from the camp and had ascended a small hill com- 
 manding a view of the river. He was without his rifle, a 
 rare circumstance, for in these wild regions, where one 
 may put up a wild animal or a wild Indian at any turn, it is 
 customary never to stir from the campflre unarmed. The 
 hill where he stood overlooked the place where the massa- 
 cre of the buffalo had taken place. As he was looking 
 round on the prospect, his eye was caught by an object be- 
 low, moving directly toward him. To his dismay, he discov- 
 ered it to be a grizz.ly bear with two cubs. There was no 
 tree at hand into which he could climb; to run would only 
 be to provoke pursuit, and he would soon be overtaken. 
 He threw himself on the ground, therefore, and lay motion- 
 less, watching the movements of the animal with intense 
 
w . — t . — 
 PL/>TTE CANON 
 
 LOOKINC MOI^rH. 
 
Gi-eat Overland Trail Discovered. 1 1 3 
 
 anxiety. It continued to advance until at the foot of the 
 hill, when it turned and made into the woods, having prob- 
 ably gorged itself with buffalo flesh. Mr. Crooks made all 
 haste back to the camp, rejoicing at his escape and deter- 
 mining never to stir out again without his rifle. A few 
 days after this circumstance a grizzly bear was shot in the 
 neighborhood by Mr. Miller. 
 
 "As the slaughter of so many buffaloes had provided the 
 party with beef for the winter, in case they met with no fur- 
 ther supply, they now set to work, heart and hand, to build 
 a comfortable wigwam. In a little while the woody promon- 
 tory rang with the unwonted sound of the ax. Some of its 
 lofty trees were laid low, and by the second evening the 
 cabin was complete. It was eight feet wide and eighteen 
 feet long. The walls were six feet high and the whole was 
 covered with buffalo skins. The fire-place was in the center 
 and the smoke found its way out through a hole in the roof. 
 
 "The hunters were next sent out to procure deer-skins 
 for garments, moccasins and other purposes. They made 
 the mountains echo with their rifles, and in the course of 
 two days' hunting killed twenty-eight big-horns and black- 
 tailed deer. 
 
 "The party now reveled in abundance. After all that 
 they had suffered from hunger, cold, fatigue and watch- 
 fulness; after all their perils from treacherous and savage 
 men, they exulted in the snugness and security of their iso- 
 lated cabin, hidden, as they thought, even from the prying 
 eyes of Indian scouts, and stored with creature comforts; 
 and they looked forward to a winter of peace and quietness ; 
 of roasting, and boiling, and broiling, and feasting upon 
 venison, and mountain mutton, and bear's meat, and mar- 
 row bones, and buffalo humps, and other hunters' dainties, 
 and of dozing and reposing around their fire and gossiping 
 over past dangers and adventures, and telling long hunting 
 stories, until spring should return, when they would make 
 canoes of buffalo skins and float themselves down the river. 
 
 "Prom such halcyon dreams they were startled one 
 morning at daybreak by a savage yell. They started up 
 and seized their rifles. The yell was repeated by two or 
 three voices. Cautiously peeping out they beheld, to their 
 dismay, several Indian warriors among the trees, all armed 
 and painted in warlike style, being evidently bent on some 
 hostile purpose. 
 
 "Miller changed countenance as he regarded them. 'We 
 -(8) 
 
114 History of Wyoming- 
 
 are in trouble,' said he. 'These are some of the rascally 
 Arapahoes that robbed me last year.' Not a word was ut- 
 tered by the rest of the party, but they silently slung their 
 powder horns and ball pouches and perpared for battle. 
 McLellan, who had taken his gun to pieces the evening be- 
 fore, put it together in all haste. He proposed that they 
 should break out the clay from between the logs, so as to 
 be able to fire upon the enemy. 'Not yet,' replied Stuart; 
 'it will not do to show fear or distrust. We must first hold 
 a parley. Someone must go out and meet them as a friend.' 
 
 "Who was to undertake the task? It was full of peril,, 
 as the envoy might be shot down at the threshold. 
 
 " 'The leader of a party,' said Miller, 'always takes the 
 advance.' 
 
 " 'Good !' replied Stuart. 'I am ready.' He immedi- 
 ately went forth, one of the Canadians following him. The 
 rest of the party remained in the garrison to keep the sav- 
 ages in check. 
 
 "Stuart advanced, holding his rifle in one hand and ex- 
 tending the other to the savage that appeared to be the 
 chief. The latter stepped forward and took it ; his men fol- 
 lowed his example and all shook hands with Stuart in token 
 of friendship. They now explained their errand. They 
 were a war party of Arapahoe braves ; their village lay on 
 the stream several days' journey to the eastward. It had 
 been attacked and ravaged during their absence by a band 
 of CrowS, who had carried off several of their women and 
 most of their horses. For sixteen days they had been track- 
 ing the Crows about the mountains, but had not yet come 
 upon them. In the meantime they had met with scarcely 
 any game and were half famished. About two days pre- 
 viously they had heard the report of firearms among the 
 mountains, and on searching in the direction of the sound 
 had come to a place where a deer had been killed. They had 
 immediately put themselves upon the track of the hunters, 
 and by following it up had arrived at the cabin." 
 
 Making a virtue of necessity, the chief and sub-chief 
 were politely invited to enter the cabin, but Mr. Stuart and 
 his associates by motions indicated to the chief that the bal- 
 ance of his party must remain on the outside. Upon reach- 
 ing the inside of the hut, the chief glanced with satisfaction 
 at the rafters, which were laden with the choicest cuts of 
 buffalo, elk and deer meat. The two savages were invited 
 
Great Overland Trail Discovered. 1 1 5 
 
 to partake of the hospitality of the wayfarers and large 
 quantities of meat were also passed out to the twenty-three 
 savages who were awaiting their chief. Then commenced a 
 scene of gormandizing so well known to all who are ac- 
 quainted with the Indian character. They ate all day with 
 slight intermissions and continued their feast way into the 
 night. Mr. Stuart intended to feed them to stupefaction, 
 and in this he succeeded admirably. The two chiefs gorged 
 themselves, not unlike anacondas, became stupid and un- 
 able to do the travelers harm even had they so desired. The 
 chief, under the good treatment, became exceedingly friend- 
 ly and boasted of the scalps they would take from the Crows 
 when they should overtake them, and asked Mr. Stuart for a 
 small supply of powder, promising to pay munificently out 
 of the spoils of victory, saying that they were poor now and 
 on foot, but when they returned in two weeks they would be 
 riding horses and would provide the white men each with a 
 horse to prevent them from being tired on their journey. 
 The reply to this proposition was that when they brought 
 the horses they should have the ammunition, but not before. 
 The Indian is a good judge of human nature and understands 
 the signs indicated by the tone and expression of the face, 
 and seeing Mr. Stuart's attitude realized that it would be 
 useless to continue further negotiations and dismissed the 
 subject with a good-humored laugh. The unwelcome visit- 
 ors remained until 10 o'clock of the next day and went away 
 laden with the winter stores of the Astorians, sufficient to 
 last them a week. 
 
 As soon as the vagabond band was out of sight the little 
 party held a council and determined to move, and thus take 
 no chances of the savages returning. 
 
 It was the 13th of December when they left their com- 
 fortable winter camp where they had enjoyed the sweetest 
 repose for five short weeks. They passed down the north 
 side of the Platte and within twenty miles came opposite 
 to where Casper now stands. The snow was deep and a 
 crust had formed on the surface, but they hurried along 
 and by the time they reached the locality where the city of 
 
Ii6 History of Wyoming- 
 
 Douglas now cheers the traveler, their feet had become sore 
 by coming in contact with the hard crust which had formed 
 on the snow and through which they broke at every step. 
 Soon the whole party became dispirited and the opinion was 
 held by the majority that they might better have remained 
 in their comfortable camp and run the risk of being killed 
 by Indians than to drag on thus painfully with a probability 
 of perishing by the way. Their poor old horse was loaded 
 down with meat, but they had nothing wherewith to feed 
 him except willow twigs and cottonwood bark. The leade^ 
 of the party cheered them on, assuring them that they were 
 constantly shortening the distance to that point on the 
 river where it would be navigable for canoes. They passed 
 cottonwood groves and at last reached a place where the 
 river ran between rocky hills and promontories covered 
 with cedar and pitch pines, and peopled as they said with 
 big-horn sheep and deer. This was the Platte River Canon. 
 They kept on and finally passed the point where twenty-two 
 years later Captain William Sublette and Robert Campbell 
 built their trading post, which was to become the historic 
 Fort Laramie. 
 
 If Robert Stuart could have looked forward and real- 
 ized that he was blazing the way for a new road across the 
 continent,and that thirty-one years later Marcus Whitman 
 was to pass over it with a train of a thousand people, it 
 would have cheered him in his lonely wanderings. But not- 
 withstanding his lack of knowledge of the future, he will 
 ever be known as the pioneer explorer of the Overland Trail. 
 This journey across the continent surpassed all others In 
 adventure, in heroism and in results. He it was who discov- 
 ered a practical route across the mountains which possessed 
 great advantages over every other. 
 
 After this digression, let us again proceed on the toil- 
 some journey with these weary travelers. They pushed on, 
 the weather became colder, and the swift current of the 
 river was frozen over. The snow was now fifteen inches 
 deep, and yet they pressed forward and soon came to where 
 the face of the country was level and the timber had disap- 
 
Great Overland Trail Discovered. 117 
 
 peared. They looked out over the great plain, where noth- 
 ing but desolation met their eyes, and here they came to a 
 halt, sensible of the fact that they could not safely pursue 
 their journey farther east until the snow and rigors of win- 
 ter were past, nor could they remain where they were. It 
 will be recognized that they were now in Nebraska. They 
 retraced their steps seventy-seven miles and again went into 
 winter quarters in a cotton wood grove on the margin of the 
 river, where the trees were large enough for canoes. Here 
 again they erected a house, but before it was completed 
 New Year's Day of 1813 came, and they ceased from their 
 labors, resolved to make it a holiday. It was indeed a 
 happy new year to them, for they saw that it was now simply 
 a question of waiting until spring arrived. On the second 
 day of January they went manfully to work again on their 
 new house and in a few days completed it. Buifalo and 
 other game was plentiful in the neighborhood and they soon 
 had an abundance of provisions, and here they remained for 
 the balance of the winter. During the time spent at this 
 encampment they built canoes, intending to launch them 
 early in the spring. By this time they were pretty well con- 
 vinced that they were on the Platte Eiver. The location of 
 this camp was on the border of Wyoming, where the State 
 of Nebraska joins. Some claim that the identical spot is 
 Gering, and if so it would be just over the line in Nebraska. 
 In their second encampment they were not troubled 
 with Indian visitors, and nothing occurred to mar their 
 happiness. They built two canoes, and on the 8th of March 
 placed them on the turbulent waters and departed from 
 their encampment. Soon they encountered innumerable 
 sand-bars and snags, and after vainly attempting to go for- 
 ward with the canoes they were obliged to give them up and 
 make their T?ay on foot. They finally reached Grand Island 
 and three days later met an Otto Indian. This friendly sav- 
 age conducted them to his village, which was near, and there 
 they met two Indian traders, white men, Dornin and Koi, 
 who were direct from St. Louis. These men informed them 
 of the war which was then going on between the United 
 
1 1 8 History of Wyoming- 
 
 States and England. Mr. Dornin furnished them with a 
 boat made of elkskin stretched over a pole frame. With this 
 boat they entered on their journey down the Platte and soon 
 reached the Missouri, and on the 30th of April they arrived 
 at St. Louis and brought the first intelligence of Mr. Hunt's 
 party, which had left St. Louis more than a year and a half 
 before. Thus terminated one of the most remarkable expe- 
 ditions that ever crossed the Rocky Mountains.* 
 
 To sum up the character of Robert Stuart, it can be said 
 of him that he was resolute, absolutely void of fear, and yet 
 withal endowed with great caution. He led his followers 
 through a wilderness during the most inclement season of 
 the year and in spite of fate or fortune preserved their lives 
 and afterward safely delivered his dispatches to Mr. Astor, 
 the promoter of the great enterprise of which he, himself, 
 was a partner. Citizens of our state, as they study the map 
 of Wyoming and follow his route, must not forget that his 
 party were the first Americans to traverse the valley of the 
 Sweetwater. It is a great oversight that this stream does 
 not bear the name of Stuart. The members of this party 
 were also the first explorers of the North Platte. The wan- 
 derings, sufferings and explorations of these men forever 
 associates their names with the early history of our state. 
 
 The Stuart party were not the last Astorians to cross 
 Wyoming. On the 4th of April, 1813, David Stuart, Donald 
 McKenzie, Mr. Clark and such other Americans who had 
 not entered into the service of the Northwest Fur Company 
 left Astoria on their way across the Rocky Mountains. John 
 
 *Many people have tried to discover the trail of the Stuart party across Wyoming. Gov- 
 ernor William A. Richards, who from his profession as a surveyor has become familiar with the 
 topography of the country, says that the Stuart party entered Wyoming through the Teton Pass, 
 crossed Snake River somewhere near the mouth of the Hoback, proceeded up that stream to its 
 head and went down Lead Creek to Green River ; continued down Green River a short dis- 
 tance, then took a southeasterly course, crossing two branches of New Fork and some other 
 minor streams, then the Big Sandy and some of its tributaries ; crossed the Continental Divide 
 in the vicinity of the South Pass, then crossed the streams forming the headwaters of the Sweet- 
 water, traveling in a northeasterly direction. They left the valley of the Sweetwater, thinking it 
 ran south, and continuing northeast ascended the Beaver Divide. From this elevation, seeing 
 the western end of the Rattlesnake Range, they shaped their course toward it, going nearly east, 
 passing across the Muskrat country, where the party suffered greatly for want of water. Reach- 
 ing the Rattlesnake Range, they went down a small stream to the Sweetwater, which they fol- 
 lowed east. They failed to notice its junction with the North Platte, but continued down that 
 stream through the canon and made their first winter camp just below where the river emerges 
 from the canon, probably two or three miles below Bessemer and near where Fort Caspar was 
 subsequently located. Leaving this camp through fear of Indians, they proceeded down the 
 North Platte, making their second winter camp in Nebraska. 
 
Ashley's Trappers in Wyoming. 119 
 
 Hoback, Pierre Dorion, Pierre Delaunay, the veteran Ken- 
 tuckians, Robinson and Eezner, all perished in the wilder- 
 ness. Those who returned reached civilization at different 
 periods and told their stories of the fate of the great expedi- 
 tions that went by sea and land to establish a trading post at 
 the mouth of the Columbia. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 ASHLEY'S TRAPPERS IN WYOMING. 
 
 Tkapping on the Yellowstone, Big Horn, Big Wind and Other 
 Sources of the Missouri — Names the Sweetwater and Changes 
 THE Name Spanish River to Green River — Employs Over 300 
 Trappers — His Expedition to Salt Lake — Marvelous Success as 
 A Fur Trader — Makes a Fortune and Sells Out to Sublette, 
 Campbell, Bridger and Others — His Speech to the Mountain 
 Men — Changes the Character of the Trapper by Mounting Him 
 ON Horseback — ^A Life-long Personal Friend of Every Trapper 
 Who Shared With Him the Dangers of the Mountains — Au- 
 thor's Tribute to the American Trapper. 
 
 After the expedition of Lewis and Clark, the fur trade 
 was greatly stimulated among Americans. Not only did 
 rich men, like John Jacob Astor, send out expeditions, but 
 men with small capital made excursions up the Missouri, 
 entered the mountain country and pursued the perilous task 
 of fur trapping. St. Louis at that time was a frontier town 
 and it became the outfitting point of the fur trade. There 
 was a motley population of French and Indian half-breeds, 
 and Spaniards with Indian blood, and other mixed races. 
 Manuel Lisa was the pioneer fur trader, and it was to his 
 enterprise that St. Louis was indebted for turning the trade 
 in that channel. Lisa was born in Spain but came to this 
 country at an early age and on his arrival at St. Louis from 
 New Orleans, he early became known as a bold partisan 
 and at the same time as a man possessed of good business 
 
120 History of Wyoming- 
 
 qualifications. He had made money in merchandising and 
 was reputed wealthy. There had grown up Spanish and 
 French establishments in New Orleans, and these had estab- 
 lished branches from time to time in the new city of St. 
 Louis. The Frenchmen and Spaniards had worked together, 
 consequently when Lisa determined to organize a fur com- 
 pany he readily got the assistance of both the Spanish and 
 French merchants. He induced eleven of the leading busi- 
 ness men of St. Louis to join him in fur trapping and trading 
 with a view of controlling the Indian trade and fur business 
 on the upper branches of the Missouri. Among these were 
 Pierre Chouteau, Sr., William Clark, Sylvester Labadie, 
 Pierre Menard and Auguste P. Chouteau. These gentle- 
 men organized the Missouri Fur Company, with a paid-up 
 capital of |40,000. Lisa was the leading partner in the 
 company and had charge of all the expeditions sent into the 
 widerness. He recruited trappers and voyageurs, the former 
 of Kentucky and Tennessee and the latter half-breed French 
 and Spanish who had been boatmen along the Ohio and 
 Mississippi. The Kentucky and Tennessee hunters readily 
 took to trapping. They were unerring shots with the rifle 
 and therefore had little fear of the wild Indians. The Mis- 
 souri Fur Company sent its first expedition up the Missouri 
 about the time Lewis and Clark returned from the Colum- 
 bia, and by the time the season of 1808 arrived they had 
 two hundred and fifty men in their employ and several trad- 
 ing posts in successful operation in the mountain country. 
 Lisa's principal lieutenant was an Alexander Henry, who 
 built several of these posts and in 1810 established a post on 
 Henry's Fork of the Snake Eiver, called Post Henry. This 
 latter was found to be too far in the wilderness and was 
 abandoned a year after it was established. It will be re- 
 membered that Mr. Hunt and his party visited Post Henry 
 on October 8, 1811 and found it deserted. 
 
 I will here mention that Alexander Henry, on leaving 
 the employ of the Missouri Fur Company in 1812, engaged 
 with the Northwest Company and some years later was on 
 the Columbia River. The Missouri Fur Company was very 
 
Ashley's Trappers in Wyoming. 121 
 
 successful for a few years, having enjoyed a fair share of 
 the fur trade on the headwaters of the Missouri. It would 
 have been more profitable had not the Northwest Fur Com- 
 pany, with their usual enterprise and English audacity, 
 pushed their operations into American territory. Lisa had 
 one great advantage, and that was his ability to keep on 
 friendly terms with the Indians. Come what would, he was 
 always equal to the emergency. He seldom had difflculty 
 with the natives, unless it was the Blackfeet. These were 
 beyond the control of even the most sagacious trader since 
 the unfortunate affair of Captain Lewis, who was obliged 
 to kill one of that tribe. 
 
 From 1807 up to and including the period covered by 
 the war of 1812 between England and the United States, 
 a large number of trappers from the upper lake country 
 transferred their enterprise to the headwaters of the Mis- 
 souri. These formed minor associations, but the enterprise 
 and capital of Lisa enabled him to overcome this opposition 
 by engaging them to trap for the Missouri Fur Company. 
 After the return of Ramsey Crooks in 1813, he became an 
 active partisan in the service of Mr. Astor and assisted in 
 the conduct of the affairs of the American Fur Company. 
 With abundant capital, this great corporation occupied the 
 territory from the great lakes west to the Rocky Mountains. 
 Numerous posts were established in the country drained by 
 the headwaters of the Mississippi, Missouri, Yellowstone 
 and at other western points. This corporation a few years 
 later had steamboats in its employ, and these carried mer- 
 chandise to remote regions and brought away the furs. The 
 Indian trade now included the skins of the beaver, otter, 
 lynXy fox, raccoon; also the skins of the buffalo, Rocky 
 Mountain sheep, deer and antelope. The steamboats of this 
 company created no little wonder among the natives in the 
 west and it is said that its passage up the rivers caused the 
 inhabitants to rush in a fright from their villages and take 
 refuge in the interior. The competition of the Northwest 
 Fur Company and the American Fur Company was so ruin- 
 ous to Mr. Lisa as to reduce his profits as well as the volume 
 
122 History of Wyoming- 
 
 of his business. The Hudson Bay Company and the North- 
 west Company from 1815 to 1821 waged a ruinous war on 
 each other, and the result was that both of these British 
 corporations greatly reduced their gains. In the year 
 last mentioned the two companies consolidated under the 
 name of the Hudson Bay Company and this amalgamated 
 corporation assumed to monopolize the business on the west 
 side of the Rocky Mountains, and thus matters stood in 1822 
 when General William H. Ashley of St. Louis, a man of large 
 business capacity, thought he saw an opportunity to suc- 
 cessfully enter the fur trade. His plan was to make friends 
 among the Indians and employ them to trap in his service. 
 Early in the spring of 1822 he started with a select company 
 of able men for the mountains. He went up the Missouri, 
 established a trading post on the Yellowstone, and from 
 that base of operations covered the country to a considera- 
 ble distance to the south with his trappers, going up the 
 Big Horn and its tributaries as far as the Wind Eiver Val- 
 ley; trapping on Big and Little Wind Rivers, Big Popo Agie, 
 Little Popo Agie, North Fork and Beaver Creek. He re- 
 turned to St. Louis late in the fall. The following spring 
 (1823) he started again for the mountains by way of the 
 Platte River route, and on reaching the forks of that stream 
 he detached a small party to go up the South Fork and pro- 
 ceeded himself with the main body up the North Fork and 
 thence up the Sweetwater. This stream had not yet been 
 named. The trappers found the water superior for drinking 
 purposes and claimed that it left a pleasant taste in the 
 mouth. General Ashley consequently named it Sweetwater, 
 which name it bears today.* 
 
 In this party were several men who afterwards became 
 famous in the Rocky Mountain country and whose names 
 
 *I have heard other traditions as to the name of this river. One is that a party of trappers 
 in early times were going up its banks, having with them a mule loaded with sugar. The ani- 
 mal fell into the stream and his load dissolved in the water ; hence the name Sweetwater. I 
 have been told by old pioneers who lived with the Indians in early days that the red men claim 
 Uie name Sweetwater is the English for the Indian appellation. My own opinion is that Ashley 
 mscovered the excellent quahty of the water and gave the river its name, and my reasons for 
 thmldng so are that his men suffered greatly from drmkmg the alkaU waters between the place of 
 Crossmg and the Sweetwater. After they started up the Sweetwater they came to other streams 
 that were unfit for drinking purposes. All these facts were noted by General Ashley. It must 
 be admitted that he was an explorer as well as a fur trader. 
 
Ashley's Trappers in Wyoming. 123 
 
 are today closely associated with its early history. These 
 were Robert Campbell, Jim Bridger, William Sublette, 
 Thomas Fitzpatrick, Jim Beckwourth and Moses Harris. 
 Ashley, Sublette and Campbell laid the foundation in the 
 next few years for great fortunes. Ashley was of a cool, 
 daring disposition and under his leadership his men became 
 bold trappers and successful partisans. His company 
 brought out in 1823 consisted of about forty men, and with, 
 these he attempted to cover a large territory. His plan of 
 unification of the Indian tribes for the purpose of trade was 
 only partially successful and he early sent back to St. Louis 
 for more trappers. With his little band he pushed forward 
 to Spanish River, the name of which he promptly changed 
 to Green River, after one of his St. Louis partners. It has 
 been claimed by several historians that the name of this 
 river comes from the color of its waters; be that as it may, 
 General Ashley named it.* Arriving on the banks of this 
 river, he detached a party under the leadership of a man 
 named Clements to go up Green River to its headwaters 
 and trap on the main stream and its branches. There were 
 seven men in the party, and among them Jim Beckwourth, 
 a man named LeBrache and another named Baptiste, They 
 were very successful in capturing beaver. These animals 
 
 ♦State Auditor W. O. Owen, when asked by the author what he thought was the origin of 
 the name, said : "My own opinion is that the name was given to this stream from the intense 
 and beautiful color of its water, and not, as many writers have claimed, from its verdant banks 
 ■which afford such lively contrast with the desert country through which it runs for many miles. 
 Now, while it is generally known that nearly all bodies of water, under certain conditions, will 
 give forth a greenish hue, it must be understood that these conditions are not at all essential 
 when viewing this particular stream ; for the water of Green River is intrinsically green. No 
 matter under what conditions it may be viewed the water of this stream, at least as far as that 
 portion of it above the Green River Lakes is concerned, will be found to possess this color. The 
 water in the upper portion of the two forks is as intensely green as a June meadow and is by for 
 the most conspicuous feature in the landscape of that locality. Its color is so deep and striking 
 that I was led, two years ago while executing surveys for Government, to make a careful and 
 thorough exammation of the matter, to ascertain if possible whence this brilliant green might 
 come. My research resulted in a complete and certain solution of the problem. In various lo- 
 calities along the forks we found the banks of the streams composed of a mineral substance re- 
 sembling soapstone, and of a bright green color. Examination showed it to be extremely soft, 
 wearing readily under slightest friction. I have seen banks of this material upwards of a hundred 
 yards long, and the water, tearing along, possesses a grinding power sufficient to impregnate the 
 entire stream with the coloring matter referred to. A peculiar feature of this coloring process 
 lies in the fact that an excess of color may be imparted to the water without in the slightest de- 
 gree affecting its limpi^ty, This would seem to indicate a transparency of the coloring matter 
 itself when reduced to particles of infinite smallness. ' The large lake at the head of the northern 
 fbrk of the river is said to be without a rival in point of color, and it is of an intense, bright green. 
 Not merely green when viewed under certain illumination, -but literally and actually green of its 
 own nature. And near this lake the soapstone referred to above is to be found in abundance. I 
 have colored a bucket of water by simply adding a small quantity of this material finely pulver- 
 ized; and in the face of these experiments, and the facts above mentioned, which any one who 
 cares to may verify, it is difficult indeed to refer the christening of this river to any other source 
 than that of the transparent green of its water." 
 
124 History of Wyommg- 
 
 were numerous on the headwaters of this river at that time, 
 as they had never been trapped. The traps were set and 
 every one secured a beaver, and besides those caught in this 
 way they shot a great many with their rifles. As they 
 proceeded up the river they came to a branch on the west 
 side of the main stream, up which they saw a number of wild 
 horses pasturing in the beautiful green meadows, and they 
 promptly called it Horse Creek, a name which it still bears. 
 I am aware that another origin is given for the name of this 
 creek, which is to the effect that Edward Rose, in 1824, 
 while acting as interpreter and guide for a large party of 
 trappers under Jedediah Smith and Thomas Pitzpatrick, 
 instigated the Crows to steal the horses of the party, and 
 that this branch of Green River took its name from that 
 incident. 
 
 On another branch of Green River, farther up, they 
 were attacked by a party of sixteen Blackfeet and one of 
 their number, LeBrache, was killed. The trappers then 
 retreated down the river and two days later were met by 
 another detachment from the post on the Yellowstone. The 
 rendezvous was to be at the place which later became the 
 ford on Green River, and this detachment of trappers from 
 the north was on the way to that point. It was fortunate 
 for Clements' party that they met with this reinforcement, 
 as the Blackfeet were still following them. 
 
 At the rendezvous that season there was great rejoic- 
 ing, as all the brigades had been uniformly successful and 
 consequently a large number of beaver packs were sent to 
 the market. The array of trappers was increased the next 
 spring to over three hundred, and most of these reached 
 the country by way of the Platte River. General Ashley 
 that year (1824) went with a party under his own immediate 
 command down the Green River with a view to exploring 
 new trapping ground to the south and west. The expedition 
 proved to be one of great advantage financially, but its 
 membera underwent great privation, as they had a very 
 dangerous passage down the river and suffered extremely, 
 having taken little provisions with them, as they did not 
 
Ashley's Trappers in Wyoming. 125 
 
 expect the canon to be of such length. They lost three guns 
 and two boats when they passed over the rapids and were 
 obliged to let their boats down with ropes when they came 
 to the most dangerous places. Soon their provisions gave 
 out ajad the beaver grew scarce until there was none to be 
 seen. As it was impossible either to retrace their steps or 
 to ascend the high cliffs on each side of them, their only 
 choice was to go ahead. They passed six days without tast- 
 ing food and the men were weak and disheartened. General 
 Ashley listened to all their murmurings and heart-rending 
 complaints. They often spoke of home and friends, declar- 
 ing they would never see them more. Some spoke of wives 
 and children whom they dearly loved and who must become 
 widows and orphans. They had toiled, they said, through 
 every difficulty; had risked their lives among wild beasts 
 and hostile Indians in the wilderness. This they were will- 
 ing to undergo, but they could not bear up against actual 
 starvation. 
 
 The general encouraged them to the best of his power, 
 telling them that he bore an equal part in all their suffer- 
 ings ; that he was toiling for those he loved and whom he yet 
 expected to see again. He said they should endeavor to 
 keep up their courage and not add despondency to the rest 
 of their misfortunes. 
 
 One more night was passed amid the barren rocks and 
 the next morning some of the party proposed that the com- 
 pany cast lots to see which one should be sacrificed to afford 
 food for the others, without which they would inevitably 
 perish. General Ashley was horrified and begged them to 
 wait at least one more day and in the meantime go as far 
 as they could. By doing so, he said, they must come to a 
 break in the canon through which they could escape. They 
 consented and moved down the river as fast as the current 
 would carry them, and to their joy found a break and in it 
 a camp of trappers. They all rejoiced now that they had not 
 carried their fearful proposition into effect. They had fallen 
 in good hands and slowly recruited themselves with. the 
 party, which was in charge of one Provo, with whom Gene- 
 
126 History of Wyomi/ng- 
 
 ral Ashley was well acquainted. By his advice, they left the 
 river and proceeded in a northwesterly direction, Prove 
 accompanying them, supplying them with horses and pro- 
 visions. They remained with his party until they reached 
 the Great Salt Lake. Here they fell in with a large company 
 of trappers, composed of Canadians and Iroquois Indians, 
 under the command of Peter Ogden, who was in the service 
 of the Northwest Fur Company. With this party Ashley 
 made a good bargain, purchasing all their peltries at rea- 
 sonable prices. The furs were to be paid for at the rendez- 
 vous at Green River and the contract was that Ogden was to 
 take in exchange merchandise of which General Ashley had 
 an abundance. During this same season Fitzpatrick and 
 Bridger, with a detachment of thirty trappers, went up the 
 Snake River and trapped in all the tributary streams of that 
 locality. Bridger, with a small party, followed the Snake 
 river to its very source and wandered around for some time 
 in what is now known as the Yellowstone National Park, 
 and he evidently became fascinated with the wonders of 
 that country. He talked with many persons about it, but as 
 in Colter's case, his stories were laughed at by the trappers. 
 The next year he happened to be at the trading post of the 
 American Fur Company on the Yellowstone and there met a 
 young Kentuckian, Robert Meldrum, who came out to be 
 employed as blacksmith at that post. He was a good work- 
 man, but he soon imbibed the love of adventure and went 
 out as a trapper. During Bridger's visit to the post he tol^ 
 Meldrum what he had seen the year before, and that young 
 man was fired with an ambition to go into that country. He 
 soon after joined the Crows, and it was while living with 
 these people that he found an opportunity to investigate the 
 wonders around Yellowstone Lake. In later years he often 
 talked with army ofScers and others about the geysers, and 
 for a wonder his stories were believed. 
 
 General Ashley sold out his interests in the mountains 
 to Captain William Sublette, Robert Campbell, James 
 Bridger and others and retired from business, as he had 
 accumulated a fortune. Sublette was at the head of the 
 
Ashley's Trappers in Wyoming. 127 
 
 new company. Fitzpatrick was retained by the Captain and 
 his operations for the next few years covered a large part 
 of the northern Rocky Mountain country. 
 
 After the sale of his interest, General Ashley visited 
 his trappers in the mountains for the last time and while 
 at the rendezvous the Blackf eet attacked a village of Snake 
 Indians, near the camp. The trappers, headed by Captain 
 Sublette, went to the assistance of the Snakes and with 
 right good will lent their aid to their Indian allies. Over 
 300 trappers mounted their horses, wheeled into line and 
 swept down upon the Indians, and 173 of the Blackf eet 
 were slain. The trappers had in this engagement eight men 
 wounded, but none were killed. 
 
 General Ashley returned to St. Louis with two hundred 
 packs of beaver, worth at that time about |1,000 a pack. 
 Mountain men for many years talked about General Ashley's 
 farewell speech to his trappers, and the following is re- 
 ported to be what he said : 
 
 "Mountaineers and friends: When I first came to the 
 mountains, I came a poor man. You, by your indefatigable 
 exertions, toils and privations, have procured me an inde- 
 pendent fortune. With ordinary prudence in the manage- 
 ment of what I have accumulated, I shall never want for 
 anything. For this, my friends, I feel myself under great 
 obligations to you. Many of you have served me personally, 
 and I shall always be proud to testify to the fidelity with 
 which you have stood by me through all danger, and the 
 friendly and brotherly feeling which you have ever, one and 
 all, evinced toward me. For these faithful and devoted ser- 
 vices I wish you to accept my thanks. The gratitude that I 
 express to you springs from my heart, and will ever retain a 
 lively hold on my feelings. My friends, I am now about to 
 leave you, to take up my abode in St. Louis. Whenever any 
 of you return thither, your first duty must be to call at my 
 house, to talk over the scenes of peril we have encountered, 
 and partake of the best cheer my table can afFord you. I 
 now wash my hands of the toils of the Rocky Mountains. 
 Farewell, mountaineers and friends! May God bless vou 
 all." 
 
 General Ashley, by his strong personality, completely 
 revolutionized the methods of trapping. From the infancy 
 
128 History of Wyoming- 
 
 of the business in the Canadas and the rivers and lakes in 
 the Northwest, the trapper had journeyed in canoes. Ash- 
 ley mounted his men on horseback and he employed none 
 but expert riders and those who could handle a rille with 
 deadly effect. Every man was expected to defend himself 
 against Indians while he looked after his traps. This plac- 
 ing of the trapper on horseback completely changed the 
 white man as it had done the Indian before him. These 
 trappers soon became as expert in horsemanship as the red- 
 man, and being better armed, the Indian was no match for 
 him, yet in spite of his advantage over the red man, the 
 latter soon found means to wage a war almost to extermina- 
 tion on the trappers. The savages learned to know the 
 routes as well as the resorts of the white men on horseback, 
 and they made war by waylaying them on their journey. 
 They hovered about their camps and made life with them 
 a perpetual warfare. This in time resulted in greatly deci- 
 mating the ranks of the trappers. It is reported that three- 
 fifths of all the men who served under Ashley, Sublette, 
 Campbell, Bridger and Fitzpatrick were killed by Indians 
 and the most of them were cut off while examining their 
 traps, and yet the fascination of a mountain life kept the 
 ranks recruited and the businss of fur trapping up to the 
 full standard until the streams were depleted of fur-bearing 
 animals. 
 
 To tell the story of General Ashley and his men while in 
 the mountains would require numerous volumes. I have 
 simply sketched some of the leading events in the life of 
 this wonderful man, whose favorite trapping and trading 
 grounds in the west were in Wyoming. 
 
 The American trappers and traders of Ashley and his 
 followers had much to do with the early history of Wyoming. 
 These intrepid men laid the foundation upon which was 
 built in after years a magnificent civilization. I regret ex- 
 ceedingly that so many of the brave men who followed 
 these renowned leaders are unknown today. The names of a 
 few of the many I have been able to rescue from oblivion, 
 but the great army, the advance guard of civilization, the 
 
Ashley's Trappers in Wyoming. 129 
 
 heroes who risked and often lost their lives in the moun- 
 tains — even their names are forgotten. In these pages I 
 shall present and give an account of various trapping and 
 trading expeditions within the borders of what is now Wyo- 
 ming, which I have been enabled to gather from many 
 sources. They are all a part of our history and the story 
 of their achievements and their sufferings rightfully belongs 
 in these pages side by side with other heroes who completed 
 the work of planting civilization in these mountains and on 
 these plains. It might be claimed, and perhaps truly, that 
 it was the "accursed thirst for gold" that induced these men 
 to brave the dangers of a rigorous climate, the wild men 
 of the mountains, hunger and thirst, but after all it was the 
 beginning of all that came after. In all ages of the world 
 gold has been the ambition of the race, and to secure it men 
 have been willing to suffer every hardship, endure every 
 privation and encounter every danger. The American trap- 
 per followed an occupation fraught with great peril, and 
 hundreds of these brave men met death along the many 
 streams throughout our borders. Death stared them in the 
 face every hour in the day and often at night, and yet they 
 went forward with a splendid courage worthy of their citi- 
 zenship. They crossed every mountain, traversed every val- 
 ley, and it was largely through the reports of these trappers 
 that our rich valleys and grand resources were made known. 
 If these men fell by the wayside, their bones were left to 
 bleach where they died. Few of them were even honored 
 by having their names given to either mountain or stream, 
 but in spite of neglect they were heroes, every one. 
 
 General William H. Ashley was bom in Virginia and 
 moved to Missouri while it was still called Upper Louisiana. 
 When the state was organized he was elected Lieutenant- 
 Governor and was made Brigadier-General of militia. He 
 lived to a good old age and at his residence in St. Louis he 
 always made his mountain associates welcome. 
 
 -(9) 
 
130 History of Wyoming- 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 FUR TRAPPERS AND TRADERS. 
 
 Capt. William Sublette Succeeds Gen. Ashley — He Organizes the 
 Rocky Mountain Fur Company with Jedediah S. Smith, Datid 
 E. Jackson and Others as Partners — Brilliant Campaigns 
 Planned and Carried out — Names Jackson's Hole and Lake 
 — Introduces Wagons into the Service in Wyoming — Capt. Na- 
 thaniel J. Wyeth — Battle of Pierre's Hole — Death of Van- 
 
 DERBURG BrIDGER'S AfFAIR WITH THE CHIEF OF THE BlACKFEET — 
 
 Success Attends the Fur Trade. 
 
 It has been explained that General Ashley sold out his 
 interests in the Rocky Mountain trapping and trading en- 
 terprise in the year 1826. His was not an incorporated com- 
 pany, and yet he had a number of partners, wealthy men of 
 St. Louis, among which were Wamdorf, Tracy, Campbell, 
 Green, Biddle and some three or four others. General Ash- 
 ley on his last trip to the rendezvous at Green River brought 
 out from St. Louis with him a large amount of supplies, 
 which were turned over to Captain Sublette and made a 
 part of the deal. Jedediah S. Smith was the real promoter 
 of the new company, for he it was who had talked the matter 
 of the purchase over with not only Sublette but with General 
 Ashley, and yet at the time the deal was consummated he 
 was off on a trapping expedition and had not been heard 
 from for nearly a year, but Sublette did not hesitate to act 
 for his absent partner. The Rocky Mountain Fur Company 
 had been organized during the previous winter, in anticipa- 
 tion of the purchase of the Ashley interest. The three men 
 who held a majority of the stock in the new company were 
 David E. Jackson, Captain William Sublette and Jedediah 
 S. Smith. There were other partners holding small inter- 
 ests, the largest of which was Robert Campbell's. 
 
 Captain Sublette, finding himself at the head of a pow- 
 erful organization and in a position suited to his tastes, did 
 
Fur Trappers and Traders. 131 
 
 Bot hesitate to act promptly. With his great dash, execu- 
 tive ability and fearless daring, he entered upon a cam. 
 paign which was to be more extensive than any which had 
 preceded it. He organized his force into thirty brigades 
 and appointed the next rendezvous to be on Wind River 
 near the mouth of the Popo Agie. Robert Campbell was one 
 of his ablest leaders, and Thomas Fitzpatrick was next 
 trusty lieutenant; then came Moses Harris, Jim Bridger 
 and Jim Beckwourth. The latter was regarded as a brave 
 young man, but reckless. He took great pleasure in scalp, 
 ing an Indian and would often neglect the trapping part of 
 the service to indulge in this sort of luxury. This season 
 they trapped in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and far north 
 into Montana. Upon the whole the campaign was a very 
 successful one. The Snakes, Crows, Flatheads, Sioux and 
 several other tribes brought in a large number of peltries 
 which added to the general stock and made the shipment of 
 furs that year very large. 
 
 The year 1827 was marked with still more activity. 
 Sublette that season had under his command 400 trappers. 
 He brought into the country a large amount of merchandise 
 which he managed to dispose of at remunerative prices by 
 operating on a grand scale in a large territory. A number 
 of outside Indian tribes, for the sake of getting goods, 
 showed a disposition to be friendly. These brought in furs 
 and exchanged them for commodities of which they were 
 in need. The Indians seemed to awake to a consciousness 
 of the power of merchandise. They realized that furs would 
 procure for their use many luxuries as well as necessities. 
 The rendezvous this season was at Horse Creek, on Green 
 River, and here assembled the largest gathering of Indians 
 that had so far been known in the history of the fur trade. 
 After the goods had been distributed, Sublette went to St. 
 Louis to organize the campaign for 1828, but his able lieu- 
 tenants, in his absence, pushed both trapping and trading. 
 They penetrated far into the recesses of the mountains and 
 made a good showing in peltries for the year. 
 
 In the springs of 1828 Captain Sublette made a rapid 
 
132 History of Wyoming- 
 
 movement toward the mountains, bringing with him the 
 usual amount of merchandise. After the rendezvous, he ac- 
 companied Bridger up Snake River and for the first time 
 beheld the beautiful valley and lake over which the Grand 
 Tetons stand as sentinels. He named both the valley and 
 the lake after his partner, David E. Jackson, and thus we 
 have on the map of Wyoming Jackson's Hole and Jackson's 
 Lake. 
 
 The following season the rendezvous was at the mouth 
 of the Popo Agie and the gathering was a large one. Gap- 
 tain Sublette brought out that year fourteen wagons loaded 
 with merchandise. The wagons were drawn by mules and 
 the load for each vehicle was 1,800 pounds. This mode of 
 hauling goods into the mountains produced a decided sen- 
 sation among the trappers, and the Indians looked upon the 
 long train as something quite beyond their comprehension. 
 
 Here we have the first wagons brought into Wyoming. 
 They followed the North Platte and the Sweetwater but did 
 not cross the continental divide; yet they proved that ve- 
 hicles could go as far west as the Wind River Valley. These 
 were loaded with peltries and returned to St. Louis, making 
 a successful trip. There were stormy times that season 
 with the Blackfeet. These marauders that autumn managed 
 to cut off a number of small parties of trappers of the Rocky 
 Mountain Fur Company. Robert Gampbell, with thirty-one 
 men, had a desperate fight with the Blackfeet at the junction 
 of Guy's Fork and Salt River and succeeded in killing a large 
 number of them without sustaining any great injury. Jim 
 Bridger, during this same season, at the head of about two 
 hundred trappers, attacked a large force forty miles west of 
 the Green River crossing, and after a pitched battle the In- 
 dians were defeated. Fitzpatrick that same year had a num- 
 ber of Indian difficulties and lost some of his men. The In- 
 dian situation had become, upon the whole, very annoying 
 and while at the rendezvous that year Captain Sublette gave 
 it as his opinion that the time had come to declare a war of 
 extermination against all troublesome Indians, and for the 
 purpose of waging such a war successfully, he went to St. 
 
Fur Trappers and Traders. 133 
 
 Louis to recruit for his service one hundred Kentucky rifle- 
 men. These were brought the next year and they had abun- 
 dant opportunity during 1830 to display their marksman- 
 ship. The trapping brigades were increased in size and 
 strict watch was kept upon the movements of all suspicious 
 Indians. The Blackfeet, Sioux, Cheyennes and some of the 
 more western tribes were placed upon the list as Indians 
 who were not to be trusted. That year the Crows, while 
 they did not make open war, gave more or less trouble. 
 They would watch Campbell's men set their traps along 
 Powder River and its tributaries and then go and steal them. 
 At last two trappers were killed, and this brought the cli- 
 max. The Crows had been in the habit of visiting Camp- 
 bell's camp, and when they were told of the trap stealing 
 that was going on they charged it to the Cheyennes, who 
 they said were in the country north of the Powder River. 
 When the trappers were killed they charged these murders 
 to the same tribe. Jim Bridger, who was present, gave it as 
 his opinion that the Crows were not only the thieves but the 
 murderers, and he was in favor of bringing swift retribution 
 to that tribe. Campbell was evidently of the same opinion 
 as Bridger, but he did not care to act hastily, as the Crows 
 were numerous. He preferred not to bring on an open war, 
 so he sent for a number of the chiefs and told them that 
 some of his men felt certain that the Crow Indians were 
 responsible for all the troubles and that while he was not 
 altogether satisfied he feared that his men would kill every 
 Indian they saw prowling around, no matter whether they 
 were Crows or Cheyennes. This he said would be very bad, 
 for the long guns of the trappers would shoot a great dis- 
 tance. He hoped that the chiefs would assist him in keep- 
 ing the peace, which could only be done by preventing the 
 stealing of traps and the killing of trappers. 
 
 The chiefs said they were absolutely certain that the 
 Crows had not done the mischief, and they were equally 
 certain that the Cheyennes were the guilty parties. They 
 proposed to protect the trappers against these bad Indians 
 and to this end they would send out scouting parties, locate 
 
134 History of Wyoming- 
 
 the Cheyennes and then with sufficient force drive them 
 from the country. After that Campbell's trappers suffered 
 no more from Indian depredations. The incidents of that 
 summer are too numerous to even mention. Every band of 
 trappers had their story of adventure to relate at the ren- 
 dezvous. The American Fur Company, of which Mr. Astor 
 was the head, .had established a post on the Yellowstone 
 and had distributed many trappers up the various streams, 
 reaching even the southern borders of Wyoming. With 
 these Sublette made common cause against the Indians and 
 for a time held the marauding bands in check, and thus the 
 fall of 1830 passed. 
 
 The two companies were represented in the mountains 
 toy what were called resident partners. Fitzpatrick and 
 Bridger were the partners of the Eocky Mountain Fur Com- 
 pany and in consequence of their position remained in the 
 mountains the year round, and Vanderburgh and Dripps 
 were the resident partners of the American Fur Company. 
 Fontenelle was also a leader of this company. 
 
 The rendezvous in 1831 was at Pierre's Hole* for both 
 the American Fur Company and the Rocky Mountain Fur 
 Company. The Indians were not disposed to be entirely 
 peaceable, but the year passed by without any serious en- 
 counter. To the practiced eye of William Sublette, and also 
 Robert Campbell, there was trouble ahead; but as they were 
 prepared to meet it, were content to await results. Sub- 
 lette and Campbell spent the winter of 1831-32 in St. Louis 
 and returned to the mountains in the early spring. 
 
 The year 1832 was one of great activity in Wyoming 
 among the fur traders and trappers. Several hundred men 
 were engaged in this calling along our various streams. 
 Captain Bonneville came that season with his 110 men. The 
 American Fur Company gave employment to fully as many 
 more within our borders. The Rocky Mountain Fur Com- 
 
 •The name " Pierre's Hole" is derived irom an incident tliat occurred in the early part of 
 the century. A party of Iroquois hunters in the employ of the Hudson Bay Company wandered 
 into that locality and were there attacked by a fierce band of Blackfeet. Many were killed on 
 ^m„„!;,tl*r°'i- ."^i °"i"I''°«'2''' ?'■="«■ was among the slain. He wis a noted man 
 among the Indian mbes and a firm finend to the whites. In consequence of the death at this 
 -chieftam m this valley his name was given to the locality. It is now called Teton Basin. 
 
Fur Trappers and Traders. 135 
 
 pany kept about 150 men within the territory that is now 
 Wyoming, and in addition to these there were a dozen bands 
 of free trappers numbering from fifteen to thirty men each. 
 The competition was great, but when there were savages to 
 fight they acted as brothers in one common cause. The vari- 
 ous tribes who followed trapping added to the sum total of 
 the men engaged in exterminating the fur-bearing animals. 
 The caravan of Captain Sublette and Kobert Campbell 
 started that year from Independence, Missouri. There were 
 sixty men in the outfit, nearly all of them being recruits. 
 As they were about ready to leave, a company from Boston, 
 commanded by Nathaniel J. Wyeth, arrived, bound for the 
 Columbia river. Captain Sublette's men were much amused 
 at the sight of these "down-easters." They had heard of 
 them before. The newspapers of St. Louis had given an 
 account of the plans and purposes of the Wyeth expedition. 
 They had started out of New England with twenty-two per- 
 sons and with a vehicle that was only half vehicle; that is, 
 it ran on wheels on the land, and when water was reached it 
 was intended to be turned upside down and the top form a 
 boat; but this half land and half water combination had 
 been abandoned at St. Louis. Not one of Captain Wyeth's 
 company had ever been west or had seen a wild Indian, and 
 being city-bred were unaccustomed to the use of fire-arms, 
 nor had they any experience in horsemanship. They were 
 men of theory, not practice, but many of them were college 
 graduates. Two of Mr. Wyeth's brothers, John and Jacob, 
 were members of his company. I am particular to mention 
 these New Englanders, as they are to be heard from in a 
 few short weeks in Wyoming. Mr. Wyeth furnished the 
 capital to fit out the expedition, and his purpose was to es- 
 tablish a post on the Columbia river and trade for salmon 
 and furs. He made up in enterprise for what he lacked in 
 experience, and like most educated New England men, soon 
 "caught on" and found no difficulty in being of use to him- 
 self and others in the west. He possessed ability of a high 
 order and his courage was soon to be tested in the wilds of 
 Green River and Pierre's Hole. Captain Sublette evidently 
 
136 History of Wyoming- 
 
 had great respect for this man from Boston and he invited 
 him to go in convoy of his train, which was ready to depart 
 for the annual rendezvous in Pierre's Hole. The combined 
 party started out and pursued the now well worn route up 
 the Platte. On the way west Captain Wyeth and his men 
 picked up many ideas regarding conditions in the Eocky 
 Mountains and they learned something of horsemanship 
 and how to shoot buffalo and other wild animals, and what 
 is equally important, they learned of the treacherous charac- 
 ter of the wild tribes who infested the mountains. 
 
 Robert Campbell in 1835 gave Washington Irving an 
 account of this trip and what befell the party when they 
 reached the mountains, so I will use this story of Campbell, 
 taking up the narrative after the cavalcade had come to the 
 eastern border of Wyoming. 
 
 "In the course of their march, Mr. Fitzpatrick, the part- 
 ner of the company who was resident at that time lieyond 
 the mountains, came down from the rendezvous at Pierre's 
 Hole to meet them and hurry them forward. He traveled in 
 company with them until they reached the Sweetwater; 
 then taking a couple of horses, one for the saddle and the 
 other as a pack-horse, he started off express for Pierre's Hole 
 to make arrangements against their arrival, that he might 
 commence his hunting campaign before the rival company. 
 Fitzpatrick was a hardy and experienced mountaineer, and 
 knew all the passes and defiles. As he was pursuing his 
 lonely course up the Green River Valley, he descried several 
 horsemen at a distance and came to a halt to reconnoitre. 
 He supposed them to be some detachment from the rendez- 
 vous, or a party of friendly Indians. They perceived him, 
 and setting up the war whoop dashed forward at full speed. 
 He saw at once his mistake and his peril — they were Black- 
 feet. Springing on his fleetest horse and abandoning the 
 other to the enemy, he made for the mountains and succeed- 
 ed in escaping up one of the most dangerous defiles. Here 
 he concealed himself until he thought the Indians had gone 
 off, when he returned into the valley. He was again pur- 
 sued, lost his remaining horse, and only escaped by scramb- 
 ling up among the cliffs. For several days he remained 
 lurking among rocks and precipices and almost famished, 
 having but one remaining charge in his rifle, which he kept 
 for self-defense. 
 
Fur Trappers and Traders. 137 
 
 "In the meantime, Sublette and Campbell, with their 
 fellow-traveler, Wyeth, had pursued their march unmo- 
 lested and arrived in the Green Eiver Valley, totally uncon- 
 scious that there was any lurking enemy on hand. They had 
 encamped one night on the banks of a small stream which 
 came down from the Wind River Mountains, when about 
 midnight a band of Indians burst upon their camp, with hor- 
 rible yells and whoops, and a discharge of guns and arrows. 
 Happily no other harm was done than wounding one mule, 
 and causing several horses to break loose from their pickets. 
 The camp was instantly in arms; but the Indians retreated 
 with yells of exultation, carrying oflE several of the horses 
 under cover of the the night. 
 
 "This was somewhat of a disagreeable foretaste of 
 mountain life to some of Wyeth's band, accustomed only to 
 the regular and peaceful life of New England; nor was it 
 altogether to the taste of Captain Sublette's men, who were 
 chiefly Creoles and townsmen of St. Louis. They continued 
 their march the next morning, keeping scouts ahead and 
 upon their flanks, and arrived without further molestation 
 at Pierre's Hole. 
 
 "The first inquiry of Captain Sublette on reaching 
 the rendezvous was for Fitzpatrick. He had not arrived, nor 
 had any intelligence been received respecting him. Great 
 uneasiness was now entertained lest he should have fallen 
 into the hands of the Blackfeet who had made the midnight 
 attack upon the camp. It was a matter of general joy, there- 
 fore, when he made his appearance conducted by two Iro- 
 quois half-breed hunters. He had lurked for several days 
 among the mountains until almost starved; at length he 
 escaped the vigilance of his enemies in the night, and was so 
 fortunate as to meet the two Iroquois hunters, who, being on 
 horseback, conveyed him without difficulty to the rendez- 
 vous. He arrived there so emaciated that he could scarcely 
 be recognized. 
 
 "The valley called Pierre's Hole is about thirty miles in 
 length and fifteen in width, bounded to the west and south 
 by low and broken ridges, and overlooked to the east by 
 three lofty mountains called the three Tetons, which domi- 
 neer as landmarks over a vast extent of country. 
 
 "A fine stream, fed by rivulets and mountain springs, 
 pours through the valley towards the north, dividing it into 
 nearly equal parts. The meadows on its borders are broad 
 and extensive, covered with willow and cottonwood trees, 
 
138 History of Wyoming-. 
 
 so closely interlocked and matted together as to be nearly 
 impassable. 
 
 "In this valley was collected the motley populace con- 
 nected with the fur trade. Here the two rival companies 
 had their encampments, with their retainers of all kinds; 
 traders, trappers, hunters and half-breeds assembled from 
 all quarters, awaiting their yearly supplies and their orders 
 to start off in new directions. Here also the savage tribes 
 connected with the trade, the Nez Perces or Ohopunnish In- 
 dians, and Flatheads, had pitched their lodges beside the 
 streams, and with their squaws awaited the distribution of 
 goods and finery. There was, moreover, a band of fifteen 
 free trappers, commanded by a gallant leader from Arkan- 
 sas named Sinclare, who held their encampment a little 
 apart from the rest. Such was the wild and heterogeneous 
 assemblage, amounting to several hundred men, civilized 
 and savage, distributed in tents and lodges in the several 
 camps. 
 
 "The arrival of Captain Sublette with supplies put the 
 Rocky Mountain Fur Company in full activity. The wares 
 and merchandise were quickly opened and as quickly dis- 
 posed of to Indians and trappers ; the usual excitement and 
 revelry took place, after which all hands began to disperse 
 to their several destinations. 
 
 "On the 17th of July a small brigade of fourteen trap- 
 pers, led by Milton Sublette, brother of the Captain, set out 
 with the intention of proceeding to the southwest. They 
 were accompanied by Sinclare and his fifteen free trappers; 
 Wyeth, also, and his New England band of beaver hunters 
 and salmon fishers, now dwindled down to eleven, took this 
 opportunity to prosecute their cruise in the wilderness, 
 accompanied with such experienced pilots. On the first 
 day they proceeded about eight miles to the southeast 
 and encamped for the night, still in the valley of 
 Pierre's Hole. On the following morning, just as they 
 were raising their camp, they observed a long line of people 
 pouring down a defile of the mountains. They at first sup- 
 posed they were Fontenelle and his party, whose arrival had 
 been daily expected. Wyeth, however, reconnoitered them 
 with a spy-glass and soon perceived they were Indians. 
 They were divided into two parties, forming in the whole 
 about one hundred and fifty persons, men, women and chil- 
 dren. Some were on horseback, fantastically painted and 
 arrayed, with scarlet blankets fluttering in the wind. The 
 greater part, however, were on foot. They had perceived the 
 
Fur Trappers and Traders. 139 
 
 trappers before they were themselves discovered, and came 
 down yelling and whooping into the plain. On nearer ap- 
 proach they were ascertained to be Blackfeet. One of the 
 trappers of Sublette's brigade, a half-breed named Antoine 
 Godin, now mounted his horse and rode forth as if to hold a 
 conference. He was the son of an Iroquois hunter who had 
 been cruelly murdered by the Blackfeet at a small stream 
 below the mountains, which still bears his name. In com 
 pany with Antoine rode forth a Flathead Indian, whose 
 once powerful tribe had been completely broken down in 
 their wars with the Blackfeet. Both of them, therefore, 
 cherished the most vengeful hostility against these maraud- 
 ers of the mountains. The Blackfeet came to a halt. One 
 of the chiefs advanced singly and unarmed, bearing the pipe 
 of peace. This overture was certainly pacific; but Antoine 
 and the Flathead were predisposed to hostility, and pre- 
 tended to consider it a treacherous movement. 
 
 " 'Is your piece charged?' said Antoine to his red com- 
 panion. 
 
 " 'It is.' 
 
 " 'Then cock it and follow me.' 
 
 "They met the Blackfoot chief half way, who extended 
 his hand in friendship. Antoine grasped it. 
 
 " 'Fire!' cried he. 
 
 "The Flathead leveled his piece and brought the Black- 
 foot to the ground. Antoine snatched off his scarlet blan- 
 ket, which was richly ornamented, and galloped off with it 
 as a trophy to the camp, the bullets of the enemy whistling 
 after him. The Indians immediately threw themselves into 
 the edge of a swamp, among willows and cottonwood trees, 
 interwoven with vines. Here they began to fortify them- 
 selves; the women digging a trench and throwing up a 
 breastwork of logs and branches, deep hid in the bosom of 
 the wood, while the warriors skirmished at the edge to keep 
 the trappers at bay. 
 
 "The latter took their position in a ravine in front, 
 whence they kept up a scattering fire. As to Wyeth and his 
 little band of 'down-easters,' they were perfectly astounded 
 by this second specimen of life in the wilderness; the men 
 being especially unused to bush-fighting and the use of rifles 
 were at a loss how to proceed. Wyeth, however, acted as a 
 skillfu] commander. He got all his horses into camp and 
 secured them; then making a breastwork of his packs of 
 goods, he charged his men to remain in garrison and not to 
 stir out of their fort. For himself, he mingled with the other 
 
140 History of Wyoming- 
 
 leaders, determined to take his share in the conflict. In the 
 meantime an express had been sent off to the rendezvous 
 for reinforcements. Captain Snblette and his associate, 
 Campbell, were at their camp when the express came gallop- 
 ing across the plain, waving his cap and giving the alarm, 
 'BJackfeet! Blackfeet! a fight in the upper part of the valley! 
 to arms! to arms!' 
 
 "The alarm was passed from camp to camp. It was a 
 common cause. Every one turned out with horse and rifle. 
 The Nez Perces and Flatheads joined. As fast as horseman 
 could arm and mount he galloped off; the valley was soon 
 alive with white men and red men at full speed. 
 
 "Sublette ordered his men to keep to the camp, being 
 recruits from St. Louis and unused to Indian warfare. He 
 and his friend Campbell prepared for action. Throwing off 
 their coats, rolling up their sleeves and arming themselves 
 with pistols and rifles, they mounted their horses and dashed 
 forward among the first. As they rode along, they made 
 their wills, in soldier-like style; each stating how his effects 
 should be disposed of in case of his death, and appointing 
 the other his executor. 
 
 "The Blackfeet warriors had supposed the brigade of 
 Milton Sublette all the foes they had to deal with, and were 
 astonished to behold the whole valley suddenly swarming 
 with horsemen galloping to the field of action. They with- 
 drew into their fort, which was completely hid from sight in 
 the dark and tangled woods. Most of their women and chil- 
 dren had retreated to the mountains. The trappers now 
 sallied forth and approached the swamp, firing into the 
 thickets at random; the Blackfeet had a better sight at their 
 adversaries, who were in the open field, and a half-breed was 
 wounded in the shoulder. 
 
 "When Captain Sublette arrived he urged to penetrate 
 the swamp and storm the fort, but all hung back in awe of 
 the dismal horrors of the place and the dangers of attacking 
 such desperadoes in their savage den. The very Indian al- 
 lies, though accustomed to bush-fighting, regarded it as al- 
 most impenetrable and full of frightful danger. Sublette 
 was not to be turned from his purpose, and offered to lead 
 the way into the swamp. Campbell stepped forward to ac- 
 company him. Before entering the perilous wood, Sublette 
 took his brothers aside and told them in case he fell, Camp- 
 bell, who knew his will, was to be his executor. This done 
 he grasped his rifle and pushed into the thicket, followed by 
 Campbell. Sinclair, the partisan from Arkansas, was at the 
 
Fur Trappers and Traders. 141 
 
 edge of the wood with his brother and a few of his men. 
 Excited by the gallant example of the two friends, he pressed 
 forward to share their dangers. 
 
 "The swamp was produced by the labors of the beaver, 
 which by damming up a stream had inundated a portion of 
 the valley. The place was all overgrown with woods and 
 thickets, so closely matted and entangled that it was im- 
 possible to see ten paces ahead, and the three associates in 
 peril had to crawl along one after another, making their way 
 by putting the branches and vines aside, but doing it with 
 caution, lest they should attract the eye of some lurking 
 marksman. They took the lead by turns, each advancing 
 about twenty yards at a time, and now and then hallooing 
 to their men to follow. Some of the latter gradually entered 
 the swamp and followed a little distance in their rear. 
 
 "They had now reached a more open part of the wood 
 and caught glimpses of the rude fortress from between the 
 trees. It was a mere breastwork, as we have said, of logs 
 and branches, with blankets, buffalo robes and the leathern 
 covers of lodges extended round the top as a screen. The 
 movements of their leaders, as they groped their way, had 
 been (Jescried by the sharp-sighted enemy. As Sinclare, who 
 was in the advance, was putting some branches aside, he 
 was shot through the body. He fell on the spot. 'Take me 
 to my brother,' he said to Campbell. The latter gave him in 
 charge of some of the men, who conveyed him out of the 
 swamp. Sublette now took the advance. As he was recon- 
 noitering the fort he perceived an Indian peeping through 
 an aperture. In an instant his rifle was leveled and dis- 
 charged and the ball struck the savage in the eye. While he 
 was reloading he called to Campbell and pointed out to him 
 the hole. 'Watch that place,' said he, 'and you will soon 
 have a fair chance for a shot.' Scarce had he uttered the 
 words when a ball struck him in the shoulder and almost 
 wheeled him around. His first thought was to take hold of 
 his arm with his other hand and move it up and down. He 
 ascertained, to his satisfaction, that the bone was not 
 broken. The next moment he was so faint that he could not 
 stand. Campbell took him in his arms and carried him out 
 of the thicket. The same shot that struck Sublette wounded 
 another man in the head. 
 
 "A brisk fire was now opened by the mountaineers from 
 the wood, answered occasionally from the fort. Unluckily 
 the trappers and their allies, in searching for the fort, had 
 got scattered so that Wyeth and a number of Nez Percea 
 
142 History of Wyoming- 
 
 approached the fort on the northwest side, while others did 
 the same on the opposite quarter. A crossfire thus took 
 place which occasionally did mischief to friends as well as 
 foes. An Indian was shot down close to Wyeth by a ball 
 which, he was convinced, had been sped from the rifle of a 
 trapper on the other side of the fort. 
 
 "The number of whites and their Indian allies had by 
 this time so increased by arrivals from the rendezvous that 
 the Blackfeet were completely overmatched. They kept 
 doggedly in their fort, however, making no offer of surren- 
 der. An occasional firing into the breastwork was kept up 
 during the day. Now and then one of the Indian allies, in 
 bravado, would rush up to the fort, fire over the ramparts, 
 tear off a buffalo robe or a scarlet blanket, and return with 
 it in triumph to his comrades. Most of the savage garrison 
 that fell, however, were killed in the first part of the attack. 
 At one time it was resolved to set fire to the fort, and the 
 squaws belonging to the allies were employed to collect com- 
 bustibles. This, however, was abandoned, the Nez Perces 
 being unwilling to destroy the robes and blankets and other 
 spoils of the enemy, which they felt sure would fall into 
 their hands. 
 
 "The Indians when fighting are prone to taunt and re- 
 vile each other. During one of the pauses of the battle the 
 voice of the Blackfeet chief was heard. 
 
 " 'So long,' said he, 'as we had powder and ball we 
 fought you in the open field; when those were spent, we 
 retreated here to die with our women and children. You 
 may burn us in our fort; but stay by our ashes and you who 
 are so hungry for fighting will soon have enough. There are 
 four hundred lodges of our brethren at hand. They will 
 soon be here — their arms are strong — their hearts are big — 
 they will avenge us!' 
 
 "This speech was translated two or three times by Nez 
 Perces and Creole interpreters. By the time it was rendered 
 into English, the chief was made to say that four hundred 
 lodges of his tribe were attacking the encampment at the 
 other end of the valley. Everyone now was for hurrying to 
 the defense of the rendezvous. A party was left to keep 
 watch upon the fort; the rest galloped off to the camp. As 
 night came on the trappers drew out of the swamp and re- 
 mained about the skirt of the wood. By morning their com- 
 panions returned from the rendezvous with the report that 
 all was safe. As the day opened, they ventured within the 
 swamp and approached the fort. All was silent. They ad- 
 
Fu/r Trappers and Traders. 143 
 
 vanced up to it without opposition. They entered; it had 
 been abandoned in the night, and the Blackfeet had effected 
 their retreat, carrying off their wounded on litters made of 
 branches, leaving bloody traces on the herbage. The bodies 
 of ten Indians were found within the fort; among them the 
 one shot in the eye by Sublette. The Blackfeet afterwards 
 reported that they had lost twenty-six warriors in this bat- 
 tle. Thirty-two horses were likewise found killed; among 
 them were some of those recently carried off from Sublette's 
 party in the night, which showed that these were the very 
 savages that had attacked him. They proved to be an ad- 
 vance party of the main body of Blackfeet which had been 
 upon the trail of Sublette's party. Five white men and one 
 half-breed were killed, and several wounded. Seven of the 
 Nez Perces were also killed, and six wounded. They had an 
 old chief who was reputed as invulnerable. In the course of 
 the action he was hit by a spent ball, and threw up blood; 
 but his skin was unbroken. His people were now fully con- 
 vinced that he was proof against powder and ball. 
 
 "A striking circumstance is related as having occurred 
 the morning after the battle. As some of the trappers and 
 their Indian allies were approaching the fort, through the 
 woods they beheld an Indian woman, of noble form and fea- 
 tures, leaning against a tree. Their surprise at her linger- 
 ing here alone, to fall into the hands of her enemies, was dis- 
 pelled when they saw the corpse of a warrior at her feet. 
 Either she was so lost in grief as not to perceive their ap- 
 proach, or a proud spirit kept her silent and motionless. 
 The Indians set up a yell on discovering her, and before the 
 trappers could interfere her mangled body fell upon the 
 corpse which she had refused to abandon. We have heard 
 this anecdote discredited by one of the leaders who had been 
 in the battle; but the fact may have taken place without 
 his seeing it, and been concealed from him. It is an instance 
 of female devotion, even to the death, which we are well 
 disposed to believe and record. 
 
 "After the battle, the brigade of Milton Sublette, to- 
 gether with the free trappers and Wyeth's New England 
 band, remained some days at the rendezvous to see if the 
 main body of Blackfeet intended to make an attack ; nothing 
 of the kind occurring, they once more put themselves in mo- 
 tion and proceeded on their route toward the southwest. 
 
 Captain Sublette having distributed his supplies, had 
 intended to set off on his return to St. Louis, taking with 
 him the peltries collected from the trappers and Indians. 
 
144 History of Wyoming- 
 
 His wound, however, obliged him to postpone his departure. 
 Several who were to have accompanied him became impa- 
 tient at this delay. Among these was a young Bostonian, 
 Mr. Joseph More, one of the followers of Mr. Wyeth, who 
 had seen enough of mountain life and savage warfare, and 
 was eager to return to the abodes of civilization. He and 
 six others, among whom were a Mr. Foy of Mississippi, Mr. 
 Alfred K. Stephens of St. Louis and two grandsons of the 
 celebrated Daniel Boone, set out together, in advance of 
 Sublette's party, thinking they would make their own way 
 through the mountains. 
 
 "It was just five days after the battle of the swamp 
 that these seven companions were making their way through 
 Jackson's Hole, a valley not far from the three Tetons, when, 
 as they were descending a hill, a party of Blackfeet that lay 
 in ambush started up with terrific yells. The horse of the 
 young Bostonian, who was in front, wheeled round with af- 
 fright and threw his unskillful rider. The young man 
 scrambled up the side of the hill, but, unaccustomed to 
 such wild scenes, lost his presence of mind and stood as if 
 paralyzed on the edge of a bank until the Blackfeet came 
 up and slew him on the spot. His comrades had fled on the 
 first alarm; but two of them, Foy and Stephens, seeing his 
 danger, paused when they got half way up the hill, turned 
 back, dismounted, and hastened to his assistance. Foy was 
 instantly killed. Stephens was severely wounded but es- 
 caped to die five days afterwards. The survivors returned 
 to the camp of Captain Sublette, bringing tidings of this new 
 disaster. That hardy leader, as soon as he could bear the 
 journey, set out on his return to St. Louis, accompanied by 
 Campbell. As they had a number of pack horses richly laden 
 with peltries to convoy, they chose a different route through 
 the mountains, out of the way, as they hoped, of the lurking 
 bands of Blackfeet. They succeeded in making the frontier 
 in safety." 
 
 I have seen a number of accounts of this fight, and all 
 of them charge the white men with being the aggressors. 
 Rev. Samuel Parker, who passed over the battlefield in 1835, 
 says that the battle was not much to the honor of civilized 
 Americans. Other writers speak in the same vein; but all 
 these seem to lose sight of the fact that the various bands 
 that were included under the name Blackfeet never lost an 
 opportunity to cowardly murder a white man when they 
 
Fur Trappers and Traders. 145 
 
 came upon him in a defenseless condition. The trappers had 
 suffered so often and so severely at the hands of these ma- 
 rauders and murderers it is no wonder that they learned not 
 to trust them even when they came presenting the pipe of 
 peace. Their intentions may have been good at this particu- 
 lar time, but it was only because the trappers were well 
 armed and in sufiQcient numbers to protect themselves. 
 Western men who know anything of pioneering will hardly 
 condemn the killing of these Indians, no matter what the 
 circumstances. Captain Lewis killed one of the Blackfeet in 
 1806 after the Indian had stolen his horse and was running 
 off with it. The thief was ordered to stop, but he defiantly 
 rode on. The only way the Captain could regain his horse and 
 save himself from walking many miles was to kill the In- 
 dian, which he did, and all the world applauded him for the 
 act, but Indian logic would not permit them to view the 
 matter in the same light as civilization did. They visited 
 their vengeance on the next white man who came along. 
 John Potts was their first victim; Colter would have been 
 the second had he not by almost superhuman effort saved 
 his life; Ezekiel Williams next lost five men at the hands of 
 these bloody monsters, and so their work of killing went on 
 until their tribe was utterly crushed by the government. 
 It is estimated that the Blackfeet killed first and last 3,000 
 white people, many of them women and children, and all 
 this because Captain Lewis killed a horse thief whom he 
 caught in the act. 
 
 It is just possible that the magic pen and power of Ir- 
 ving has to some extent exaggerated this engagement with 
 the Blackfeet, but as he drew his facts from a source en- 
 tirely reliable, we must conclude that the narrative is cor. 
 rect. 
 
 Fitzpatrick and Bridger, a few days after the fight, 
 started north, intending to trap on the headwaters of the 
 Missouri. Before leaving camp, they proposed to Vander- 
 burgh and Dripps, who represented the American Fur Com- 
 pany, to divide the territory with them, so as not to interfere 
 with each other. This proposition was rejected, and much 
 —(10) 
 
146 History of Wyoming. 
 
 to the annoyance of Fitzpatrick and Bridger, they followed 
 on and kept with them for several days. Vanderburgh and 
 Dripps were strangers in that part of the country, and it 
 may have been this fact that induced them to keep near 
 Fitzpatrick and Bridger. The latter did not appreciate their 
 company and resolved to get rid of them, so they turned 
 abruptly west into the country of the Blackfeet and not 
 many days afterwards Vanderburgh and Dripps divided 
 their force and started out to trap regardless of their adver- 
 saries. With about fifty men each they went in different 
 directions. Some time later Vanderburgh's party was at- 
 tacked by Blackfeet and the leader was killed; but it was 
 not an easy victory for the Indians, as the trappers fought 
 with great bravery and succeeded in killing a number of the 
 savage foe. The death of Henry Vanderburgh was deeply 
 regretted by the American Fur Company, as he was one of 
 their bravest leaders. The Blackfeet now turned their at- 
 tention to the party under Fitzpatrick and Bridger, and 
 after following them many days the white men and Indians 
 met face to face on an open plain but near some rocks and 
 cliffs. The Blackfeet made friendly signs while yet some 
 distance away and the white men replied in the same man- 
 ner, but both kept at a distance; finally the chief of the 
 Blackfeet came forward, bearing the pipe of peace, and the 
 whites went to meet him. The pipe was smoked and all the 
 ceremonies of such an occasion duly observed. While this 
 was going on Bridger left the main body of the trappers 
 and rode toward the place where the conference was being 
 held. As this renowned leader came up the Indian chief, 
 seeing him, stepped forward to shake hands. From some 
 cause, which Bridger could never afterwards explain, he 
 felt a feeling of distrust and cocked his rifle. The quick ear 
 of the chief caught the click of the lock and in an instant he 
 grasped the barrel and forced the muzzle downward just 
 as the gun went off. His next move was to wrench the rifle 
 from Bridger's hands and fell him with it to the earth. Al- 
 ready Bridger had received two arrows in his back. The 
 chief now vaulted into the saddle of the fallen leader and 
 
Fur Trappers and Traders. 147 
 
 galloped off to his band ; then there was a rush by both par- 
 ties to gain positions behind rocks and trees, and soon a 
 fusillade was opened on both sides and kept up until night 
 closed in, when the contestants withdrew from the field. 
 This affair greatly humiliated Bridger, but it undoubtedly 
 serred to make him the careful leader which he afterwards 
 became. At that time he had been ten years in the service 
 and had been uniformly successful in his fights with the In- 
 dians. The wounds he received in his back were not danger^ 
 ous, but the arrow points remained in the fiesh and were 
 cut out by Dr. Whitman at Green River in 1835. 
 
 In spite of the Indian troubles, the fur trappers of the 
 year 1832 were richly rewarded, and the shipment of furs 
 amounted in round numbers to something like $175,000. 
 This was the product gathered by the Sublette trappers, 
 which included the bands of Fitzpatrick, Campbell, Bridger, 
 Harris, Clements, Milton Sublette and a dozen or more par- 
 tisans of less prominence. During this same year Captain 
 B. L. E. Bonneville, at the head of 110 men, entered Wyo- 
 ming, but of this rather distinguished character I will tell 
 in a separate chapter. 
 
148 History of Wyoming. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 CAPTAIN BONNEVILLE IN WYOMING. 
 
 •Leaves Fort Osage with Twenty Wagons and One Hundred and 
 Ten Men — Reaches the Platte River Below Grand Island — 
 Scott's Bluff and Origin of the Name — Follows the North 
 Fork of the Platte — Crosses Over to the Sweetwater — Ex- 
 perience of Tom Cain — Rejoicings After Crossing the Conti- 
 nental Divide — Fontenelle Overtakes the Bonneville Party — 
 Arrival at Green River — Fortifies His Camp — Free Trappers 
 Visited by Blackfeet. 
 
 Among the most noted fur traders and trappers ever in 
 Wyoming was Captain B. L. E. Bonneville of the Seventh 
 United States Infantry, who secured leave of absence in 
 1831 and on the 1st of May, 1832, started west from Fort 
 Osage on the Missouri Eiver with 110 men and a train of 
 twenty wagons drawn by four mules, four horses or four 
 oxen each. These wagons were loaded with ammunition, 
 provisions and merchandise. The expedition was well or- 
 .ganized and conducted with military precision. Captain 
 Bonneville selected two subordinate officers to assist him in 
 the command ; the first being J. R. Walker, who was a native 
 of Tennessee but who had lived for many years on the Mis- 
 souri frontier and had led a life of adventure, being one of 
 the first to penetrate the southwest as far as Santa Pe. On 
 this expedition he trapped for beaver and was finally taken 
 prisoner by the Spaniards. After being liberated, he re- 
 mained in that country for a time, engaged with the Span- 
 lards in a war against the Pawnee Indians. On his return to 
 Missouri he was elected sheriff of his county, in which posi- 
 tion he won distinction as a brave and faithful civil officer. 
 After leaving the sheriff's office he engaged in fur trapping 
 and trading and it was while thus employed that he met 
 Captain Bonneville and enlisted in his service. The second 
 assistant was M. S. Oerre, whose experience and adventures 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. 149 
 
 were not unlike those of Walker. He is spoken of as an ex- 
 perienced Indian trader. These two men were in eTery way 
 worthy to serve under their great leader, Captain Bonne- 
 ville. This expedition had been carefully planned and the- 
 wagons were introduced for the reason that this practical 
 military commander wished to avoid packing every morning 
 and unpacking every night. The labor thus saved, Captain. 
 Bonneville argued, would more than make up for transport- 
 ing the wagons over deep rivers and across the gulches whicH 
 might lie in his way. The latter would also require fewer 
 horses than the packing service, and from a military point 
 of view vehicles would serve as a sort of fortification in- 
 ease of an attack by hostile Indians. The expedition started 
 out with the wagons in two columns, close order in the cen- 
 ter of the party, which marched with an advance and rear 
 guard. 
 
 Captain Bonneville had been careful to inform himself 
 as to the plans of the American Pur Company, and also of 
 the Rocky Mountain Fur Company for that year. He had 
 learned that the rendezvous of the two companies for the 
 season would be in Pierre's Hole at no great distance apart, 
 and the Captain resolved to make for the same destination. 
 He took a westerly course from Fort Osage across what is 
 now the state of Kansas, and on the 12th of May reached the 
 Kansas River at a point near the Agency of the Kansas 
 tribe of Indians. This agency was at the time in charge of 
 General Clark, a brother of Captain Clark who accompanied 
 Captain Lewis on his expedition down the Columbia in 1804. 
 Captain Bonneville found General Clark living like a patri- 
 arch and surrounded by all the comforts then possible to 
 secure in the far west. Without loss of time Bonneville 
 pushed forward and on June 2nd reached the Platte River, 
 twenty-five miles below Grand Island. On the 11th they 
 reached the forks of the Platte, and taking the north tribu- 
 tary of that stream, they on the 21st reached Scott's Bluffs.* 
 
 •Captain Bonneville makes this explanation as to the origin of the name *'_Scotl's Bluffs ": 
 "A number of years since a party were descending the upper part of the river in canoes, when 
 their frail barks were overturned and all their powder spoiled. Their rifles being thus rendered 
 useless, they were unable to procure food by hunting and had to depend upon roots and wild 
 fruits for subsistence. After suffering extremely from hunger, they arrived at Laramie's Fork, a 
 
150 History of Wyoming. 
 
 On these bluffs Captain Bonneville saw for the first time 
 the mountain or big-horn sheep. He describes them as 
 "bounding like goats from crag to crag, often trooping along 
 the lofty shelves of the mountains, under the guidance of 
 some venerable patriarch, with horns twisted lower than hi^ 
 muzzle, and sometimes peering over the edge of a precipice, 
 so high that they appear scarcely bigger than crows; indeed, 
 it seems a pleasure to them to seek the most rugged and 
 frightful situations, doubtless from a feeling of security." 
 
 On the 24th, while the caravan was moving up the North 
 Platte, the party encountered a band of Crow warriors and 
 the gallant Captain on the first alarm ordered his men to 
 prepare for action. Each man sprang to the position ai^- 
 signed him and the little army remained drawn up ready to 
 do battle. Soon the Crows, to the number of some sixty 
 warriors, came dashing up in a body as if to make a furious 
 charge, then suddenly opened to the right and left, riding in 
 a circle around the travelers, yelling in the meantime in sav- 
 age style, after which the chief approached Captain Bonne- 
 ville, extending the hand of friendship. The pip6 of peace 
 was smoked and good fellowship prevailed. The Crow war- 
 riors exhibited great friendship for Captain Bonneville and 
 his men and that night the warriors camped beside the white 
 men. The evening was spent in eating and smoking and the 
 Captain was enabled to get acquainted with the representa- 
 tives of a tribe with which he in the next three years was to 
 have much to do. His first impressions of this tribe were 
 evidently correct. He admired their horsemanship and ap- 
 
 small tributary of the north branch of the Nebraska, about sixty miles above the chfifs just men- 
 tioned. Here one of the party, by the name of Scott, was taken ill, and his companions came to 
 a halt, until he should recover health and strength sufficient to proceed. While they were search- 
 ing round in quest of edible roots they discovered a fresh trail of white men, who had evidently 
 but recently preceded tbem. What was to be done ? By a forced march they might be able to 
 overtake this party and thus be able to reach the settlements in safety. Should they linger they 
 might all perish of famine and exhaustion. Scott, however, was incapable of moving; they were 
 too feeble to aid him forward, and dreaded that such a clog would prevent their coming up with 
 the advance party. They determined, therefore, to abandon him to his fate. Accordingly, 
 under pretense of seeking food and such simples as might be efficacious in his malady, they de- 
 serted him and hastened forward upon the trail. They succeeded in overtaking the party of 
 which they were in quest, but concealed their faithless desertion of Scott, alleging that he had 
 died of disease. On the ensuing summer these very individuals, visiting in these parts in com- 
 pany with others, came suddenly upon the bleached bones and grinning skull of a human skele- 
 ton which by certain signs they recognized as the remains of Scott. This was sixty long miles 
 from the place where they had abandoned him ; and it appeared that the wretched man had 
 crawled that immense distance before death had put an end to his miseries. The wild and pic- 
 ttiresque bluffs in the neighborhood of his lonely grave have ever since borne his name." 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. 151 
 
 predated their friendliness, but he leaves upon record the 
 fact that they were great thieves, as they managed to steal, 
 while in his camp, articles from the pockets of his men and 
 even the buttons from their coats. Fortunately the Crow 
 warriors departed early the next morning. 
 
 On May 26th the trappers encamped at Laramie's Pork. 
 This was two years before the trading post was established 
 at that point. From that place on west the Captain had 
 great diflftculty with his wagons. Ravines had to be filled up 
 and in many places a road made before the cavalcade could 
 pass on. On the 12th of July the party left the banks of the 
 North Platte and three days later reached the Sweetwater. 
 Up this stream they now shaped their course with more or 
 less diflSculty. The men complained of sore mouths, chapped 
 lips, violent headaches and in some cases severe colic. To 
 add to the difllculty, the woodwork of the wagons shrunk so 
 that the tires and spokes became loose and the wagons al- 
 most refused to stand up. At this point they came upon 
 immense herds of buffaloes, of which the hunters connected 
 with the expedition secured large numbers. Here happened 
 an amusing incident, which is admirably told in Washington 
 Irving's "Adventures of Captain Bonneville." 
 
 "Among the motley retainers of the camp was Tom 
 Cain, a raw Irishman, who officiated as cook, whose various 
 blunders and expedients in his novel situation, and in the 
 wild scenes and wild life into which he had been suddenly 
 thrown, had made him a kind of a butt or droll of the camp. 
 Tom, however, began to discover an ambition superior to his 
 station, and the conversation of the hunters and their sto- 
 ries of their exploits inspired him with a desire to elevate 
 himself to the dignity of their order. The buffalo in such 
 droves presented a tempting opportunity for making his 
 first essay. He rode, in the line of march, all prepared for 
 action; his powder flask and shot pouch knowingly slung at 
 the pommel of his saddle, to be at hand; his rifle balanced 
 on his shoulder. While in this plight a troop of buffalo 
 came trotting by in great alarm. In an instant Tom sprang 
 from his horse and gave chase on foot. Finding they were 
 leaving him behind, he leveled his rifle and pulled the trig- 
 ger. His shot produced no other effect than to increase the 
 speed of the buffalo and to frighten his own horse, who took 
 
152 History of Wyoming. 
 
 to his heels and scampered oflf with all the ammunition. Tom 
 scampered after him, hallooing with might and main, and 
 the wild horse and wild Irishman soon disappeared among 
 the ravines of the prairie. Captain Bonneville, who was at 
 the head of the line and had seen the transaction at a dis- 
 tance, detached a party in search of Tom. After a long 
 interval they returned, leading the frightened horse; but 
 though they scoured the country and looked out and shouted 
 from every height, they had seen nothing of his rider. As 
 Captain Bonneville knew Tom's utter awkwardness and in- 
 experience, and the dangers of a bewildered Irishman in 
 the midst of a prairie, he halted and encamped at an early 
 hour, that there might be a regular hunt for him in the morn- 
 ing. At early dawn on the following day scouts were sent 
 off in every direction, while the main body, after breakfast, 
 proceeded slowly on its course. It was not until the middle 
 of the afternoon that the hunters returned, with honest 
 Tom mounted behind one of them. They had found him in 
 a complete state of perplexity and amazement. His appear- 
 ance caused shouts of merriment in the camp; but Tom for 
 once could not join in the mirth raised at his expense; he 
 was completely chapfallen, and apparently cured of the 
 hunting mania for the rest of his life." 
 
 On the 20th of July they came in sight of the Wind 
 Eiver range, and to the Captain this mountain was an In- 
 spiration, for soon he would reach the goal of his ambition, 
 the trapping country in which he intended to operate. The 
 rugged peaks stood out bold and gloomy in their awful 
 grandeur. The veteran hunters and trappers of the party 
 told many a story of adventure among the savage tribes 
 which haunted the dark recesses of this grand old mountain. 
 Four days later the caravan left the banks of the Sweet- 
 water, taking a westerly course, and passed over a rocky 
 ridge and after several hours' travel reached a small river 
 running south. Here they encamped, discovering that there 
 were fish in the stream. A shout of joy went up, as they 
 had been told that the streams on the opposite side of the 
 continental divide contained fish, while those on the easterly 
 side were barren of this great luxury. Fish-hooks and lines 
 were procured and a dozen of the men soon caught trout for 
 a dinner for the party. Captain Bonneville felt great exul- 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. 153 
 
 tation that lie had been able to take the first wagon train 
 over the crest of the Eocky Mountains. Feed was fairly 
 good at this point and the Captain would have gladly given 
 his stock a rest, but he was anxious to reach the banks of 
 Green River, and so the next morning he pushed on. On the 
 26th he was overtaken by sixty mounted trappers belonging 
 to the American Fur Company with Mr. Fontenelle in 
 charge. After pleasant greetings the newcomers took the 
 lead, hoping, as Mr. Fontenelle said, to reach Green Eiver by 
 night, but he told the Captain that he would not be able to 
 get through with his wagons before the day following. Cap- 
 tain Bonneville made all the haste that circumstances and 
 the jaded condition of his horses would permit and arrived 
 at Green River the following day at noon. Here the animals 
 were turned out to graze and rest, as they were in a lameta^ 
 ble condition. As he was obliged to remain for some time in 
 that locality to recruit the strength of both his men and 
 animals, he proceeded to fortify his camp by the erection of 
 log breastworks, a precaution that proved his military train- 
 ing. The Green River country at that time was infested with' 
 roving bands of Blackfeet Indians, and it was necessary to 
 use great caution to insure the safety of the party. Captain 
 Bonneville, being an educated soldier, was very careful not 
 only in camp but while on the march to prevent a surprise. 
 He likewise used great diplomacy, thus avoiding trouble 
 with the Indians. 
 
 Captain Bonneville, during his stay in his fortified camp 
 at Green Eiver, undertook the study of the practical part of 
 trading and trapping. He realized that there was much to 
 learn about the business, and so he applied himself to the 
 task of gathering up all the details. He had not been many 
 days in his camp before Fontenelle taught him some of the 
 strategy of a trader. He had procured at the Osage mission 
 a number of Delaware Indians, most excellent hunters, who 
 he thought would be of great service to him. These the 
 rival leader had won over to his service by the promise of 
 increased pay. The captain was astonished at this breach of 
 courtesy and he resolved to retaliate on the first opportuni- 
 
154 Sist 
 
 ty, and learning that Fontenelle intended to remain in his 
 present camp until the arriyal of a certain band of free trap- 
 pers who were to meet him there, he sent out two scouts to 
 bring these to his own camp, and they in due time arrived. 
 Captain Bonneville exerted himself to entertain them. A 
 keg of fresh liquor was brought out and the health of every- 
 body was pledged in many a royal round. Then the trappers 
 were invited to a feast which was washed down by again 
 tapping the keg. By this time the guests were in a condition 
 to relate stories of successful trapping as well as wonderful 
 feats of daring in connection with Indian fights. These he- 
 roes of the wilderness voted their entertainer a royal good 
 fellow and were completely won to his service — that is, as 
 many as he cared to engage. During their stay in the camp 
 they were a center of attraction, yet these were a part and 
 parcel of the great fur trade as it was then carried on in this 
 locality. Captain Bonneville has left a capital description 
 of these worthies and of the manner in which they entered 
 his camp. He calls them rangers of the wilderness. They 
 came dashing forward, he says, at full speed, firing their 
 fusees and yelling in Indian style. Their dark, sunburned 
 faces and long, flowing hair, their leggings, flags, mocca- 
 sins and richly dyed blankets, and their painted horses 
 gaudily caparisoned, gave them so much the air and appear- 
 ance of Indians that it was difiicult to persuade oneself that 
 they were white men and had been brought up in civilized 
 life. The free trapper deserves more than a mere mention, 
 and I therefore insert Captain Bonneville's description.* 
 They come and go, says he, when and where they please; 
 provide their own horses, arms and other equipments; trap 
 
 *I desire to here remark that I have in some instances used Washington Irving's accomit 
 of Captain Bonneville's hunting experience, but only such portions as relate to the mountains, 
 plains and streams of Wyoming. Mr. Irving tells us the adventures of Bonneville are substan- 
 tially the narrative of the worthy Captain and that many pages are but little varied from his own 
 language. The work was originally prepared by Captain Bonneville for publication, but becom- 
 ing disgusted with his task he turned the manuscript over to Mr. Irving, who interwove in it the 
 stories of other trappers and thus was enabled to bring out a volume of more than usual interest 
 which has been a popular book for all classes for more than fifty years. Bonneville was one of 
 those interesting characters almost from his birth, and I have ofren regretted that Washington 
 Irving's book did not contain the early history of this remarkable hero. This, I am glad to say, 
 1 have been able to gather from reliable sources, and the subsequent history of Irving's hero, 
 down to the close of his life. My friend, Hon. M, P. Langford, was kind enough to contribute 
 the portrait of Captain Bonneville which is given in this volume, and thus I am enabled to give 
 for the first time the complete story of the man whose life and adventures will always form a part 
 of the history of Wyoming. 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. 155 
 
 and trade on their own account, and dispose of their skins 
 and peltries to the highest bidder. Sometimes, in a dan- 
 gerous hunting ground, they attach themselves to the camp 
 of some trader for protection. Here they come under some 
 restrictions; they have to conform to the ordinary rules for 
 trapping and to submit to such restraints and to take part in 
 such general duties as are established for the good order and 
 safety of the camp. In return for this protection, and for 
 their camp keeping, they are bound to dispose of all the 
 beaver they take to the trader who commands the camp, at 
 a certain rate per skin; or should they prefer seeking a mar- 
 ket elsewhere, they are to make him an allowance of from 
 thirty to forty dollars for the whole hunt. 
 
 The wandering whites who mingle for any length of 
 time with the savages have invariably a proneness to adopt 
 savage habitudes ; but none more so than the free trappers. 
 It is a matter of vanity and ambition with them to discard 
 everything that may bear the stamp of civilized life, and to 
 adopt the manners, dress, habits, gesture and even walk of 
 the Indian. You cannot pay a free trapper a greater compli- 
 ment than to persuade him you have mistaken him for an 
 Indian brave; and in truth the counterfeit is complete. His 
 hair, suffered to attain a great length, is carefully combed 
 out, and either left to fall carelessly over his shoulders, or 
 plaited neatly and tied up in otter skins of parti-colored 
 ribbons. A hunting-shirt of ruffled calico of bright dyes, 
 or of ornamented leather, falls to his knees, below which 
 curiously fashioned leggings, ornamented with strings, 
 fringes and a profusion of hawks' bells, reach to a costly pair 
 of moccasins of the finest Indian fabric, richly embroidered 
 with beads. A blanket of scarlet or some other bright color 
 hangs from his shoulders, and is girt round his waist with 
 a red sash, in which he bestows his pistols, knife, and the 
 stem of his Indian pipe; preparations either for peace op 
 war. His gun is lavishly decorated with brass tacks and ver- 
 milJion, and provided with a fringed cover, occasionally of 
 buckskin, ornamented with a feather. His horse, the noble 
 minister to the pride, pleasure and profit of the mountaineer, 
 
156 History of Wyoming. 
 
 is selected for his speed and spirit and prancing gait, and 
 holds a place in his estimation second only to himself. He 
 shares largely of his bounty, and of his pride and pomp of 
 trapping. He is caparisoned in the most dashing and fan- 
 tastic style; the bridles and crupper are weightily embossed 
 with beads and cockades ; and head, mane and tail are inter- 
 woven with abundance of eagles' plumes which flutter in the 
 wind. To complete this grotesque eqipment, the proud ani- 
 mal is bestreaked and bespotted with vermilion, or with 
 white clay, whichever presents the most glaring contrast to 
 his real color. 
 
 While the two camps were occupying positions near 
 each other on Green River, there arrived a large band of 
 Blackfeet warriors at the camp of Fontenelle. These war- 
 riors had just suffered defeat in Pierre's Hole in an engage- 
 ment with the bands of trappers under William Sublette 
 and his brother Milton, Robert Campbell and Nathaniel J. 
 Wyeth, which has been told in a previous chapter. Fonte- 
 nelle did not know of the flght, and it was fortunate that 
 his camp was a strong one. The Blackfeet had evidently 
 intended to attack him, but on approaching they discovered 
 that his position was a strong one and so a talk took place. 
 Fontenelle treated them kindly, though his long experience 
 with Blackfeet had convinced him of their dangerous char- 
 acter. On the first opportunity he informed them of the 
 presence of Captain Bonneville's band in the neighborhood, 
 at the same time assuring them that the Captain was a great 
 war chief and that his followers were brave and well-armed 
 warriors. At the request of the Indians, Fontenelle sent 
 one of his Delaware Indians to conduct fifteen of them to 
 Fort Bonneville. On arriving there, the Captain entertained 
 them in a friendly manner. There were two Crow visitors 
 in the camp at the time and as they were the implacable ene- 
 mies of the Blackfeet they looked with horror as well as 
 surprise on the friendly reception given the dangerous war 
 party. They took the first occasion possible to inform Cap- 
 tain Bonneville that the Blackfeet were bad Indians; that 
 the best thing he could do was to put them to death on the 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. 1 5 7 
 
 spot. The soldier trapper saw no reason for extreme uneasi- 
 ness and they were therefore allowed to remain in the camp 
 some little time. They were evidently satisfied that it would 
 be useless for them to attack a fortified position the defense 
 of which was provided for in true military style. They went 
 back to their warriors and must have reported that the trap- 
 pers were dangerous enemies to attack, as they left the 
 country and nothing more was heard of them. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 BONNEVILLE SENDS OUT HIS TRAPPERS. 
 
 Various Detachments in the Field — Main Party Pass Through 
 Jackson's Hole and Pierre's Hole on the Way to Solomon 
 River — Meets the Nez Perces — His Opinion of this Tribe — Ex- 
 periences During the Wintee — Rendezvous on Green River 
 IN 1833 — Stories of His Several Leaders — Scenes at the Ren- 
 dezvous — A Digression by the Author, in Which He Tells of 
 the Relations Between Captain Bonneville and Washington 
 Irving — Valuable Services Rendered the Government. 
 
 Captain Bonneville learned from the free trappers many 
 important things regarding the methods and the proper sea- 
 son to visit certain localities. He was informed that the 
 Green Eiver Valley was undesirable as a winter camp, as 
 snow to the depth of several feet sometimes fell there and 
 that winter came on very early. He therefore decided to 
 cache his goods and supplies, also his wagons. This he ac- 
 complished by the aid of a few confidential men. The bal- 
 ance of his goods were placed in packs ready to be loaded 
 on pack animals, and on the 21st of August his party headed 
 for the upper waters of Solomon Eiver, intending to trap on 
 the way. His broken-down horses were given in charge of 
 a reliable trapper named Matthieu. He was to take with 
 him a brigade of trappers and to proceed west to Bear 
 River, where there was good feed for the horses and oppor- 
 
iS8 History of Wyoming. 
 
 tunities to secure beaver. It was expected he would meet 
 a village of Shoshones on the way, and with them he was to 
 trade for a time while his party was engaged with their 
 traps and the horses were renewing their strength on the 
 rich grasses that abound on Bear River, after which he 
 was to join the Captain on the headwaters of the Solomon, 
 where Bonneville intended to make his winter camp. The 
 Captain's own command proceeded up the Green River Val- 
 ley to near its headwaters. He crossed over into Pierre's 
 Hole and came upon the battlefield where William Sub- 
 lette and his friends had had the sanguinary encounter with 
 the Blackfeet. They also passed on their way through the 
 dark defile leading to Jackson's Hole, where More and Foy 
 had been killed by the Blackfeet on the 23rd of July. Their 
 remains were found among the rocks and the Bonneville 
 party decently interred them. Arriving in Pierre's Hole, a 
 camp was made on the celebrated battleground near the 
 abandoned fortress of the Blackfeet. 
 
 The next two weeks were occupied in the march from 
 Pierre's Hole to the upper waters of the Solomon River, and 
 on the 20 th of September they met a large body of Nez For- 
 ces Indians. Captain Bonneville says that the savages sent 
 forward a single warrior, who made signals of peace and 
 offers of friendship. The Captain, knowing that this tribe 
 was friendly to white people, halted and went into camp and 
 invited the savages to visit him. The warriors lingered long 
 enough to put on their war paint and plumes. They placed 
 themselves in martial array under their chiefs, and ad- 
 vanced shouting, singing, firing off their fusees and clash- 
 ing their shields. The Bonneville party at this time were 
 sadly in need of provisions, and it turned out that the Indi- 
 ans were nearly so, having only a small supply of dried sal- 
 mon; this they offered to share with the white men. The 
 Indians were on a hunting expedition and they expected to 
 be able to secure a large amount of buffalo meat. Captain 
 Bonneville sent with the party Mr. Cerre, accompanied by a 
 few men with instructions to trade with the Indians for a 
 winter's supply of meat. After the hunting party had 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. 159 
 
 passed, Captain Bonneville steered his course down the 
 river a few miles and camping on the bank proceeded to 
 erect winter quarters. Here he found abundance of feed 
 for his horses and all the necessary surroundings for the 
 construction of his winter cantonment. Temporary forti- 
 fications were constructed and huts for the use of men and 
 merchandise, and an inclosure was also built in which the 
 horses could be driven at night. This done, three brigades 
 were organized and sent off in different directions to hunt 
 and trap, with orders to subsist themselves by hunting the 
 buffalo. Twenty men remained with Captain Bonneville 
 at the winter quarters and an attempt was made to supply 
 the camp with wild meat, but it was soon discovered that the 
 Indians had driven the game from that section and the 
 hunters found themselve unable to supply sufficient food for 
 the party and starvation stared them in the face. On the 
 8th of October five families of Nez Perces arrived and these 
 visitors were in even a worse condition than themselves, 
 and while they could not relieve the wants of the white men 
 they taught them the edible qualities of certain roots and 
 rosebuds, which for the time being kept off starvation. Af- 
 ter this Captain Bonneville dispatched a party to Horse 
 Prairie, some distance north of his winter quarters, to pro- 
 cure a supply of buffalo meat, and he invited some of the 
 Nez Perces to accompany his men, but this was declined, 
 the excuse being given that it was a sacred day with them, 
 and if they devoted it to hunting the great spirit would be 
 angry. From this on he employed much time in studying the 
 character of this tribe of Indians. He found them possessed 
 of moral and religious qualities which in spite of their sav- 
 age state and forlorn condition stamped them as superior 
 to any tribe of Indians he met with while on his expedition. 
 From his narrative it would seem that he explained to these 
 people the Christian faith. 
 
 "Many a time," says he, "was my little lodge thronged 
 or rather piled, with hearers, for they lay on the ground, one 
 leaning over the other, until there was no further room, all 
 listening with greedy ears to the wonders which the Great 
 
i6o History of Wyoming. 
 
 Spirit had revealed to the white man. No other subject gave 
 them half the satisfaction, or commanded half the attention, 
 and but few scenes in my life remain so freshly on my mem- 
 ory, or are so pleasurably recalled to my contemplation, as 
 these hours of intercourse with a distant and benighted race 
 in the midst of the desert." 
 
 The Captain calls these Indians exemplary people and 
 says the only excesses they were guilty of were gambling and 
 horse racing. In this respect they are no worse than white 
 men, and I cannot close this part of the story without mak- 
 ing another quotation regarding what Captain Bonneville 
 has to say about the gambling propensities of these Indians: 
 
 "Knots of gamblers will assemble before one of their 
 lodge fires, early in the evening, and remain absorbed in 
 the chances and changes of the game until long after dawn 
 of the following day. As night advances, they wax warmer 
 and warmer. Bets increase in amount; one loss only serves 
 to lead to a greater, until in the course of a single night's 
 gambling the richest chief may become the poorest varlet 
 in camp." 
 
 It is not my purpose to follow Captain Bonneville in de- 
 tail beyond the borders of our state. One of the parties sent 
 out came in contact with the Blackfeet. This party was 
 under the charge of Mr. Walker, and at the time the Indi- 
 ans came up the guard stationed over the camp had become 
 interested in a game of cards and in the midst of the fas- 
 cinating pastime the Blackfeet stole upon them unperceived, 
 and springing upon the backs of the horses of the party 
 would have carried them off had it not been for the stub- 
 bornness of several mules which were in among the horses. 
 These when the Indians had mounted them bareback and 
 commenced yelling and discharging their firearms, became 
 so confused that they imitated the bucking bronco and 
 threw their riders to the ground. Those who had mounted 
 the horses came to the rescue of their dismounted brethren 
 in the face of a perfect fusillade from the camp. The Indi- 
 ans were glad to steal away without taking any of the ani- 
 mals, seeking shelter in a thicket, from which position they 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. i6r 
 
 sent forth a shower of arrows and bullets, thus preventing 
 Mr. Walker's men from following them. The party of hunt- 
 ers sent out, after six weeks' absence returned in safety with 
 plenty of meat for the winter. The Captain appears to have 
 enjoyed this winter encampment and a hunter's life and the 
 society of the Nez Perces, Flatheads and Hanging-Ears 
 tribes. During the winter he conceived the idea of acting as 
 a peace commissioner between the Nez Perces and Flatheads 
 and Blackfeet, as he thought by such peace he would be 
 placed upon a better business basis with the Blackfeet tribe. 
 He submitted the proposition to the chief of the Nez Perces 
 and Flatheads and these wise warriors took the matter un- 
 der consideration and held a council for two days, at the 
 end of which time they reported to Captain Bonneville the 
 result of their deliberations. One of the chiefs rendered the 
 decision thus: "War," said he, "is a bloody business and 
 full of evil ; but it keeps the eyes of the chiefs always open, 
 and makes the limbs of the young men strong and supple. 
 In war everyone is on the alert. If we see a trail we know it 
 must be an enemy; if the Blackfeet come to us, we know it 
 is for war, and we are ready. Peace, on the other hand, 
 sounds no alarm; the eyes of the chiefs are closed in sleep, 
 and the young men are sleek and lazy. The horses stray into 
 the mountains; the women and their little babes go about 
 alone. But the heart of a Blackfoot is a lie, and his tongue 
 is a trap. If he says peace, it is to deceive. He comes to us 
 as a brother; he smokes his pipe with us; but when he sees 
 us weak and off our guard, he will slay and steal. We will 
 have no such peace; let there be war." 
 
 This ended the Captain's attempt to play the role of a 
 peacemaker, but he was afterwards much vexed with these 
 same Indians for allowing the Blackfeet to steal their horses 
 with impunity, and he finally told them that unless they 
 roused themselves from their apathy and properly resented 
 the intrusion of the Blackfeet in their camp they would 
 not be worthy to be considered warriors, and he further told 
 them that his property was unsafe while he remained with 
 them, for the reason that the Blackfeet having got away 
 
 -(II) 
 
1 62 History of Wyoming. 
 
 with the horses of his Indian associates, his turn would prob- 
 ably come next. He assured them unless they should speed- 
 ily do something to put an end to the continual plundering 
 of their camp by the Blackfeet he would be obliged to leave 
 them. Spurred up by this severe language, the Indians or- 
 ganized a war party and went out in search of their enemies. 
 The next day the warriors returned without having encoun- 
 tered the Blackfeet marauders and then things went on as 
 bad as before. 
 
 On the 19th of December Captain Bonneville changed 
 his camp to a good hunting ground up the North Fork of 
 the Solomon. He was accompanied by his Indian friends. 
 The balance of the winter was spent in hunting the large 
 game of the neighborhood. Becoming uneasy as to the fate 
 of Matthieu, who, it will be remembered, had been placed 
 in charge of the broken-down stock on the Captain's depart- 
 ure from his fortified camp on Green Kiver, he placed him- 
 self at the head of thirteen resolute hunters and started out 
 in search of the lost party, and after much suffering he at 
 last succeeded in finding the men he was in search of. The 
 Matthieu party had encountered deep snows and bands of 
 hostile Indians, and three of his men, Leroy, Ross and Jen- 
 nings, had been killed. The party had been so severely han- 
 dled by coming in contact with the savages that they gave 
 up hunting trips and remained in their camp, now and then 
 killing an old or disabled horse for food. About the middle 
 of March, Captain Bonneville, having been joined by all his 
 detached parties, commenced making preparations to open 
 the spring campaign, and selected Malade River as the 
 neighborhood in which to begin operations. During the 
 summer he penetrated the western country beyond what is 
 now Wyoming, but had fixed a rendezvous in the upper part 
 of the Green River Valley for the latter part of July; but 
 when about to return to that country the free trappers de- 
 clined to make the weary journey. They pointed out to 
 Captain Bonneville that the distance was great and that 
 danger lurked on every side, as the Blackfeet were known to 
 be in great strength in the country through which it was 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. 163 
 
 proposed to go. Their business, tliey said, was hunting, 
 and they did not propose to fight Indians unless they were 
 obliged to . They preferred to trap on the headwaters of the 
 Solomon. Captain Bonneville found it necessary to accede 
 to their wishes, and he accordingly fitted them out for the 
 season and placed Hodgkiss at their head with instructions 
 where the party was to meet him the ensuing winter. The 
 brigade consisted of twenty-one free trappers, Mr. Hodgkiss 
 and five hired men who went along as camp keepers. Cap- 
 tain Bonneville with the balance of his men started for the 
 Green River rendezvous. Great precautions were taken to 
 prevent a surprise. Scouting parties were thrown out in 
 advance and encampments were selected with care, with a. 
 view to strength of position. The march was conducted in 
 military style, everything being done to insure the safety of 
 the party. On the 13th of July Captain Bonneville reached 
 Green Eiver and went up that stream, where he was met 
 by the different parties he had detached the previous year. 
 Each had a story of success or failure to tell. The party 
 which had been sent into the Crow country and the tribu- 
 tary streams of the Yellowstone had suffered total annihila- 
 tion and the leader alone came into the rendezvous. His 
 story was soon told. He had fallen in with a band of Crows. 
 These had induced most of his men to desert. With the 
 balance of his band, he sought the neighborhood of Tullock's 
 Fort on the Yellowstone, under the protection of which he 
 went into winter quarters. Here the temptation of whisky 
 proved too much for the trappers and his stock of furs was 
 purloined by the men and used for the purchase of alcoholic 
 drinks. The leader finding that being near the fort was even 
 worse than being in the vicinity of the Crows, resolved to 
 make another move and induced a number of strange free 
 trappers to join him. He, with these and the balance of his 
 own men who had remained faithful, started in the spring 
 for the Powder River country. On the way he had rugged 
 hills and a steep mountain to cross. This so jaded his horses 
 that they soon became unfit for service and he was induced 
 
1 64 History of Wyoming. 
 
 to turn tliem out to graze at night. What happened we will 
 let Captain Bonneville tell in his own way. 
 
 "The place was lonely; the path was rugged; there was 
 not a sign of an Indian in the neighborhood; not a blade of 
 grass that had been turned by a footstep. But who can cal- 
 culate on security in the midst of an Indian country, where 
 the foe lurks in silence and secrecy, and seems to come and 
 go on the wings of the wind? The horses had scarce been 
 turned loose when a couple of Arickara (or Rickaree) war- 
 riors entered the camp. They affected a frank and friendly 
 demeanor; but their movements and appearance awakened 
 the suspicions of some of the veteran trappers, well versed 
 in Indian wiles. Convinced that they were spies sent on 
 some sinister errand, they took them in custody and took 
 to work to drive in the horses. It was too late — ^the horses 
 were already gone. In fact, a war party of Arickaras had 
 been hovering on their trail for several days, watching with 
 the patience and perseverance of Indians for some moment 
 of negligence and fancied security to make a successful 
 swoop. The two spies had evidently been sent into camp to 
 create a diversion, while their confederates carried off the 
 spoil. 
 
 "The unlucky partisan thus robbed of his horses, turned 
 furiously on his prisoners, ordered them to be bound hand 
 and foot, and swore to put them to death unless his property 
 was restored. The robbers, who soon found that their spies 
 were in captivity, now made their appearance on horseback 
 and held a parley. The sight of them mounted on the very 
 horses they had stolen set the blood of the mountaineers in 
 a ferment; but it was useless to attack them, as they would 
 have but to turn their steeds and scamper out of the reach of 
 pedestrians. A negotiation was now attempted. The Aric- 
 karas offered what they considered fair terms : to barter one 
 horse or even two horses for a prisoner. The mountaineers 
 spurned at their offer and declared that, unless all the 
 horses were relinquished the prisoners should be burned to 
 death. To give force to their threat, a pyre of logs and 
 fagots was heaped up and kindled into a blaze. 
 
 "The parley continued. The Arickaras released one 
 horse and then another in earnest of their proposition ; find- 
 ing, however, that nothing short of the relinquishment of all 
 their spoils would purchase the lives of the captives, they 
 abandoned them to their fate, moving off with many parting 
 words and lametable bowlings. The prisoners seeing them 
 depart and knowing the horrible fate that awaited them. 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. 165 
 
 made a desperate effort to escape. They partially succeeded 
 but were severely wounded and retaken; then dragged to 
 the blazing pyre and burnt to death in the sight of their 
 retreating comrades. 
 
 "The loss of his horses completed the ruin of the un- 
 lucky partisan. It was out of his power to prosecute his 
 hunting or to maintain his party; the only thought now was 
 how to get back to civilized life. At the first water-course 
 his men built canoes and committed themselves to the 
 stream. Some engaged themselves at various trading es- 
 tablishments at which they touched, others got back to the 
 settlements. As to the partisan, he found an opportunity 
 to make his way to the rendezvous at Green River Valley." 
 
 The Green River Valley that year was the rendezvous 
 of the American Fur Company, and also the Rocky Moun- 
 tain Fur Company, as well as that of Captain Bonneville. 
 Competition had been carried on to the very utmost limits 
 during the season and Captain Bonneville expected that 
 men who had for a whole season been trying to outdo each 
 other would certainly hold aloof when they reached the 
 rendezvous; but imagine his surprise when he saw these 
 men mingle in each other's camps on the most friendly 
 terms. The past was buried and everybody seemed bent 
 upon having a good time. It was the trappers' holiday and 
 they were determined to make the most of it, and seeing the 
 leaders of the other companies disposed to enjoy good fel- 
 lowship the Captain joined in the interchange of visits. 
 There was feasting and carousals all around from the lead- 
 ers down to the humblest employes of the camp. Here the 
 free trapper outshines all rivals and is ready at all times 
 to sing, drink or dance. Such stories of adventures and 
 achievements as were told would make the most marveloua 
 tales of fiction stale in comparison. The rough trappers 
 would amuse themselves making violent love to Shoshone 
 beauties, whose tribe was encamped hard by. Strings of 
 gay beads, papers of vermilion and bright red blankets were 
 at a premium, as these articles were found to be just what 
 was needed to win the smiles of the fair ones. It would take 
 many pages to tell the scenes and incidents which happened 
 at the rendezvous that season; but I must confine my story 
 
1 66 History of Wyoming. 
 
 to the history of Captain Bonneville's adventures during 
 his three years' residence in the west, most of the time in 
 the territory which is now embraced in our state. 
 
 By the terms of his leave of absence, the Captain was 
 required to investigate the condition of the Indian tribes 
 of the mountains and make a full report to the war depart- 
 ment.* This he did. Lewis and Clark had received the same 
 instructions, but as these gentlemen had passed rapidly 
 through the country, on their way to and from the mouth of 
 the Columbia, it was not to be expected that they should be 
 able to supply the government with a carefully prepared 
 report of the condition of the various wild tribes occupying 
 the interior. The Captain undertook to secure this informa* 
 tion. He made a careful study of all the tribes with whom 
 he came in contact, and his report made on his return is 
 entitled to be considered not only reliable, but valuable. 
 This report of the condition of the Indians of this part of 
 the Rocky Mountains, their methods of warfare, their nu- 
 merical strength, the alliances of the tribes, was the first 
 reliable information the government had received regarding 
 
 •INSTRUCTIONS TO CAPTAIN BONNEVILLE FROM THE MAJOR-GENERAL 
 
 COMMANDING THE ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 Headquarters of the Army, ( 
 Washington, August 3, 183t. f 
 
 Sir : The leave of absence which you have asked, for the purpose of enabling you to carry 
 into execution your design of exploring the country to the Rocky Mountains and beyond, with 
 a view of ascertaining the nature and character of the several tribes of Indians inhabiting those 
 regions ; the trade which might be profitably carried on with them ; the quality of the soil, the 
 productions, the minerals, the natural history, the climate, the geography and topography, as 
 well as geology, of the various parts of the country within the limits of the territories belonging to 
 the United States, between our fi-ontier and the Pacific — has been duly considered and submitted 
 to the War Department for approval, and has been sanctioned. You are, therefore, authorized 
 to be absent from the army until October, 1833. It is understood that the government is to be at 
 no expense in reference to your proposed expedition, it having originated with yourself; and all 
 that you required was the permission fi-om the proper authority to undertake the enterprise. Ysu 
 will, naturally, in preparing yourself for the expedition, provide suitable instruments, and espe- 
 cially the best maps of the interior to be found. 
 
 It is desirable, besides what is enumerated as the object of your enterprise, that you note 
 particularly the number of warriors that may be in each tribe or nation that you may meet with ; 
 their alliances with other tribes , and their relative position as to a state of peace or war, and 
 whether their friendly or warlike dispositions toward each other are recent or of long standing. 
 You will gratify us by describing their manner of making war ; of the mode of subsisting them- 
 selves during a state of war, and a state of peace ; their arms, and the effect of them ; whether 
 they act on foot or on horseback ; detailing the discipline and maneuvers of the war parties; the 
 power of their horses, size, and general description ; in short, every information which you may 
 conceive would be useful to the government. 
 
 You will avail yourself of every opportunity of informing us of your position and progress, 
 and, at the expiration ot your leave of absence, will join your proper station. 
 
 I have the honor to be sir. 
 
 Your ob't servant, 
 
 Alexander Macomb, 
 Capt, B. L. E. Bonneville, Major General, commanding the Army, 
 
 •jth Re^t of Infantry, New York. 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. 167 
 
 these Indians. Considering that Captain Bonneville was 
 doing this work without pay and performing other im. 
 portant services, such as mapping the country and showing 
 -the location of different tribes, and searching for desirable 
 passes through the mountains, where wagon roads might be 
 built, the War Department certainly took advantage of his 
 good nature by imposing upon him a task which was richly 
 worth many thousands of dollars to the government. 
 
 Captain Bonneville's place in history is that of an ex. 
 plorer as well as fur trader. While in this country he bore 
 credentials signed by the commander of the army proving 
 his high and honorable position. His education and natural 
 qualifications enabled him to discharge faithfully the duties 
 to which he had been assigned. Well might President Jack- 
 son say to him that he had performed a great service for 
 his country and deserved promotion. It is to be regretted 
 that a considerable portion of his report, especially that con- 
 taining scientific and geological information and valuable 
 maps was not published by the government. We are not 
 •obliged to search far to find a reason why this valuable in- 
 formation was not given to the public. This soldier, it is 
 generally understood, was on leave of absence and had 
 overstayed his time, and for this reason he was dropped 
 from the rolls. The facts are, he was on detached service, 
 performing arduous and responsible duties in the wilder- 
 ness. Under such circumstances, the haste with which he 
 was dropped from the rolls of the army reflects but little 
 credit on those concerned, when it is understood that he 
 was displaced to make room for other officers anxious for 
 promotion. His reinstatement by the President regardless 
 of the protest of Major General Macomb and other officers, 
 resulted in his services being under-rated in official quarters. 
 
 Captain Bonneville felt these slights put upon him 
 and resolved to set himself right with the people, and there- 
 fore enlarged his report and had it nearly ready for the print- 
 er when he met Washington Irving for the second time 
 and turned over to him his manuscript for publication. It 
 has been stated by some newspaper writer within the last 
 
1 68 History of Wyoming, 
 
 few years that Mr. Irving on receiving this manuscript 
 made a trip to the west for the purpose of going over the 
 ground of Bonneville's exploits, and thus it was that he wa» 
 enabled to produce a work containing so much reliable in- 
 formation concerning the Indians and the country. This 
 story is not only not true, but it is silly in the extreme. The 
 incidents, the descriptions and in fact all the details are 
 from the pen of Captain Bonneville. By reference to Ir- 
 ving's introductory notice in his volume, "Captain Bonne- 
 ville," this will be conclusively proven.* Mr. Irving did 
 visit the west, but it was three years previous to his meeting 
 with Captain Bonneville. He had been made a member of 
 a commission, connected with government service, and this 
 took him to a number of posts on the border, but it must 
 
 *It was in the autumn of 1835, at the country seat of Mr. John Jacob Astor, at Hell- 
 gate, that I first met with Captain Bonneville. He was then just returned from a residence 
 of upward of three years among the mountains, and was on his way to report himself at 
 headquarters, in the hopes of being reinstated in the service. From all that I could learn, 
 his wanderings in the wilderness, though they had gratified his curiosity and his love of 
 adventure, had not much benefited his fortunes. Like Corporal Trim in his campaigns, he 
 had "satisfied the sentiment," and that was all. In fact, he was too much of the frank, free- 
 hearted soldier, and had inherited too much of his father's temperament, to make a Schem- 
 ing trapper or a thrifty bargainer. There was something in the whole appearance of the 
 Captain that prepossessed me in his favor. He was of the middle size, well made and well 
 set; and a military frock of foreign cut, that had seen service, gave him a look of compact- 
 ness. His countenance was frank, open and engaging; well browned by the sun, and had 
 something of a French expression. He had a pleasant black eye, a high forehead, and, 
 while he kept his hat on, the look of a man in the jocund prime of his days ; but the mo- 
 ment his head was uncovered, a bald crown gained him credit for a few more years than he 
 ■was really entitled to. 
 
 Being extremely curious, at the time, about everything connected with the Far West, 
 I addressed numerous questions to him. They drew from him a number of extremely strik- 
 ing details, which were given with mingled modesty and frankness; and in a gentleness of 
 manner, and a soft tone of voice, contrasting singularly with the wild and often startling na- 
 ture of his themes. It was difficult to conceive the mild, quiet-looking personage before 
 you, the actual hero of the stirring scenes related. 
 
 In the course of three or four months, happening to be at the city of Washington, I 
 again came upon the captaiUj who was attending the slow adjustment of his affairs with the 
 War Department. I found him quartered with a worthy brother in arms, a major in the 
 army. Here he waswritirg at a table, covered with maps and papers, in the center of a 
 large barrack room, fancifully decorated with Indian arms, and trophies, and war dresses, 
 and the skins of varieus wild animals, and hung round with pictures of Indian games and 
 ceremonies, and scenes of war and hunting. In a word, the captain was beguiling the tedi- 
 ousness of attendance at court by an attempt at authorship, and was rewriting and extend- 
 ing his traveling notes, and making maps of the regions he had explored. As he sat at the 
 table, in this curious apartment, with his high bald head of somewhat foreign cast, he re- 
 minded me of some of those antique pictures of authors that I have seen in old Spanish 
 volumes. 
 
 The result of his labors was a mass of manuscript, which he subsequently put at my 
 disposal, to fit it for publication and bring it before the world. I found it full of many inter- 
 eiting details of life among the mountains, and of the singular castes and races, both white 
 and red men, among whom he had sojourned. It bore, too, throughout, the impress of his 
 character, his bonhomie, his kindliness of spirit, and his susceptibility to the graad and 
 beautiful. 
 
 That manuscript has formed the staple of the following work. I have occasionally 
 interwoven facts and details, gathered from various sources, especially from the conversa- 
 tions and journals of some of the captain's contemporaries, who were actors in the scenes 
 he describes. I have also given it a tone and coloring drawn from my own observation 
 during an excursion into the Indian country beyond the bounds of civilization ; as I before 
 observed, however, the work is substantially the narrative of the worthy captain, and many 
 of its most graphic passages are but little varied from his own language. 
 
Captam Bonneville in Wyoming. 169 
 
 be remembered that the border at that time was the Mis- 
 souri Eiver. While performing this service he went with 
 a distinguished party on a grand hunting trip to the Red 
 Fork of the Canadian River, then went westerly to the great 
 forest known as "Cross Timbers," and from there took a 
 southerly route home. He mentions meeting Captain Will- 
 iam Sublette and Robert Campbell in the western part of 
 Missouri in the fall of 1832 on their return trip from Pierre's 
 Hole. Washington Irving never saw the Rocky Mountains. 
 It is true it would have been possible for him to have visited 
 this country, but such a trip was not easy to make until he 
 was too old to undertake the journey. He was born in 1783 
 and died in 1859. It was my good fortune to have known 
 Mr. Irving in my childhood days. I remember him very 
 distinctly and pleasantly. His polished manners and kind- 
 ly greetings would and did captivate every one with whom 
 he came in contact. In the year 1859 it had been decided 
 that I should make a trip to California overland. Mr. Ir- 
 ving hearing of it, took occasion to give me some sound ad- 
 vice and instructions regarding the journey. Such a trip he 
 thought was a great opportunity for a young man to see the 
 world. I remember he expressed the idea that no man 
 should go abroad until he had become acquainted with' 
 every part of his own country. He said that he hoped to 
 see and talk with me of my travels and adventures, on my 
 return. This was in the early spring of 1859. On my arrival 
 home in 1860, from California, I was shocked to learn that 
 he had been dead for more than six months. 
 
 Washington Irving has been unkindly criticised by 
 some western writers because he could not foresee that the 
 Rocky Mountain country was to become peopled with a race 
 of men and women of the highest type of civilization. Here 
 is the offending paragraph: 
 
 "An immense belt of rocky mountains and volcanic 
 plains, several hundred miles in width, must ever remain 
 an irreclaimable wilderness, intervening between the abodes 
 of civilization, and affording a last refuge to the Indian. 
 Here roving tribes of hunters, living in tents or lodges, and 
 following the migrations of the game, may lead a life of sav- 
 
170 History of Wyoming. 
 
 age independence, while there is nothing to tempt the cu- 
 pidity of the white man. The amalgamation of varioua 
 tribes and of white men of every nation will in time produce 
 hybrid races like the mountain Tartars of the Caucasus. 
 Possessed as they are of immense droves of horses, should 
 they continue their present predatory and warlike habits, 
 they may in time become a scourge to the civilized frontiers 
 on either side of the mountains, as they are at present a 
 terror to the traveler and trader." 
 
 That paragraph was written more than sixty-five years 
 ago and from what was known of the Rocky Mountains at 
 that time, it was a fair conclusion to be arrived at. The 
 wonders in the way of civilization which have taken place 
 in this part of the country in the last forty years have as- 
 tonished us, but it was the magic influence of gold which did 
 it all. Had it not been for this, Washington Irving's pro- 
 phecy would have been fulfilled. At the time Mr. Irving 
 wrote Bonneville it had never even been whispered that 
 gold existed in these mountains. That was yet to be dis- 
 covered, and when it was all things were changed. Mr. Ir- 
 ving only saw value in the fur trade, and the well-watered 
 lands on either side of the great mountains. The develop- 
 ment which came with the opening of the gold mines and 
 the digging of our irrigation canals has been the wonder of 
 the Nineteenth century, and no peoples have been more sur- 
 prised than we who have participated in and have been a 
 part of the great transformation scene. Irving, by the 
 magic of his pen attracted attention to the west. One of the 
 purposes he had in view when he brought out his "Astoria" 
 was to build up this country, and he did more than any other 
 man of his time to educate the people of the east in the 
 great values that were contained in the western half of the 
 continent. I am glad that he lived long enough to see the 
 wild western country, of which he wrote so charmingly, 
 become the great center of enterprise. He saw the rush to 
 California in forty-nine and through the early fifties, and 
 again in 1859 the reports from Pike's Peak reached him 
 as if to cheer the closing year of his life. 
 
Captain BonneviUe in Wyoming. 171 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 BONNEVILLE LEAVES WYOMING. 
 
 Furs Collected, Convoyed to the Big Horn and Shipped by Bull 
 Boats — Interesting Incidents of the Journey North — Discovery 
 ©F the Great Tar Spring — Dangers and Difficulties of the 
 Return Trip — Discovery of Big Hot Spring Near Present Site 
 OF Fort Washakie — Captain Bonneville Attempts to Work His 
 Way Through the Wind River Range — Ascent of Mount B9n- 
 neville — Toilsome Journey — Discovers a Community of Beavers — 
 Returns to His Caches on Green River by Way of South Pass 
 — Crosses the Wind River Range at the Head of Green River 
 — Many Incidents of His Second Journey to the Columbia — 
 Last Winter in the Mountains — Rendezvous in the Wind River 
 Valley — Returns to Civilization. 
 
 We left Captain Bonneville at the rendezvous on Green 
 River, it being his second season at that point. He had 
 collected a considerable number of furs which he determined 
 to send to St. Louis in charge of Mr. Cerre. He concluded 
 that the trip should be made by water down the Big Horn, 
 Yellowstone, and thence by the way of the Missouri River. 
 Before leaving his camp he detached Mr. Walker on a tour 
 of exploration to Great Salt Lake, which was then little 
 known and not at all understood. He determined to have 
 the lake properly explored, and he instructed Mr. Walker to 
 keep along the shores of it until he had traversed the whole 
 distance to the place of beginning. He was to have his men 
 trap in all the streams on his route, keep a journal and mi- 
 nutely record the events of his journey and note everything 
 curious or interesting. He was also to make maps of the 
 country through which he passed and on these he was to lay 
 down the trail of his party from the time of leaving until his 
 return. Forty men were to accompany Mr. Walker, and the 
 party was outfitted with provisions for a year. Mr. Walker 
 was instructed to meet Captain Bonneville on Bear River 
 twelve months from that time. After the departure of the 
 
172 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Walker party, the Captain with sixty men took up the line 
 of march and started for the Crow country. He followed 
 round the southern end of the Wind River Range, then 
 turned north until he reached the Popo Agie, down which 
 stream he made his way. On reaching this point he was 
 reminded by some of his trappers that he was in the vicinity 
 of the "great tar spring." This spring was known among 
 trappers and the tar was supposed to contain great medici- 
 nal properties. This is the well known Murphy oil wells 
 of today, and Irving's account was undoubtedly the first 
 ever published. This reads: 
 
 "After a toilsome search, he found it at the foot of a 
 sand bluff, a little to the east of the Wind River Mountains, 
 where it exuded in a small stream of the color and consist- 
 ency of tar. The men immediately hastened to collect a 
 quantity of it, to use as an ointment for the galled backs of 
 their horses and as a balsam for their own pains and aches. 
 From the description given of it, it is evidently the bitu- 
 minous oil, called petroleum or naphtha, which forms a 
 principal ingredient in the potent medicine called British 
 Oil. It is found in various parts of Europe and Asia, in seve- 
 ral of the West India Islands and in some places of the 
 United States. In the state of New York it is called Seneca 
 Oil, from being found near the Seneca lake." 
 
 It will be discovered that Captain Bonneville made 
 the mistake of supposing he was on the Popo Agie, whereas 
 he had only reached the south branch of that stream, known 
 at this day as the Little Popo Agie. The name Popo Agie, 
 he says, like most Indian names, is characteristic, Popo, in 
 the Crow language, signifying head, and Agie, river. 
 
 After leaving the tar springs, he proceeded down the 
 left bank of the Little Popo Agie and finally reached Big 
 Wind River, where he encamped on account of the river 
 being swollen by recent rains. During the course of the 
 afternoon he beheld a long line of horsemen descending the 
 slope of the hills on the opposite side of the Popo Agie. 
 They were first thought to be Indians, but after a time 
 Captain Bonneville became satisfied that they were white 
 men. They proved to be the convoy of Robert Campbell, 
 who was on his way to St. Louis with a large stock of furs. 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. 173 
 
 Fitzpatrick and a hardy band of trappers were the convoy; 
 also Nathaniel J. Wyeth on his way to Boston, The two 
 parties came together some days afterward on the Big 
 Horn Eiver and camped and traveled in company until they 
 reached a point below the Grand Canon of the Big Horn, 
 at which place they arrived about the middle of August, 
 where they constructed bull boats of buffalo hides stretched 
 over wooden frames. It took three of these boats to convey 
 the peltries, and they were manned by Mr. Cerre and thirty- 
 six men. On the way to the place of embarkation on the 
 Big Horn, Captain Bonneville had detached two parties to 
 trap in the Crow country, and after the departure of Mr. 
 Cerre and the boats, this brave leader found himself with 
 only four men and forty-six horses. With these he retraced 
 his steps across the Big Horn Mountains, intending to join 
 his two bands which he had left on the road going north. 
 On the mountain the Captain discovered traces of the ter- 
 rible Blackfeet and he felt no little solicitude about the 
 two small parties of trappers which he had detached, lest 
 the Indians should have come upon them. He felt still 
 more keenly the situation of his own little band. He re- 
 solved to use the greatest caution and thus elude the sav- 
 ages. No guns were discharged or flres lighted for some 
 days, and it was not until the last day of their march to the 
 rendezvous, where they expected to meet the two bands, 
 that they discharged a gun. Hunger overcame their cau- 
 tion, so they fired at a buffalo bull and brought him down. 
 The best pieces of meat were cut from the carcass, but they 
 now hesitated to build a fire and cook it, as all along their 
 route there had been indications of the presence of savages. 
 They therefore conveyed the meat to their place of rendez- 
 vous, at which they arrived that evening, celebrating their 
 arrival by a hearty supper. The two detachments had not 
 yet come up, therefore the next morning they constructed a 
 log fortress for their own defense and a strong pen in which 
 to confine the horses. On the 29th the two detachments so 
 anxiously looked for arrived. They had experienced many 
 adventures with Indians, and in consequence had been un- 
 
174 History of Wyoming. 
 
 able to secure any great amount of furs. They had been 
 attacked by both Blackfeet and Crows, and while they had 
 lost some horses and camp equipage, none of the men had 
 been killed. The combined party after this moved south. 
 This was on the 1st of September. The men were given an 
 opportunity to trap as they passed slowly through the 
 country. After reaching Wind River they turned westward 
 up that stream. Many traps had been lost on the journey 
 and Captain Bonneville discovered that it would be neces- 
 sary to visit the caches on Green River for a fresh supply; 
 also to procure a few other much needed articles. He deter- 
 mined to take three men with him and make the journey, 
 giving instructions to the main body to proceed up the Wind 
 River, trapping on the way in the small tributaries of the 
 stream. It was understood he would join the party on the 
 headwaters of this stream as soon as he could make the 
 trip to Green River and return over one of the low passes in 
 the mountains which have an outlet at the head of Wind 
 River. Captain Bonneville and his party of three crossed 
 Wind River and followed up the Little Wind River. On the 
 way he discovered smoke arising, which on closer investiga- 
 tion proved to be steam, from an hot spring that was about 
 twenty-five yards in diameter and so deep that the water 
 was of a bright green color. My readers will recognize this 
 as the great hot spring located near Fort Washakie. They 
 were now advancing in the direction of the Wind River 
 Mountain, but the Captain saw that to reach the goods he 
 had cached on Green River by a detour around the south 
 end of the mountain made a distance nearly three times as 
 great as it would be if there were some practical route 
 through the Wind River Range. He therefore determined 
 to try and find such an opening. The party first went n^ 
 the North Fork Canon, but after several hours spent in 
 climbing precipices they reached a point where they seemed 
 surrounded by stupendous crags which barred further pro- 
 gress. There was nothing to do but again return to the 
 plains. Following south, they soon came to the main Popo 
 Agie and here again they attempted to force their way 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. 175 
 
 through the mountain. During the first day they had little 
 diflBculty. They passed up the slope half a mile north of the 
 Pope Agie, thinking to find an elevated plain a few miles 
 farther up, but instead they found deep ravines and a sec- 
 ond slope similar to the one they had just ascended, and so 
 they kept on, toiling forward and upward, until night over- 
 took them as they had just reached a wild dell, where they 
 made their camp for the night. The next morning they 
 pushed on again, and the difficulties increased as they pro- 
 ceeded. They at last reached a point where they had to 
 climb down into a rocky ravine in order to ascend the next 
 mountain. In attempting to get their horses down this 
 place, some of them lost their footing and rolled to the bot- 
 tom. They crossed many bright streams that went tumbling 
 down to the valley below. On the third day they came upon 
 two lakes of dazzling beauty surrounded by green meadows. 
 Here they left their horses in charge of one man and Cap- 
 tain Bonneville with the other two climbed the neighboring 
 height, expecting to find a way out of the labyrinth of moun- 
 tains. He gained the summit after much toil, only to find 
 himself at the foot of another lofty peak. To the right and 
 left were other tall mountains, the summits of which were 
 covered with snow. Selecting the loftiest peak, they turned 
 their footsteps in that direction and finally reached its base 
 and commenced the ascent, and found it the most difficult 
 task of their lives; but onward they pushed and, climbing 
 at times on their hands and knees, and frequently they be- 
 came so exhausted with their exertions that they gladly 
 dropped down in the snow and rested from their laborious 
 efforts and slaked their thirst with handfuls of snow. At 
 times it seemed impossible to go any farther, but the Cap- 
 tain's pride would not permit him to turn back, so he still 
 led the way onward and upward. At last the three men 
 threw off their coats and hung them on some stunted bushes 
 in a position in which they could be easily seen on the return 
 journey. Thus lightly clad, they nerved themselves for 
 another effort, and on they went again, climbing as it 
 seemed to them to the very clouds, and at last reached the 
 
176 History of Wyoming. 
 
 highest point of this stupendous mountain peak. The 
 scene that here burst on the Captain's view fairly over- 
 whelmed him with its grandeur. No matter which way he 
 turned his eyes he was confounded by the vastness and va- 
 riety of its objects. Beneath him, the Kocky Mountains 
 seemed to open all their secret recesses; deep solemn val- 
 leys; treasured lakes; dreary passes; rugged defiles and 
 foaming torrents; while beyond their savage precincts the 
 eye was lost in an almost immeasurable landscape, stretch- 
 ing on every side into dim and hazy distance, like the ex- 
 panse of a summer's sea. Whichever way he looked, he be- 
 held vast plains glimmering with reflected sunshine; mighty 
 streams wandering on their shining course toward either 
 ocean, and snowy mountains, chain beyond chain, and peak 
 beyond peak, until they melted like clouds into the horizon. 
 The peak on which Captain Bonneville had climbed is thir- 
 ty-six miles on a direct line west from Lander, and will be 
 found on a map of the state marked Mt. Bonneville. The 
 Captain earned the distinction of having his name given 
 to one of the grandest peaks of the Wind Eiver range, not 
 only by ascending it, but by being the pioneer mountain 
 climber in Wyoming. He was nine years ahead of Fremont 
 and underwent this hardship as a volunteer in the ranks of 
 explorers. 
 
 I am well aware that it has been claimed that the Mt. 
 Bonneville marked on the map is not the mountain peak 
 climbed by Captain Bonneville. Later explorations by the 
 United States government resulted in the selection of this 
 peak as the dne Bonneville ascended, and as this is official 
 it serves my purpose. It is easy to split hairs, but it is use- 
 less, when there is no proof, to get into an argument. 
 
 The party, after satisfying their curiosity by glancing 
 at the headwaters of the Columbia, Green River, the Big 
 Horn and numerous other streams that circle away in all 
 directions, and looking across at the Grand Tetons, finally 
 left the mountain peak and retraced their footsteps to the 
 valley below, regaining their coats in their downward pass- 
 age. They at length reached the camp where the horses 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. 177 
 
 -were pasturing and on the second day came to the narrow 
 Talley of the Popo Agie, some distance above the place now 
 occupied by the farm of J. S. Meyer. They soon came upon 
 numerous communities of beaver. Captain Bonneville gives 
 an interesting description of the beaver at work, which he 
 chanced to discover during a noonday halt. He came to a 
 beaver pond and caught a glimpse of one of the painstaking 
 inhabitants busily at work upon the dam. The curiosity of 
 the Captain was aroused to behold the mode of operating of 
 this far-famed architect; he moved forward, therefore, with 
 the utmost caution, parting the branches of the water-wil- 
 lows without making any noise, until having attained a 
 position commanding a view of the whole pond, he stretched 
 himself flat on the ground and watched the solitary work- 
 man. In a little while three others appeared at the head of 
 the dam, bringing sticks and bushes. With these they pro- 
 ceeded directly to the barrier, which Captain Bonneville 
 perceived was in need of repair. Having deposited their 
 loads upon the broken part, they dived into the water and 
 shortly reappeared at the surface. Each now brought a 
 quantity of mud, with which he would plaster the sticks and 
 bushes just deposited. This kind of masonry was continued 
 for some time, repeated supplies of wood and mud being 
 brought and treated in the same manner. This done, the 
 industrious animals indulged in a little recreation, chasing 
 each other about the pond, dodging and whisking about on 
 the surface or diving to the bottom, and in their frolic often 
 slapping their tails on the water with a loud clacking sound. 
 While they were thus amusing themselves another of the 
 fraternity made his appearance and looked gravely on these 
 sports for some time without offering to join them. He 
 then climbed the banks close to where the Captain was 
 concealed, and, rearing himself on his hind quarters, in a 
 sitting position, put his fore paws against a pine tree, and 
 began to cut the bark with his teeth. At times he would 
 tear off a small piece and holding it between his paws, and 
 retaining his sedentary position, would feed himself with it 
 after the fashion of a monkey. The object of the beaver, 
 
 -(12) 
 
178 History of Wyoming. 
 
 however, was evidently to cut down the tree, and he was 
 proceeding with his work when he was alarmed by the ap- 
 proach of Captain Bonneville's men, who, feeling anxious 
 at the protracted absence of their leader, were coming in 
 search of him. At the sound of their voices, all the beavers, 
 busy as well as idle, dived beneath the surface and were 
 no more to be seen. 
 
 The day following the beaver incident, Captain Bonne- 
 ville shaped his course to the south, going round the end of 
 Wind River Eange, and soon arrived at the place on 
 Green River, where his goods were cached. Taking the arti- 
 cles and supplies he needed, he set out on the 18th of Sep- 
 tember to join his party at the head of Wind River. This 
 time he followed up a branch of the Green River and finally 
 reached what is now known as Sheridan Pass, by which he 
 crossed the mountain after various escapes from a band of 
 Indians who had dogged his footsteps through the valley. 
 Arriving on Wind River, he, after much searching, came 
 upon a trail made by his party, and in two days more suc- 
 ceeded in finding them. They now remained in camp for 
 three days to rest their horses, but some of the trappers, 
 however, pursued their vocations about the neighboring 
 streams. While one of them was setting his traps he heard 
 the tramp of horses and looking up beheld a party of Crow 
 braves moving along at no great distance with a consider- 
 able cavalcade. The trapper hastened to conceal himself 
 but was discerned by the quick eye of the savages. With 
 whoops and yells they dragged him from his hiding place, 
 flourished over his head their tomahawks and scalping 
 knives, and for a time the poor trapper gave himself up for 
 lost. Fortunately the Crows were in a jocose rather than a 
 sanguinary mood. They amused themselves heartily for 
 a while at the expense of his terrors, and after having played 
 off divers Crow pranks and pleasantries suffered him to de- 
 part unharmed. It is true they stripped him completely, 
 one taking his horse, another his gun, a third his traps, a 
 fourth his blanket, and so on through all his accoutrements, 
 and even his clothing, until he was stark naked; but then 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. 179 
 
 they generously made him a present of an old battered buf- 
 falo robe, and dismissed him with many complimentary 
 speeches and much laughter. When the trapper returned 
 to camp in such a sorry plight he was greeted with peals of 
 laughter from his comrades, and seemed more mortified by 
 the style in which he had been dismissed than rejoiced at 
 escaping with his life. A circumstance which he related to 
 Captain Bonneville gave some insight into the cause of the 
 extreme jocularity on the part of the Crows. They had 
 evidently had a run of luck, and, like winning gamblers, 
 were in high good humor. .Among twenty-six fine horses 
 and some mules which composed their cavalcade, the trap- 
 per recognized a number which had belonged to Fitzpat- 
 rick's brigade, when they parted company on the Big Horn. 
 It was supposed, therefore, that these vagabonds had been 
 on his trail, and robbed him of part of his cavalry. 
 
 The Crows were decidedly troublesome that season 
 and Captain Bonneville felt fortunate to escape from the 
 country without suffering further loss. He went south to 
 the Sweetwater and fortunately a heavy fall of snow oblit- 
 erated his track. Prom the Sweetwater he turned west 
 to Green Kiver and arrived once more at his caches on the 
 14th of October. From that point he went down the Green 
 River, barely escaping a war party of three hundred Crows. 
 Continuing on, he reached Ham's Fork on the 26th of Oc- 
 tober. A day of two after he fell in with Fitzpatrick's party 
 and learned of that leader's experience on the banks of the 
 Big Horn with the thieving Crows, the incident I relate in 
 the sketch of Jim Beckwourth. 
 
 Bonneville now proceeded toward Bear River and going 
 down this stream encamped on the 6th of November at the 
 outlet of what is now known as Utah Lake. On the 11th he 
 with three men set out in search of Mr. Hodgkiss, who had 
 been sent with a party to trap on the headwaters of the Solo- 
 mon, but before starting appointed a rendezvous on Snake 
 River. On the way he met with a number of Bannocks and 
 was invited by them to participate in a buffalo hunt, which 
 invitation the Captain accepted. The hunt was a success 
 
i8o History of Wyoming. 
 
 and was of course followed by a feast, which was enjoyed to 
 the full by all hands. Of this feast the Captain gives an 
 amusing account. Loads of meat were brought in and 
 choice pieces roasted before large fires. Everybody, in- 
 cluding the Bonneville party, fell to and performed their 
 parts with a relish. The warriors in proportion to the ex- 
 tent they had crammed themselves with buffalo meat, grew 
 brave, and after supper they began to chant war songs, set- 
 ting forth their mighty deeds done in battle, and the vic- 
 tories they had gained over the Blackfeet. Warming with 
 the theme, and inflating themselves with their own eulo- 
 gies, these magnanimous heroes of the trencher would start 
 up, advance a short distance beyond the light of the fires, 
 and apostrophize most vehemently their Blackfeet enemies, 
 as though they had been within hearing. RuMng and 
 swelling and snorting, and slapping their breasts, and bran- 
 dishing their arms, they would vociferate all their exploits; 
 reminding the Blackfeet how they drenched their towns in 
 tears and blood; enumerate the blows they had inflicted, 
 the warriors they had slain, the scalps they had brought off 
 in triumph. Then, having said everything that could stir a 
 man's spleen or pique his valor, they would dare their 
 imaginary hearers, now that the Bannocks were few in num- 
 ber, to come and take their revenge. Receiving no reply to 
 ■this valorous bravado, they would conclude by all kinds of 
 sneers and insults, deriding the Blackfeet for dastards and 
 poltroons that dared not accept their challenge. "Such is 
 the kind of swaggering," says Bonneville, "in which the red 
 men are prone to indulge in their vainglorious moments; 
 for with all their vaunted taciturnity, they are vehemently 
 prone at all times to become eloquent about their exploits 
 and to sound their own trumpet." 
 
 Captain Bonneville now shaped his course towards 
 Snake River and on the 19th of November fell upon traces 
 of the party of which he was in search and on the follow- 
 ing day reached the encampment of Hodgkiss and his free 
 trappers. This was the band that refused to accompany the 
 Captain to Green River, preferring to trap on the upper 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. i8i 
 
 waters of the Solomon, but fate had been against them. 
 They had become entangled in the mountains and had lost 
 much time in extricating themselves, and they had alsa 
 been so unfortunate as to encounter unfriendly Indiana 
 and were obliged to again take shelter in the mountains, so 
 altogether their season's work amounted to little. Captain 
 Bonneville, at the head of the united party, set out to join 
 the band he had recently left, and succeeded in finding them 
 on December 4th and proceeded at once to establish a win- 
 ter camp on the Portneuf. After the camp had been put in 
 order for the winter, the Captain organized an expedition to 
 penetrate as far west as the Columbia, with a view to estab- 
 lishing a fort on its lower waters. Taking with him three 
 men and five horses, he set out on his journey on Christmaa 
 morning, promising to return to the Portneuf camp during 
 the early part of March. They journeyed down Snake River,^ 
 following the identical path over which Mr. Hunt and his 
 party had traveled twenty-two years before. It was a wild 
 winter's journey and they suffered much with cold and 
 hunger. They encountered many Indian villages, but they 
 were so poverty stricken that they had nothing in the way 
 of provisions to sell, and the party found themselves re- 
 duced to the necessity of living on small rations of dried 
 flesh secured by killing a mule which was about to give out, 
 and when that was gone they subsisted on roots. At last 
 they came to a camp of the Nez Perces, and were thus saved 
 from perishing from fatigue, hunger and cold. Purchasing 
 fresh horses of these friendly Indians, they pushed on and 
 on March 4, 1834, reached Fort Walla Walla, on the Colum- 
 bia, a trading post of the Hudson Bay Company. The Cap- 
 tain and his men received every kindness at the hands of the 
 company's agent at that point, but when he made applica- 
 tion to purchase provisions for his return journey, he was 
 politely but firmly refused, as it was against the policy of 
 the Hudson Bay Company to assist those who proposed to 
 become rivals in trade. Two days later Captain Bonneville 
 and his three companions started on their return, and after 
 many adventures reached Portneuf River on May 12, near 
 
1 82 History of Wyoming. 
 
 the place he had left his people encamped on the Christmas 
 previous. The party left at the winter camp had suffered 
 much during the absence of its leader and he did not find 
 them until the 1st of June. After this, the course of the 
 party was up Bear Eiver and on the 13th of June they 
 reached Utah Lake, and after spending four days in exam- 
 ining the shores and outlets, pushed on and soon came upon 
 the detachment sent out the year before to explore 
 the shores of the Great Salt Lake. It will be remembered 
 that this party left Green Kiver Valley July 24, 1833, 
 charged with an important mission. They had entirely lost 
 sight of the instructions and had wandered over sandy des- 
 erts and mountains, trapping on various streams, and final- 
 ly encountered a band of Root-Digger Indians. These were 
 seemingly an inoffensive people, but the trappers com- 
 plained that some one was stealing their traps. It was be- 
 lieved that these Indians were the guilty parties. A trapper 
 with an ungovernable temper discovering the loss of his 
 traps one morning, vowed he would kill the first Indian he 
 met, whether he be innocent or guilty. Soon after this man 
 came upon two Indians who were seated upon the bank of a 
 river fishing. One of these he shot and threw the body into 
 the stream. The other escaped and it was presumed gave 
 the alarm to his tribe. Shortly after this the trappers con- 
 cluded it was best to leave the neighborhood, as they saw 
 signs which induced them to believe the Indians contem- 
 plated vengeance. Proceeding west, they arrived at a cross- 
 ing of Ogden's Kiver, where they noticed a large party of 
 Indians gathered upon the opposite side of the stream, in- 
 tending, as they supposed, to oppose their passage. The 
 trappers fired upon the natives and killed twenty-five. The 
 balance fled in terror for a short distance, when they stopped 
 and set up fearful cries of distress. The trappers now pur- 
 sued the remainder of the tribe and drove them far from 
 their path. The victors proceeded down Ogden's River and 
 crossed the mountain, when they turned south and entered 
 the Spanish village Monterey. Here they spent a season 
 in gay life, attending bull and bear fights, used up the sup- 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. 183 
 
 plies provided by Captain Bonneville, and even sold the furs 
 taken on the journey to furnish means to keep up their feast- 
 ing and mad revelry. When Captain Bonneville received 
 these reports, his indignation knew no bounds; the worse 
 than failure of the expedition pricked him to the quick, as 
 it had cost him a large amount of money which he could ill 
 afford. The great Salt Lake still remained unexplored. The 
 expedition he had led into the wilderness was not turning 
 out to be a money-making venture. At this juncture Mr. 
 Cerre arrived at the rendezvous with supplies for the season 
 direct from the east, and after these had been distributed 
 detachments were sent out on another trapping campaign. 
 Montero, with his band, proceeded to the Crow country to 
 trap; he was then to go through the Black HiJls and follow 
 south to the Arkansas, where he was to winter. Cerre and 
 Walker started with a number of men to convey the furs 
 they had taken the past season to St. Louis. The Captain 
 started for the Columbia country, where he expected to 
 winter, then recross the mountains and join Montero the 
 following July on the Arkansas, where the rendezvous was 
 fixed for the next season. Accordingly, the various compa- 
 nies separated on July 3rd for their different destinations. 
 Captain Bonneville's trappers worked all the streams on the 
 -way to the Columbia. He had hoped to do a thriving trade 
 with the natives on this river, but on arriving there he dis- 
 covered that the Indians had been influenced by the Hudson 
 Bay Company not to trade or hold any communication with 
 him. The farther he proceeded the more marked became 
 this disposition on the part of the natives to obey their mas- 
 ters, the agents of the rival company. He was unable to 
 buy even the necessary provisions for his party and conse- 
 quently he retraced his steps to the headwaters of the Port- 
 neuf, where they found abundant game and good pasturage 
 for their horses. Arriving there about November 1st, they 
 remained until the 17th, when, having received two mes- 
 sengers from Montero's party who had been sent after sup- 
 plies, the Captain broke up his camp and started for his 
 caches on Bear River to procure the articles called for. By 
 
184 History of Wyoming. 
 
 these messengers he countermanded the order previously 
 given to the Montero party to rendezvous on the Arkansas, 
 changing the place to the Wind River Valley on the forks of 
 t!he Popo Agie. After the departure of the messengers, 
 Bonneville remained in camp several days to trade with a 
 band of Shoshones in the neighborhood. He then moved up 
 Bear River to the place selected for his winter encampment, 
 where his brigade enjoyed peace and plenty during the cold 
 weather. On the 1st of April, 1835, he broke up his camp. 
 Passing down Ham's Fork to Green River, he trapped along 
 that stream until June 22, when he set out with his party 
 for the rendezvous in the Wind River Valley. Montero 
 arrived in good time and reported a successful trapping 
 expedition in the Crow country. He had had one encounter 
 with the Blackfeet and lost some of his horses. The united 
 parties celebrated the 4th of July at the rendezvous in true 
 patriotic style. Captain Bonneville had erected three cab- 
 ins for the use of his men and in which to store his goods. 
 These cabins were long a landmark in the lower valley and 
 are known to this day as the "Three Cabins." Major Noyes 
 Baldwin, when he received his permit in 1866 to trade with 
 the Shoshones, moved his family and goods into these cab- 
 ins, and it was on this spot that he first set up business in 
 that country. Montero, having drawn his supplies, placed 
 himself at the head of his brigade of trappers and again 
 started on another campaign, while Bonneville, with the 
 residue of his command, turned south and reaching the 
 Sweetwater followed the course of that stream to the North 
 Platte, and so on to civilization. 
 
 This renowned trader, trapper and explorer is worthy 
 of a biographical sketch in these pages, which is herewith 
 appended. 
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 
 
 Captain Benjamin Louis Eulalie Bonneville was born 
 in France, 1796. His father was a man of superior educa- 
 tion and the owner of a printing establishment in Paris at 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. 185 
 
 the time Bonneville was born. He was a Republican and 
 belonged to a Paris club organized by Tom Paine. During 
 our Revolutionary War with England there were many 
 pamphlets published at the Bonneville printing establish- 
 ment which were in the interest of the Americans, and these 
 publications contributed not a little to the building up of a 
 sentiment favorable to the struggling colonies. When Na- 
 poleon came into power he took measures to control the 
 press of Paris and tracing some offensive pamphlets to the 
 Bonneville press, he ordered the proprietor imprisoned m 
 the "Temple." After a time he was released and he ex- 
 pressed a desire to go to America with his family, but Na- 
 poleon ordered him kept under surveillance by the police 
 and that he be not allowed to leave France. Tom Paine, 
 who had been in Paris for some time, was informed by 
 friends that he was in danger of arrest; he therefore secretly 
 left France, taking with him, by desire of her husband, 
 Madame Bonneville and her son Benjamin, then a small 
 boy. On arriving in New York, Mrs. Bonneville and her 
 son were sent to the country residence of Tom Paine, New 
 Rochelle. The elder Bonneville after a time escaped from 
 Paris and joined his wife and son in New York City, where 
 she had opened a school for young ladies. When young 
 Benjamin was old enough, Tom Paine secured his appoint- 
 ment to West Point, from which institution he graduated in 
 1819. When General Lafayette visited America in 1824 
 he looked up the Bonneville family and evinced a deep in- 
 terest in them. This becoming known to the War Depart- 
 ment, young Bonneville, out of compliment to General La- 
 fayette, was appointed an aide on the staff of the distin- 
 guished and much beloved visitor, and the young man ac- 
 companied the General on his tour through the United 
 States. When Lafayette returned to his home, he asked 
 that young Bonneville be allowed to return with him to 
 France as his guest. How long he remained abroad I do not 
 know, but on his return to America he was appointed a 
 Lieutenant and went into service on the frontier, and it was 
 here he acquired a desire to penetrate the wilderness. In 
 
1 86 History of Wyoming. 
 
 course of time he was promoted to a Captaincy. From time 
 to time he met trappers and traders from the Rocky Moun- 
 tains, and it soon became the ambition of his life to lead an 
 expedition across the continent with the object of studying 
 the character of Indian tribes, the discovering of a road for 
 the use of emigrants and the making of a correct map of the 
 country through which he passed. He believed that such 
 an expedition could be made self-sustaining by trading with 
 Indians and by trapping, provided he could secure the capi- 
 tal necessary for the outfitting and the purchase of goods 
 to be used in trading with Indians. The Captain fortunately 
 had wealthy friends who were willing to advance the money 
 needed. He applied to General Macomb for leave of ab- 
 sence, giving in detail his plans. His request was promptly 
 granted. 
 
 Three years and four months from the time of his de- 
 parture from Fort Osage, on the Missouri, Captain Bonne- 
 ville reported to General Macomb at Washington and asked 
 permission to file his report of the expedition he had con- 
 ducted into the interior of the continent. He was informed 
 that the war oflSce had eagerly looked for his return for a 
 long time, but had finally come to the conclusion that he and 
 his companions had met death in the wilderness, and he 
 had therefore been dropped from the rolls of the army. 
 The Captain was dumfounded when informed that he had 
 been deposed, but he promptly demanded reinstatement. 
 He was told that this was irregular, and as it concerned a 
 large number of ofiflcers who were anxious for promotion, 
 his request was denied. His return created a profound sen- 
 sation in army circles, but there was not an oflficer who 
 would espouse his cause. He was told that he had been en- 
 gaged in a private enterprise for his own profit and emolu- 
 ment and that he could not expect to be restored to his rank 
 after having overstayed his leave of absence nearly two 
 years. Bonneville now went to the President, General Jack- 
 son and laid the case before him. The old hero and states- 
 man heard him with kindness and attention, and knocking 
 the ashes from his cob-pipe said: "You were absent from 
 
Captain Bonneville in Wyoming. 187 
 
 duty for specific objects, such as information in regard to 
 the ^ild tribes, the mountain routes and passes and maps 
 of the country. Have you these maps to prove this service?" 
 "I have, sir." "Let me examine them." Jackson put on 
 his spectacles and was absorbed in them some time. "By 
 the eternal, sir," he said, "I'll see that you are reinstated 
 to your command. For this valuable service you deserve a 
 high promotion." Bonneville was restored. Soon after his 
 restoration he was given command of Fort Gibson, and 
 later was ordered to Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, and 
 while there met Miss Annie Lewis, a daughter of Judge 
 Lewis of that place. The gallant soldier was an ardent ad- 
 mirer of this young lady and in due course of time he mar- 
 ried her, and soon after was ordered to Jefferson Barracks. 
 By this union they had one child, a girl. This daughter's 
 name was Mary, and she is spoken of as a beautiful and ac- 
 complished young lady, but at the age of eighteen she died. 
 A few days after the death of Mary her grief-stricken 
 mother died also, and the two occupied graves side by side 
 in a St. Louis cemetery. At the breaking out of the Semi- 
 nole war Captain Bonneville played a conspicuous part and 
 was promoted to Major of the Sixth Infantry, for merit- 
 orious service. He went with his command to Mexico and 
 again distinguished himself and was promoted Lieutenant- 
 Colonel of the Fourth Infantry and in 1852 was ordered to 
 the Pacific coast. February 3, 1855, he was promoted Colo- 
 nel of the Third Infantry. He was retired from active ser- 
 vice September 9, 1861. At the breaking out of the war he 
 volunteered his services to the government and was ordered 
 to Jefferson Barracks and made mustering oflScer, which 
 position he held until the close of the war. On March 13th, 
 1865, he was brevetted Brigadier-General. He was married 
 a second time late in life and at the close of the war went to 
 live on his farm, located at Fort Smith, Arkansas, where he 
 died on June 12, 1878. The photograph which appears on 
 another page was taken in the year 1873. 
 
 The Indians of the Rocky Mountains called Bonneville 
 the "Bald Headed Chief," as he was in fact very bald. In 
 
1 88 History of Wyoming. 
 
 the latter years of his life he wore a wig, as will be noticed 
 in his published portrait. His widow is still living at Fort 
 Smith. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 SKETCHES OF TRAPPERS AND TRADERS. 
 
 Trappers First Permanent Settlers in Wyoming — Personal Mention 
 Jim Beckwourth — Nathaniel J. Wyeth — James Bridger — Kit Car- 
 son — Jedediah S. Smith — Joshua Pilcher — George W. Ebberts — 
 Robert Newell — Captain William Sublette — Thomas Fitzpatrick 
 — Frapp — Jervaise — Fontenelle — Jennings — LeRoy — Ross — Sin- 
 clair Brothers — Dripps — Vasques — Goodale — Pappen — Tulleck. 
 
 It will be clearly established in the minds of those who 
 read the early history of Wyoming that to the trappers be- 
 long the credit of having first made permanent homes in 
 this country. Many of the men who came out with Ashley, 
 Sublette, Bonneville and other renowned heroes, conceived 
 the idea of making the mountains their abiding place. They 
 paid dearly for their temerity, and the estimate is that 
 three-fifths of this number met violent deaths at the hands 
 of the savages. A majority took Indian wives, but this only 
 protected them from the particular tribes to which their 
 wives belonged. The hereditary enemies of such tribes 
 scalped these white men whenever the opportunity offered. 
 When Fremont came into the country he found numerous 
 white men who had married among Indians, and he es- 
 pecially mentions the fact that as a result of such marriages 
 there was an abundance of half-breed children. I can im- 
 agine that some of my readers will be inclined to the opinion 
 that these white men had become by association little bet- 
 ter than the natives; but this by no means follows; nor was 
 it the case. Those who settled down to make homes in the 
 wilderness, far from civilization, were the bravest of the 
 brave ; they lived for the most part honorably with their na- 
 
Sketches of Trappers and Traders. 189 
 
 tive wives and provided abundantly for their offspring. 
 Their surroundings did not permit them to give to their 
 children the advantages of education and civilization, and 
 yet it is only fair to say that their homes were the 
 abodes of love and tenderness. In those days educa- 
 tion was not the privilege of all, even in the states. 
 The most of the trappers were men without education 
 and their lot was no worse in the mountains than it 
 would have been at home, except for the dangers inci- 
 dent to their calling. It must be admitted that even savage 
 women have their charms, under certain circumstances. 
 The fair daughters of the mountain chieftains of Wyoming 
 were no less charming than those of Powhatan, who wed 
 Pocahontas to a white man, and polite society approved. 
 The daughter of the Virginia chieftain, it is true, saved Cap- 
 tain John Smith from the murderous war club of her savage 
 father. Are there any to claim that the princesses of the 
 mountains were less powerful to protect white men? Hu- 
 manity is alike to some extent in all countries and all ages, 
 and the white men who came to Wyoming in the first half of 
 the century were no exception to the rule. To live with a 
 squaw was the custom of the country, and besides, the un- 
 lettered trappers were not the only white men who indulged 
 their fancy in this particular. Men highly educated did the 
 same thing. "The Free Trapper's Bride" is pictured in ele- 
 gant prose by Washington Irving in his story of Captain 
 Bonneville, and Bancroft, who loses no opportunity to stab 
 Irving's hero, says in his "Adventures of Nathaniel J. Wy- 
 eth," in 1834: "They also reached Powder River the 28th 
 and on the 31st arrived at Grand Eonde, where they found 
 Bonneville and his company. This amateur forester, with 
 a troop of Nez Perces and Oayuses at his heels, visited Wy- 
 eth's camp, and by his broad, genial good humor, which then 
 happily possessed him, and his French manners, created a 
 favorable impression. Meanwhile, flitting in the distance, 
 astride a sleek bay horse, gayly caparisoned, the mane and 
 tail tied full of scarlet and blue ribbons, was a beautiful 
 damsel, glittering in finery, loaded with bells, beads, and 
 
1 90 History of Wyoming. 
 
 rings fastened to bands of scarlet cloth, and who managed 
 her horse as being part of it, but held aloof as the property 
 of one who brooked no familiarity in the matter of mis- 
 tresses." 
 
 I have no desire to apologize for the personal conduct 
 of the early trappers. They came into the country and took 
 their chances, braved the dangers, and a majority of them, 
 as has been said, lost their lives. Their social relations with 
 the Indian tribes have no bearing on the subjects discusstd 
 in this volume. Their alliances with the daughters of the 
 mountains are mere incidents in the history of these men, 
 
 The introduction of spiritous liquors was an evil far. 
 reaching, not only among the trappers but also to the Indian 
 tribes. Of course this trafBc added to the profits of the 
 trader, and yet the injury it inflicted on the whites, half- 
 breeds and natives was beyond calculation. Whole tribes 
 were demoralized, white men brutalized, and all because of 
 the greed of those who came to the mountains to build up 
 fortunes. It was the one great blot on the character of the 
 heroes who established commerce in the wilderness. Fu- 
 ture generations, when they come to sum up the moral 
 worth of the trader and trapper, will see no great difference 
 between the men who sold skins for whisky and those who 
 bartered whisky for skins. 
 
 In this chapter I desire to group together many of the 
 trappers and traders and tell their experiences while in 
 Wyoming. I shall be obliged in most instances to barely 
 mention names. The task has been a difficult one. My pur- 
 pose from the first was to give the names of these men in 
 connection with incidents relating to the fur trade, and this 
 has been done wherever possible. It should be understood 
 that the fur trade, first and last, employed in this state seve- 
 ral thousand people, and only a very small percentage of 
 these have left any record, and that record very imperfect. 
 Full names are the exception, as I find them mentioned in 
 publications relating to the fur trade. 
 
 Jim Beckwourth, who came to the mountains under 
 Ashley and was known among the trappers and traders as 
 
Sketches of Trappers and Traders. 191 
 
 one of the bravest of the brave, led a life of adventure such 
 as few men of his day could boast. He served at first under 
 Ashley and then under Sublette. While serving the latter 
 he joined the Crow nation and by his bravery became a 
 powerful chief. After joining the Crows he was charged by 
 trappers with instigating that tribe to steal furs and horses 
 from the trappers of the Eocky Mountain and American 
 Fur Companies. This he has denied many times. He never 
 contradicted, however, the many marriages charged to his 
 account. Being sent to trade with the Blackfeet tribe on 
 one occasion by Fitzpatrick, he prepared the way by marry- 
 ing the daughter of the chief, after which he opened up and 
 did a thriving business. While he was with the Crows he 
 had fully a dozen wives. Fremont in 1842 met at Chabon- 
 ard's ranch on the Platte a young Spanish woman who he 
 said was the wife of Jim Beckwourth. It has been charged 
 that he on one occasion infected some goods with the 
 germs of smallpox and then sent them to a camp of Black- 
 feet, and the result was that a large number of the savages 
 took the disease and many died. I have carefully exam- 
 ined many of the charges made against Beckwourth, and 
 have come to the conclusion that he was one of those charac- 
 ters who delight in telling monstrous stories about them- 
 selves, but they are really not as bad as they make out. Hei 
 was constantly boasting about the number of Indians he had 
 killed on various occasions, and he tried to make people be""- 
 lieve that, like David, he had slain his tens of thousands. 
 The real facts are, he had killed a number of Indians, it is 
 true, but he was fond of exaggeration. He had some good 
 traits; this cannot be denied. After living with the Crows a 
 number of years he went into the service of the American 
 Fur Company on the Yellowstone, but later withdrew and 
 went to California. At one time he kept a hotel, but falling 
 under suspicion of being connected with a band of horse- 
 thieves, he was obliged to leave California; returning to 
 Wyoming. When Denver was first settled he went to that 
 place and opened a store but did not continue long in busi- 
 ness. W. N. Byers informs me that at the time he came to 
 
192 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Denver, in 1859, he took up a ranch in what is now a popu- 
 lous part of the city, and his next neighbor was Jim Beck- 
 wourth. He had located on a quarter section of land and 
 lived on it in a cabin. Beckwourth afterward built a good 
 house and while living there married a daughter of a col- 
 ored washerwoman in town. The Crow Indians sent him 
 many pressing invitations to come and see them, as they 
 were in need of his advice. This tribe claimed that he was 
 their "good medicine." Finally Beckwourth resolved to 
 pay his old friends a farewell visit. Mr. Byers thinks that 
 this was about the year 1867, but he does not feel certain as 
 to the date. The tribe at this time was in Montana and re- 
 ceived Beckwourth with open arms. The Crows before this 
 period had met with great misfortunes. Between war and 
 disease the tribe was greatly decimated, and they attributed 
 their bad luck of late years to the absence of Beckwourth. 
 He was feasted in all their villages and his visit was one 
 grand ovation. Finally he announced his intention of re- 
 turning to Denver and the head men of the tribe made this 
 the occasion of a grand farewell feast. There was boiled 
 puppy and all the choice dishes of the Indian epicure and 
 Beckwourth was seated in the center of the feast while good 
 cheer went the rounds. The memories of happy days when 
 the Crows were a numerous and powerful nation, were re- 
 vived, and stories told of battles fought and victories won 
 while Beckwourth was their chief. At last the feast drew 
 to a close, when one more choice dish, prepared for the hon- 
 ored and loved former chieftain, was pressed upon him. Of 
 this he ate and dropped dead ! He had been poisoned. They 
 explained afterwards that in spite of all their entreaties 
 Beckwourth was determined to return to Denver. He had 
 always been "good medicine" to the tribe, and if they could 
 not have him alive they resolved to have him dead, that his 
 bones might be kept with them. Thus perished one of the 
 most remarkable characters ever in the Rocky Moun- 
 tains. He was born April 26, 1798, at Fredricksburg, 
 Virginia, his mother being a slave woman and his father a 
 white man. Beckwourth took great pride in the fact that 
 
Sketches of Trappers and Traders. 193 
 
 Ws father was a major in the War of the Revolution. The 
 following interesting story is told of Beckwourth's services 
 to white men who suflEered capture among the Indians : 
 
 "During 1834, Captain Stuart, an English army officer, 
 who had served under the Duke of Wellington, Dr. Ben- 
 jamin Harrison, a son of the first President Harrison, Colo- 
 nel Charles A. Wharfield, a Mr. Brotherton and several 
 ■other gentlemen who were in search of adventure, wer6 
 with Thomas Fitzpatrick's trappers. They had appeared at 
 the rendezvous on Green River that year and followed Pitz- 
 patrick through the Wind River Valley, down the Big Wind 
 River, and had finally reached the Big Horn Basin, where 
 they were all captured by a band of Crows. Jim Beck- 
 wourth, who was then working for the American Fur Com- 
 pany, happened to be with the Crow party who made the 
 capture. Fitzpatrick appealed to Beckwourth to get him- 
 self and friends out of the scrape. Beckwourth called upon 
 Tiis relatives, Indians related to him by marriage, for each 
 warrior to mount a horse and take a prisoner behind him, 
 while he gathered up the horses and goods belonging to the 
 white men. Captives according to the laws of war among 
 Indians are safe while being conducted to or from the camp, 
 and a captive mounted behind a warrior, that warrior is 
 directly responsible for his safe keeping. While the white 
 captives were being mounted, Captain Stuart declared he 
 would not get on behind a murdering, thieving, red rascal. 
 Col. Wharfield and Dr. Harrison told the English blusterer 
 that he was using very unbecoming language and that he 
 was endangering the lives of the whole party as well as his 
 own. Thus persuaded. Captain Stuart meekly mounted be- 
 hind an Indian. After much difficulty, Beckwourth secured 
 all the property belonging to the white men, returned it to 
 the owners, and sent an escort with them several miles. 
 The party once out of the Indian village remounted their 
 own horses and went on their way. These pleasure-seekers 
 during that same season visited Captain Bonneville in his 
 <;amp near Solomon River." 
 
 I have explained the presence of Nathaniel J. Wyeth in 
 Wyoming during the spring of 1832, and his disappearance 
 teyond our borders. His twenty-two men had dwindled 
 down to eleven, yet he persisted in going forward to fulfill 
 the dream of his ambition ; that is, to build trading posts and 
 «hip to Boston, by way of the Columbia, furs and salmon. 
 -(13) 
 
194 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Previous to his leaving Boston, he had sent a ship around 
 Cape Horn, calculating that the vessel would meet him on 
 the lower Columbia about the time his expedition by land 
 should reach there. Concerning the trials and tribulations 
 of Mr. Wyeth on the Pacific coast, my history has nothing 
 to do. He remained there during the fall and winter of 
 1832 and then bent his steps back across the mountains and 
 appeared at Green River, having failed in his enterprise, but 
 like the true New Englander, he was more enthusiastic than 
 ever. From Green River he went in convoy of Robert Camp- 
 bell and Captain Bonneville, through the Wind River Val- 
 ley, down the Big Horn River to the Yellowstone, and after 
 constructing a bull-boat floated down the Yellowstone to 
 the Missouri — thence back to St. Louis and on to Boston by 
 the usual modes of conveyance. He had failed, but that did 
 not prevent his Boston friends furnishing all the money 
 he needed for a second expedition. Another ship was fitted 
 out, well loaded with merchandise and dispatched to the 
 Columbia. He raised 200 men and started by land to make 
 his second journey up the Platte, through South Pass, 
 boldly pushing forward to Snake River, down which stream 
 he took his course. Seventy-five miles below Henry's Fort 
 he stopped to build his first post in the interior. This post 
 was a log structure with ample accommodations for the 
 business for which it was intended. The logs were squared 
 with a broad-ax, and consequently his buildings when com- 
 pleted presented a creditable appearance. He named the 
 place Fort Hall and it became famous as the years went by,. 
 first as a fur-trading establishment, then as an important 
 station on the old overland emigrant and stage route, and 
 still later as a military post ; though our governinent finally 
 moved Fort Hall a few miles up the river. Wyeth built 
 other posts and pushed his business with true Yankee spirit 
 and persistence, but it was too late in the history of the 
 fur trade for it to be a success. The fur-bearing animals 
 were fast disappearing from the streams, and besides he 
 had to encounter a well organized competition of the power- 
 ful Hudson Bay Company. He shipped salmon and furs,^ 
 
Sketches of Trappers and Traders. 195 
 
 but his vessels were only half loaded and consequently there 
 was no margin for profits, and after pursuing the unproflta^ 
 ble business several years, he finally sold to the Pacific Fur 
 Company all his posts, merchandise, vessels, and other prop- 
 erty, and went to Boston and engaged in the wholesale ice 
 business, in which calling he succeeded in amassing a for- 
 tune. Had Wyeth come west a few years earlier and 
 remained in the mountains he would have fought his way 
 to the front and made fortune and reputation, but the trou- 
 ble was, when he arrived the fur business was already on 
 the wane. The beaver, otter and mink were growing scarce 
 in the mountain streams, and there was no room for a new 
 leader in the fur trade. 
 
 James Bridger has been called the Daniel Boone of the 
 Rockies, but this does not do him justice. Boone was simply 
 a courageous Indian fighter, a hunter of renown in a com- 
 paratively level country. True, though there were dense 
 forests and numerous lurking foes, the difficulties in no way 
 compared with those Bridger had to encounter. He and 
 his band of trappers were daily exposed in open ground. The 
 Indians knew their whereabouts at all times because the 
 valleys in the Rocky Mountains were devoid of timber, and 
 through these the streams flowed where the beaver were 
 to be found. These same streams came out of rocky recesses 
 in the mountains, covered on either side with a dense growth 
 of cedar, pine and other timber, where the savages lurked in 
 ambush, because they knew the hunters, once on a stream, 
 would follow it to its source. Narrow passes led from one 
 valley to another, and here again the wild men of the moun- 
 tains watched to hurl a shower of arrows at the lonely trap- 
 pers, and if they escaped these pitfalls along their path, 
 their canap at night was surrounded by a savage horde 
 awaiting an opportunity to deal death and destruction to 
 the tired sleepers. Trapping grounds lay wide apart and to 
 go from one to another required long marches, every mile of 
 the way exposed to dangers seen and unseen. The country 
 was subject to seasons of intense cold, and this was even 
 more dangerous than the encounters with the savages. In 
 
igS History of Wyoming. 
 
 ■short, Bridger's life was one of constant peril, and he met 
 all with a courage sublime; therefore, I say, Daniel Boone, 
 who lives in hundreds of tales of the border, and who has 
 been made many times a hero by the pen which tells the 
 story of border life in border days so eloquently, never was 
 called upon to suffer the privations or to meet the dangers 
 which fell to the lot of the hero of the Rockies, James 
 Bridger. 
 
 Born in Richmond, Virginia, March, 1804, he early came 
 to St. Louis and enlisted in one of General Ashley's brig- 
 ades of fur trappers. From a boy he was an expert shot 
 with the rifle and soon learned woodcraft and the art of 
 defending himself against savage beasts and at times equally 
 savage men. Some writers claim that he came to the moun- 
 tains in 1820. That would make him but sixteen years old. 
 I am unable to trace him back of 1822, when he came to 
 Wyoming with Ashley's trappers on their first trip to the 
 Yellowstone and Wind River country. General Ashley soon 
 noted his courage and fidelity, and Thomas Fitzpatrick, 
 who was many years his senior, clung to him as to a younger 
 brother. He was skillful as a trapper, and the Indians soon 
 learned to respect his unerring aim and kept themselves at 
 a safe distance or met him as a friend. Of all the wliite men 
 who came to the mountains, none learned the geography of 
 the country so well as he. Every mountain defile, every 
 principal stream and all its tributaries were engraved upon 
 the tablet of his memory, which enabled him to lead his 
 men by the shortest route through any desired locality. In 
 later years he became a guide to the army and often aston- 
 ished military commanders by the accuracy of his know- 
 ledge of the country through which they desired to pass. 
 It has been said of him by Generals in the army that he 
 could either name any stream he came to or tell in an instant 
 of what it was a tributary. Not only was he familiar with 
 Wyoming, but possessed a topographical knowledge of all 
 parts of the Rocky Mountains. Possessing little education 
 drawn from books, he graduated in the school of the moun- 
 tains. His knowledge of human nature was beyond that 
 
Sketdhes of Trappers and Traders. 197 
 
 acquired by the majority of mankind, and he read the hu- 
 man face of the white man or the savage at a glance. I have 
 no occasion to write his life, for the reason that his name 
 occurs in connection with many events which are detailed in 
 these pages. Fort Bridger, which he built, and Bridger 
 Pass, which he discovered, are his monuments. His explora- 
 tions in the Yellowstone National Park and his life services 
 in Wyoming are all related in their proper place. 
 
 After a service of thirty-four years, he went east in 1856 
 and purchased a valuable and improved farm at Westport, 
 now a suburb of Kansas City, on which he intended to re- 
 side the remainder of his days, but after the stirring scenes 
 in the wild west through which he had passed, the hum- 
 drum of farm life was unendurable, and he returned to the 
 mountains, locating at Fort Laramie, and engaged perma- 
 nently with the government as a guide to the army, which 
 occupation he followed until his advanced years compelled 
 him to retire to his farm, where he died July 17, 1881. Jim 
 Bridger, as he was familiarly called, will remain for all time 
 to come a part of the history of Wyoming. He lived to see 
 it develop from utter darkness to the noonday of civilization. 
 In appearance, Bridger was a typical hunter, tall, slim, with 
 a face bronzed by exposure, wearing a slouch hat and ever 
 accompanied by his trusty rifle. 
 
 The name of Kit Carson will forever be associated with 
 the early events in Wyoming, where he trapped during his 
 young manhood. He was born in Kentucky, December 24, 
 1809. In 1826, when a mere boy, he went to Santa Fe, New 
 Mexico. From there he drifted into Old Mexico and finally 
 to California. From this place he came to Wyoming and 
 located on Green River, trapping and hunting. He early 
 made a reputation for bravery and of being an expert shot 
 with the rifle. These qualities naturally made him a leader. 
 In 1830 he completed a tour of Wyoming, trapping in nearly 
 all the streams. He fought Indians and trapped with Jim 
 Bridger, Jim Baker, O. P. Wiggins, Thomas Fitzpatrick 
 and numerous other noted mountain men. The Rocky 
 Mountain passes were familiar to him from one end to the 
 
198 History of Wyoming. 
 
 other. Eev. Samuel Parker, who crossed the continent in 
 1835, the incidents of whose journey have already been 
 given, speaks of meeting Jim Eridger at the Green River 
 rendezvous in the month of August, and also mentions Car- 
 son. He says: 
 
 "I will relate an occurrence which took place near even- 
 ing, as a specimen of mountain life. A hunter who goes 
 technically by the name of the great bully of the mountains, 
 mounted his horse with a loaded rifle and challenged any 
 Frenchman, American, Spaniard, or Dutchman to fight him 
 in single combat. Kit Carson, an American, told him if he 
 wished to die he would accept the challenge. Shunar defied 
 him. Carson mounted his horse, and with a loaded pistol 
 rushed into close contact, and both almost at the same in- 
 stant fired. Carson's ball entered Shunar's hand, came out 
 at the wrist, and passed through the arm above the elbow. 
 Shunar's ball passed over the head of Carson, and while he 
 went for another pistol Shunar begged that his life might 
 be spared." 
 
 Carson's home was at Taos, New Mexico, for many 
 years, where he married in 1843. In 1842 he accompanied 
 Fremont on his first tour of exploration to the Rocky Moun- 
 tains and the two from that time forward were warm per- 
 sonal friends. In nearly all of Fremont's explorations Car- 
 son was his guide. During the lifetime of this noted moun- 
 tain man he held many positions of trust and was ever on 
 the move in the varied callings in which he was engaged. 
 He fought Indians in Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico and 
 other territories. In 1864 he was in command of Fort 
 Union, New Mexico, and in 1865 and 1866 commanded Fort 
 Garland, Colorado. In 1867 he moved from Taos, New 
 Mexico, to Bent County, Colorado. He died May 24, 1868. 
 Frank Hall, the author of the history of Colorado, was per- 
 sonally acquainted with Carson, and says of him: "This 
 man was a rare combination of dauntless courage, keen pen- 
 etration, true nobility of mind and generous impulse, tem- 
 pered with discretion and sound sense." Of his personal 
 appearance, this author says: "In physical mould and stat- 
 ure he was not unlike the great Napoleon, but in voice and 
 action in ordinary life the personification of amiability and 
 
Sketches of Trappers and Traders. 199 
 
 retiring modesty. But when roused by great events por- 
 tending danger to himself or others who for the time being 
 were under his protection, he became a whirlwind of venge- 
 ance, tempered and restrained from rashness by the keenest 
 sagacity and most marvelous generalship." 
 
 Jedediah S. Smith, after trapping in Wyoming in the 
 spring of 1824, led his party west down the Snake River 
 among the Flatheads. They wintered at the Hudson Bay 
 Company's post and in the spring pushed their way west- 
 ward to California. He trapped in that country and was 
 very successful, and in 1828 started north for the Oregon 
 country with nineteen men. He had with him a long train 
 of pack mules on which he carried $20,000 worth of furs. 
 The natives along the route home seemed friendly, but when 
 he reached TJmpqua, Oregon, his party was attacked and all 
 were killed except Smith, Turner and a man named Black, 
 and the furs stolen. Smith made his way to the Hudson 
 Bay Company post at Fort Vancouver, where he informed 
 Superintendent McLoughlin of his misfortune. The feeling 
 at that time against the Hudson Bay Company and its offl- 
 cers was very bitter among Americans, and yet this leader 
 of the company sent out an expedition to recover Smith's 
 furs; and they were successfully brought into the post. 
 When Smith returned to Green River that fall and told 
 Captain Sublette of the generous treatment he had received 
 at the hands of McLoughlin, they agreed between them- 
 selves that they would withdraw their men from the terri- 
 tory of the Hudson Bay Company, which they immediately 
 proceeded to do. Smith was a man of great courage, able 
 in business matters and generally successful. He trapped 
 in 1829 in the streams on both sides of the Wind River 
 Range. In September he headed a party to descend the 
 Green and Colorado rivers, and while he was successful in 
 securing a large number of furs, he unfortunately lost them 
 while attempting to cross the Colorado River. In 1830 he 
 withdrew from the Rocky Mountain Fur Company and en- 
 tered into operations further south. He established a trad- 
 ing post at Santa Fe and started in to do a large business. 
 
200 History of Wyoming. 
 
 By agreement with the Rocky Mountain Fur Company, they 
 were not to enter his territory, and he on his part agreed not 
 to enter theirs. He did not long enjoy the business in this 
 new field, as he was killed in 1831 by a band of savages who 
 attacked his train at some point on the the Cimarron Eiver.. 
 He was one of the best men ever engaged in the business 
 and his death was deplored by all who knew him. 
 
 Godin, a Canadian trapper who came to Wyoming in 
 1829, was for some years with Wyatt's band, and while un- 
 der that chieftain participated in the great battle with the 
 Blackfeet at Pierre's Hole. Old trappers tell the story of 
 the fight of Godin with a chief of the Blackfeet at the open- 
 ing of the battle. The Indians advanced to the number of 
 400 to attack the trappers. Suddenly a tall, well-built chief, 
 splendidly mounted and arrayed in all his savage finery, 
 came forward, intimating by his action that he desired to 
 fight any or all the trappers single-handed. It was a feat of 
 reckless daring such as chiefs who desire to distinguish 
 themselves not infrequently resort to. Godin saw the move- 
 ment, and being well mounted and armed with a short rifle,, 
 rode forward to meet the chief. They approached to within 
 a few yards of each other when Godin raised his rifle and 
 fired at his adversary. The chief was instantly killed and 
 Godin rushed forward and springing to the ground stripped 
 a scarlet coat from the dead chieftain, remounted and rode 
 back to his companions under a heavy fire from the savages. 
 This was regarded among the trappers as a feat showing 
 great bravery, and won for Godin a reputation among moun- 
 tain men. This trapper was a familiar figure in the Rocky 
 Mountains for many years. Washington Irving tells this 
 incident in quite another way, as will be discovered in the 
 account of the fight at Pierre's Hole. The story as above 
 related is told by old trappers of Wyoming who were there 
 and saw the encounter between Godin and the Indian chief, 
 and this is substantially the account given by Bancroft. 
 
 One of the trappers who worked under Ashley and af- 
 terwards under Sublette was Thomas L. Smith. In a year 
 or two after reaching the mountains he had the misfortune 
 
Sketches of Trappers and Traders. 201 
 
 to break one of his legs. Jim Cockrell, another trapper, waa 
 ■with him at the time, and Smith not being able to travel, 
 the two went into camp together. The leg was not only 
 broken but badly crushed, the bones protruding through the 
 flesh. Smith was axious to have Cockrell amputate his leg, 
 and the latter, seeing that the situation was desperate, 
 agreed to undertake the surgical operation. They chanced 
 to have with them an old-fashioned three-cornered file, and 
 with this Cockrell made a saw out of a butcher knife. He 
 cut the flesh down to the bone with a hunting knife, then 
 with the saw cut off the bone. The arteries were tied,and the 
 flow of blood stopped. The operation was a success and 
 before many weeks Smith was able to ride horse-back and 
 Cockrell took him to one of the trading posts of the com- 
 pany. This trapper Cockerell was an uncle of the present 
 Senator Cockerel of Missouri. Smith did not leave the 
 mountains, but soon after established a road ranch along 
 what became a few years later the Overland Trail. He went 
 east as soon as he was able and procured a wooden leg and 
 became known after this as "Pegleg Smith." He was one 
 of the characters during the days of the Overland. He was 
 kind-hearted and generous to a fault, but somewhat addicted 
 to drink. In 1866 he went to California, and while there 
 died. 
 
 Bill Williams, or "Parson Williams," as he was some- 
 times called, enjoyed the reputation of being a well-posted 
 mountain man, and was considered by Kit Carson one of the 
 bravest men in the mountains. In the fall of 1848 he was 
 engaged by Fremont as guide to his fourth expedition 
 across the Rocky Mountains. The command started from 
 Bent's Fort with thirty-three men and one hundred and 
 twenty-three mules with forage for the same. They went up 
 the Arkansas and attempted to go across the San Juan 
 Mountains, which had always been known to be inaccessi- 
 ble even in summer. They plunged about in the snow, 
 nearly all the mules were lost, eleven of the men either 
 starved or were frozen to death, and the balance barely es- 
 caped with their lives. Williams has always been held re- 
 
202 History of Wyoming. 
 
 sponsible for the disaster. The next season, with a small 
 party, he went back over the trail of the unfortunate explor- 
 ers to pick up the pack saddles, clothing and arms strewn 
 along the route. While on this service Williams and all 
 his companions were killed by Indians. During the thirties 
 and forties this guide was often in Wyoming. I have met 
 many persons intimately acquainted with him, and have 
 been told that he was called "Parson Williams" for the rea- 
 son that in his young manhood he was a Methodist preacher. 
 
 Descoteaux was a trapper in Wyoming in the thirties 
 and was regarded as a man of great personal courage. In 
 1842 he joined Fremont's expedition at Fort Laramie and 
 accompanied the explorer to the Wind River Mountains 
 and was one of the men selected to ascend Fremont's Peak. 
 He remained in the country for many years, trapping and 
 trading, and often visited St. Louis to dispose of his furs. 
 On one of these trips he met a lad in that city who appeared 
 to be friendless and alone, and he at once told the boy that if 
 he would go with him he would be taken care of. The lad 
 accepted the kind offer of the big-hearted trapper and from 
 that day the two became inseparable. Visiting Wyoming 
 shortly after this, the boy came along and thus became 
 one of the pioneer settlers in this state. This lad was Tom 
 Sun, now the proprietor of a large ranch at Devil's Gate, on 
 the Sweetwater. His name will appear in a number of 
 places in this history in connection with important events 
 and enterprises. 
 
 Joseph L. Meek was a Virginian by birth, came to St. 
 Louis and enlisted under Captain Sublette in 1828. Robert 
 Newell, who was born in Ohio in 1810, also enlisted with 
 Sublette, and both during the same year came to Wyo- 
 ming and served many years as trappers. They were both 
 reliable men and served under Captain Sublette and his 
 brother Milton; also Bridger, Frapp, Fitzpatrick and Jer- 
 vais. In 1840 these trappers went to Oregon and helped 
 organize that commonwealth. They now settled down as 
 staid members of society and became useful citizens with no 
 desire to return to their former mountain life. 
 
Sketches of Trappers and Traders. 203 
 
 Peter Gauthier and Paul Ojet were Canadian trappers 
 who came to Wyoming in the early thirties and worked 
 for the American Fur Company on the Big Horn and Big 
 Wind Rivers for a number of years. After the American 
 Fur Company purchased Fort Laramie, these two trappers 
 came to the North Platte and trapped on the tributaries of 
 that stream for nearly eight years. The two were great 
 friends and were always found together. When beaver 
 grew scarce, they determined to go to Oregon, take land, 
 become farmers, and settle down. In 1843 they joined a 
 party of emigrants and became Oregon settlers, married in 
 the new country and raised families. 
 
 In 1827 a company of forty-five men with a hundred 
 horses came into Wyoming by the Platte and Sweetwater 
 route, crossed the mountains at South Pass and proceeded 
 to Green River. This company was under the command of 
 Joshua Pilcher of the revived Missouri Fur Company. Pil- 
 cher employed his men trapping on the upper waters of 
 Green River and on the east side of the Wind River Range. 
 He wintered high up on Green River and remained in that 
 neighborhood until 1829, when he crossed the Snake River 
 and went over into the Oregon country, where he lost all 
 the furs he had gathered and had all but two of his men 
 killed by Indians. 
 
 Jervais, who was associated in 1830 with Milton Sub- 
 lette, Fitzpatrick and Frapp in the Rocky Mountain Fur 
 Company, was one of the remarkable characters in the fur 
 trade. He was one of the Astorians and endured much 
 suffering while with that expedition in 1811-12. After serv- 
 ing may years, first as trapper, then as trader, in the Rocky 
 Mountains, he finally settled on Willamette River, in Ore- 
 gon, and had for his neighbors Luciere and Deslard, two 
 other trappers. Luciere was one of the Canadian voyageurs 
 who came out with Mr. Hunt in 1811. 
 
 Peter Skeens Ogden, better known as Peter Ogden, was 
 a Hudson Bay Company superintendent and a popular man 
 among the early trappers. This leader was in Wyoming a 
 number of times in the twenties and thirties. He was a 
 
204 History of Wyoming. 
 
 friend of General Ashley and also of Captain William Sub- 
 lette. Ogden City and Ogden River, 'Utah, are named after 
 this pioneer fur trader. 
 
 William Small, who went out with Captain Bonneville 
 in 1832, was a trapper who had been in the mountains be- 
 fore and was known as a man of character and determina- 
 tion. He was selected to go with Walker on his expedition 
 to Salt Lake and California in 1833. He was killed on Sep- 
 tember 9th of that year by Shoshone Indians, while setting 
 his traps. 
 
 Fontenelle, who served many years in Wyoming as a 
 representative of the American Fur Company and was con- 
 spicuous as a leader, committed suicide in 1837. Of the cir- 
 cumstances under which this occurred I am not informed. 
 Fontenelle Creek, a tributary of Green River, was named 
 after this pioneer fur trader and trapper of Wyoming. 
 
 Alexander Godey is spoken of by Fremont as a peerless 
 hunter and guide and is called by the explorer a formidable 
 rival of Kit Carson in courage and professional skill. He 
 was well known in Wyoming and many old timers even to 
 this day speak of him as a mighty hunter, and as a man who 
 was never lost in the mountains. 
 
 William Sinclair was a leader of free trappers who 
 trapped in Wyoming for many years and were often in the 
 employ of Captain William Sublette. Sinclair had a bro- 
 ther, who was a member of his band, to whom he was 
 greatly attached. They were both brave Indian fighters and 
 successful trappers. 
 
 George W. Ebberts became prominent as a trapper in 
 Wyoming in 1829, through his service with the Rocky Moun- 
 tain Fur Company. He was a Kentuckian by birth, born in 
 1810. Ebberts trapped in Wyoming eight years, then went 
 to Oregon. His life was full of adventure and stirring inci- 
 dents. 
 
 Tim Goodale was a noted mountain guide and a per- 
 sonal friend of Kit Carson. The two spent much time trap- 
 ping and trading in Wyoming. Goodale was well known at 
 Fort Laramie during the fifties. 
 
Sketches of Trappers and Traders. 205 
 
 Dripps, a partner in the American Fur Company, spent 
 many years trading and trapping in Wyoming, and is spoken 
 of by all trappers as a successful trader and a brave Indian 
 fighter. He is mentioned in connection with many trapping 
 and trading events in this volume. 
 
 George Nidever, a leader of a band of trappers, who in 
 1831 crossed from the North Platte to Green River, where 
 he and his party wintered. In the spring of 1832 he partici- 
 pated in the battle of Pierre's Hole and later that season 
 trapped southwest of Salt Lake. 
 
 Louis Vasques established a trading post on Clear 
 Creek, in Colorado, and from that point sent numerous ex- 
 peditions into Wyoming for the purpose of trading with 
 Indians as well as trapping. He is sometimes confounded 
 with Auguste Vasquez. 
 
 Matthieu was a partisan under Captain Bonneville and 
 possessed the confidence of his great leader. He returned 
 to the states with Captain Bonneville but soon after found 
 Ms way back to the mountains, where he remained for a 
 number of years. 
 
 Tulleck was an experienced fur trader connected with 
 different fur companies, but more particularly with the 
 American. During the thirties he commanded a post of that 
 company on the Yellowstone. 
 
 Joseph Pappen was a well known trapper, who for many 
 years was on the North Platte. Later he was engaged in 
 trade along the Overland Trail. 
 
 Jennings, LeEoy and Ross, three of Captain Bonne- 
 ville's trappers, were killed by Bannock Indians in the win^ 
 ter of 1832-33. 
 
 The rendezvous had a broad meaning with the early 
 trappers; not only was it the place to which they carried 
 their furs and exchanged them for all sorts of commodities, 
 such as clothing, saddles, bridles, tobacco, whisky, bright 
 dyes for coloring the trappings for their horses, vermilion 
 powders, extensively used for winning the smiles of the fair 
 ones, but it was a place to meet traders who might wish to 
 
2o6 History of Wyoming. 
 
 engage their services for tlie coming year. They also met 
 here brother trappers from the various sections of the moun- 
 tains, likewise men from the east who brought news of what 
 was going on in the states and the world. They had here 
 also an opportunity to drink the health of big-hearted lead- 
 ers whom they admired. They renewed old friendships and 
 made new ones, participated in the frivolities of the ren- 
 dezvous, mingled with savage tribes, learned the language 
 of the Indians, chose a sweetheart from among the native 
 beauties, who came to the rendezvous to find some one to 
 deck them in finery suited to their peculiar taste. It was 
 indeed a place noted for business, pleasure, mirth, gambling 
 and brawls, and the motley collection was not without in- 
 terest even to the early missionaries, who have written of 
 the things they saw and heard at this great annual gather- 
 ing. Along about 1835, religious teachers became a regular 
 feature at the rendezvous. These good men, in their trips 
 across the continent, remained over for a week or two to 
 rest and incidentally do a little missionary work. Rev. 
 Samuel Parker made a number of religious talks to white 
 men and Indians at Green Eiver in 1835, and after that all 
 missionaries who went out made it a point to preach to the 
 trappers. Father De Smet made a number of his winning 
 and pleasant talks in 1840 at this same place. I hardly 
 think, however, it can be said that the influence of the mis- 
 sionaries amounted to much with the trappers. They gave 
 a respectful hearing to all such, but their business at the 
 rendezvous was for everything else than to listen to religion 
 or even morality, and yet they respected that class of men 
 who were devoting their lives to the cause of Christ. 
 
Opening of First Highway. 207 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 OPENING OF FIRST HIGHWAY. 
 1835-1843. 
 The Missionaries, Parker and Whitman, Pass Up the Platte, Sweet- 
 water, AND Reach Green River — Dr. Whitman Returns to the 
 States — A Romantic Wedding Tour — First Two White Women 
 IN Wyoming — Remarkable Fourth of July Celebration at South 
 Pass — Grand Reception Given the Pioneer Women at Green 
 River — Arrival in Oregon — Perilous Ride of Dr. Whitman — 
 Passes Through Wyoming With a Thousand Settlers — The In- 
 dian Massacre — The Hero of Western Civilization. 
 
 We have been passing through the days of the fur trap- 
 pers and traders, and I have shown in the preceding pages 
 the experiences of these men. There has been little in the 
 story to remind us of the better side of civilization. God 
 and humanity have hardly entered into the conditions which 
 prevailed in a territory that afterwards became Wyoming, 
 but in the year 1835, Eeverend Samuel Parker and Dr. Mar- 
 cus Whitman passed up the Platte River in company with 
 Fontenelle, of the American Fur Company. The train 
 was a large one and it was taking out goods for the Indian 
 trade and recruits for trapping service in Wyoming. This 
 party proceeded up the North Platte, which stream they 
 reached about the middle of July. On the 22nd they passed 
 Chimney Rock, and the following day Scott's Bluffs, and on 
 the 26th they reached the mouth of Laramie River and 
 camped at the fort, where Fontenelle remained, Thomas 
 Fitzpatrick taking his place in charge of the train. On the 
 5th of August they reached the Sweetwater, and on the 7th 
 Independence Rock, and pushed on up the river and camped 
 one night above the Sweetwater Canon, somewhere near 
 the spot where Lewiston now stands. The next day they 
 continued their journey westward through the South Pass 
 and reached the Newfork. These preachers were certainly 
 
2o8 History of Wyoming. 
 
 observing men, as they noticed the geology of the region 
 through which they passed. They commented on the soda 
 deposits, and EeT. Parker gives a description of the Johns- 
 town soda lake, which he calls crystallized Epsom salts. 
 On the 12th they reached Green Eiver, the rendezvous of the 
 fur traders that season. They found there about 200 white 
 men, mostly trappers, and about 2,000 Indians. These God- 
 ly men were making observations as to the possibility of 
 benefiting the Indians by religious teachings. They made 
 up their minds that the field was a promising one and de- 
 termined that Dr. Whitman should return to the states and 
 procure additional missionaries to come west and spread 
 the gospel among the red men of the mountains. Accord- 
 ingly, the Doctor returned East in convoy of a fur train 
 and laid before the board of foreign missions the necessity 
 for religious teachers in the new field. Eev. Parker pur- 
 sued his journey to the west and was escorted for eight days 
 by James Bridger, who was going in that direction with a 
 party of trappers. Mr. Parker, after leaving Bridger, was 
 taken in charge by a band of Indians and safely conveyed 
 down the Snake Eiver, and finally reached Walla Walla. 
 Dr. Whitman, on his return trip, brought with him two 
 young Indians of the Nez Perces tribe. The following year, 
 in company with Eev. H. H. Spalding and W. H. Gray and 
 two young women and the two Indian boys, Dr. Whitman 
 retraced his steps to the west. This man Marcus Whitman 
 was a remarkable character and he played a conspicuous 
 part in the history of Oregon. He was born in Eussville, 
 New York, September 4, 1802. Eeceiving a good education, 
 he studied medicine and early became interested in religious 
 matters. He was appointed a medical missionary to go to 
 Oregon. Before starting out on his second trip westward, 
 he married Miss Narcissa Prentis, the daughter of Judge 
 Prentis of Angelica, New York. Eev. Spalding was mar- 
 ried about the same time, and the two young men resolved 
 to take their brides with them across the Eocky Mountains, 
 thus making it a wedding tour. They went by the way of 
 Council Bluflis, and there were joined by Mr. Gray, 'who 
 
Opening of First Highway. 209 
 
 afterwards became the historian of Oregon. The young 
 brides are spoken of as women of great force of character. 
 They both believed that they would be of great service to 
 their husbands and they willingly and even joyfully under- 
 took the journey through the wilderness and across the 
 mountains where never a white woman had crossed before. 
 Mrs. Whitman had enjoyed the reputation in her native 
 village of being a sweet singer and the journey to the west 
 was enlivened by the rich melody of her voice. Dr. Whit- 
 man had placed the two Nez Perces boys at school in New 
 York during the winter of 1835-36, where they had learned 
 to speak English and had seen the advantages of civiliza- 
 tion. These lads were taken back with the party. At Coun- 
 cil Bluffs Dr. Whitman and his friends joined a caravan 
 belonging to the American Fur Company, and thus the 
 journey westward along the Platte River, the North Platte 
 and up the Sweetwater was made. They reached the South 
 Pass on the night of July 3rd, 1836. The following morn- 
 ing, the Fourth of July, the fur traders pulled out, but Dr. 
 Whitman and his wife, Mr. Spalding and wife, Mr. Gray 
 and the two Nez Perces boys remained behind for a few 
 hours to properly celebrate the great national holiday. 
 Their patriotism would not permit them to pass over in 
 silence the anniversary of American independence. They 
 hardly knew how to proceed with the celebration, but 
 finally Dr. Whitman took from their wagon a national flag 
 and a Bible. Spreading a blanket on the ground, he placed 
 the Bible upon it and taking the flagstaff in his hand he said, 
 "Let us pray." The two women and the two white men 
 kneeled while he with uplifted voice prayed for his coun- 
 try and for the cause of Christ in Oregon, and he then and 
 there took possession of the territory which afterwards be- 
 came Wyoming, and the country beyond, in the name of 
 God and the United States. Mrs. Whitman led in a patri- 
 otic hymn, in which the company joined her. After the 
 service was over the little party mounted their wagon, 
 which was drawn by four strong horses, and followed the 
 fur traders' caravan. Was there ever before or since such 
 -(14) 
 
210 History of Wyoming. 
 
 a Fourth of July celebration? It is true the fireworks were 
 absent, the booming of cannon did not disturb the silence 
 which at that time prevailed at South Pass, but the spirit 
 of 1776 was present in that patriotic little company. As I 
 in after years passed over that divide which separates the 
 waters which flow to the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Gulf 
 of California, I thought how fortunate it would be if the 
 ground whereon that celebration was held could have been 
 marked. I am sure if the good women of our state knew the 
 spot, they would erect upon it a monument to Mrs. Whitman 
 and Mrs. Spalding, the first white women to cross the State 
 of Wyoming and the Rocky Mountains. 
 
 At Green Eiver Dr. Whitman's party rested for ten 
 days. More than 200 white men had gathered there for the 
 annual rendezvous, besides several thousand Indians. The 
 scene was not different to the one Dr. Whitman and the 
 Rev. Parker had witnessed the year before, but the arrival 
 of the wedding party was an additional incentive to the 
 rugged trappers to enjoy themselves. The sight of two 
 white women was indeed a welcome one to men who had 
 for years lived in the mountains. They extended every 
 courtesy and kindness to these brave young wives, who had 
 come to them bearing civilization in their hands, as well as 
 sweet womanly ways, to the mountains and plains. The 
 Indians, not to be outdone by the white men, searched the 
 country round for delicacies for the white squaws. They 
 brought to their tents the mountain trout, as well as venison 
 and elk meat, and not content with this, the warriors put on 
 their war paint and to the number of 600 mounted their 
 horses and riding several hundred yards off on the prairie, 
 wheeled into line and with war-whoops and yells rode 
 down upon the tents occupied by Mrs. Whitman and Mrs. 
 Spalding. It looked very much as if the tents and their 
 occupants were to be trampled to the earth by the oncoming 
 squadron, but fortunately when the warriors reached a 
 point a few yards from the tents they gracefully wheeled to 
 the right and left and passed over to the prairie beyond. 
 These were gallant warriors and magnificent riders, and 
 
Opening of First Highway. 2 1 1 
 
 theit display of horsemanship was intended as the highest 
 compliment they could pay to the first white women they 
 had ever beheld. It cannot be said that the two ladies 
 fully appreciated the wild charge of the six hundred; they 
 felt the earth tremble under the heavy tread of the horses, 
 and when they saw them bear down upon their tents, for the 
 time being, at least, they were panic stricken, and it was 
 not until the clatter of hoofs had died away in the distance 
 that they were restored to perfect peace of mind. The In- 
 dians got up war dances to please the ladies, and while they 
 were conducted in the most lavish manner, I fear that these 
 fair women, who had been nurtured in Christian and cul- 
 tured homes, were not well pleased with the entertainments 
 provided by the savages. 
 
 From Green Eiver they pushed forward. After encoun- 
 tering many dangers and overcoming many difficulties, they 
 at last reached their destination, Fort Walla Walla. It 
 will be understood by the reader that this was no ordinary 
 journey. The distance traveled was 3,500 miles, and a 
 greater part of the way, two-thirds of the distance, was 
 through an unsettled country and much of it inhabited by 
 savage tribes. They forded rivers, climbed steep moun- 
 tains, and were obliged to live on the wild meat they se- 
 cured by the way. There was no sentiment connected with 
 the journey; stern duty called them to the work to which 
 they had devoted their lives, and they bore the hardships 
 without a murmur. The fur trapper had introduced into the 
 country a bravery that was never daunted, but the Whitman 
 party brought to the west, patriotism as well as Christianity, 
 and these were to bear fruit and result in great good to the 
 millions who have since that day conquered a province and 
 founded states on the western slope. I am glad that I am 
 able to show that Marcus and Narcissa Whitman had a 
 share in bringing civilization to our state. It will be seen 
 before this chapter is finished that Dr. Whitman's little 
 party was the entering wedge that broke savage rule and 
 made Wyoming the highway on which was borne a high 
 type of civilization. The West has produced many charac- 
 
212 History of Wyommg. 
 
 ters who deserve a conspicuous place in history, but none 
 of them are more worthy of praise than Dr. Marcus Whit- 
 man. His is a character which stands out in bold relief on 
 the western horizon. Though nominally only a missionary, 
 doctor, he developed statesmanship of the first order. He 
 makes us feel that there is high honor to be gained in pio- 
 neer work. At this time Oregon included all of what is now 
 Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and a part of southwestern 
 Wyoming; therefore whatever befell the old geographical 
 division known as Oregon is of interest in an accurate his- 
 tory of our state. The conditions, at that time, of the coun- 
 try beyond the mountains, in part, at least, apply to Wyo-- 
 ming. 
 
 That we may fully understand Dr. Whitman's third 
 appearance in Wyoming, I will relate in a brief manner 
 what happened after the arrival of these missionaries on 
 the Pacific border. Oliver W. Nixon, in his book, "How 
 Marcus Whitman Saved Oregon," tells in a charming way 
 the story of the new home of the Whitmans. He says: 
 
 "Picture that little missionary band as they stood to- 
 gether in Fort Walla Walla in September,1836,and consulted 
 about the great problems to solve.. It was all new. There 
 were no precedents to guide them. They easily understood 
 that the first thing to do was to consult the ruling powers of 
 Oregon — the Hudson Bay Company oflflcials at Fort Van- 
 couver. This would require another journey of 300 miles, 
 but as it could be made in boats and the Indians were capi- 
 tal oarsmen, they resolved to take their wives with them, 
 and thus complete the wedding journey. The gallant Dr. 
 McLoughlin, Chief Factor of the Hudson Bay Company, 
 was a keen judge of human nature, and read men and wo- 
 men as scholars read books, and he was captivated with the 
 open, manly ways of Dr. Whitman and the womanly accom- 
 plishments of his fair young wife, who had braved the perils 
 of an overland journey with wholly unselfish purposes. 
 Whitman soon developed to Dr. McLoughlin all his plana 
 and his hopes. Perhaps there was a professional freema- 
 sonry between the men that brought them closer together, 
 but by nature they were both men endowed richly with the 
 best manly characters. Dr. McLoughlin resolved"^ to do the 
 best thing possible for them, while he still protected the 
 
Opening of First Highway. 2 1 3 
 
 interests of his great monopoly. Dr. Whitman's idea was 
 to build one mission at the Dalles, so as to be convenient to 
 shipping; McLoughlin at once saw it would not do. He had 
 already pushed the Methodist mission far up the Willam- 
 ette, out of the way of the fort and its work, and argued with 
 Whitman that it would be best for him to go to the Walla 
 Walla country, three hundred miles away, and Spalding 
 one hundred and twenty-flve miles farther on. 
 
 "He argued that the river Indians were far less hopeful 
 subjects to deal with, and that the bunch-grass Indians, the 
 Cayuse and Nez Perces, had expressed a great anxiety for 
 the teachers. This arrangement had been partially agreed 
 to by Mr. Parker the year before. After a full canvass of 
 the entire subject, Dr. McLoughlin promised all the aid in 
 his power to give them a comfortable start. 
 
 "At his earnest petition, Mrs. Whitman and Mrs. Spal- 
 ding remained at Vancouver while their husbands went 
 back to erect houses that would shelter them from the com- 
 ing winter. To make Mrs. Whitman feel at ease, and that 
 she was not taxing the generosity of her new friends, Dr. 
 McLoughlin placed his daughter under her instruction, both 
 in her class work and music. Every effort was made to in- 
 terest and entertain the guests; the afternoons were given 
 to excursions on the water or on horseback, or in rambles 
 through the great fir forests, still as wild as nature made 
 them. 
 
 "There is a grandeur in the great forest beyond the 
 stony mountains unequaled elsewhere. In our northern 
 latitudes the undergrowth is so thick as to make comforta- 
 ble traveling impossible, but in the fir woods, and in the 
 pine and redwood forests of Oregon, there are comparatively 
 few of such obstructions. The great giants ten or twelve 
 feet in diameter, two hundred and seventy feet high, and 
 one hundred feet without a limb, hide the sun, and upon a 
 summer day make jaunts through the forest delightful to 
 a lover of nature. 
 
 "It was a grand rest and a pleasing finale to the hard- 
 ships of the wedding journey for these heroic women, and 
 Mrs. Whitman, in her diary, never a day neglects to remem- 
 ber her kind benefactors. They rested here for about one 
 and a half months, when Mr. Spalding came after them and 
 reported the houses so far advanced as to give them shel- 
 ter." 
 
 I must not linger to tell the whole story of Dr. Whit- 
 man's life in far-oflf Oregon. Suffice it to say that Mrs. 
 
214 History of Wyommg. 
 
 Whitman reached her new abode on December 26, 1836. 
 They remained there working to better the condition of the 
 savages ; Mrs. Whitman teaching the Indian school, and the 
 doctor looking after the sick, not only among the Indians, 
 but among the white people connected with the trading 
 posts and missions, and thus matters drifted on. 
 
 In 1838, two years after the Whitman party passed 
 through Wyoming, another band of missionaries went over 
 the same trail. There were nine persons in all, some of them 
 being wives of the missionaries, and these were followed by 
 others in 1839, but none had wagons. In 1840 some mission- 
 ary ladies, Mrs. Littlejohn, Mrs. Clark and Mrs. Smith, fol- 
 lowed the North Platte and Sweetwater west. These 
 ladies were accompanied by their husbands, and also by Mr. 
 and Mrs. Walker. The latter were not missionaries, but 
 settlers intending to locate in Oregon. In the year 1841 
 several more under the direction of General Palmer passed 
 over the road on their way to Oregon. These people were 
 well outfitted and employed wagons. In 1842, a party made 
 up of twenty-one protestant ministers, three Roman Catho- 
 lic priests, thirty-four white women, thirty-two white chil- 
 dren and thirty-five American settlers, in charge of Elijah 
 White, used this highway and reached their destination, 
 Oregon, safely. By this time the road up the North Platte, 
 the Sweetwater, and across the meadows of the Green River 
 Valley had become well marked by wagons, but the past 
 was nothing when compared with what was to come. 
 
 Elijah White was a man of considerable ability and 
 force of character, all of which he needed to insure the 
 safety of so large a party. At Independence Rock, on the 
 Sweetwater, he was met by a large number of Sioux Indians 
 and ordered back, and the information was given him .that 
 the Indians would no longer permit their country to be in- 
 vaded by white men. Mr. White was a diplomat of the first 
 water, and he proceeded to deal with the situation that con- 
 fronted him in a manner worthy of a great leader. He drew 
 from the painted savages their grievance against white men 
 and the reason for thus prohibiting his journey further 
 
Opening of First Highway. 215 
 
 west. He was informed that the trappers, who were then 
 numerous in the country, had killed a number of Indians 
 and in consequence of this there had been a meeting of sev- 
 eral tribes and the edict had gone forth not only that no 
 more white men would be allowed to come into the country, 
 but those already there would be pursued, driren out, or 
 killed. Mr. White told them that his party were not trap- 
 pers or traders, but were farmers on their way to their 
 homes on the Columbia, and that they did not propose to 
 return. The party, he said, were friendly to the Indians 
 and recognized the fact that they had the right to prohibit 
 them from passing through their country, but he hoped the 
 Indians would allow them to pursue their journey, that they 
 might reach the Columbia before winter set in. He then 
 distributed among them such merchandise as he could spare, 
 after which he was told to go his way in peace but to never 
 again invade their country. Fremont says that Fitzpatrick 
 saved the party. With White's company was General 
 Amos L. Lovejoy, a man of character and ability. When 
 General Lovejoy and Dr. Whitman met, of course it was 
 natural that they should talk over the conditions prevailing 
 east, and national affairs. Lovejoy showed himself thor- 
 oughly posted, and Dr. Whitman learned from him that the 
 Ashburton treaty would come before Congress during the 
 winter, and in all probability this treaty would receive final 
 action before the adjournment of Congress, March 4, 1843. 
 Oregon, under the treaty with England in 1818 and again in 
 1828, was left open to the free use of either party, the words 
 of the treaty being : 
 
 "It is agreed that any country that may be claimed by 
 either party on the northwest coast of America, westward 
 of the Stony Mountains, shall, together with its harbors, 
 bays, creeks, and navigation of all rivers within the same, 
 be free and open for ten years from the date of the signature 
 of the present convention, to the vessels, citizens and sub- 
 jects of the two powers; it being well understood that the 
 agreement is not to be construed to the prejudice of any 
 claim which either of the two high contracting parties may 
 have to any part of said country; the only object of the high 
 
2i6 History of Wyoming. 
 
 contracting parties in that respect being to prevent disputes 
 and differences among themselves." 
 
 This was simply a joint occupancy to be settled by those 
 who should in after years become occupants of the territory. 
 As the case stood, the English had the best of it, as the 
 Hudson Bay Company assumed the control of Oregon and 
 all its affairs. The American fur traders invaded the terri- 
 tory, but they were rudely treated by representatives of the 
 great British monopoly. Year by year it was understood 
 that every Englishman in the country was working to in- 
 duce people of his own nationality to come to the terri- 
 tory. American missionaries who were on the spot saw 
 clearly the trend of affairs and realized that the Hudson 
 Bay Company was working in the interest of England. Dr. 
 Whitman had talked the matter over with Dr. Eells, Rev. 
 Spalding, Jason Lee and General Lovejoy, and all of them 
 had agreed that the one practical thing to be done was to 
 lead into the country a large number of American settlers. 
 
 Our government had for many, years neglected Oregon. 
 It was a part of the Louisiana purchase, but as England 
 made the claim that the Spanish title had become extinct 
 by the Nootka treaty of 1790, the English claim being that 
 Captain Vancouver, the commander of a British vessel, 
 had discovered the Columbia, and yet notwitstanding this 
 fact it was in evidence that Captain Gray had discovered 
 the mouth of the river and had given the information of its 
 whereabouts to Captain Vancouver. The whole of the mat- 
 ter is that the United States cared little about Oregon, aa 
 it was supposed to be a barren waste. As late as 1842 a 
 proposition had been made to trade Oregon for the mackerej 
 and cod fisheries of Newfoundland, and this report reaching 
 Whitman, he made up his mind to at once cross the Rocky 
 Mountains to see President Tyler and Secretary of State 
 Webster. Winter had fairly commenced; snow was many 
 feet deep in the mountains. It was all that any ordinary 
 man could do to cross the wilderness and plains In the sum- 
 mer season, but Dr. Whitman was no ordinary man. He 
 talked the proposed journey over with Mrs. Whitman and 
 
Opening of First Highway. 217 
 
 explained to her the necessity of his arriving in Washington 
 before the adjournment of Congress. He said that Oregon 
 must be saved to the United States, and that he believed it 
 was his duty to make this journey, in fact to undergo any 
 hardship, that his countrymen might be benefited. Mrs. 
 Whitman was not only the wife of a missionary, but a loyal 
 American woman. She was not ignorant of the danger of 
 crossing the mountains in the winter, but she felt that her 
 country required the sacrifice and that God would protect 
 her husband on his mission of humanity. Under the rules 
 of the missionary board, the members of the local mission 
 had to be consulted and their consent obtained before a 
 missionary could leave his post. Runners were sent out at 
 once to the different stations with a demand for their im- 
 mediate presence. They came, and without a dissenting 
 voice all agreed that the subject was of great importance, 
 but they doubted the wisdom of undertaking such a journey 
 across the mountains at that season of the year. Dr. Whit- 
 man assured them that it was not only possible to do it, 
 but that he was ready and willing to undertake the great 
 journey regardless of what might happen him. Just here 
 a new difficulty was encountered. Not only must the local 
 missionaries approve of the application for leave of absence, 
 but the Home Mission in Boston must give its consent. This 
 was out of the question, as there was no time for such neces- 
 sary delay. Dr. Whitman said his service in the missionary 
 cause did not prevent him from serving his country, and 
 that he would go even though the missionary board dis- 
 missed him for being absent from his post. When it was 
 finally settled that he should start, his associates said that 
 some one must be found to accompany him. It was impor- 
 tant that this person should be a man of great courage and 
 endurance. General Lovejoy, who had been taken into the 
 conference, was asked if he would go, and he promptly re- 
 plied, "I will accompany Dr. Whitman." Two days later 
 they were ready for the journey. They reached Fort Hall 
 without delay or accident, but there the snows on the route 
 were reported twenty feet deep, and so they veered to the 
 
2i8 History of Wyoming. 
 
 south and added a thousand miles to the journey, passing 
 near what is now Salt Lake and finally coming out at Santa 
 Fe, New Mexico. From there they took the Santa Fe trail 
 and finally reached St. Louis. Such a journey was perhaps 
 never before undertaken and successfully accomplished. As 
 late as 1876 General Lovejoy told the story of this remark- 
 able trip. He says : 
 
 "I was the doctor's traveling companion in that ardu- 
 ous and trying journey, but it would take volumes to de- 
 scribe the many thrilling scenes and dangerous hair-breadth 
 escapes we passed through, traveling, as we did, almost the 
 entire route through a hostile Indian country, and enduring 
 much suffering from the intense cold and snow we had to 
 encounter in passing over the Rocky Mountains in midwin- 
 ter. I crossed the plains in company with Dr. White and 
 others, arriving at Waiilatpui the last of September, 
 1842. My party encamped some two miles below Dr. Whit- 
 man's place. The day after our arrival he called at 
 our camp and asked me to accompany him to his house, 
 as he wished me to draw up a memorial to Congress to pro- 
 hibit the sale of ardent spirits in this country. The doctor 
 was alive to the interests of this coast, and manifested a 
 very warm desire to have it properly represented at Wash- 
 ington, and after numerous conversations with the doctor 
 touching the future prosperity of Oregon, he asked me one 
 day in a very anxious manner if I thought it would be possi- 
 ble for him to cross the mountains at that time of the year. 
 I told him I thought he could. He next asked, 'Will you ac- 
 company me?' After a little reflection I said 1 would. His 
 arrangements were rapidly made. Through the kindness 
 of Mr. McKinley, then stationed at Walla Walla, Mrs. Whit- 
 man was provided with suitable escorts to the Willamette 
 Valley, where she was to remain with her missionary friends 
 until the doctor's return. We left Waiilatpui October 3, 
 1842, traveled rapidly, reached Fort Hall in eleven days, 
 remained two days to recruit and make a few purchases. 
 The doctor engaged a guide and we left for Fort Uintah. 
 We changed the direct route to one more southern, through 
 the Spanish country via Salt Lake, Taos and Santa Fe. On 
 our way from Fort Hall to Fort Uintah we had terribly 
 severe weather. The snows retarded our progress and 
 blinded the trail, so we lost much time. After arriving at 
 Fort Uintah and making some purchases for our trip, we 
 
Opening of First Highway. 219 
 
 took a new guide and started for Fort Uncompahgra, sit- 
 uated on the waters of Grand River, in the Spanish country. 
 Here our stay was yery short. 
 
 "We took a new guide and started for Taos. After be- 
 ing out some four or five days we encountered a terrible 
 snow storm, which forced us to seek shelter in a deep ravine, 
 where we remained snowed in four days, at which time the 
 storm had somewhat abated, and we attemped to malce our 
 way out upon the high lands, but the snow was so deep and 
 the winds so piercing and cold we were compelled to return 
 to camp and wait a few days for a cliange of weather. 
 
 "Our next effort to reach the high lands was more suc- 
 cessful; but after spending several days wanderiuj^: around 
 in the snow without making much headway, our <,'uide told 
 us that the deep snow had so changed the face of the coun- 
 try that he was completely lost and could take us no farther. 
 This was a terrible blow to the doctor, but he Avas deter- 
 mined not to give it up without another effort. We at once 
 agreed that he should take the guide and return to 
 Fort Uncompahgra and get a new guide, and I remain in 
 camp with the animals until he could return; which he did 
 in seven days with our new guide, and we were now on our 
 route again. Nothing of much importance occurred but 
 hard and slow traveling through deep snow until we reached 
 Grand River, which was frozen on either side about one- 
 third across. Although so intensely cold, the current was 
 so very rapid, about one-third of the river in the center was 
 not frozen. Our guide thought it would be dangerous to 
 attempt to cross the river in its present condition, but the 
 doctor, nothing daunted, was the first to take the water. 
 He mounted his horse and the guide and myself shoved the 
 doctor and his animal off the ice into the foaming stream. 
 Away he went, completely under water, horse and all, but 
 directly came up and after buffeting the rapid, foaming 
 current, he reached the ice on the opposite shore, a long way 
 down the stream. He leaped from his horse upon the ice and 
 soon had his noble animal by his side. The guide and myself 
 forced in the pack animals and followed the doctor's exam- 
 ple and were soon on the opposite shore drying our frozen 
 clothes by a comfortable fire. We reached Taos in about 
 thirty days, suffering greatly from cold and scarcity of pro- 
 visions. We were compelled to use mule meat, dogs and 
 such other animals as came in our reach. We remained at 
 Taos a few days only and started for Bent's and Savory's 
 Fort on the headwaters of the Arkansas River. When we 
 
220 History of Wyoming. 
 
 had been out some fifteen or twenty days we met George 
 Bent, a brother of Governor Bent, on his way to Taos. He 
 told us that a party of mountain men would leave Bent's 
 Fort in a few days for St. Louis, but said we would not reach 
 the fort with our pack animals in time to join the party. 
 The doctor, being very anxious to join the party so he could 
 push on as rapidly as possible to Washington, concluded to 
 leave myself and guide with the animals, and he himself, 
 taking the best animal with some bedding and a small al- 
 lowance of provisions, started alone, hoping by rapid travel 
 to reach the fort in time to join the St. Louis party, but to do 
 so he would have to travel on the Sabbath, something we 
 had not done before. Myself and guide traveled on slowly 
 and reached the fort in four days, but imagine our astonish- 
 ment when on making inquiry about the doctor, we were 
 told that he had not arrived, nor had he been heard of. 
 
 "I learned that the party for St. Louis was camped at 
 the Big Cottonwood, forty miles from the fort, and at my 
 request, Mr. Savery sent an express telling the party not to 
 proceed any farther until we learned something of Dr. 
 Whitman's whereabouts, as he wished to accompany them 
 to St. Louis. Being furnished by the gentlemen of the fort 
 with a suitable guide, I started in search of the doctor and 
 traveled up the river about one hundred miles. I learned 
 from the Indians that a man had been there who was lost 
 and was trying to find Bent's Port. They said they had di- 
 rected him to go down the river, and how to find the fort. 
 I knew from their description it was the doctor. I returned 
 to the fort as rapidly as possible, but the doctor had not 
 arrived. We had all become very anxious about him. 
 
 "Late in the afternoon he came in, very much fatigued 
 and desponding; said he knew that God had bewildered 
 him to punish him for traveling on the Sabbath. During 
 the whole trip he was very regular in his morning and even, 
 ing devotions, and that was the only time I ever Tinew him 
 to travel on the Sabbath. The doctor remained all night at 
 the fort, starting early on the following morning to join the 
 St. Louis party. Here we parted. Dr. Whitman proceeded 
 to Washington. I remained at Bent's Fort until spring and 
 joined the doctor the following July, near Fort Laramie, 
 on his way to Oregon in company with a train of emigrants. 
 He often expressed himself to me about the remainder of 
 his journey and the manner in which he was received at 
 Washington and by the Board of Foreign Missions at Bos- 
 ton. He had several interviews with President Tyler, Sec- 
 
Opening of First Highway. 221 
 
 retary Webster and a good many members of Congress, 
 which was in session at that time. He urged the imme- 
 diate termination of the treaty with Great Britain rela- 
 tive to this country, and begged them to extend the laws 
 of the United States over Oregon, and asked for liberal in- 
 ducements to emigrants to come to this coast. He was very 
 cordially and kindly received by the President and mem- 
 bers of Congress, and without doubt all these interviews 
 resulted greatly to the benefit of Oregon and to this coast. 
 But his reception at the Board of Foreign Missions was not 
 so cordial. The board was inclined to censure him for leav- 
 ing his post. The doctor came to the frontier settlement, 
 urging the citizens to emigrate to the Pacific. He left Inde- 
 pendence, Missouri, in the month of May, 1843, with an 
 emigrant train of about one thousand souls for Oregon. 
 With his energy and knowledge of the country, he rendered 
 them great assistance in fording the many dangerous and 
 rapid streams they had to cross, and in finding a wagon road 
 through many of the narrow, rugged passes of the moun- 
 tains. He arrived at Waiilatpui about one year from the 
 time he left, to find his home sadly dilapidated, his flouring 
 mill burned. The Indians were very hostile to the doctor for 
 leaving them, and without doubt, owing to his absence, the 
 seeds of assassination were sown by these haughty Cayuse 
 Indians which resulted in his and Mrs. Whitman's death, 
 with many others, although it did not take place until four 
 years later." 
 
 General Lovejoy leaves little to tell except in regard to 
 the journey of Dr. Whitman and one thousand men, women 
 and children making their way over the trail which had 
 now become familiar to him. This was the first great train 
 to wend its way westward and leave behind a broad highway 
 over which Oregon, Utah and California were to be popu- 
 lated. The Sublettes had penetrated to the mouth of the 
 Popo Agie with wagons in 1829, and Captain Bonneville 
 reached the Green Eiver with his wagons in 1832, and Fre- 
 mont had taken his wagon trains as far as the South Pass 
 in 1842, but Dr. Marcus Whitman outstripped them all on 
 his wedding journey in 1836, when he carried his bride in a 
 wagon across the continent. That historic wagon should 
 have been preserved for all time, for its track across the 
 mountains marked the road which Elijah White and his one 
 
222 History of Wyoming. 
 
 hundred and twenty followers took in 1842, and this road 
 was made a grand highway in 1843 when Whitman and his 
 followers, one thousand strong, went out with the avowed 
 purpose of saving Oregon to the Union. The east had been 
 unmindful of the wealth that lay beyond the mountains 
 and it was not until Dr. Marcus Whitman stood before 
 President John Tyler and Secretary of State Daniel Web- 
 ster, in his coarse fur garments and his frozen feet, and 
 pleaded with them for Oregon and for the privilege of lead- 
 ing to his chosen land a band of patriotic Americans who 
 should in effect settle the vexed Oregon question. Daniel 
 Webster said in after years that the ride of Marcus Whit- 
 man through the awful defiles of the Rocky Mountains in 
 mid-winter saved Oregon to the United States. Such hero- 
 ism, when we consider that there was not a single selfish 
 motive, is the grandest in the world's history. I will not 
 take space to tell the story in detail, but let me quote what 
 Dr. H. H. Spalding says of that memorable journey up the 
 Platte River, across Wyoming and down the Columbia 
 during the summer of 1843 : "And through that whole sum- 
 mer Dr. Whitman was everywhere present; the minister- 
 ing angel to the sick, helping the weary, encouraging the 
 wavering, cheering the tired mothers, setting broken bones 
 and mending wagons. He was in front, in the center, and in 
 the rear. He was in the river hunting out fords through 
 the quicksand; in the desert places looking for water and 
 grass; among the mountains looking for passes never before 
 trodden by white men; at noontide and at midnight he was 
 on the alert as if the whole line was his own family, and as 
 if all the flocks and herds were his own. For all this he 
 neither asked nor expected a dollar from any source, and es- 
 pecially did he feel repaid at the end, when, standing at his 
 mission home, hundreds of his fellow pilgrims took him by 
 the hand and thanked him with tears in their eyes for all 
 that he had done." 
 
 Dr. Whitman, after leading his colony into Oregon, 
 went to his mission and commenced the old routine of build- 
 ing, sowing, planting and teaching until on the 29th of No- 
 
Opening of First Highway. 223 
 
 vember, 1847, when he and his wife were killed by praying 
 Indians; that is, the class who had been converted by the 
 missionaries. There had been much sickness that season 
 among the Indians and the converted savages regarded the 
 missionaries as responsible for it. Another cause of com- 
 plaint was, Dr. Whitman had been trying to induce the In- 
 dians to cultivate the ground and raise crops. The noble 
 red man has always been opposed to work, leaving this to be 
 done by his squaw. It is a matter of principle with him to 
 be above work. No amount of religion will induce him to 
 neglect an opportunity to take scalps or steal horses. In Dr. 
 Whitman's case, he had fed hundreds of them for years, 
 and while pretending the greatest love for him, as well as 
 the Savior, suddenly, without warning, one of the Indians 
 drove a tomahawk into his brain, while others shot Mrs. 
 Whitman with a rifle and killed twelve more people about 
 the mission. Forty women and children were taken captives 
 at the same time. Among those captured were three young 
 women who were forced to become the wives of the mur- 
 derers of their parents. 
 
 Thus died the man who heads the list of western heroes, 
 but before closing the story of Dr. Whitman, I must refer 
 to a letter written by him on June 22, 1844, addressed to 
 Hon. James M. Porter, Secretary of War. Dr. Whitman 
 had, on his visit to Washington during the winter of 1843, 
 been asked to make suggestions as to the necessary aid the 
 government could give to those going to Oregon. In re- 
 sponse to this, he suggested the establishing of posts along 
 the route to protect mountain travelers, these posts to be 
 supplied with provisions for sale. Among other places, he 
 urged that a settlement be made on Horse Shoe Creek, in 
 what is now Wyoming, also at Laramie's Fork, another on 
 the North Platte west of this point, on the Sweetwater, and 
 on Green River. In his letter he says that at these places 
 there is good land for cultivation and irrigation. It may 
 be said to the credit of the government that it did, in part, a 
 few years later, carry out the plans of Dr. Whitman by the 
 purchase of the trading posts known as Fort Laramie and 
 
224 History of Wyommg. 
 
 Fort Bridger. On October 14, 1847, Dr. Whitman wrote an- 
 other letter to the Secretary of War. This communication 
 is filled with important suggestions, and among others, a 
 mail route across the continent. I quote the letter in full, 
 as it contains the advanced thought of the time on the sub- 
 jects discussed. The letter was written only about a month 
 before Dr. Whitman was killed. 
 
 "Waiilatpui, October 16th, 1847, 
 
 "To the Honorable Secretary of War, to the Commit- 
 tee on Indian Affairs and Oregon in the Senate and House 
 of Representatives of the United States, the following sug- 
 gestions are respectfully submitted : 
 
 "1st. That all stations of the United States for troops 
 be kept upon the borders of some state or territory, when 
 designed for the protection and regulation of Indian ter- 
 ritory. 
 
 "2nd. That a line of posts be established along the 
 traveled route to Oregon, at a distance, so far as practicable, 
 of not more than fifty miles. That these posts be located so 
 as to afford the best opportunity for agriculture and graz- 
 ing, to facilitate the production of provisions, and the care 
 of horses and cattle, for the use and support of said posts 
 and to furnish supplies to all passers through Indian terri- 
 tory, especially to mail carriers and troops. These posts 
 should be placed wherever a bridge or ferry would be re- 
 quired to facilitate the transport of the mail, and travel of 
 troops or immigrants through the country. 
 
 "In all fertile places these posts would support them- 
 selves and give facilities for the several objects just named 
 in transit. The other posts, situated where the soil would 
 not admit of cultivation, would still be useful, as they afford 
 the means of taking care of horses and other facilities for 
 transporting the mails. 
 
 "These posts could be supplied with provisions from 
 others in the vicinity. A few large posts in the more fertile 
 regions could supply those more in the mountains. 
 
 "On the other hand, military posts can only be well 
 supplied when near the settlements. In this way all trans- 
 ports for the supply of interior military posts would be su- 
 perseded. 
 
 "The number of men at these posts might vary from 
 five to twenty-five. 
 
 "In the interior the buildings may be built with adobes, 
 that is, large unburnt bricks; and in form and size should 
 
Opening of First Highway. 225 
 
 much resemble the common Indian trading posts, with outer 
 walls and bastions. 
 
 "They would thus afford the same protection in any 
 part of the territory as the common trading posts. 
 
 "If provided with a small amount of goods, such goods 
 could be bartered with the Indians for necessary supplies, 
 as well as, on proper occasions, given to chiefs as a reward 
 for punishing those who disturb or offend against the peace 
 of the territory. 
 
 "By these means the Indians would become the protect- 
 ors of those stations. 
 
 "At the same time, by being under one general super- 
 intendent, subject to the inspection of the government, the 
 Indians may be concentrated under one general influence. 
 
 "By such a superintendence the Indians would be pre- 
 vented from fleeing from one place to another to secrete 
 themselves from justice. By this simple arrangement, all 
 the need of the troops in the interior would be obviated, 
 unless in some instance when the Indians fail to co-operate 
 with the superintendent of the post or posts for the promo- 
 tion of peace. 
 
 "When the troops shall be called for, to visit the inte- 
 rior, the farming posts will be able to furnish them with 
 supplies in passing so as to make their movements speedy 
 and efficient. 
 
 "A code of laws for the Indian territory might consti- 
 tute as civil magistrates the first or second in command of 
 these posts. 
 
 "The same arrangement would be equally well adapted 
 for the respective routes to California and New Mexico. 
 Many reasons may be urged for the establishment of these 
 posts, among which are the following: 
 
 "1st. By means of such posts all acts of the Indians 
 would be under a full and complete inspection. All cases 
 of murder, theft or other outrage would be brought to light 
 and the proper punishment inflicted. 
 
 "2nd. In most cases this may be done by giving the 
 chiefs a small fee, that they may either punish the offend- 
 ers themselves or deliver them up to the commander of the 
 post. In such cases it should be held that their peers have 
 adjudged them guilty before punishment is inflicted. 
 
 "3rd. By means of these posts it will become safe and 
 easy for the smallest number to pass and repass from Ore- 
 gon to the states; and with a civil magistrate at each sta- 
 
 -(15) 
 
226 History of Wyommg. 
 
 tion, all idle wandering white men without passports can be 
 sent out of the territory. 
 
 "4th. In this way all banditti for robbing the mails or 
 travelers would be prevented, as well as all vagabonds re- 
 moved from among the Indians. 
 
 "5th. Immigrants now lose horses and other stock by 
 the Indians, commencing from the border of the states to 
 the Willamette. It is much to the praise of our countrymen 
 that they bear so long with the Indians when our govern- 
 ment has done so little to enable them to pass in safety. For 
 one man to lose five or six horses is not a rare occurrence, 
 which loss is felt heavily, when most of the family are com- 
 pelled to walk to favor a reduced and failing team. 
 
 "6th. The Indians along the line take courage from the 
 forbearance of the immigrants. The timid Indians on the 
 Columbia have this year in open day attacked several par- 
 ties of wagons, numbering from two to seven, and robbed 
 them, being armed with guns, bows and arrows, knives and 
 axes. Mr. Glenday, from St. Charles, Missouri, the bearer 
 of this communication to the states, with Mr. Bear, his 
 companion, rescued seven wagons from being plundered, 
 and the people from gross insults, rescuing one woman 
 when the Indians were in the act of taking all the clothes 
 from her person. The men were mostly stripped of their 
 shirts and pantaloons at the time. 
 
 "7th. The occasional supplies to passing immigrants, 
 as well as the aid which may be afforded to the sick and 
 needy, are not the least of the important results to follow 
 from these establishments. A profitable exchange to the 
 posts and immigrants, as also to others journeying through 
 the country, can be made by exchanging worn-out horses 
 and cattle for fresh ones. 
 
 "8th. It scarcely need be mentioned what advantage 
 the government will derive by a similar exchange for the 
 transport of the mail, as also for the use of troops passing 
 through. 
 
 "9th. To suppress the use of ardent spirits among the 
 Indians, it will be requisite to regard the giving or furnish- 
 ing of it in any manner as a breach of the laws and peace 
 of the territory. All superintendents of posts, traders and 
 responsible persons, should be charged on oath that they 
 will not sell, give or furnish in any manner, ardent spirits 
 to the Indians. 
 
 "10th. Traders should be regarded, by reason of the 
 license they have to trade in the territory, as receiving a 
 
Opening of First Highway. 227 
 
 priTilege, and therefore should be required to give and 
 maintain good credentials of character. For this reason 
 they may be required to send in the testimony of all their 
 clerks and assistants of all ranks, to show under the solem- 
 nity of an oath that the laws in this respect have not been 
 violated or evaded. If at any time it becomes apparent to 
 the superintendent of any post that the laws have been 
 violated, he might be required to make full inquiry of all 
 in any way connected with or assisting in the trade to as- 
 certain whether the laws were broken or their breach con- 
 nived at. This will avail for the regular licensed trader. 
 
 "11th. For illicit traders and smugglers, it will suffice 
 to instruct commanders of posts to offer a reward to the In- 
 dians for the safe delivery of any and all such persons as 
 bring liquors among them, together with the liquors thus 
 brought. It is only on the borders of the respective states 
 and territories that any interruption will be found in the 
 operation of these principles. 
 
 "12th. Here also a modification of the same principle 
 enacted by the several states and territories might produce 
 equally happy results. 
 
 "13th. The mail may, with a change of horses every 
 fifty miles, be carried at the rate of one hundred to one 
 hundred and fifty miles in twenty-four hours. 
 
 "14th. The leading reason in favor of adopting the 
 aforesaid regulations would be, that by this means the In- 
 dians would become our faithful allies. In fact, they will 
 be the best possible police for such a territory. This police 
 can safely be relied upon when under a good supervision. 
 Troops will only be required to correct their faults in case 
 of extreme misconduct. 
 
 "15th. In closing, I would remark that I have con- 
 versed with many of the principal fur traders of the Ameri- 
 can and Hudson Bay Companies, all of whom agree that 
 the several regulations suggested in this communication 
 will accomplish the object proposed, were suitable men 
 appointed for its management and execution. 
 
 "Respectfully yours, 
 
 "MAEOUS WHITMAN." 
 
 The story of Dr. Marcus Whitman has been told, 
 but the influence of the man on western civilization can 
 never be estimated by the historian. His deeds performed 
 and suggestions made had their influence in the formation 
 and settlement of these western states. Wherever we be- 
 
228 History of Wyoming. 
 
 hold him — let it be at South Pass reverently taking pOiSses- 
 sion of the country in the name of God and the United 
 States; teaching the Indians at the Waiilatpui Mission; 
 crossing the Rocky Mountains at the dead of winter; pursu- 
 ing his way across Grand Eiver, in spite of ice and deep 
 water; pleading before President Tyler and Daniel Web- 
 ster; leading his caravan across the mountains and desert, 
 or giving advice to the leading statesmen of the land — he is 
 the same earnest, patriotic, God-fearing man of deeds, and 
 the world is better for his example. Great leaders have 
 been the salvation of armies, states and nations, 4nd great 
 minds have in all ages benefited their fellow men. Though 
 at the time of his death he was only forty-five jears old, 
 he had done more for his country than most great men ac- 
 complish in a life of three-score and ten. 
 
Father Peter De Smet. 229 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 FATHER PETER DE SMET. 
 
 His Arrival in Wyoming and Passage Up the North Platte and 
 Sweetwater — The Flatheads Meet Him at Green River — Won- 
 derful Interest Shown by the Indians in this Priest — He 
 Tells of His Experiences and Future Labors — Many Visits to 
 Wyoming — Incident Among the Crows — Supposed Knowledge of 
 Gold in the Big Horn Mountains — His Death at St. Louis — 
 What is Thought of Father De Smet in Wyoming. 
 
 In the regular order of progress of the missionaries 
 through Wyoming came Father Peter De Smet. He ar- 
 rived six years later than Lee and five years later than Par- 
 ker and Whitman, but he was no less worthy of the cause 
 of religion. I am glad that I have been fortunate enough 
 to procure a portrait of this remarkable man. A study of 
 the lines of character to be found in his face will to some 
 extent reveal his strength and courage. See poiT;rait in 
 this volume. With the contentions of the Protestants and 
 Catholics regarding the call by the Flathead Indians I have 
 nothing to do. I will simply tell the story of the arrival of 
 Father De Smet and his labors in what is now the State of 
 Wyoming. This good priest was born in Termondo, Bel- 
 gium, on January 31, 1801. At an early age he entered the 
 Society of Jesus and in due time was sent to America to 
 work in the missionary field. He served in Missouri and 
 Kansas for some time, but his health giving way he returned 
 to his native land. In the year 1837 he again came to this 
 country and on April 5, 1840, left St. Louis for the west, 
 joining at Westport the annual expedition of the American 
 Fur Company when it was ready to depart for the Rocky 
 Mountains. In this expedition were thirty trappers and an 
 Iroquois Indian named Ignace. Father De Smet was in the 
 special care of this Indian, who had promised to -conduct 
 him to the Flathead tribe. Peter, another Iroquois, had 
 
230 History of Wyoming. 
 
 departed for the west some months before and had carried 
 the news to the Flatheads that the "Black Eobe" would be 
 at Green Eiver in the spring, accompanied by Ignace. The 
 Flatheads were camped that season on Eight Mile Creek, 
 Bitter Root Valley. The chief, when the time came for the 
 arrival of the train from Westport, detailed ten of his trust- 
 ed warriors to nieet the man of God and bring him to camp, 
 and at the same time announced that he with the whole 
 tribe would follow on. 
 
 On June 30th the caravan with which Father De Smet 
 was traveling reached Green River, and here the meeting 
 between the Flathead warriors and "Black Eobe" took 
 place. This was on Tuesday, and Father De Smet spent the 
 balance of the week visiting among the Indian traders and 
 trappers, of which there were great numbers at the ren- 
 dezvous that season. 
 
 Here, on the following Sunday, July 5, Father De 
 Smet celebrated mass before a motley, yet most respectful, 
 crowd of Indians, whites, fur traders, hunters and trappers. 
 The altar was erected on a little elevation on the prairie 
 and was decorated with boughs and garlands of wild flow- 
 ers. The temple was the most magnificent of God's own 
 making, having for its vault the azure sky and for space and 
 floor the vast, boundless expanse of wilderness. The spot 
 was afterward known and pointed out by the Indians as 
 "The Prairie of the Mass." 
 
 On the following day Father De Smet bade adieu to 
 his traveling companions of the plains, and with his In- 
 dian escort started northward towards the headwaters of 
 the Snake Eiver. Some eight days' journey through the 
 mountain defiles brought them to the main body of the 
 Flatheads. They were encamped in the Pierre Hole Valley, 
 on the line that separates east Idaho from Wyoming, south 
 of Pleasant Valley, having come that far, a distance of 
 some 800 miles, to meet the priest. Their number had been 
 increased from the start, and on the road by detached bands 
 of other tribes — Nez Perces, Pend d'Oreilles and Kalispels, 
 numbering, all told, some 1,600 souls. His entrance into 
 
Father Peter De Smet. 231 
 
 the camp was a real triumph, in which all, men, women and 
 children, took part. 
 
 In the volume, "Indians and Whites of the Northwest," 
 I find the following items regarding the journey of this re- 
 markable missionary: 
 
 " 'Immediately the whole village was in commotion,' 
 wrote Father De Smet to his friend. Father Barbelin, 'men, 
 women and children all came to meet me and shake hands, 
 and I was conducted in triumph to the lodge of the great 
 chief, who had the appearance of a patriarch.' 
 
 "Surrounded by the principal men of the two tribes 
 .and their warriors, the great chief, whose name was The 
 B}g Face, thus addressed Father De Smet : 
 
 " 'This day the Great Spirit has accomplished our 
 wishes and our hearts are swelled with joy. Our desire to 
 be instructed was so great that three times had we deputed 
 our people to the Great Black Kobe in St. Louis to obtain 
 priests. Now, Father, speak, and we will comply with all 
 thai you will tell us. Show us the way we have to go to 
 the aome of the Great Spirit.' 'Then,' says Father De Smet, 
 'he resigned his authority to me, but I replied that he mis- 
 took the object of my coming among them ; that I had no 
 othe? object in view but the salvation of their souls and that 
 they were to remain as they were until circumstances 
 shoud allow them to settle in a permanent spot.' 
 
 'After arranging on the hours proper for prayers and 
 instnctions, one of the chiefs brought Father De Smet a 
 little bell, with which he might give the sign and call them 
 together. 'The same evening,' continues Father De Smet, 
 'about 2,000 persons were assembled before my lodge to 
 recite night prayers in common. The prayers having been 
 said, a solemn canticle of praise, of their own composition, 
 was mng by these children of the mountains to the Author 
 of thBir being. It would be impossible for me,' he adds 'to 
 descnbe the emotions I felt at this moment. I wept for 
 and idmired the wonderful ways of that kind Providence, 
 which, in His infinite mercy, had deigned to depute me to 
 thesi poor people, to announce to them the glad tidings of 
 salvation.' 
 
 "Soon after the whole camp was on the move up Hen- 
 ry's Fork of the Snake River to Henry's Lake, its source. 
 Here Father De Smet, July 23rd, ascended one of the peaks 
 on top of the main range and engraved on a soft stone the 
 following inscription: 'Sanctus Ignatius Patronus Monti- 
 
232 History of Wyoming. 
 
 um, die 23 Julii, 1840.' And here also, Ms soul brimful of 
 emotion at the inspiring solemnity and grandeur of the 
 scene before him, broke forth in the following rhyme, which 
 is transcribed from his diary: 
 
 " 'Ye Rockies hail! majestic mounts! 
 Of future bliss the favored shrine! 
 For you God's Heart of gifts Divine 
 Opens this day its precious founts.' 
 
 "Moving thence a short distance, they crossed what is 
 now the Idaho line and camped in Montana, first at the 
 headwaters of Beaverhead Eiver, not far from Red Roct 
 Lake; then along the banks of the same river and in thfe 
 Big Hole Basin; finally on Jefferson Island, at the lowfr 
 end of the Boulder Valley, near the three forks of the M^ 
 souri. Thus, the bank of the Beaverhead-Jefferson River 
 is the spot where Christianity was first preached in Mon- 
 tana. , 
 
 "Father De Smet's missionary labors began with the 
 day of his arrival, and never were there more docile pupils 
 than these poor children of the forest. In the compara- 
 tively short time he was with them, he prepared several 
 hundred of them for baptism and instructed about J,000 
 others. 1 
 
 "The following is a copy of a letter addressed by Fgther 
 De Smet from his field of missionary labors to the jt^ery 
 Rev. F. N. Blanchet, V. G., (afterwards the first Archbehop 
 of Portland, Oregon) who had crossed the Rocky Mouniains 
 two years previous and was at this time evangelizinj; the 
 French Canadians and Indians in Oregon, near the coast: 
 " 'Fork of Jefferson River, August 10, 184d 
 
 " 'Very Reverend Sir: Your Reverence will be gmd to 
 learn that Mgr, Eosati, Bishop of St. Louis, in concert with 
 my provincial superior of the Society of Jesus in Missouri, 
 and in compliapce with the desires often repeated o[ the 
 Flatheads, Pend d'Oreilles and a great number of Ne^Per- 
 ces, has sent me to the Rocky Mountains to visit these mis- 
 sions. I have found the two first in the most desirabU dis- 
 position, well resolved to stand by the true children of Jpsus 
 Christ. The few weeks I had the happiness to pass aiiong 
 them have been the happiest of my life and ^ive me the \.vm 
 hope, with the grace of God, to see soon in this country so 
 long forsaken, the fervor of the first Christians. Since I ani 
 among them I have three, four and five instructions dailyi 
 They cannot be tired; all come to my lodge at the first ring-| 
 ing of the bell. They are anxious to lose none of my words 
 
Father Peter De Stnet. 233 
 
 relating to these instructions on these heavenly subjects, 
 and if I had the strength to speak to them, they would will- 
 ingly listen to me whole days and nights. I have baptized 
 about 200 of their little children and I expect to baptize in 
 a short time 150 adults.' 
 
 "This letter was sent through Indians and Hudson Bay 
 Company men to Colville, and thence brought to St. Paul, 
 Oregon, and handed to the Very Rev. F. N. Blanchet by his 
 missionary companion. Rev. Modest Demers. 
 
 "After two months of constant missionary work. Father 
 De Smet bade farewell to his newly converted children of the 
 mountains, with the promise to return in the spring with 
 other black robes. 
 
 "From the Gallatin Valley, where he parted with the 
 main body of the tribe August 27th, he now crossed over to 
 the Yellowstone country, being escorted for a considerable 
 distance by a number of Flathead warriors. His course lay 
 through the land of the Crows, Blackfeet, Gros Ventres, 
 Assiniboines and the Sioux, all hostile to the Flatheads and 
 their friends. 
 
 "Passing an Assiniboine party in safety, he and his 
 companions were surrounded by a fierce war party of Black- 
 feet. The long black gown of the missionary, the crucifix 
 which glittered on his bosom whenever he traveled through 
 the Indian country, arrested the eyes of the Blackfeet 
 chief. 'Who art thou?' asked he. 'He is a Black Robe,' said 
 Father De Smet's companion, 'the man who speaks to the 
 Great Spirit.' In a moment all was changed. Invited to 
 eat with the missionary, the chief showed still greater re- 
 spect when he saw him address the Great Spirit before the 
 frugal meal. This ended, twelve Indians stretched a buffalo 
 robe before the Father, with motions indicating their wish 
 that he should be seated upon it. Supposing it was in- 
 tended for a mat, he did so; but they raised it aloft, and 
 so bore him in triumph to their village. There, too, he was 
 received and treated with every honor. 'It is the happiest 
 day of my life,' said the chief. 'It is the first time that we 
 see among us the Black Robe, the man who speaks to the 
 Great Spirit. These are the braves of my tribe. I have 
 brought thee here that the memory of thy presence may be 
 forever engraved on their memories.' 
 
 "Father De Smet arrived in St. Louis on the eve of the 
 new year, and his safe return sent a thrill of joy through 
 the souls of his brethren. On hearing from him of the good 
 dispositions of the Flatheads, of the large and ripe field that 
 
234 History of Wyoming. 
 
 was waiting for laborers, all burned with a desire to go and 
 help him gather in the harvest." 
 
 Father De Smet returned to the mountains again in 
 the early spring of 1841, following once more the North 
 Platte, the Sweetwater, and was met at the south point 
 of the Wind River Range (South Pass) by ten lodges of the 
 Flathead Indians. He was conducted through Wyoming by 
 a noted trapper and guide named John Gray, who will be 
 remembered by many of our pioneers even to this day. His 
 interpreter was another well known character, Gabriel 
 Prudhomme, a half-breed, also two brothers, Charles and 
 Francis Ignace. The priest spent some little time in south- 
 western Wyoming and then went on to Fort Hall and finally 
 to old Fort Owen in Montana. His services among the Flat- 
 heads to all appearances were productive of great good. 
 Lieutenant John Mullan of the United States army, who 
 accompanied Isaac J. Stephens on an expedition into Mon- 
 tana thirteen years afterwards, thus writes of the condi- 
 tion of these Indians at that time, a condition brought 
 about by the labors of Father De Smet. 
 
 "When I arrived at the camp, with my guide, three or 
 four men came to meet me and we were invited to enter thq 
 lodge of the great chief. With much eagerness they toot 
 care of our horses and unsaddled them and led them to 
 drink. As soon as all the camp had been informed of the 
 arrival of the white man among them, the principal men 
 of the tribe collected at the lodge of the chief. All being 
 assembled, at a signal given by the chief they prayed aloud. 
 I was struck with astonishment, for I had not the least ex- 
 pectation of such conduct on their part. The whole assem- 
 bly knelt in the most solemn manner and with the greatest 
 reverence they adored the Lord. I asked myself, 'Am I 
 among Indians? Am I among people whom all the world 
 call savages?' I could scarcely believe my eyes. The 
 thought that these men were penetrated with religious sen- 
 timent so profound and beautiful overwhelmed me with 
 amazement." 
 
 Father De Smet was in and out of Wyoming for many 
 years. He paid a number of visits to the Crows and passed 
 over all that country lying north of Big Wind River on both 
 sides of the Big Horn River. He visited the Powder River 
 
Father Peter De Smet. 235 
 
 country and many times passed over the ground where Buf- 
 falo now stands. Ten miles north of BufiEalo is a beautiful 
 lake which is named after him. The Crows at first received 
 him as the other Indians had done, with courtesy and kind- 
 ness, but after a time the awe and veneration inspired by 
 his black gown and large gold cross, which hung on his 
 breast, wore off and they became slightly sceptical in regard 
 to his being a direct representative of the Great Spirit. One 
 day a prominent chief of the tribe showed his scepticism to 
 the good father, in a marked manner, by saying to him that 
 if he would go out on the prairie where an old buffalo bull 
 was grazing and put his hands on the animal's head, it 
 would be proof to the tribe that he was the Great Spirit, 
 but if the buffalo should kill him they would know that he 
 was not protected by supernatural power. The priest saw 
 that he must run the risk of attempting to perform what 
 seemed very near a miracle. He boldly advanced toward 
 the old bull, who as he approached continued to graze. 
 Nearer and nearer to the animal he advanced, and finally 
 when only a few yards distant the huge creature raised his 
 head and gazed intently at the black gown and flashing 
 cross, and finally the priest placed his hand on the bull's 
 head, the animal the while seeming to be transfixed to the 
 spot. Having accomplished his mission, Father De Smet 
 turned and walked back to the group of Indians, who were 
 awaiting the test. The savages received him as they would 
 one possessing Divine power. They verily believed from 
 that moment that he was under the protection of the Great 
 Spirit, and quickly the incident spread through the entire 
 Crow nation and even to adjoining tribes. Many Indians 
 in the northwest, I am told, still relate this story in proof of 
 the God-given power of Father De Smet. 
 
 Many old residents of Wyoming today remember this 
 good priest and are ever anxious to testify to his worthy 
 deeds. During his travels in this state he investigated and 
 became acquainted with the geological formation of the 
 country. He visited extensively in Montana, Idaho, and 
 even to the mouth of the Columbia, but he seemed to find 
 
236 History of Wyoming. 
 
 much more in Wyoming to interest him than in any other 
 place. His name is inseparably connected with the Big 
 Horn country. Eeverend Father Meaphlie, a chaplain in 
 the United States army, is authority for a story which has 
 often been related, in which the Father told of the In- 
 dians showing him handfuls of nuggets which they pro- 
 posed manufacturing into bullets for an old pistol which the 
 Father had given to a prominent chief. De Smet was really 
 taken to the spot from whence the nuggets were obtained, 
 and found it to be immensely rich. But he taught the sav- 
 ages the value of it, told them their beautiful country would 
 soon be desecrated by white miners if the facts became 
 known, and in return was compelled to promise never to 
 reveal the secret of its location. To the question once asked 
 him by the Bishop of his church at Omaha, "Are those mines 
 on the Pacific coast the ones you have told about?" the 
 Father answered in the negative, and then sorrowfully 
 added, "but I fear it will not be many years until they are 
 discovered, and then what will become of my poor Indians?" 
 To army officers and others he has often admitted his know- 
 ledge of those mines in the northwest, when closely pressed 
 to do so, and many persons are now living who have tried in 
 various ways to extract more definite knowledge from him. 
 Most of these believe that a careful prospecting of the Big 
 Horn and Wind Kiver regions will certainly reveal the terra 
 incognito, because it is understood that the old Montana 
 mines were not meant, and that no spot yet discovered in 
 the Black Hills answers to his glowing description. 
 
 Says Strayhorn in his "Handbook of Wyoming": "On 
 Father De Smet's return from one of his long trips, just as 
 the discovery of gold in California was made known, he 
 heard some acquaintances expressing doubt as to the won- 
 derful stories from the west. Turing to them, he said: 'I 
 do not doubt it. I am sure there is gold in California;' and 
 after a moment's pause he quietly added: 'I know where 
 gold exists in the Rocky Mountains in such abundance that, 
 if made known, it would astonish the world. It is even 
 richer than California!' Among those who knew him best 
 
Father Peter De 8met. 237 
 
 his statements were taken for literal truth, and when asked 
 to corroborate the assertion quoted he would make no ex- 
 planation, merely adhering to it and saying that he had 
 promised the Indians never to describe the location of this 
 wealth." 
 
 In 1868 Father De Smet visited Cheyenne and remained 
 for some days, and while there gave an interesting account 
 of northern Wyoming. Said he: "There are many lovely 
 valleys in that section, capable of sustaining a large popu- 
 lation. The mountain scenery is truly grand, and the vast 
 forests of timber wonderful and invaluable. Often have I 
 seen evidences of mineral wealth in this wonderful country 
 at different places. The whole range of the Eocky Moun- 
 tains, from New Mexico to British America, is mineral bear- 
 ing. In many places the streams are stocked with trout, 
 and game was abundant wherever I went. The climate is 
 delightful, often reminding me of the climate of the south 
 of France, near the Pyrenees. I have ridden through some 
 of these rich valleys where the grass was so rank and tall 
 that my head was not visible above its top when seated on 
 horseback." 
 
 Father Peter De Smet died at St. Louis, May 23, 1873, 
 in which city his remains were interred. This pious priest 
 possessed many qualities which go to make up the man, 
 and his memory will long be cherished not only in Wyo- 
 ming but in the adjoining state of Montana and along the 
 full length of the Columbia Kiver. Let no one have the idea 
 that Father De Smet was not fond of telling of his experi- 
 ences among the Indians and of describing the country 
 through which he traveled. He rode on horseback thous- 
 ands of miles, and the whole territory of Wyoming,Montana, 
 Idaho, Oregon and Washington was clearly mapped out in 
 his mind. He wrote many letters which were published in 
 Belgium. In 1843 these letters were re-edited and appeared 
 in book form under the title of "Letters and Sketches." In 
 1847 another volume appeared under the title "Oregon Mis- 
 sions." He published at least two volumes in America 
 which are said to contain much valuable information. I 
 
238 History of Wyommg. 
 
 have met many people who were intimately acquainted 
 with this remarkable man, and they one and all speak of 
 him as possessing generous and genial qualities. Some re- 
 gret that he gave himself up to the missionary cause, claim- 
 ing that in other walks of life he would have become a giant 
 among men. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 FREMONT'S EXPLORATIONS IN WYOMING. 
 
 The First Military Expedition to Visit Our State — The Main De- 
 tachment Follows the North Platte to Fort Laramie — Fre- 
 mont WITH A Small Party Visits Fort St. Vrain and Passes North 
 to Fort Laramie — Description of the Fort as it Appeared in 
 1842 — Indians Invite Them to Partake op a Dog Feast — Indian 
 Chiefs Warn the Party that if They go Further West, will 
 BE Killed — Fremont's Speech of Defiance — Expedition Goes 
 Forward — Observations Regarding Formations, Soil, Climate, 
 Etc. 
 
 The exploring expedition of Lieutenant John 0. Fre- 
 mont into Wyoming in 1842 was an important event in our 
 early history. The commander of the expedition, though 
 only twenty-nine years old, was a ripe scholar, a keen ob- 
 server, and withal possessed the genius of an explorer. He 
 left throughout Wyoming and the Rocky Mountains in- 
 delible footprints and gave to the world a comprehensive 
 knowledge of things as they were in our country at that 
 time. Not only did he bring to his task full and complete 
 preparation for the great work which was to make his name 
 imperishable and give him a place on the brightest pages 
 of the western half of the Republic, but with his superior 
 ability charmed the masses by his written reports published 
 by the government in 1845. The cloud of mystery which had 
 covered mountain and plain in Wyoming was cleared away 
 by this intrepid explorer, and the locality was given its 
 proper place on the map of the west. 
 
Fremont's Explorations hi Wyoming. 239 
 
 John Charles Fremont was born January 21, 1813, at 
 Savannah, Georgia, while his mother was on a visit to that 
 city, the residence of the family being at Charleston, South 
 Carolina. He was a graduate of the Charleston College 
 and excelled in Greek, Latin and Mathematics. An act of 
 Congress passed April 30, 1824, authorized the President 
 of the United States "to employ two or more skillful civil 
 engineers, and such officers of the corps of engineers, or who 
 may be detailed to do duty with that corps, as he may think 
 proper, to cause the necessary surveys, plans and estimates 
 to be made of the routes of such roads and canals as he may 
 deem of national importance, in a commercial or military 
 point of view, or for the transportation of the public mail." 
 Under this act, Fremont received his first appointment in 
 that branch of the public service. He was selected by 
 President Jackson as an associate engineer to serve with 
 Captain Williams of the Topographical Corps, and he 
 served in this capacity in a survey of the Cherokee country 
 in the winter of 1837 and 1838. Under the act passed July 
 5, 1838, to increase the military establishment, the fourth 
 section of that act required that the corps of topographical 
 engineers should be organized and increased, by regular 
 promotion in the same, so that the said corps should consist 
 of one colonel, one lieutenant-colonel, four majors, ten cap- 
 tains, ten first lieutenants and ten second lieutenants; and 
 the fifth section ordained that the vacancies created by said 
 organization, over and above those which could be filled by 
 the corps itself, should be taken from the army, and from 
 such as it may be deemed advisable of the civil engineers 
 employed under the act of April 30th, 1824. 
 
 This latter clause let in Mr. Fremont. It was probably 
 designed to do so, as his friend and patron, Mr. Poinsett, 
 was then Secretary of War. He was accordingly commis- 
 sioned two days afterwards, on the 7th of July, 1838, as a 
 second lieutenant of the topographical engineers. About 
 this time he had been transferred to the theater of his 
 fame, the field where his great work in life was to be done. 
 The same year that Fremont was appointed, the work of sur- 
 
240 Eistory of Wyoming. 
 
 veying the northwest and west was commenced and Lieu- 
 tenant Fremont, under Mr. Nicholet, a learned and distin- 
 guished astronomer and a man of science, entered the field 
 and the whole country was explored up to the British line. 
 In the course of these surveys there were seventy thousand 
 meteorological observations, and the topography was mi- 
 nutely determined by the proper calculations at innumera- 
 ble points. The map thus constructed has been the source 
 from which all subsequent ones relating to that region have 
 been derived. On October 19, 1841, Lieutenant Fremont 
 was married to Jessie Benton, the daughter of Thomas E[. 
 Benton, a United States Senator from the State of Missouri. 
 The young lady's parents raised a storm of objections and 
 the newspapers of the time were full of the affair, but Miss 
 Benton was the daughter of her father and it was not 
 strange that she should have a will of her own. It was a 
 happy marriage and Senator Benton early was reconciled 
 to his daughter's choice, and that distinguished statesman 
 in after years became very proud of his son-in-law. 
 
 On May 2, 1842, Lieutenant Fremont left Washington 
 with his instructions to explore the country lying between 
 the Missouri Eiver and the Rocky Mountains and along the 
 lines of the Kansas and Platte Rivers. He reached St. 
 Louis May 22nd and there outfitted the expedition and pro- 
 ceeded by steamboat to the mouth of the Kansas River and 
 made his final preparations at the trading post of Cyprian 
 Chouteau, which was located twelve miles up the stream 
 last mentioned. He brought with him twenty-one men 
 recruited at St. Louis. These men were required to enter 
 the service of the United States for the purposes of the ex- 
 pedition. He also engaged Charles Preuss as assistant to- 
 pographical engineer, L. Maxwell as hunter and Christopher 
 Carson as guide. The twenty-one men recruited at St. Louis 
 were Clement Lambert, J. B. L'Esperance, J. B. Leferve, 
 Benjamin Potra, Louis Gouin, J. B. Dumes, Basil Lajeu- 
 nesse, Francois Tessier, Benjamin Oadotte, Joseph Clement, 
 Daniel Simonds, Leonard Benoit, Michel Morly, Baptiste 
 Bernier, Honore Ayot, Francois Latulippe, Francois Ba- 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 241 
 
 deau, Louis Menard, Joseph Ruelle, Moise Chardonnais, 
 Auguste Janisse, Raphael Prone. In addition to those 
 named were Henry Brant of St. Louis, aged 19, and Ran- 
 dolph, the twelve-year-old son of Senator Benton. The 
 party was well mounted and armed with the exception of 
 eight men who conducted as many carts containing stores, 
 baggage and instruments. The carts were drawn by two 
 mules each. There were a few loose horses and four oxen. 
 The expedition left Chouteau's trading post on the morning 
 of June 10th and proceeded west on the south bank of the 
 Kansas River for a distance of 100 miles, where they crossed 
 that stream and taking a northwesterly course reached the 
 Platte twenty miles below Grand Island on June 26th. Go- 
 ing up the river, they arrived at the forks of the North and 
 South Platte on July 2nd. A major part of the force in 
 charge of Clement Lambert, was sent up the North Fork, 
 with instructions to proceed as far as the Laramie Fork 
 and there await Fremont, who, accompanied by Mr. Preuss, 
 Maxwell, Bernier, Ayot and Basil Lajeunesse, went up the 
 South Platte as far as St. Vrain Fort, for the purpose of se- 
 curmg some extra mules and at the same time informing 
 himself as to the feasibility of connecting the South Platte 
 country with the settlements by a line of posts from the 
 Arkansas River. On the second day out Mr. Preuss was 
 sent back to join the main division, his horse being in no 
 condition to stand the journey. From St. Vrain they pro- 
 ceeded down the South Platte a short distance, then struck 
 across the country and made direct for the Black Hills, 
 crossing the Cache la Poudre, then continuing north to 
 Crow Creek, entering Wyoming about thirty miles south- 
 east of Cheyenne, proceeding thence north to Lodge Pole 
 Creek, Horse Creek and through Goshen's Hole, reaching 
 the North Platte thirteen miles below Fort Laramie, and on 
 July 15th they reached that post. An extract from Fre- 
 mont's ofQcial report will show the condition of things at 
 the mouth of the Laramie at that early day. From this on I 
 shall use this report freely, as it is a most valuable official 
 document and pertains exclusively to the history of Wyo- 
 -(16) 
 
242 History of Wyoming. 
 
 ming. It is fifty-three years since it was published by Con- 
 gress and few of the rising generation have ever had an op- 
 portunity of seeing it, as it has been out of print for more 
 than forty years. During the rush to Oregon, Utah and 
 California in 1847-8-9 this report was in great demand and 
 thousands of copies were distributed by members of Con- 
 gress to their constituents. In those days every party of 
 emigrants was supplied with these reports and the book 
 was consulted daily by persons crossing Wyoming. The 
 report reads as follows, commencing with a description of 
 the old Adams fort at the mouth of the Laramie River: 
 
 "Like the post on the South Fork (St. Vrain), it 
 was built of earth and still unfinished, being enclosed with 
 walls (or rather houses) on three of the sides and open on the 
 fourth to the river. A few hundred yards brought us in 
 view of the post of the American Fur Company, called Fort 
 John, or Laramie. This was a large post, having more the 
 air of military construction than the fort at the mouth of the 
 river. It is on the left bank, on a rising ground some twen- 
 ty-five feet above the water; and its lofty walls, white- 
 washed and picketed, with the large bastions at the angles, 
 gave it quite an imposing appearance in the uncertain light 
 of evening. A cluster of lodges, which the language told us 
 belonged to the Sioux Indians, was pitched under the walls, 
 and, with the fine background of the Black Hills and the 
 prominent peak of Laramie mountain, strongly drawn in 
 the clear light of the sky, where the sun had already set, 
 the whole formed at the moment a strikingly beautiful pic- 
 ture. From the company at St. Louis I had letters for Mr. 
 Boudeau, the gentleman in charge of the post, by whom I 
 was received with great hospitality and an efficient kind- 
 ness which was valuable to me during my stay in the coun- 
 try. I found our people encamped on the bank, a short dis- 
 tance above the fort. All were well ; and, in the enjoyment 
 .of a bountiful supper, which coffee and bread made luxuri- 
 ous to us, we soon forgot the fatigues of the last ten days. 
 
 "I walked up to visit our friends at the fort, which is a 
 quadrangular structure, built of clay, after the fashion of 
 the Mexicans, who are generally employed in building them. 
 The walls are fifteen feet high, surmounted with a wooden 
 palisade, and form a portion of ranges of houses, which 
 entirely surround a yard of about one hundred and thirty 
 feet square. Every apartment has its door and window — 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 243 
 
 all, of course, opening on the inside. There are two en- 
 trances, opposite each other, and midway the wall, one of 
 which is a large and public entrance; the other smaller and 
 more priyate — a sort of postern gate. Over the great en- 
 trance is a square tower, with loop-holes, and, like the rest 
 of the work, built of earth. At two of the angles, and diag- 
 onally opposite each other, are large square bastions, so 
 arranged as to sweep the four faces of the walls. 
 
 "This post belongs to the American Fur Company, and 
 at the time of our visit was in charge of Mr. Boudeau. Two 
 of the company's clerks, Messrs. Galpin and Kellogg, were 
 with him, and he had in the fort about sixteen men. As 
 usual, these had found wives among the Indian squaws ; and 
 with the usual accompaniment of children, the place had 
 quite a populous appearance. It is hardly necessary to say 
 that the object of the establishment is trade with the neigh- 
 boring tribes, who, in the course of the year, generally make 
 two or three visits to the fort. In addition to this, traders, 
 with a small outfit, are constantly kept amongst them. 
 The articles of trade consist, on the one side, almost entirely 
 of buffalo robes, and on the other of blankets, calicoes, guns, 
 powder and lead, with such cheap ornaments as glass beads, 
 looking glasses, rings, vermilion for painting, tobacco, and 
 principally, and in spite of the prohibition, of spirits, 
 brought into the country in the form of alcohol, and diluted 
 with water before sold. While mentioning this fact, it is 
 but justice to the American Fur Company to state that 
 throughout the country I have always found them strenu- 
 ously opposed to the introduction of spirituous liquors. 
 But, in the present state of things, when the country is sup- 
 plied with alcohol, when a keg of it will purchase from an 
 Indian everything he possesses — his furs, his lodge, his 
 horses, and even his wife and children — and when any vaga- 
 bond who has money enough to purchase a mule can go into 
 a village and trade against them successfully, without with- 
 drawing entirely from the trade, it is impossible for them 
 to discontinue its use. In their opposition to this practice 
 the country is sustained, not only by their obligation to the 
 laws of the country and the welfare of the Indians, but 
 clearly, also, on grounds of policy; for with heavy and ex- 
 pensive outfits, they contend at manifestly great disadvan- 
 tages against the numerous independent and unlicensed 
 traders who enter the country from various avenues, from 
 the United States and from Mexico, having no other stock 
 in trade than some kegs of liquor, which they sell at the 
 
244 History of Wyoming. 
 
 modest price of thirty-six dollars per gallon. The differ- 
 ence between the regular trader and the coureur des bois 
 is, that the latter has no permanent interest, and gets what 
 he can, from every Indian he meets, even at the risk of dis- 
 abling him from doing anything more at hunting. 
 
 "The fort had a very cool and clean appearance. The 
 great entrance, in which I found the gentlemen assembled, 
 and which was floored, and about fifteen feet long, made a 
 pleasant, shaded seat, through which the breeze swept con- 
 stantly; for this country is famous for high winds. In the 
 course of conversation I learned the following particulars, 
 which will explain the condition of the country. For sev- 
 eral years the Cheyennes and Sioux had gradually become 
 more and more hostile to the whites, and in the latter part 
 of August, 1841, had had a severe engagement with a party 
 of sixty men under command of Mr. Frapp of St. Louis. The 
 Indians lost eight or ten warriors, and the whites had their 
 leader and four men killed. This fight took place on the 
 waters of Snake Eiver; and it was this party, on their re- 
 turn under Mr. Bridger, which had spread so much alarm 
 among my people. In the course of the spring two other 
 small parties had been cut off by the Sioux — one on their 
 return from the Crow nation, and the other among the 
 Black Hills. The emigrants to Oregon and Mr. Bridger's 
 party met here, a few days before our arrival. Division 
 and misunderstandings had grown up among them; they 
 were already somewhat disheartened by the fatigue of their 
 long and wearisome journey, and the feet of their cattle 
 had become so much worn as to be scarcely able to travel. 
 In this situation they were not likely to find encouragement 
 in the hostile attitude of the Indians, and the new and un- 
 expected difficulties which sprang up before them. They 
 were told that the entire country was entirely swept of 
 grass and that few or no buffalo were to be found on their 
 line of route; and, with their weakened animals, it would be 
 impossible for them to transport their heavy wagons over 
 the mountains. Under these circumstances, they disposed 
 of their wagons and cattle at the forts, selling them at the 
 prices they paid in the states, and taking in exchange coffee 
 and sugar at one dollar a pound, and miserable worn-out 
 horses, which died before they reached the mountains. Mr. 
 Boudeau informed me that he had purchased thirty, and the 
 lower fort eighty head of fine cattle, some of them of the 
 Durham breed. Mr. Fitzpatrick, whose name and high 
 reputation are familiar to all who interest themselves in the 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 245 
 
 history of the country, had reached Laramie in company 
 with Mr. Bridger, and the emigrants were fortunate enough 
 to obtain his services to guide them as far as the British 
 post of Fort Hall, about two hundred and fifty miles beyond 
 the South Pass of the mountains. They had started for this 
 post on the 4th of July, and immediately after their de- 
 parture a war party of three hundred and fifty braves set 
 out on their trail. As their principal chief or partisan had 
 lost some relations in the recent fight, and had sworn to kill 
 the first whites on his path, it was supposed that their in- 
 tention was to attack the party, should a favorable oppor- 
 tunity offer, or, if they were foiled in their principal object 
 by the vigilance of Mr. Fitzpatrick, content themselves with 
 stealing horses and cutting off stragglers. These had been 
 gone but a few days previous to our arrival. 
 
 "The effect of the engagement with Mr. Frapp had been 
 greatly to irritate the hostile spirit of the savages ; and im- 
 mediately subsequent to that event, the Gros Ventre In- 
 dians had united with the Ogalallas and Cheyennes and 
 taken the field in great force — so far as I could ascertain 
 to the amount of eight hundred lodges. Their object was 
 to make an attack on a camp of Snake and Crow Indians, 
 and a body of about one hundred whites, who had made 
 a rendezvous somewhere in the Green River Valley, or on 
 the Sweetwater. After spending some time in buffalo hunt- 
 ing in the neighborhood of Medicine Bow Mountain, they 
 were to cross over to the Green River waters and return to 
 Laramie by way of the South Pass and the Sweetwater 
 Valley. According to the calculation of the Indians, Mr. 
 Boudeau informed me that they were somewhere near the 
 head of the Sweetwater. I subsequently learned that the 
 party led by Mr. Fitzpatrick was overtaken by their pursu- 
 ers near Rock Independence, in the valley of the Sweet- 
 water; but his skill and resolution saved them from sur- 
 prise, and, small as his force was, they did not venture to 
 attack him openly. Here they lost one of their party by an 
 accident, and continuing up the valley, they came suddenly 
 upon the large village. From these they met with a doubt- 
 ful reception. Long residence and familiar acquaintance 
 had given to Mr. Fitzpatrick great personal influence among 
 them and a portion of them were disposed to let him pass 
 quietly ; but by far the greater number were inclined to hos- 
 tile measures; and the chiefs spent the whole of one night, 
 during which they kept the little party in the midst of them, 
 in council, debating the question of attacking them the next 
 
246 History of Wyoming. 
 
 day; bnt the influence of the 'Broken Hand,' as they called 
 Mr. Fitzpatrlck (one of his hands having been shattered by 
 the bursting of a gun), at length prevailed, and obtained for 
 them an unmolested passage; but they sternly assured him 
 that this path was no longer open, and that any party of 
 whites which should hereafter be found upon it would meet 
 with certain destruction. From all that I have been able 
 to learn, I have no doubt that the emigrants owe their lives 
 to Mr. Fitzpatrick. 
 
 "Thus it would appear that the country was swarming 
 with scattered war parties; and when I heard during the 
 day the various contradictory and exaggerated rumors 
 which were incessantly repeated to them, I was not sur- 
 prised that so much alarm prevailed among my men. Car- 
 son, one of the best and most experienced mountaineers, 
 fully supported the opinion given by Bridger, of the dan- 
 gerous state of the country, and openly expressed his con- 
 viction that we could not escape without some sharp en- 
 counters with the Indians. In addition to this, he made 
 his will; and among the circumstances which were con- 
 stantly occurring to increase their alarm, this was the most 
 unfortunate, and I found that a number of my party had 
 become so much intimidated that they had requested to be 
 discharged at this place. I dined today at Fort Platte, 
 which has been mentioned as situated at the junction of 
 Laramie River with the Nebraska. Here I heard a con- 
 firmation of the statements given above. The party of war- 
 riors which had started a few days since on the trail of the 
 emigrants was expected back in fourteen days, to join their 
 village, with which, their families and the old men had re- 
 mained. The arrival of the latter was hourly expected ; and 
 some Indians have just come in who had left themKon the 
 Laramie Fork, about twenty miles above. Mr. Bissonette, 
 one of the traders belonging to Fort Platte, urged the pro- 
 priety of taking with me an interpreter and two or three 
 old men of the village; in which case, he thought, there 
 would be little or no hazard in encountering any of the war 
 parties. The principal danger was in being attacked before 
 they should know who we were. 
 
 "They had confused ideas of the number and power of 
 our people, and dreaded to bring upon themselves the mili- 
 tary force of the United States. This gentleman, who spoke 
 the language fluently, offered his services to accompany me 
 80 far as the Red Buttes. He was desirous to join the large 
 party on its return, for purposes of trade, and it would suit 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 247 
 
 his Yiews as well as my own to go with, us to the Buttes; 
 beyond which point it would be impossible to prevail on a 
 Sioux to venture, on account of their fears of the Crows. 
 From Fort Laramie to the Bed Buttes, by the ordinary road, 
 is one hundred and thirty-five miles; and, though only on 
 the threshold of danger, it seemed better to secure the ser- 
 vices of an interpreter for the partial distance than to have 
 none at all. 
 
 "So far as frequent interruption from the Indians 
 would allow, we occupied ourselves in making some astro- 
 nomical calculations, and bringing up the general map to 
 this stage of our journey; but the tent was generally occu- 
 pied by a succession of our ceremonious visitors. Some 
 came for presents, and others for information of our object 
 in coming to the country; now and then one would dart up 
 to the tent on horseback, jerk off his trappings and stand 
 silently at the door, holding his horse by the halter, signify- 
 ing his desire to trade. Occasionally a savage would stalk 
 in with an invitation to a feast of honor, a dog feast, and 
 deliberately sit down and wait quietly until I was ready to 
 accompany him. I went to one; the women and children 
 were sitting outside the lodge, and we took our seats on 
 buffalo robes spread around. The dog was in a large pot 
 over the fire, in the middle of the lodge, and immediately on 
 our arrival was dished up in large wooden bowls, one of 
 which was handed to each. The flesh appeared very glutin- 
 ous, with something of the flavor and appearance of mutton. 
 Feeling something move behind me, I looked around and 
 found that I had taken my seat among a litter of fat young 
 puppies. Had I been nice in such matters, the prejudices of 
 civilization might have interfered with my tranquillity; but 
 fortunately I am not of delicate nerves and continued qui- 
 etly to empty my platter. 
 
 "The morning of the 18th was cloudy and calm and dur- 
 ing the day the expected village arrived, consisting princi- 
 pally of old men, women and children. They had a consid- 
 erable number of horses, and large troops of dogs. Their 
 lodges were pitched near the fort, and our camp was con- 
 stantly crowded with Indians of all sizes, from morning 
 until night, at which time some of the soldiers generally 
 came to drive them all off to the village. My tent was the 
 only place which they respected. Here only came the chiefs 
 and men of distinction, and generally one of them remained 
 to drive away the women and children. The numerous 
 strange instruments applied to still stranger uses excited 
 
248 History of Wyoming. 
 
 awe and admiration among them, and those which 1 used 
 in talking with the sun and stars they looked upon with es- 
 pecial reverence, as mysterious things of 'great medicine.' 
 Of the barometers which I had brought with me thus far 
 successfully, I found that two were out of order, and spent 
 the greater part of the 19th in repairing them — an operation 
 of no small difficulty in the midst of the incessant interrup- 
 tion to which I was subjected. We had the misfortune to 
 break here a large thermometer, graduated to show fifths 
 of a degree, which I used to ascertain the temperature of 
 boiling water, and with which I had promised myself some 
 interesting experiments in the mountains. We had but one 
 remaining, on which the graduation extended sufQciently 
 high; and this was too small for exact observations. Dur- 
 ing our stay here the men had been engaged in making nu- 
 merous repairs, arranging pack saddles, and otherwise pre- 
 paring for the chances of a rough road and mountain travel. 
 All things of this nature being ready, I gathered them 
 around me in the evening and told them that I determined 
 to proceed the next day. They were all well armed. I had 
 engaged the services of Mr. Bissonette as interpreter, and 
 had taken, in the circumstances, every possible means to 
 insure our safety. In the rumors we had heard I believed 
 there was much exaggeration, and they were men accus- 
 tomed to this kind of life and to the country, and that these 
 were the dangers of every day occurrence, and to be ex- 
 pected in the ordinary course of their service. They had 
 heard of the unsettled condition of the country before leav- 
 ing St. Louis, and therefore could not make it a reason for 
 breaking their engagements. Still, I was unwilling to take 
 with me, on a service of some certain danger, men on whom 
 I could not rely; and as I had understood that there were 
 among them some who were disposed to cowardice, and 
 anxious to return, they had but to come forward at once 
 and state their desire and they would be discharged with 
 the amount due to them for the time they had served. To 
 their honor be it said, there was but one among them who 
 had the face to come forward and avail himself of the per- 
 mission. I asked him some few questions, in order to expose 
 him to the ridicule of the men, and let him go. The day 
 after our departure he engaged himself to one of the forts, 
 and set off with a party for the Upper Missouri. I did not 
 think that the situation of the country justified me in taking 
 our young companions, Messrs. Brant and Benton, along 
 with us. In case of misfortune, it would have been thought, 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 249 
 
 at the least, an act of great imprudence; and therefore, 
 though reluctantly, I determined to leave them. 
 
 "July 21. — A portion of our baggage, with our field 
 notes and observations, and several instruments, were left 
 at the fort. One of the gentlemen, Mr. Galpin, took charge 
 of a barometer, which he engaged to observe during my 
 absence; and I entrusted to Randolph, by way of occupa- 
 tion, the regular winding up of two of my chronometers, 
 which were among the instruments left. 
 
 "We were ready to depart; the tents were struck, the 
 mules geared up and our horses saddled, and we walked up 
 to the fort to take the stirrup cup with our friends in an 
 excellent home-brewed preparation. While thus pleasantly 
 engaged, seated in one of the cool chambers, at the door of 
 which a man had been stationed to prevent all intrusion 
 from the Indians, a number of chiefs, several of the power- 
 ful, fine-looking men, forced their way into the room in 
 spite of all opposition. Handing me the following letter, 
 they took their seats in silence : 
 
 " 'Fort Platte, July 1, 1842. 
 
 " 'Mr. Fremont : The chiefs having assembled in coun- 
 cil, have just told me to warn you not to set out before the 
 party of young men which is now out sl^all have returned. 
 Furthermore, they tell me that they are very sure they will 
 fire upon you as soon as they meet you. They are expected 
 back in seven or eight days. Excuse me for making these 
 observations, but it seems my duty to warn you of danger. 
 Moreover, the chiefs who prohibit your setting out before 
 the return of the warriors are the bearers of this note. 
 " 'I am your obedient servant, 
 
 '■' 'JOSEPH BISSONETTE, 
 
 " 'By L. B. Chartrain. 
 
 " 'Names of some of the chiefs. — The Otter Hat, The 
 Breaker of Arrows, The Black Night, The Bull's Tail.' 
 
 "After reading this, I mentioned its purport to my 
 companions ; and seeing that all were fully possessed of its 
 contents, one of the Indians rose up, and, having first shaken 
 hands with me, spoke as follows : 
 
 " 'You have come among us at a bad time. Some of 
 our people have been killed, and our young men, who have 
 gone to the mountains, are eager to avenge the blood of 
 their relations, which has been shed by the whites. Our 
 young men are bad, and, if they meet you, they will believe 
 that you are carrying goods and ammunition to their ene- 
 mies, and will fire upon you. You have told us that this 
 
250 History of Wyoming. 
 
 will make war. We know that our great father has many 
 soldiers and big guns, and we are anxious to have our lives. 
 We love the whites, and are desirous of peace. Thinking of 
 all these things, we have determined to keep you here until 
 our warriors return. We are glad to see you among us. 
 Our father is rich, and we expected that you would have 
 brought presents to us — horses and guns and blankets. But 
 we are glad to see you. We look upon your coming as the 
 light which goes before the sun ; for you will tell our great 
 father that you have seen us, and that we are naked and 
 poor and have nothing to eat; and he will send us all these 
 things.' He was followed by the others to the same effect. 
 "The observations of the savages appeared reasonable; 
 but I was aware that they had in view only the present ob- 
 ject of detaining me, and were unwilling I should go further 
 into the country. In reply, I asked them, through the in- 
 terpretation of Mr. Boudeau, to select two or three of their 
 number to accompany us until we should meet their people; 
 they should spread their robes in my tent and eat at my 
 table, and on our return I would give them presents in re- 
 ward for their services. They declined, saying that there 
 were no young men left in the village; and that they were 
 too old to travel so many days on horseback, and preferred 
 now to smoke their pipes in the lodge and let the warriors 
 go upon the war-path. Besides, they had no power over 
 the young men, and were afraid to interfere with them. In 
 my turn, I addressed them: 'You say that you love the 
 whites. Why have you killed so many already this spring? 
 You say you love the whites and are full of many expres- 
 sions of friendship to us; but you are not willing to undergo 
 the fatigue of a few days' ride to save our lives. We do not 
 believe what you have said and will not listen to you. What- 
 ever a chief among us tells his soldiers to do, is done. We 
 are the soldiers of the great chief, your father. He has told 
 us to come here and see this country and all the Indians, his 
 children. Why should we not go? Before we came, we 
 heard that you had killed his people, and ceased to be his 
 children; but we came among you peaceably, holding out 
 our hands. Now we find that the stories we heard are not 
 lies, and that you are no longer his friends and children. 
 We have thrown away our bodies, and will not turn back. 
 When you told us that your young men would kill us, you 
 did not know that our hearts were strong, and you did not 
 see the rifles which my young men carry in their hands. We 
 are few, and you are many, and may kill us all; but there 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 251 
 
 will be much crying in your villages, for many of your 
 young men will stay behind, and forget to return with your 
 warriors from the mountains. Do you think that our great 
 chief will let his soldiers die, and forget to cover their 
 graves? Before the snows melt again, his warriors will 
 sweep away your villages as the flre does the prairie in the 
 autumn. See! I have pulled down my white houses, and 
 my people are ready; when the sun is ten paces higher, we 
 shall be on the march. If you have anything to tell us, you 
 will say it soon.' 
 
 "I broke up the conference as I could do nothing with 
 these people, and, being resolved to proceed, nothing was to 
 be gained by delay. Accompanied by our hospitable friends, 
 we returned to the camp. We had mounted our horses, and 
 our parting salutations had been exchanged, when one of 
 the chiefs (The Bull's Tail) arrived to tell me that they had 
 determined to send a young man with us; and if I would 
 point out the place of our evening camp, he should join us 
 there. 'The young man is poor,' said he; 'he has no horse 
 and expects you to give him one.' I described to him the 
 place where I intended to encamp, and shaking hands, in a 
 few minutes we were among the hills, and this last habita- 
 tion of whites shut out from our view. 
 
 "The road led over an interesting plateau between the 
 North Fork of the Platte on the right and the Laramie 
 Eiver on the left. At the distance of ten miles from the 
 fort, we entered the sandy bed of a creek, a kind of defile, 
 shaded by precipitous rocks, down which we wound our 
 way for several hundred yards to a place where, on the left 
 bank, a very large spring gushes with considerable noise 
 and force out of the limestone rock. It is called 'the Warm 
 Spring,' and furnishes to the hitherto dry bed of the creek 
 a considerable rivulet. On the opposite side, a little below 
 the spring, is a lofty limestone escarpment, partially shaded 
 by a grove of large trees, whose green foliage, in contrast 
 with the whiteness of the rock, renders this a picturesque 
 locality. The rock is fossiliferous, and, so far as I was able 
 to determine the character of the fossils, belongs to the 
 carboniferous limestone of the Missouri Eiver, and is prob- 
 ably the western limit of that formation. Beyond this 
 point I met with no fossils of any description. 
 
 "I was desirous to visit the Platte near the point where 
 it leaves the Black Hills, and therefore followed this stream 
 for two or three miles, to the mouth ; where I encamped on 
 a spot which afforded good grass for our animals. Our 
 
252 History of Wyoming. 
 
 tents having been found too thin to protect ourselves and 
 the instruments from the rain, which in this elevated coun- 
 try is attended with cold and unpleasant weather, I had 
 procured from the Indians at Laramie a tolerably large 
 lodge, about eighteen feet in diameter and twenty feet in 
 height. Such a lodge, when properly pitched, is, from its 
 conical form, almost perfectly secure against the violent 
 winds which are frequent in this region, and, with a fire in 
 the center, is a dry and warm shelter in bad weather. By 
 raising the lower part so as to permit the breeze to pass 
 freely, it is converted into a pleasant summer residence, 
 with the extraordinary advantage of being entirely free 
 from mosquitoes, one of which I have never seen in an In- 
 dian lodge. While we were engaged very unskillfully in 
 erecting this, the interpreter, Mr. Bissonette, arrived, ac- 
 companied by the Indian and his wife. She laughed at our 
 awkwardness, and offered her assistance, of which we were 
 frequently afterward obliged to avail ourselves, before the 
 men acquired sufficient expertness to pitch it without diffl- 
 culty. From this place we had a very fine view of the gorge 
 where the Platte issues from the Black Hills, changing its 
 character abruptly from a mountain stream into a river of 
 the plains. Immediately around us the valley of the stream 
 was tolerably open, and at the distance of a few miles, 
 where the river had cut its way through the hills, was a 
 narrow cleft, on one side of which a lofty precipice of bright 
 red rose vertically above the low hills which lay between us. 
 "July 22. — In the morning, while breakfast was being 
 prepared, I visited this place with my favorite man, Basil 
 Lajeunesse. Entering so far as there was footing for the 
 mules, we dismounted, and, tying our animals, continued 
 our way on foot. Like the whole country, the scenery of 
 the river had undergone an entire change and was in this 
 place the most beautiful I have ever seen. The breadth of 
 the stream, generally near that of its valley, was from two 
 to three hundred feet, with a swift current, occasionally 
 broken by rapids, and the water perfectly clear. On either 
 side rose the red precipices, vertical, and sometimes over- 
 hanging, two and four hundred feet in height, crowned 
 with green summits on which were scattered a few pines. 
 At the foot of the rocks was the usual detritus, formed of 
 masses fallen from above. Among the pines that grew 
 here, and on the occasional banks, were the cherry, currants 
 and the grains de boeuf . Viewed in the sunshine of a pleas- 
 ant morning, the scenery was of a most striking and roman- 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 253 
 
 tic beauty, which arose from the picturesque distribution of 
 the objects and the vivid contrast of colors. I thought with 
 great pleasure of our approaching descent in the canoe 
 through such interesting places; and, in the expectation of 
 being able at that time to give to them a full examination, 
 did not now dwell so much as might have been desirable 
 upon the geological formations along the line of the river, 
 where they are developed with great clearness. The upper 
 portion of the red sandstone consists of a very compact 
 clay, in which are occasionally seen imbedded large pebbles. 
 Below was a stratum of compact red sandstone, changing 
 a little above the river into a very hard silicious limestone. 
 There is a small but handsome prairie immediately below 
 this place, on the left bank of the river, which would be a 
 good locality for a military post. There are some open 
 groves of cottonwood on the Platte. The small stream 
 which comes in at this place is well timbered with pine, and 
 good building rock is abundant. 
 
 "If it is in contemplation to keep open the communica- 
 tions with Oregon territory, a show of military force in this 
 country is absolutely necessary; and a combination of ad- 
 vantages renders the neighborhood of Fort Laramie the 
 most suitable place, on the line of the Platte, for the estab- 
 lishment of a military post. It is connected with the mouth 
 of the Platte and the Upper Missouri by excellent roads, 
 which are in frequent use, and would not in any way inter- 
 fere with the range of the buffalo, on which the neighboring 
 Indians mainly depend for support. It would render any 
 posts on the Lower Platte unnecessary; the ordinary com- 
 munication between it and the Missouri being sufficient 
 to control the intermediate Indians. It would operate effec- 
 tually to prevent any such coalitions as are now formed 
 among the Gros Ventres, Sioux, Cheyennes and other Indi- 
 ans, and would keep the Oregon road through the valley of 
 the Sweetwater and the South Pass of the mountains con- 
 stantly open. A glance at the map which accompanies this 
 report will show that it lies at the foot of a broken and 
 mountainous region, along which, by the establishment of 
 small posts in the neighborhood of St. Vrain's fort, on the 
 South Fork of the Platte, and Bent's fort, on the Arkansas, 
 a line of communication would be formed, by good wagon 
 roads, with our southern military posts, which would en- 
 tirely command the mountain passes, hold some of the most 
 troublesome tribes in check, and protect and facilitate our 
 intercourse with the neighboring Spanish settlements. The 
 
2 54 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Talleys of the rivers on which they would be situated are 
 fertile; the country, -which supports immense herds of buf- 
 falo, is admirably adapted to grazing, and herds of cattle 
 might be maintained by the posts, or obtained from the 
 Spanish country, which already supplies a portion of their 
 provisions to the trading posts mentioned above." 
 
 The party camped that night at the mouth of Horse- 
 shoe Creek, and the following night on the Platte a short 
 distance south and east of what is now known as Orin Junc- 
 tion. On the 25th camp was made on the PJatte a few miles 
 above where Fort Fetterman was afterwards built. The 
 next night they camped in a rocky glen, now known as Glen- 
 rock. On the night of the 27th camp was made in the vicin- 
 ity of where Caspar now stands. This camp is somewhat in 
 dispute among old-timers on account of the language used 
 by Fremont in his journal after leaving the encampment of 
 the 27th. 
 
 "July 28. — In two miles from our encampment we 
 reached the place where the regular road crosses the Platte. 
 There was two hundred feet breadth of water at this time in 
 the bed, which has a variable width of eight to fifteen hun- 
 dred feet. The channels were generally three feet deep, 
 and there were large angular rocks on the bottom, which 
 made the ford in some places a little diflScult. Even at its 
 low stage the river cannot be crossed at random, and this 
 has always been used as the best ford. The low stage of 
 the waters the present year had made it fordable in almost 
 any part of its course, where access could be had to its bed." 
 
 It will be observed that Fremont says that he crossed 
 where the regular road crosses the Platte. Now, as there 
 were three regular crossings — one five miles below Caspar; 
 another two miles above that town, and still another five 
 miles above, it is somewhat difficult to determine which of 
 these three crossings was used by the party. The men who 
 went over the Overland Trail in the forties inform me that 
 the lower crossing was not a good one, as quicksand was en- 
 countered. The one two miles above Caspar was somewhat 
 better, but there was no rock in the river. The upper cross- 
 ing was a hard, rocky bottom and answers Fremont's de- 
 scription, and old-timers have assured me that Fremont 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 255 
 
 must have crossed at this point. What happened the party 
 on the 28th of July is reserved for another chapter. 
 
 CHAPTEE XX. 
 
 FREMONT'S EXPLORATIONS IN WYOMING— [Continued.] 
 
 MeetsdahBand of_Ogalalla Sioux — Discouraging Reports of the Con- 
 dition OF THE Country — Severe Drought^ and a Grasshopper 
 Plague — Advised d to Give Up the Expedition — Boldly Pushes 
 Forward — Journey Up the Sweetwater — Crosses South Pass — 
 Penetrates the Wind River Range — Climbs Fremont's Peak — 
 The Return Journey — Engraves a Cross on Independence Rock — 
 More Carefully Explores thel North Platte — Returns to Fort 
 Laramie — Follows the Platte to the Missouri — Goes Down the 
 Missouri in a Ten-Oared Boat — Arrives at St. Louis. 
 
 In the last chapter the crossing of the North Platte 
 was noted. Four miles beyond the ford the party met a 
 band of Ogalalla Sioux, who gave a gloomy account of the 
 country beyond, reporting a great drought prevailed, and 
 also that grasshoppers had swept over the country so that 
 there was scarcely a blade of grass to be seen, and there was 
 not a buffalo in the whole region. The Indians had been 
 brought to the point of starvation and were obliged to eat 
 their horses. Hearing these discouraging reports, Mr. Bi- 
 sonette urged Fremont to turn back, as it would be danger- 
 ous to go forward. Fremont says: 
 
 "In reply, I called up my men and communicated to 
 them fully the information I had just received. I then ex- 
 pressed to them my fixed determination to proceed to the 
 end of the enterprise on which I had been sent; but as the 
 situation of the country gave me some reason to apprehend 
 that it might be attended with an unfortunate result to 
 some of us, I would leave it optional with them to continue 
 with me or to return. Among them were some five or six 
 who I knew would remain. We had still ten days' provis- 
 ions, and should no game be found when this stock was ex- 
 
256 History of Wyoming. 
 
 hausted, we had our horses and mules, which we could eat 
 when other means of subsistence failed. But not a man 
 flinched from the undertaking. 'We'll eat the mules,' said 
 Basil Lajeunesse, and thereupon we shook hands with our 
 interpreter and his Indians, and parted. With them I sent 
 back one of my men, Dumes, whom the effects of an old 
 wound in the leg rendered incapable of continuing the jour- 
 ney on foot, and his horse seemed on the point of giving out. 
 Having resolved to disencumber ourselves of everything 
 not absolutely necessary to our future operations, I turned 
 directly in towards the river and encamped on the left bank, 
 a little above the place where our council had been held, 
 and where a thick grove of willows offered a suitable spot 
 for the object I had in view. 
 
 "The carts having been discharged, the covers and 
 wheels were taken off, and, with the frames, carried into 
 some low places among the willows and concealed in the 
 dense foliage in such a manner that the glitter of the iron 
 work might not attract the observation of some straggling 
 Indian. In the sand which had been blown up into waves 
 among the willows, a large hole was dug, ten feet square, 
 and six deep. In the meantime, all our effects had been 
 spread out upon the ground, and whatever was designed to 
 be carried along with us separated and laid aside, and the 
 remaining part carried to the hole and carefully covered up. 
 As much as possible, all traces of our proceedings were ob- 
 literated, and it wanted but a rain to render our cache safe 
 beyond discovery. All the men were now set to work to 
 arrange the pack saddles and make up the packs. The day 
 was very warm and calm and the sky entirely clear, except 
 where, as usual along the summits of the mountainous 
 ridge opposite, the clouds had congregated in masses. Our 
 lodge had been planted, and on account of the heat, the 
 ground pins had been taken out and the lower part slightly 
 raised. Near to it was standing the barometer, which swung 
 in a tripod frame, and within the lodge, where a small fire 
 had been built, Mr. Preuss was occupied in observing the 
 temperature of boiling water. At the instant, and without 
 any warning until it was within fifty yards, a violent gust 
 of wind dashed down the lodge, burying under it Mr. Preuss 
 and a dozen men, who had attempted to keep it from being 
 carried away. I succeeded in saving the barometer, which 
 the lodge was carrying off with itself, but the thermometer 
 was broken. 
 
 "July 29. — All our arrangements having been com- 
 
CE^^.JOH^( c.FREHONT. 
 
 FREMONT'S SPEECH TO INDIANS AT FORT LARAMIE. 
 
 {See Pa^e 3 SO.) 
 
Frevionfs Explorations in Wyoming. 257 
 
 pleted, we left the encampment at 7 o'clock this morning. 
 In this vicinity the ordinary road leaves the Platte and 
 crosses over to the Sweetwater Eiver, which it strikes near 
 Eock Independence. Instead of following this road, I had 
 determined to keep the immediate valley of the Platte so 
 far as the month of the Sweetwater, in the expectation of 
 finding better grass. To this I was further prompted by the 
 nature of my instructions. To Mr. Carson was assigned the 
 office of guide, as we had now reached a part of the country 
 with which, or a great part of which, long residence had 
 made him familiar. In a few miles we reached Red Buttes, 
 a famous landmark in this country, whose geological com- 
 position is red sandstone, limestone and calcareous sand- 
 stone and pudding stone. The river here cuts its way 
 through a ridge; on the eastern side of it are lofty escarp- 
 ments of red argillaceous sandstone, which are called the 
 Red Buttes. In this passage the stream is not much com- 
 pressed or pent-up, there being a bank of considerable 
 though variable breadth on either side. Immediately on 
 entering, we discovered a band of buffalo. The hunters 
 failed to kill any of them, the leading hunter being thrown 
 into a ravine, which occasioned some delay, and in the 
 meantime the herd clambered up the steep face of the ridge. 
 It is sometimes wonderful to see these apparently clumsy 
 animals make their way up and down the most rugged and 
 broken precipices. We halted to noon before we had 
 cleared this passage, at a spot twelve miles distant from 
 Cache Camp, where we found an abundance of grass. So 
 far the account of the Indians was found to be false. On the 
 banks were willow and cherry trees. The cherries were not 
 ripe, but in the thickets were numerous fresh tracks of the 
 grizzly bear, which are very fond of this fruit. The soil 
 here is red, the composition being derived from the red 
 sandstone. About seven miles brought us through the 
 ridge, in which the course of the river is north and south. 
 Here the valley opens out broadly and the high walls of the 
 red formation present themselves among the hills to the 
 east. We crossed here a pretty little creek, an affluent of 
 the right bank. It is well timbered with Cottonwood in 
 this vicinity, and the absinthe has lost its shrub-like char- 
 acter and becomes small trees six and eight feet in height 
 and sometimes eight inches in diameter. Two or three 
 miles above this creek we made our encampment, having 
 traveled today twenty-five miles. Our animals fared well 
 here, as there is an abundance of grass. The river bed is 
 -(17) 
 
258 History of Wyoming. 
 
 made up of pebbles, and in the bank, at the level of the 
 water, is a conglomerate of coarse pebbles about the size 
 of ostrich eggs, and which I remarked in the banks of. Lara- 
 mie Fork. It is overlaid by a soil of mixed clay and sand 
 six feet thick. 
 
 "July 30. — After traveling about twelve miles thia 
 morning we reached a place where the Indian village had 
 crossed the river. Here were the poles of discarded lodgea 
 and skeletons of horses lying about. Mr. Carson, who had 
 never been higher up than this point on the river, which 
 has the character of being exceedingly rugged and walled 
 in by precipices above, thought it advisable to camp near the 
 place, where we were certain of obtaining grass, and tomor- 
 row make our crossing among the rugged hills to the Sweet- 
 water river. Accordingly we turned back and descended 
 the river to an island near by, which was about twenty 
 acres in size, covered with a luxuriant growth of grass. The 
 formation here I found highly interesting. Immediately at 
 this island the river is again shut up in the rugged hills, 
 which come down to it from the main ridge in a succession 
 of spurs three or four hundred feet high, and alternated 
 with green level meadows, bordered on the river banks with 
 thickets of willow, and having many plants to interest the 
 traveler. The island lies between two of these ridges, three 
 or four hundred yards apart, of which that on the right 
 bank is composed entirely of red argillaceous sandstone 
 with thin layers of fibrous gypsum. On the left bank the 
 ridge is composed entirely of silicious pudding stone, the 
 pebbles in the numerous strata increasing in size from the 
 top to the bottom, where they are as large as a man's head. 
 So far as I was able to determine, these strata incline to the 
 northeast, with a dip of about 15°. This pudding stone, or 
 conglomerate formation, I was enabled to trace through an 
 extended range of country, from a few miles east of the 
 meridian of Fort Laramie to where I found it superposed 
 on the granite of the Rocky Mountains, in longitude 109°. 
 From its appearance, the main chain of the Laramie moun- 
 tain is composed of this." 
 
 On the morning of the 31st the explorers left the Platte 
 and crossed over to the Sweetwater. On August 1st they 
 reached Independence Rock, of which Fremont says : 
 
 "The hunters went ahead this morning, as buffalo ap- 
 peared tolerably abundant, and I was desirous to secure a 
 small stock of provisions; and we moved about seven milea 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 259 
 
 up the valley and encamped one mile below Rock Inde- 
 pendence. This is an isolated granite rock, about six hun- 
 dred and fifty yards long and forty in height. Except in a 
 depression of the summit, where a little soil supports a 
 scanty growth of shrubs, with a solitary dwarf pine, it is 
 entirely bare. Everywhere within six or eight feet of the 
 ground, where the surface is sufficiently smooth, and in 
 some places sTxty or eighty feet above, the rock is inscribed 
 with the names of travelers. Many a name famous in the 
 history of this country, and some well known to science, 
 are to be found mixed among those of the traders and of 
 travelers for pleasure and curiosity, and of missionaries 
 among the savages. Some of these have been washed away 
 by the rain, but the greater number are still very legible." 
 
 The first mention I can find of this rock is by Eev. Sam- 
 uel Parker, who visited it on the 7th of August, 18.35. He, 
 like Fremont, calls it Rock Independence. He says: "This 
 rock takes its name from the circumstance of a company of 
 fur traders suspending their journey and here observing, 
 in due form, the anniversary of our national freedom." I 
 have talked with many old trappers and traders, and none 
 of them are able to fix the date of the naming of this rock. 
 Jim Baker tells me that Captain Bonneville named it, but 
 of this he had no personal knowledge. The numerous names 
 which Fremont found on the rock would indicate that it had 
 long been known to white men. 
 
 After remaining in camp one night below Indepen- 
 dence Rock, Fremont's party pushed on west on the morn- 
 ing of the second, passed Devil's Gate and encamped eight 
 miles beyond. They continued their course up the Sweet- 
 water and on the 6th passed through the canon, the upper 
 end of which is ten miles below where Lewiston is now loca- 
 ted, and that evening camped on a small stream since called 
 the Strawberry. The next morning they again turned to the 
 Sweetwater and crossed the ridge where the Burr mine is 
 now located. They made one more camp before crossing 
 the Continental Divide, and the next day found them on the 
 west side of South Pass. 
 
 They camped that night on the first Newfork.now known 
 as Eastfork. Fremont says: "STear our camp were two 
 
26o History of Wyoming. 
 
 remarkable isolated hills, one of them sufficiently large to 
 merit the name of mountain." W. O. Owen, who some years 
 ago was engaged in making a government survey in that lo- 
 cality, identifies the spot as Section 27, Township 32, Range 
 107. From this point on until the party returned from the 
 summit of Fremont's Peak, I will copy from the journal : 
 
 "August 10. — The air at sunrise is clear and pure, and 
 the morning extremely cold but beautiful. A lofty snow 
 peak of the mountain is glittering in the first rays of the 
 sun, which has not yet reached us. The long mountain wall 
 to the east, rising two thousand feet abruptly from the 
 plain, behind which we see the peaks, is still dark, and cuts 
 clear against the glowing sky. A fog, just risen from the 
 river, lies along the base of the mountain. A little before 
 sunrise the thermometer was at 35°, and at sunrise 33°. 
 Water froze last night, and fires are very comfortable. The 
 scenery becomes hourly more interesting and grand, and 
 the view here is truly magnificent; but, indeed, it needed 
 something to repay the long prairie journey of a thousand 
 miles. The sun has just shot above the wall and makes a 
 magical change. The whole valley is glowing and bright, 
 and all the mountain peaks are gleaming like silver. 
 Though these snow mountains are not the Alps, they have 
 their own character of grandeur and magnificence, and will 
 doubtless find pens and pencils to do them justice. In the 
 scene before us, we feel how much wood improves a view. 
 The pines on the mountain seem to give it much more ad- 
 ditional beauty. I was agreeably disappointed in the char- 
 acter of the streams on this side of the ridge. Instead of the 
 creeks, which description had led me to expect, I find bold, 
 broad streams, with three or four feet of water and a rapid 
 current. The fork on which we are encamped is upwards 
 of a hundred feet wide, with groves or thickets of the low 
 willow. We were now approaching the loftiest part of the 
 Wind Eiver chain; and I left the valley a few miles from 
 our encampment, intending to penetrate the mountains as 
 far as possible with the whole party. We were soon in- 
 volved in very broken ground, among long ridges covered 
 with fragments of granite. Winding our way up a long 
 ravine, we came unexpectedly in view of a most beautiful 
 lake, set like a gem in the mountains. The sheet of water 
 lay transversely across the direction we had been pursuing; 
 and, descending the steep rocky ridge, where it was neces- 
 sary to lead our horses, we followed its banks to the south- 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. :6i 
 
 ern extremity. Here a view of the utmost magnificence 
 and grandeur burst upon our eyes. With nothing between 
 us and their feet to lessen the whole height, a grand bed of 
 snow capped mountains rose before us, pile upon pile, glow- 
 ing in the bright light of an August day. Immediately be- 
 low them lay the lake, between two ridges, covered with 
 dark pines, which swept down from the main chain to the 
 spot where we stood. Here, where the lake glittered in the 
 open sunlight, its banks of yellow sand and the light foliage 
 of aspen groves contrasted well with the gloomy pines. 
 'Never before,' said Mr. Preuss, 'in this country or inEurope, 
 have I seen such magnificent, grand rocks.' I was so much 
 pleased with the beauty of the place that I determined to 
 make the main camp here, where our animals would find 
 good pasturage, and explore the mountains with a small 
 party of men. Proceeding a Jittle further, we came sud- 
 denly upon the outlet of the lake, where it found its way 
 through a narrow passage between low hills. Dark pines, 
 which overhung the stream, and masses of rock, where the 
 water foamed along, gave it much romantic beauty. Where 
 we crossed, which was immediately at the outlet, it is two 
 hundred and fifty feet wide, and so deep that with difficulty 
 we were able to ford it. Its head was an accumulation of 
 rocks, boulders and broad slabs, and large angular frag- 
 ments, among which the animals fell repeatedly. 
 
 "The current was very swift and the water cold and of 
 a crystal purity. In crossing this stream, I met with a great 
 misfortune in having my barometer broken. It was the 
 only one. A great part of the interest of the journey for 
 me was in the exploration of these mountains, of which so 
 much has been said that was doubtful and contradictory; 
 and now their snowy peaks rose majestically before me, 
 and the only means of giving them authentically to science, 
 the object of my anxious solicitude by night and day, was 
 destroyed. We had brought this barometer in safety a 
 thousand miles, and broke it almost among the snow of the 
 mountains. The loss was felt by the whole camp — all had 
 seen my anxiety and aided me in preserving it. The height 
 of these mountains, considered by the hunters and traders 
 the highest in the whole range, had been a theme of con- 
 stant discussion among them; and all had looked forward 
 with pleasure to the moment when the instrument, which 
 they believed to be as true as the sun, should stand upon 
 its summits and decide their disputes. Their grief was only 
 inferior to my own. 
 
262 History of Wyoming . 
 
 "This lake is about three miles long and of very irregu- 
 lar width, and of apparently great depth, and is the head- 
 water of the third Newfork, and a tributary to Green River, 
 the Colorado of the west. On the map and in the harrative 
 I have called it Mountain Lake.* I encamped on the north 
 side, about three hundred and fifty feet from the outlet. 
 This was the most western point at which I obtained astro- 
 nom-ical observations, by which this place, called Bernier's 
 Encampment, is made in 110° 08' 03" west longitude from 
 Greenwich, and latitude 42° 49' 49". The mountain peaks, 
 as laid down, were fixed by bearings from this and other 
 astronomical points. We had no other compass than the 
 small one used in sketching the country; but from an azi- 
 muth, in which one of them was used, the variation of the 
 compass is 18° east. The correction made in our field work 
 by the astronomical observation indicates that this is a very 
 correct observation. 
 
 "As soon as the camp was formed, I set about endeavor- 
 ing to repair my barometer. As I have already said, this 
 was a standard cistern-barometer of Troughton's construc- 
 tion. The glass cistern had been broken about midway; but 
 as the instrument had been kept in a proper position, no air 
 had found its way into the tube, the end of which had al- 
 ways remained covered. I had with me a number of vials of 
 tolerably thick glass, some of which were of the same diam- 
 eter as the cistern, and I spent the day in slowly working on 
 these, endeavoring to cut them of the requisite length, but 
 as my instrument was a very rough file, I invariably broke 
 them. A groove was cut in one of the trees, where the bar- 
 ometer was placed during the night, to be out of the way of 
 any possible danger, and in the morning I commenced 
 again. Among the powder horns in the camp, I found one 
 which was very transparent, so that its contents could be 
 almost as plainly seen as through glass. This I boiled and 
 stretched on a piece of wood to the requisite diameter, and 
 scraped it very thin, in order to increase to the utmost its 
 transparency. I then secured it firmly in its place on the 
 instrument, with strong glue made from a bufifalo, and 
 filled it with mercury, properly heated. A piece of skin 
 which had covered one of the vials furnished a good pocket, 
 which was well secured with strong thread and glue, and 
 then the brass cover was screwed to its place. The instru- 
 
 *This body of water is known on the Wyoming map of today as Boulder Lalce, Owen 
 locates Bernier's encampment in Section 14, Township 33, Range 108. and says that the 
 identity of the camp isbeyond question. 
 
Fremont's Exploi-ations in Wyoming. 263 
 
 ment was left some time to dry; and when I reversed it, a 
 few hours after, I had the satisfaction to find it in perfect 
 order ; its indications being about the same as on the other 
 side of the lake before it had been broken. Our success in 
 this little incident diffused pleasure throughout the camp, 
 and we immediately set about our preparations for ascend- 
 ing the mountains. 
 
 "I was desirous to keep strictly within the scope of my 
 instructions, and it would have required ten or fifteen addi- 
 tional days for the accomplishment of this object ; our ani- 
 mals had become very much worn out with the length of the 
 journey; game was very scarce; and, though it does not 
 appear in the course of the narrative (as I have avoided 
 dwelling upon trifling incidents not connected with the 
 objects of the expedition) the spirits of the men had been 
 much exhausted by the hardships and privations to which 
 they had been subjected. Our provisions had well nigh all 
 disappeared. Bread had been long out of the question ; and 
 of all our stock, we had remaining two or three pounds of 
 coffee and a small quantity of macaroni, which had been 
 husbanded with great care for the mountain expedition we 
 were about to undertake. Our daily meal consisted of dry 
 buffalo meat, cooked in tallow, and, as we had not dried 
 this with Indian skill, part of it was spoiled, and what re- 
 mained of good was as hard as wood, having much the taste 
 a,nd appearance of so many pieces of bark. Even of this our 
 stock was rapidly diminishing in a camp which was capable 
 of consuming two buffaloes in every twenty-four hours. 
 These animals had entirely disappeared, and it was not prob- 
 able that we should fall in with them again until we re- 
 turned to the Sweetwater. 
 
 "Our arrangements for the ascent were rapidly com- 
 pleted. We were in a hostile country, which rendered the 
 greatest vigilance and circumspection necessary. The pass 
 at the north end of the mountain was generally infested by 
 Blackfeet; and immediately opposite was one of their forts, 
 on the edge of a little thicket, two or three hundred feet 
 from our encampment. We were posted in a grove of beech 
 on the margin of the lake and a few hundred feet long, with 
 a narrow pavilion on the inner side, bordered by the rocky 
 ridge. In the upper end of this grove we cleared a circular 
 space about forty feet in diameter, and with the felled tim- 
 ber and interwoven branches surrounded it with a breast- 
 work five feet in height. A gap was left for a gate on the 
 inner side, by which the animals were to be driven in and 
 
264 History of Wyoming. 
 
 secured, while the men slept around the little work. It was 
 half hidden by the foliage, and, garrisoned by twelve reso- 
 lute men, would have set at defiance any band of savages 
 which might chance to discover them in the interval of our 
 absence. Fifteen of the best mules, with fourteen men, 
 were selected for the mountain party. Our provisions con- 
 sisted of dried meat for two days, with our little stock of 
 coffee and some macaroni. In addition to the barometer 
 and a thermometer, I took with me a sextant and spy-glass,, 
 and we had, of course, our compasses. In charge of the 
 camp I left Bernier, one of my most trustworthy men, wha 
 possessed the most determined courage. 
 
 "August 12th. — Early in the morning we left the camp,, 
 fifteen in number, well armed, of course, and mounted on 
 our best mules. A pack animal carried our provisions, with 
 a coffee pot and camp kettle, and three or four tin cups. 
 Every man had a blanket strapped over his saddle, to serve 
 for his bed, and the instruments were carried in turn on 
 their backs. We entered directly on rough and rocky 
 ground and just after crossing the ridge had the good for- 
 tune to shoot an antelope. We heard the roar and had a 
 glimpse of a waterfall as we rode along, and, crossing in 
 our way two fine streams, tributary to the Colorado, in 
 about two hours' ride we reached the top of the first row 
 or range of the mountains. Here, again, a view of the most 
 romantic beauty met our eyes. It seemed as if, from the 
 vast expanse of uninteresting prairie we had passed over, 
 nature had collected all her beauties together in one chosen 
 place. We were overlooking a deep valley which was en- 
 tirely occupied by three lakes, and from the brink the sur- 
 rounding ridges rose precipitously five hundred and a thous- 
 and feet, covered with a dark green of the balsam pine, re- 
 lieved on the border of the lake with the light foliage of the 
 aspen. They all communicated with each other; and the 
 green of the waters, ' common to mountain lakes of great 
 depth, showed that it would be impossible to cross them. 
 The surprise manifested by our guides when these impassa- 
 ble obstacles suddenly barred our progress, showed that 
 they were among the hidden treasures of the place, un- 
 known even to the wandering trappers of the region. De- 
 scending the hill, we proceeded to make our way along the 
 margin to the southern extremity. A narrow strip of angu- 
 lar fragments of rock sometimes afforded a rough pathway 
 for our mules, but generally we rode along the shelving side, 
 occasionally scrambling up, at a considerable risk of turn- 
 
THE DEUIL'S GATE, 
 (Page 2iQ ) 
 
 .^Tr-y^.' -^ 
 
 .:f^&^SL Jl'f-'f^-. 1 ■C'^'tes--^' ^ " -* / liiilSji.-'^ •^.Ji.J^"' 
 
 INDEPENDENCE ROGK. 
 
 {Pag/2SS.) 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 265 
 
 bling back into the lake. The slope was frequently 60°; the 
 pines grew densely together, and the ground was covered 
 with the branches and trunks of trees. The air was fragrant 
 with the odor of the pines, and I realized this delightful 
 morning the pleasure of breathing that mountain air which 
 makes a constant theme of the hunters' praise and which 
 now made us feel as if we had all been drinking some ex- 
 hilarating gas. The depth of this unexplored forest was 
 a place to delight the heart of a botanist. There was a rich 
 undergrowth of plants and numerous gay colored flowers 
 in brilliant bloom. 
 
 "We had reached a very elevated point, and in the val- 
 ley below and among the hills were a number of lakes of 
 different levels, some two or three hundred feet above oth- 
 ers, with which they communicated by foaming torrents. 
 Even to our great height, the roar of the cataracts came up, 
 and we could see them leaping down in lines of snowy foam. 
 Prom this scene of busy waters we turned abruptly into 
 the stillness of a forest, where we rode among the open bolls 
 of the pines over a lawn of verdant grass, having strikingly 
 the air of cultivated grounds. This led us, after a time, 
 among masses of rock which had no vegetable earth but in 
 hollows and crevices, though still the pine forest continued. 
 Toward evening we reached a defile, or rather a hole in the 
 mountains, entirely shut in by dark pine-covered rocks. 
 
 "Our table service was rather scant, and we held the 
 meat in our hands, and clean rocks made good plates, on 
 which we spread our macaroni. Among all the strange 
 places in which we had occasion to camp during our long 
 journey, none have left so vivid an impression on my mind 
 as the camp of this evening. The disorder of the masses 
 which surrounded us ; the little hole through which we saw 
 the stars overhead; the dark pines when we slept, and the 
 rocks lit up with our fires, made a night picture of very wild 
 beauty. 
 
 "August 13. — The morning was bright and pleasant, 
 just cool enough to make exercise agreeable, and we soon 
 entered the defile I had seen the preceding day. It was 
 smoothly carpeted with a soft grass and scattered over with 
 groups of flowers, of which yellow was the predominant 
 color. Sometimes we were forced, by an occasional difiBcult 
 pass, to pick our way on a narrow ledge along the side of the 
 defile, and the mules were frequently on their knees; but 
 these obstructions were rare, and we journeyed on in the 
 sweet morning air, delighted at our good fortune in having 
 
266 History of Wyoming. 
 
 found such a beautiful entrance to the mountains. This 
 road continued for about three miles when we suddenly 
 reached its termination in one of the grand views which, at 
 every turn, meet the traveler in this magnificent region. 
 Here the defile up which we had traveled opened out into 
 a small lawn, where in a little lake the stream had its 
 source. 
 
 "It is not by the splendor of far-off views, which have 
 lent such a glory to the Alps, that these impress the mind; 
 but by a gigantic disorder of enormous masses and a savage 
 sublimity of naked rock, in wonderful contrast with innu- 
 merable green spots of a rich floral beauty, shut up in their 
 stern recesses. Their wildness seems well suited to the 
 character of the people who inhabit the country. 
 
 "I determined to leave our animals here and make the 
 rest of our way on foot. The peak appeared so near that 
 there was no doubt of our returning before night, and a few 
 men were left in charge of the mules, with our provisions 
 and blankets. We took with us nothing but our arms and 
 instruments, and as the day had become warm, the greater 
 part left our coats. Having made an early dinner, we 
 started again. We were soon involved in the most ragged 
 precipices, nearing the central chain very slowly, and ris- 
 ing but little. The first ridge hid a succession of others, 
 and when, with great fatigue and dififlculty, we had climbed 
 up five hundred feet, it was but to make an equal descent 
 on the other side; all these intervening places were filled 
 with small, deep lakes, which met the eye in every direc- 
 tion, descending from one level to another, sometimes under 
 bridges formed by huge fragments of granite, beneath 
 which was heard the roar of the water. These constantly 
 obstructed our path, forcing us to make long detours; fre- 
 quently obliging us to retrace our steps, and frequently fall- 
 ing among rocks. Maxwell was precipitated towards the 
 face of a precipice and saved himself from going over by 
 throwing himself flat on the ground. We clambered on, al- 
 ways expecting, with every ridge that we crossed, to reach 
 the foot of the peaks, and always disappointed until about 
 four o'clock, when, pretty well worn out, we reached the 
 shore of a little lake, in which there was a rocky island. 
 
 "By the time we had reached the further side of the 
 lake, we found ourselves all exceedingly fatigued, and, much 
 to the satisfaction of the whole party, we encamped. The 
 spot we had chosen was a broad, flat rock, in some measure 
 protected from the winds by the surrounding crags, and the 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 267 
 
 trunks of fallen pines afforded us bright fires . Near by was 
 a foaming torrent, which tumbled into the little lake aboat 
 one hundred and fifty feet below us, and which by way of 
 distinction we have called Island Lake. We had reached 
 the upper limit of the piney region, as above this point no 
 tree was to be seen and patches of snow lay everywhere 
 around us on the cold sides of the rocks. The flora of the 
 region we had traversed since leaving our mules was ex- 
 tremely rich, and among the characteristic plants, the scar- 
 let flowers of the Dodecatheon dentatum everywhere met the 
 eye in great abundance. A small green ravine, on the edge 
 of which we were encamped, was filled with a profusion 
 of Alpine plants in brilliant bloom. 
 
 "I was taken ill shortly after we had encamped, and con- 
 tinued so until late in the night, with violent headache and 
 vomiting. This was probably caused by the excessive fa- 
 tigue I had undergone, and want of food, and perhaps, also, 
 in some measure, by the rarity of the air. The night was 
 cold, as a violent gale from the north had sprung up at sun- 
 set, which entirely blew away the heat of the fires. The 
 cold, and our granite beds, had not been favorable to sleep, 
 and we were glad to see the face of the sun in the mornings 
 Not being delayed by any preparation for breakfast, we set 
 out immediately. 
 
 "On every side, as we advanced, was heard the roar of 
 waters, and of a torrent, which we followed up a short dis- 
 tance until it expanded into a lake about one mile in length.- 
 On the northern side of the lake was a bank of ice, or rather 
 of snow covered with a crust of ice. Carson had been our 
 guide into the mountains, and ,agreeably to his advice, we 
 left this little valley and took to the ridges again ; which we 
 found extremely broken, and where we were again involved 
 among precipices. Here were icefields, among which we 
 were all dispersed, seeking each the best path to ascend the 
 peak. Mr. Preuss attempted to walk along the upper edge 
 of one of these fields which sloped away at an angle of about 
 twenty degrees, but his feet slipped from under him and 
 he went plunging down the plane. A few hundred feet 
 below, at the bottom, were some fragments of sharp rock, 
 on which he landed, and though he turned a couple of som- 
 ersets, fortunately received no injury beyond a few bruises. 
 Two of the men, Clement Lambert and Descoteaux, had been 
 taken ill and lay down on the rocks a short distance below ; 
 and at this point I was attacked with headache and giddi- 
 ness, accompanied by vomiting, as on the day before. Find- 
 
268 History of Wyoming. 
 
 ing myself unable to proceed, I sent the barometer over to 
 Mr. Preuss, who was in a gap two or three hundred yards 
 distant, desiring him to reach the peak, if possible, and take 
 an observation there. He found himself unable to proceed 
 farther in that direction, and took an observation, when the 
 barometer stood at 19.401; attached thermometer, 50°, in 
 the gap. Carson, who had gone over to him, succeeded in 
 reaching one of the snowy summits of the main ridge, 
 whence he saw the peak towards which all our efforts had 
 been directed, towering eight or ten hundred feet into the 
 air above him. In the meantime, finding myself grow 
 rather worse than better, and doubtful how far my strength 
 would carry me, I sent Basil Lajeunesse with four men 
 back to the place where the mules had been left. 
 
 "We were now better acquainted with the topography 
 of the country, and T directed him to bring back with him, 
 if it were in any way possible, four or five mules, with pro- 
 visions and blankets. With me were Maxwell and Ayer, 
 and after we had remained nearly an hour on the rock it be- 
 came so unpleasantly cold, though the day was bright, that 
 we set out on our return to the camp, at which we all ar- 
 rived safely, straggling in one after the other. I continued 
 ill during the afternoon, but became better towards sun- 
 down, when my recovery was completed by the appearance 
 of Basil and four men, all mounted. The men who had gone 
 with him had been too much fatigued to return, and were 
 'relieved by those in charge of the horses ; but in his powers 
 of endurance Basil resembled more a mountain goat than a 
 man. They brought blankets and provisions, and we en- 
 joyed well our dried meat and a good cup of coffee. We 
 rolled ourselves up in our blankets, and with our feet turned 
 to a blazing fire slept soundly until morning. 
 
 "August 15. — It had been supposed that we had fin- 
 ished with the mountains, and the evening before it had 
 been arranged that Carson should set out at daylight and 
 return to breakfast at the camp of the mules, taking with 
 him all but four or five men, who were to stay with me and 
 bring back the mnles and instruments. Accordingly, at the 
 break of day they set out. With Mr. Preuss and myself re- 
 mained Basil Lajeunesse, Clement Lambert, Janisse and 
 Descoteaux. When we had secured strength for the day by 
 a hearty breakfast, we covered what remained, which was 
 enough for one meal, with rocks, in order that it might be 
 safe from any marauding bird, and, saddling our mules, 
 turned our faces once more towards the peaks. This time 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 269 
 
 we determined to proceed quietly and cautiously, deliber- 
 ately resolved to accomplish our object if it were within the 
 compass of human means. We were of opinion that a long 
 defile which lay to the left of yesterday's route would lead 
 us to the foot of the main peak. Our mules had been re- 
 freshed by the fine grass in the little ravine at the island 
 camp, and we intended to ride up the defile as far as possi- 
 ble, in order to husband our strength for the main ascent. 
 Though this was a fine passage, still it was a defile of the 
 most rugged mountains known, and we had many a rough 
 and steep slippery place to cross before reaching the end. 
 In this place the sun rarely shone; snow lay along the bor- 
 der of the small stream which flowed through it, and occa- 
 sional icy passages made the footing of the mules very in- 
 secure, and the rocks and ground were moist with the trick- 
 ling waters in this spring of mighty rivers. We soon had 
 the satisfaction to find ourselves riding along the huge wall 
 which forms the central summit of the chain. There at last 
 it rose by our sides, a nearly perpendicular wall of granite, 
 terminating 2,000 to 3,000 feet above our heads in a serrated 
 line of broken, jagged cones. W^e rode on until we came 
 almost immediately below the main peak, which I denomi- 
 nated the Snow Peak, as it exhibited more snow to the eye 
 than any of the neighboring summits. Here were three 
 small lakes of a green color, each of perhaps a thousand 
 yards in diameter, and apparently very deep. These lay 
 in a kind of chasm; and, according to the havometer, we had 
 attained but a few hundred feet above the Island Lake. The 
 barometer here stood at 20.450, attached thermoineter 70°. 
 "We managed to get our mules up to a litte bench about 
 a hundred feet above the lakes, where there was a patch of 
 good grass, and turned them loose to graze. During our 
 rough ride to the place they had exhibited a wonderful sure- 
 footedness. Parts of the defile were filled with angular, 
 sharp fragments of rock, three or four and eight or ten feet 
 cube ; and among these they had worked* their way, leaping 
 from one narrow point to another, rarely making a false 
 step, and giving us no occasion to dismount. Having di- 
 vested ourselves of every unnecessary encumbrance, we 
 commenced the ascent. This time, like experienced trav- 
 elers, we did not press ourselves, but climbed leisurely, sit- 
 ting down as soon as we found breath beginning to fail. 
 At intervals we reached places where a number of springs 
 gushed from the rocks, and about 1,800 feet above the lakes 
 came to the snow line. From this point our progress was 
 
270 History of Wyoming. 
 
 uninteiTiipted climbing. Hitherto I had worn a pair of 
 thick moccasins, with the soles of parfleche;* but here I 
 put on a light, thin pair, which I had brought for the pur- 
 pose, as now the use of our toes became necessary to a f ur^ 
 ther advance. I availed myself of a comb of the mountains 
 which stood against the wall like a buttress, and which the 
 wind and the solar radiation, joined to the steepness of the 
 smooth rock, had kept almost entirely free from snow. Up 
 this I made my way rapidly. Our cautious method of ad- 
 vancing in the outset had spared my strength, and with the 
 exception of a slight disposition to headache, I felt no re- 
 mains of yesterday's illness. In a few minutes we reached 
 a point where the buttress was overhanging, and there was 
 no other way of surmounting the diflBculty than by passing 
 around one side of it, which was the face of a vertical preci- 
 pice of several hundred feet. Putting hands and feet in 
 the crevices between the blocks, I succeeded in getting over 
 it, and, when I reached the top, found my companions in a 
 small valley below. Descending to them, we continued 
 climbing, and in a short time reached the crest. I sprang 
 upon the summit, and another step would have precipitated 
 me into an immense snow-fleld five hundred feet below. To 
 the edge of this field was a sheer icy precipice; and then, 
 with a gradual fall, the field sloped off for about a mile, until 
 it struck the foot of another lower ridge. I stood on a nar- 
 row crest, about three feet in width, with an inclination of 
 about 20° N., 51° E. As soon as I had gratified the first feel- 
 ings of curiosity, I descended, and each man ascended in 
 his turn ; for I would only allow one at a time to mount the 
 unstable and precarious slab, which it seemed a breath 
 would hurl into the abyss below. We mounted the barome- 
 ter in the snow of the summit, and fixing a ramrod in a 
 crevice, unfurled the national flag to wave in the breeze 
 where never flag waved before. During our morning's as- 
 cent we had met no animal life, except a small bird having 
 the appearance of a' sparrow. A stillness the most profound 
 and a terrible solitude forced themselves constantly on the 
 mind as the great features of the place. Here on the sum- 
 mit, where the stillness was absolute, unbroken by any 
 sound, and t he solitude complete, we thought ourselves 
 
 •Parfleche is the name given to buffalo hide. The Indian women prepare it by 
 scraping and drying. It is exceedingly tough and hard and receives its name from the cir- 
 cumstance that it cannot be pierced by arrows or spears. The entire dress of Fremont and 
 his party, on their ascent to the " top of America," consisted of a blue flannel shirt, free and 
 open at the neck, the collar turning down over a black silk handkerchief tied loosely, blue 
 cloth pantaloons, a slouched broad-brimmed hat, and moccasins as above described. It was 
 well adapted to climbing — quite light, and at the same time warm, and every way com- 
 fortable. 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 271 
 
 beyond the region of animal life; but while we were sitting 
 on the rock, a solitary bee {bromus, the humble bee) came 
 winging his flight from the eastern valley, and lit on the 
 knee of one of the men. 
 
 "Around us, the whole scene had one main striking fea- 
 ture, which was that of terrible convulsion. Parallel to its 
 length, the ridge was split into chasms and fissures, between 
 which rose the thin, lofty walls, terminated with slender 
 minarets and columns, which is correctly represented in 
 the view from the camp on Island Lake. According to the 
 barometer, the little crest of the wall on which we stood 
 was three thousand five hundred and seventy feet above 
 that place, and two thousand seven hundred and eighty feet 
 above the little lakes at the bottom, immediately at our 
 feet. Our camp at the Two Hills (an astronomical station) 
 bore south 3° east, which with a bearing afterward obtained 
 from a fixed position, enabled us to locate the peak. The 
 bearing of the Trois Tetons was north 50° west, and the di- 
 rection of the central range of the Wind River mountains 
 south 39° east. The summit rock was gneiss, succeeded 
 by sienitic gneiss. Sienite and feldspar succeeded in our 
 descent to the snow line, where we found a feldspathic 
 granite. I had remarked that the noise produced by the ex- 
 plosion of our pistols had the usual degree of loudness, but 
 was not in the least prolonged, expiring almost instantane- 
 ously. Having now made what observations our means 
 afforded, we proceeded to descend. We had accomplished 
 an object of laudable ambition, and beyond the strict order 
 of our instructions. We had climbed the loftiest peak of the 
 Rocky Mountains and looked down upon the snow a thous- 
 and feet below, and standing where never human foot had 
 stood before, felt the exultation of first explorers. It was 
 about two o'clock when we left the summit, and when we 
 reached the bottom the sun had already sunk behind the 
 wall and the day was drawing to a close. It would have 
 been pleasant to have lingered here and on the summit 
 longer; but we hurried away as rapidly as the ground would 
 permit, for it was an object to regain our party as soon as 
 possible, not knowing what accident the next hour might 
 bring forth. 
 
 "We reached our deposit of provisions at nightfall. 
 Here was not the inn which greets the tired traveler return- 
 ing from Mont Blanc, or the orange groves of South America 
 with their refreshing juice and soft fragrant air; but we 
 found our little cache of dried meat and cofCee undisturbed. 
 
272 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Though the moon was bright, the road was full of precipices 
 and the fatigue of the day had been great. We therefore 
 abandoned the idea of rejoining our friends and lay down on 
 the rock, and, in spite of the cold, slept soundly. 
 
 "August 16. — We left our encampment with the day- 
 light. We saw on our way large flocks of the mountain 
 goat looking down on us from the cliffs. At the crack of a 
 rifle they would bound off among the rocks, and in a few 
 minutes make their appearance on some lofty peak, some 
 hundred or a thousand feet above. It is needless to attempt 
 any further description of the country; the portion over 
 which we traveled this morning was rough as imagination 
 could picture it, and to us seemed equally beautiful. A con- 
 course of lakes and rushing waters, mountains of rocks, 
 naked and destitute of vegetable earth, dells and ravines of 
 the most exquisite beauty, all kept green and fresh by the 
 great moisture in the air and sown with brilliant flowers, 
 and everywhere, thrown around all, the glory of most mag- 
 nificent scenes; these constitute the features of the place 
 and impress themselves vividly on the mind of the traveler. 
 It was not until 11 o'clock that we reached the place where 
 our animals had been left when we first attempted the 
 mountains on foot. Near one of the still burning fires we 
 found a piece of meat, which our friends had thrown away, 
 and which furnished us a mouthful — a very scanty break- 
 fast. We continued directly on and reached our camp on 
 the mountain lake at dusk. We found all well. Nothing 
 had occurred to interrupt the quiet since our departure, and 
 the fine grass and good, cool water had done much to re- 
 establish our animals. All heard with great delight the 
 order to turn our faces homeward; and towards sundown 
 of the 17th we encamped again at Two Buttes." 
 
 Fremont's description of the Wind River Range and the 
 climbing of the peak is one of the best literary efforts of any 
 explorer. It is a word picture drawn with such accuracy 
 as to enable the reader to gain a grand view of this, the most 
 beautiful mountain in the whole Rocky range. I reproduce 
 in connection with this report two views of the Wind River 
 Range made by Mr. Preuss on this trip. They were pub- 
 lished in Freniont's report and deserve, because of their 
 excellence, a place in this volume. The return of the party 
 across South Pass and down the Sweetwater to Indepen- 
 
FREMOMT'S PEAK. 
 
 {From a drawing; by Charles Preuss, Fremont' s topographical engineer, Aug. is, 1842.) 
 [The broad peak to the left is Fremont's.] 
 
 WIND RIUER RANGE. 
 
 [By Charles Prettss.) 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 273 
 
 dence Eock was accomplished by the eTening of the 22nd. 
 On this great rock Fremont placed the emblem of Christi- 
 anity. He says: "Here, not unmindful of the custom of 
 early travelers and explorers in our country, I engraved on 
 this rock of the far west the symbol of the Christian faith. 
 Among the thickly inscribed names, I made on the hard 
 granite the impression of a large cross, which I covered 
 with a black preparation of India rubber, well calculated 
 to resist the influence of wind and rain. It stands amidst 
 the names of many who have long since found their way to 
 the grave, and for whom the huge rock is a giant grave- 
 stone." 
 
 I have met quite a number of people who claim to have 
 seen this cross, but must confess that I never have been able 
 to find it. On July 4, 1847, there was a grand celebration 
 at this rock by more than a thousand people who were on 
 their way to Oregon and California. During the day the 
 enthusiastic American citizens loaded old wagon hubs with 
 powder, to which they fastened a fuse, and exploded them in 
 the crevices of the rock. By this means a large piece of the 
 granite weighing many tons was detached and turned over 
 on the ground, and I have been of the opinion that the Fre- 
 mont cross is on this detached piece of rock and was thus 
 covered from view. 
 
 After leaving Independence Eock the party proceeded 
 across to the North Platte and carefully explored that 
 stream, returning to Fort Laramie on August 31. The re- 
 turn trip was made down the Platte to the Missouri, from 
 which point they floated down that stream in a ten-oared 
 boat and finally reached St. Louis on October 17. After 
 this expedition of Fremont into Wyoming, things were 
 never to be as they were before. The dark mountain barri- 
 ers, broad valleys and noble rivers took their places upon 
 the map of our country and became an open book for all men 
 to read. The great Overland Trail, with its memories of 
 Eobert Stuart, General Ashley, the Sublette brothers, Cap- 
 tain Bonneville, Marcus Whitman and others had become 
 the broad highway used by those who were soon to build 
 
 _(i8) 
 
274 History of Wyoming. 
 
 commonwealths. But Fremont is not through with Wyo- 
 ming yet, for he is to mark out another public thorough- 
 fare in our state. Of this I will speak in another chapter. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 FREMONT'S SECOND EXPEDITION THROUGH WYOMING. 
 
 The Start From the Missouri — Follow the Kansas River — Command 
 Divided — Explorations in Colorado — Two Divisions Meet at Fort 
 St. Vrain — Twenty-Five Men With the Baggage Go by Way of 
 Fort Laramie to Fort Hall — Fremont and Thirteen Men Ex- 
 plore Laramie Plains and Proceed Westward to Eastern Rim 
 OF Red Desert — Proceed North to Sweetwater — Journey to 
 Bear River — Explore Great Salt Lake — Join Balance of Com- 
 mand AT Fort Hall — Explorations in Oregon — Winter Cam- 
 paign IN THE Mountains of California — Third Exploring Expe- 
 dition AND Experiences in California — Fourth Exploring Expe- 
 dition — Great Suffering of the Party^and Elevend Deaths — 
 Fremont's Public Services. 
 
 The second expedition of Fremont was undertaken 
 early in the spring of 1843. The rendezvous was at the 
 little town of Kansas, on the Missouri, now known as Kan- 
 sas City. Experience had taught the chief of the expedition 
 the necessity of a complete outfit, and consequently every- 
 thing necessary was provided, Major Thomas Fitzpatrick be- 
 ing selected as guide. Charles Preuss was again chosen as 
 assistant topographical engineer. Lucien Maxwell was en- 
 gaged as hunter. Theodore Talbot of Washington City was 
 a member of the party. Frederick Dwight, of Springfield, 
 Massachusetts, who was on his way to the Sandwich Islands, 
 accompanied them. William Gilpin of Missouri, who after- 
 wards became the first governor of Colorado, journeyed 
 with Fremont to Oregon. The men who enlisted in the en- 
 terprise were, as will be seen, largely chosen from the mem- 
 bers of the first expedition. They were, Alexis Ayot, Fran- 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 275 
 
 cois Badeau, Oliver Beaulieu, Baptiste Bernier, John A. 
 Campbell, John G. Campbell, Manuel Chapman, Ransom 
 Clark, Philibert Courteau, Michel Crelis, William Creuss, 
 Clinton Deforest, Baptiste Derosier, Basil Lajeunesse, Fran- 
 cois Lajeunesse, Henry Lee, Louis Menard, Louis Montreuil, 
 Samuel Neal, Alexis Pera, Francois Pera, James Power, 
 Raphael Proue, Oscar Sarphy, Baptiste Tabeau, Charles 
 Taplin, Baptiste Tesson, Auguste Vasquez, Joseph Verrot, 
 Patrick White, Tiery Wright, Louis Zindel and Jacob Dod- 
 son, the latter a young colored man from Washington City. 
 The party was armed with Hall's carbines and also a twelve 
 pound brass howitzer. The camp equipage, provisions and 
 instruments were carried in twelve carts, drawn by two 
 mules each. They left Kansas City on the 29th of May and 
 proceeded up the south side of the Kansas River. On the 
 8th of June they arrived at the mouth of the Smoky Hill 
 Fork, where they crossed and proceeded up the Republican 
 Fork. Arriving at a place called by the Indians Big Timber, 
 the force was divided. Leaving twenty-five men in charge 
 of Mr. Fitzpatrick to follow on with the heavy baggage, 
 Fremont took fifteen men, the mountain howitzer, the cart 
 containing instruments, and pushed forward, reaching the 
 South Fork of the Platte on June 30th, and followed up this 
 stream to St. Vrain's Fort, which point was reached on the 
 4th of July. 
 
 On the 6th the journey up the Platte was continued; 
 passing Lupton's trading post, and a day or two later camp 
 was made on the ground where Denver now stands. Fre- 
 mont finally reached Pueblo, where he encountered Kit 
 Carson, who had been with him on his expedition the year 
 before. This accomplished frontiersman was added to the 
 command, after which explorations were pushed into South 
 Park and across into North Park, then down again to St. 
 Vrain's fort, reaching there on the 23rd of July, where was 
 found the detachment under Fitzpatrick awaiting them. 
 On the 26th the party was again divided, Fremont taking 
 thirteen men for his own company, and Fitzpatrick the bal- 
 ance, with instructions to proceed by way of Fort Laramie, 
 
276 History of Wyoming. 
 
 North Platte, Sweetwater and South Pass to Fort Hall and 
 there to await the detachment under the personal charge of 
 the explorer. Before starting out from St. Vrain, Fremont 
 makes the following note in regard to the country through 
 which he expected to travel, and the object of his explora- 
 tions from St. Vrain west. His report reads : 
 
 "I had been able to obtain no certain information in 
 regard to the character of the passes in this portion of the 
 Eocky Mountain range, which had always been represented 
 as impracticable for carriages, but the exploration of which 
 was incidentally contemplated by my instructions, with the 
 view of finding some convenient point of passage for the 
 road of emigration, which would enable it to reach, on a 
 more direct line, the usual ford of the Great Colorado — a 
 place considered as determined by the nature of the country 
 beyond that river. It is singular that, immediately at the 
 foot of the mountains, I could find no one sufficiently ac- 
 quainted with them to guide us to the plains at their west- 
 ern base; but the race of trappers who formerly lived in 
 their recesses has almost entirely disappeared — dwindled 
 to a few scattered individuals— some one or two of whom 
 are regularly killed in the course of each year by the Indians. 
 You will remember that in the previous year, I brought with 
 me to their village near this post, and hospitably treated 
 on the way, several Cheyenne Indians, whom I had met on 
 the lower Platte. Shortly after their arrival here, these 
 were out with a party of Indians (themselves the principal 
 men), which discovered a few trappers in the neighboring 
 mountains, whom they immediately murdered, although 
 one of them had been nearly thirty years in the country, 
 and was perfectly well known, as he had grown gray among 
 them. 
 
 "Through this portion of the mountains, also, are the 
 customary roads of the war parties going out against the 
 Utah and Shoshone Indians, and occasionally parties from 
 the Crow nation make their way down to the southward 
 along this chain, in the expectation of surprising some 
 straggling lodges of their enemies. Shortly before our ar- 
 rival, one of their parties had attacked an Arapahoe village 
 in the vicinity, which they had found unexpectedly strong, 
 and their assault was turned into a rapid flight and a hot 
 pursuit, in which they had been compelled to abandon the 
 animals they had ridden, and escape on their war horses. 
 Into this uncertain and dangerous region, small parties of 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 277 
 
 three or four trappers who now conld collect together, 
 rarely ventured; and consequently it was seldom visited 
 and little known. Having determined to try the passage by 
 a pass through a spur of the mountains made by the Cache 
 a la Poudre River, which rises in the high bed of moun- 
 tains around Long's Peak, I thought it advisable to avoid 
 any incumbrance which would occasion detention." 
 
 Fremont now pushed westward across the Laramie 
 Plains, and his route lay from Cache la Poudre in Colo- 
 rado, up Hale Creek, crossing over the head of Harvey 
 Creek near Eed Butte to the Big Laramie, when he camped 
 four miles southwest of where Laramie City now stands; 
 thence across to Little Laramie ; thence to Seven Mile Creek, 
 Button Creek and Cooper Creek, thence to a point on Eock 
 Creek near where the old stage station was afterwards lo- 
 cated. From this point he traveled in a northwesterly direc- 
 tion, crossing Wagonhound Creek, Medicine Bow Creek, 
 camping at the north foot of Elk Mountain. From that 
 point he went in a westerly direction, reaching the North 
 Platte Eiver a short distance above where Fort Steele was 
 afterwards located. Near the North Platte they made a 
 camp, and while there had the following experience: 
 
 "A successful day's hunt had kept our hunters occupied 
 until late, and they slept out, but rejoined us at daybreak, 
 when finding ourselves only about a mile from the river, 
 we followed the ravine down and camped in a cottonwood 
 grove on a beautiful grassy bottom, where our animals in- 
 demnified themselves for the scanty fare of the past night. 
 It was quite a pretty and pleasant place; a narrow strip of 
 prairie about five hundred yards long terminated at the 
 ravine where we entered by high precipitous hills closing 
 in upon the river, and at the upper end by a ridge of low 
 rolling hills. In the precipitous bluffs were displayed a 
 succession of strata containing fossil vegetable remains, 
 and several beds of coal. In some of the beds the coal did 
 not appear to be perfectly mineralized, and in some of the 
 seams it was compact and remarkably lustrous. In these 
 latter places there were, also, thin layers of very fine white 
 salts, in powder. . As we had a large supply of meat in the 
 camp, which it was necessary to dry, and the surrounding 
 country appeared to be well stocked with buffalo, which it 
 was probable, after a day or two, we would not see again 
 
278 History of Wyoming. 
 
 until our return to the Mississippi waters, I determined to 
 make here a provision of dried meat, which would be neces- 
 sary for our subsistence in the region we were about enter- 
 ing, which was said to be nearly destitute of game. Scaf- 
 folds were, accordingly, soon erected, fires made, and the 
 meat cut up into thin slices to be dried ; and all were busily 
 occupied when the camp was thrown into a sudden tumult 
 by a charge from about seventy mounted Indians, over the 
 low hills at the upper end of the little bottom. Fortunately, 
 the guard, who was between them and our animals, had 
 caught a glimpse of an Indian's head as he raised himself in 
 his stirrups to look over the hill, a moment before they made 
 the charge, and succeeded in turning the band into the camp 
 as the Indians charged into the bottom with the usual yell. 
 Before they reached us, the grove on the verge of the little 
 bottom was occupied by our people, and the Indians 
 brought to a sudden halt, which they made in time to save 
 themselves from a howitzer shot, which would, undoubtedly, 
 have been very effective in such a compact body; and fur- 
 ther proceedings were interrupted by their signs for peace. 
 They proved to be a war party of Arapahoe and Cheyenne 
 Indians and informed us that they had charged upon the 
 camp under the belief that we were hostile Indians, and 
 had discovered their mistake only at the moment of attack — 
 an excuse which policy required us to receive as true, though 
 under the full conviction that the display of our little howit- 
 zer, and our favorable position in the grove, certainly 
 saved our horses, and probably ourselves, from their ma- 
 rauding intentions. They had been on a war party, and 
 had been defeated, and were conseqxiently in the state of 
 mind which aggravates their innate thirst for plunder and 
 blood. Their excuse, however, was taken in good part, and 
 the usual evidences of friendship interchanged. The pipe 
 went round, provisions were spread, and the tobacco and 
 goods furnished the customary presents, which they look 
 for even from traders, and much more from government 
 authorities. They were returning from an expedition 
 against the Shoshone Indians, one of whose villages they 
 had surprised, at Bridger's Fort, on Ham's Fork of Green 
 River (in the absence of the men, who were engaged in an 
 antelope surround) and succeeded in carrying off their 
 horses and taking several scalps. News of the attack 
 reached the Snakes immediately, who pursued and over- 
 took them and recovered their horses, and in the running 
 fight which ensued the Arapahoes had lost several men 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 279 
 
 killed and a number wounded, who were coming on more 
 slowly with a party in the rear. Nearly all the horses they 
 had brought off were the property of the whites at the fort. 
 After remaining until nearly sunset they took their de- 
 parture; and the excitement which their arrival had afforded 
 subsided into our usual quiet, a little enlivened by the vigil- 
 ance rendered necessary by the neighborhood of our un- 
 certain visitors." 
 
 The coal spoken of was found about six miles from his 
 camping place on the Platte. From there he went up Sage 
 €reek to Pine Grove, where there was afterwards a stage 
 station located. That camp was within a mile of the Con- 
 tinental Divide. From that point his route lay northwest, 
 approaching the east rim of Bed Desert; thence north to the 
 Sweetwater, striking that river twenty miles above Devil's 
 Oate. 
 
 It will be observed that Fremont's route from Fort St. 
 Vrain west over the Laramie Plains was a new exploration. 
 A few trappers had been in that country before, it is true. 
 Ezekiel Williams and his companions in 1807 had passed 
 over these plains, but they were fleeing before hostile In- 
 dians. Jacques Laramie had also been in that country ten 
 or twelve years later, but he had paid for his daring with his 
 life. As Fremont observes, nothing was known of the coun- 
 try up to the time of his expedition in 1843. His explora- 
 tions proved it to be a practicable route from Fort St. Vrain 
 west, and before the end of that decade hundreds of emi- 
 grants,, who came up the Arkansas, followed that course, 
 and later on the Overland stage was established substan- 
 tially on the line of Fremont's survey.* 
 
 Their route then led up the Sweetwater to the South 
 Pass, going over at a point some miles south of the place 
 crossed the preceding year. After leaving South Pass the 
 emigrant road to Oregon was followed. Fremont in his re- 
 port makes some interesting observations about Green 
 Eiver. He says: 
 
 "This is the emigrant road to Oregon, which bears much 
 
 *I am indebted to the well known civil engineer. M. N. Grant, for hisasitstance in 
 tracing Fremont's route from Fort St. Vrain to the Devil's Gate, 
 
28o History of Wyoming. 
 
 to the southward, to avoid the mountains about the western 
 heads of Green River — the Eio Verde of the Spaniards. 
 Crossing the river, here about 400 feet wide, by a very good 
 ford, we continued to descend for seven or eight miles on a 
 pleasant road on the right bank of the stream, of which the 
 island and shores are handsomely timbered with cotton- 
 wood. The refreshing appearance of the broad river, with 
 its timbered shores and green wooded islands, in contrast 
 to its dry, sandy plains, probably obtained for it the name 
 of Green Eiver, which was bestowed upon it by the Span- 
 iards, who first came into this country to trade some twenty- 
 flve years ago. It was then familiarly known as Seeds-ke- 
 dee-agie, or Prairie Hen Eiver, a name which it received 
 from the Crows, to whom its upper waters belong, and on 
 which this bird is still very abundant. By the Shoshone and 
 Utah Indians, to whom belongs, for a considerable distance 
 below, the country where we were now traveling, it was 
 called the Bitter Eoot Eiver, from the great abundance in 
 its valley of a plant which affords them one of their favorite 
 roots. Lower down, from Brown's Hole to the southward, 
 the river runs through lofty chasms, walled in by precipices 
 of red rock; and even among the wilder tribes who inhabit 
 that portion of its course. I have heard it called by Indian 
 refugees from the Californian settlements the Eio Colo- 
 rado." 
 
 From Green Eiver, the expedition headed for Bear 
 Eiver, and followed down the course of that stream to Great 
 Salt Lake, which, with the aid of an India-rubber boat 
 eighteen feet long, carried for the purpose, the lake was 
 partially explored. Fremont visited an island in the lake 
 and ascended a peak which upon measurement proved to be 
 800 feet above the surface of the water. On this peak he ac- 
 cidentally left the brass cover to the object end of his spy- 
 glass. I mention this fact to put at rest the prevailing 
 opinion among the old-timers in Wyoming that this acci- 
 dent happened on Fremont's Peak. 
 
 On September 19th the expedition arrived at Fort Hall, 
 and on the 22nd left for Oregon and joined the survey to that 
 

 iy<o 
 
 v;^{5'^.^'^^^^^ 
 
 ■S _t:S,'« ;:Si_3 V-jii g,s 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 281 
 
 of Captain Wilkes, thus connecting explorations from the 
 Mississippi to the Pacific. The winter was spent in explor- 
 ing the mountains of California, and finally in May, Fremont 
 passed around the southern rim of the Great Salt Lake, to 
 the point visited the previous September, having made a cir- 
 cuit of 3,500 miles exploring the streams and mountains of 
 Oregon and northern California from the Rocky Mountains 
 to the Pacific Ocean. On the return journey from Salt Lake, 
 Fremont explored the Colorado River, the headwaters of 
 the Arkansas and the great parks of Colorado, returning 
 to St. Louis on August 6th, 1844. He had many adventures 
 during the trip and in all traveled 7,000 miles. 
 
 Fremont headed another expedition in 1845, going west 
 by the northern waters of the Arkansas to Great Salt Lake, 
 thence directly across the central basin towards California 
 over a route of which he was the first explorer. Arriving in 
 California, he instructed the main body to go on to San 
 Jose and there remain until he should join them. Wishing 
 to avoid all occasion of ill-will or suspicion on the part of 
 the Mexican authorities in California, he went alone to 
 Monterey, and made himself known to Mr. Larkin, the con- 
 sul of the United States in that city, and, accompanied by 
 him, waited upon Alvarado, the Alcalde, Manuel Castro, 
 the Perfecto, and Carlos Castro, the commanding general, 
 who constituted the leading authorities of the country. He 
 communicated his object in coming into California, stating 
 that he had not a single soldier of the United States army in 
 , his party, and that his sole purpose was a scientific explora- 
 \tion of the continent, with a view of ascertaining the best 
 mode of establishing a commercial intercourse between the 
 A-tlantic and Pacific regions. He requested permission to 
 vinter in the country, recruit his company, and continue 
 lis explorations. His request was granted. He then re- 
 Aired to his party at San Jose, where they remained several 
 
 Shortly after this interview with General Castro, or- 
 ders were received by that officer to drive Fremont out of 
 thi country, or send him prisoner to the City of Mexico. 
 
282 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Of these orders Fremont had no knowledge until a long time 
 afterwards. The first intimation he had of any unfriendly 
 feeling towards him, was in certain movements, at various 
 points, which seemed to have a threatening aspect, as if 
 aimed at him. But the interview with Castro and the other 
 high offlcers at headquarters was so recent and had been so 
 friendly and cordial that he would hardly believe that the 
 appearances that had attracted his attention were meant 
 against him. At length, however, on the 3rd of March, when 
 within about twenty-five miles of Monterey, he was met by 
 an officer who had a detachment of eighty dragoons in his 
 rear to enforce his message, with a letter from Castro, order- 
 ing him without any explanation, peremptorily, out of the 
 country. The communication was in such a tone, so entirely 
 in violation of the arrangement made at Monterey on his 
 visit to the authorities of the country, in that place, and the 
 demonstrations were, all around, of such a belligerent look 
 and character, that Captain Fremont felt no disposition to 
 pay a hurried obedience to the order. He marched with his 
 party directly to a lofty hill, called Hawk's Peak. It com- 
 manded a view, to a great extent, all around the country. 
 In that pure atmosphere distant objects "were clearly seen, 
 and brought minutely to view by the aid of spy-glasses. It 
 was evident that preparations were going on to attack him. 
 The enemy was seen scaling his guns, and gathering Cali- 
 fornians and Indians into his ranks. Captain Fremont at 
 once proceeded to fortify his position, and erected a staff on 
 its highest point, forty feet in length, and unfurled fropi it 
 the flag of his country. His own spirit pervaded his whole 
 party. Although few in number, and far away from aid, 
 in the heart of a foreign country, thus suddenly assuming f 
 hostile attitude towards them, they were determined t' 
 defend themselves against any assault, by however grejt 
 a force it might be made, and were thoroughly prepared o 
 meet the last extremity. 
 
 The Mexicans made every preparation to attack E"e- 
 mont in his stronghold, but the reputation of his unermg 
 riflemen kept them at a distance. At this time Frenont 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 283 
 
 had sixty men under him, a force suflScient, considering 
 their character and their fortifications, to defy any number 
 of Mexicans. Finding that the Mexicans would not make 
 an attack, the American commander moved his force down 
 into the San Joaquin Valley and through northern Califor- 
 nia toward Oregon. 
 
 The attitude of Fremont in California caused much ex- 
 citement when the news reached the states. There was a 
 conservative class of people who were disposed to criticise 
 this conduct of an American oflQcer on foreign soil, but Sen- 
 ator Benton, when the subject came up in the United States 
 Senate, made an eloquent speech explaining Fremont's po- 
 sition and giving fully the details which led to the event 
 on Hawk's Peak. In closing his speech, he said: "Such 
 was the reason for raising the fiag. It was raised at the 
 approach of danger; it was taken down when danger dis- 
 appeared. It was well and nobly done, and worthy of our 
 admiration. Sixty of our countrymen, three thousand miles 
 from home, in sight of the Pacific Ocean, appealing to the 
 flag of their country, unfurling it on the mountain top and 
 determined to die under it before they would submit to un- 
 just aggression." 
 
 Fremont had with him on this occasion some of the best 
 fighters the world ever saw. There was Kit Carson, Max- 
 well, Godey, Owens, Stepp, and a dozen more of the same 
 stamp, all men who could be depended upon to uphold the 
 flag of their country. Proceeding up into Oregon, he was 
 met by a special messenger from James Buchanan, then 
 Secretary of State, and instructed to watch events in Cali- 
 fornia in the interest of the United States. This caused him 
 to face about and go back into northern California, but 
 before leaving his camp he was attacked by Tlamath Indi- 
 ans in the night and five of his men were killed. He pushed 
 on to California and found the whole country in a state of 
 great alarm. American residents flocked to him for pro- 
 tection. To make matters worse, the Indians in the country 
 commenced hostilities. Fremont acted promptly, marching 
 against the Indians and defeating them in several engage- 
 
284 History of Wyoming. 
 
 ments. He next organized a moyement having for its ob- 
 ject a free and independent government for California. 
 Commodore Sloat of the American navy being on that coast 
 and hearing of Fremont's movements, and supposing him 
 to be acting under orders, took possession of Monterey, after 
 which Fremont raised the American flag over Sutter's Fort. 
 This was July 11, 1846. The prompt action of Fremont re- 
 sulted in bringing California into the Union. Previous to 
 this he had been promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in the reg- 
 ular army. Upon the organization of a state government for 
 California, when it was admitted into the Union, September 
 9, 1850, Colonel J. C. Fremont was elected one of the United 
 States Senators. But before these events took place, he 
 had returned home and organized another exploring expe- 
 dition. This fourth journey to the wilderness was com- 
 menced October 19, 1848. The guide on this occasion was 
 Bill Williams, a noted mountaineer. The party left Pueblo 
 on the 25th of November and attempted to pass directly 
 west over the mountains. Deep snows were encountered 
 and the weather proved unusually severe. He lost eleven of 
 his men by starvation and cold, but he pushed his way ou 
 by the southern route to California. In 1856 Colonel Fre- 
 mont was nominated for President by the Eepublicau party, 
 then in its infancy, he being the first candidate of that party. 
 He was defeated, of course, and James Buchanan elected. 
 On the breaking out of the War of the Eebellion he ten- 
 dered his services to the national government and was ap- 
 pointed a Major-General and at once took the field. In 
 1878 he was appointed Governor of the Territory of Arizona, 
 which position he filled for four years. He died in the City 
 of New York, July 13, 1890. For some years previous to his 
 death he was in extreme poverty, though once a millionaire. 
 His fortune was spent in behalf of the west and the country 
 at large. 
 
 it may not be out of place for me to say here that I met 
 Fremont during the summer of 1856, and from that time 
 until his death enjoyed his personal friendship. To me he 
 appeared the ideal explorer who would brave every danger, 
 
Fremont's Explorations in Wyoming. 285 
 
 the patriot who watched over the welfare of his country, 
 the soldier who would dare to do and die, the gallant com- 
 mander who would never ask men to go where he would not 
 lead, the scientific scholar who commanded the respect of 
 every learned man of the country, and withal a man inspired 
 with virtues beyond most of his fellows. 
 
 General John C. Fremont did more for the west than 
 any other explorer, statesman or patriot. His worthy deeds 
 and brilliant achievements will make him remembered by 
 all coming generations. He it was who pointed out the 
 great value of the west and the importance of constructing 
 a railroad across the mountains, and he proved by his sur- 
 veys that such railroad construction was easy of accom- 
 plishment. He laid the foundation for a group of western 
 commonwealths and fixed therein a standard of excellence 
 of manhood; declaring that he who does the greatest ser- 
 vice for the state is the most exalted citizen. Political dem- 
 agogues have tried to dim the lustre of his achievements, 
 but their puny efi'orts have been drowned by the whistle of 
 the locomotive of the ever advancing train of civilization 
 which followed his lead, the hum of human industries which 
 cluster on the mountain side, results of his creation, and 
 the acclamations of the millions who have made happy 
 homes in the Eockies and on the Pacific slope, and whose 
 hero ever will be the Pathfinder. 
 
286 History of Wyoming. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 DISCOVERIES IN YELLOWSTONE PARK. 
 
 Joseph Meek Strays dInto the Park in 1829, and Tells What He 
 Saw — An Unknown Explorer in 1833 Writes the First Descrip- 
 tion OF THE Geysers — ^Jim Bridger in 1850 Takes His Friends to 
 See the Curiosities at the Head of the Yellowstone, Which 
 He Had Been Telling About for Twenty-Five Years — Rey- 
 nolds Expedition of i860 is Prevented by Deep Snow from En- 
 tering the Geyser Country — Numerous Prospectors See the 
 Thermal Springs and Geysers — The Folsom Expedition of 1869 
 — Organization of the Washburn Expedition in 1870. 
 
 I have already mentioned the first discovery of the Yel- 
 lowstone National Park by John Colter in the year 1807. 
 I also refer in another part of this work to the visit of Jim 
 Bridger and Robert Meldrum to that locality in 1824, and 
 now in regular order comes the important explorations of 
 Joseph Meek in the year 1829. He was one of Captain 
 William Sublette's men and was in company with other 
 trappers. They were leaving the Snake River country, pass- 
 ing over into Montana, and were attacked by Blackfeet Indi- 
 ans. By some means Meek was cut off from the main body, 
 and on foot and alone he wandered for several days, and by 
 chance his route lay through the most interesting portion of 
 the park. His adventures are thus described in "The River 
 of the West," a book written in 1869 but not published until 
 1871. I will make but a single quotation from this work, 
 simply to show that the curiosities in the park were noted 
 by that wandering class, the trappers. Meek's biographer 
 thus describes what this man, who was lost, saw while try- 
 ing to work his way out of the desolate country. He had 
 traveled five days without food or shelter, his course had 
 been in a southerly direction, and consequently he had 
 reached Wyoming. 
 
 "Being desirous to learn something of the progress he 
 had made, he ascended a low mountain in the neighborhood 
 
Discoveries in Yellowstone Park. 287 
 
 of his camp, and behold! the whole country beyond was 
 smoking with vapor from boiling springs, and burning with 
 gases issuing from small craters, each of which was emit- 
 ting a sharp whistling sound. When the first surprise of 
 this astonishing scene had passed, Joe began to admire its 
 effect from an artistic point of view. The morning being 
 clear, with a sharp frost, he thought himself reminded of 
 the City of Pittsburg as he had beheld it on a winter morn- 
 ing a couple of years before. This, however, related only 
 to the rising smoke and vapor; for the extent of the volcanic 
 region was immense, reaching far out of sight. The general 
 face of the country was smooth and rolling, being a level 
 plain, dotted with cone-shaped mounds. On the summit 
 of these mounds were small craters from four to eight feet 
 in diameter. Interspersed among these on the level plain 
 were larger craters, some of them from four to six feet 
 across. Out of these craters issued blue flames and molten 
 brimstone." 
 
 This man Meek was three years later with Captain Bon- 
 neville and remained with him for three years, and was well 
 known among trappers in Wyoming. 
 
 The above account by Meek may be considered reliable 
 as far as it goes, but he only got a glimpse of a small portion 
 of the park. By many persons this trapper is considered an 
 exaggerator, but in this instance he could hardly be accused 
 of this to any great extent. 
 
 Hon. N. P. Langford has kindly contributed for this 
 work a clipping from "The Wasp," a Mormon paper pub- 
 lished at Nauvoo, Illinois. The article is taken from the 
 issue of August 13, 1842, but the incident referred to took 
 place nine years earlier. This is the first written description 
 of the park by a man who was on the ground. All that has 
 come before are stories told by trappers around the camp 
 fire. The name of the writer is unknown and at one time 
 Mr. Langford was of the opinion that Captain Bonneville 
 was the author, but a letter from him in 1875 to the Mon- 
 tana Historical Society proves that he did not write it. Mr. 
 Langford has furnished me with a copy of the Bonneville 
 letter, which reads as follows: 
 
 "You ask me if I knew of the thermal springs and gey- 
 sers. Not personally; but my men knew about them and 
 
288 History of Wyoming. 
 
 called their location the Fire Hole. I recollect the name 
 of Alvarez as a trader. I think he came to the mountains as 
 I was leaving them. * • * Half a century is a long time 
 to look back, and I do so doubting myself." 
 
 The "Wasp" letter I regard as a valuable contribution 
 to the History of Wyoming, and it is with satisfaction that 
 I give it a place in these pages. In speaking of the author 
 of this letter, Mr. Langford says: 
 
 "The writer's graphic descriptions stamp him as a man 
 of culture and ability, and it would be interesting to know 
 who he is and what fortune or enterprise brought him into 
 that region at that early day. As the narrative was pub- 
 lished in a Mormon paper, it is not impossible that the 
 writer was spying out the country in the interest of the Lat- 
 ter Day Saints." 
 
 The communication to "'The Wasp" reads as follows : 
 "I had heard in the summer of 1833, while at rendez- 
 vous, that remarkable boiling springs had been discovered 
 on the sources of the Madison, by a party of trappers, in 
 their spring hunt; of which the accounts they gave were so 
 very astonishing that I determined to examine them myself 
 before recording their description, though I had the united 
 testimony of more than twenty men on the subject, who all 
 declared they saw them, and that they really were as exten- 
 sive and remarkable as they had been described. Having 
 now an opportunity of paying them a visit, and as another 
 or a better might not soon occur, I parted with the company 
 after supper, and taking with me two Pen d'Oreilles (who 
 were induced to make the excursion with me by the promise 
 of an extra present), set out at a round pace, the night being 
 clear and comfortable. We proceeded over the plain about 
 twenty miles, and halted until daylight on a fine spring 
 flowing into Kamas Creek. Eefreshed by a few hours' 
 sleep, we started again after a hasty breakfast and entered 
 into a very extensive forest known as the Pine Woods (a 
 continued succession of low mountains or hills entirely cov- 
 ered by a dense growth of this species of timber), which we 
 passed through, and reached the vicinity of the springs 
 about dark, having seen several small lakes or ponds on the 
 sources of the Madison, and rode about forty miles — which 
 was a hard day's ride, taking into consideration the rough 
 irregularity of the country through which we had traveled. 
 "We regaled ourselves with a cup of coffee, the ma- 
 
Discoveries in Yellowstone Park. 289 
 
 terials for making which we had brought with us, and imme- 
 diately after supper lay down to rest, sleepy and much fa- 
 tigued. The continual roaring of the springs, however, 
 (which was distinctly heard), for some time prevented my 
 going to sleep, and excited an impatient curiosity to exam- 
 ine them, which I was obliged to defer the gratification of 
 until morning, and filled my slumbers with visions of water- 
 spouts, cataracts, fountains, jets d'eau of immense dimen- 
 sions, etc., etc. 
 
 "When I arose in the morning clouds of vapor seemed 
 like a dense fog to overhang the springs, from which fre- 
 quent reports or explosions of different loudness constantly 
 assailed our ears. I immediately proceeded to inspect them, 
 and might have exclaimed with the Queen of Sheba, when 
 their full reality of dimensions and novelty burst upon my 
 view, 'the half was not told me.' 
 
 "From the surface of a rocky plain or table burst forth 
 columns of water of various dimensions, projected high in 
 the air, accompanied by loud explosions and sulphurous 
 vapors which were highly disagreeable to the smell. The 
 rock from which these springs burst forth was calcareous, 
 and probably extends some distance from them, beneath 
 the soil. The largest of these wonderful fountains projects 
 a column of boiling water several feet in diameter to the 
 height of more than one hundred and fifty feet, in my opin- 
 ion; but the party of Alvarez, who discovered it, persist in 
 declaring that it could not be less than four times that dis- 
 tance in height — accompanied with a tremendous noise. 
 These explosions and discharges occur at intervals of about 
 two hours. After having witnessed three of them, I ven- 
 tured near enough to put my hand into the water of its ba- 
 sin, but withdrew it instantly, for the heat of the water in 
 this immense cauldron was altogether too great for my 
 comfort; and the agitation of the water, the disagreeable 
 effluvium constantly exuding, and the hollow, unearthly 
 rumbling under the rock on which I stood, so ill accorded 
 with my notions of personal safety that I retreated back 
 precipitately to a respectful distance. The Indians who 
 were with me were quite appalled and could not by any 
 means be induced to approach them. They seemed aston- 
 ished at my presumption in advancing up to the large one, 
 and when I safely returned, congratulated me on my 'nar- 
 row escape.' They believed them to be supernatural, and 
 supposed them to be the production of the Evil Spirit. One 
 of them remarked that hell, of which he had heard from the 
 -(19) 
 
290 History of Wyoming. 
 
 whites, must be in that vicinity. The diameter of the basin 
 into which the waters of the largest jet principally fall, and 
 from the center of which, through a hole in the rock of 
 about nine or ten feet in diameter, the water spouts up as 
 above related, may be about thirty feet. There are many 
 other smaller fountains that did not throw their waters up 
 so high, but occurred at shorter intervals. In some in- 
 stances, the volumes were projected obliquely upwards, and 
 fell into the neighboring fountains, or on the rock or prairie. 
 But their ascent was generally perpendicular, falling in or 
 about their own basins or apertures. These wonderful pro- 
 ductions of nature are situated near the center of a small 
 valley, surrounded by pine-crowned hills, through which 
 a small fork of the Madison flows. 
 
 "From several trappers who had recently returned from 
 the Yellowstone, I received an account of boiling springs 
 that differ from those seen at Salt River only in magnitude, 
 being on a vastly larger scale; some of their cones are from 
 twenty to thirty feet high, and forty to fifty paces in cir- 
 cumference. Those which have ceased to emit boiling vapor, 
 etc., of which there were several, are full of shelving cavi- 
 ties, even some fathoms in extent, which give them, inside, 
 an appearance of a honey-comb. The ground for several 
 acres in extent in the vicinity of the springs is evidently 
 hollow and constantly exhales a hot steam or vapor of dis- 
 agreeable odor, and a character entirely to prevent vegeta- 
 tion. They are situated in the valley at the head of that 
 river, near the lake which constitutes its source. 
 
 "A short distance from these springs, near the margin 
 of the lake, there is one quite different from any yet de- 
 scribed. It is of a circular form, several feet in diameter, 
 clear, cold and pure; the bottom appears visible to the eye, 
 and seems seven or eight feet below the surface of the earth 
 or water, yet it has been sounded with a lodge pole fifteen 
 feet in length without meeting any resistance. What is 
 most singular with respect to this fountain is the fact that 
 at regular intervals of about two minutes, a body or column 
 of water bursts up to the height of eight feet, with an explo- 
 sion as loud as the report of a musket, and then falls back 
 into it; for a few seconds the water is roiled, but it speedily 
 settles, and becomes transparent as before the efluxion. 
 This spring was believed to be connected with the lake by 
 some subterranean passage, but the cause of its periodical 
 eruptions or discharged is entirely unknown. I have never 
 before heard of a cold spring whose waters exhibit the phe- 
 
Discoveries in Yellowstone Park. 291 
 
 nomena of periodical explosive propulsion in the form of a 
 jet. The geysers of Iceland, and the various other European 
 springs, the waters of which are projected upwards with 
 violence and uniformity, as well as those seen on the head- 
 waters of the Madison, are invariably hot." 
 
 In commenting on this explorer's account of the won- 
 ders of the Yellowstone Park, Mr. Langford says : 
 
 "The writer of 'The Wasp' letter speaks of one curious 
 thing: that of an eruption of a cold spring. I think that I 
 can explain what seemed to him such a strange phenomenon. 
 He says, 'this spring was believed to be connected with the 
 lake by some subterranean passage.' I have no doubt that 
 the pipe of some deep geyser opened into the bottom of this 
 pond, or spring, as it was termed, and when an eruption of 
 the geyser took place the cold surface water was forced 
 into the air to a considerable height. After the eruption, 
 when the geyser water had receded to the depth of forty or 
 fifty feet from the surface, and the pipe had become filled 
 with the cold water from the pond or lake, there would be 
 nothing to indicate to the eye that it was anything else 
 than a spouting cold spring. In support of this belief, I 
 will mention that in 1870 I found several small geysers in 
 the bed of the Fire Hole River which spouted their waters 
 through the cold running water of that stream. 
 
 " 'The Wasp' writer also speaks of the deposits around 
 the springs as 'rocks.' Bridger fell into the same error. 
 General Reynolds in his report (Ex. Doc. No. 77, Fortieth 
 Congress, page 77) says that Bridger told him of a stream 
 of cold water that flowed over a smooth surface of rock so 
 rapidly that it became hot at the bottom. Bridger told me 
 the same story, which I regard as a figment of his imagina- 
 tion; but in 1870, while fording, bare-footed, the Fire Hole 
 River, I found that what first appeared to be a smooth rock 
 in the bed of the stream, was a silicious incrustation, deposi- 
 ted by a hot spring underneath ; and the heat was so great 
 that I could not stand still on the incrustation more than 
 fifteen seconds. Without doubt a similar spring caused the 
 heat which Bridger attributed to friction produced by the 
 rapid flow of water down a smooth, steep declivity. 
 
 "Captain John Mullan, in his report published by the 
 War Department in February, 1863 (Ex. Doc. No. 43) says 
 that as early as 1853 his attention was called to the wild 
 open region lying between Deer Lodge Valley and Fort Lar- 
 amie, and that he learned of the existence of an infinite 
 
292 History of Wyoming. 
 
 number of hot springs at the headwaters of the Yellow- 
 stone, Missouri and Columbia Eivers ; and on page 20 of that 
 report he again speaks of the mild climate of that region 
 as follows: 
 
 " 'This is as true as it is strange, and shows unerringly 
 that there exists in this zone an atmospheric river of heat, 
 flowing through this region, varying in width from one to 
 one hundred miles, according to the physical face of the 
 country.' 
 
 "Captain Mullan believed that this aerial river of heat 
 had its origin in these hot springs." 
 
 To resume the explorations of the northwest portion 
 of Wyoming, I will quote from Gunnison's History of the 
 Mormons, where is found a graphic description of the won- 
 ders of this part of our state. This author, in speaking of 
 Jim Bridger's account of the country, says, under date of 
 1850, that "Bridger gives a picture most romantic and en- 
 ticing of the headwaters of the Yellowstone. A lake sixty 
 miles long, cold and pellucid, lies embosonied among high 
 precipitous mountains. On the west side is a sloping plain, 
 several miles wide, with clumps of trees and groves of 
 pines. The ground resounds with the tread of horses. Gey- 
 sers spout up seventy feet high, with a terrific hissing noise, 
 at regular intervals. Waterfalls are sparkling, leaping and 
 thundering down the precipices, and collect in the pool be- 
 low. The river issues from this lake, and for fifteen miles 
 roars through the perpendicular canon at the outlet. In 
 this section are the Great Springs, so hot that meat is rapid- 
 ly cooked in them, and as they descend on the successive 
 terraces, afford at length delighful baths. On the other side 
 is an acid spring, which gushes out in a river torrent, and 
 below is a cave which supplies vermilion for the savages in 
 abundance." 
 
 In confirmation of the above, I will state that Topping 
 gives an account of a prospecting trip into that country in 
 the spring of 1850. The party was composed of Jim Bridger, 
 Kit Carson, Wiggins, Krusse, Anderson and about twenty 
 others. Late in the fall of 1849 they arrived at the camp 
 of the Bannocks on Green River, where they fixed up winter 
 
Discoveries in Yellowstone Park. 29J 
 
 quarters and remained with the Indians till spring. As 
 soon as the snow would permit, they went up Green River 
 to its headwaters, crossed the mountains to the Yellow- 
 stone and down it to the lake and falls; then they crossed 
 the divide and thus reached Madison River. They saw the 
 geysers of the lower river and named the stream that drains 
 them "The Fire Hole River." Vague reports of this wonder- 
 ful country had been heard before. They had not been cred- 
 ited, but had l)een considered as trappers' tales — more im- 
 agination than fact. The report of this party made quite a 
 stir in St. Louis and a company was organized there the 
 next winter to explore this country, but from some un- 
 known cause did not start, and not until 1863 were the gey- 
 sers again visited. This time a party went down on the 
 Madison until out of the mountains and then across the 
 country to the Yellowstone, and they lay in camp on Shields 
 River for two months. They were not troubled by Indians 
 until the last of November, when a band of Blackfeet tried 
 to run off their horses. These Indians succeeded in captur- 
 ing eight head, but two of their warriors were killed. Not 
 wishing to be cleaned out entirely, the party packed up and 
 went to the Platte via Wind River. At this point they dis- 
 banded. 
 
 It is not a little surprising that our government was so 
 slow in sending an expedition into this wonderland, the 
 existence of which had become well known to the people 
 of the whole country. Stories told by Colter, Bridger, Mel- 
 drum, Meek, Carson, Wiggins, Krusse and Anderson had 
 after a time become household tales throughout the land 
 and yet the official heads of the great Republic refused to 
 see the importance of making explorations, but finally in 
 1859, fifty-two years after John Colter had explored the 
 sources of the Yellowstone, the government fitted out an 
 expedition, in charge of Captain W. F. Reynolds, of the 
 Corps of Topographical Engineers. Captain Reynolds was 
 ordered to explore "the region of country through which 
 flows the principal tributaries of the Yellowstone River, 
 and the mountains in which they, and the Gallatin and Mad- 
 
294 History of Wyoming. 
 
 ison Forks of the Missouri, have their source." The expe- 
 dition was overloaded with instructions and had entirely too 
 much work assigned it to accomplish the important end in 
 view, namely, to explore the sources of the Yellowstone. 
 Captain Keynolds made a winter camp on Deer Creek, in 
 Wyoming, the fall of 1859, and in May, 1860, started for the 
 Wind River Valley with Jim Bridger as guide. It should be 
 here remarked that Dr. F. V. Hayden accompanied the 
 expedition as geologist. At the mouth of the Popo Agie 
 River the party was divided. Reynolds with one division 
 went up the Wind River. The other division under Lieuten- 
 ant Maynardier went north with the understanding that 
 the two parties should meet at the Three Forks of the Mis- 
 souri. The division under Reynolds followed up the Big 
 Wind River to its source, and there discovering a low pass, 
 entered it and crossed over to the west side of the moun- 
 tains. Reynolds' party was not the first by any means to 
 discover this low pass. Hunt and Bonneville were before 
 him, but to him belongs the honor of naming it Union Pass 
 for the reason that it united two great valleys. 
 
 After crossing the mountain he turned north, hoping 
 to find a passage to the headwaters of the Yellowstone, but 
 the snow lay deep in the mountains and he was unable to 
 force a passage; therefore the party headed west and finally 
 missed the park entirely. The division under Lieutenant 
 Maynardier kept away from the mountains and at last 
 reached the Three Forks, where was found the commander 
 awaiting them. This government expedition resulted in 
 nothing as far as the upper Yellowstone was concerned. 
 Less than a year after its return, the War of the Rebellion 
 broke out and the army ofiicers found employment on the 
 battlefields of the south. During the war a number of pros- 
 pecting parties from Montana entered the upper Yellow- 
 stone country and some of them saw the wonders of the 
 park, but the gold excitement was too intense to allow nat- 
 ural wonders to attract public attention at that time. In 
 1863 a prospecting party left Virginia City, Montana, going 
 into Idaho and finally reached the Snake River. They 
 
Discoveries in Tdlmcstone Park. 295 
 
 passed up that stream through Jackson's Hole and finally 
 discovered what is now known as Shoshone Lake; then 
 passed directly through the park, noted many hot springs 
 and some geysers; but the leader of the party, Walter W. 
 DeLacy, was in search of gold, and therefore paid little at- 
 tention to anything else. Following DeLacy's party were 
 others, all in search of the precious metal. The first expedi- 
 tion entitled to the name of explorers were three gentlemen, 
 David E. Folsom, C. W. Cook and William Peterson. They 
 had expected an escort of United States troops, but being 
 disappointed, they resolved to go forward alone. They 
 started from Diamond City, on the Missouri, September 6, 
 1869. The party was well armed and equipped and success- 
 fully penetrated the park, saw many of the wonders, and 
 after thirty-six days returned with a story which led to the 
 organization of the Yellowstone expedition of 18T0. This 
 party was headed by the Surveyor-General of Montana, 
 Henry D. Washburn, accompanied by the Hon. N. P. Lang- 
 ford, Cornelius Hedges, Walter Trumbull, Samuel T. Hau- 
 ser, T. C. Everts, Benj. Stickney, Warren C. Gillette and 
 Jacob Smith, all leading citizens of Montana. As this ex- 
 pedition takes me beyond the date covered by the first vol- 
 ume of this history, the report will be given in Volume II 
 of this series. It will be observed that the United States 
 had not up to the last date spoken of succeeded in sending 
 an expedition into the park. The gentlemen above referred 
 to, like those who went to the park in 1869, were unable to 
 procure an escort of United States troops, and yet sixty- 
 three years had elapsed since John Colter had penetrated 
 and made known the Wonderland of America. 
 
296 History of Wyoming. 
 
 CHAPTEE XXIII. 
 
 HISTORY OF FORT LARAMIE. 
 
 A Noted Post in the Wilderness — Story of Jacques Laramie — Nam- 
 ing Laramie River — Robert Campbell Builds Fort William 
 — Name Changed to Fort Laramie — Purchased by Milton Sub- 
 lette, Jim Bridger and Others — Sold to American Fur Com- 
 pany — Becomes the Capital of the Wilderness — Palmy Days at 
 the Old Trading Post — Important Station on the Overland 
 Trail — Closing Days of the Fur Traders at Fort Laramie. 
 
 Fort Laramie, the first garrisoned post located in Wyo- 
 ming, has clustered about it more historic incidents than 
 any other military spot in the west. From first to last, the 
 reminiscences of this fortified camp are full of tragedy, and 
 these stories, if all told, would fill numerous volumes. For 
 the purposes of this history, however, I must confine myself 
 to the events which bear upon the conditions which sur- 
 rounded the trader, trapper, hunter, emigrant, and the way- 
 farer who sought shelter behind the ramparts of this gar- 
 rison or needed succor from the strong arms of those who 
 were placed at this fort to aid and assist all who passed 
 through the country. To commence at the beginning, it is 
 necessary to tell the story of Jacques Laramie, a French 
 Canadian who came into the country in the employ of the 
 Northwest Company, when that organization first extended 
 its operations to the waters of the upper Missouri. A short 
 time after Laramie came to the Eocky Mountains, the 
 Northwest Company and the Hudson Bay Company com- 
 menced a ruinous rivalry in trade which greatly reduced the 
 profits of each. The trappers of the rival organizations 
 tried to outwit, out-trap and outdo each other in general. 
 Frequently they became embroiled and blood was shed. 
 Jacques Laramie was a lover of peace and held himself 
 aloof from quarreling with his fellow-men, and above all, 
 he was opposed to the shedding of blood. He went on the 
 
History of Fort Laramie. 297 
 
 theory that the world was wide and there was room enough 
 for all; he therefore gathered about him a number of relia- 
 ble trappers, who shared his views, and led them to a new 
 and undisputed territory. This country was the headwaters 
 and tributaries of the North Platte. Here they trapped un- 
 disturbed. Laramie and his trappers soon made the ac- 
 quaintance of many Indian tribes who either inhabited or 
 made annual visits to the North Platte. These natives from 
 the very first held Laramie in high esteem. He was of a 
 resolute character, manly in conduct and kindly in disposi- 
 tion. His associates regarded him as absolutely honest, 
 and his courage was never questioned. His conduct toward 
 the Indians was such as to command their respect and good 
 will. Every act of his life commended him as worthy of the 
 friendship of both the white men and the natives. The 
 free trappers regarded him as a partisan worthy of their 
 confidence. Annually they brought their peltries to the 
 rendezvous at the mouth of the Laramie River, and these 
 were disposed of in St. Louis and goods were brought back 
 to be distributed among the trappers at a price amounting 
 to cost and carriage. This method of association was not a 
 new idea; it had been practiced by trappers on the Missouri, 
 Mississippi and other rivers for many years, and it was con- 
 sidered more profitable than dealing with the large traders 
 in the country. There was one thing absolutely necessary 
 in such co-operation ; that was, an honest factor, and in this 
 instance, as I have said, Jacques Laramie possessed their 
 entire confidence. The furs were packed on horses or mules 
 to a navigable point on the Platte River some distance be- 
 low Grand Island, where bull boats were constructed and 
 the peltries consigned to these, and without difficulty they 
 floated down the Platte and the Missouri and finally reached 
 St. Louis. The trappers in a body convoyed the furs to the 
 embarking point and brought back the horses and mules, 
 which were again sent to meet the goods at a specified time, 
 and thus it was that the free trappers under the partisan 
 Laramie received their annual supplies. The business grew 
 rapidly, from the fact that many Indians sold their peltries 
 
298 History of Wyoming. 
 
 to the association, receiving in pay the merchandise brought 
 in annually; but all this was soon to terminate in a disaster 
 which caused great loss to the trappers and their Indian 
 allies. About the year 1820, Laramie announced his inten- 
 tion to trap on the Laramie Eiver and its tributaries, not- 
 withstanding the fact that it was well known among trap- 
 pers as a dangerous country, for the reason that it was the 
 battle ground of the northern and southern tribes. Here 
 they had met in fierce combat for many years. The southern 
 tribes in their passage north often encountered armed bands 
 of northern tribes, who disputed their right to occupy the 
 hunting grounds north of the Laramie Plains. Laramie's 
 friends urged upon him the danger of penetrating the dis- 
 puted country, but he calmed their fears by saying that he 
 would go alone and throw himself upon the protection of 
 the Indians who were known to be friendly to him. His 
 companions were silenced but not convinced, and they 
 parted with him with many misgivings as to the wisdom of 
 his course, but they knew it would be useless to attempt to 
 dissuade him from his purpose. At the next rendezvous, 
 Laramie, the heretofore central figure in the camp, was 
 absent. The free trappers, with forebodings of evil, organ- 
 ized a strong party and went up the Laramie Eiver in search 
 of a cabin which he had informed them he would build. In 
 two or three days they found the cabin and the lifeless re- 
 mains of their beloved partisan. There was every indication 
 that he had met his death at the hands of savages. They 
 had rewarded his friendship by basely murdering him, and 
 thus brought on the war of extermination which was after- 
 wards waged by Laramie's trappers and all others who pur- 
 sued trapping in Wyoming. The friends of Laramie re- 
 turned to the rendezvous on North Platte, but they were 
 changed men and resolved never more to trust the friend- 
 ship of a race of murderers. From that time on they spoke 
 of the river on the banks of which Laramie had been mur- 
 dered as Laramie's Eiver, and later trappers in the country 
 called it Laramie Eiver. I have talked with some old trap- 
 pers who are of the opinion that Laramie's cabin was lo- 
 
History of Fort Laramie. 299 
 
 cated at the mouth of the Little Laramie. Be that as it may, 
 this is the origin of the name Laramie River, from which 
 comes Laramie Plains, Laramie Range, Laramie Peak, Fort 
 Laramie, Laramie County, Laramie City and Little Laramie 
 River. 
 
 The story of Jacques Laramie has been hard to trace. 
 I have talked of this renowned trapper with many of the 
 older class of pioneers, such as Baker, Majors, Wiggins, 
 Pern, Chapman, Lowe, Street and many others. All knew 
 something about him from tradition, but none could speak 
 positively as to the time when Laramie was killed or as to 
 the date of the Laramie trappers occupying the North 
 Platte country. The murder was charged at the time to the 
 Arapahoes, but this tribe strenuously denied the charge, 
 and, Indian like, claimed that other Indians had committed 
 the murder, and ingeniously argued that they would not 
 have killed Laramie because he had given them in exchange 
 for their furs more and better goods than they had ever 
 received from the large fur companies. The fact of the 
 murder of Laramie is given by many writers. Col. A. G. 
 Brackett says that Laramie was killed on the headwaters 
 of the stream which bears his name. Bancroft says that 
 Laramie was a French trapper, who in the earliest hunting 
 times was killed by the Arapahoes on this stream, and 
 credits the statement to Schell. Other writers give the 
 same fact, but none enter into particulars. I fix the date 
 of the murder as about 1820, but it might have been three 
 or four years earlier. 
 
 In the summer of 1834 Robert Campbell accompanied 
 Captain William Sublette on his return trip to St. Louis 
 as far as Laramie's Fork, where it was agreed should be 
 erected a trading post. Campbell brought with him from 
 the west a number of French Canadians, also a few half- 
 breeds from St. Louis, and with the aid of these he con- 
 structed the post. The first structure was erected on the 
 left bank of the Laramie, a half mile above its junction with 
 the North Platte. Timber was cut in the hills and the fort 
 erected was of logs, one end of which were set in the ground. 
 
300 History of Wyoming. 
 
 projecting out about eighteen feet, forming what is known 
 as a picket fort. The fort was 130 feet square and around 
 the inside were small buildings for the use of the trader and 
 his trappers. During the period of its construction Mr. 
 Campbell was in his natural element, as he was by nature 
 calculated to push without ceasing every undertaking in 
 which he engaged. The force was completely organized, a 
 detachment was sent to the woods for the timber, and a 
 band of hunters supplied buffalo, elk, deer and mountain 
 sheep. By the time winter approached there was an abun- 
 dant larder and plenty of fuel had been gathered to keep 
 up cheerful fires during the long winter months. Mr. Camp- 
 bell had with him a stock of merchandise which he traded 
 for furs with independent trappers who came along, and 
 also with the Indians. There was at the fort that winter 
 a motley collection of American trappers, hunters, French 
 Canadians, half-breeds, Mexicans and Indians. Robert 
 Campbell presided over the multifarious assembly with that 
 true dignity which was a part of his nature. He was at this 
 time still a young man, scarcely in his prime. He is spoken 
 of as being tall, with a fair complexion and rather light 
 colored hair. His figure was erect and his bearing that of a 
 man of much reserved power. He settled disputes and bick- 
 erings with a word, and so that neither side could feel ag- 
 grieved. This was the first commander as well as the build- 
 er of the great military post which during the next fifty 
 years was to be first an important trading center and then 
 the theater of military events in the far west. When the 
 establishment had been fully completed, Campbell sought 
 for a proper name for this, the first permanent settlement 
 in what was thirty-four years later the Territory of Wyo- 
 ming, and he finally determined to call it Fort William, 
 in honor of his friend, Captain William Sublette, and thus 
 it was known among trappers. How long Eobert Campbell 
 remained in command of Fort William, tradition does not 
 say. We next find him at the head of a large mercantile es- 
 tablishment at St. Louis, and his place became the popular 
 outfitting resort of fur traders and trappers. He took iD 
 
History of Fort Laramie. 301 
 
 exchange for his goods the peltries of his customers. He 
 necessarily employed large capital in the business, as he 
 supplied goods all over the Kooky Mountain country. An- 
 nually Fort William drew its supplies from Campbell's es- 
 tablishment. Somehow the name Fort John became at- 
 tached to this post. I find quite a number of writers who 
 mention it by this name. 
 
 John Hunton, who has lived for many years at Fort 
 Laramie, told me the past winter the origin of the name 
 Fort John. He said when he went to Fort Laramie in 1867, 
 there was an old half-breed Pawnee trapper around the 
 place, Antoine Ladeau, who spoke English well. This trap- 
 per knew the history of the country and often told stories 
 relating to Robert Campbell, William Sublette, Jim Bridg- 
 er. General Harney, General Connor and others. He was a 
 perfect encyclopedia of all events that had happened on the 
 Platte during the early days. He claimed that Fort Lara- 
 mie never bore the name of Fort John, but that there was 
 a Fort John at the mouth of Laramie Kiver occupied at one 
 time by Adams and Sybylle. This I think offers a clear ex- 
 planation of the name Fort John. It is simply a mistake of 
 trappers, who mixed the names of the two forts. Ladeau 
 was born on the Platte River and 'came to the fort at the 
 forks of the river when he was a boy. His father was a 
 Frenchman and his mother a Pawnee. When but a small 
 boy he was captured by the Sioux and brought up by them. 
 He was an interpreter for General Connor in his Powder 
 River campaign, and died in 1881. 
 
 The name Fort William was changed in a rather singu- 
 lar manner. The subject was often discussed at Campbell's 
 store in St. Louis, and this discussion was brought on by 
 an eccentric shipping clerk whose duty it was to do the 
 marking on all bales and boxes of goods which were sent 
 out. His instructions were that all goods intended for this 
 post were to be marked "Fort William, on Laramie River," 
 as there were other Fort Williams in the Rocky Mountain 
 country, but this artist of the marking-pot was troubled 
 with forgetfulness, and he never could remember whether 
 
302 History of Wyommg. 
 
 it was Fort William or Fort John, and finally one day there 
 was no one at hand to give him the desired information, so 
 he marked the long row of bales and boxes "Fort Laramie," 
 instead of "Fort William, on Laramie River." Some one 
 called Campbell's attention to the mistake, and that prac- 
 tical business man saw that his clerk had for once blun- 
 dered correctly and given the fort on Laramie River its 
 proper name, and ever afterward it was known as Fort 
 Laramie. 
 
 At the opening of the season of 1835, Robert Campbell 
 and William Sublette sold Fort Laramie to a syndicate of 
 trappers at the head of which was Milton Sublette and Jim 
 Bridger. Milton Sublette, like his brother William, was a 
 bold, determined partisan, and Bridger was worthy to be 
 classed as one of the bravest of leaders in the fur trapping 
 business. These two men had for associates, Fitzpatrick, 
 who had already won his spurs as a great leader, Basil 
 Lajeunesse, who afterwards became one of Fremont's men, 
 was a member of the syndicate; also W. M. Anderson and 
 old Jack Robinson. The new company was composed of 
 young men, but all possessed experience in trapping and 
 trading and Indian fighting. They promptly sent out their 
 trappers into all parts of Wyoming, and the outlook for the 
 new organization was certainly very bright. There was 
 only one thing in the way, and that was Fontenelle of the 
 American Fur Company, who had gathered about him a 
 large number of the best trappers in the Rocky Mountains, 
 and many of these were associates and friends of Jim Bridg- 
 er, Milton Sublette and other partners in the association. 
 Fontenelle made a proposition to Milton Sublette that he 
 and the members of his company become partners in the 
 American Fur Company and thus put a stop to an unprofita- 
 ble competition. This deal was accomplished early in the 
 summer of the same year, and thus Fort Laramie passed 
 into the hands of the American Fur Company and remained 
 their property for fourteen years. In 1836 the logs of the 
 fort were discovered to be badly rotted, and so the company 
 rebuilt it at an expetise of |10,000. It chanced that quite a 
 
History of Fort Laramie. 303 
 
 number of Mexicans wintered at Laramie in 1835-6, and 
 they made the proposition to build the new fort after the 
 plan of such buildings in their own country, and thus it 
 was that adobes were used. When completed, it was a 
 substantial structure and served every purpose for which it 
 was intended. Fremont, who visited the fort in 1842, gives 
 a full description of it as it appeared at that time. This 
 will be found in the first chapter of Fremont's explorations 
 in Wyoming in this volume. 
 
 Fort Laramie from this on controlled the fur business 
 of Wyoming. Everything being in readiness to conduct 
 business on a large scale, two trappers, Kiplin and Sybylle, 
 were sent out over the Black Hills to the north to invite 
 the Sioux Indians to come to the fort and trade, and to live 
 and hunt in that vicinity. Much to everybody's surprise, 
 the two ambassadors returned bringing with them over one 
 hundred lodges of Ogalalla Sioux under their chief, Bull- 
 Bear. The Sioux nation at this time numbered many thou- 
 sands, consisting of numerous bands, each bearing a prefix 
 to distinguish them from the others. In spite of the best 
 efforts of the American Fur Company, the Sioux succeeded 
 in driving away the Cheyennes, Pawnees and other tribes 
 who had heretofore made the country adjacent to the North 
 Platte their annual hunting grounds. The Sioux at this 
 time were warlike and disposed to rule the whole country. 
 Buffalo, deer, elk and mountain sheep were plentiful in the 
 mountains and on the plains around the fort, and conse- 
 quently the natives had no diflSculty in procuring food. 
 Those were happy days for the Indians. They sold their furs 
 and robes at the fort and received in exchange bright blan- 
 kets, beads, knives, powder and lead, and occasionally pro- 
 cured a gun. During the next two or three years Fort 
 Laramie became the resort of thousands of Indians; also of 
 free trappers, who camped under its walls in large numbers. 
 They found fault with the prices charged for goods, but as 
 they sold their beaver skins at a fair price they put up with 
 over-charge. The Sinclair brothers, who were popular lead- 
 ers of free trapper bands, were among the number who sold 
 
304 History of Wyoming. 
 
 their furs at the fort. Dick Wootton, Jim Beckwourth, 
 Bissonette, Kit Carson, August Claymore, "Old Charlefou," 
 L. B. Maxwell, "Black Harris," F. X. Matthieu and many 
 others were occasional visitors at the fort. Those were 
 days of enterprise, adventure and hair-breadth escapes. 
 The stories that these men recounted as they met at the 
 rendezvous or winter encampment were never excelled by 
 like adventures in any land. The language spoken at Fort 
 Laramie at that time was French for the most part, bad 
 English, and a dozen Indian dialects. Every white trapper 
 had his squaw and the traders and clerks in this respect 
 were equally well provided. At the time of Fremont's visit, 
 July 15, 1842, the fort was in charge of Mr. Boudeau ; Galpin 
 and Kellogg were his clerks. Frances Parkman, the author 
 of "The California and Oregon Trail," who visited Fort Lar- 
 amie in 1846, has left a very carefully written description 
 of the noted trading post and its surroundings. Mr. Park- 
 man was accompanied by Quincy A. Shaw of Boston, who 
 afterwards became a prominent merchant in his native city 
 and who still resides there, being at this date a very aged 
 man. Henry Chatillon, a well known hunter in the Rocky 
 Mountains, was the guide of this party. Describing the 
 scenes in and around Fort Laramie, Mr. Parkman says in 
 his chatty style: 
 
 "We tried to ford Laramie Creek at a point nearly op- 
 posite the fort, but the stream, swollen with the rains in 
 the mountains, was too rapid. We passed up along its bank 
 to find a better crossing place. Men gathered on the wall 
 to look at us. 'There's Bordeaux!' called Henry, his face 
 brightening as he recognized his acquaintance; 'him there 
 with the spy-glass; and there's old Vaskiss and Tucker and 
 May; and, by George, there's Cimoneau!' This Cimoneau 
 was Henry's fast friend and the only man in the country 
 who could rival him in hunting. We soon found a ford. 
 Henry led the way, the pony approaching the bank with a 
 countenance of cool indifference, bracing his feet and slid- 
 ing into the stream with the most unmoved composure. We 
 followed; the water boiled against our saddles, but our 
 horses bore us easily through. The unfortunate little mules 
 came near going down with the current, cart iand all, and 
 
.i«£«iiiSi;gefi>SS;;i.: 
 
 
 -S « ' w ■ » -.y 
 
 (/"(I^f JOJ.) 
 
 FORT LARAMIE IN 1871, 
 
 [From an old pliotograph .] 
 
History of Fort Laramie. 305 
 
 we watched them with some solicitude scrambling over the 
 loose round stones at the bottom and bracing stoutly against 
 the stream. All landed safely at last; we crossed a little 
 plain, descended a hollow, and riding up a steep bank found 
 ourselves before the gateway of Fort Laramie, under the 
 impending blockhouse erected above it to defend the en- 
 trance. 
 
 "We were met at the gate, but by no means cordially 
 welcomed. Indeed, we seemed objects of distrust and sus- 
 picion until Henry Chatillon explained that we were not 
 traders, and we in confirmation handed to the bourgeois 
 a letter of introduction from his principals. He took it, 
 turned it upside down and tried hard to read it; but his lit- 
 erary attainments not being adequate to the task, he ap- 
 plied for relief to the clerk, a sleek, smiling Frenchman 
 named Montalon. The letter read, Bordeaux (the bourgeois) 
 seemed gradually to awaken to a sense of what was ex- 
 pected of him. Though not deficient in hospitable inten- 
 tions, he was wholly unaccustomed to act as master of cere- 
 monies. Discarding all formalities of reception, he did not 
 honor us with a single word, but walked swiftly across the 
 area, while we followed in sopie admiration, to a railing and 
 a flight of steps opposite the entrace. He signed to us that 
 we had better fasten our horses to the railing; then he 
 walked up the steps, tramped along a rude balcony, and 
 kicking open a door displayed a large room, rather more 
 elaborately finished than a barn. For furniture it had a 
 rough bedstead, but no bed; two chairs, a chest of drawers, 
 a tin pail to hold water, and a board to cut tobacco upon. 
 A brass crucifix hung on the wall and close at hand a recent 
 scalp, with hair full a yard long, was suspended from a nail. 
 This apartment, the best in Fort Laramie, was usually occu- 
 pied by the legitimate bourgeois, Papin, in whose absence 
 the command devolved upon Bordeaux. The latter, stout, 
 bluff little fellow, much inflated by a sense of his new au- 
 thority, began to roar for buffalo robes. These being 
 brought and spread upon the floor formed our beds; much 
 better ones than we had of late been accustomed to. Our 
 arrangements made, we stepped out to the balcony to take 
 a more leisurely survey of the long-Iooked-for haven at 
 which we had arrived at last. Beneath us was the square 
 area surrounded by little rooms, or rather cells, which 
 opened upon it. These were devoted to various purposes, 
 but chiefly to the accommodation of the men employed at 
 the fort, or of the equally numerous squaws whom they 
 -(20) 
 
3o6 History of Wyoming. 
 
 were allowed to maintain in it. Opposite to us rose the 
 blockhouse above the gateway; it was adorned with a figure 
 which even now haunts my memory; a horse at full speed,, 
 daubed upon the boards with red paint, and exhibiting a 
 degree of skill which might rival that displayed by the 
 Indians in executing similar designs upon their robes and 
 lodges. A busy scene was enacting in the area. The wag- 
 ons of Vaskiss were about to set out for a remote post in the 
 mountains, and the Canadians were going through with 
 their preparations with all possible bustle, while here and 
 there an Indian stood looking on with imperturbable 
 gravity. 
 
 "Fort Laramie is one of the posts established by the 
 American Fur Company, who well-nigh monopolize the 
 trade of this whole region. Here their officials rule with 
 absolute sway; the arm of the United States has little 
 force, for when we were there, the extreme outposts of her 
 troops were about seven hundred miles to the eastward."^ 
 
 Messrs. Parkman and Shaw remained in Wyoming sev- 
 eral months, making Fort Laramie their headquarters off 
 and on as it suited their convenience. They hunted buffalo 
 and other game with the Indians and secured all they were 
 in search of, health, experience and adventure. They met 
 many traders and trappers, and among others three grand- 
 sons of Daniel Boone. Among the items of interest Park- 
 man mentions in connection with Fort Laramie, is the price 
 of horseshoeing, which he says was $3 per shoe. At the 
 time of Parkman's visit to Laramie, the road was lined the 
 entire season with emigrants bound for Oregon, and some 
 few for California. 
 
 There were two notable parties that passed through 
 Fort Laramie that year. One was headed by J. Quinn 
 Thorton, a lawyer of ability from Quincy, Illinois, bound 
 for Oregon. The other party was in charge of George and 
 Jacob Donner, enroute for California. The Donners were 
 from Springfield, Illinois. The two trains traveled together 
 up the North Platte, along the Sweetwater, across South 
 Pass, and followed the now fairly worn highway over Green 
 Eiver, just beyond which those going to California passed ta 
 the left, going by way of the Fort Bridger route. The Ore- 
 
History of Fort Laramie. 307 
 
 gon party suffered great hardship and did not reach their 
 destination until the 29th of November. Mr. Thornton was 
 the following year appointed a judge of the Supreme Court 
 of Oregon, and from the time of his arrival in that coun- 
 try had much to do with public affairs. The train that went 
 to California had the saddest experience of any like number 
 of individuals who have ever crossed the mountains. Noth- 
 ing unusual occurred until they reached the vicinity of Salt 
 Lake. They entered the valley and passed around the 
 southern end of the lake. Here one of their number died. 
 In crossing the Salt Lake Desert thirty-six of their cattle 
 perished and four of their wagons had to be abandoned. 
 The Indians stole and killed much of their stock that sur- 
 vived the desert, and their dangers and hardships kept in- 
 creasing as they advanced. And as their trials and suf- 
 ferings increased they grew despondent and irritable and 
 desperate. Quarrels frequently broke out and one man 
 was killed. Although the killing was done in self-defense, 
 frieds of the dead man threatened to hang the slayer, 
 and he had to leave the company and alone and on foot 
 make his way through the deserts. One man became sick 
 and exhausted and the owner of the wagon in which he 
 rode put him out and left him by the roadside to die, where 
 the wolves fought over and devoured his body. Another 
 was shot accidentally and died from the wound, and one 
 man and his wife were reduced to the extremity of going on 
 foot and carrying their two small children. 
 
 On the 31st of October they reached an elevation of 
 near 10,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and en- 
 camped in snow almost ten feet deep. Here their cattle 
 soon all perished, and their bodies became lost in the deep 
 bed of snow. For their protection they built log cabins 
 and the heavy snowfalls soon piled up around these habita- 
 tions to such a depth that they had to enter them through 
 the roofs. Their provisions ran out and they fed upon the 
 dead bodies of such of the cattle as they could find in the 
 snow, and later on upon the hides of those they had killed. 
 On the 16th of December a party of ten men and five women 
 
3o8 History of Wyoming. 
 
 set out upon snow shoes to make their way into the Sacra- 
 mento valley settlements to carry the news that a party of 
 immigrants was starring in the mountains. Of this party 
 only two men and the five women reached the settlements. 
 Three of the men lost their reason, two of whom died, and 
 the third, and for the express purpose of eating their flesh, 
 shot two Indians who were with the party. The survivors 
 ate their moccasins, crisped their boots and shoes at their 
 camp fires and ate of them, and — horrible to relate — ate also 
 of the flesh of several of the white men who had died. At 
 last one of the men, while traveling ahead and alone, came 
 upon some Indians, with whose assistance the party reached 
 a settlement, and soon the news was sent to every settle- 
 ment in the valley. Expeditions of relief were sent out im- 
 mediately, but when the camp in the mountains was reached 
 many were dead, the living were skeletons, barely able to 
 move, and some were supporting life by feeding upon the 
 dead. Their sufferings had made them childish, had driven 
 them into insanity, and they indulged in the most revolting 
 forms of cannibalism without compunction. Out of eighty 
 persons who here went into camp on the 31st of October, 
 only forty-four reached California alive, the last ones not 
 until on the 25th of April. General Kearney, on his way 
 east in the following June, passed the scene of this grew- 
 some mountain camp and had the mummied remains of 
 the dead buried and the cabins burned. 
 
 Such were the sufferings of some of those who passed 
 through Wyoming in early years. Hardships were the lot 
 of all, and dangers of every sort beset the traveler who 
 started out on that long journey across the continent. In 
 those days the trading post known as Fort Laramie was the 
 one bright spot to be encountered in the mountain country. 
 Notwithstanding the tales of starvation which were con- 
 stantly being carried back to the states, the course of em- 
 pire continued to take its way westward. Men, women and 
 children in trains; first numbering hundreds, then thou- 
 sands, followed the dusty, sandy road up the Platte Eiver 
 and passed the noted trading post and then on to the west, 
 
History of Fort Laramie. 309 
 
 crossing the mountains at South Pass and disappearing on 
 the western borders of Wyoming. When this travel began 
 to assume large proportions, trading posts were established 
 at convenient points along the route, and soon the old order 
 of things passed away. The fur-bearing animals had nearly 
 all been destroyed, and had it not been for the demand in 
 the east for buffalo robes, the Indian would have lacked the 
 wherewith to purchase his beads, vermilion and scarlet 
 blankets. The trader could not live on this business alone, 
 and fortunate it was for him that the exodus set in across 
 the mountains and furnished him with customers for his 
 merchandise. 
 
 I have now carried the history of Fort Laramie down 
 to the year 1846, and this noted post has become the capital 
 of a large extent of territory. People going to Oregon, Cali- 
 fornia or Utah sojourned for a day or a week at this famous 
 trading post. The events which happen at Fort Laramie 
 are made known months afterwards on the Atlantic and the 
 Pacific coasts, but it is destined to a great change. Fremont 
 has recommended that a line of military posts be erected 
 through the wilderness for the protection of emigrant 
 travel, and Fort Laramie is soon to be selected as one of the 
 government posts. 
 
3IO History of Wyoming. 
 
 CHAPTEK XXIV. " 
 
 HISTORY OF FORT LARAMIE— [Continued.] 
 
 Purchase of Fort Laramie by United States Government — The 
 Price Paid — The First Garrison — Reinforcements — Rebuilding 
 of the Fort — Scurvy Attacks the Soldiers — Cholera at Scott's 
 Bluffs — Captain Ketchum Relieves Major Sanderson as Com- 
 mander — American Fur Company Retires Down the River to 
 Scott's Bluffs — Emigrant Trains — Indians for the Most Part 
 Peaceable — Valuable Services of American Fur Company to 
 Emigrants — Treaty of 1851. 
 
 In accordance with Fremont's recommendation as men- 
 tioned in the last chapter, Congress passed an act on May 
 19, 1846, making an appropriation of |3,000 for each post es- 
 tablished on the Oregon road, and added |2,000 to pay the 
 Indians for the land on which each of these posts might be 
 located. Before anything could be done in regard to estab- 
 lishing such posts, the Mexican war broke out and the army 
 having other business to attend to, the matter remained in 
 abeyance for nearly three years. The first official order 
 from the War Department relating to Fort Laramie is dated 
 at Washington, March 30, 1849. From General Order No. 
 19, I make the following extract: 
 
 "To carry out the provisions of the 6th section of the 
 Act of May 19, 1846, relative to establishing military posts 
 on the Oregon route, and to afford protection to the nu- 
 merous emigrants to that country and California, the first 
 station has already been established, under instructions 
 of the Secretary of War of June 1, 1847, on the Platte River, 
 near Grand Island, and is known as Fort Kearney. The 
 garrison of this post will be one company First Dragoons 
 and two companies Sixth Infantry, to be designated by the 
 commander of the Department. 
 
 "Under the same instructions of the Secretary of War, 
 it now becomes necessary to establish the second station at 
 or near Fort Laramie, a trading station belonging to the 
 American Fur Company. The garrison of this post will be 
 
History of Fort La/ramie. 311 
 
 two companies of the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen to be 
 baited on the route, and one company Sixth Infantry. 
 
 "In the further fulfillment of the requirements of the 
 Act of May 19, 1846, the march of the Rifle Regiment to 
 Oregon during the ensuing season is deemed the proper oc- 
 casion for establishing a third post on the route to and 
 through the territory. From the best information on the 
 subject, it is supposed the most eligible point for this third 
 station in the northwest chain of posts may be found some- 
 where on Bear Eiver or its tributaries, near enough to the 
 settlements in the vicinity of Salt Lake to obtain with facil- 
 ity such supplies of subsistence and forage as they may af- 
 ford. The trading establishment at Fort Hall, on the upper 
 waters of the Columbia River, has also been considered an 
 advantageous position. The instructions to Brevet Major 
 General Twiggs, commanding the Sixth Military Depart- 
 ment, charge that oflflcer with giving the necessary direc- 
 tions upon the subject. By order : 
 
 "R. JONES, Adjt. Genl." 
 
 In connection with the above, I find the following from 
 the commander of the Sixth Military Department at St. 
 Louis, dated April 6, 1849 : 
 
 "Recent instructions from the War Department make 
 it necessary that supplies for one year shall be forwarded 
 for two military posts to be established on the route to Ore- 
 gon — one at or near Fort Laramie, and the other in the vi- 
 cinity of Fort Hall. The garrison at Fort Laramie will con- 
 sist of two companies of Mounted Riflemen and one com- 
 pany of Infantry. It will be supplied with provisions for 
 one year, and the full ration of forage (grain) for six months. 
 The post near Fort Hall will be garrisoned by two compa- 
 nies of Mounted Riflemen and will, also, be supplied with 
 provisions for one year and forage for six months. Besides 
 the above, each post will be furnished with such quarter- 
 master's stores as may be expected to be necessary in the 
 establishment of the posts. The supplies for the post near 
 Fort Hall must be ready to move from Fort Leavenworth 
 with the Rifle Regiment on the 15th of May; the departure 
 of those for Fort Laramie may be delayed until the 1st of 
 June. The chiefs of the quartermaster's and commissary's 
 departments at these headquarters will take the necessary 
 steps for the fulfillment of this order. It is to be understood 
 that these supplies are exclusive of those that the troops 
 will require during the march. They may, at the discre- 
 
312 History of Wyoming. 
 
 tion of the Chief of the Quartermaster's Department, be 
 forwarded either by contract or by government transporta- 
 tion; and in the latter case the teamsters will be hired by 
 the Department. The train will have orders to return with- 
 out delay. By order of Brevet Major General Twiggs. 
 "D. 0. DUELL, Asst. Adjt. Gen." 
 
 Following this was a second order, more specific, as it 
 not only named the companies which were to be stationed at 
 the different posts, but also named the commanders and the 
 date upon which the troops would march. This supple- 
 mental order was dated April 9th. It is herewith appended. 
 
 "In connection with the movement of the Rifle Eegi- 
 ment, the further duty of directing the establishment of 
 certain military posts on the route to Oregon, having, by 
 late instructions from the Adjutant General's oflflce, been 
 devolved on the Commanding General of the Department, 
 the following orders are published in relation thereto. In 
 whatever they may conflict with these, all previous orders 
 relative to the march of the Rifle Regiment are annulled. 
 
 "I. There will be a post established at or near Fort 
 Laramie. Its garrison will consist of Companies A and E, 
 Mounted Riflemen, and Company G, Sixth Infantry, under 
 the command of Major W. F. Sanderson, Mounted Riflemen. 
 
 "A post will, also, be established either in the vicinity of 
 Fort Hall, or Bear River, to be garrisoned by Companies G 
 and B, Mounted Riflemen, under the command of the senior 
 Captain, Brevet Major J. S. Simonson. 
 
 "The ofiicers named above to command these posts, 
 will immediately take the necessary measures for moving to 
 and establishing their commands at their respective sta- 
 tions, in conformity with these orders and the special in- 
 structions that will be given them. 
 
 "II. The troops to garrison the post near Fort Hall will 
 start from Fort Leavenworth on the 1st of May (Company 
 B, starting from Fort Leavenworth, will be joined by Com- 
 pany G at Fort Kearney) taking with them provisions for 
 three months, such quartermaster's stores( tools and build- 
 ing materials) as will be required in the construction of 
 their post, and, if necessary, forage for their animals until 
 the grass will sustain them. 
 
 "All empty wagons will be left at Fort Kearney in pass- 
 ing, and in order that the command may have time to put 
 itself under shelter at its station before winter, its march 
 
History of Fort Laramie. 313 
 
 will be hastened as much as may be consistent with the 
 preservation of the eflficiency of the troops and train. It will 
 halt at Bear River, and from there a careful reconnoissance 
 will be made of the locations which will be made in special 
 instructions to the commanding officer, and from which a 
 site for the post will be selected. The position being deter- 
 mined upon, the command will be immediately and actively 
 employed in the construction of the post; the first object be- 
 ing to shelter the troops against the coming winter. The 
 permanent arrangement of the post, whether as it regards 
 quarters or defensive works, must depend upon the instruc- 
 tions of the proper departments to the officers charged with 
 the construction. 
 
 "The year's supply of provisions and forage already 
 ordered for this post will leave Fort Leavenworth with the 
 remaining portion of the Eifle Eegiment between the 1st 
 and 20th of May; and within those limits, Colonel Loring 
 may use his discretion as to the time and order of starting 
 his train, and those companies of his regiment not detailed 
 for the two new posts. 
 
 "III. Major Sanderson will leave Fort Leavenworth 
 by the 10th of May with Company E, Mounted Riflemen, 
 (rationed for two months) and such quartermaster's stores 
 (tools, etc.) as may be necessary until the arrival of the re- 
 mainder of his command, and will proceed to locate a post in 
 the vicinity of Fort Laramie, agreeably to the special in- 
 structions that will be given him. The remainder of the 
 garrison for this post (Companies A, Mounted Riflemen, 
 and G, Sixth Infantry) will follow on the 1st of June, with 
 the year's supplies already ordered for their post. The 
 trains carrying supplies to the post near Fort Hall, and that 
 in the vicinity of Fort Laramie, will immediately return to 
 Fort Leavenworth. 
 
 "IV. Assistant Surgeon C. H. Smith is assigned to 
 duty with the troops for Fort Laramie, and Assistant Sur- 
 geon William F. Edgar with those of Fort Hall. They will 
 immediately join those troops and report to their command- 
 ing officers, respectively." 
 
 The above are of value in the history of Wyoming; 
 therefore I have given them in full. To make the early offi- 
 cial record of Fort Laramie complete, I copy the first report 
 sent to the Secretary of War from the newly established 
 post. It is dated at Fort Laramie, June 27, 1849, and signed 
 W. F. Sanderson, Major commanding post. 
 
314 History of Wyoming. 
 
 "I have the honor to inform you that I arrived at this 
 fort on the morning of the 16th instant, nothing having oc- 
 curred on our way to interrupt our march; since that time 
 I have, accompanied by Lieutenant Woodbury of the Engi- 
 neers' Department, made a thorough reconnoissance of the 
 country in the neighborhood of this place, having passed 
 up the ridge or mountain road as far as the Boisie (or Big 
 Timber Creek) and returning by the river road. 
 
 "This was found to be the most eligible for a military 
 post, and was purchased at my request on the 26th inst., by 
 Lieutenant Woodbury, at a cost of four thousand dollars, 
 from Mr. Bruce Husband, agent of the American Pur Com- 
 pany, who was duly authorized to dispose of the same for 
 that amount. 
 
 "Pine timber, suitable for all building purposes, is 
 found in abundance within twelve miles, on the north side 
 of the Platte. 
 
 "The best of limestone is also found at about the same 
 distance, on the south side of the same river. 
 
 "The Laramie is a rapid and beautiful stream, and will 
 furnish abundance of good water for the command. 
 
 "Good, dry wood is found in abundance and easily to 
 be obtained. 
 
 "There is plenty of grass for making hay within con- 
 venient distance of the post. 
 
 "The entire command (excepting eight men for stable 
 police) are already employed in cutting and hauling timber, 
 burning lime and coal, cutting and making hay; the saw mill 
 will soon be in active operation; everything is being pushed 
 forward as rapidly as circumstances will permit." 
 
 In connection with this report appears another com- 
 munication from Major Sanderson, dated Fort Laramie, 
 December 1, 1849. It is addressed to the Adjutant General 
 of the army and reads as follows: 
 
 "In compliance with your letter of instructions of the 
 11th of September, 1849, requiring more definite informa- 
 tion concerning the purchase of this fort, I have the honor to 
 report that the sum of four thousand dollars was paid to 
 the agent of the American Fur Company for the buildings 
 and improvements. There was no ground included in this 
 purchase. The four thousand dollars was paid by Lieuten- 
 ant Woodbury of the Engineers Department, 'who is 
 charged with the construction of this post,' out of the 
 amount appropriated by the Act of Congress, August 14th, 
 
History of Fort Laramie. 315 
 
 1848. This section of country from Horse Shoe Creek, forty- 
 three miles above this post, to the Forks of the Platte, is 
 claimed by the Sioux, the Arapahoes and the Cheyenne 
 Indians. Each of these tribes is divided into several bands 
 and are scattered over the country from the Kansas to the 
 Missouri. The chiefs of the several bands are to assemble at 
 this post in the spring, at which time it is proposed to pur- 
 chase the ground." 
 
 The command which constituted the first garrison of 
 Laramie was composed of fifty-eight men and five ofQcers. 
 The names of the latter were as follows: Major W. F. San- 
 derson, Mounted Rifles, commanding post; Major S. P. 
 Moore, Surgeon; Captain Thomas Duncan, Mounted Rifles, 
 commanding company; First Lieutenant Daniel P. Wood- 
 bury, Engineer Corps; First Lieutenant Thomas G. Rhett, 
 Mounted Rifles, Post Adjutant and Quartermaster. 
 
 Company C of the Regiment of Mounted Rifles joined 
 the post on the 26th of July, 1849, under the command of 
 Captain Benjamin S. Roberts, two oflScers and sixty men. 
 Company G of the Sixth Infantry joined the post on the 12th 
 of August, 1849, under the command of Second Lieutenant 
 Levi C. Bootes, two oflScers and fifty-three men. 
 
 In the summer of the same year, the cholera was on the 
 plains, but came no nearer to the post than Scott's Bluffs, 
 fifty miles below, on the Platte River. The emigrants were 
 the persons chiefly attacked by it, and more particularly the 
 men. Many trains passed through the post conducted only 
 by women and children, the men being dead. In the winter 
 of this year, the scurvy was prevalent among the troops at 
 the post. About one-fifth of all the men were on crutches. 
 Wild onions and water cresses were issued in large quanti- 
 ties by the commanding officer, Indians having been em- 
 ployed to gather them; and in the following spring many of 
 the diseased soldiers were transferred to the general hospi- 
 tal at Leavenworth, Kansas. 
 
 During the fall of 1849 a bridge was constructed across 
 the Laramie River not far from the fort. The enterprise 
 was by private parties, a sort of stock company which col- 
 lected toll from emigrants. The bridge went out in the June 
 
3i6 History of Wyoming. 
 
 rise in the summer of 1853. A ferry boat was at once built 
 to take the place of the bridge, and this was managed by a 
 rope. The commander at the fort detailed men to operate 
 this ferry, who collected toll from all except those in the em- 
 ploy of the government, but as high water did not last more 
 than sixty or ninety days each season, it was only those who 
 passed west during that time who were obliged to pay toll. 
 It has been suggested that army officers of that early date 
 were silent partners in the bridge and ferry, but if so there 
 is no record to prove it. 
 
 Major Sanderson was relieved in October, 1850, by Cap- 
 tain William S. Ketchum, Sixth Infantry, who retained 
 the command until the 19th of July, 1852, when he was suc- 
 ceeded by First Lieutenant Richard B. Garnett, Sixth In- 
 fantry; the Mounted Rifles having left the post in the sum- 
 mer of 1850, the duties of the garrison were performed by 
 Company G of the Sixth Infantry for the following year. 
 Major Sanderson died in 1853. 
 
 Captain Ketchum is spoken of by old timers in Wyo- 
 ming as a man who did not regard the position of com- 
 mander at Fort Laramie as at all exalted or desirable. He 
 longed to get back to civilization. Some say he had a quar- 
 relsome disposition and was always in hot water. He did 
 his duty, but was not disposed to make things pleasant for 
 his associates or chance visitors at the fort. He was happy 
 when relieved, and the employes at the post were not sorry. 
 
 The Rev. Richard Vaux was chaplain and schoolmaster 
 at the fort from 1850 to 1861. This good man left pleasant 
 memories at Fort Laramie and will never be forgotten by 
 the boys and girls who were under his instruction. He was 
 the associate of the officers, the friend of the enlisted men, 
 and exerted an influence for good on all occasions. He 
 nursed the sick, buried the dead and cheered the emigrants 
 who passed through the country. 
 
 At the time of the purchase of Fort Laramie by the 
 government, it was expected that the American Fur Com- 
 pany would retire from the country; in fact, Bruce Husband 
 gave that as the reason of the company's desire to sell. It 
 
History of Fort Laramie. 317 
 
 was quite a surprise, therefore, when this representative 
 of the fur monopoly announced that he would build another 
 trading post farther down the river and that already the 
 locality was selected. This was at Scott's Bluffs. The 
 buildings were at once constructed, and the stores, peltries 
 and robes of the company at Laramie were moved to that 
 point. Bruce Husband was an able trader and had man- 
 aged the affairs of his company in a manner that reflected 
 credit on himself. He was popular with the Indian tribes 
 and pursued a policy with them that insured peace and pros- 
 perity. It turned out to be a fortunate thing for emigrants 
 that this company continued to do business in the country, 
 as its representative used his influence to prevent the Indi- 
 ans from stealing the stock of those going to Utah, Oregon 
 and California, and in a number of instances it came to the 
 knowledge of the commanders at Fort Laramie that the 
 American Fur Company had saved many white men from 
 being killed. When Bruce Husband retired from the post at 
 Scott's Bluffs, Fontenelle took his place, and his adminis- 
 tration proved equally as satisfactory. The Indians were 
 well acquainted with this famous partisan, he having been 
 a familiar figure in the mountains for more than twenty 
 years, and the red men had great respect for him because 
 he would fight if driven to it, and this gave him great infiu- 
 ence over the tribes. Fontenelle enjoyed the confidence of 
 army officers and was well thought of by all who came in 
 contact with him. It seemed proper that this distinguished 
 leader, who had for so many years lived a life of adventure 
 in the mountains, should be chosen by his company to fill 
 a position in which he was no longer called upon to suffer 
 the hardships by which he had won a name for himself and 
 wealth for those whom he served. He was the last repre- 
 sentative of the American Fur Company in this section of 
 country. 
 
 In 1851 the government entered into a treaty with the 
 Arapahoes, Cheyennes and the Ogalalla Brule Sioux, which 
 combined tribes numbered about 6,000, in which the Indians 
 were to have annuities to the value of $50,000, to be paid in 
 
3i8 History of Wyoming. 
 
 goods. They were also to haye a reservation between the 
 100th and 107th meridians of longitude and the 39th and 
 44th parallels of latitude. This reservation embraced more 
 than one-third of what is now Wyoming, in the eastern part, 
 nearly half of the western part of Nebraska, a portion of 
 South Dakota, a considerable part of western Kansas and 
 nearly one-half of Colorado. The Indians on their part 
 agreed, in consideration of the annuities and the setting 
 apart of nearly 123,000 square miles of territory as a reser- 
 vation, to refrain from killing emigrants or fighting troops 
 stationed along the Overland trail. This treaty was the 
 commencement of a series of misunderstandings on both 
 sides. For a time the annuities were paid, but when the 
 government reduced the garrison at Fort Laramie the Indi- 
 ans became insolent. The first trouble occurred in the 
 spring of 1852, at the ferry near the fort. An Indian shot at 
 the sergeant in charge of the ferry-boat. The commander 
 detailed twenty-three men under command of Lieutenant 
 Fleming to arrest the would-be murderer. The soldiers 
 went to the village and demanded the guilty Indian. Un- 
 fortunately the chief of the band was absent. The interpre- 
 ter who accompanied the soldiers talked to the warriors, 
 and when he informed them that they must give up the bad 
 Indian they declared that rather than do this they would 
 fight. Lieutenant Fleming with five men now advanced, 
 when the savages opened fire. The soldiers quickly returned 
 it with telling eifect, killing four of the red men. Two In- 
 dians were captured and taken as prisoners to the fort, 
 where they were held for some months. None of the soldiers 
 were injured. This punishment had the desired effect, as 
 it made the Indians respect the small garrison at the fort, 
 and from this on peace reigned for more than a year around 
 Fort Laramie, but not so beyond its influence. Stock was 
 stolen and white people occasionally scalped along the emi- 
 grant road. White hunters were also killed by the Indians 
 when opportunity offered. There were emissaries who went 
 from one tribe to another stirring up bad feelings, pointing 
 out to the more peaceably disposed that the Indian had been 
 
History of Fort Laramie. 319 
 
 wronged by the government and that there was a disposi- 
 tion on the part of white men to take their hunting grounds. 
 They also complained that they were not allowed to pass in 
 and out of the garrison after "retreat" was sounded. In 
 short, nothing pleased these lords of the soil, unless it was 
 to rob trains and to kill and scalp white men, and they were 
 constantly trying to find justification for these acts. The 
 half-breeds and squaw men* were constantly telling the 
 Indians that the goyernment would treat them fairly and 
 even generously, but the white traders stole all the presents 
 sent by the Great Father to his Indian children, and thus 
 the bad blood increased. 
 
 *Men who married squaws and who lived with the tribes were called squaw men. 
 Their children were known as half-breeds. 
 
320 History of Wyoming. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 HISTORY OF FORT LARAMIE— [Continued.] 
 
 Unpleasant Side of the Service at Fort Laramie — Shut Up in the 
 Wilderness — Gloom and Despondency — Insolent Savages — In- 
 dians Severely Punished — Lieutenant Grattan and Thirty Sol- 
 diers Massacred — Sioux Tribes on the Warpath — Fort Laramie 
 Reinforced — Major Hoffman Takes Command — The Sioux Make 
 War on Emigrant Trains— Sir George Gore's Hunting Expedi- 
 tion — Bridger Becomes Guide — Terrible Conditions Along the 
 Overland Trail — Government Urged to Protect Emigrants — 
 War Department Aroused at Last. 
 
 A post in the wilderness was hardly a place suited to 
 the tastes of either officers or men connected with the 
 United States army during the fifties. The stirring events 
 of the previous decade, which included the Mexican War 
 period, were quite in contrast with the service at Fort Lara- 
 mie. It was simply the process of adding one day to an- 
 other and doing routine duty. At the best it was banish- 
 ment from civilization, and it is no wonder that these men 
 complained of a service that doomed them to loneliness and 
 despair. They longed for a more active life, something that 
 would keep them employed in mind as well as body. The 
 sunjmer came only to remind them how pleasant would be 
 a change of location, and the winters settled down upon 
 them with the awful stillness of the mountain and desert. 
 To these men the service they were doing seemed for the 
 most part useless, and like all human beings, they despised 
 a useless task. We are told that drinking and gambling 
 were the great evils that prevailed at Fort Laramie at that 
 time, and it seems not at all strange that this kind of de- 
 pravity should exist. It certainly was to a certain extent 
 excusable in such a place. They were shut up in this wilder- 
 ness without being able to get a letter or a newspaper for six 
 or seven months, and no shipwrecked mariners cast on a des- 
 
^ Yon J_aramie in 1889. 
 
 F»0^ C CfCOUT/^NTS- HlSTOfty OFWvowtf^i 
 {Pag-e SQ4-) 
 
History of Fort Laramie. 321 
 
 olate island ever looked more longingly for a sail than these 
 soldiers for the white canvas tops expected in early spring. 
 
 For a year or two, no events of any importance hap- 
 pened at Fort Laramie. During the summer months emi- 
 grant trains were very numerous, but they passed through 
 without having any great diflflculty with Indians. Occa- 
 sionally escorts were furnished to outgoing trains, but only 
 when a commander possessed information that Indians west 
 were troublesome. Sometimes small trains were held until 
 others came up, so as to provide protection for each other. 
 In the main, the Indians were fairly peaceable on account of 
 the presence of troops. In those days there were some mot- 
 ley collections around the old fort. Numerous hunting par- 
 ties composed of men in search of adventure and big game 
 passed through. In the spring of 1852 a surveying expedi- 
 tion for Oregon visited the post. Among the members of 
 this party was W. N. Byers, who later, April 22, 1859, found- 
 ed the Eocky Mountain News, the first newspaper issued in 
 Colorado. Mr. Byers is still living and is an honored citizen 
 of the commonwealth of Colorado. 
 
 That year an expedition composed of three hundred peo- 
 ple arrived at Fort Laramie in charge of Captain Douglas of 
 Michigan. They remained some days at the fort and then 
 pushed on to their destination, California. Before leaving 
 Laramie, thirty of the members decided to go on an explor- 
 ing and prospecting trip to the north, agreeing to join the 
 company at a point farther west. A month later eight of 
 these men rejoined the party, but twenty-two were never 
 heard from, though diligent inquiries were made for years. 
 It was supposed that they were all killed by Indians. 
 
 During the winter of 1853-4 the usual dull routine of 
 garrison duty took place at Fort Laramie, and the spring 
 season opened with promise of equally uneventful times. 
 The War Department having need elsewhere of the services 
 of Commander Gamett of Fort Laramie, that offlcer retired 
 from the post on May 18, which left Second Lieutenant 
 Hugh B. Fleming of the Sixth Infantry in command. Com- 
 pany G of Fleming's regiment was at the post, but how 
 
 _{2I) 
 
322 History of Wyoming. 
 
 many men and officers is not clear. The command suffered 
 principally with haying nothing to do except consume com- 
 missary whisky. It was truly distressingly peaceable 
 around the fort during the spring and early summer, and 
 nothing occurred until the 19th of August, when the leader 
 of a Mormon train which was camped ten miles below on the 
 Platte reported to the fort early in the morning of that day 
 that a large number of Indians were camped below on the 
 river, and they had a day or two before killed a cow or ox 
 belonging to the Mormons. The Indians were under a chief 
 named Mat-to-i-o-way, who had himself made known at the 
 fort this occurrence, saying that an unsuccessful hunter of 
 his band returning to the village had killed the animal be- 
 longing to the Mormons, and that he had reprimanded him 
 for the act. He further stated that he had permitted his 
 band to eat the animal, inasmuch as it had been killed. The 
 commander at Fort Laramie, making a mountain out of a 
 molehill, sent Lieutenant Grattan with thirty men and two 
 howitzers to bring in the guilty Indian and also such others 
 as had taken the carcass. Eight miles below the fort the 
 Indians were met by this detail, and Lieutenant Grattan 
 made known to a sub-chief named Bear his errand. The 
 chief told the officers that he did not regard the offense as 
 of any great importance, and that the head chief of the band 
 had reported the affair to the commanding officer at the 
 fort. He said nearly the entire village had eaten of the 
 slaughtered animal and were therefore all included under 
 the orders of the officer. He refused to submit his people to 
 arrest. When told that the soldiers would fire upon his 
 tribe, he reiterated his explanation and said he could do 
 nothing more. The lieutenant now advanced with his men 
 to make the arrest, but the whole party were at once sur- 
 rounded by the savages, when the soldiers were ordered to 
 fire upon them, killing one Indian and mortally wounding 
 the chief. The lieutenant now ordered that the howitzera 
 be discharged, but the guns not being well sighted, the 
 grape and canister went over the heads of the now infuri- 
 ated warriors, who quickly closed in on the soldiers and 
 
History of Fort Laramie. 323 
 
 with tomahawks and war-clubs killed the officer and all of^ 
 his command except one, who though badly wounded es- 
 caped by the aid of a friendly Indian to the fort. This af- 
 fair resulted in the almost total annihilation of the garrison 
 at Fort Laramie. Lieutenant Grattan was a young officer 
 recently from West Point, and this was his first and last 
 experience as an Indian fighter. Commander Fleming has 
 always been severely condemned for this affair. It was 
 commonly stated at the time that there had been a too free 
 use of whisky on that fatal morning before the detachment 
 left the fort. Fleming's explanation was that the whole 
 business was mismanaged by Lieutenant Grattan, but in the 
 judgment of those around the fort at the time, the com- 
 mander did an unwise thing when he placed so delicate a 
 mission in the hands of an inexperienced young officer. 
 
 The Grattan affair was the starting point of a bloody, 
 long and costly war with the Sioux tribes. Commencing in 
 the Tery hour of their victory over the soldiers, they at- 
 tacked the trading post of Chouteau & Company and also 
 that of James Bordeaux. These posts were both robbed of 
 all their goods and the people connected with them barely 
 escaped massacre. Commander Fleming marshalled the 
 balance of his garrison, including stable men and employes, 
 and made every preparation for defense, feeling certain 
 that the Indians would attack the post. Fortunately, the 
 hostiles went to the hills and then hurried on east to confer 
 with other tribes belonging to the Sioux nation, and soon 
 several thousand were on the war-path with the avowed de- 
 termination that they would kill not only every white man 
 in the country, but every emigrant passing through on the 
 Overland trail. A detailed account of the disaster was 
 hurried off to Fort Kearney and reinforcements asked for 
 from that garrison. A part of a company was at once sent 
 up the river to help hold the unfortunate post which came 
 so near destruction. 
 
 Two days after the Grattan disaster a burial party was 
 sent from Fort Laramie to inter the remains of the ill-fated 
 lieutenant and his men. A large hole was dug and the muti- 
 
324 History of Wyoming. 
 
 lated bodies hastily thrown in, covered with dirt, and on 
 top of all was placed a pile of stones, and thus reposed the 
 victims of the first military tragedy in Wyoming. This was 
 a small blunder when compared with others which followed 
 in later years. The War Department seemed awakened out 
 of a sound sleep by this horrible affair; but little came of it 
 for a year and a half except the sending of Companies B 
 and D of the Sixth Infantry, numbering 111 men, under the 
 command of Major and Brevet Lieutenant Colonel William 
 Hoffman. These reinforcements arrived on November 12, 
 1854, and Lieutenant-Colonel Hoffman assumed command 
 of the fort on that date. Hoffman was a good soldier, experi- 
 enced in handling troops, and afterwards was conspicuous 
 in the military affairs of the west. From the time of the 
 Grattan massacre up to the arrival of the two companies 
 of the Sixth Infantry, the inmates of Fort Laramie were 
 kept upon a nervous strain, and the little garrison lived 
 from day to day expecting the return of the Sioux in over- 
 whelming force. Every man in the garrison, citizens as well 
 as soldiers, did duty. Sentries walked their beat, and every- 
 thing was kept ready so as to prevent a surprise or to repel 
 an attack, and thus remained the military situation that 
 year. 
 
 In June, 1854, Fort Laramie was enlivened by the ar- 
 rival of Sir George Gore with a hunting outfit which sur- 
 passed anything that had ever before been seen in the 
 Rocky Mountains. This gentleman was from Sligo, Ireland, 
 and belonged to the Peerage, and with a rent roll which ena- 
 bled him to spend $200,000 annually for his personal pleas- 
 ures. He came to Fort Laramie with an outfit of six wag- 
 ons, twenty-one carts, twelve yoke of cattle, one hundred 
 and twelve horses, fourteen dogs and forty servants. In St. 
 Louis he had secured the services of Henry Chatillon and 
 his brother as guides. Gore created a sensation at Fort 
 Laramie and made it his base of supplies for some months. 
 Trappers and hunters of that day were astonished at the 
 improved firearms with which he was provided. These 
 embraced everything then known of a new pattern in Eng- 
 
History of Fort Laramie. 325 
 
 land or America. His first expedition was through the 
 Black Hills south, crossing the Laramie Plains into North 
 Park and penetrating the mountains and valleys of Colo- 
 rado. At a point described as serenty-five miles southwest 
 of Fort Laramie, one of his men washed out quite a quantity 
 of placer gold, and not knowing for certain what it was took 
 it to Sir George Gore and asked if it was not gold. The no- 
 bleman examined it with great care and then replied, "Ye^, 
 this is gold ; but under no circumstances mention the finding 
 of it to anyone else." He then sent for his guide and di- 
 rected him to take the expedition out of that place, saying 
 that he did not care in what direction, as long as they got 
 away, and made the further explanation that one of his men 
 had found a quantity of gold and that he had forbidden him 
 to speak of it to anyone. He said if his people knew there 
 was gold in the country they would all leave him; that he 
 was not there to get gold, as he had plenty of it. The guide 
 then led the way into North Park. The place where the 
 gold was found must have been in what is now Albany 
 County. The expedition wintered at Fort Laramie and Sir 
 George made a study of the motley collection of trappers, 
 hunters and guides who gathered around the fort during 
 that time. He also became acquainted with a number of 
 noted Indian chiefs, who told him of their hunting grounds 
 to the north and of the magnificent game in that region. 
 Jim Bridger chanced to be at Fort Laramie that winter and 
 Gore made his acquaintance. Both men were a revelation 
 to each other. The like of Jim Bridger had never been en- 
 countered by the lordly Englishman. Here was a man of 
 the forest who had no reverence for royalty and could not 
 be obsequious if he tried. His answers were direct and to 
 the point and he called things by their right names as far as 
 his limited knowledge of the English language would per- 
 mit. The nobleman admired Bridger's honesty and sim- 
 plicity and resolved to make use of his knowledge of the 
 country and his experience as a hunter. He wanted big 
 game, and here was the man who could lead him to the best 
 hunting grounds. Then commenced diplomacy on the part 
 
326 History of Wyoming. 
 
 of Gore. He wanted to hire Bridger for the following sum- 
 mer and winter and attempted to secure his services at a 
 good round figure, salary to commence from the time the 
 expedition should leave Fort Laramie in the spring. Bridg- 
 er cut the diplomacy short by accepting the proposition, 
 providing he was placed on the payroll from the moment of 
 that conversation, explaining that he had a number of op- 
 portunities for employment, one of which he should accept 
 unless his services were engaged by the English lord. He 
 did not care to continue negotiations further, and the result 
 was that he was placed on the payroll at once, and he be- 
 came the guide of the Gore expedition from that time until 
 it left the country in 1856. In the spring, hunting was re- 
 sumed, the route being up the North Platte through what is 
 now Natrona County, and north into Johnson County to the 
 headwaters of Powder River, to the old Portugese fort. 
 From there Gore made hunting trips in various directions, 
 the main route being down Powder River. Arriving at the 
 mouth of that stream, he turned up the Yellowstone to 
 Tongue River, in the vicinity of which he made a winter 
 camp, building a fort on the Tongue eight miles above its 
 confluence with the Yellowstone, on what afterwards be- 
 came the Fort Keogh military reservation. This aristocrat 
 did not have happy times among the free and easy Ameri- 
 cans who were in the country at that time and his last win- 
 ter was a stormy one in more than one particular, and by 
 the time spring opened he was ready to leave the Rocky 
 Mountains and return to civilization. The only man he 
 met in this country whom he cared for as a companion was 
 Jim Bridger. All others were distasteful to him. 
 
 In his "Old Santa Fe Trail," Colonel Inman describes 
 the companionship of the two men — one, a rich, educated, 
 whole-souled Irish nobleman; the other, a man who from 
 boyhood had lived on the plains, depending on his tact and 
 rifle for food and life. 
 
 Sir George would lie in bed until ten o'clock in the 
 morning, then he took a bath, ate his breakfast, and set out 
 generally alone for the day's hunt. It was not unusual for 
 
History of Fort Laramie. 327 
 
 him to remain out until ten at night, and he seldom returned 
 without "meat." His dinner was then served, to which 
 he extended an invitation to Bridger. 
 
 After the meal was over. Sir George was in the habit of 
 reading some book, and drawing out from Bridger his ideas 
 about the author. 
 
 The Irishman usually read from Shakespeare, which 
 Bridger "reckin'd was too highfalutin" for him. "That thar 
 big Dutchman, Mr. Pull-stuff," he commented, "was a leetle 
 too fond of lager beer." 
 
 Sir George read the "Adventures of Baron Munchau- 
 sen" to Bridger, who remarked that "he be dog-goned ef he 
 swallowed everything that thar baron said." He thought 
 he was "a liar," yet acknowledged that some of his own 
 adventures among the Blackfeet would be equally wonder- 
 ful "if writ down in a book." 
 
 Bridger thought Sir George a successful hunter; an 
 opinion justified by the records of the two years' hunt; forty 
 grizzly bears, twenty-five hundred buffalo, numerous ante- 
 lope and other small game. 
 
 When Sir George Gore came to Wyoming, he was ac- 
 companied by a distinguished astronomer and scientist. 
 Lord Fitz Williams of England, who visited the Rocky 
 Mountain country for the purpose of making some impor- 
 tant astronomical observations. His work was carefully 
 done during the summer, from chosen points in the Black 
 Hills. He was a warm personal friend of Sir George and 
 the two spent the few months together pleasantly. Their 
 friendship was not disturbed by the fact that their objects 
 and aims in life were so different. The one was of the earth 
 and gained amusement in the pursuit of the wild beasts of 
 the forest, while the other sought pleasure in the study of 
 the heavenly bodies. Lord Fitz Williams remained in Wyo- 
 ming during the summer and in the fall went with the party 
 to Fort Laramie, and from that point back to the states, and 
 finally to England. 
 
 The year 1855 was rather uneventful at Port Laramie. 
 The garrison suffered greatly for the want of vegetables. 
 
328 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Arrangements had been made as early as 1 851 to cultivate a 
 garden. It was planted and cared for until tlie dry weather 
 came on, which produced a total failure of crop. This gar- 
 dening experiment was undertaken regularly each year, 
 but the result was only a partial success. In 1855 irrigation 
 to a limited extent was introduced by Mexicans who were 
 in the habit of hanging around the fort. This success in 
 growing vegetables reduced the number of cases of scurvy. 
 During this year, the guarding of government trains and 
 the regular monthly mail was about the only act of service 
 performed by the troops at the fort. A number of mail car- 
 riers had been killed between Fort Kearney find Fort Lara- 
 mie during the summer, and the road between the posts be- 
 came dangerous for small parties to travel. The Sioux had 
 things pretty much their own way along the riatte River 
 that season and were making good their declaration of the 
 year before that they would kill every white man who came 
 into the country. Emigrants on the North Platte were 
 robbed regularly both east and west of the fort. The con- 
 ditions were simply disgraceful to the government. Before 
 the troops came there were murders and robberies every 
 few days, but since the troops had come into the country 
 things were worse. For every Indian killed by the troops, 
 a dozen white men would be killed by the Indians. Officers 
 at Fort Laramie that season complained bitterly of the dis- 
 comforts. They did not like to be cooped up in the fort, and 
 to go out on expeditions along the North Platte and up to 
 Independence Rock was a disagreeable duty to perform, 
 and great danger attended this sort of service. Finally it 
 was recommended that a post be established at the crossing 
 on the Platte about two miles above where Caspar now 
 stands, but for a time nothing came of the recommenda- 
 tion. The year closed at Fort Laramie in a manner that 
 was very discouraging to the officers and soldiers at that 
 post, and there were loud complaints sent to Washington 
 regarding the defenseless condition of the country. The 
 consolidated Sioux tribes were well satisfied with their sea- 
 son's work. They had robbed emigrant trains and secured 
 
History of Fort Laramie. 329 
 
 a large number of the white men's scalps. The War De- 
 partment at Washington was severely criticised by the 
 newspapers at the time for bringing on a war with the Sioux 
 tribes, which was resulting in the death of many emigrants 
 along the Overland trail. It was urged that the government 
 was directly responsible for the deaths caused by Indians, 
 and the pillage that was going on, of the emigrant trains. 
 Under public pressure the War Department sent a force 
 west in the spring of 1856, and some few troops were sent 
 to Port Laramie, but the force at that place was practically 
 helpless, as it consisted entirely of infantry. These were 
 thrown out at two or three points on the trail, yet little good 
 was accomplished. In the early summer of that year the 
 Sioux sent a force into the Black Hills and succeeded in 
 capturing all the mules and horses at the fort belonging to 
 the quartermaster's department. A force was promptly 
 sent out to recapture the stock, but the Indians only laughed 
 at these foot soldiers and not one of the stolen animals was 
 recovered. The murdering of emigrants and the robbing of 
 trains continued during the summer. The government at 
 last became aroused and resolved to punish the combined 
 Sioux tribes, and Fort Laramie is destined to become soon 
 a military depot of importance and the center of warlike 
 operations of great magnitude; but from this on the history 
 of Fort Laramie will be included in the history of the Indian 
 wars of Wyoming, which come in their proper place and 
 under their appropriate headings. 
 
330 History of Wyoming. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 THE OREGON EMIGRATION. 
 
 Dr. Elijah White's Train of 1842 — Trials andjTribulations by the 
 Way — Fitzpatrick the Guide — Emigrants of 1844 — Extravagant 
 Prices at Fort Laramie That Year — 1475 People Go to Oregon 
 IN 1844 — Senator Benton's Prophecy — The Business of the Trail 
 IN 184S — The Rush in 1846 — Indians Say White Men Are as 
 Numerous as the Leaves of the Forest — Scenes at Fort Lara- 
 mie — Increasing Emigration of^ 1847-8 — The " Days of Forty- 
 nine." 
 
 Dr. Elijah White, who went to Oregon by sea in 1837, 
 as a missionary doctor, returned east in the summer of 1840, 
 having had a misunderstanding with Eev. Jason Lee, who 
 was at the head of the Methodist missionary work in Ore- 
 gon. On White's return, he was appointed Indian agent for 
 Oregon and in 1842 we find him at the head of a colony, 
 which is to proceed overland to Oregon. There were 112 
 persons in the company, fifty-two being over 18 years of age. 
 The start was made from Independence, Missouri, on May 
 16. Before reaching the Wyoming country. Dr. White had 
 made himself unpopular and the colonists deposed him and 
 elected in his place Lansford W. Hastings. On the 23rd of 
 June the company reached Fort Laramie, where they re- 
 mained a week, repairing and refitting. At this point they 
 were joined by F. X. Matthieu and half a dozen Canadians. 
 They were informed by Mr. Bissonette, who was in charge 
 of the fort, that it would be impossible for them to take 
 their oxen and wagons through to Oregon, so they sold part 
 of them to him. The price received was to be what they 
 paid in the east, and they were to take in exchange coffee 
 and sugar at a dollar a pound. It had been arranged that 
 this company should be escorted through Wyoming by Fre- 
 mont, but the explorer did not reach Fort Laramie until 
 the 15th of July and the emigrants resolved not to wait. 
 
The Oregon Emigration. 331 
 
 A guide named Coats had brought the party to Port Lara- 
 mie, which ended his contract. They started on without a 
 guide, but fortunately met Jim Bridger and Thomas Fitz- 
 patrick, and the latter was induced by Indian Agent White 
 to go with them to Fort Hall. It was very fortunate that 
 this experienced mountain man consented to go, for when 
 they arrived at Independence Eock they had trouble with 
 the Sioux, which tribe disputed their passage. While a halt 
 was made, many of the emigrants cut their names upon the 
 great rock. Hastings and Colonel Lovejoy, who had fallen 
 behind the caravan, were attacked by the Indians and bare- 
 ly escaped. The savages followed them into camp and Fitz- 
 patrick had his hands full for several hours, negotiating 
 with the Sioux warriors for the peaceable passage for the 
 emigrants through the country. This difficulty I have al- 
 ready explained in my account of Whitman's journey 
 through Wyoming. On the 13th of July the train reached 
 the Sweetwater and here an accident occurred which cast 
 gloom over the party. Adam Horn, one of the emigrants, 
 accidentally shot and killed a young man named Bailey. 
 On the morning of the 14th the funeral of the man killed 
 occurred, after which the train moved on. In spite of the 
 presents given to the Sioux, they kept up hostilities and 
 greatly annoyed the hunting parties sent out, frequently 
 robbing them of their horses, game and rifles. This com- 
 pany was unfortunate in many particulars, there being dis- 
 sensions, bickerings and much bad feeling shown among 
 the emigrants. They broke up into factions, traveling sep- 
 arately as soon as they got away from the Sioux. At the 
 crossing of Snake River, Adam Horn was drowned. These 
 emigrants reached Oregon after having experienced severe 
 trials. I find many conflicting accounts of the number of 
 the company under the charge of Dr. White. Captain Sub- 
 lette met these emigrants at Independence and gave them 
 advice as to their conduct on the road. He told Dr. White 
 that he was liable to experience difficulties in conducting so 
 large a train. I give the figures on what I consider reliable 
 authority. The Colonel Lovejoy mentioned is the same 
 
332 History of Wyoming. 
 
 man who made the journey from Oregon with Dr. Whitman 
 during the winter of 1842-3. 
 
 I have already told the story of Marcus Whitman and 
 his passage west to Oregon with his great train containing 
 two hundred wagons and a thousand people in the summer 
 of 1843. In that same year Fremont went to Oregon, and 
 his report confirmed the story of Dr. Whitman regarding 
 the value of the country. 
 
 The Oregon emigration in 1844 was quite large. They 
 collected at different points on the Missouri Eiver and 
 amounted in all to 1,475 persons. Cornelius Gilliam led one 
 company of 323 persons. Captain Nathaniel Ford led an- 
 other company. These two organizations joined forces on 
 the plains and employed Moses Harris, the veteran trapper, 
 as guide. They were two months getting to Fort Laramie 
 from the Missouri River, owing to the bad weather, which 
 produced rheumatism and dysentery. By the time they 
 reached Fort Laramie many families were entirely out of 
 flour and sugar. They procured these articles from the 
 trader, paying $1.50 a pint for sugar and f 40 per barrel for 
 flour. They reached Fort Hall on the 10th of September, 
 suffering greatly after that point, being reduced to almost 
 starvation, and fully a dozen died on the road. In the party 
 was a Mr. Sager, his wife and seven children. Mr. Sager 
 died at Green River and was buried on the east bank of that 
 stream. Mrs. Sager died two weeks later. When the unfor- 
 tunate children arrived in Oregon they were adopted by 
 the large-hearted Dr. Whitman and his wife. 
 
 The year 1845 was a memorable one in Oregon emigra- 
 tion. No less than 3,000 people passed Fort Laramie on 
 their way to the rich valleys beyond the mountains. There 
 were two points on the Missouri River from which these 
 emigrants started westward across the plains. St. Joseph 
 was one prominent point and Independence the other. Sen- 
 ator Benton was to some extent responsible for this emigra- 
 tion ; there being a quiet determination on the part of lead- 
 ing American statesmen to fill up Oregon with people from 
 the United States and thus secure the territory to this gov- 
 
The Oregon Emigration. 333 
 
 ernment. The country seemed all at once to have awakened 
 to the importance of securing the territory. In a speech 
 made in St. Louis in October, 1844, Senator Benton uttered 
 what the Oregon Spectator of September 17, 1846, called a 
 prophecy. 
 
 "I say the man is alive, and is listening to what I say 
 (without believing it, perhaps) who will yet see the Asiatic 
 commerce traversing the North Pacific Ocean — entering the 
 Oregon River — climbing the western slope of the Rocky 
 Mountains — issuing from its gorges — and spreading its fer- 
 tilizing streams over our wide-extended Union ! The steam- 
 boat and the steam-car have not exhausted all their won- 
 ders. They have not yet even found their amplest and most 
 appropriate theaters — the tranquil surface of the North 
 Pacific Ocean and the vast inclined plains which spread 
 east and west from the base of the Rocky Mountains. The 
 magic boat and the flying car are not yet seen upon this 
 ocean and this plain, but they will be seen there; and St. 
 Louis is yet to find herself as near to Canton as she now is 
 to London, with a better and safer route, by land and sea, 
 to China and Japan, than she now has to France and Great 
 Britain." 
 
 The North Platte and Sweetwater witnessed almost 
 continuous trains from the middle of June to the middle of 
 September. Among the many trains to pass Port Laramie 
 was one of twenty-five wagons, under the leadership of Pres- 
 ley Welch ;. another of forty wagons, directed by Samuel 
 Hancock; another of fifty-two wagons, of which a Mr. Hack- 
 leman was leader; there was another company made up of 
 sixty wagons and three hundred persons under the leader- 
 ship of W. G. T' Vault; Samuel Tetherow commanded an- 
 other outfit consisting of sixty wagons and over three hun- 
 dred people. Many of these emigrants suffered greatly, and 
 not a few deaths occurred on the way. I cannot pretend to 
 give an account of all the expeditions that passed through 
 that year; the object is simply to show that the Overland 
 trail had become a popular highway, over which human 
 hopes and human ambitions passed to make new homes and 
 build a new state on the Pacific slope. One company which 
 passed Fort Laramie that year had lost over a hundred 
 
334 History of Wyoming. 
 
 oxen (stolen by Indians) and they had been obliged to yoke 
 their cows to the wagons. Added to the Oregon travel were 
 many trains going to California. The Indians, who had 
 objected to the passage of emigrants in 1842, had continu- 
 ously protested, but found themselves powerless to stem the 
 rising tide of civilization sweeping westward year after 
 year. The Sioux, the worst barbarians of the mountains, 
 had secured the North Platte country by conquest, driving 
 out the Crows, who had for many generations occupied the 
 hunting grounds to the north and west. They had attempt- 
 ed to make the law of might, right, but the emigrants had 
 little respect for these freebooters, who possessed only bru- 
 tal instincts, savage cunning, and pursued the methods of 
 the highwayman. They killed, robbed or tortured, as best 
 suited their mood; gathering in bands along the route, mak- 
 ing insolent and extortionate demands on all travelers. Ev- 
 ery band had to be provided with presents, the demand be- 
 ing for whisky, tobacco, lead, powder, guns, beads, blankets 
 or any other articles which they could see. They lorded 
 it over the country they had stolen from the Crows, denying 
 the right of emigrants to kill game, and demanding fees 
 of the white men amounting to confiscation of their goods. 
 It is not in the nature of the average emigrant to submit 
 tamely to unjust demands, and it was little wonder that the 
 savages finally encountered a class of men who refused to 
 be robbed by these highwaymen. The impending conflict 
 resulted in the location of fortified posts along the Platte, 
 North Platte and points farther west. The Indian is about 
 to enter into a contest, which, though it be long, will result 
 in his destruction. Things are to be no longer as they were. 
 Men going with their families to Utah, Oregon and Cali- 
 fornia demanded free passage through the mountains, and 
 when this could not be peaceably secured, they met force 
 by force. From time to time emigrants were attacked by 
 the savages, but the superior arms of the white man, and 
 above all his unconquerable determination, swept the red 
 man from his path. The government hastened to afford 
 
The Oregon Emigration. 335 
 
 protection to a class of men who were going out to found 
 new commonwealths on the Pacific slope. 
 
 In the year 1846 many trains passed over the trail. The 
 trappers and traders were astonished at the exodus from 
 the east and the Indians became convinced that the white 
 men were as numerous as the leaves of the forest. 
 
 The people going out felt little interest in the discus- 
 sion that had been going on in Congress for nearly twenty 
 years as to who owned Oregon. They knew that it was held 
 by joint occupation on the part of the United States and 
 England, and they understood Dr. Whitman's theory of 
 settling the question by having Americans occupy it, and 
 fully subscribing to this view, they were going out to make 
 homes and establish civil institutions in far-oflf Oregon. 
 The aristocratic Francis Parkman amuses himself in his 
 "Oregon Trail" at the expense of these emigrants whom he 
 met on the road in 1846, but it can be said that some remark- 
 ably able men went over the trail that year — embryo states- 
 men who were heard of afterwards in the organization of a 
 government for the new territory. All were brave, or they 
 would not have undertaken the long journey across the 
 plains and mountains and encountered the dangers which 
 were well known to them before starting on their pilgrim- 
 age. On the 17th of July, 1846, while the emigration of that 
 year was at its height, the treaty in regard to Oregon having 
 previously been ratified by both governments, was ex- 
 changed in London between the representatives of Great 
 Britain and the United States, and th^is ended the discus- 
 sion of the Oregon question, which had been before the peo- 
 ple fifty-four years, two months and six days. That treaty 
 comes in to the history of Wyoming, as a small part of Ore- 
 gon has since become a part of this state. The eastern line 
 of Oregon extended to the crest of the Eocky Mountains; 
 hence all that portion of our state lying west of the moun- 
 tains bordering on Idaho was included in the treaty of 1846. 
 
 The promulgation of this treaty between Great Britain 
 and the United States served to bring Oregon again to the 
 front, and the newspapers of the day were filled with letters 
 
336 History of Wyoming. 
 
 written by men and women who had made their homes in 
 the new land of promise beyond the mountains, and this re- 
 sulted in increased emigration, which in 1847 became a 
 grand rush. As an illustration of the number of emigrants 
 that season, I will mention that Hon. H. B. Kelly, one of 
 the oldest settlers in Wyoming, went to California that year 
 and reaching Independence Rock on July 3, his party re- 
 mained over to celebrate the 4th of July. They were joined 
 by Oregon emigrants to the number of a thousand, and the 
 day was celebrated in a manner worthy of American citi- 
 zens. A vast amount of powder was exploded and the wil- 
 derness echoed the shouts of these loyal citizens of the re- 
 public. 
 
 Fremont, in his explorations of Oregon in 1843, foresaw 
 that there would be a large emigration into the country 
 and recommended that the government establish a line of 
 military posts across the country occupied by the wild 
 tribes, but the people bound for Oregon could not and 
 would not wait for government protection. They went west 
 by the Platte and Arkansas Rivers, the two columns con- 
 verging at the already famous trading post known as Fort 
 Laramie, at which they concentrated and passed west on 
 what had then become known as the Oregon Trail. It was 
 the same trail which Whitman had marked out with his 
 two hundred wagons. 
 
 The decline of the fur trade in Wyoming had left many 
 trappers and traders in the mountains ready to take up a 
 new occupation. The majority of these located along the 
 emigrant trail. Some became guides to trains going across 
 the country, others furnished supplies of various kinds to 
 the pilgrims, including horses and cattle, which they traded 
 to the emigrants for their broken-down stock. This latter 
 traffic was carried on to a considerable extent. Horses and 
 oxen became foot-sore and consequently useless to the trav- 
 elers. The traders took these animals and for a considera- 
 tion furnished fresh ones, and thus those enroute to Oregon 
 were enabled to continue their journey. The broken-down 
 cattle and horses were turned out to feed and rest and were 
 
The Oregon Emigration. 337 
 
 soon in prime condition to exchange for other broken-down 
 stock. This business was a source of great profit to many 
 traders located in Wyoming. 
 
 That year the last cavalcade passed over the trail in 
 September and was hurrying forward to find a location in 
 Oregon before the winter set in, when an event occurred 
 which horrified the civilized world. It was known as the 
 Whitman massacre. This occurred at Waiilatpui, Oregon, 
 where Dr. Whitman had built a school for the Indian chil- 
 dren. The conditions which led up to this wholesale butch- 
 ery have never been satisfactorily settled. The announce- 
 ment of the treaty of 1846 was a death-blow to the Hudson 
 Bay Company. That monopoly, which was chartered in 
 1670, had occupied the Columbia and its tributaries since 
 its consolidation with the Northwest Company in 1821, and 
 the last-named company succeeded the Astorians in 1813. 
 It had protected the fur interest by keeping white people 
 out, and had raised half-breeds to catch the fur-bearing 
 animals. The insolence of this monopoly was manifested 
 when John Jacob Astor founded Astoria. He was driven 
 out of the country by the connivance of British fur traders, 
 and all other American traders following him met the same 
 fate, including Nathaniel J. Wyeth. When American set- 
 tlers went to Oregon, the servants of the Hudson Bay Com- 
 pany pointed out to the Indians that these people had come 
 to take away their lands, destroy the beaver, and eventually 
 to drive them from their homes. The consequences were 
 that the natives looked with suspicion on Americans and 
 were ready and ripe at all times to do them injury. Added 
 to the prejudice for which the English were directly respon- 
 sible, was the superstitious belief of the savages that the 
 new people who came into the country were the cause of 
 diseases in epidemic form which afflicted the tribes. On the 
 29th of November, 1847, the massacre occurred. Fifteen 
 were killed, including Dr. Whitman and wife. Fifty white 
 persons were captured, many of them women who suffered 
 worse than death. Let the English residents of Oregon at 
 that time explain the massacre as they will, the facts are 
 
 -(22) 
 
338 History of Wyoming. 
 
 that the treaty of 1846, which conceded Oregon to the United 
 States, had much to do with the butchery of Dr. Whitman 
 and his associates. The news of the treaty had a depressing 
 effect on all Englishmen in that country, and while it is 
 barely possible that they did not directly plan the murders, 
 they stood aloof and allowed the devilish work to go on. 
 The news of the murder of Dr. Whitman and his associates 
 aroused deep feeling throughout the states, and during the 
 spring of 1848, Oregon was the cry. That year large num- 
 bers of emigrants passed through Wyoming with the 
 avowed purpose of taking possession of the country in spite 
 of Indians, Englishmen or any other opposing force, and 
 from early in the spring until late in the summer the road 
 to Oregon was lined with trains which were so numerous 
 as scarcely to be out of sight of each other. Those were 
 great days for the traders along the Overland trail. They 
 made their own prices on everything they had to sell, and 
 the emigrants were glad to buy regardless of extortion. 
 
 At the time of which I write, the Oregon and California 
 roads were one and the same across Wyoming. Occasion- 
 ally a party would cross the Laramie Plains and go west 
 through Bridger Pass and join the regular road on Green 
 Eiver, but this route was not yet a popular one. The main 
 emigrant trail for both California and Oregon was up the 
 Platte, through the South Pass, and thence on to Fort Hall. 
 The Oregon road turned to the right, and the California 
 route bore off to the left. Fremont made a map of the coun- 
 try which was published by the government in 1845, and 
 this was much sought after by both those going to Oregon 
 and to California. This route through the South Pass over 
 to Fort Hall was first located by Captain Bonneville in 
 1832. It is true that other trappers and traders made the 
 trip before Captain Bonneville, but over a trail of great 
 length, winding in and out. Bonneville laid out a direct 
 road, which was followed by other trappers and traders, 
 and finally by Eev. Samuel Parker in 1835 and by Dr. Whit- 
 man, Eev. H. H. Spalding and their wives in 1836, and it be- 
 came the road to Oregon. 
 
The Oregon Emigration. 339 
 
 In 1848 emigration to California was greatly increased 
 over the preceding year, and Oregon drew its full share 
 from the great trail. The trading post at Fort Laramie 
 that season was a picturesque western settlement, emi- 
 grants coming and going almost every hour in the day and 
 every day in the week. Wagons from each of the arriving 
 trains had to be mended, horses and ox teams which had 
 given out were being traded off for better animals, and 
 stores replenished. The emigrants were not backward in 
 denouncing the traders for overcharging them for almost 
 every article they were compelled to purchase. The picture 
 presented was rather a wild one, for on every side were blan- 
 keted Indians who watched the going and coming of the 
 palefaces with as much interest as the noble red man is 
 capable of showing. The brisk days of 1848, which excited 
 so much attention in Wyoming, were nothing as compared 
 with the year that is to follow. The slow-going ox teams 
 of the past are largely to give way to powerful horse and 
 mule teams, and the slow, easy-going emigrant on his way 
 west in search of land must stand aside and give the gold 
 prospector a chance. 
 
 Now we come to the most important year in the history 
 of the Overland trail, which was 1849. The discovery of 
 gold in California created throughout the east intense ex- 
 citement, and as a result every road leading to the golden 
 state was filled with hurrying crowds. Many took ships and 
 went around Cape Horn. Others went by the way of the 
 Isthmus of Panama, and still others came by the way of the 
 Overland trail and consequently passed through Wyoming. 
 This class of emigrants were better outfitted than any who 
 had previously crossed the mountains. Large wagons 
 drawn by fine horse and mule teams were the rule. There 
 was no plodding by the way. Each outfit was hurried for- 
 ward, and there seemed to be a grand struggle as to who 
 should get to the gold fields first. Between May and Octo- 
 ber, some say 30,000, others 100,000, of these gold seekers 
 passed through Wyoming. These were the "forty-niners," 
 and they composed the grand army that rushed to Califor- 
 
340 History of Wyoming. 
 
 nia in that eventful year. Nearly fifty years have passed, 
 and still we are listening to song and story of the "Days of 
 Forty-nine." Some of these gold seekers, after the excite- 
 ment was over, returned and prospected in Colorado, Utah, 
 Wyoming and Montana. In the history of Fort Laramie, I 
 have already told of the transfer of the trading post to the 
 United States government and of its occupation by troops. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. ' 
 
 MORMON EMIGRATION. 
 
 Brigham Young's Pioneer Train — An Incident on the Eastern Bor- 
 der OP Wyoming — Arrival at lo Fort Laramie — Crossing the 
 Platte Above Caspar With Boats and Rafts — The Train Cross- 
 es South Pass — Reaches the Big Sandy and Green River — Jim 
 Bridger Meets Brigham Young — The Stop at Fort Bridger — 
 Train Passes Out of Wyoming — Arrival in Salt Lake Valley — 
 Incidents Connected With the Mormon Settlement — Character 
 OF Brigham Young. 
 
 The passage of the Mormon emigrants through Wyo- 
 ming in 1847 was nearer related to the settlement of the 
 country than was the emigration to Oregon or to California, 
 from the fact that quite a number of these people settled 
 within what are now the confines of our state. The Mor- 
 mons were a religious sect, but held some peculiar ideas in 
 regard to morals as well as religion. That is, they believed 
 that the church and the state should be one; that the laws 
 of God should be the laws of the land. They claimed that 
 their prophet, Joseph Smith, had received a revelation from 
 God, telling him where he would find the golden plates of a 
 book, which he afterwards found buried in a hillside of the 
 state of New York. From these plates, it was claimed, a 
 book was printed which was called the Mormon Bible. The 
 church as organized by the prophet Smith was governed by 
 
Mormon Emigration. 341 
 
 twelve elders. They claimed spiritual gifts such as were 
 enjoyed by the apostles of Christ, and advocated and prac- 
 ticed polygamy. This latter resulted in a storm of objec- 
 tions when it was put in practice. The teachings of these 
 people made them unpopular in the eastern states and they 
 finally located at Nauvoo, Illinois, from which place they 
 fled before their enemies into Missouri, where the people 
 made them even less welcome. During the winter of 1846-7: 
 they made what they called winter quarters in Nebraska. 
 This place was a few miles northwest of Council Bluffs. To 
 this spot all the Mormons wended their way, preparatory to 
 locating in the far west. At the winter camp were about 
 700 houses, rudely constructed, and in these about 4,000 
 had gathered in readiness to make the journey across the 
 plains and mountains in the spring. It has been claimed by 
 some writers that these people started west without previ- 
 ously exploring the country, but this is not correct, as Oli- 
 ver P. Gleason of New York, George Chatelaine of St. Louis, 
 Miles Bragg of Jackson County, Missouri, J. P. Johnson of 
 Nauvoo, Illinois, Solomon Silver of the same place, and 
 William Hall of Piatt County, Missouri, appeared at Port 
 Laramie in the spring of 1846 on their way to find a location 
 for the Mormon colony. Gleason had a brother named John, 
 who was a Mormon elder and a preacher. These men all 
 went to Salt Lake and spent a month there examining the 
 country. Gleason made a map of Salt Lake and the valley. 
 In the fall of that year the party returned to Fort Laramie. 
 O. P. Wiggins, now of Denver, and the famous Jim Beck- 
 wourth, acted as guides for the party. The first division 
 of the Mormon train left the Missouri on Monday, April 5, 
 1847, in charge of Heber C. Kimball. On the day follow- 
 ing, Brigham Young, who was then at the head of the 
 church, called a conference of the elders and people and 
 explained that the objective point was Salt Lake. At the 
 conference, most of the prominent leaders of the church 
 were present. 
 
 On the 7th, the second division moved to the west, and 
 then the other divisions quickly followed, making a train of 
 
342 History of Wyoming. 
 
 seventy-two wagons, with 149 men, women and children. 
 It was certainly the best organized outfit that had ever at- 
 tempted the western journey. In the party were wagon- 
 makers, carpenters, bricklayers, blacksmiths, and in short 
 mechanics of all kinds, including farmers, engineers, mer- 
 chants and schoolmasters. At the head of the expedition 
 was Brigham Young. He led the way on to the mountains 
 and reached the eastern border of Wyoming on May 28, 
 when an event occurred which clearly stamped Young as a 
 born leader. They had been a long time on the road, consid- 
 ering the distance they had traveled, and the men had 
 grown careless and many indifferent. The novelty had 
 worn off and a spirit of fault-finding and criticism had 
 grown up which promised to result in the demoralization of 
 the company. The morning of May 29th was cold and it 
 was decided that the train should not move until the weath- 
 er grew better. At 10:30 the leader caused a bugle to be 
 sounded for the teams to be harnessed. After all was in 
 readiness for starting, the company was called together in a 
 circle around Mr. Young and the clerk was ordered to call 
 the roll. Two of the brethren were out hunting and two 
 more were sick in their wagons; all the others were in the 
 circle and answered to their names. By this time everyone 
 realized that something was going to happen. Seriousness 
 and expectancy was on every countenance. They had not 
 long to wait. Standing on a wagon, Mr. Young told his 
 people that he had noticed the spirit which prevailed in the 
 company and that he had been watching its influence and 
 effect and that unless there was a change for the better he 
 was ready to revolt. He was not willing to bow down to 
 insubordination and the ill-feelings which existed among 
 them toward each other. He then described the evil ten- 
 dency of quarrels in camp, playing cards, using profane 
 language and dancing for recreation. There were some in 
 the camp, he said, who did not belong to the church, and 
 these he would protect in all their rights, but they should 
 not trample on his rights. He told them that they should 
 reverence God and the priesthood and not seek to introduce 
 
Mormon Emigration. 343 
 
 iniquity into the camp. He said that if any man would 
 rather go back than abide by the law, he had the privilege 
 of doing so at once. He then turned to his brethren and 
 said: 
 
 "I am one of the last to ask my brethren to enter into 
 solemn covenants, but if they will not enter into a covenant 
 to put away their iniquity and turn to the Lord and serve 
 him, acknowledge and honor his name, then they shall take 
 their wagons and retreat, for I will go no further under 
 such conditions. I want the brethren to be ready for meet- 
 ing tomorrow at the time appointed, instead of rambling oflE 
 and hiding in their wagons to play cards. I think it will 
 be good for us to have a fast meeting and a prayer meeting 
 also, humble ourselves and turn to the Lord, and he will 
 forgive us." 
 
 After this speech he called upon the apostles, bishops, 
 high priests and other officers of the church to stand before 
 him, when each was asked separately if he were willing to 
 covenant and turn to the Lord with all his heart, to repent 
 of his follies, to cease from his evil ways and serve God 
 according to his laws. Without a dissenting voice, every 
 man, with uplifted hand, entered into the covenant. Wil- 
 furd Woodruff, the present head of the church, Heber 0. 
 Kimball and Orson Pratt each spoke a few words, asking 
 that their leader's advice be carefully followed. Others 
 acknowledged their errors and pledged strict obedience for 
 the future. This was the first crisis in the life of Brigham 
 Young and it had been met in a manner that proved his 
 worthiness to become a great leader. This event spoken of 
 occurred twenty-five miles east of Fort Laramie and it had 
 a marked effect on every person composing the train. On 
 June 1st the pioneers reached Fort Laramie, where they 
 were kindly received by James Bordeau of the American 
 Fur Company. At that point Brigham Young found wait- 
 ing for him a small company from Pueblo, Colorado, under 
 the leadership of Kobert Grow. Quite a number of Mor- 
 mons had wintered at Pueblo and all of them were expect- 
 ing to go to Salt Lake. Mr. Crow's party came on in ad- 
 vance with the understanding that the balance were to fol- 
 
344 History of Wyoming. 
 
 low when they received word from him that the main cara- 
 van under Brigham Yo'ung had reached Fort Laramie. 
 
 At this fort the Mormons met a party of traders who 
 had come from Fort Bridger, and from these they learned 
 that the snow was two feet deep along the road up the 
 Sweetwater and that they had been obliged to abandon 
 their wagons and complete their journey to Fort Laramie 
 on horseback. This was not a pleasant outlook for the 
 Mormons, and so they remained over until the 4th, when 
 they again pushed on up the Platte and on June 12th 
 reached the crossing two miles above where now stands 
 the city of Caspar. The river was full to its banks and there 
 was great difficulty in crossing the stream with the wagons 
 and teams. Boats and rafts were constructed, and it was 
 not until the 19th that the party was ready to push onward. 
 Brigham Young ordered ten men of the party to remain 
 to ferry over trains that were to follow from Pueblo, and 
 others from the Missouri Eiver. Thomas Grover had charge 
 of the party and his instructions were to allow all Oregon 
 emigrants to use the ferry who would pay for the privilege,^ 
 and it was his opinion that they would do business enough 
 to cover the price of their subsistence. The 20th was Sun- 
 day, and in spite of the sacred day and the strict observance 
 of it on all other occasions, the train went forward to escape 
 bad water, mosquitoes and other discomforts. On the 21st 
 Independence Eock was reached and that night camp waa 
 made at the Devil's Gate. Two days after leaving thia 
 place, they foynd on the side of the road a lonely grave, over 
 which was an inscription which read: "Matilda Crowley j 
 born July 16, 1830; died July 7, 1846." The train passed on 
 up the Sweetwater and on the 26th crossed the South Pass, 
 This was the sixty-first day after leaving their winter en- 
 campment on the Missouri River. Here they met a return 
 party from Oregon with Moses Harris, the trapper, as guide. 
 Of this man Harris the Mormons asked many questions 
 and drew from him a considerable amount of useful in- 
 formation regarding the road over which they had to pass, 
 and of Salt Lake Valley, where they expected to settle. On 
 
I. W, Woodruff. 
 
 4. W, H. Hooper. 5. President Brich.mm Young 
 7. John Sharp. 8. George Q. Cannon. 
 
 MORMON PIONEERS. 
 2. John Taylor. 3. Mayor Daniel H. Wells. 
 
 6. I tRSON Pratt. 
 
 L). Orson Hyde 
 
Mormon Emigration. 345 
 
 the 28th they met Jim Bridger and two companions, who 
 were on their way from Fort Bridger to Fort Laramie. 
 Bridger was told that it was Brigham Young's intention 
 to call on him at his fort for the purpose of securing a know- 
 ledge of the road. He informed them that if they would go 
 into camp he would tell them all he knew of the road to Salt 
 Lake and of the country which surrounded it. Brigham 
 Young thought it was important to get information from a 
 man who had the reputation at that time of being the best 
 informed guide in the Kocky Mountains, and he therefore 
 ordered a halt and they went into camp on the spot. This 
 was the first meeting between Jim Bridger and Brigham 
 Young, but it was by no means their last. The information 
 imparted to the Mormon leader by this noted character 
 was not encouraging; he did not think much of the region 
 around Salt Lake and had nothing good to say about it. 
 The next day, June 29th, the train reached Big Sandy and 
 encamped. Here a number of the emigrants were taken 
 sick with a violent fever, and some were delirious. It was 
 supposed the sickness was caused by saleratus, picked up 
 on the alkali lands, as this article had been freely used by 
 the company in cooking. The sickness was not of long 
 duration. On the 30th they reached Green River, to cross 
 which they were obliged to construct a ferry. At this camp 
 they were met by Elder Brennan of California, and his ob- 
 ject in meeting them was to induce Brigham Young to lo- 
 cate his party at Yerba Buena, later known as San Fran- 
 cisco. Neither Young nor his elders were inclined to change 
 their purpose of making their homes in Salt Lake Valley. 
 Green Eiver proved to be diflScult to cross, and it was noon 
 of July 3 before the last wagon was landed on the opposite 
 side of the river. Three miles beyond, the train went into 
 camp, where it remained until Monday, July 4. At this 
 point five men were sent back as guides to other Mormon 
 trains soon to leave the Missouri Eiver. Their next camp 
 was very near what is now known as Granger, the eastern 
 terminus of the Oregon Short Line. On July 7th the train 
 reached Fort Bridger, which is described by these pioneer 
 
346 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Mormons as two adjoining log houses with sod roofs, sur- 
 rounded by a log fence eight feet high. The Mormons say 
 that the fort was inhabited at that time by about fifty 
 whites, Indians and half-breeds and was owned by Bridger 
 and Vasquez. The Mormon train remained over one day at 
 Bridger to give the blacksmiths and wagon-repairers time 
 to shoe horses and repair wagons. On Monday, July 12th, 
 they passed out of what is now Wyoming and entered Utah, 
 but there was great discouragement prevalent. These pio- 
 neers realized that they were in a country destined to bring 
 them many hardships. Brigham Young never faltered, nor 
 did his courage fail once on the trip. He had a theory that 
 in the Salt Lake Valley abundance could be produced for 
 the use of his colony, by the aid of irrigation, and nothing 
 would satisfy him except to make the trial. 
 
 The first section of the Mormon train, under Orson 
 Pratt, reached Salt Lake on July 21st, and on the following 
 day the main body arrived, but Brigham Young was behind 
 in the mountains and did not come up until the 24th. He 
 had been sick and was obliged to lay over. On the arrival of 
 these people in Salt Lake Valley, they were not favorably 
 impressed with the location. Brigham Young spoke en- 
 couragingly of the promised land. He understood the appli- 
 cation of water to the soil and assured his followers that 
 if crops were planted they would grow. The colonists had 
 brought agricultural implements, seeds and cattle with 
 them. Plows were brought out, and notwithstanding the 
 lateness of the season, crops were put in the ground. 
 Homes were built and the settlement commenced. That 
 same week the ground was selected for the great Mormon 
 temple. Trains continued to arrive all that summer and 
 fall, and by the time winter set in there was a population 
 of 2,095. On August 16th, Brigham Young started on his 
 return journey to the Missouri, and the following year 
 there were large additions made to the colony, and by Sep- 
 tember the population numbered between 4,000 and 5,000. 
 During the summer of 1848 a considerable amount of land 
 was ploughed and potatoes and other crops planted. Every 
 
Mormon Emigration. 347 
 
 effort was made to produce enough to feed the people during 
 the following winter. Just at the time when the crops were 
 the most promising, millions of crickets appeared and com- 
 menced to devour everything, and settlers saw starvation 
 staring them in the face. Fortunately, gulls from the lake 
 came and devoured the crickets, which was regarded as an 
 act of Providence for the protection of the chosen people 
 who had come to occupy the promised land. 
 
 The years following brought large additions to the 
 Mormon colony in Utah, and a number of counties were or- 
 ganized. The tireless head of the church kept agents not 
 only in the east but in Europe, asking people to join the 
 Mormon settlement and the church. Some of these people 
 located around Fort Bridger, others along the North Platte, 
 and at one time it was thought that the southwestern por- 
 tion of this state would become Mormon territory. Had 
 not Brigham Young refused to acknowledge federal au- 
 thority and forced the government to send Albert Sidney 
 Johnston with five regiments out to subdue the Mormons, a 
 portion of our state would undoubtedly have remained a 
 part of Utah. This trouble with the Mormons induced the 
 general government to reduce the size of their territory and 
 accordingly Nevada was taken off the west, a considerable 
 strip lying west of the mountains was put into Colorado, 
 and a smaller portion makes up the southwest corner of 
 Wyoming. 
 
 The Mormon settlers exercised great influence over 
 this portion of the Eocky Mountains. It was Brigham 
 Young who introduced, in a practical way, irrigation into 
 the United States. He taught his followers how to become 
 self-supporting and consequently how to overcome the tri- 
 als incident to making homes in the arid region. He under- 
 stood the art of attracting people to the country which he 
 had selected for his operations. Aside from his peculiar 
 views in regard to polygamy, no fault was found by broad- 
 minded people with his church, or the men who flocked to 
 his standard. History will give him the first place in all that 
 pertains to the founding and building up of a great com- 
 
348 History of Wyoming. 
 
 monwealth. Brigham Young and William Grilpin are the 
 two great characters who early located in the Rocky Moun- 
 tain country. Gilpin was an explorer, a soldier, a pioneer, 
 a statesman and a founder of empire. He was broad-mind- 
 ed, possessed clear sight — seeing far into the future — was a 
 loyal American citizen, and has left a name untarnished. 
 He died loved and honored by all. Young was a man of 
 another sort — leading men to do things through religious 
 zeal, compelling obedience because of his commanding na- 
 ture, reaching success through well chosen methods and 
 building up his people and church by making the corner- 
 stone of success, industry. Love of country was not in his 
 nature. 
 
History of Fort Bridger. 349 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 HISTORY OF FORT BRIDGER. 
 
 First ix Trappers' and Traders' Rendezvous — Bridger Builds a 
 Blockhouse — The Bridger and Vasquez Partnership — The Mor- 
 mons Settle Around the Fort in 1853 — Rebuilt in 1855 — Occu- 
 pied BY Government Troops, Winter of 1857-8 — Troops on Short 
 Rations — Captain Marcy's Winter Journey — Fort Rebuilt by 
 the Government — Practically Abandoned in i86i — ^Judge Car- 
 ter Organizes a Company of Mountaineers to Garrison the 
 Fort — California and Nevada Volunteers Occupy the Post 
 from 1862 to 1866 — Arrival of United States Troops to Replace 
 Volunteers — Troops Protect Overland Stages and Engineers of 
 Union Pacific Railway — Abandoned in 1890. 
 
 Fort Bridger is one of the well known trading posts 
 in the Rocky Mountains. As early as Bonneville's time the 
 locality was a rendezvous for fur traders and trappers. 
 Even as early as 1834 a number of trappers made perma- 
 nent locations in the vicinity. They married squaws of the 
 Snake or Shoshone tribes and tried to induce the Indians 
 to stay in the country. This was against the nature of these 
 marauders, and the trappers who had been adopted into the 
 tribe found that for safety they must, a part of the year, fol- 
 low the Indians. One of the trappers who had fallen in 
 love with the country along the Black Fork was Jack Rob- 
 inson, a man who thoroughly enjoyed a home and had great 
 influence among several Indian tribes. For many years 
 he was the personal friend of Jim Bridger and a great ad- 
 mirer of that renowned trapper, trader, Indian fighter and 
 guide. He it was who called Bridger's attention to the 
 many advantages possessed by the little valley of Black's 
 Fork. There was beaver in all the streams of that country, 
 buffalo, deer and elk in the vicintiy, and besides, it was be- 
 ginning to be a highway used by those going to and from 
 the Columbia River. These talks between Uncle Jack Rob- 
 inson and Jim Bridger finally resulted in the latter's erec- 
 
350 History of Wyoming. 
 
 tion of a trading house at that point. This post was located 
 in the valley of the Black Fork, a tributary of Green River, 
 two and one-half miles above Smith's Fork. 
 
 Basil Lajeunesse, W. M. Anderson, Thomas Fitzpat- 
 rick. Captain William Sublette, Fontenelle, James Bridger 
 and Jack Eobinson all visited the Black Fork in 1834 and 
 spent a part of the season in that vicinity. Nathaniel J. 
 Wyeth, Captain Bonneville, Captain Stewart of the British 
 army, Dr. Harrison, a son of the first president of that name, 
 and a number of Catholic and Protestant missionaries who 
 were on their way to Oregon, were also visitors at the ren- 
 dezvous held by the Rocky Mountain and American Fur 
 Companies at that place the same year. The whole country 
 was filled with Snake Indians at that time, and these had 
 many friends among the trappers. 
 
 In the spring of 1842, Jim Bridger built a blockhouse, 
 or rather two houses joined together, surrounded by a fence 
 eight feet high, made of logs set three feet in the ground 
 and hewn to a touching surface. This served as a corral 
 for the stock and also protected the blockhouse, which was 
 located within the enclosure. During the next few years a 
 large amount of business was transacted in furs at this 
 point. In 1845, Auguste Vasquez became a partner of 
 Bridger at this fort. The former had served under General 
 Ashley as a trapper and later under Captain William Sub- 
 lette. In 1843 he was chosen by Fremont and went with 
 him to Oregon and to Northern California, and returned 
 with him to the Great Salt Lake and was discharged at the 
 Missouri River. Coming back to the mountains, he entered 
 into partnership with Bridger as above stated. The firm of 
 Bridger and Vasquez continued to do business at the fort 
 until 1854, when, it is said, they sold out to Louis Robinson, 
 but I do not feel certain that this transfer was made. Louis 
 Robinson was a native of North Carolina and came to the 
 west in 1832, locating at Taos, New Mexico. The Mormons 
 claim that he was of their faith and that he went to Green 
 River with Isaac Bullock and John Nebeker and fifty odd 
 other Mormons in the year 1853, when the great Mormon 
 
History of Fort Bridger. 351 
 
 settlement was made on the western tributaries of Green 
 Eiyer. It is said by some that this man Robinson directly 
 represented Brigham Young and that he was acting under 
 orders when he bought Fori: Bridger and the land connected 
 with it. All I can find on this subject comes principally 
 from Mormon sources. There is a story, however, told by 
 E. A. Curiey, a special correspondent of the London Field, 
 who wrote some letters to his paper from Wyoming in 1873. 
 These letters were republished in 1874 by the Wyoming 
 Board of Immigration, and from among them I select the 
 following extract regarding a visit paid by the correspon- 
 dent to Fort Bridger and the old mountaineer of that name. 
 Mr. Curiey seems to have secured the facts for this story, 
 if facts they are, from Judge Carter, the post trader at Fort 
 Bridger at that time. 
 
 "The post is nestled in a beautiful valley with babbling 
 brooks running through and around it. It was named after 
 a famous hunter, trapper and guide, Jim Bridger, who 
 passed about fifty years of his life in the wild regions of the 
 Eocky Mountains. He was a great favorite with the In- 
 dians, and, with a natural fondness for mountain scenery, 
 he traversed the country in every direction, sometimes ac- 
 companied by an Indian, but of tener alone — ^the beaver that 
 he caught making his excursions as profitable as they were 
 interesting to this wildest of mountain Nimrods. He fa- 
 miliarized himself with every mountain peak, every deep 
 gorge, almost every hill and landmark, in an immense re- 
 gion of country. Few objects of interest to a hunter escaped 
 his scrutiny, and he was said never to forget what once he 
 had seen. By long intercourse with Indians, he learned 
 their language, became familiar with their signs, adopted 
 their habits, conformed to their customs, was imbued with 
 some of their superstitions, and at length excelled them in 
 strategy. In the course of his chequered life he saw mar- 
 vels enough to have formed the stock in trade of a regiment 
 of fair-weather travelers, and of novelists after — generally 
 a long way after — Fenimore Cooper. But the actual mar- 
 vels, of which he had seen so many, never satisfied Jim 
 Bridger; he delighted in tough yarns, in which he was quite 
 an artist, telling his most Munchausen-like ptories with 
 such an air of literal accuracy, and with such an appearance 
 of honest indignation at the slightest shadow of doubt. 
 
352 History of Wyoming. 
 
 as generally enabled him to impose upon the credulity of 
 the many. Mr. Hepworth Dixon, in his trip across the 
 American continent, became the prey of artists far less 
 skillful than old Jim; and it is almost a pity that he did 
 not have the fortune to meet the greatest liar on the Ameri- 
 can continent and extend his very interesting book to three 
 volumes in consequence. Bridger built a ranch on the site 
 of the present post, where he had a few cattle in partner- 
 ship with one Vasquez, who was, I believe, a Mexican half- 
 breed. When the Mormon pioneers first passed this way to 
 Salt Lake, he probably acted as their guide. At any rate, he 
 so far sophisticated President Brigham Young — who 
 was even then an old bird not easily caught — that he bought 
 out Bridger, who pretended to hold a stretch of thirty miles 
 under a Mexican grant, paying him down |4,000 for the 
 grant, the shanties and the cattle, and agreeing to pay 
 |4,000 more at a subsequent time. The place became too 
 hot for the Mormons; they had to leave, and Bridger rented 
 his pretended grant to General A. S. Johnston of a military 
 post for $600 a year, on a ten years' lease. Taking a copy of 
 this provisional lease, he then journeyed to Salt Lake and 
 succeeded in raising the other |4,000 from the Mormon 
 prophet. But the contract, to be valid, must be confirmed 
 at Washington. A diligent search revealed the fact that 
 there was no Mexican grant, and that Bridger was kindly 
 obliging the government for a substantial consideration 
 with a piece of its own property. The bargain consequently 
 fell through, and the post was established without payment 
 of rental; but old Jim had the pleasure of spending the 
 18,000. President Young had made repeated applications 
 to have his claim allowed ; but, although it is quite as good 
 as many another that had passed muster, it is very unlikely 
 that the prophet will ever find profitable his |8,000 invest- 
 ment in Bridger. He still maintains, however, that he was 
 never so unwise as to be outdone by old Jim ; that his deeds 
 are all right in his possession; and that it is nothing but the 
 willful injustice of Uncle Sam that withholds from him 
 this magnificent domain." 
 
 In corroboration of the sale by Bridger to Young, the 
 War Department informs me that "The Mormons set up a 
 claim to the land on which the post was located on the 
 ground of a conveyance from James Bridger, who was said 
 to hold a Spanish grant for the same." The land in that 
 part of Wyoming was acquired from Mexico by the war of 
 
History of Fort Bridger. 353 
 
 1848, and Bridger made the location in 1842. It is probable, 
 therefore, that Bridger did have some sort of a title or 
 promise title to the property from the Mexicans. He took 
 np the land with a view to using the broad valleys for pas- 
 turing stock. There were Mexican grants in Colorado and 
 New Mexico and in other parts of the territory ceded by the 
 Mexican government to the United States in 1848. All of 
 Bridger's transactions were notably honest, and there are 
 hundreds of people even to this day, who knew him well, 
 who will testify to this. He told some wonderful tales, but, 
 like the novel writer, he did not claim that they were true. 
 They amused, at least, if they did not instruct. 
 
 Resuming the direct history of the fort, Louis Robin- 
 son rebuilt it in 1855, and when it was finished it presented 
 a very substantial appearance. It was constructed of boul- 
 der stone, one hundred feet square and fourteen feet high. 
 On the top of the walls were pickets and on diagonal corners 
 were bastions, somewhat after the style of Fort Laramie. 
 A corral fifty-two feet wide was built against the fort. 
 The locality then was a part of Utah and the Mormons had 
 scattered settlements over a considerable portion of that 
 section, and thus matters stood until 1857, when the Mor- 
 mons, who had been conducting affairs in the territory in a 
 manner displeasing to the United States, by interference 
 with the duties of territorial officials, not of their own re- 
 ligious faith, and by obliging prominent Gentiles to leave 
 the territory, a crisis was reached in the affairs of Utah. 
 President Buchanan appointed A. Gumming governor to 
 succeed Brigham Young, who had held that oflflce, and also 
 made some changes in other territorial ofSces. Young re- 
 fused to recognize these appointments, whereupon the Presi- 
 dent promptly dispatched a military force to Utah to seat 
 the newly appointed ofiScials and to enforce the laws of the 
 United States. The command of the expedition was given 
 to Brigadier General Harney, but he being detained by the 
 political troubles in Kansas, Colonel E. B. Alexander of the 
 Tenth Infantry went out in command. The force consisted 
 of the Fifth, Seventh and Tenth Infantry, Second Dragoons, 
 
 -(23) 
 
354 History of Wyoming. 
 
 and Phelps and Reno's batteries of the Fourth Artillery. 
 The troops started west by the North Platte route over the 
 Overland trail, passing South Pass, and reached Henry's 
 Fork of Green River thirty miles east of Fort Bridger and 
 there went into camp to await instructions from Washing- 
 ton. In November, General Albert Sidney Johnston arrived 
 I and took command, having been substituted for General 
 Harney. On the 23rd the expedition reached Fort Bridger 
 and went into winter quarters. As I have explained in the 
 history of the Overland trail, the greater part of the sup- 
 plies for this force had been captured and destroyed on 
 Green River and the Big Sandy by Mormon troops, and the 
 command had to be placed on short rations. Captain R. B. 
 Marcy with forty men was at once dispatched across the 
 mountains to Fort Massachusetts to obtain supplies. It 
 was a terrible trip in the dead of winter and there was much 
 suffering among the men on the journey. Jim Baker ac- 
 companied Captain Marcy, and that officer testified that he 
 rendered valuable services as assistant, guide and inter- 
 preter. The story is told that Marcy on this journey met a 
 band of Utes in the mountains and tried to hire one as 
 guide. The chief of the band said to Baker, the inter- 
 preter, that the snow was too deep for any human being to 
 cross. Baker said in a taunting manner, "Do you think 
 we are old women? I at first took you for a warrior, but I 
 see you're a squaw." The Indian became very much en- 
 raged at this taunt, when Baker added in a soothing way, 
 "Go home, now, and cover up warm, or assist your squaw in 
 taking care of the babies." The warrior pointed to the moun- 
 tain and called attention to the snow upon the peaks, and 
 said that in the passes it was many feet deep. Notwith- 
 standing this discouraging report, the little force pushed on 
 and after losing nearly all their animals and suffering from 
 hunger, cold and all the incidental privations, the little 
 command at last reached Fort Massachusetts. Captain 
 Marcy often said that had it not been for Jim Baker his lit- 
 tle company would never have been able to reach its desti- 
 nation. Supplies were secured at Fort Massachusetts, but 
 
History of Fort Bridger. 355 
 
 the return journey was not undertaken until June, and they 
 came back by way of South Pass. In the meantime, the 
 troops at Fort Bridger, which had been placed on half ra- 
 tions, were reduced to half of that. The snow was exceed- 
 ingly deep that winter and little or no game was to be found 
 and consequently horses and mules became the only article 
 of diet. The wood for the camp had to be hauled a distance 
 of five or six miles and the time finally came when there 
 were no horses for this purpose. The men cheerfully har- 
 nessed themselves to the number of thirty before each 
 wagon to go to the woods and secure fuel. At last spring 
 came and supplies reached them from Fort Laramie. As 
 soon as the snow was off. General Johnston made a recon- 
 noissance of the neighborhood and finally decided to estab- 
 lish a post at Fort Bridger, as it was the most accessible 
 point for concentrating troops to operate against the Mor- 
 mons and Indians, and finally on the 10th of June, Troop K, 
 First Cavalry, and Company E and H, Sixth Infantry, under 
 the command of Major William Hoffman, who had just ar- 
 rived with reinforcements and an ample supply train, were 
 detailed to remain at the fort while General Johnston with 
 the balance of the command pushed forward to Salt Lake. 
 At about this time Brigham Young, on the part of the 
 Mormons, consented without further resistance to the trans- 
 fer of his office to Governor Gumming, and to the occupancy 
 of the territory by United States troops. General Johnston 
 then proceeded to establish old Camp Floyd, which was 
 located forty miles south of Salt Lake City. Major Hoffman 
 in the meanwhile was not idle at Fort Bridger. The build- 
 ing of barracks and quarters, etc., was at once begun, the 
 labor being performed by the troops. The old boulder-stone 
 Mormon fort (hitherto referred to) had meanwhile been 
 taken possession of and converted into storehouses. 
 
 On the 17th of August of this year, Brevet Lieutenant 
 Colonel E. A. S. Canby, Major Tenth Infantry, relieved 
 Major Hoffman in command, the latter joining the compa- 
 nies of the Sixth Infantry, which shortly left the post en- 
 route for California. During the administration of Colonel 
 
356 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Canby, and in the same year, the building of the post was, 
 for the most part, completed. Subsequently no important 
 changes in the command of the fort occurred until May 29, 
 
 1861, when Captain Jesse A. Gore, Tenth Infantry, became 
 commanding officer and so continued until the withdrawal 
 of troops from Utah to aid in suppressing the rebellion. 
 
 About this period. Camp Floyd, already referred to, 
 was abandoned, and the troops, under the command of Colo- 
 nel Cooke, Second Cavalry, ordered to Fort Bridger. On his 
 arrival he directed that the greatest portion of the subsist- 
 ence stores then at the post, and such of the quartermas- 
 ter's stores as were not needed elsewhere, should be sold at 
 auction. Captain Gore, with the bulk of the garrison, joined 
 Colonel Cooke's commandj which early in August, 1861, 
 left the post for Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Captain J. C. 
 Clarke, Fourth Artillery, with a few soldiers whose terms 
 of service had nearly expired, being left in charge of the 
 post. In December of the same year. Captain Clarke was 
 ordered east, leaving Ordnance Sergeant Boyer and a few 
 privates at the post. 
 
 For about a year from this date. Fort Bridger was with- 
 out a garrison or a commissioned officer, during which peri- 
 od the property was under charge of Sergeant Boyer. This 
 was a somewhat critical period in the history of the post. 
 The Shoshone Indians were at that time hostile, and the 
 Mormons, since the withdrawal of the troops, were regarded 
 as still more dangerous enemies. 
 
 Fearing trouble, and for the protection of property at 
 the post as well as for personal security, Judge W. A. Car- 
 ter, the post trader, organized a volunteer company of 
 mountaineers from the surrounding country. In December, 
 
 1862, Captain M. G. Lewis, with Company I, Third Califor- 
 nia Volunteers, arrived and assumed command. During 
 several succeeding years, Fort Bridger was garrisoned by 
 companies of California and Nevada Volunteers; and vari- 
 ous changes occurred from time to time. Major Noyes Bald- 
 win, who afterwards located in Lander, was at one time in 
 command. 
 
Eistory of Fort Bridger. 357 
 
 In July, 1866, the volunteer troops were mustered out 
 of service; and on the 13th of that month Brevet Major A. 
 S. Burt, Captain Eighteenth Infantry, with Companies F 
 and H, First Battalion of that regiment, arrived and as- 
 sumed command. When the Territory of Wyoming was 
 formed in 1868, the post and vicinity were included in that 
 territory. 
 
 Many old trappers remained at the post or near there, 
 becoming permanent settlers in the country, and these often- 
 visited the fort and station in the Overland days. Albert 
 D. Richardson, who crossed the plains in 1865 with Vice 
 President Schuyler Colfax, stopped over at Fort Bridger 
 and there met and talked with Uncle Jack Robinson. Ha 
 describes him as a good story-teller, droll and interesting. 
 While waiting for dinner, Uncle Jack related that he had 
 once, single-handed and alone, made 150 Blackfeet run. 
 "How was that?" queried Richardson. "Well, you see," re- 
 plied Uncle Jack, "it was one year when the red devils were 
 very hostile and lifted the hair of every white man they 
 could catch. While riding a swift horse one day, I came 
 suddenly upon a party numbering fully 150. I turned quick- 
 ly and ran, and they all ran after me." Then he added, "but 
 they didn't catch Old Jack." 
 
 In 1866-7, the project of a railroad across the continent 
 was in contemplation, and during these years portions of the 
 garrison were, from time to time, engaged in escorting engi- 
 neers of the Union Pacific Railway; also detachments were 
 employed in guarding the Overland stage route 200 miles 
 east of Green River. The troops were also employed in 
 erecting additional storehouses and repairing old ones, un« 
 der Brevet Major J. H. Belcher, Post Quartermaster. 
 
 The post was abandoned May 23, 1878, pursuant to 
 General Orders No. 4, Headquarters Department of the 
 Platte, series of 1878, and remained without a garrison until 
 June 28, 1880, when in view of the location of the Northern 
 Utes on the Uintah reservation, it was reoccupied by Com- 
 panies F and H, Fourth Infantry, under the command of 
 
358 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Captain William H. Bisbee, in compliance with Special Or- 
 ders No. 57, June, 1880, from same headquarters. 
 
 In the summer of 1883, the work of building additional 
 liarracks and quarters was commenced, with a view of in- 
 creasing the garrison. In June of this year, two companies 
 from the post and two from Fort Fred Steele, under com- 
 mand of Major I. D. De Eussy, Fourth Infantry, were en- 
 gaged for about two months in repairing and improving 
 the road to Fort Thornburg. From November 19 to Decem- 
 ber 4, 1885, Company H, Twenty-first Infantry, under the 
 command of Lieutenant F. E. Eltonhead, of same regiment, 
 was at work on the telegraph line between the post and Car- 
 ter Station, being engaged in replacing the old wooden tele- 
 graph poles by iron ones, in accordance with instructions 
 from Department Headquarters. 
 
 After the necessity for which the post was established 
 liad ceased, its garrison was useful in protecting the Over- 
 land stage route, on which it was located, and in keeping in 
 subjection the Ute and Shoshone tribes of Indians, who 
 roamed in the vicinity. The utility of the post consisted in 
 its being a base of supplies for troops serving at the Wind 
 Eiver Agency and Sweetwater mining district, and a win- 
 tering place for the cavalry operating in that country dur- 
 ing the summer. 
 
 The post was discontinued and troops withdrawn No- 
 vember 6, 1890. 
 
 This closes the military history of Fort Bridger. The 
 civil history of that locality and the record made by honored 
 pioneers in that section will be given in connection with the 
 history of Uintah County, which will appear in the second 
 volume of my work. 
 
Events on the Overland. 359 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 EVENTS ON THE OVERLAND. 
 
 What Came of Fremont's Explorations — Hockaday and Liggett's 
 Monthly Stage From the Missouri to Salt Lake — Fort Kear- 
 ney, South Pass and Honey Lake Wagon Road — Winter Camp 
 IN THE Wind River Valley — Colonel F. W. Lander and the 
 Shoshone Indians — Russell, Majors and Waddell, the Freight- 
 ers — Daily Stage Line — The Pony Express — Fight Between the 
 Shoshones and Sioux — Death of the War Chief Washakie's 
 Eldest Son — Construction of the Telegraph Line. 
 
 The Overland trail through Wyoming became the great 
 continental highway over which passed the army of settlers 
 who located in Oregon, California and Utah. Its geographi- 
 cal position was such as to make it the most direct route to 
 the territories named, and it had another important ad- 
 vantage. It was the one easy route from the Missouri to the 
 Columbia. There was water, feed and fuel in abundance, 
 three absolute necessities on a road to be used for emigra- 
 tion purposes. I have already told of Robert Stuart and 
 his companions discovering this short-cut to the Pacific; 
 we have seen General Ashley, Captain Sublette, Captain 
 Bonneville, Rev. Parker, the missionary, Marcus Whitman, 
 Father De Smet, John C. Fremont and other men of renown 
 pass over this trail. 
 
 During the year 1840, Congress had under considera- 
 iton the establishing of a line of posts through the Indian 
 country, and the Secretary of War was asked to Report to 
 the Senate, giving his opinion as to the necessity of estab- 
 lishing these posts from the Missouri River to the South 
 Pass. That ofiQcer, in reply to the Senate resolution asking 
 for information, said that he could not satisfactorily answer 
 until the completion of certain explorations undertaken by 
 the War Department, which he expected would be finished 
 during the year. He, however, considered that three posts 
 
360 History of Wyoming. 
 
 would be sufflcient, one at the junction of the North and 
 South Forks of the Platte, one at the mouth of the Lara- 
 mie, and the third might be at the mouth of the Popo Agie 
 on Wind River or at the junction of Horse Creek and Green 
 Eiver. The report and recommendations were of such a 
 nature as to prevent the subject being further considered 
 by Congress until the explorations spoken of were made. 
 The evident object of the Secretary of War was to prevent 
 action by Congress. No explorations were made into this 
 section of country, and it was not until the spring of 1842 
 that an expedition was fitted out to explore the North 
 Platte, the Sweetwater and South Pass. This was Fre- 
 mont's exploring party, but he did not go to the mouth of 
 the Popo Agie. Nor did he get nearer Horse Creek than the 
 main Newfork, and yet that was near enough to answer all 
 practical purposes. He reported in favor of a post at the 
 mouth of the Laramie, but made no recommendation at 
 that time for any other post in Wyoming. 
 
 The settling up of the territories west brought about 
 the necessity of military protection for the people, and con- 
 sequently the founding of military posts throughout the in- 
 terior. The army post created a demand for transportation 
 and the government found it advantageous to employ con- 
 tractors to handle its freight, consisting of military stores, 
 ammunition, etc. Such contracts were let as early as 1849 
 for transporting the supplies to Fort Kearney, Fort Lara- 
 mie and Fort Hall. The founding of cities increased this 
 demand for transportation, as merchants found it cheaper 
 to employ freighters than to own and operate freighting 
 outfits. The outgrowth of this demand for freight trans- 
 portation was the organization of transportation compa- 
 nies. The supplies for General Albert Sidney Johnston's 
 army in 1857 were transported by contract, and the freight- 
 ers were Russell, Majors and Waddell, who had for a num- 
 ber of years been engaged in the freighting business be- 
 tween the Missouri River and Santa Fe. Following John- 
 ston's army were three large trains belonging to the firm 
 I have mentioned, loaded with five hundred thousand 
 
PONY EXPRESS STATION. 
 
 DEER GREEK OUERLAND STAGE STATION. 
 
 {Noiv Glenrock.') 
 
Events on the Overland. 361 
 
 pounds of supplies. The train was in the rear of the army 
 and without a military escort. The head train had passed 
 Green River and the two following it were still on the 
 Sandy, when a Mormon force under Colonel George A. 
 Smith came up and captured the three trains. No violence 
 was offered to the freighters, but orders were given to 
 wagon masters to surrender the property- to the Mormons ; 
 at the same time each was told to select a wagon and a 
 yoke of oxen and take supplies sufBcient to last the men 
 until they should reach Fort Leavenworth. As soon as this 
 was done, the trains were set on Are and the stores, together 
 with the wagons, consumed. This high-handed outrage was 
 a full declaration of war on the part of the Mormons against 
 the general government, and besides, it placed Johnston's 
 army on very slender subsistence for the winter. This is 
 more fully explained in the history of Fort Bridger. The 
 men belonging to the freighting outfits arrived safely at the 
 Missouri River and were the first to report the loss of the 
 supplies to the government, which they made known to 
 the commander at Fort Laramie as they passed through. 
 The cattle captured by the Mormons were returned to the 
 United States authorities at Salt Lake the following year. 
 Early in the spring of 1858, the War Department hur- 
 ried forward an immense amount of supplies for troops at 
 Fort Laramie, Fort Bridger, Fort Hall and Salt Lake. Rus- 
 sell, Majors and Waddell had on the plains that year 3,500 
 wagons, 40,000 oxen and 4,000 employes, but some of these 
 were on the Santa Fe trail. The road across Wyoming in 
 1858 was a grand thoroughfare, filled with government 
 freighters, army ambulances and emigrant outfits. The 
 most of the wagons and oxen were left in the west and 
 never returned to the Missouri River country. Remarkable 
 to relate, the Indians seldom annoyed these freighters. The 
 road over which this freight was carried was comparatively 
 level as far west as South Pass. There was an abundance of 
 grass and water nearly every mile of the way, yet I find 
 General Johnston forwarding a report to the quartermas- 
 ter's department at Washington saying that it would bo 
 
362 History of Wyoming. 
 
 impossible to find subsistence along the road for the number 
 of animals it would require to transport the freight neces- 
 sary for the army. This was only the ordinary blunder of 
 an eastern officer who knew nothing of the nutritious qual- 
 ity of the grasses on the plains and in the mountains. 
 
 The conditions, circumstances and developments of the 
 west brought about new demands, such as mail, express 
 and passenger facilities, and these had to be supplied. In 
 the early days of the occupation of Fort Laramie by United 
 States troops, the great difficulty was to secure mail. Let- 
 ters intended for the western posts went to Fort Leaven- 
 worth and then were forwarded as opportunity oflEsred to 
 Fort Kearney, Fort Laramie, Fort Hall and Salt Lake. In 
 1851, John M. Hockaday and William Liggett established a 
 stage line to carry the mail and express packages to the 
 western posts. The stage also carried passengers. The 
 mail contract with the United States government oall9d for 
 making the journey from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Salt Lake 
 in twenty-one days, and the same number of days for the 
 return, making forty-two days for the round trip. The 
 horses were changed at Fort Kearney, Fort Laramie, Fort 
 Hall and Salt Lake. When the stage reached a watering 
 place, the driver watered his horses, and when they needed 
 feed, turned them out on the prairie. In this way the mail 
 and passengers were carried. This continued until 1858, 
 when Kussell, Majors and Waddell, the government freight- 
 ers, became the purchasers of the Hockaday and Liggett 
 line, which had grown from a monthly to a semi-mo athly. 
 The new proprietors ran the line from Atchison, Kansas, 
 and built stables and stations every ten or fifteen miles, 
 and horses were strung out along the line. When all was 
 in readiness, stages left Atchison and Salt Lake every day, 
 changing horses at each station, and made the 1,200 miles in 
 ten days. The line was supplied with Concord coach is and 
 the animals used were Kentucky mules. It took a large 
 number of freight teams to supply hay, grain and provisions 
 for the relay posts. From Salt Lake, Ben Holliday ran a 
 line to San Francisco, the government paying each of these 
 
Events on the Overland. 363 
 
 OTerland mail lines |400,000 for carrying the mail from the 
 Missouri to San Francisco. The daily line was put in opera- 
 tion in the spring of 1859. 
 
 In order to give a correct history of the great Overland 
 trail, it will be necessary to show the interest which the 
 general government was commencing to take in this high- 
 way. 
 
 In the winter of 1856-7, Congress made an appropria- 
 tion for the building of what was called the Fort Kearney, 
 South Pass and Honey Lake wagon road. This was sub- 
 stantially a government road from the Missouri through to 
 California. The object was to open a highway which would 
 permit emigrants to reach the Pacific coast without passing 
 through Salt Lake or the territory occupied by the Mor- 
 mons. A massacre of a whole train of people at Mountain 
 Meadow, Utah, who were on their way to California, by 
 Mormons, had prompted Congress to open a new route, and 
 William M. McGraw secured the contract, with the under- 
 standing that the road builders should be accompanied by 
 a sufficiently large military escort to give protection while 
 the work was going on. The soldiers were accompanied by 
 C. Drexler, taxidermist, and J. G. Cooper, surgeon. The 
 expedition left Fort Leavenworth in the spring of 1857 and 
 at once started for Fort Kearney, where the work of con- 
 struction was to commence. The route was west by the 
 Overland trail and for the most of the way little work had 
 to be done. There were some new crossings made, and at 
 such places the banks on either side of the river were 
 graded down. The expedition went to Ash IIollow, Chim- 
 ney Bock, Fort Laramie, Independence Eock, Devil's Cate, 
 and late in the fall reached Eocky Eidge, near South Pass. 
 The country at that season of the year presented a mid- 
 winter appearance, and to attempt going into camp at such 
 a place was out of the question. The government guide 
 recommended the Wind Eiver Valley as a desirable win- 
 tering place, so the soldiers and road builders turned north 
 and wading through deep snow finally reached the valley, 
 and winter quarters were selcted on the Popo Agie Eiver at 
 
364 History of Wyoming. 
 
 a point two miles northeast of where Lander now stands. 
 The encampment was surrounded with abundant feed for 
 horses and mules and game of all kinds was plentiful. Here 
 in one of the most beautiful spots for a winter camp the sol- 
 diers and artisans remained until the sprinj; opened, when 
 Colonel F. W. Lander arrived and took command of the ex- 
 pedition. It was the first visit of Colonel Lander to this 
 beautiful valley and it is said that he was much pleased 
 with it. Hon. B. F. Lowe became acquainted with the colo- 
 nel a year later. Lander liking the location of the valley, 
 and Lowe being favorably impressed with the many good 
 qualities of the colonel, nothing was more natural than that 
 he should name the town, which he was afterwards to locate, 
 in honor of Colonel Lander. On the 1st of June, 1858, the 
 command moved south to Rocky Ridge and took up the 
 work of building the road on across Wyoming. Before leav- 
 ing. Colonel Lander negotiated a treaty with the Shoshone 
 tribe for a right of way through the country claimed by 
 them, extending westward from the Sweetwater to Fort 
 Hall. The Indians were paid on the spot in horses, fire- 
 arms, ammunition, blankets, and many other articles of 
 value, highly prized by Washakie and the chief men of the 
 nation. The Shoshones remembered Colonel Lander kindly 
 ever after and they mourned his death when they heard 
 of it. He made several railroad surveys through the Rocky 
 Mountains, and in one of these expeditions he was the sole 
 survivor. In 1861 he entered the war for the preservation 
 of the Union and in May of that year he was appointed a 
 brigadier general and distinguished himself in several cam- 
 paigns in Virginia. He died in 1862. His wife was an ac- 
 tress of note, Jean Margaret Davenport. At the breaking 
 out of the war she volunteered as an army nurse and re- 
 mained in the service until 186.5, when she again returned to 
 the stage. 
 
 It is proper here to mention two very important enter- 
 prises which relate to the Overland trail ; in fact they are a 
 part of the trail itself, and these are the conveniences for 
 crossing the various streams.:/ The one great obstacle in the 
 
Events on the Overland. 365 
 
 way of the early emigrants was the swollen rivers which 
 crossed their path. The hardy trappers, traders and explor- 
 ers cared little for rivers, but when it came to the women 
 and children connected with the Overland travel it was a 
 serious business, and ways and means were finally found to 
 overcome the difficulty. The history of the ferries and 
 bridges of the Overland through Wyoming is not as clear 
 as could be wished. It certainly extends beyond the memory 
 of any man now living. It is safe to say that the bridge 
 across the Platte at Fort Laramie is the first structure of 
 that kind built within the present limits of our state. This 
 bridge has been mentioned in the history of Fort Laramie. 
 In those early days it was hard to find men who would fur- 
 nish the capital for these great conveniences along the Over- 
 land trail, for the reason that the season when a bridge was 
 necessary was very short, being only two or three months in 
 the year. After the month of August the rivers could be 
 crossed at almost any point, and consequently the emigrants 
 would not pay for going over a bridge. 
 
 Early in the fifties Louis Ganard built a toll bridge on 
 the Sweetwater, a short distance below Independence Rock, 
 and during the seasons of high water he did a paying busi- 
 ness. He had a sort of sliding scale of prices, intended to 
 be adjusted to the flood in the river. If the stream was run- 
 ning very high he charged ten dollars for a wagon and its 
 teams. If the water was lower the charge was five dollars, 
 and he had also a three dollar rate. Ganard was a French 
 Canadian and had a squaw for a wife, with whom he lived 
 until the time of his death. He had two nephews, half- 
 breeds, who lived with him. As has been related, the Mor- 
 mons, in 1847, established a ferry for their own convenience 
 on the North Platte, where Fort Caspar was afterwards 
 built. This ferry was kept up for a number of years, but 
 there was always difficulty in keeping track of the boat. 
 Mormon emigrants were instructed before leaving the east 
 to build a raft at this ferry in the event of their being unable 
 to find the regular boat. About the time the bridge on the 
 Sweetwater was built, John Eeshaw, or Richaud, bridged 
 
366 History of Wyommg. 
 
 the North Platte at a point seven miles below the Mormon 
 ferry. He did a good business there but was much annoyed 
 because people refused to pay his prices and went up to the 
 ferry and crossed somehow, either in a boat or on a raft. 
 In those days the horses were driven across the ford, but 
 the wagons were carried over on the improvised ferry boat, 
 also the people and their effects. At last some one put in a 
 good boat and stretched a rope across the stream, establish- 
 ing a regular ferry. This was too much for Keshaw. He 
 stormed, roared, and finally gave the parties running the 
 ferry |300 to stop business. He did not, however, purchase 
 the ferry boat and rope, but he thought he had secured the 
 traffic for his bridge. W. H. Carmichael, who now resides 
 at Wheatland, passed over the Overland trail in 1859, being 
 one of a company going to California. The train was a 
 large one, and when it reached Reshaw's bridge, the leader 
 entered into negotiations with Eeshaw for crossing. The 
 price was fixed at |2.50 per wagon and the emigrants made 
 up their minds they could do better by going to the ferry. 
 Eeshaw informed them that the ferry was a thing of the 
 past and no longer existed, but the leader of the train did 
 not choose to believe a statement that was made so clearly 
 in the interest of the toll-bridge keeper and consequently he 
 proposed to go on up to the ferry. Eeshaw then notified him 
 that if he persisted in going on, he would be obliged to come 
 back and cross the bridge at last, and if he did return, double 
 price would be charged, that is, |5.00 a wagon. On went 
 the train toward the ferry and on arriving there they found 
 the rope down and the ferry boat moored on the opposite 
 side. The water was high, but a man was placed on a horse 
 and took a rope across. After considerable delay and no 
 little hard work, the ferry was re-established and the fami- 
 lies, teams and goods were rapidly transferred to the north 
 bank of the river. All but four teams had been taken over 
 when Eeshaw, accompanied by three men, all heavily armedj 
 put in an appearance, and seeing the situation, his indigna- 
 tion knew no bounds. He abused and threatened those on 
 shore, remarking that he had influence with the Indians 
 
Events on the Overland. 367 
 
 and would see to it that they followed the train and de- 
 spoiled the emigrants of all they possessed. George Morris, 
 one of the emigrants, refused to be bulldozed, and drawing 
 a revolver, covered Eeshaw with it and ordered him to get 
 in the boat and accompany a load that was going across, 
 informing him at the same time that he would stand no more 
 of his abuse, but that he might make his complaint to the 
 leader of the train, who was on the other side of the river. 
 Eeshaw went over, and when he reached the other side he 
 burst out anew and fairly astonished the people of the train 
 with his violent language. It so happened that the parties 
 to the dispute were standing near a wagon which was occu- 
 pied by a sick man. Eeshaw heard the click of a rifle as it 
 was cocked and looking around to see where it came from, 
 discovered that the invalid had him covered with his rifle 
 and seemed to be fully determined to hold his advantage. 
 This brought an end to the scene and Eeshaw and his armed 
 ruffians started back down the river, but with a parting 
 malediction on the heads of the emigrants, threatening 
 them with 500 savages, who at his bidding would capture 
 the train, scalp the people and run off their stock. He then 
 left, amid the jeers of the party. As soon as he had de- 
 parted a subscription was taken up and twenty-five dollars 
 raised and paid to the owner of the boat for its use. The 
 train now proceeded on to the west. Eeshaw's threat was 
 not carried out, as no Indians followed or disturbed the 
 emigrants. 
 
 In that same year Louis Ganard built a bridge at the 
 Mormon ferry, as it had become a place of some importance. 
 This point was occupied by troops July 29, 1858, Companiea 
 D and E, Fourth Artillery, Captain Joseph Eoberts, Cap- 
 tain G. W. Getty, being a part of the second column of the 
 Utah expedition, for the purpose of keeping open the com- 
 munication with Salt Lake City, and to aid in the prompt 
 for,warding of supplies. I find on file in the War Depart- 
 ment an order dated Washington, March 23, 1859, which 
 orders the abandonment of the post at Platte Bridge, and 
 the troops were accordingly withdraw on April 20th of that 
 
368 History of Wyoming. 
 
 year. The same order includes the abandonment of Camp 
 Walbach, a post which had been located at a somewhat 
 earlier date, but what year I am unable to find in the records 
 of the War Department. The location of this post was at 
 the head of Lodge Pole Creek, on the old Lodge Pole trail. 
 The locality is now in Albany County, about twenty miles 
 east of Laramie. Old pioneers say that the soldiers sta- 
 tioned at Camp Walbach were massacred in 1854, but that 
 it was reoccupied afterwards. It was an unhealthy spot, 
 the water being bad and caused a great amount of sickness 
 among the troops. There were no troops at Platte Bridge 
 from April 20, 1859, until sometime in the month of May, 
 1862, when it was occupied by volunteer troops who were 
 serving as escort for emigrants and for the protection of the 
 telegraph line. When it was decided, a year or two later, 
 to chastise the Indians, the post was rebuilt to accommo- 
 date several companies. 
 
 To return to the Platte bridge, which was the most 
 notable structure of its kind in this part of the country in 
 early times. It was finished, it was said, at a cost of |60,- 
 000. It was of cedar logs, built on cribs filled with stone, and 
 made to resist the current of the river and time. Martin 
 Oliver of Caspar, who, when he first came to the country, 
 worked on the bridge, says that it was commonly reported 
 that Canard came from the Sweetwater with $30,000 in 
 cash, and this sum he put in the new bridge before it was 
 completed, and that he spent every year large sums in 
 building new piers and structural work. This, then, is the 
 160,000 which the bridge is said to have cost. 
 
 At the time Johnston's army went to Utah in 1857, Jim 
 Bridger had a ferry on the North Platte, a short distance 
 below where Orin Junction is today. Its more exact loca- 
 tion is near the Cheyenne and Northern railroad bridge 
 which now spans the North Platte. This ferry was a fairly 
 good business enterprise, but Bridger was too active a man 
 to give it much persomal attention. He had a number of 
 partners in the venture, and it is quite safe to say that he 
 did not make any great amount of money out of his ferry. 
 
LA BONTE STAGE STATION ON THE OUERLAND. 
 
 BRIDGER'S FERRY. 
 
Events on the Overland. 369 
 
 At the time he put in this ferry on the North Platte, Jim 
 Baker commenced a like enterprise on Green River at the 
 old Overland crossing. Baker was another man who was 
 not adapted to a business requiring him to remain in one 
 place, but he made some money during 1857-8, yet the sea- 
 son of high water was so short that it was not encouraging 
 for him to continue the business any great length of time. 
 
 I will now go back to the Overland Stage Company. 
 TBie new proprietors, Russejl, Majors and Waddell, regard- 
 less of expense, abundantly equipped the line and started 
 the stages running early in the summer of 1859. The rush 
 to California, Oregon and Utah was considerable that year 
 and the Concord coaches were filled with trans-continental 
 travelers. They did a large business in express as well as 
 passengers. This same firm ran a line from Leavenworth to 
 Denver. Previous to that all mail for Denver and other 
 Colorado points was carried by the Salt Lake stages and 
 dropped at Fort Laramie, and mail matter was often three 
 months old when it reached Colorado. Russell, Majors and 
 Waddell did business under the name "Central Overland, 
 California and Pike's Peak Express Company." This name 
 was so unwieldy that it was abbreviated to "C. O. C. 
 & P. P. Express," which everybody will admit was long 
 enough. Newspaper editors of the country, those practi- 
 cal men of few words, called it the Overland stage, and the 
 roadway itself the Overland trail. This great mail, express 
 and passenger route was the talk of the whole country and 
 ihe news of events occurring along the line became a regular 
 feature in the great journals of the day. This news consist- 
 ed principally of attacks on the stages or the stage sta- 
 tions by Indians, robberies by freebooters, snowbound 
 stages, sickness and deaths along the road. Those were 
 days filled with stirring events in Wyoming, but the coun- 
 try had scarcely accustomed itself to the fast time made 
 by the daily Overland stage before a new enterprise was 
 announced. W. H. Russell of the C. O. C. & P. P. Express 
 conceived the idea of carrying letters to and from Califor- 
 Bia by pony express, and the schedule time between San 
 
 -(24) 
 
370 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Francisco and New York was ten days, less than half tJlie 
 time heretofore required to carry the mail through.* All 
 letters by this route were required to be written on tissue 
 paper, and the charge for each half ounce was $5.00. Mes- 
 sages by this line were sent by telegraph from New York 
 ajttd other eastern points to St. Joseph, Missouri. They 
 were then carried by pony express to Sacramento, Calif oi*- 
 nia, and from there forwarded by telegraph to San Fran- 
 cisco. On the pony express line between the Missouri Eiyer 
 and Sacramento there were 190 stations; 200 meli were 
 employed as station keepers and eighty men as ridera. 
 Riders were selected from trappers and scouts, who were 
 acquainted with the country, understood the service for 
 which they were needed, capable of great physicaJ power^ 
 endurance and bravery. They were armed with a Marlin 
 rifle and a Colt's revolver of the most approved pattern. 
 The horses were a cross between the American horse and 
 the Indian pony. The saddle was of medium weight, made 
 of the best material, and to the cantle was attached a pair 
 of saddle-bags containing the dispatches and letters. The 
 schedule time to be made was fifteen miles an hour, but this 
 was moi'e than was averaged. The first pony express left 
 St. Joseph April 3, 1860, going by way of Fort Kearney, 
 Fort Laramie, South Pass, Fort Bridger, Salt Lake, Carson 
 City, to Sacramento, making the distance in ten days. The 
 first express rider from the west left Sacramento on April 
 4th and reached St. Joseph on the 13th. These trips were 
 made once a week from each way. It was considered at 
 that time a wonderful achievement, but in a financial way it 
 was not a success. Indian troubles occurred at many 
 points; stations were burned and the keepers killed, stock 
 run off, riders shot from ambush, and in short the dangers 
 were of such a character as to be almost insurmountable, 
 and yet the promoters of the line continued to furnish new 
 riders in place of those killed and new ponies in place of 
 those stolen, and so they continued to keep the enterprise ia 
 
 *F. A. Bee and B. F. Ficklin were the assistant projectors of the pony express, thougk- 
 W. H. Russeli was the man who organized it. 
 
Events on the Overland. 371 
 
 full practical operation for two years, when it was from ne- 
 cessity abandoned, the business having paid only about ten 
 per cent of the amount expended. 
 
 The season of 1861 was filled with important events 
 along the Overland trail in Wyoming. There were many 
 depredations committed by Indians and the trouble seemed 
 to be on the increase as the summer advanced. The Sioux 
 were out in full force, likewise the Oheyennes. The Sho- 
 shones early in June camped on the Sweetwater, ten miles 
 west of Strawberry Creek. Soon after a war party of Ohey- 
 ennes, Sioux and Arapahoes made their appearance on the 
 Strawberry, where Lewiston is now located. They were in 
 search of the Shoshone village and they pushed on to the 
 west to the point where their scouts had located the enemy. 
 The Sioux had the advance and came in sight of the Sho- 
 shone camp just at sunrise on the morning of June 20th. B. 
 F. Lowe, who was at the Shoshone encampment, says that 
 as the Sioux, Oheyennes aud Arapahoes advanced in solid 
 column with the rising sun reflecting on their bright bur- 
 nished spears and shields, it was a magnificent sight. The 
 Sioux dashed forward and cut off four hundred of the Sho- 
 shone horses and started back with them in an easterly di- 
 rection. All was now excitement in the Shoshone village, 
 and preparations were instantly made to follow the ma- 
 rauders. The war chief of the band was the eldest son of 
 Chief Washakie, and he was the first to mount. He sat 
 astride his noble war-horse, in front of his father's lodge, 
 waiting for a few of his picked men. The old chief came out 
 and his face wore signs of impatience. Casting his eyes on 
 the young war chief, he said, "What are you waiting for?" 
 The young man made no reply, but brushing the flanks of 
 his horse with his heels, the spirited animal bounded for- 
 ward, carrying the war chief in pursuit of the fleeing ene- 
 my. He dashed along a distance of six miles, when he came 
 up to eight Sioux Indians at the crossing of Willow 
 Creek. These closed in on him with their lances, but the 
 Shoshone warrior, with a Colt's revolver in each hand, did 
 not shrink from the unequal contest. With his right hand 
 
372 History of Wyoming. 
 
 he brought down a Sioux, £tnd another with his left, but 
 at this instant the remaining six crossed their spears in his 
 body and he fell to the ground lifeless. His enemies had 
 barely time to remove his scalp when young Washakie's 
 friends were upon them and a running fight ensued which 
 lasted for three hours. The Shoshones recaptured their 
 horses, besides securing a number of those belonging to 
 the Sioux, who had retreated into a green grove of quaking 
 asp near Eagle Nest, on Little Beaver. The Shoshones as- 
 saulted their position but were unab'le to drive the Sioux 
 out of the timber and finally night jnit an end to the con- 
 test. After a brief consultation, the Shoshones decided to 
 return to their village, bury their dead and care for the 
 wounded. The Sioux, taking advantage of the darkness, 
 managed to escape, but they were on foot and had to travel 
 many a weary mile to insure their safety. The Shoshones 
 lost in this fight five killed and several wounded; the Sioux 
 had forty men killed and lost a large amount of supplies, 
 arms and horses. Chief Washakie has never ceased to 
 mourn the loss of this, his eldest son. He has always felt 
 that his own hasty words brought about the death of the 
 young man. 
 
 In this connection it will not be out of place to more 
 fully introduce this remarkable chieftain, who will here- 
 after be prominent in this history. Captain Bonneville 
 says that in 1833 he met a young Shoshone chief, "a man of 
 great promise," but unfortunately he fails to give his name. 
 I feel satisfied, however, that the chief he referred to was 
 Washakie. This great leader of the Shoshones became a 
 chief when he was nineteen years old. The "Indian Guide," 
 published at the Wind River boarding school, Shoshone 
 Agency, in its December number, 1897, says that Washakie 
 was born 1803, that his father was a Flathead and his 
 mother a Shoshone, that he was a warrior from his youth 
 up. According to the date given by the "Indian Guide," 
 Washakie was 30 years old at the time Bonneville met him. 
 The age of this chief has been a question of more or less 
 s^ljeculation for years. In 1892 the writer met this re- 
 
Events on the Overland. 373 
 
 Downed warrior at Fort Washakie, and in the conversation 
 asked him how old he was and he promptly replied that he 
 did not know, but he remembered that he was flftj'-five years 
 of age at the time the great treaty was signed, meaning the 
 treaty of 1868. This would make the year of his birth 1813 
 and his age when Bonneville met him twenty years, and 
 eighty-five at the present time (1898.) 
 
 The Overland telegraph was the great event in the west 
 during the year 1861. Edward Creighton of Omaha, in 
 1860, conceived the idea of constructing a line of telegraph 
 across the Rocky Mountains. He had completed several 
 lines in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, and this experi- 
 ence, together with his great energy and business qualifica- 
 tions, enabled him to carry out the undertaking. During 
 the year 1860 he entered into a contract with the Western 
 Union people to build a line from the Missouri River to Salt 
 Lake. Congress, in the meantime, had granted a subsidy of 
 $40,000 a year for ten years as an inducement for the con- 
 struction of the telegraph. During the fall of 1860, Mr. 
 Creighton visited Salt Lake and secured the co-operation 
 of Brigham Young in the enterprise. From Salt Lake he 
 went to California and procured the help of the California 
 State Telegraph Company. This company was to build as 
 far east as Salt Lake. In the spring, Mr. Creighton com- 
 menced the construction west and the work was pushed 
 with great vigor, and on October 17th, 1861, his con- 
 tract to construct the line to Salt Lake was completed and 
 on the 24th of the same month the California company 
 reached Salt Lake with their line and the two wires were 
 united. The route chosen was the Overland trail. The 
 telegraph offices were numerous in Wyoming — one at Fort 
 Laramie, Horse Shoe, Deer Creek, Platte Bridge, a couple 
 on the Sweetwater, one at South Pass, Sand Creek, Fort 
 Bridger and several other points. As part payment for the 
 colistruction of the line, Mr. Creighton was to receive $100,- 
 000 in stock, which was valued at eighteen cents on the dol- 
 lar. The company afterwards increased the amount of 
 stock to three times the original and gave Mr. Creighton his 
 
374 History of Wyoming. 
 
 portion of the increase. The shares immediately rose in 
 value from eighteen cents to eighty-five cents. He after- 
 wards sold one-third of his stock for |850,000. This same 
 contractor in 1865 commenced to build a line from Denver 
 west on the southern stage route, and the next year it was 
 pushed across Laramie Plains, through Bridger Pass and 
 on to Fort Bridger and Salt Lake. Both of these lines were 
 of national importance and a great convenience to the army 
 in its operations against the Indians in Wyoming. 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 CHANGING THE OVERLAND TRAIL. 
 
 Ben Holliday Becomes Proprietor of the Stage Line — Shoshones 
 Capture All the Horses for a Distance of 200 Miles — The 
 Mormon Battalion — Arrival of Volunteer Troops — The Emi- 
 grant Road Expedition — Colonel P. Edward Connor Takes 
 Charge of the Military District of Utah — Fort Douglass Lo- 
 cated — Fort Bridger Garrisoned — Mormon Effort to Have 
 Troops Removed from Fort Douglas — Colonel Connor's Letter 
 TO THE War Department — Removal of the Stages to the Lara- 
 mie Plains and Bridger Pass Route— Whisky Gap Named— Thor- 
 ough Equipment of the Holliday Line. 
 
 The events on the Overland mail route in the year 1862 
 were many. Tribes that had heretofore been peaceable 
 suddenly assumed an attitude of hostility. The trouble had 
 in the past been mostly with the Sioux, Cheyennes and Arap- 
 ahoes, but in the early spring of this year Indians to the 
 west made war on emigrants, freighters and the Overland 
 mail coaches. The government, being now thoroughly 
 aroused, ordered to the west volunteer troops from Califor- 
 nia, Kansas, Iowa and other states. There were some 
 troops enlisted by the government composed of captured 
 Confederate soldiers and also deserters from the southern 
 army. These were made into regiments which were sent 
 
Changing the Overland Trail. 375 
 
 to fight Indians on the plains and were styled U. S. Volun- 
 teers. When these troops arrived in the west they were 
 distinguished from other volunteers by being called "Gal- 
 vanized Yankees." Before any of the troops mentioned 
 had time to arrive, the Indians commenced active hostili- 
 ties. 
 
 During the winter of 1861-2, Russell, Majors and Wad- 
 dell found themselves financially embarrassed through 
 losses sustained in the pony express enterprise and the 
 daily Overland coach system. They had been obliged to 
 borrow large sums of money to meet their obligations and 
 keep the business running, and they found themselves at 
 the close of 1861 owing Ben Holliday $100,000. Holliday 
 was the proprietor of the line running from Salt Lake to 
 California. Kussell, Majors and Waddell being unable to 
 meet their debt to Holliday, turned over to him the prop- 
 erty and franchises. The pony express had served its pur- 
 pose, however, by securing from the government a contract 
 for carrying the mails for the neat sum of $1,000,000. This 
 contract, or at least one-half of it, together with the horses, 
 coaches, stations and outfit of the line from the Missouri 
 River to Salt Lake, fell into the hands of Holliday at a mere 
 nominal cost, and Russell, Majors and Waddell were 
 obliged to content themselves with a loss of several hun- 
 dred thousand dollars. It was a bitter stroke of fortune 
 for these pioneers. 
 
 Holliday had been busy during the winter and spring, 
 stocking up the line, distributing additional men, horses and 
 stores at the different stations in Wyoming, and all things 
 were in readiness for business when in March, like a thun- 
 derclap from a clear sky, the Shoshone tribe which had for 
 so many years been peaceable and friendly to the whites, 
 made a descent simultaneously on the stage stations from 
 Platte Bridge, just above Caspar, to Bear River Station, 
 where Evanston now stands, and captured every horse and 
 mule belonging to the company. The coaches containing 
 passengers were left standing at stations and between sta- 
 tions. The Indians refrained from killing anyone except at 
 
376 History of Wyoming. 
 
 the station of Split Eock, on the Sweetwater. Holliday had 
 brought to that place a Pennsylvania colored man wha 
 spoke only what is called Pennsylvania Dutch. This man 
 was the cook at the station. The Indians who were gather- 
 ing up the stock reached Split Kock and concluded that it 
 was a good opportunity to get something to eat, and select- 
 ing one of their number who could speak English, instructed 
 him to direct the negro to prepare dinner for them. The 
 order was given in fairly good English, but the negro failed 
 to understand. The native linguist then tried French and 
 followed it with Spanish, but none of these languages were 
 understood by the trembling cook and things began to look 
 serious. After a brief consultation among the Shoshones, 
 they decided that the negro was bad medicine, so they killed 
 him on the spot. Near the Devil's Gate Station they met 
 the west bound coach, which contained, besides some pas- 
 sengers, Lem Flowers, an agent of the company, also two 
 other employes, Jim Reed and Bill Brown. A demand was 
 made on them for the horses, which they refused to give up, 
 and a fight ensued which resulted in the wounding of the 
 three men mentioned. They finally gave up the horses, and 
 the Indians were content to go away. This attack on the 
 stage line by the Shoshones resulted in the stoppage of all 
 stages in Wyoming. President Lincoln was appealed to, 
 but having no troops who could reach the scene of Indian 
 depredations under two months, made a personal appeal to 
 Brigham Young to send troops for the protection of the 
 mails. In response to this request, Young sent what was 
 known as the Mormon battalion. It consisted of 300 men 
 under the command of Lot Smith. Headquarters being es- 
 tablished near Devil's Gate, details of twenty men were 
 made to guard different points on the road. New stock was 
 furnished by the stage company, and by the time the stages 
 were again ready to move, the Sioux in eastern Wyoming 
 and western Nebraska started out on their regular spring 
 campaign of murder and plunder. The War Department, 
 being again appealed to, could do nothing but push the vol- 
 unteer troops forward. The Fourth Iowa Cavalry arrived 
 
Changing the Overland Trail. 377 
 
 in May, and they were followed by a. battalion of the Sixth 
 Ohio Cavalry, afterwards known as the Eleventh Ohio Cav- 
 alry, and about the same time the Eighth Kansas Infantry 
 came out. These troops were distributed over a wide sec- 
 tion of country, and their duties were to escort emigrant 
 trains, the mail coaches, and to guard and repair the tele- 
 graph line. It was hard service, but it was performed in a 
 creditable manner. The Mormon battalion did not wait to 
 be relieved, but quietly withdrew to Salt Lake. It has never 
 been explained why these troops were in such a hurry to 
 get away. It has been claimed, however, that Brigham 
 Young offered to make a contract with the government to 
 guard the Overland mail, and it is believed that his proposi- 
 tion was considered at the time, but nothing came of it. 
 There were many charges made against the Mormons at 
 that period, some going so far as to claim that they were 
 responsible for the Indian outbreaks. This was the opinion 
 of a majority of the army officers who were engaged in the 
 Indian service. 
 
 It is an indisputable fact, when we look up the evidence, 
 that the government had many enemies in this quarter of 
 the globe, shortly after the breaking out of the war. Many 
 army officers who had been in service in the west had re- 
 signed and cast their lot with the southern Confederacy in 
 1861, and these had their friends in the west. The Demo- 
 cratic party was in control of the national government up 
 to the time of Lincoln's inauguration. The southern peo- 
 ple, who had always possessed a strong desire for civil ap- 
 pointments in connection with the army, had been success- 
 ful in securing numerous post traderships, and these traders 
 had brought with them assistants and clerks from the south 
 and it was quite natural that these people should be in sym- 
 pathy with their kindred at home. This element, up to the 
 time the volunteers were stationed along the Overland 
 trail, was more or less demonstrative. The Mormons, no 
 one pretended to claim had any love for the government. 
 Added to this disloyal sentiment, there was a Confederate 
 influence brought to bear from New Mexico, which showed 
 
378 History of Wyomvng. 
 
 itself in Colorado and in other portions of the Rocky Moun- 
 tains, and especially along the Overland trail. Public feel- 
 ing ran high in Denver and on one occasion a rebel flag was 
 raised over a store on Sixteenth street, in that city. A 
 crowd of Union men quickly gathered in front of the store 
 and told the parties who raised the flag that Denver was a 
 Union city and that the Confederate emblem must be taken 
 down at once or serious consequences would result. The 
 flag was promptly removed. Governor Gilpin took ener- 
 getic measures to protect Union citizens, and to this end 
 raised a military force which co-operated with the United 
 States troops in the subjugation of the Confederates in the 
 southwest. His splendid service on this occasion did much 
 to suppress disloyalty in the whole western country. The 
 Confederate sympathizers in Wyoming were not numerous 
 enough to exert any detrimental influence after the arrival 
 of the volunteer troops. A few ill-advised persons along the 
 stage line expressed their sympathy with the Confederacy 
 and denounced President Lincoln, but a sharp reprimand 
 from an offlcer was all that was required to bring these fool- 
 ish people to their senses. Volunteers thought it bad 
 enough to be obliged to flght savages without submitting to 
 having treason talked in their presence by white men, con- 
 sequently it early came to be understood that neither the 
 government of the United States nor its honored chief ex- 
 ecutive could be lightly spoken of in their hearing. 
 
 After the arrival of the troops from the east and their 
 distribution along the stage road, the Indians as far west 
 as the South Pass seemed to hesitate about continuing their 
 depredations, and for a time peace prevailed, but it was not 
 to last any lengthened period. The Indians, seeing the 
 formidable force, required time to plan and carry out a new 
 sort of campaign. They now adopted a system of harrass- 
 ing the troops, and the officers found it dangerous to send 
 out men to repair the telegraph line without giving them 
 strong escort. Emigrants continued to put in an appear- 
 ance on the road, and what was remarkable, few of them 
 were armed in a manner to secure the protection of them- 
 
Changing the Overland Trail. 379 
 
 selves and families. They relied on the soldiers to see them 
 safely through the dangerous country, and the result was 
 that many of them lost their stock and not a few of them 
 their lives. 
 
 In May, 1862, the first division of the Eleventh Ohio 
 Cavalry, sometimes called the Sixth, Colonel Collins in 
 command, reached Fort Laramie, and these troops were at 
 once sent out to guard the stage and telegraph line west as 
 far as Pacific Springs. They were scattered in small detach- 
 ments and did escort duty, accompanying stages and emi- 
 grant trains. The service proved very severe, but the oflS- 
 cers and men performed it without a murmur. They had 
 numerous slight engagements with prowling bands, and 
 occasionally a soldier was killed. The great diflftculty was 
 to protect the telegraph line. As the Indians had found out 
 that this was a part of the duty of the troops, they kept them 
 busy making repairs. The most serious diflSculty that oc- 
 curred that season was at Independence Rock, Split Rock 
 and the Three Crossings of the Sweetwater. 
 
 On June 16, 1862, what was known as the emigrant road 
 expedition left Omaha and proceeded up the north side of 
 the Platte River, up the Sweetwater, over the Lander cut-off, 
 near Fort Hall, and thence down on the south side of Snake 
 River to Oregon. The expedition was ordered by the Secre- 
 tary of War, and Captain Medorem Crawford was in charge, 
 having under him fifty mounted men. This officer, in his re- 
 port, says: "From the best information in my possession, 
 I estimate the emigration to Oregon and Washington this 
 year, 10,000 souls. There were also many on the road to 
 California, Salt Lake and Denver." This officer also report- 
 ed that emigrants had started out with a mistaken impres- 
 sion as to the condition of the roads and the prevalence of 
 grass along the route. Teams were overloaded, and when 
 they left the valley of the Platte they began to give out. 
 First furniture was thrown out to lighten the load, then 
 many wagons abandoned, and in quite a number of instances 
 disabled cattle were left along the trail. 
 
 "The first evidence of Indian depredations we saw was 
 
380 History of Wyoming. 
 
 a grave at the crossing of New Fork on Green Eiver. From 
 the inscription placed over it we learned that Patrick Mo- 
 ran, of Missouri, was killed by Indians on the 18th of July 
 and two men wounded. We passed this place August 11, 
 about three weeks after, at which time no Indians were to 
 be seen. The next grave was on La Barge Creek, in the 
 Bear River Mountains. On the head-board of the grave was 
 inscribed: 'Opened by Kavanaugh's train on the 27th of 
 July, 1862. The body of a man found too badly decayed for 
 removal. One shot in the temple and an arrow shot. Sup- 
 posed to have been killed by Indians.' 
 
 "On the 25th day of August we passed the graves of the 
 following persons: One unknown man found by Captain 
 Glenn's party, August 13. He had been shot in the back of 
 the head with buckshot. Three miles farther there were five 
 graves, side by side, of persons supposed to have been killed 
 by Indians. Rufus C. Mitchell, N. Howie, James Steel, Da- 
 vid Whitmer and Frank Sessions were the names inscribed 
 over them. This was in the vicinity of Fort Hall, and hap- 
 pened on the 9th of August, we passing on the 25th. We 
 learned from the ferry-man that while these five men were 
 slain by Indians twenty armed men from the same train 
 stood upon a hill near by and made no attempt to rescue 
 their comrades. There the strong reasons for believing 
 that white men bore a part in this massacre. Between Fort 
 Hall and Raft River we found four graves of men supposed 
 to have been killed by Indians on the 9th of August. After 
 passing Raft River we found the grave of a Miss Adams, 
 who was shot on the 9th and died on the 12th. We passed 
 here August 31, twenty-two days after the fight. About the 
 same time a Mr. Phillips left his train to go fishing, alone 
 and unarmed, and was taken by Indians, and is supposed 
 to have been killed. This happened near Goose Creek. It 
 will be seen that the number killed, of which we have posi- 
 tive information, is about fifteen. No emigrants have at 
 any time been troubled by Indians while in the vicinity of 
 my company, but from the disposition shown toward the 
 advance trains, it is easy to see that the later and weaker 
 parties would have been easily cut off had it not been for the 
 protection afforded them by the government. Near old Fort 
 Hall a ferry had been established, and many emigrants had 
 crossed in pursuit of the mines. Some went to Fort Lemhi, 
 others to the Deer Lodge Prairie, while others kept down 
 the north side of Snake River and recrossed the stream at 
 Boise. From what was told me, I am satisfied that many 
 
Changing the Overland Trail. 381 
 
 were induced to cross at Fort Hall by the representationa 
 of these ferrymen, which turned out unreliable. About 
 twenty wagons which had crossed and met a returning par- 
 ty, were induced to recross and join those who were already 
 under my escort. At this point I had 125 wagons of emi- 
 grants under my charge and I found many of their teams 
 so weak that they could not travel over ten miles per day, 
 others being able to proceed faster; and in order to give 
 protection to all, I divided my company, placing the advance 
 party in charge of my principal assistant, Mr. Le Eoy Craw- 
 ford, while I remained with the rear and weaker party. 
 From this point my journey was extremely slow. Many of 
 the emigrants were short of provisions, which deficiency 1 
 had to supply. Others had difficulties among themselves 
 which I was obliged to settle. The grass was very scarce 
 and their stock would scatter during the night, so that fre- 
 quently my men would spend hours in looking after them in 
 the morning. We cured their sick, fed their destitute, 
 hunted, and in some instances drove their teams, mended 
 their wagons, hauled their goods, settled their disputes and 
 kept them moving. Two men died and one was drowned in 
 Snake River. With these exceptions, every man, woman 
 and child that had traveled in my vicinity reached the set- 
 tlements in safety." 
 
 I make use of the above both for the purpose of the his- 
 torical facts contained in this officer's report and to show 
 the conditions prevailing along the Overland trail that year. 
 Captain Crawford was certainly a model officer to have 
 charge of such an expedition, and it cannot be otherwise 
 than that he endeared himself to many unfortunate emi- 
 grants on the frail. We will now turn our attention to 
 events happening between South Pass and Salt Lake. 
 
 On August 6th, Colonel P. Edward Connor of the Third 
 Infantry, California Volunteers, assumed command of the 
 District of Utah and from the first commenced a vigorous 
 prosecution of the war against Indians. This gallant offi- 
 cer was much annoyed at the prevalence throughout Utah 
 of a disloyal sentiment toward the government, and conse- 
 quently on assuming command of the district he enjoined 
 upon all commanders of posts, camps and detachments to 
 cause to be promptly arrested all persons endeavoring to 
 
382 History of Wyoming. 
 
 destroy and defame the principles and institutions of a 
 government under whose benign influence they had been so 
 long protected, and he further ordered that such persons be 
 confined until they had taken the oath of allegiance to the 
 United States, and he further added, "Traitors shall not 
 utter treasonable sentiment in this district with impunity, 
 but must seek a more genial soil or receive the punishment 
 they so richly merit." The Utah district extended east at 
 that time to a point between Big Sandy Station and Pacific 
 Springs. 
 
 Colonel Connor had under his command a couple of Ne- 
 vada regiments as well as two from California. He taught 
 the Indians through his entire district to fear his punish- 
 ments before he had been there a year. He proved himself 
 an able officer and won distinction as an Indian fighter. In 
 September he went to Salt Lake and selected the location 
 whereon was built Camp Douglas. The post was located 
 three miles from the business portion of the town. The 
 Mormons did not like the presence of Connor's force and 
 used every means to get the troops away, but without avail. 
 Colonel Connor refused to be drawn into a personal contro- 
 versy with anyone representing the Mormon church or give 
 them any just cause for complaint, and yet in his letters 
 to the War Department he showed his utter contempt for 
 Brigham Young. One of the methods used to secure the 
 removal of the troops was to show the necessity of employ- 
 ing a military force along the Overland mail route, east of 
 Salt Lake. Mormon influence was brought to bear to in- 
 duce the mail contractors, the Overland Stage Company, to 
 demand protection from Indians. Connor claimed that the 
 Mormons incited the Indians to commit depredations. Come 
 from what source it may, the savages fulfilled expectations 
 by running off a hundred head of horses during the month 
 of November from Fort Bridger; at least it was so reported. 
 These horses belonged to some trappers and hunters who 
 went to winter at that post. The loss was reported to Colo- 
 nel Connor and he at once dispatched Company I of his regi- 
 ment, in command of Captain Lewis, to garrison the fort. 
 
Changing the Overland Trail. 383 
 
 The troops left Fort Douglas December 2nd. The Indiana 
 had a short time previpus to this attacked the station at 
 Pacific Springs, also a telegraph station at Big Sandy. 
 Colonel Connor detailed ten men to guard the latter station, 
 and they remained there during the winter. About the 
 same time an emigrant named Van Orman reported that 
 nearly a year before, while passing through the Green Eiver 
 country, the Bannock Indians had captured his three neices 
 and a nephew. At the time, he had been obliged to go on to 
 Oregon with the balance of his family and as soon as he 
 could he had returned to look after the fate of the rest of his 
 relatiyes. He had learned that the three girls were dead 
 but the boy was in the hands of Bear Hunter, of the Ban- 
 nock tribe. Colonel Connor at once dispatched Major Mc- 
 Garry with a force to punish the Indians and recapture the 
 boy. Bear Hunter and his band were found in the Cache 
 Valley and Major McGarry ordered his troops to surround 
 them and make a vigorous attack. The soldiers killed three 
 Indians and wounded another, when Bear Hunter surren- 
 dered. He was at once asked for the Van Orman boy. The 
 chief replied that the white boy had been sent away some 
 days before. The major told him to send some of his men 
 out and bring him in and that he should hold the chief and 
 four of his men as hostages until the boy was returned. 
 Bear Hunter dispatched three of his men and the next day 
 they returned with the lad. 
 
 Colonel Connor made up his mind to strike a decisive 
 blow and end the war with the Shoshones, Bannocks and 
 Snakes, but the agents and offlcers of the stage company 
 demanded troops to escort the mail and did not interest 
 themselves in a war against the Indians. Political influence 
 was brought to bear to have Colonel Connor's entire force 
 at Camp Douglas distributed at various points along the 
 Overland from Salt Lake to Big Sandy. Finally the com- 
 mander of the Pacific Department wrote Colonel Connor on 
 the pnbject, which brought back a reply that throws a good 
 deal of light on the situation. The letter is dated December 
 20th and reads: 
 
384 History of Wyoming. 
 
 ''Sir: Your communication of date December 12, 1.S62, 
 inclosing telegram from General-in-Chief to Department 
 Commander, is just received. In reply I have the honor 
 to inform you that since my arrival here I l^ave been aware 
 that efforts were being made to dissever my command. The 
 real governor of this Territory, Brigham Young, and his 
 satellites on the one hand, and agents and contractors on 
 the other, have since my arrival here constantly worked to 
 separate this command — the former, with his usual sa- 
 gacity, for the attainment of his own purposes and without 
 the least doubt of his success (high authority states that he 
 has openly boasted, in fact, that he would drive me away 
 from here before spring), and the latter from a desire to 
 make money out of the government. Judge Carter, agent 
 of the Overland Mail Company east of here, and sutler of 
 Fort Bridger, with other interested persons within this dis- 
 trict, have not so much the interest of the government or the 
 Overland Mail Company at heart as a desire to speculate 
 upon the necessities of this command by selling to it sup- 
 plies, of which Judge Carter has large quantities on hand. 
 As an evidence of this fact, that gentleman has been the 
 only one of a great many among those interested largely in 
 the Overland Mail Company who has desired the establish- 
 ment of more posts on the line; and I am now satisfied that 
 the rumor started by him previous to my garrisoning Fort 
 Bridger, of 100 head of stock being stolen by Indians from 
 the reservation, was false, and circulated for the purpose of 
 having troops ordered to the post. I am reliably informed 
 that the so-called President Young is making active prepara- 
 tions indicating a determination on his part to oppose the 
 government of the United States in the spring, provided 
 Utah is not admitted into the Union as a State, or in case 
 of a foreign war or serious' reverse to our arms. It is con- 
 stantly asserted by him and his agents that this command 
 should be moved and scattered along the line of the Over- 
 land Mail Company as a 'check against Indians,' who they 
 say are ready to attack the property at any moment; and 
 many willing converts to this fear are found among Brig- 
 ham's hosts. But no one having the interest of the govern- 
 ment or the company in view can be found here credulous 
 enough to be blind to the real motives which actuate their 
 desires. Brigham Young is now engaged in mounting can- 
 non for the purpose of resisting the government, and has 
 reports circulated, which have reached the ears of those 
 highest in authority, in order to mature his plans, gain time 
 
Changing the Overland Trail. 385 
 
 and prepare his cannon. Desirable as this would be to him, 
 I hope to defeat his intentions. From a careful scrutiny of 
 the state of affairs here, and thorough knowledge of the 
 country, I am satisfied I occupy every necessary position. 
 The entire line from the Euby Valley to Ham's Fork is com- 
 pletely under my control, and while, in my opinion, there 
 exists no necessity for troops at Fort Bridger, to quiet the 
 apprehensions of the Overland Mail Company, if they have 
 any (which I doubt), and to obey the orders of the general 
 commanding, I shall continue to garrison Fort Bridger, and 
 I will immediately send sufflcient force to occupy Ham's 
 Fork, although I am of the opinion there is no real necessity 
 for it. My present position was selected for its availability, 
 and commanding as it does not only all the avenues to but 
 even the town itself, it is an important one, and I am not 
 surprised that Brigham Young considers its occupancy dan- 
 gerous to his interests. The presence of this command here, 
 which the informants of the General-in-Chief desire so much 
 to have removed, indicates that my information regarding 
 the real intentions of these people is correct, and events 
 will prove that in selecting my position and carrying out 
 my own views, the interest of the government and of the 
 Overland Mail Company has been anticipated. I am truly 
 glad that the Department Commander has given me dis- 
 cretionary powers in the premises. I am credibly informed 
 and believe that Mormons had instigated the late attack by 
 Indians on the telegraph station at Pacific Springs, in order 
 to draw my forces to that point. Mormons also, in the 
 northern part of this valley, encourage depredations by the 
 Humboldt Indians by purchasing of them property of which 
 massacred emigrants have been despoiled, by giving in ex- 
 change therefor powder, lead and produce. I have hereto- 
 fore refrained from submitting a report of these transac- 
 tions to the general commanding for the reason that I de- 
 sired to be previously well informed." 
 
 This letter was accepted by the War Department as 
 the true situation of affairs at Salt Lake and along the Over- 
 land mail route as far east as Pacific Springs. There is no 
 doubt that persons, who desired to make money out of the 
 troops, were anxious to have the different posts along the 
 mail route garrisoned, but Colonel Connor had other views. 
 This experienced Indian fighter knew that the only way to 
 secure peace with the Indians was to bring them to battle 
 
 -(25) 
 
386 History of Wyoming. 
 
 and cru^h them in detail. With this end in view he set 
 about organizing a campaign which would bring disaster to 
 the Bannocks, Snakes and Shoshones. 
 
 Citizens of Denver had long been working to secure 
 the regular Overland stage route for their town, and when 
 Ben Holliday became proprietor of the line he agreed upon 
 a route running through Denver and from that point west, 
 and discontinue that part of the road running up the North 
 Platte, the Sweetwater and across South Pass. The 
 many difficulties experienced on the latter route was the 
 inducement to abandon it. The new road led by way of 
 Julesburg to Denver, from the latter place over the old 
 wagon road to Fort Lupton, and north across the Laramie 
 Plains, then due west, through Bridger Pass, joining the old 
 trail. The change was made during the summer of 1862, 
 and remarkable to relate, the transfer to the new line was 
 so successfully accomplished that not a mail was missed or 
 a coach delayed. The rolling stock, horses and other prop- 
 erty of the company was gathered at the station just above 
 Devil's Gate. Company A, of the Eleventh Ohio Cavalry, 
 with Major O'Farrell in command, was the escort at the 
 time the transfer was made. The first day the long train of 
 coaches, wagons, horses and mules made eleven miles from 
 the station where the property had been gathered. The 
 route chosen was directly south from the Sweetwater. The 
 camp selected was in a gap in the mountains where there 
 was a fine spring and plenty of wood for cooking purposes. 
 Shortly after going into camp the Major discovered that 
 quite a number of his soldiers were intoxicated and he at 
 once sent for Lieutenant W. H. Brown, who was officer of 
 the day, and informed him of the condition of many of the 
 men and gave it as his opinion that someone was selling 
 whisky in the camp. The command was doing escort duty 
 for not only stage stock, consisting of coaches, wagons, 
 horses and stores, but for a number of emigrants who had 
 availed themselves of the opportunity for safe conduct. 
 Lieutenant Brown received orders to search all these wag- 
 ons and if he discovered whisky to destroy it. Taking a 
 
Changing the Overland Trail. 387 
 
 corporal and three or four men, they commenced the search 
 for the contraband article. They had examined every wagon 
 in the camp except one; when they came to this they discov- 
 ered a barrel of whisky. The officer at once ordered his men 
 to roll the barrel out, knock in the head and empty the 
 contents on the ground. This was done, but it chanced that 
 the spot where the whisky was emptied was just above the 
 spring, and the fiery liquid went pouring down into the 
 water supply for the camp. The soldiers saw what was 
 going on and they rushed forward with cups, canteens, 
 buckets and camp kettles to save what they could of the 
 whisky. Those who were without the wherewith to hold 
 the liquor stamped their boot-heels in the ground and 
 caught the whisky in the hole, and lying down drank it. 
 A half hour later the intoxicant was showing its effect 
 pretty generally around the camp and soon there were few 
 sober men to be found. One soldier who had succeeded in 
 getting a full canteen from the spring grew richly mellow 
 and while in this condition paid his respects to Major 
 O'Farrell at the headquarters tent, assuring his command- 
 ing officer, with maudling mein and many a "hie," that that 
 was the finest spring he had ever seen and the best water 
 he had ever tasted. Major O'Farrell was apprehending an 
 attack from the Indians that night, and the condition of his 
 men fairly disheartened him. He saw at a glance that even 
 a small body of savages could make a successful raid on his 
 camp, consequently the sober and less intoxicated men were 
 kept on the alert that night. Fortunately no Indians put in 
 an appearance and by morning the debauched men had slept 
 off their intoxication and were ready for duty. The gap in 
 the mountains in which the camp was made had never been 
 named up to that date, but the soldiers in referring to it 
 afterwards called it Whisky Gap, a name which it bears to 
 the present time. After escorting the stage stock to the 
 future line of operation, this command selected the location 
 for Fort Halleck and constructed the buildings. The fort 
 was located on the new Overland trail and was garrisoned 
 for some years by troops from the Eleventh Ohio. The offi- 
 
388 History of Wyoming. 
 
 cial order locating Fort Sanders in 1866 includes the aban- 
 donment of Fort Halleck. 
 
 The equipment of the Overland road by Ben Holliday 
 was equal to that of a modern railway. The coaches, ex- 
 press wagons and the rolling stock generally were all manu- 
 factured by the famous Concord Coach Manufacturing Com- 
 pany of Concord, New Hampshire. This company not only 
 manufactured the rolling stock but supplied the material 
 used in the repair shops along the line. The harness was 
 made by the Hill Harness Company of the same city. The 
 material in everything was of the very best. The stations 
 along the line averaged about ten miles apart, and every 
 fifty miles was what was called a home station, where the 
 drivers changed and made their homes. These were also 
 eating stations for passengers. The intermediate stopping 
 places were called "swing stations;" here only horses were 
 changed, and at these were kept two men to take care of the 
 stock. At every station was a large barn, with accommoda- 
 tions for from thirty to fifty horses. The grain was supplied 
 from Fort Kearney and Salt Lake. When there was a fail- 
 ure of crops, which sometimes happened, horse feed was 
 shipped from St. Louis. Every horse on the line was grain 
 fed, groomed and cared for in the best manner. The main 
 shops of the company were located at Atchison, Denver 
 and Salt Lake, and there were repair shops on each divis- 
 ion of 200 miles. Besides the repair shops, on each of these 
 divisions was a traveling blacksmith shop. This consisted 
 of a wagon fitted up with bellows, anvil and tools, drawn 
 by a team of strong horses. The movable shop was kept 
 going constantly from one end of the division to the other. 
 There was also a harness maker and mender, who traveled 
 over each division with his tools and material for repairing 
 harness. The supplies for the road — that is, the provisions 
 used at the stations — were purchased in large quantities at 
 St. Louis and sent out and distributed among the division 
 points, and from these they were sent to the smaller sta- 
 tions as required. At first the men made trips east when 
 they needed clothing, but later Mr. Holliday conceived the 
 
Changmg the Overland Trail. 389 
 
 idea of having clothing of all kinds, including boots and 
 shoes, manufactured in large quantities for the use of his 
 men. The suits were of the most substantial materia! and 
 made in the most thorough manner. The overcoats were of 
 Irish frieze, cut long, with capes reaching to the hands. The 
 linings in these coats were of blue Shaker flannel. The driv- 
 ers, enveloped in them, were well protected from cold, wind 
 or rain. The boots were high-topped, made especially to 
 keep the feet and legs warm. The underclothing was of a 
 kind suited to the needs of men who were constantly ex- 
 posed to winds and storms. This clothing was distributed 
 by special express sent out for the purpose, and the amount 
 each man received was charged up to his account, the price 
 being the cost and transportation. No profit was demanded. 
 The company owned large transportation trains of ox and 
 mule teams and these transported all supplies to stations, 
 and on their return hauled fuel to places along the line 
 where it was needed. The first division on the main line was 
 from Atchison to Fort Kearney, the second from Fort Kear- 
 ney to Julesburg, the third from Julesburg to Denver, the 
 fourth from Denver to North Platte (Fort Steele) going by 
 way of Virginia Dale, the fifth from North Platte to Green 
 River, and the sixth from Green River to Salt Lake. On 
 each division was an agent, a bookkeeper and a steward of 
 supplies. These were the divisions on the new line after 
 the Sweetwater and South Pass route was abandoned. 
 Leaving Denver, the stations were. Big Thompson, La Porte, 
 Virginia Dale, Big Laramie, Cooper's Creek, Medicine Bow, 
 Elk Mountain, North Platte, Sulphur Springs (forty miles 
 south of Rawlins), Laclede (head of Bitter Creek), Rock 
 Springs, Green River, Granger, Fort Bridger, Bear Riv<;r 
 (Eyanston), Echo Canon and Salt Lake. 
 
 The officers of the company were, Ben Holliday, presi- 
 dent and proprietor; Bela M. Hughes, who had been attor- 
 ney for the C. O. C. and P. P. Company before Holliday's 
 time, was retained as the attorney for the new company; 
 David Street was made paymaster and general agent, and 
 
390 History of Wyoming. 
 
 his assistants were Thomas A. Beach and A. T. Beach. The 
 following peraons at different times held the position of su- 
 perintendent of the line: Isaac Eaton, Major John Kerr, 
 William Reynolds, David Remick, Alexander Benham, 
 James Stewart, Reuben S. Thomas and Robert I. Spotswood. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 INDIAN DEPREDATIONS ON THE OVERLAND. 
 
 CcsLONKL Connor's Winter Campajgn — Battle of Bear River— 224. 
 Indians Killed — Colonel Connor Made a Brigadier General — 
 Southern Utes Go on the War Path — Additional Troops Asked 
 For — General Connor Makes a Statement to the War Depart- 
 ment Regarding the Mormons — Major Wvnkoop Ordered to 
 the Overland Trail^Hostiles Attack Sweetwater Station — 
 Utes Attack Stage station on Laramie Plains— The Bannocks 
 and Snakes Want Peace — Wyoming Attached to the Military 
 District of Colorado — Utes Sue for Peace in Utah — The Ca- 
 reer of the Notorious Joseph A. Slade in Wyoming — His Exe- 
 cution BY Vigilantes in Montana. 
 
 During the winter of 1862-3, there were numerous dep- 
 redations committed along the Overland between Fort Lara- 
 mie and Salt Lake City. Several miners were killed, as well 
 as some belated emigrants. Colonel Connor learned that 
 there was a large encampment of Indians on Bear River. 
 These were of the Bannock, Snake and Shoshone tribes 
 and were under chiefs Bear Hunter, Sagwich and Leight. 
 They were well armed and had plenty of ammunition which 
 they had secured from the Mormons in exchange for the 
 property of emigrants whom they had killed on the trail 
 during the fall. A large number of the young men of Chief 
 Washakie's band of Shoshones had been operating with 
 these marauders since March of the preceding year and 
 tiiey had become as reckless and bloodthirsty as the others. 
 Washakie had spent: much time in earnest entreaty with 
 these young warriors in order to induce them to withdraw 
 
Indian Depredations on the Overland. 391 
 
 from the hostile camp. The young men for a long time re- 
 fused compliance with his wishes on the ground that emi- 
 grants would be robbed anyhow and they might as well 
 have a share of the booty. Finally the chief succeeded in in- 
 ducing a greater part of them to withdraw. This left in 
 the camp of Bear Hunter 300 warriors, and being well armed 
 they became insolent in the extreme. Their Chief was a 
 warrior of recognized ability, and the success of these al- 
 lied bands the year before tended to increase his power and 
 influence. Colonel Connor carefully investigated the camp 
 on Bear River and possessed himself of a knowledge of its 
 capabilities for defense. When all that was necessary was 
 ascertained in regard to the Indian camp, Colonel Connor 
 resolved to make a winter campaign against these savages, 
 and having noticed that heretofore the Indians in some man- 
 ner gained a knowledge in advance of intended military 
 operations, he on this occasion observed the greatest secrecy 
 and to more successfully cover his movements, he resolved 
 to deceive certain Mormons, who he suspicioned were in 
 league with the Indians. He therefore on the 22nd of Janu- 
 ary ordered Company K, Third Infantry, California Volun- 
 teers, Captain Hoyt in command, two howitzers under com- 
 mand of Lieutenant Honeyman. and twelve men of the 
 Second Cavalry, California Volunteers, with a train of fif- 
 teen wagons carrying supplies for twenty days, to proceed 
 in the direction of the hostile camp on Bear Kiver. When 
 the suspected Mormons saw the departure of the little force 
 they knew that it was intended to operate against Bear Hun- 
 ter's band, and there was many a knowing look as well as 
 an air of satisfaction, for they were coniident that so small 
 a force would avail little in an attack on a position as strong 
 as that occupied by the hostiles. As expected, a messenger 
 was dispatched to Bear Hunter, informing him of the expe- 
 dition, giving full details as to the number of men com- 
 posing it. It was afterwards learned that Bear Hunter 
 sent back word to his friends by the messenger that he 
 would be glad of having the opportunity of welcoming Colo- 
 nel Connor's soldiers, and as the weather was very cold he 
 
392 History of Wyoming. 
 
 would see to it that it was made warm for them. On the 
 night of the 24th, two days after the departure of Captain 
 Hoyt and his men, Colonel Connor made the second move 
 in carrying out his plan. He left the fort under coyer of 
 darkness with detachments from Companies A, H, K and M, 
 Second Cavalry California Volunteers, numbering 220 men, 
 accompanied by Major McGarry, Second Cavalry California 
 Volunteers; Surgeon Eeid, Third Infantry California Vol- 
 unteers; Captains McLean and Price and Lieutenants Chase, 
 Clark, Quinn and Conrad, Second Cavalry California Volun. 
 teers; Major Gallagher, Third Infantry California Volun- 
 teers^ and Captain Berry, Second Cavalry California Volun- 
 teers, who were present at the post attending general court 
 martial, as volunteers. The weather was very cold, but not 
 a man or oflScer murmured. By daylight, sixty-eight miles 
 had been accomplished and the next night the Infantry with 
 the supply train was overtaken, and Colonel Connor, finding 
 them in camp, ordered them to march forward that night. 
 On the morning of the 29th, the command reached the vi- 
 cinity of the Indian camp just as day was breaking, and 
 fearing that the hostiles would discover the strength of 
 his force. Colonel Connor pushed his cavalry forward to 
 the banks of Bear River, leaving the infantry to follow with 
 as much speed as possible. The snow was deep, but the 
 soldiers made a rapid march, following the cavalry force. 
 Shortly after daylight Colonel Connor ordered the cavalry 
 forward under Major McG-arry, with instructions to sur- 
 round the Indians. After the departure of Major McGarry's 
 command, Colonel Connor remained behind a few minutes 
 to give orders to the infantry and artillery, after which he 
 galloped forward and joined the advance column. 
 
 On arriving on the field. Colonel Connor found that 
 Major McGarry had dismounted the cavalry and attacked 
 the Indians, as he found that the nature of the ground would 
 not permit him to surround them. As the soldiers came up, 
 the savages rushed from their hiding places on foot and on 
 horseback and with fiendish malignity waved the scalps of 
 white women and children, and challenged the troops to 
 
Indian Depredations on the Overland. 393 
 
 battle, and at the same time vigorously attacked the whites. 
 The cavalry accepted the challenge and poured in a deadly 
 fire which caused the Indians to take shelter behind some 
 strong natural defenses, consisting of a dry ravine about 
 forty feet wide and from six to twelve feet deep. The sides 
 of this ravine were fitted up with steps, so as to enable the 
 warriors to mount to a sufficient height to discharge their 
 rifles without exposing themselves to the fire of the sol- 
 diers. Some parts of this ravine were fitted up with covers 
 made from willows, thickly woven together, and behind 
 these artificial defenses they fired upon the soldiers with 
 telling effect. Colonel Connor, finding that he could not 
 dislodge the hostiles without great sacrifice of life, ordered 
 Major McGarry to turn their left flank. This was farther up 
 the ravine, next to the mountain. Up to this time the in- 
 fantry had not yet been engaged. Captain Hoyt had reached 
 the ford with his men, three-quarters of a mile away, but 
 found the water too deep. Colonel Connor, ascertaining the 
 situation, ordered the men holding the cavalry horses to 
 mount and lead the horses they had in charge across the 
 ford and transport the infantry men to the opposite side. 
 The troops were soon across and hurried to the battlefield. 
 Up to this time the soldiers had suffered greatly. Colonel 
 Connor found his men falling on every side of him, but the 
 difficulties of the situation nerved him to greater effort. 
 He now ordered the flanking party to advance down the 
 ravine, and as the Indians were driven out the infantrymen 
 in front shot them down. Some of the Indians tried to es- 
 cape by swimming Bear River, and seeing this. Colonel Con- 
 nor ordered a detachment of cavalry across the river to head 
 them off. By far the largest number remained in the ra- 
 vine and fought to the last. Colonel Connor's men, being 
 thoroughly aroused, advanced into the mouth of the ravine, 
 when the contest became a hand-to-hand fight. In their mad 
 efforts to escape, many of the now demoralized warriors 
 sprang over the ravine and plunged into the river, but they 
 were shot down by the unerring marksmen. The fight com- 
 menced at six in the morning and lasted four hours. The 
 
394 History of Wyoming. 
 
 official report says that 224 dead Indians were found on the 
 field. No prisoners were taken, except 160 squaws and chil- 
 dren, but these were not molested, being left on the field. 
 Colonel Connor had fourteen men killed and four officers 
 and forty-nine men wounded. One of the officers and five 
 of the wounded men died. I have talked with many of the 
 men who were in the battle, and all agree that it was a most 
 desperate engagement. Some of the men were stationed 
 on the river to prevent the escape of the savages, and they 
 claim that fully twenty-five were killed while in the water 
 and whose bodies floated down the stream and were there- 
 fore not in the official count. This would make the number 
 of Indians killed 249. The bodies of Bear Hunter, Sagwich 
 and Leight were found among the slain. One hundred and 
 seventy-five horses were captured; also a quantity of arms. 
 Seventy-five lodges and a large amount of wheat which had 
 been furnished by the Mormons was destroyed. The cold 
 on the day of battle was extreme. Seventy-five of the sol- 
 diers had their feet frozen and many of them were maimed 
 for life. Colonel Connor, in his official report of the battle, 
 says that the suffering of his men during the march was be- 
 yond description, but they steadily continued on without 
 regard to hunger, cold or thirst, and not a murmur escaped 
 them to indicate their sensibilities to pain or fatigue. 
 
 On receiving this report, General Halleck recommended 
 that Colonel Connor be made a brigadier general for the 
 heroic conduct of himself and men during the battle of Bear 
 River. The appointment was accordingly made on March 
 29th. The prompt recognition on the part of the war de- 
 partment of Connor's services in crushing the hostiles on 
 Bear River gave great satisfaction to the people of the west, 
 except of course the Mormons in Utah. His name was heard 
 at that time from one end to the other of the Overland sys- 
 tem. His practical method of fighting savages was ap- 
 plauded by everybody, but the destruction of the Bannocks 
 and Snakes did not serve to overawe the many other tribes 
 located east and west of the Snake country. Trouble in 
 Nebraska was apprehended early in the season. On March 
 
Indian Depredations on the Overland. 395 
 
 2nd, 1863, A. S. Paddock, Secretary and Acting Governor of 
 Nebraska, sent a protest to Major General Halleck against 
 withdrawing the troops from that territory for service in 
 the Department of the Missouri, as it would leave the fron- 
 tier settlements, which had contributed half their men, un- 
 protected. Major General Curtis on the same date asked 
 for the privilege of leaving part of these troops for the pro- 
 tection of the frontier. This request was ignored, as mili- 
 tary events of importance in Missouri, Kansas and Arkan- 
 sas called for all the troops in the department. Thus it was 
 that the Overland stage route in Nebraska was left at the 
 mercy of the Indians. 
 
 The next trouble was with the Southern Utes, who first 
 attacked the stage line beyond Salt Lake and later came 
 into eastern Wyoming. On April 28th, General Connor, 
 writing to the Department of the Pacific, says : 
 
 "The Indians are congregating in large force in the vi- 
 cinity of the Mormon settlements south of this post, with a 
 view of depredating on the Overland mail and emigrant 
 routes, and are incited and encouraged in their hellish work 
 by Brigham Young, by whose direction they are also sup- 
 plied with food, and by his people with ammunition, which I 
 have no means of preventing, nor can I strike at them before 
 they get stronger, as in order to reach them I have to pass 
 through Mormon settlements, and the Mormons notify the 
 Indians of my approach, when they scatter to their inacces- 
 sible mountain retreats, and thus avoid me. I understand 
 the agents of the Overland mail company are opposed to 
 having more troops sent here. Why I am unable to say. I 
 can only surmise, but cannot prove anything, as nothing can 
 be proved against a Mormon or one of their Gentile favor- 
 ites. I deem it a duty I owe to my command to notify the 
 government,through the general commanding, of the danger 
 to which they are exposed from the treachery, fanaticism 
 and disloyalty of this people in case of a serious reverse to 
 our arms in the east. I have also serious fears in conse- 
 quence of my small command being scattered over a large 
 extent of territory, of being overpowered in detail by the 
 hordes of Indians now congregating under Mormon aus- 
 pices, and who, my spies inform me, are to be joined by Mor- 
 mons disguised as Indians. Brigham Young has complete 
 control of the Indians of the territory, and could if he chose 
 
396 History of Wyoming. 
 
 prevent the horrors that will soon be enacted on the Over- 
 land route, and which with the force at my command I am 
 powerless to prevent. If the exigencies of the service will 
 not admit of my being adequately reinforced, I would again 
 respectfully recommend that Brigham Young's offer to pro- 
 tect the Overland mail and emigrant route for a certain 
 sum be accepted and my command withdrawn, in which 
 case the obnoxious Federal officers would of course have to 
 leave." 
 
 On April 3rd a band of Indians attacked a post known 
 as the Sweetwater Station. The hostiles were well armed 
 and made a furious assault, but they were finally driven off 
 after having dangerously wounded one soldier of Company 
 L, Sixth Ohio Cavalry (afterwards known as the Eleventh.) 
 There were twenty six men belonging to this company at 
 the station at that time. 
 
 On April 13th, General Connor telegraphed to Major 
 Oeneral Halleck from Camp Douglas : "Unless immediately 
 reinforced with cavalry, the Indians, urged on by Mormons, 
 will break up the Overland mail and make the emigrant 
 road impassable." General Halleck referred this dispatch 
 to General Schofleld, commanding Department of the Mis- 
 souri, and that officer ordered Colonel Chivington to send a 
 cavalry force to reinforce Gen.Connor, and the Colonel, after 
 some delay, ordered four companies of the First Colorado 
 Cavalry, under Major E. W. Wynkoop, to proceed west 
 on the Overland stage line as far as Fort Bridger and co- 
 operate with General Connor's forces. Two of these compa- 
 nies were taken from Denver and Major Wynkoop was or- 
 dered to proceed with these to Fort Collins, where two other 
 companies were located. Arriving there, he found that 
 these troops were not mounted and were indifferently armed 
 and so necessarily there was considerable time consumed be- 
 fore the soldiers were ready for the march westward. In 
 the meantime, General Connor's forces had met the hostile 
 Utes twenty-five miles west of Salt Lake and after a severe 
 engagement had driven them to the hills. A number of 
 emigrants had been killed in that vicinity, also soldiers and 
 stage drivers. General Connor complained that these Indi- 
 
Indian Depredations on the Overland. 297 
 
 ans were receiving help from the Mormon settlers west ot 
 Salt Lake. On June 18th, Governor Evans of Colorado noti- 
 fied General Schofield that he had learned of a proposed 
 war council of Sioux, Oheyennes and Arapahoes which was 
 soon to be held north of Denver and near Fort Laramie. 
 This conference, the Governor felt certain, would result in 
 a more systematic attack on emigrant trains and the Over- 
 land stage. 
 
 The delay of Major Wynkoop's command resulted in 
 permitting the Southern Utes to attack the Overland stage 
 road on the Laramie Plains. On July 5th, these Indians at- 
 tacked the stage company's station at Cooper Creek and ran 
 off all the stock, and the same night they visited Medicine 
 Bow station and carried off all the provisions and stripped 
 the keepers of the station. Hazard and Mcholls, of their 
 clothing. The commander at Port Halleck, being notified of 
 these depredations, dispatched a force of seventy-five men 
 to hunt up the savages. These troops, after scouting in 
 various directions, located them at a point eighteen miles 
 east of the fort and at once attacked them, killing a number. 
 The Indians finally took shelter in the mountains. The 
 troops in this engagement suffered considerably. Lieutenant 
 Hugh H. Williams, among others, being mortally wounded. 
 On the 10th the Indians ran off all the mules at Rock Creek 
 station. These same hostiles ran off 250 head of horses a 
 few miles from Fort Laramie. Extending their route north- 
 ward, they came upon 211 head of horses belonging to Re- 
 shaw, and these were also taken. By this time the condition 
 of affairs along the Overland route from Denver to the North 
 Platte had become serious. Philip Mandel, the hay con- 
 tractor on the stage line, had a number of encounters with 
 Indians that season. He and his men went to the hay fields 
 armed with Winchesters and kept close at hand horses 
 saddled, so as to fight or run as the occasion might require. 
 Hay gathering that year could not be considered a peaceful 
 vocation, as encounters with war parties were of frequent 
 occurrence. These Indians belonged to the same tribe which 
 had attacked the line beyond Salt Lake, General Connor, 
 
398 History of Wyoming. 
 
 by urgent appeals, had secured reinforcements from Califor- 
 nia, composed of a battalion of the Second Cavalry of that 
 state. 
 
 Returning now to that part of the stage line west of 
 Green River, the good effect of General Connor's method of 
 fighting Indians will be observable. In the early part of 
 June he met 200 Snakes, who signified a desire to be friendly 
 and promised to remain so. At Fort Bridger 700 more of 
 the same tribe told the General they were tired of fighting 
 and wanted to be at peace, and as proof of their good inten- 
 tions they returned to him 150 horses and mules they had 
 stolen from the whites. The Shoshones, or that part of the 
 band operating with the Snakes and Bannocks, begged of 
 General Connor to be allowed to go back to Washakie's 
 band. These misguided young men had suffered severely 
 for their participation with the Snakes and Bannocks in 
 depredations on the Overland trail. Pocatello with his band 
 visited General Connor and begged for peace. 
 
 On July 19th, General Schofleld, at the request of Gov- 
 ernor Evans, made an order transferring to the military 
 district of Colorado that part of the Territory of Idaho for- 
 merly belonging to the Territory of Nebraska, thus placing 
 Wyoming in the district commanded by Colonel John M. 
 Chivington, who had the reputation of being a good Indian 
 fighter. Matters along the stage line from Virginia Dale 
 west were badly demoralized that season. Virginia Dale 
 became a place of refuge for a number of women and chil- 
 dren who had been living at stations on the line west. Ma- 
 jor Wynkoop's much talked of Indian expedition failed to 
 arrive in Wyoming and was finally ordered to another point 
 by Colonel Chivington. The troops stationed at Fort Hal- 
 leek were few in number and consequently were unable to 
 strike a decisive blow, and so the long summer and fall 
 passed. There were depredations now and then, bnt the 
 little force at Fort Halleck kept the Indians in check for the 
 time being. In spite of the depredations of Indians, and the 
 unfavorable conditions which prevailed, there was some 
 prospecting for gold that season on the head of Cooper 
 
Indian Depredations on the Overland. 399 
 
 Creek, Button Creek and Rock Creek, by miners on their re- 
 turn from California, but they were finally driyen out by the 
 
 Utes. 
 
 In the latter part of July, the Southern Utes notified 
 General Connor of a desire on their part to make peace, and 
 a treaty was speedily entered into by the General with Little 
 Soldier's band, the Indians giving up the property of the 
 government in their hands, and General Connor turning 
 over to them the ponies he had captured. The Indian chief 
 was assured that the government desired to protect all good 
 Indians, but that it would punish severely all bad ones. 
 Later the General had a conference with the following Ute 
 chiefs and made treaties with them: Antero, Tabby, Ca- 
 nosh, Ute Pete, Au-ke-wah-kus, and Black Hawk. All these 
 chiefs were accompanied by their people and the conference 
 took place near Springville, Utah, and thus the Indian diffi- 
 culty on the Overland, west of Pacific Springs, for the time 
 being, was ended. Some of the Ute tribes who had been 
 committing depredations on the Laramie Plains still re- 
 mained hostile. 
 
 General Connor never allowed himself to be idle for a 
 moment. When not engaged in fighting Idians, he laid 
 plans to thwart the Mormons. He wrote long letters to 
 Adjutant General E. C. Drum of the Department of the Pa- 
 cific, giving in detail the plans and purposes of Brigham 
 Young and his followers in their treasonable designs against 
 the government. Finally an idea occurred to him that he 
 might successfully subdue the Mormons in a peaceable way 
 and that was through the opening of gold mines, and there- 
 by induce a large number of Gentiles to come Into the coun- 
 try. With his usual impetuosity, he issued an order to a 
 number of his officers to take their men into the mountains 
 and prospect for gold. Major Noyes Baldwin was one of 
 the first sent out. He prospected in Utah, south of Fort 
 Bridger, and later went to the South Pass, going as far 
 north as Big Wind Eiver. General Connor, writing to Ad- 
 jutant General Drum, says: 
 
400 History of Wyoming. 
 
 "Having reason to believe that the territory is full of 
 mineral wealth, I have instructed commanders of posts and 
 detachments to permit the men of their commands to pros- 
 pect the country in the vicinity of their respective posts, 
 wherever such course would not interfere with their mili- 
 tary duties, and to furnish every proper facility for the dis- 
 covery and opening of mines of gold, silver and other min- 
 erals. Already reliable reports reach me of the discovery of 
 rich gold, silver and copper mines in almost every direc- 
 tion, and that by spring one of the largest and most hopeful 
 fields of mining operations will be opened to the hardy and 
 adventurous of our people. Both gold quartz and silver 
 leads have been discovered at Egan Canon, about 200 miles 
 west of this place; also in Euby Valley, and at points along 
 the mail route. The Goose Creek mountains, 150 miles 
 northwest of this city, are believed to contain rich mines of 
 precious metals. The mountains in the immediate vicinity, 
 of this place are being explored and prospected, and I have 
 reason to believe with successful results. Already, within 
 a distance of from twenty-five to fifty miles of this city, in 
 the east and west mountains, mines have been discovered, 
 yielding, with imperfect tests, rich indications of silver, and 
 largely charged with lead and copper ores. The work is 
 still going on, and I have little doubt that rich veins of sil- 
 ver, and probably gold, will be discovered in almost every 
 direction, and still nearer to Salt Lake City. I may also 
 mention that near Camp Connor, 150 miles north of this 
 place, large deposits of salt, sulphur and extensive beds of 
 coal have been found, while the springs adjoining the camp 
 yield immense deposits of the carbonate of soda, which will 
 one day, I have no doubt, be of very considerable commercial 
 value. If I be not mistaken in these anticipations, I have no 
 reason to doubt that the Mormon question will at an early 
 day be finally settled by peaceable means, without the in- 
 creased expenditure of a dollar by the government, or still 
 more important, without the loss of a single soldier in con- 
 flict. I have every confidence, therefore, in being able to 
 accomplish this desirable result without the aid of another 
 soldier in addition to those already under my command, not- 
 withstanding the obstacles sought to be thrown in my way 
 by the Mormon leaders, who see in the present policy the 
 sure downfall of their most odious system of church tyran- 
 ny. I have no fear for the future and believe the dawn is 
 breaking upon this deluded people, even though their elders 
 and bishops and chief priests may escape the personal pun- 
 
Indian Depredations on the Overland. 401 
 
 ishment of their sins against law and crimes against hu- 
 manity and the government, so richly merited." 
 
 Before closing the events of 1863, it will be necessary to 
 introduce a notorious character in these pages. It was a 
 recognized fact in the Overland days that all the officers and 
 agents connected with the Overland stages were men of the 
 highest character, with a single exception, and this indi- 
 vidual was Joseph A. Slade. He was a division superin- 
 tendent, first with headquarters at Fort Laramie, and later 
 established Virginia Dale, naming the place in honor of his 
 wife. The incidents connected with this man Slade, I have 
 drawn from numerous and what I consider reliable sources. 
 
 Hugo Koch, who now resides in Fremont County, tells 
 me that he came west in the fall of 1858 and that at Atchi- 
 son he joined a bull train which was in charge of Slade, who 
 the following year became a superintendent of a division ot 
 the Overland stage company in Wyoming. This, then, is the 
 introduction of that notorious character into this country. 
 Koch describes Slade as not far from thirty years old at that 
 time, though he must have been older, as he was a volunteer 
 in the Mexican War. He was rather under the medium size, 
 dark complexion, flim set features and determined look. 
 Slade was accompanied by his wife, who was rather good 
 looking and about the same age as her husband; weight 
 about 160 pounds. Mr. Koch claims that Slade was a bad 
 man when he was drunk and that he was often found in this 
 condition. Mrs. Slade was not altogether a lovely charac- 
 ter, often interfering in her husband's business, and many of 
 the difficulties he had with people originated with her. I 
 have on this same authority something of Slade's early life. 
 He was born in southern Illinois and at the age of thirteen 
 displayed an ungovernable temper and killed a man by 
 striking him with a stone. This man had interfered with 
 some boys with whom young Slade was playing. The father 
 of the lad succeeded in getting him out of the country and 
 sending him to Texas, where he grew to manhood and was 
 married. His wife always possessed great influence over 
 him, even when he was drunk. Soon after arriving in Wyo- 
 
 _{26) 
 
402 History of Wyoming. 
 
 ming he killed Andrew Farrar, a man connected with the 
 train. The two were drinking together at some point east 
 of Green River and got into an animated conversation, dur- 
 ing which something was said about shooting, Slade remark- 
 ing that no man must dare him to shoot. Farrar, who was 
 fast reaching a maudlin condition, replied, "I dare you to 
 shoot me." Instantly Slade drew his revolver and fired, in- 
 flicting a dangerous wound on the person of Farrar. Hor- 
 rified at what he had done, he expressed the greatest sorrow 
 to the wounded man and those around him and instantly dis- 
 patched a messenger on a fast horse to Fort Bridger to se- 
 cure a surgeon. The doctor came promptly, but his services 
 were without avail and Farrar died. As superintendent 
 for the stage company, Slade had many adventures. He 
 conducted business in a manner satisfactory to the stage 
 company and was noted for his promptness in all transac- 
 tions relating to the passenger and express business. I find 
 many old timers who were well acquainted with Slade while 
 he was in charge of a division of the Overland stage. All 
 agree that he was a good man for the very difficult position 
 he held, but that he was a dangerous character when under 
 the influence of liquor. He had trouble with many people^ 
 and among others Jules Reni, a Canadian Frenchman, who 
 had a ranch on the South Platte where Julesburg is located 
 at the present time, the town being named after this Ca- 
 nadian. Reni and Slade often met and as often had mis- 
 understandings. Finally they had a quarrel and Reni fired 
 with a shotgun thirteen buckshot into Slade's person. His 
 antagonist appeared well satisfied and said to some person 
 standing near, "When he is dead, you can put him in one of 
 these dry goods boxes and bury him." This remark was 
 heard by Slade, and with an oath he replied, "I shall live 
 long enough to wear one of your ears on my watch guard. 
 You needn't trouble yourself about my burial." While the 
 shooting excitement was still on, the Overland stage came 
 along, and it chanced that the superintendent of the road 
 was on board. This officer ordered the arrest of the would- 
 be murderer, and those present took him into custody and 
 
Indian Depredations on the Overland. 403 
 
 proceeded to hang him. After he had been strangled until 
 he was black in the face, he was allowed to go, on promising 
 to leave the country, which he did for the time. Slade suf- 
 fered from his wounds for several weeks and finally made a 
 journey to St. Louis to procure surgical assistance. Seven 
 of the buckshot were cut out and the balance remained in 
 his person to remind him of vengeance. When he returned 
 to the road he took occasion to send word to his antagonist 
 that he was determined to kill him on sight, but he would 
 not go out of his way to meet him. Eeni, or Jules as he wa^ 
 always called, received Slade's message and at once re- 
 turned to the division of the Overland where Slade was em- 
 ployed and on his way told several persons that he was 
 going to kill Slade. The latter was at Pacific Springs and 
 heard of the threat, and he at once started for Julesburg. 
 When he arrived at Fort Laramie he visited the officers and 
 laid the subject before them and promised to take their 
 advice. The officers understood all about the threats of 
 both parties and frankly told Slade that in their judgment 
 Jules would kill him unless prompt measures were taken, 
 and that he would have no peace on his divisionlinless Jules 
 was captured and killed. Slade now dispatched four men 
 to Bordeaux's ranch, where he learned Jules had spent the 
 night before. The instructions given the men were to make 
 Jules a prisoner, securely tie him and await the arrival of 
 Slade, who was to follow in the next east bound coach. The 
 men sent after Jules did not find him at Bordeaux's, so they 
 went on to Chansau's ranch, the next station, where they 
 found their man. They captured him without opposition, 
 securely bound his hands and feet and placed him in the 
 corral in the rear of the station. Slade came in the next 
 coach, as agreed, and was rejoiced to find his enemy a cap- 
 tive. He at once went to the corral and on sight leveled a 
 pistol and fired. The ball struck Jules in the mouth but did 
 not kill him ; a second shot passed through his head and pro- 
 duced instant death. Slade now returned to Fort Laramie 
 and went through the farce of delivering himself up to jus- 
 tice, and demanding an investigation. The commander of 
 
404 History of Wyoming. 
 
 course discharged him, inasmuch as he had advised the kill- 
 ing. The story of this shooting has been told in many ways. 
 I have met persons who claimed that Slade ordered Jules 
 placed in a standing position and fired repeated shots, and 
 between each went to the station and invited the crowd to 
 take a drink, and just before firing would say, "Now, Jules, 
 I'm going to hit you — in such a place," and being an expert 
 shot he kept his word every time. Finally he cut off his ears 
 and put them in his vest pocket, after which he killed him 
 outright. This is the story told by some parties now living 
 in this state, but I am satisfied they have been misinformed 
 and that my account is substantially correct. The stage 
 company investigated the affair at the time and while they 
 did not approve of Slade's conduct, they permitted him to 
 continue in his position as superintendent of his division. 
 
 While discussing the Jules Eeni and Slade affair, I will 
 finish the story of the remaining desperado at this point in 
 the history. Slade's whole conduct while connected with 
 the Overland was the embodiment of rufflanism, and how he 
 held his position with the stage company is hard to conjec- 
 ture. It may be that his reputation was some protection to 
 the company, and that he had some ability to get stages 
 through on time, but for all this he was a dangerous charac- 
 ter when drunk, and in this condition he was very often 
 found. He was guilty of many acts of violence toward men 
 who were much better in every way than himself. After 
 the stages were removed to the southern line, he on one oc- 
 casion entered the sutler's store at Fort Halleck and amused 
 himself by shooting holes through the canned goods on the 
 shelf. At another time he took possession of the sutler's 
 quarters and terrorized everybody connected with the estab- 
 lishment. For this offense the commander of the fort had 
 him arrested and refused a release unless the stage company 
 would first dismiss him from their employ. This was done 
 and Slade found his way to Montana, where he had many 
 adventures, and finally located in Virginia City in 1863, 
 where his frequent drunken brawls and high-handed acts 
 of violence made him the subject of investigation by the 
 
Indian Depredations on the Overland. 405 
 
 Tigilantes, who sentenced him to be hanged. When in- 
 formed of his fate by the executive oflQcer of the committee, 
 he fell upon his knees on the floor and with clasped hands 
 begged for his life. When he saw that it was useless to im- 
 plore, he exclaimed, "My God! My God! Must I die?" One 
 of his friends, at this critical moment, who had been begging 
 for his release, threw off his coat and doubling up his fists 
 declared that Blade should be hanged only over his dead 
 body. A hundred rifles in the hands of the vigilantes were 
 cocked and aimed at him in less than a minute and he was 
 only too glad to make promises of future good behavior in 
 order to save his life. The vigilantes now proceeded to exe- 
 cute the condemned man. A rope was thrown over the 
 cross-beam of the gateway of a corral and Slade was placed 
 upon a dry goods box, the rope drawn tight and the box 
 pushed from under him, and all- was over. Mrs. Slade had 
 been sent for, but arrived too late to see her husband alive. 
 The body had been cut down and taken to a hotel, where 
 the newly made widow followed it. She threw herself upon 
 the dead body, clasping the inanimate form in her arms, and 
 gave vent to heart-rending cries, followed by bitter curses 
 upon those who had hanged her husband. Finally, turning 
 to those about her, she exclaimed in an agony of grief, "Why, 
 oh, why did not some of you, the friends of Slade, shoot him 
 down and not suffer him to die on the scaffold? I would 
 have done it had I been here. He should never have died 
 by the rope of the hangman. No dog's death should have 
 come to such a man." Many people in Wyoming will not 
 agree with Mrs. Slade, for they are firmly of the opinion 
 that he deserved the death which came to him. It is com- 
 monly reported that while in this country Slade was secretly 
 at the head of a gang who stole horses, robbed emigrants 
 and did murder, when occasion required, in carrying out 
 these enterprises. It is said that "the devil is not as black 
 as he is painted," and this may apply to some extent to 
 glade. He was, however, a bad man, and committed many 
 atrocious acts while in Wyoming, but just how many I have 
 no desire to make the necessary investigation to determine. 
 
.406 History of Wyoming. 
 
 TLike most men of his class, who held human life cheap, he 
 was a coward at heart, as his conduct at the time of his 
 ■death proved. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 INDIAN TROUBLES ON THE OVERLAND. 
 
 Events of 1864 — A Glance Backward — The Crow Country — The 
 Crow Character — What Robert Campbell Says of Them — The 
 BozEMAN Road — The Man Who Laid it Out and His Death — 
 Overland Stage Company Complains — Gen. Connor's Policy with 
 Indians Successful — Return of Stolen Property — Gen. Connor 
 Ordered to Protect the Overland from Salt Lake to Fort 
 Kearney — Mormons Attempt to Have Camp Douglas Removed — 
 Gen. Connor's Trouble With the Mormons — The Outlook for 
 1865. 
 
 To properly understand the conditions of 1864 in the 
 country now comprising Wyoming, it may be well to take a 
 glance backward and find out somewhat of the territory 
 north of the North Platte, which is soon to become the cen- 
 ter of important military operations. Up to the time of the 
 building of Fort Laramie the Crow Indians, or, as they 
 originally called themselves, the Upsarokas, owned all the 
 country along the Yellowstone, Big Horn and Big Wind 
 Rivers. They were a powerful tribe, and, as Indians go, 
 were superior in many respects. They would steal horses, 
 of course, but were not disposed to murder white people 
 unless in self defense. The early trappers had now and 
 then a difflculty with the Crows, but not to the extent that 
 they had with the Blackfeet. The Crow warriors prided 
 themselves not exactly upon their honesty, but on their 
 honor, when they made a promise to protect the property 
 of the trappers placed in their hands for safe keeping. This 
 is well illustrated by the experience of Robert Campbell 
 with this tribe. He was at one time quartered in the village 
 
Indian Troubles on the Overland. 407 
 
 of the Crows and was the guest of Arapooish, the then great 
 chief of the tribe. Campbell was on a successful trapping 
 •expedition and had secured a large number of peltries. He 
 partially trusted to the honesty of the Crows, but yet had 
 his misgivings, so before entering the villa*ge he made a 
 cache in which he placed one-half of the beaver skins. 
 When all had been properly secured about the cache, he 
 -and his men went forward to the Crow village. The tribe re- 
 ceived him cordially and he became a guest of the chief and 
 was quartered in his lodge. There was merry-making and 
 much smoking of a most friendly character, but one night 
 the stalwart chieftain entered the lodge with a cloud of dis- 
 pleasure on his brow and seating himself in his accustomed 
 place he remained silent for a long time and finally said to 
 Campbell, abruptly, that he had more furs than he had 
 Ijrought to the lodge. Mr. Campbell knew the Indian char- 
 acter to perfection and he quickly saw that it would be bad 
 policy to hesitate or keep anything back, and so he replied 
 that he had. The chief looked into the face of his guest and 
 demanded to know the whereabouts of the furs. Without 
 hesitation the fur trader described to the chief the location 
 of the cache. What followed is given as Campbell told the 
 story to Washington Irving. 
 
 " * 'Tis well,' replied Arapooish, 'you speak straight. It 
 is just as you say. But your cache has been robbed. Go 
 and see how many skins have been taken from it.' Campbell 
 examined the cache and estimated his loss to be about one 
 hundred and fifty beaver skins. Arapooish now summoned 
 a meeting of the village. He bitterly reproached his people 
 for robbing a stranger who had confided to their honor; and 
 <X)mmanded that whoever had taken the skins, should bring 
 them back; declaring that, as Campbell was his guest and 
 inmate of his lodge, he would not eat nor drink until every 
 skin was restored to him. The meeting broke up, and every 
 one dispersed. Arapooish now charged Campbell to give 
 neither reward nor thanks to any one who should bring in 
 the beaver skins, but to keep count as they were delivered. 
 In a little while the skins began to make their appearance, 
 a few at a time; they were laid down in the lodge, and those 
 who brought them departed without saying a word. The 
 day passed away. Arapooish sat in one corner of his lodge. 
 
4o8 History of Wyoming. 
 
 wrapped up in his robe, scarcely moving a muscle of his 
 countenance. When night arrived, he demanded if all the 
 skins had been brought in. Above a hundred had been 
 given up and Campbell expressed himself contented. Not 
 so the Crow chieftain. He fasted all that night, nor tasted 
 a drop of water. In the morning some more skins were 
 brought in, and continued to come, one and two at a time, 
 throughout the day, until but a few were wanting to make 
 the number complete. Campbell was now anxious to put an 
 end to this fasting of the old chief, and again declared that 
 he was perfectly satisfied. Arapooish demanded what num- 
 ber of skins were yet wanting. On being told, he whispered 
 to some of his people, who disappeared. After a time the 
 number was brought in, though it was evident they were 
 not any of the skins that had been stolen, but others gleaned 
 in the village. 'Is all right now?' demanded Arapooish. 
 'All is right,' replied Campbell. 'Good! Now bring me 
 meat and drink!' When they were alone, Arapooish had a 
 conversation with his guest. 'When you come another time 
 among the Crows,' said he, 'don't hide your goods; trust 
 to them and they will not wrong you. Put your goods in 
 the lodge of a chief and they are sacred; hide them in a 
 cache and anyone who finds them will steal them. My peo- 
 ple have now given up your goods for my sake; but there 
 are some foolish young men in the village who may be dis- 
 posed to be troublesome. Don't linger, therefore, but pack 
 your goods and be off.' Campbell took his advice and made 
 his way safely out of the Crow country. He ever afterward 
 maintained that the Crows were no* so black as they were 
 painted. 'Trust to their honor,' says he, 'and you are safe ; 
 trust to their honesty, and they will steal the hair off vour 
 head.' " 
 
 The Crows were very proud of their country and it can 
 be said that no other tribe exhibited such unbounded love of 
 their hunting grounds as this nation. They claimed the 
 land as far east as the valleys of the different branches of 
 Powder River and west a considerable distance beyond 
 Wind Eiver and north to the Yellowstone and south to the 
 north end of the Laramie range. This was a good country 
 for game and possessed every advantage as a residence for 
 a wild tribe. The chief Arapooish was an enthusiast in re- 
 gard to the country which composed his domain. He told 
 
Indian Troubles on the Overland. 409 
 
 Robert Campbell that the Crow country was a good country 
 and that the Great Spirit had put it in exactly the right 
 place. It was good for horses, and he added, "What is a 
 country without horses?" He said that on the Columbia,^ 
 the people were poor and dirty, paddled about in canoes and 
 ate fish. On the Missouri, he said, the water was muddy and 
 bad. To the north of the Crow country it was too cold and 
 to the south it was too hot. The Crow country was just 
 right. The water was clear and sweet. There was plenty of 
 buffalo, elk, deer, antelope and mountain sheep. The Wind 
 Eiver valley, he said, was the best wintering place in the 
 world and had plenty of game. Is it any wonder that the 
 Crow nation fought long and hard to defend this country, 
 which they loved so much? They fought the Blackfeet for 
 seventy-five years to keep them away from these hunting 
 grounds, and later they defended the territory against com- 
 bined assaults of the Arapahoes, the Cheyennes and the nu- 
 merous tribes of the Sioux nation, and they would have suc- 
 ceeded against these fearful odds had it not been for the 
 ravages of the small pox. They finally were driven out by 
 the warlike Sioux and their home, which had been sweet to 
 them for so many years, knew them again no more. It was a 
 sad day for the white men when the Crow country passed 
 into the hands of the Sioux and their allies. Thf Crows 
 from the first coming of the whites welcomed them and en- 
 couraged all to remain. They adopted the trappers into 
 their tribe and gave them equal opportunity with the Indian 
 braves to become great chiefs. 
 
 I am thus particular to give a short sketch of the. Crow 
 nation and the Crow country for the reason that the ene- 
 mies of the Crows were the enemies of the whites, and the 
 disaster that befell this tribe of Indians resulted finally in 
 the destruction of many white men who attempted to pass 
 through the country. 
 
 The Bozeman road was one of the bloody thoroughfares 
 of Wyoming. It was not a main highway across the conti- 
 nent, like the Overland trail, being laid out in comparatively 
 modern times and in another direction. It led from Boze- 
 
410 History of Wyoming. 
 
 man City, Montana, all the way through what had been the 
 €row country, to Fort Laramie, in Wyoming, and was not 
 in the beginning intedned for a military road, but circum- 
 stances compelled the United States government to place a 
 line of military posts along the route, and thus it became 
 a noted thoroughfare, guarded by United States troops. 
 It received its name from J. M. Bozeman, a citizen of Mon- 
 tana, who in the spring of 1863 laid out the road from Red 
 Buttes on the Platte River to the Three Forks on the Mis- 
 souri River. John M. Jacobs accompanied Bozeman on this 
 trip and assisted in the enterprise. Bozeman was shortly 
 afterwards killed by Indians at the mouth of Shields River 
 on the Yellowstone. The city of Bozeman, Montana, was 
 named in honor of this enterprising pioneer. As soon as 
 this road was laid out it was used by miners going to Mon- 
 tana, it being a short cut to the newly discovered gold fields. 
 The Indians at once objected to the passage of emigrant 
 trains through that part of their country. The Sioux and 
 Cheyennes, the former led by Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses, 
 Spotted-Tail and Two-Face, and the latter by White Ante- 
 lope, but these tribes having a war on hand on the South 
 JPlatte, were unable at first to give much attention to the 
 Bozeman road, and yet they managed to make it uncom- 
 fortable for many of the trains passing by this route. In 
 1865, General Alfred Sully was sent up the Missouri with an 
 expedition against the Sioux and succeeded in bringing the 
 savages to battle at several points, and in one engagement 
 killed nearly six hundred of them. This expedition was 
 successful, but it resulted in driving the Indians down on 
 the Platte and made the conditions on the Overland trail 
 and the Bozeman road much worse than before. 
 
 Those who pass over what was once the Crow country, 
 even at this day, cannot help feeling that the eloquence of 
 Arapooish was not out of place when his theme was the 
 home of the Crows. Bridger, Beckwourth, Father De Smet 
 and many others of the early travelers spoke in glowing 
 terms of this fair land. The fertile basins of Wind River, 
 Big Horn, Yellowstone, Tongue River, and many other 
 
Indian Troubles on the Overland. 411 
 
 choice localities attest the chieftain's eloquence. The wild 
 fruits, the game, the grasses and native grains make the 
 Crow country worthy of the love of the people of the Crow 
 nation. I have no desire to discuss the rights and wrongs 
 of the Indians, but I cannot help saying that the United 
 States government should have given its protection to the 
 Crow nation as against those more barbarous tribes, the 
 Sioux, the Gheyennes and the Arapahoes. The American 
 Fur Company was the aider and abettor in the conquest of 
 the Crow country, simply because the great Sioux tribes 
 had more furs and skins to sell than the Crows. The desire 
 of this company was trade, and it mattered not who was to 
 be wronged. They furnished the guns, powder and lead 
 which made the conquest. The Sioux even to this day admit 
 that they stole the hunting grounds of the Crows because 
 they were the best. Had our government given assistance 
 to the Crow nation, that tribe would have become allies, 
 and thereby the lives of thousands of white settlers would 
 have been saved. This is one of the great mistakes made by 
 the government. These Indians possessed integrity of char- 
 acter, and meet them where you will, even to this day, they 
 still make the proud claim that the Crow nation never killed 
 a white man except in self defense. The reader must under- 
 stand that the conquest of the Crow country occurred in 
 comparatively modem times. In the forties, Father De 
 Smet found the Crows occupying their beautiful country, 
 and it was not until after his time that wasting war, waged 
 year after year for more than a decade, forced the members 
 of this tribe to give up their homes. That was the oppor- 
 tunity for the government to have assisted this friendly 
 tribe and thus assisted white men as well. The Crows were 
 brave warriors and would have beeen glad of the opportu- 
 nity to protect the Overland road. After this digression, let 
 us return to the events of 1864. 
 
 During the year 1864, the Overland Stage Company 
 made many complaints regarding slight Indian depreda- 
 tions along the mail route. During the spring and early 
 summer there were occasional attacks on the mail coaches 
 
412 History of Wyoming. 
 
 and some stock stolen from the company and also from 
 passing emigrants. As the summer advanced, Indian depre- 
 dations increased, the greater part of the trouble being in 
 eastern Wyoming and western Colorado. General Connor 
 reported on July 1st, from Camp Douglas, that the policy 
 pursued toward the Snakes had had a most happy eifect. 
 Connor believed in making Indians understand that depre- 
 dations would be followed by swift and awful punishment, 
 and he also believed in rewarding good conduct on the part 
 of the Indians by issuing to them flour, sugar and clothing. 
 The Bannocks, Snakes and Shoshones had become friendly 
 through Connor's methods, which justified him in the belief 
 that Indians could be managed only by inspiring a whole- 
 some dread of consequences. His theory was that you must 
 impress upon the mind of the savage that "the way of the 
 transgressor is hard," and at the same time make him under- 
 stand that the government would protect good Indians. The 
 General was certainly the most successful Indian fighter of 
 his time. He cleared the stage road of hostiles from Green 
 Kiver to California, and kept it clear. 
 
 To show the conditions which prevailed around Fort 
 Bridger that spring, I will quote from a report made by 
 Major P. A. Gallagher, the commander. The report was to 
 General Connor and reads as follows: 
 
 "I have the honor to report to the general commanding 
 that one of Washakie's Indians, named Wo-an-gant, brought 
 to this post yesterday nineteen horses which had been stolen 
 and delivered them into my hands, making the following 
 statement: He says that being out hunting in the Wind 
 River Mountains, he came to four lodges of Indians, and 
 that they are a branch of the Snake tribe, called by the 
 Shoshones, Sheepeaters. They informed him that they had 
 stolen twenty-three horses from the white men who were 
 mining or prospecting some two months before near Beaver 
 Head. This Indian says that he told them that a treaty had 
 been made with the whites last summer, which was the first 
 information they had of it. They delivered up to him 
 twenty horses (three having got away from them) to be 
 
Indian Troubles on the Overland. 413 
 
 brought by him to Fort Bridger. One of the horses was kept 
 by one of Washakie's Indians, which I think I can get. 
 Nineteen of the horses are herej^ which I shall keep until I 
 know the wishes of the general in regard to them." 
 
 Governor Evans of Colorado telegraphed to the Secre- 
 tary of War on September 7th, asking that the Second Colo- 
 rado, serving near Kansas City, Missouri, be sent to do ser- 
 vice on the Overland mail route, claiming that unless pro- 
 tection was given to this line of travel that famine would be 
 added to the gigantic Indian war then in progress. Flour, 
 he said, was already $45 per barrel, the supply growing 
 scarcer every day, with none on the way; that the people 
 were fearing an attack of Indians which had been planned 
 to cover a distance of 300 miles of traveled road. He urged 
 that the troops be sent at once; otherwise it would be too 
 late for supplies to reach the west that season. On the 22nd 
 of the same month, Colonel Chivington telegraphed the Sec- 
 retary of War that the Indians were troublesome on the 
 same route and urged him to have troops sent forward. The 
 Secretary of W^ar referred the matter to the headquarters 
 of the Department of Kansas, and Major General Curtis, 
 commanding at Leavenworth, ordered that well garrisoned 
 posts be established on the Overland route at points not 
 over fifty miles apart and troops were ordered forward for 
 this purpose, but there were delays without number. Ben 
 Holliday, with the enterprise and dash for which he was 
 noted, pushed forward new stock tenders along the line to 
 take the places of those who had been killed, and horses 
 in place of those run off. He closed a telegram to General 
 Curtis as follows: "With your advice and assistance and 
 my determination, I know we can put this line in operation 
 so that there will be no further interruption in this service." 
 General Curtis replied that no one was more anxious than 
 himself to protect the mail route, and promised to distribute 
 troops along the line without delay. He also made a re- 
 quest for arms to be distributed to the employes of the stage 
 line and these were finally furnished by the Governor of 
 Kansas. General Mitchell started from Omaha the latte^ 
 
414 History of Wjfommg. 
 
 part of September with a few troops to place at stations at 
 points near Julesburg. On October 1st, Ben Holliday asked 
 that five soldiers be placed at each station on the Overland 
 and said that unless this was done it would be impossible 
 to keep his men at stations. He also asked that from two to 
 four soldiers be placed on each coach. On October 3rd, 
 stages started out from the east with escorts, and military 
 commanders farther west were notified to see that all stages 
 be furnished with a suflScient number of soldiers to protect 
 the mail and passengers. On October 6th, Major John S. 
 Wood, commanding Fort Laramie, requested that he be al- 
 lowed to furnish provisions to certain friendly Indians 
 about the post. General Mitchell, in approving the request, 
 which was forwarded to General Curtis, explained that he, 
 on his late visit to Fort Laramie, had induced these bands 
 to make war upon hostile Indians and had promised them 
 a reward for every scalp taken. I have examined the rec- 
 ords carefully to ascertain what action General Curtis saw 
 fit to take regarding this request, but can find nothing. I 
 find it difflcult to believe that this oflQcer would approve of 
 a reward for scalps. On the night of the 12th, twenty-five 
 Indians attacked the mail ten miles west of Plum Creek. 
 There were several soldiers in the coach at the time and 
 some passengers. The fight was short but sharp. One In- 
 dian was killed and several wounded. Of those connected 
 with the stage, one soldier was severely wounded, and also 
 a passenger. The Indians were finally driven off and the 
 stage proceeded westward. The next night the stage was 
 attacked near Valley Station. Fortunately the escort was 
 a heavy one and gave ample protection to the mail and 
 passengers. Twelve Indians were killed. 
 
 With the opening of the lines of communication came 
 additional trouble and Ben Holliday now clamored loudly 
 for the promised protection. He telegraphed the Secre- 
 tary of War that unless immediate measures be taken to 
 stop depredations, he would be obliged to cease running the 
 Overland coaches. He suggested that General Connor be 
 assigned to the duty of protecting Overland tralHc. This 
 appeal was successful, as will be shown farther on. 
 
Indian Troubles on the Overland. 415 
 
 Late in October, the Sioux, Oheyennes and Arapahoes 
 began depredations on the North Platte and also on the Lar- 
 amie Plains. General Connor having made a good record 
 in suppressing Indians, General Halleck telegraphed him 
 from Washington to give all the protection in his power 
 to the Overland route between Fort Kearney and Salt Lake, 
 without regard to department lines. In reply to this, Gene- 
 ral Connor asked that the troops along the line be subject to 
 his orders. This General Halleck did not approve, but said 
 that the troops of the different departments should act to- 
 gether. Governor Evans of Colorado was rendering every 
 assistance in his power and was rejoiced over the fact that 
 the Indians were to be chastised by this successful Indian 
 fighter. About the 1st of November, General Connor sent 
 a cavalry force of 200 from Fort Douglas to co-operate with 
 other troops on the Overland road, while he himself took the 
 stage for Denver to investigate the condition of affairs 
 along the stage road. It was his opinion that a winter cam- 
 paign should be made against the hostiles. He wrote the 
 commander of the Department of the Pacific, on the eve of 
 his departure for Denver: 
 
 "I design proceeding hence to Denver by stage next 
 week, where I hope to be able to gather the necessary in- 
 formation, after examining the field, to guide the future 
 movements of my troops. Should I find it practicable and 
 advisable to make a winter's campaign, with a fair proba- 
 bility of severely punishing the savages, of which I now en- 
 tertain little doubt, I will make such arrangement and dis- 
 position of the troops as may be necessary, and immediately 
 return to this post by stage. As soon thereafter as every- 
 thing necessary for a vigorous campaign can be prepared, 
 I propose to return and assume personal command of the 
 expedition, making Denver the base of operations. As my 
 absence from the district (with which I will be in constant 
 communication) will be but temporary, not exceeding, per- 
 haps, a fortnight, I will retain command, leaving a compe- 
 tent ofiflcer here to attend to details. Should my confident 
 expectations regarding the possibility of a winter campaign 
 against the Sioux, Arapahoes and Oheyennes not be real- 
 ized after personal examination I purpose to make imme- 
 
41 6 History of Wyoming. 
 
 diately, my troops will go into winter quarters, ready for 
 such service as may be required by the exigencies of either 
 district. There is no doubt that until the savages eastward 
 of Denver shall have been thoroughly defeated and severely 
 punished, no permanent peace can be hoped for; nor can 
 their frequent raids upon the Overland route be prevented 
 by any number of troops at the disposal of the government. 
 I am equally clear in the opinion that the winter or early 
 spring is the only time when Indians can be successfully 
 pursued, punished and brought to terms. If this be possi- 
 ble, as I now think it is, I need hardly add that the most vig- 
 orous measures will be taken at the earliest possible day. 
 Your instructions in the premises have been most carefully 
 noted and will be strictly obeyed. I trust that the move- 
 ments above set forth will meet with the approbation and 
 concurrence of the General commanding the department, to 
 whom I will report from time to time regarding my future 
 actions." 
 
 Everything seemed to be in readiness for a winter cam- 
 paign when suddenly there appeared no further necessity 
 for troops on the Overland. The 200 cavalry which had 
 started out from Fort Douglas to go east over the Overland 
 road were halted at Fort Bridger, making the force at that 
 post about 300 men. The general impression prevailing in 
 military circles was that the Overland Stage Company had 
 become timid and required an escort for their stages when 
 there was really no necessity for it. There was considera- 
 ble travel in the stages, and these people were not slow in 
 assisting the stage company to secure protection for the 
 mail and passengers. The general government had all it 
 could do in the south, so no additional troops could be 
 spared for the west. The stage company and the telegraph 
 company, assisted by the Mormons, were anxious to get rid 
 of the troops at Fort Douglas. The two former desired 
 Connor's forces to be distributed at many points along the 
 stage line, while the latter worked actively to get Connor 
 and his soldiers sent to the Army of the Potomac. Brigham 
 Young was often indiscreet and said things which proved 
 his disloyalty, and General Connor, who was a patriot as 
 well as a loyal soldier, wished for an opportunity to punish 
 the head of the Mormon church, and had it not been for 
 
Indian Troubles on the Overland. 417 
 
 Colonel R. C. Drum, Assistant Adjutant General of the De- 
 partment of the Pacific, there might have been trouble. He 
 advised Connor not to do anything that would precipitate 
 matters and bring on an insurrenction of the Mormons. On 
 one occasion he writes General Connor : 
 
 "The condition of affairs at Salt Lake, as reported by 
 you, is very critical, not only as regards your own command, 
 but as regards this department and the whole country. The 
 question is, are we at this time, and as we are now situated, 
 in a condition to undertake to carry on a war against the 
 Mormons — for any cause whatever — if it can possibly be 
 avoided ; not whether there are not matters that require to 
 be changed; bad government and worse morals to be cor- 
 rected and the authority of the national government to be 
 more thoroughly enforced; but can we not be able to pass 
 all these by for the present, at least, and thus avoid weaken- 
 ing the general government, now taxed to its utmost and 
 struggling for its very existence." 
 
 Connor was a man of decided character, discreet, and 
 above all things loved the flag under which he fought, and 
 this it was that enabled him to endure the sneers and threats 
 of Brigham Young. It was a great satisfaction to General 
 Connor that in spite of the strongest efforts put forth by 
 the Mormons to have Camp Douglas removed, the post still 
 remained and he was its commander. The Mormon city was 
 under his guns and it could be reduced to ashes at any time. 
 Brigham Young's forces numbered 5,000 well armed men 
 and there came to General Connor many reports that these 
 troops were intended for the capture of Camp Douglas. He 
 writes to Colonel Drum in the midst of all this excitement, 
 "Finding that I am prepared to resist any attack, and know- 
 ing that the city is at the mercy of my guns, and will be 
 surely destroyed if my troops are attacked, the Mormons 
 seem to be quieting down somewhat, although armed forces 
 are assembling inside of Brigham's yard and having nightly 
 drills with artillery and infantry. My impression is that 
 there is no immediate probability of conflict." General 
 Connor firmly believed that the Mormons were responsible 
 for the uprising of the Indians and for the murder and rob- 
 bery which had been perpetrated on the Overland road, and 
 
 —(27) 
 
41 8 History of Wyoming. 
 
 believing this, it is not at all strange that he should feel like 
 administering punishment to the people who instigated the 
 robberies and murders, as well as to the Indians who com- 
 mitted them. The known disloyalty of Brigham Young and 
 his followers offered the opportunity and General Connor 
 found it difficult not to administer the punishment. 
 
 The summer which had passed so quietly on the Over- 
 land trail was followed by exciting events on the mail road 
 both in Nebraska and Kansas and as the winter approached 
 the Indians became more aggressive in the west. The op- 
 portunity for a winter campaign did not offer, and so Gene- 
 ral Connor remained inactive, but all things were placed in 
 readiness for the next year and the future promised great 
 events in military operations against the Indians. 
 
 The event which closed the Indian wars of 1864 was the 
 battle of Sand Creek, which took place November 29th. The 
 affair caused much severe comment throughout the entire 
 country. Colonel John M. Chivington, the Commander of 
 the District of Colorado, led the expedition in person and 
 the result was the killing of a large number of Indians. The 
 battle, while it did not occur in Wyoming, had an important 
 effect on Indian affairs in this state and along the Overland 
 trail. Colonel Chivington had been so unfortunate as to 
 make many bitter enemies in Colorado, and these people de- 
 nounced the Sand Creek affair as a massacre and succeeded 
 in bringing about an official investigation by the joint com- 
 mittee on the conduct of the war, at the second session, 
 thirty-eighth congress, 1865. This subject was thoroughly 
 discussed at the time in the newspapers of the country and 
 much said for, as well as against, the officer commanding 
 the troops on this occasion. The matter, even to this day, 
 remains in dispute as to whether it was honorable warfare, 
 such as the government was urging against Indians, or "a 
 horrible massacre," as charged by those who did not like 
 Colonel Chivington. A large number of prominent citizens 
 of Colorado were in this battle, some of whom I have been 
 personally acquainted with for many years, and I have yet 
 to hear a single one of them condemn the methods of the 
 
Indian Troubles on the Overland. 419 
 
 commander in this fight. They claim that there was great 
 provocation. Women and children, as well as men, had 
 been killed by Indians and their bodies horribly mutilated. 
 The white people had reached a condition of terror and 
 they must either flee from the country or rise up in their 
 might and destroy these Indians root and branch. Major 
 E. W. Wynkoop, First Colorado Veteran Cavalry, claimed 
 at the time that the Sand Creek affair cost the lives of hun- 
 dreds of white people, who were afterwards killed in re- 
 venge by the savages, but this officer proves by his volumi- 
 nous writings on the subject that he was fond of notoriety, 
 as well as having an exalted opinion of his own ability as a 
 military commander. For the sake of brevity, I will confine 
 the Sand Creek affair to the official report of Commander 
 Chivington, which reads as follows: 
 
 "Having ascertained that the hostile Indians had pro- 
 ceeded south from the Platte and were almost within strik- 
 ing distance of Fort Logan, I ordered Colonel George L. 
 Shoup, Third Regiment Colorado Volunteer Cavalry, 100- 
 days' service, to proceed with the mounted men of his regi- 
 ment in that direction. On November 20th I left Denver, 
 and at Booneville, Colorado Territory, on the 24th of No- 
 vember joined and took command in person of the expedi- 
 tion, which had been increased by battalion First Cavalry of 
 Colorado, consisting of detachments of Companies C, E and 
 H. I proceeded with the utmost caution down the Arkansas 
 Eiver, and on the morning of the 28th ultimo arrived at 
 Fort Lyon, to the surprise of the garrison of that post. On 
 the same evening I resumed my march, being joined by Ma- 
 jor Scott J. Anthony, First Cavalry of Colorado, with 125 
 men of said regiment, consisting of detachments of Com- 
 panies D, G and K, with two howitzers. The command 
 then proceeded in a northeasterly direction, traveling all 
 night, and at daylight of 29th November striking Sand 
 Creek, about forty miles from Fort Lyon. Here was discov- 
 ered an Indian village of 130 lodges, comprised of Black 
 Kettle's band of Cheyennes and eight lodges of Arapahoes 
 with Left Hand. My line of battle was formed with Lieu- 
 tenant Wilson's battalion, First Regiment, numbering about 
 — men, on the right; Colonel Shoup's (Third) regiment, num- 
 bering about 450 men, in the center, and Major Anthony's 
 battalion, numbering 125 men, First Regiment, on the left. 
 
420 History of Wyoming. 
 
 The attack was immediately made upon the Indian camp by 
 Lieutenant Wilson, who dashed forward, cutting the enemy 
 off from the herd, and driving them out of their camp, which 
 was subsequently destroyed. The Indians, numbering from 
 '900 to 1,000, though taken by surprise, speedily formed a 
 line of battle across the creek, about three-fourths of a mile 
 above the village, stubbornly contesting every inch of 
 ground. The commands of Colonel Shoup and Major An- 
 thony pressed rapidly forward and attacked the enemy 
 sharply, and the engagement became general, we constantly 
 driving the Indians, who fell back from one position to an- 
 -other, for five miles, and finally abandoned resistance and 
 dispersed in all directions, and were pursued by my troops 
 until nightfall. It may perhaps be unnecessary for me to 
 state that I captured no prisoners. Between 500 and 600 
 Indians were left dead upon the ground; about 550 ponies, 
 mules and horses were captured, and all their lodges were 
 ■destroyed, the contents of which have served to supply the 
 command with an abundance of trophies, comprising the 
 paraphernalia of Indian warfare and life. My loss was 
 eight killed on the field and forty wounded, of which two 
 have since died. Of the conduct of the Third Regiment, 100 
 days' service, I have to say that they well sustained the repu- 
 tation of our Colorado troops for bravery and effectiveness, 
 were well commanded by their gallant young Colonel, 
 Oeorge L. Shoup, ably assisted by Lieutenant-Colonel L. L. 
 Bowen, Major Hal Sayr, and Captain Theodore G. Cree, com- 
 manding First, Second and Third Battalions of that regi- 
 ment. Of the conduct of the two battalions of the First 
 IJegiment, I have but to remark that they sustained their 
 reputation as second to none, and were ably handled by 
 their commanders. Major Anthony, Lieutenant Wilson and 
 Lieutenant Clark Dunn, upon whom the command devolved 
 after the disabling of Lieutenant Wilson from wounds re- 
 ceived. Night coming on, the pursuit of the flying Indians 
 was of necessity abandoned and my command encamped 
 within sight of the field. On the 1st instant, having sent 
 the wounded and dead to Fort Lyon, the first to be cared 
 for, the last to be buried upon our own soil, I resumed the 
 pursuit in the direction of Camp Wynkoop, on the Arkansas 
 River, marching all night of the 3rd and 4th instant, in 
 hopes of overtaking a large encampment of Arapahoes and 
 ■Cheyennes under Little Robe Little (Raven), but the ene- 
 my had been apprised of my advance, and on the morning 
 'Of the 5th instant, at 3 o'clock, precipitately broke camp 
 
Indian Troubles on the Overland. 421 
 
 and fled. My stock was exhausted. For 100 miles the snow 
 had been two feet deep, and for the previous fifteen days 
 (excepting on November 29th and 30th) the marches had 
 been forced and incessant. Under these circumstances, 
 and the fact of the time of the Third Regiment being nearly 
 out, I determined for the present to relinquish the pursuit. 
 Of the effect of the punishment sustained by the Indians 
 you will be the judge. Their chiefs. Black Kettle, White 
 Antelope, One Eye and Knock Knee were among the killed, 
 and their bands almost annihilated. I was shown the scalp 
 of a white man found in one of the lodges, which could not 
 have been taken more than two or three days previous. 
 The evidence is most conclusive that these Indians are the 
 worst that have infested the routes on the Platte and Ar- 
 kansas Rivers during the last spring and summer. Amongst 
 the stock captured were the horses and mules taken by them 
 from Lieutenant Chase, First Cavalry of Colorado, last Sep- 
 tember. Several scalps of white men and women were found 
 in their lodges; also various articles of clothing belonging 
 to white persons." 
 
422 History of Wyoming. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 THE BLOODY YEAR ON THE PLAINS. 
 
 Indians Become Experts in Killing and Robbing — Hostilities Open 
 ON January 7 — Captain O'Brien's Desperate Fight Against Over- 
 whelming NoMBERs — The Burning of Julesburg Station — The 
 Attack on Mud Springs Station — Colonel Collins Brings Re- 
 lief — Fight at Rush Creek — Destruction of the Telegraph 
 Line — Colonel Collins Returns to Fort Laramie — His Recom- 
 mendations to the Government — Organization of the Depart- 
 ment of the Plains — General Connor Placed in Command — 
 Indians Attack Deer Creek Station — Colonel Moonlight's Ex- 
 pedition to Wind River — Renewed Trouble at Julesburg — 
 Capture of Two Face and Blackfoot — Their Execution at Fort 
 Laramie — Rescue of Mrs. Eubanks — The Schuyler Colfax Party. 
 
 I now come to that important year of Indian troubles 
 in this section, 1865. The hostiles were in arms in Kansas, 
 Nebraska, Colorado, the greater part of Wyoming, and in 
 what is now North and South Dakota. The Indians did not 
 wait for grass for their ponies, but subsisted their forces on 
 the goods they could capture along the mail and passenger 
 routes running west from the Missouri River. They were 
 successful in their marauding expeditions and consequently 
 were encouraged to push their hostility to the farthest limit. 
 That will ever be known as the bloody year on the plains. 
 There was trouble on the Smoky Hill road in Kansas, also 
 along the Arkansas and on the Republican in the same 
 state. Hostile bands were prowling along all roads leading 
 into Denver and along the Platte River. By some means 
 they possessed themselves of plenty of arms and ammuni- 
 tion and an encounter with them was by no means an event 
 devoid of danger. The hostile attitude of the savages and 
 their intention to wage a bloody war that season was well 
 known to the government. Captain Nicholas J. O'Brien 
 had been sent the fall before to the mouth of Pole Creek 
 with instructions to build a post in that vicinity. The lo- 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 423 
 
 cality was in the neighborhood of Julesburg, an important 
 station on the Overland, as it was a distributing point for 
 stores. The new post when completed was called Fort Sedg- 
 wick and Captain O'Brien was made the commander. This 
 post, like others on the road, sent out escorts with freight 
 trains and coaches and the garrison was kept busy during 
 the winter. 
 
 The Indians had by this time become experts in killing 
 and robbing. They had learned the value of government 
 trains loaded with clothing, blankets, ammunition, subsist- 
 ence and supplies and they made strong efforts to capture 
 these, together with the teams of fine government mules. 
 The stage stations also contained a large amount of choice, 
 ^oods, a fact that was well known to the Indians. 
 
 On January 7th, 1865, a large forqe of Indians under 
 Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses and other chiefs made an at- 
 tack on an incoming stage and came very near capturing it, 
 but fortunately it escaped to the station, having one man 
 and one horse killed. Captain O'Brien discovered the Indi- 
 ans and hastily mounted thirty-seven men and leaving 
 twelve at the fort in charge of two pieces of artillery, he 
 dashed down on the savages. Riding to a bluff about half a 
 mile from the fort, they discovered that the Indians were in 
 strong force, but the little band was not dismayed at this. 
 The charge was sounded and the gallant heroes, with the 
 clatter of hoofs and shouts, were soon in the midst of the 
 savages, fighting, as never soldiers fought before, the large 
 force opposed to them. The Indians in their turn, with 
 overwhelming numbers, charged back upon the white men 
 and for a time the carnage went on. At last Captain 
 O'Brien, finding nearly half of his men killed, ordered the 
 remainder to fall back, which they did, but kept up a fire 
 which prevented the Indians from cutting them off from 
 the fort, which the now exulting foe were attempting. 
 Fourteen of the thirty-seven enlisted men lay dead on the 
 field. The Indians, with savage shout and maddened fury, 
 now attempted to storm the fort. Fortunately the garrison 
 possessed two pieces of artillery and these were brought out 
 
424 History of Wyoming. 
 
 and served with telling effect on the advancing savages. 
 This checked their ardor and held them at bay. Night came 
 on and the Indians withdrew and the next morning it was 
 found they had left the neighborhood. A party was sent 
 out to the battlefield of the day before to gather up the dead. 
 They found them lying where they fell, but their bodies had 
 been stripped and horribly mutilated. The dead soldiers 
 were carried to the fort and buried with the honors of war, 
 but each living comrade registered a vow beside these graves 
 to avenge the death of his brothers in arms. It was never 
 fully determined how many Indians were killed in this bat- 
 tle, but after peace had been declared they admitted their 
 loss to have been sixty-three. The blood of the Indians was 
 now fairly aroused and they determined to capture the 
 goods at the stage station, and on February 2nd they at- 
 tacked the place, secured a portion of the stores and suc- 
 ceeded in setting the buildings on fire while Captain O'Brien 
 and five of his men were on escort duty down the river. On 
 their return they discovered the smoke of the conflagration 
 at the stage station. In the stage which they were escorting 
 were four passengers and one a woman. Ascending a hill, 
 Captain O'Brien discovered the Indians. Eeturning to the 
 coach, he had every man, passengers and all, carefully ex- 
 amine his arms, and caused the coach to proceed slowly 
 along. Soon the road neared the bank of the river, and here 
 he met some teamsters with wagons, who, beyond a pistol or 
 two, were unarmed, and who had left the station for some 
 object, less than a half hour before. They now became 
 aware of the situation, and were greatly alarmed. These 
 men the Captain ordered to return and keep near the stage, 
 which they did, all moving slowly toward the station and 
 fort. Meanwhile the heads of Indians were popping up 
 quite frequently over the bluffs in the distance. Arriving 
 near one of these, the Captain boldly rode to the top and 
 taking his blanket swung it three times over his head. The 
 Indians saw this and supposed he had a large force in the 
 rear which he was signaling to come up, and they began 
 to flee. The river was frozen and sand had been scattered 
 
The Bloody Tear on the Plains. 425 
 
 over the roadways on the ice. They took everything they 
 could from the burning station and houses and beat a rapid 
 retreat across the river. At the first sign of their leaving, 
 the stage driver and teamsters put their animals to their 
 utmost speed and ran into the fort, the Captain arriving in 
 time to give the Indians a few parting shots with his artil- 
 lery as the last of them ran across the river. The shots rico- 
 cheted along the ice, and caused the Indians to drop some of 
 their plunder, though doing no further damage. 
 
 Colonel Thomas Moonlight of the Eleventh Kansas 
 Cavalry, who had been made commander of the district of 
 Colorado, seemed a misfit in his position. About the 1st of 
 February, he proclaimed martial law in his district, for 
 the purpose, as he explained, of enabling him to raise men 
 and horses to go out and open the Overland road. This 
 proclamation he sent to all commanders in the district, with 
 a request that they press into the service both horses and 
 men. 
 
 On February 4th, nine soldiers and five citizens were 
 attacked at Mud Springs, a station on the Overland one 
 hundred and five miles east of Fort Laramie. Colonel Col- 
 lins, of the Eleventh Ohio, stationed at Fort Laramie, tele- 
 graphed Lieutenant Ellsworth, who, with his command, was 
 at Camp Mitchell, to proceed in all haste to Mud Springs. 
 The force moved promptly and made the distance of fifty- 
 five miles in twelve hours. Colonel Collins at once put him- 
 self at the head of one hundred and twenty men of the 
 Eleventh Ohio Cavalry and Company D of the Seventh Iowa 
 Cavalry. The force traveled all night and reached Camp 
 Mitchell during the forenoon of the next day, and Mud 
 Springs the day following. The Indians had run off fifteen 
 horses belonging to citizens, one mule and three horses be- 
 longing to the government, also several hundred head of 
 cattle, the property of Creighton and Hoel. On the morn- 
 ing of the 6th the Indians returned to the station to renew 
 the attack, but seemed greatly surprised at the increased 
 number of soldiers present. They had evidently come to 
 take the place. They approached the station by a ravine 
 
426 History of Wyoming. 
 
 which permitted them to come within seventy-five yards 
 without being seen, from which point they would discharge 
 arrows at an angle of about forty-five degrees, making a 
 curve and descending on the soldiers at about the same 
 angle. Colonel Collins, finding that quite a number of his 
 men were wounded by this unseen foe, sent two parties out 
 to dislodge the savages, one on foot to drive them out of the 
 ravine and another on horseback to cut them off. The In- 
 dians now left their position and the white men took posses- 
 sion, and from that time on had no further trouble. The 
 fight lasted about four hours. Colonel Collins had seven 
 of his men wounded, three of them seriously. The Indians 
 lost a large number of warriors. Colonel Collins reported 
 that there were white men or Mexicans among the Indians 
 and that they had plenty of ammunition. During the fight 
 CJolonel Collins telegraphed Major Thomas L. Mackey, com- 
 manding at Fort Laramie, to send down a field piece, and 
 directly after the message was sent the Indians cut the 
 telegraph wire. About an hour after the hostiles disap- 
 peared, a strong force was sent out to repair the line. The 
 break was found about a mile west of the station and the 
 damage repaired, but soon after it was cut again and just at 
 dark another party was sent out and found the wire gone 
 and two telegraph poles destroyed. It being important to 
 keep up communication with Fort Laramie, wire was taken 
 from poles east of the station and the break repaired. Dur- 
 ing the night of the 6th the station was fortified and Colonel 
 Collins prepared his troops to take the offensive. In the 
 morning no Indians were to be seen. Leaving Captain 
 Fonts in command of the station, Colonel Collins went out 
 with a strong force to develop the whereabouts of the Indi- 
 ans. They found plenty of trails and everything pointed to 
 their probable location at some springs on Eush Creek, ten 
 miles distant. Before daylight on the morning of the 8th, 
 Lieutenant W. H. Brown of the Eleventh Ohio arrived from 
 Fort Laramie with the howitzer, having made the hundred 
 and five miles in thirty-four hours. This Lieutenant is the 
 same man I have mentioned in connection with the Whisky 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 427 
 
 Gap affair. His artillery reached Mud Springs just in time 
 to be of service. The command proceeded to Bush Creek, 
 but discovered that the Indians had crossed the river and 
 were in the hills beyond. The camp indicated that a large 
 body of Indians had made their headquarters in that sec- 
 tion and that they were the ones committing the depreda- 
 tions. The camp extended for several miles and there was 
 evidence that over one hundred beef cattle had been slaugh- 
 tered, and besides, there were oyster, meat and fruit cans, 
 as well as flour sacks, indications of the spoliations of trains 
 and stations on the Overland. Pressing forward on the 
 fresh trail, they soon came in sight of more than two thous- 
 and warriors on the opposite side of the river. Colonel Col- 
 lins now ordered an examination of the ice to see if it would 
 bear the troops, but the savages saved them the trouble of 
 crossing, as it was noticed that they were already approach- 
 ing the south side from two points some distance above and 
 below. A position was chosen on the higher ground, a cor- 
 ral formed of the train, sharpshooters pushed forward and 
 rifle pits dug. Every soldier worked with a will, knowing 
 that they must expect to meet a foe who outnumbered them 
 nearly twenty to one. Colonel Collins was an experienced 
 Indian fighter and he made the best disposition possible of 
 his small force, realizing that his troops were too weak in 
 number to charge or scatter. He therefore placed them in a 
 compact body and depended on their coolness, courage 
 and marksmanship. On came the Indians with more than 
 their usual boldness, but their advance columns on the right 
 and left were met by a deadly Are from the trained veterans 
 of the plains. Finding that death awaited them in the front, 
 the Indians fell back and crept forward under the hillocks 
 and ridges which surrounded the position occupied by the 
 white men. The soldiers were on the alert, and whenever 
 a savage exposed himself to fire upon the troops he was 
 picked off by the crack shots in the command. There was 
 one position which afforded the Indians a secure place from 
 which to fire on the veterans. This was a knoll about 400 
 yards distant, behind which a dozen or more warriors were 
 
428 History of Wyoming. 
 
 securely hidden. Colonel Collins resolved to dislodge the 
 troublesome savages, and for this purpose made a detail 
 of sixteen men chosen from Company D, Seventh Iowa Cav- 
 alry, and the First Battalion of the Eleventh Ohio Volun- 
 teer Cavalry. Lieutenant Patton was given command of 
 this detachment and was ordered to charge at a gallop, re- 
 volvers in hand, to clear out the Indians from behind the 
 knoll. It was a gallant movement and a fierce charge. The 
 concealed foe was routed and shot down as they ran. Some 
 two hundred Indians, occupying a position beyond the con- 
 tested point, dashed forward to save their comrades from 
 destruction, and then followed a hand-to-hand fight with 
 the advancing savages. The soldiers having accomplished 
 their object strictly obeyed orders and returned to the posi- 
 tion occupied by the main body. In this affair, Lieutenant 
 Patton lost two men, John A. Harris of the Seventh Iowa 
 and William H. Hartshorn of the Eleventh Ohio. This 
 charge discouraged the Indians and they began to fall back 
 behind the hills, and most of them retired to the north side 
 of the river. The command of Colonel Collins camped on 
 the battlefield and strengthened their position during the 
 night. At sunrise the next morning, 400 mounted warriors 
 recrossed the river and again renewed the attack, but their 
 fire was delivered at long range and did no damage, and 
 they finally retired across the river and rapidly followed the 
 main body of Indians, who had gone north. At 2 o'clock 
 that afternoon, the 9th, Colonel Collins left his camp and 
 moved up the Platte a distance of fifteen miles. At that 
 point the command was divided, part under Lieutenant 
 Brown going on to Camp Mitchell, then to Fort Laramie. 
 These two places had been left with insufiflcient garrisons. 
 Colonel Collins, with the remainder of the command, in- 
 tending to go to Mud Springs. Both divisions moved out 
 promptly on the morning of the 10th. The weather was 
 extremely cold and the troops suffered severely. When we 
 consider the large number of Indians engaged in this affair 
 and their thorough equipment and defiant attitude, and then 
 compare the small force under Colonel Collins, the bravery 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 429 
 
 of the men and the skill of the officers must be admitted. 
 Not less than 150 Indians were liilled. Colonel Collins lost 
 all told two killed, sixteen wounded and ten badly frost- 
 bitten, making a total of twenty-eight killed and disabled. 
 There were two facts which, if taken together, will explain 
 the failure on the part of the Indians and the success of the 
 white men. The Indians had possessed themselves of a 
 large number of improved arms and had an abundance of 
 fixed ammunition, but having no experience in the use of 
 these arms, they failed to do execution, invariably firing 
 over the heads of the troops. The soldiers, on the contrary, 
 obeyed orders, fought systematically and made every shot 
 tell. Here is an illustration of the advantage of the trained 
 soldier over the ignorant savage in the use of firearms. 
 These commands both returned to Fort Laramie on Febru- 
 ary 14th. Colonel Collins in his official report explains 
 the condition of the Indians that spring, and having had 
 experience on the plains, that portion of his report is ap- 
 pended, which throws light on the Indian situation. 
 
 "This party of Indians has rarely been equaled in size. 
 It is usually difficult for large numbers to remain long to- 
 gether for lack of subsistence, but in this case their stolen 
 stock and plundered stores furnished them abundant sup- 
 plies. The party was made up of all the Cheyennes, Ogalal- 
 las and Brule Sioux south of the Platte, together with prob- 
 ably a few Kiowas, Arapahoes, and perhaps some straggling 
 Apaches and Comanches. It numbered from 800 to 1,000 
 lodges and from 2,000 to 3,000 warriors. The last-named 
 bands are most likely on and south of the Arkansas River 
 for the winter, but many come up to depredate on the main 
 and South Platte when grass comes. The party we met has 
 no doubt gone north to the Powder River country, to join 
 the hostile Indians there, and may be expected to continue 
 their depredations along the North Platte till severely pun- 
 ished. Their probable route from where we left them will 
 be through the sand hills to L'Eau-qui-court, then across the 
 heads of White River and South Fork of the Cheyenne to 
 Powder River. Small parties may remain, but the main body 
 
430 History of Wyoming. 
 
 will go there to secure their families and recruit their stock 
 until spring. They are well armed and mounted; have many 
 rifled muskets and plenty of ammunition, including minie 
 cartridges with ounce balls; are full of venom and bent on 
 revenge for the loss of their people south. So soon as they 
 reach the Indians north they will excite and perhaps compel 
 them to be hostile. The posts on the Platte, especially 
 Deer Creek and Platte Bridge, which are within 100 miles of 
 Powder Eiver, will be in immediate danger. More troops 
 should be sent out here immediately to hold the posts in the 
 sub district, and when spring opens important expeditions 
 should be organized to penetrate the center of their country. 
 "Having been nearly three years in this service and be- 
 ing about to leave it, I venture to add a word as to the policy 
 to be pursued. I beg to repeat the suggestions which I have 
 heretofore made, that the permanent cure for the hostilities 
 of the northern Indians is to go into the heart of their buf- 
 falo country and build and hold forts till the trouble is over. 
 A hasty expedition, however successful, is only a temporary 
 lesson, whereas the presence of troops in force in the coun- 
 try where the Indians are compelled to live and subsist 
 would soon oblige them to sue for peace and accept such 
 terms as the government may think proper to impose. The 
 Black Hills, Big Horn Mountains, Yellowstone country, 
 are, all rich in minerals, but this wealth cannot be made 
 available while hostile bands of Indians are roaming over 
 the country. If these Indians could be induced to remove 
 north to the Main Missouri and remain there, it would open 
 up an immense region for mining and agriculture which 
 cannot now be reached. They would be in a fine buffalo 
 country, and out of the way of collisions with whites, which 
 are always liable to occur if they are near together. It 
 would also separate them from the southern Indians, and 
 prevent the plotting and combining which now exists be- 
 tween them. There are two points I would respectfully in- 
 dicate as suitable locations for the posts spoken of, one 
 about the head of the Little Missouri of the Mandans near 
 the Three Buttes, and the other on some proper place on 
 Powder Eiver. An expedition starting from the Missouri 
 near Fort Pierre and following the old traders' trail west of 
 the forks of the Cheyenne, thence to the head of the Little 
 Missouri of the Mandans, thence to Powder River, would 
 be joined at some proper post by another from Fort Lara- 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 431 
 
 mie, and if in sufficient force it could liardly fail to accom- 
 plish its object." 
 
 General Robert B. Mitchell of the District of Nebraska 
 notified General Dodge on the 9th that the telegraph poles 
 on the route between Julesburg and Fort Laramie were 
 destroyed for a distance of fifteen miles, and on the Denver 
 route from Julesburg ten miles of the line were destroyed 
 and that poles to reconstruct the telegraph had to be hauled 
 from one hundred and thirty to one hundred and forty-five 
 miles. At this time there was no communication by tele- 
 graph or stage from the east with either Fort Laramie or 
 Denver. On the 10th General Dodge issued an order to the 
 commanders of Fort Kiley and Fort Kearney to halt all 
 trains going west at those points and to organize the persons 
 accompanying them into companies for the protection of 
 their trains. Each company was to have a captain, who 
 would be clothed with authority for the handling of the 
 force under him. Insubordination on the part of any person 
 accompanying the train was to be reported at the first mili- 
 tary post reached, the commander of which was authorized 
 to arrest and punish such persons. 
 
 General Connor telegraphed from Camp Douglas the 
 same day that the Indians, though driven from the road 
 only two days before, had returned in increased numbers, 
 and further stated that the troops were insufficient to con- 
 tend with them; the probabilities were that communication 
 by stage and telegraph would not be resumed for some time. 
 This referred to the Indians on the North Platte and the 
 route from Denver across the Laramie Plains. The outlook 
 was certainly discouraging, but there were good command- 
 ers and brave soldiers at work repairing the telegraph line 
 and guarding the mail coaches as well as emigrants and 
 government trains. On the 11th General Dodge sent orders 
 to Colonel Moonlight at Denver to push out and meet Colo- 
 nel Livingston, who was trying to open the road, and on the 
 same day he ordered the Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry and a 
 detachment in charge of howitzers to proceed from Fort 
 Eiley to join Colonel Livingstone on the Overland road in 
 
432 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Nebraska. These troops carried with them forty days' ra- 
 tions. The Overland mail company became clamorous for 
 protection. The stock on the line had been run off and the 
 stations burned. General Dodge, seeing the situation, sent 
 the company word that he was prepared to protect the mails 
 and would do so, and in a few days there was a large num- 
 ber of troops on the road from Fort Leavenworth, Fort Riley 
 and Omaha. Colonel Moonlight was ordered to throw all 
 his available force on the stage line between Denver and 
 Julesburg, to repair the telegraph, open communication and 
 hold it open. 
 
 On the 13th, Colonel Moonlight telegraphed to General 
 Dodge from Denver that he was expected to protect points 
 on the Overland while he was destitute of troops and he 
 was without blankets, clothing, transportation, and had not 
 a dollar in money. He made a strong appeal for men and 
 means and ended his telegram by saying that the Indians 
 were desperate. On the 14th, Colonel Livingston, who was 
 operating on the Overland, telegraphed t« Colonel Moonlight 
 for assistance and urged that oflScer to clear the line between 
 Denver and Julesburg. On the 15th, General Dodge tele- 
 graphed that 50,000 rations were on the way to Julesburg 
 for the use of troops on the march. He also telegraphed 
 Colonel Moonlight the same day, "If the citizens of Colorado 
 will not aid you, put the troops that are guarding towns 
 and settlements on our lines of communication and let 
 towns and settlements take care of themselves." Every 
 officer in the department was putting forth his best efforts 
 to beat back the Indians and open the lines of communica- 
 tion. General Dodge was pushing forward ammunition, 
 arms, supplies and additional horses to take the place of 
 those killed or disabled. At this time the following troops 
 were along the Overland. The station where each force was 
 located is given. Companies A, E, F, H, I, and K, First 
 Nebraska Cavalry Veteran Volunteers, near Cottonwood 
 Springs, Nebraska Territory; Company C, First Nebraska 
 Cavalry Veteran Volunteers, Fort Kearney, Nebraska 
 Territory; Company G, First Nebraska Cavalry Veteran 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 433 
 
 Volunteers, Plum Creek Nebraska Territory; Companies 
 A, B, C, F, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, near Cottonwood Springs, 
 Nebraska Territory; Company E, Seventli Iowa Cavalry, 
 Columbus, Nebraska Territory; Companies A and C, First 
 Battalion Nebraska Veteran Cavalry, near Cottonwood 
 Springs; Company B, First Battalion Nebraska Veteran 
 Cavalry, Dakota City; Company D, First Battalion 
 Nebraska Veteran Cavalry, Omaha City, Nebraska Terri- 
 tory; Companies A, D, I, L, Eleventh Ohio Cavalry Volun- 
 teers, Fort Laramie; Company H, Eleventh Ohio Cavalry 
 Volunteers, Camp Mitchell (near Scott's Bluffs) ; Company 
 C, Eleventh Ohio Cavalry Volunteers, Fremont's Orchard, 
 Colorado Territory; Companies B and F, Eleventh Ohio 
 Cavalry Volunteers, Camp Collins. 
 
 General Dodge telegraphed from St. Louis on the 23rd 
 to General Mitchell at Omaha, who was about to start for 
 Fort Laramie, "As you go up the valley, telegraph and keep 
 me posted. Where is Powder River, and how far from 
 Jnlesburg? One of my engineers has gone with the Six- 
 teenth Kansas for' the purpose of getting posts and stage 
 stations together. Let stage company have corn if you can 
 spare it. We must keep stages running. Troops should be 
 on the way from Denver to make route secure to Julesburg. 
 At any rate, don't let stages stop for want of escort. Also 
 telegraph me any point that you may find where stores or 
 forage are needed." Colonel Moonlight on the same date 
 telegraphed General Dodge that he had sent out two com- 
 panies of militia to operate on the line between Denver and 
 Julesburg. On the 24th, General Mitchell telegraphed to 
 headquarters from Fremont, Nebraska, that the posts along 
 the Overland were all weak and asked for reinforcements. 
 Major Mackey telegraphed on the same day from Fort 
 Laramie that he was expecting trouble from the Indians 
 at that point. 
 
 On the 17th, the Secretary of War announced that the 
 
 Territory of Utah and that part of Nebraska lying west of 
 
 the twenty-seventh degree of longitude had been added to 
 
 the military department of Missouri. The War Department 
 
 -(28) 
 
434 History of Wyoming. 
 
 CTidently desired to fight the Indians on the east side of the 
 mountains without taking the trouble to transmit orders 
 to San Francisco. This was certainly good policy, but the 
 war with these Indian tribes had been in progress for years 
 and the savages were far from being subdued. The condi- 
 tions at the time this change was made were nearly as bad 
 as could be and there was no hope of its growing better in 
 the near future. The small number of troops in the field 
 against the Indians was to be made still smaller by the end 
 of the term of service of the First Battalion of the Eleventh 
 Ohio Cavalry and some other troops. Taken altogether, the 
 government was not holding its own with the Indians. 
 General Connor had one hope, and that was that the gov- 
 ernment would be able to send reinforcements. He left 
 Camp Douglas and went to Fort Bridger, where he arrived 
 February 18th, and we find him telegraphing to the De- 
 partment of the Missouri that Colonel Collins, the com- 
 mander at Fort Laramie, had promised to keep express run- 
 ning over the broken part of the telegraph line until the 
 break could be repaired. The cunning savages had torn 
 down the line and in some instances had carried away the 
 wire for long distances. Before leaving Fort Bridger, Gen- 
 eral Connor relieved Major John M. O'Neill, the commander 
 of the post, at his own request and ordered him to report 
 at Camp Douglas. Major O'Neill belonged to the Second 
 California Cavalry and his administration of affairs at Fort 
 Bridger gave satisfaction. Captain Albert Brown of the 
 same regiment was ordered to take command of Fort 
 Bridger. 
 
 General Dodge had listened attentively to the advice of 
 all his commanders in the field and finally made up his 
 mind to adopt General Connor's method of dealing with 
 bad Indians. All agreed that hostiles were in great force 
 in the Powder River country, that is scouts reported that 
 there were from 1,500 to 2,000 lodges and that each of 
 these lodges contained from six to eight warriors. Powder 
 River was used as a safe retreat and a place to keep their 
 women and children as well as the old men of the tribe. 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 435 
 
 From that locality forays were made down to the Overland 
 road, striking it at any point west of Fort Kearney and east 
 of South Pass, likewise a watch was kept for parties who 
 traveled the Bozeman road. These freebooters adopted 
 business methods in their murdering and thieving and man- 
 aged to make it pay. They were so numerous that they 
 were enabled to keep representatives of the various tribes 
 forming the combination on the line of travel nearly all 
 the time. Winter feed for ponies was good in the hills 
 along the Powder Eiver and having great numbers of these 
 animals, each fresh band of warriors starting out could be 
 well mounted. The run down stock, after each foray, was 
 turned out to graze and grow fat on the nutritious grasses. 
 These wild men of the plains and mountains had made 
 rapid strides in the arts of war since they had become 
 acquainted with the white man. They would pay any price 
 for modern arms and ammunition or take any risk in the 
 attempt to steal them. They had always been fond of 
 bright blankets and of late had shown a disposition to pos- 
 sess themselves of the modern tent of the soldier. They 
 took naturally to war and prided themselves on being the 
 descendents of a race of eminent warriors from the earliest 
 known period of their traditions. Father De Smet had dis- 
 covered that these red men were God's creatures but he 
 never succeeded in making a trapper or a soldier believe it. 
 Both of the latter class regarded the Indian as a red devil, 
 whom it was at least good policy to kill. 
 
 General Dodge made up his mind that a winter cam- 
 paign in the Powder River country would be striking at 
 the root of the evil which afflicted the Overland route and 
 to this end he hurried forward a large cavalry force. Brig- 
 adier General Robert B. Mitchell was to have command of 
 the expedition and it was to go by way of Fort Laramie. 
 This officer was impatient to win glory in the Powder 
 River country and he chafed over the delays of making 
 ready for the campaign and when it was reported by reli- 
 able scouts that the snows were deep and that it was im- 
 possible for the expedition to start he telegraphed General 
 
-436 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Dodge that if that officer would furnish the cavalry he would 
 reach the Powder River country in spite of the snow or 
 bad roads. In reply to this, General Dodge telegraphed, 
 "All you can do is to work the troops up toward Julesburg 
 and Laramie as fast as you can, and, as soon as ready, if 
 Indians are north of Laramie, leave everything there but 
 what you want, and then make a quick dash at them, using 
 pack mules from Laramie. You can strike them with 1,500 
 or 2,000 well mounted men. Subsistence and forage enough 
 have been forwarded. Keep scouts out all the time so as 
 to keep posted." The date of the above dispatch was the 
 28th of February. The next we hear of General Mitchell 
 is a dispatch from Fort Kearney dated March 6th. saying 
 that a large number of friendly Indians at Fort Laramie are 
 in a starving condition and asking what he should do with 
 them, adding that the Indians say they dare not leave their 
 camp to hunt or provide for themselves because of the 
 threats of hostiles. The answer to this comes on the same 
 day, to feed the Indians condemned and damaged rations 
 .and form them into companies and use them as scouts. A 
 second dispatch from Mitchell to General Dodge on the same 
 day says, "Mrs. Morton, lately brought from the Indians 
 on Powder Eiver, says the Indians are high up on the North 
 Fork of Powder River, where they intend to leave their fam- 
 ilies for the summer for the purpose of making war on the 
 Platte. She says the Cheyennes, Arapahoes, Kiowas, Brule 
 and Ogalalla Sioux, and Minneconjous are banded together 
 and determined to make war to the knife. This woman 
 was captured at Plum Greek in August last." 
 
 The military districts of the mountains and plains had 
 -up to this time been too numerous, the result being that 
 the commanders of these districts did not feel justified in 
 following the Indians from one local military division to 
 another and consequently there were vexatious delays and 
 much controversy as to whose duty it was to chastise rov- 
 ing bands of savages. The tribes on the war path were 
 pursued into the adjoining district and there left to be 
 dealt with by the troops of the locality in which the hos- 
 
The Bloody Tear on the Plains. 437 
 
 tiles took refuge. Marauding bands were chased out of 
 the District of Nebraska into that of Colorado. Here plenty 
 of opportunity offered to rob emigrant trains, capture mail 
 coaches, kill and scalp white people to their heart's content. 
 When the depredations were reported to the headquarters 
 of the military district, a force was sent against them and 
 they were promptly driven into the district of Utah and 
 the thieving bands were again given a chance to commit 
 more depredations farther west. At last General G. M. 
 Dodge, commander of the Department of the Missouri, re- 
 solved to organize a new department, and on March 28 
 consolidated the districts of Utah, Colorado and Nebraska 
 into one district to be known as the District of the Plains 
 and assigned Brigadier General P. E. Connor to the com- 
 mand with headquarters at Denver. The new commander 
 assumed charge of the enlarged district on the day the 
 order was issued, and at once proceeded to inaugurate a 
 vigorous campaign and yet little success could be hoped 
 for until large reinforcements arrived. When General' 
 Connor was tendered this command, he was on a return 
 trip from the east, where he had been for some weeks, and 
 it is highly probable that he saw and talked with General 
 Dodge at his headquarters at St. Louis and that the new 
 department was created for the purpose of giving General 
 Connor an opportunity to fight Indians on a large scale. 
 On the day following Connor's accejrtance of the command 
 of the Department of the Plains, General Dodge telegraphed 
 him that the troops enroute to Laramie and Julesburg would 
 give him over 2,000 mounted men and a train of 400 pack 
 mules, and he adds with some severety, "I want this force 
 pushed right after the Indians." On the same day that this 
 dispatch was sent. General Dodge wrote Connor a letter 
 of some length and from this I make a short extract for the 
 reason that it relates to operations in Wyoming and the 
 surrounding country. 
 
 "The District of the Plains was formed so as to put 
 under your control the entire northern Overland route and 
 to render effective the troops along it. With the force at 
 
438 History of Wyoming. 
 
 your disposal you can make vigorous war upon the Indians 
 and punish them so that they will be forced to keep the 
 peace. They should be kept away from our lines of travel 
 and made to stand on the defensive. Sufflcient infantry 
 to hold most of the posts will be sent you from the regiments 
 raised from Confederate prisoners in our hands for service 
 on the plains. They are officered by our own men. Depots 
 should be designated where we can put in one year's supply. 
 These depots should be fortified. An engineer from these 
 headquarters is now out examining these posts. I think 
 there should be depots at Fort Kearney, Cottonwood, Jules- 
 burg, Fort Laramie, Fort Halleck, Valley Station (or some 
 point between Julesburg and Denver), Denver, Fort Lyon, 
 and Utah. As it is each station is a partial depot, whereas 
 with a few depots that other posts can draw from we can 
 put proper staff officers at them and have our stores prop- 
 erly taken care of and protected, The overland mail and 
 telegraph must be protected at all hazards, and no excuse 
 be given or allowed for stopping the mails. Order No. 41 
 from these headquarters prescribes manner of organizing 
 trains, etc., and you must see that no interference with em- 
 igrant or private trains is allowed. The troops that have 
 been lying at the different posts should, as soon as possible, 
 be relieved and put in the field. I hear many complaints 
 of them." 
 
 Colonel Moonlight, who had asked to have charge of 
 the Powder River expedition, was somewhat disappointed 
 when he learned that General Connor was to command it 
 in person. His position in Denver was anything but agree- 
 able to himself and on the return of General Connor he made 
 known his desire for more active service. Opportunity was 
 soon found to place him in command of Fort Laramie and 
 thus it was that Colonel Moonlight became prominent in 
 military matters in Wyoming. He had long been colonel 
 of the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, but being assigned to the 
 command of the military department of Colorado, Lieu- 
 tenant Colonel Plumb was left in command of the regiment. 
 Moonlight had won distinction in the service but was unfor- 
 tunate in his, surroundings in the west. He made himself 
 unhappy in nearly every position in which he was placed 
 and his assignment to the command of Fort Laramie did not 
 end his tribulations, and yet he sought activity, which was 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 439 
 
 given him in full measure before the year was out. From 
 the day General Connor arrived, after his visit to the east, 
 he was actively employed in carrying out his instructions 
 regarding the numerous small posts along the route. He 
 suffered considerable annoyance from the non-arrival of 
 troops which were reported sent from Leavenworth, some 
 of the regiments being more than two months on the road, 
 On April 20th he announced the following officers as mem- 
 bers of his staff: Captain M. G. Lewis, Assistant Adjutant- 
 General U. S. Volunteers, Assistant Adjutant-General; 
 Pirst Lieutenant Oscar Jewett, First Battalion Nevada 
 Cavalry, aid-decamp; Major George Armstrong, First 
 Nebraska Veteran Cavalry, chief of cavalry; Major J. 
 H. Peabody, surgeon U. S. Volunteers, medical director; 
 Captian Parmenas T. Turnley, Assistant Quartermas- 
 ter U. S. Army, chief quartermaster; Captain Will- 
 iam E. Irwin, commissary of subsistence, U. S. Vol- 
 unteers, chief commissary; Captain George F. Price, 
 Second California Cavalry, district inspector; Captain 
 E. B. Zabriskie, First Battalion Nevada Cavalry, 
 judge advocate; Captain John 0. Anderson, Veteran 
 Battalion First Colorado Cavalry, assistant commis- 
 sary of musters at Denver, Colorado Territory; Captain 
 John A. Wilcox, First (Fourth) U. S. Cavalry, assistant 
 commissary of musters at Fort Kearney, Nebraska Terri- 
 tory; First Lieutenant S. E. Jocelyn, Third Battalion Cali- 
 fornia Infantry, assistant commissary of musters at Camp 
 Douglas, Utah; First Lieutenant Charles C. Hawley, 
 Veteran Battalion First Colorado Cavalry, acting ordnance 
 officer for the South and West Sub-Districts of the Plains, 
 station at Denver, Colorado Territory; First Lieutenant 
 William H. Northrop, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, acting ord- 
 nance officer for the North and East Sub-Districts of the 
 Plains, station at Fort Kearney, Nebraska Territory. 
 
 Major N. A. Adams of the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, 
 with a detachment of thirty-flve men, left Deer Creek Station 
 April 22nd in pursuit of a war party of Sioux and Chey- 
 «nnes numbering from fifty to a hundred, who had been 
 
44 o History of Wyoming. 
 
 committing depredations on La Prelle Creek. The detach- 
 ment marched twenty miles and went into camp on Sage 
 Creek at sundown. About nine o'clock that evening the 
 camp was attacked from a high point by a well armed band. 
 The fight only lasted a few minutes, the soldiers succeeding 
 in driving off the warriors. Major Adams, in reporting 
 the affair, said that the Indians were well posted and had 
 a large number of guns and revolvers but being on higher 
 ground most of their shots passed over the soldiers. The 
 troops lost five of their cavalry horses but none of the men 
 were injured. The next day Major Adams called for rein- 
 forcements and on their arrival pursued the Indians for two 
 days, when it was found that they had scattered in small 
 bodies among the hills. The command then returned to 
 Deer Creek station. 
 
 Colonel Thos. Moonlight, who had been placed in com- 
 mand of Fort Laramie, organized an expedition on May 
 3rd for the Wind Eiver country, on receipt of the informa- 
 tion that 300 Cheyenne lodges were concentrated in the 
 Wind Eiver Valley. Colonel Moonlight had under him 
 500 cavalry composed of the Eleventh Ohio, Seventh Iowa, 
 and Eleventh Kansas regiments. The command marched 
 by night, the moon being favorable, and on the 12th they 
 reached the vicinity of Wind Eiver, from which point scouts 
 were sent out in every direction and brought back informa- 
 tion that the hostiles had made a circuit, going as far south 
 as the Sweetwater Mountains and from there had turned 
 north toward the Powder Eiver country. The command suf- 
 fered greatly from the cold, as they had encountered a 
 heavy fall of snow and consequently were unable to pro- 
 cure feed for their horses. The expedition returned by way 
 of Platte Bridge, having accomplished nothing. Colonel 
 Moonlight in his report said that his command had traveled 
 450 miles and the Indian scouts must have kept watch of 
 them, for no sooner had they returned to Fort Laramie than 
 their war parties were harassing the stations at all points. 
 Jim Bridger was the guide for this expedition. Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Preston B. Plumb, who later was for many years 
 
The Bloody Tear on the Plains. 441 
 
 a United States senator from Kansas, was in command of 
 the Eleventh Kansas on this occasion. 
 
 On May 13th Indians attempted to run off some stock 
 near Julesburg and at the same time made an attack on 
 Captain Porter's post wagon and wounded two of his men. 
 Troops from Fort Sedgwick went to the rescue and killed 
 three of the Indians. Captain O'Brien sent out a small force 
 but they failed to come up with the hostiles. On the 18th 
 of the same month Indians attacked a detachment of men 
 enroute to Fort Kearney. Two of the soldiers were killed 
 and six wounded. These men were sent forward from Fort 
 Leavenworth unarmed and were intended for service in 
 Wyoming. The commander at Fort Leavenworth directed 
 the sergeant in charge to procure arms at Fort Kearney. 
 General Connor instituted an immediate and searching in- 
 vestigation with a view to properly punishing the oflScer 
 who would send an unarmed force through a region known 
 to be infested by savages who were on the war path. There 
 was an investigation at Fort Leavenworth but what came 
 of it I am unable to find out from any papers on file in the 
 War Department. On the same date as the above, an 
 event of considerable importance occurred at Fort Laramie. 
 It was the capture of Two Face and Black Foot, Sioux 
 chiefs of the Ogalalla tribe, together with their warriors. 
 To tell of this circumstance I will quote the report of 
 Colonel Thos. Moonlight, the commander of the post. 
 
 "About the 18th instant some Indians were discovered 
 on the north side of the Pltate near the Indian villiage, en- 
 camped ten miles east of Laramie. Mr. Elston, in charge of 
 the Indian village, took a party of Indian soldiers and cap- 
 tured what was found to be Two Face, having a white 
 woman prisoner (Mrs Eubanks) and her little daughter, 
 whom he had purchased from the Cheyennes. During the 
 same evening and next morning early the other Indians 
 who were with Two Face, and who had fled on approach of 
 Elston's party, were also captured and all lodged in the 
 guard house here. Mrs. Eubanks gave information of the 
 whereabouts of Black Foot and the village, and a party of 
 Indian soldiers started to bring them in, dead or alive. The 
 village was found about 100 miles northeast of here, on 
 
442 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Snake Fork, and compelled to surrender without any flght. 
 Black Foot and his companions were placed in the guard 
 house with the others, making six men in confinement. 
 Both of the chiefs openly boasted that they had killed white 
 men and that they would do it again if let loose, so I con- 
 cluded to tie them up by the neck with a trace chain, sus- 
 pended from a beam of wood, and leave them there without 
 any foothold. The property captured was as follows: Six 
 U. S. mules, 3 U. S. horses, 5 mules not branded, but I 
 believe claimed by some party down the river; 15 ponies 
 in miserable condition, which I left in charge of Mr. Elston 
 for the use of the Indian soldiers in scouting. The other 
 animals were turned in to the acting assistant quarter- 
 master, to be taken up on his return. On the person of Two 
 Face was found |220 in greenbacks which I gave to Mrs. 
 Eubanks; Also |50 taken from another of the band. This 
 lady was captured by the Cheyennes on Little Blue Creek 
 last fall, where her husband was killed along with several 
 others. She was treated in a beastly manner by the Chey- 
 ennes, and purchased from them during the winter by Two 
 Face and Black Foot, who compelled her to toil and labor 
 as their squaw, resorting in some instances to lashes. She 
 was in a wretched condition when she was brought in, hav- 
 ing been dragged across the Platte with a rope. She was 
 almost naked, and told some horrible tales of the barbar- 
 ity and cruelty of the Indians." 
 
 The execution of these two Indian chiefs caused quite 
 a sensation at Fort Laramie at that time. There was much 
 comment on the proposed execution, by army officers and 
 civilians connected with the post. Colonel Bullock, the 
 post trader, was particularly outspoken in condemnation 
 of such a proceeding and he visited headquarters to remon- 
 strate with Colonel Moonlight and in courteous language 
 said to the post commander that in his judgment the exe- 
 cution of these two chiefs could not serve any good purpose, 
 but on the contrary he believed that it would so aggravate 
 the combined hostile tribes as to induce them to seek a 
 favorable opportunity and then in overwhelming numbers 
 attack the garrison of Fort Laramie and carry the place 
 by assault, and then would follow a massacre of so barbar- 
 ous and inhuman a character as had never been witnessed 
 in the west. The commander heard Colonel Bullock with 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 443 
 
 great courtesy, never once interrupting him in his plea, not 
 for mercy for the savages but for the adoption of a policy 
 ■which would serve better the purposes of the government 
 in its war against the Indians. When the plea was finished 
 the post commander very quietly remarked: 
 
 "Well, Colonel Bullock you think there will be a mas- 
 sacre? Let me tell you that there will be two Indians who 
 will not take part in it. Good day, sir." The post com- 
 mander followed his dismissal of the post trader by po- 
 litely bowing him out of the door of his quarters. 
 
 On May 20th 200 Indians attacked Deer Creek station 
 and after a vigorous fight on the part of the detachment 
 in charge of the station, the Indians were repulsed; seven 
 of their number were killed and others wounded. No one 
 at the station was injured. The hostiles succeeded in driv- 
 ing away twenty-two horses which were in a herd a short 
 distance from the station. Lieutenant-Colonel P. B. Plumb 
 of the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, with thirty men, gave 
 chase and succeeded in killing one Indian and wounding 
 several. One soldier of Plumb's command was killed. The 
 Indians, it was said, were in command of a man named 
 Bill Comstock, formerly of Fort Laramie. The horses were 
 not recaptured. No trains were allowed to pass up or down 
 the Platte that year without an escort. 
 
 During the early part of the summer of 1865 a distin- 
 guished party consisting of the Hon. Schuyler Colfax, 
 Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lieutenant Gov- 
 ernor Wm. Bross of Illinois, Albert D. Eichardson of the 
 New York Tribune, and Samuel Bowles, editor of the Spring- 
 field Republican, passed west in an Overland coach for Cal- 
 ifornia. Fortunately the party was not molested by the 
 Indians. Mr. Bowles wrote a book covering the incidents 
 of the trip. Mr. Richardson also published a volume, giving 
 the incidents of his journey, which was very popular for 
 many years, being entitled "Beyond the Mississippi. Mr. 
 Colfax was one of the best friends the west ever possessed. 
 During his long and brilliant service in Congress he never 
 lost an opportunity to champion any cause that was in- 
 
444 History of Wyoming. 
 
 tended to help the country west of the Missouri. President 
 Lincoln was assassinated only a few weeks before Mr. Col- 
 fax came to the Eocky Mountains. A few days before the 
 assassination he called on the President to inform him that 
 he was expecting to leave for the Pacific coast, overland, 
 almost immediately. In reply Mr. Lincoln said, "I have 
 been thinking of a speech I want you to make for me. I 
 have," said he, "very large ideas of the mineral wealth of 
 our nation. I believe it is practically inexhaustible. It 
 abounds all over the western country, from the Rocky 
 Mountains to the Pacific, and its development has scarcely 
 commenced. During the war, when we were adding a 
 couple of millions of dollars to our national debt every 
 day, I did not care about encouraging the increase in the 
 volume of the precious metals. We had the country to save 
 first. But now that the rebellion is overthrown, and we 
 know pretty nearly the amount of our national debt, the 
 more gold and silver we mine makes the payment of that 
 debt so much the easier." "Now," said he, speaking with 
 much emphasis, "I am going to encourage that in every 
 possible way. We shall have hundreds of thousands of dis- 
 banded soldiers and many have feared that their return 
 home in such great numbers may paralyze industry by fur- 
 nishing suddenly a greater supply of labor than there will 
 be a demand for. I am going to try to attract them to the 
 hidden wealth of our mountain ranges, where there is room 
 for all. Tell the miners for me that I shall promote their 
 interests to the utmost of my ability because their prosper- 
 ity is the prosperity of the nation and we shall prove in a 
 very few years that we are the treasury of the world." 
 
 Mr. Colfax delivered this posthumus speech of Presi- 
 dent Lincoln wherever there was an opportunity to talk 
 to western men and its delivery was listened to with pro- 
 found attention on every occasion. In this far-off wilder- 
 ness it fell on the ears of men as a voice from the grave of 
 the martyred president. Verily this was the first full and 
 complete recognition of the west by a president of the 
 United States. It convinced western men that Abraham 
 
The Bloody Tear on the Plains. 445 
 
 Lincoln was entitled to be called the president of the whole 
 country. His words cheered many a weary miner by increas- 
 ing his faith in the minerals of the Rocky Mountains. 
 
 CHAPTEE XXXIV. 
 
 THE BLOODY YEAR ON THE PLAINS— [Continued.] 
 
 Headquarters Removed from Denver to Julesburg — Colonel Moon- 
 light Places Additional Troops on the Telegraph Line — Dis- 
 trict Inspectors Appointed — Commanders of the Different 
 Posts — Indians Attack Rock Ridge and Sweetwater Stations — 
 Attack and Burning of St. Mary's Station — Affair at Platte 
 Bridge — Trouble at Sage Creek, Pine Grove and Bridger Pass 
 Stations — Second Attack on Sage Creek Station — The Stage 
 Company Refuses to Run Coaches — Soldiers Mutiny — So-Called 
 Friendly Indians Mutiny — Colonel Moonlight's Troubles — 
 Gi-NERAL Connor Getting Ready ior a Campaign on Powder 
 River — Troops Delayed by Bad Roads — Additional Troubles on 
 THE Telegraph Line and the Stage Route Across Laramie 
 Plains — Niobrara and Montana Wagon Road. 
 
 On May 4th, General Connor moved his headquarters 
 from Denver to Julesburg, so as to be nearer the scene of 
 active operations, and on the following day telegraphed 
 General Dodge for permission to visit headquarters for the 
 purpose of consultation. The request was granted and the 
 visit to St. Louis was made, but before going he directed 
 Colonel Moonlight, the commander of Fort Laramie, to dis- 
 tribute two companies of the Third U. S. Volunteers along 
 the North Platte, Sweetwater, and as far west as South 
 Pass. One company was to make headquarters at the Three 
 Crossings and the commanding officer was instructed to 
 detail one or two non-commissioned officers and twelve men 
 for each of the following telegraph stations: South Pass, 
 Saint Mary's and Sweetwater. The headquarters of the 
 other company was to be at Camp Marshall, with similar 
 details posted at Horse Shoe, Deer Creek and Platte Bridge, 
 
446 History of Wyoming. 
 
 and besides this a squadron of cavalry was ordered on the 
 line and four troopers were to be detailed at each station 
 to assist the telegraph operators in repairing the line when 
 required. The saw mill near Fort Laramie was ordered to 
 be kept running night and day to furnish lumber needed at 
 the various stations. The following officers were announced 
 by General Connor as sub-district inspectors- Captain J. S. 
 Cochrane, Third U. S. Volunteers, for service in the South 
 Sub-District of the Plains; Captain John H. Dalton, First 
 Battalion Nevada Cavalry, for the West Sub-District of the 
 Plains; First Lieutenant Edward Donavan, First Nebraska 
 Veteran Cavalry, for the East Sub-District of the Plains. 
 
 Brigadier General Guy V. Henry was placed in com- 
 mand at Denver, which department was then styled the 
 South Sub-District of the Plains. Henry was a good soldier 
 and thoroughly qualified for an important command. He 
 conducted the affairs of his district in such a manner as to 
 give confidence to the people of Colorado, but it was found 
 necessary to send him elsewhere, when Colonel O. H. Potter 
 of the Sixth U. S. Volunteers was assigned to the command. 
 At this time, Captain J. L. Humf reville of the Eleventh Ohio 
 Cavalry was in command of Fort Halleck. This post was 
 made prominent by events which had transpired around it 
 since the spring of 1863. The troops had beeen required to 
 operate both east and west for a long distance and conse- 
 quently troops stationed there had seen hard service. Fort 
 Bridger, that summer, was in command of Major Noyes 
 Baldwin, an officer with a splendid record, and a man of 
 ability. The War of the Rebellion being over, there was 
 soon to be available troops ior service on the plains, but it 
 required time to transfer this force to the far west. The 
 spring was far advanced and the Indians were beginning to 
 leave their winter camps in large numbers, and there not 
 being sufficient force in Wyoming to operate against roving 
 bands, traffic on the Overland had to be conducted by the 
 use of military escorts. There seemed to be no way of pro- 
 tecting the telegraph line; the best that could be done was 
 to repair it whenever broken. During 1865, there was but 
 
The Bloody Tear on the Plains. 447 
 
 one line of telegraph across our state, and this was the one 
 built by Creighton in 1861. At the time the stage line was 
 removed from the Sweetwater and the South Pass route, 
 the government had to protect the stages on the new route 
 across the Laramie Plains and at the same time to maintain 
 the telegraph up the North Platte, along the Sweetwater, 
 and across South Pass. This necessitated a large number 
 of troops and it should not have been undertaken. Ben Hol- 
 liday argued, when he wanted to change the line, that the 
 Indians would not trouble the mail route from Denver west, 
 and consequently the government would be at little or no 
 additional expense. It was true there were no hostilities on 
 the Laramie Plains previous to the location of the mail 
 route in 1862, but there was a very good reason for this ; as 
 there had been no traflSc on that line — no people to rob or 
 kill on the Laramie Plains or in Bridger Pass, but as soon 
 as the mail, express and passenger business was transferred 
 to that route, Indian depredations followed and the govern- 
 ment was called upon for protection and tried to furnish it. 
 The emigrant trains preferred the old Overland road, be- 
 cause it was shorter, and so they kept going up the North 
 Platte. Troops had to be maintained on that road to pro- 
 tect the telegraph system and the emigrants. Had all the 
 protection been given to the North Platte route it would 
 have been much easier for the government and better for 
 the mail business west of the mountains. Leaving Jules- 
 burg, the new route went south eighty-four miles before it 
 reached Denver, and then in returning to the west by way of 
 Laramie Plains and Bridger Pass it had all this distance 
 to work back, and this increased the length of the road more 
 than 150 miles to all passengers who had come by the Platte 
 route. 
 
 I have found it very difficult to confirm the reports of 
 many old timers regarding Indian attacks on Overland sta- 
 tions. Too often it has occurred that two or three individu- 
 als told as many different stories regarding the same inci- 
 dents, and consequently for the sake of accuracy I have 
 been obliged to depend .largely on ofBcial reports made by 
 
448 History of Wyoming. 
 
 officers at the time to the War Department. These were at 
 least accurate and formed a basis upon which to construct 
 the history of those times. The events of the spring and 
 summer of 1865 commenced on the Sweetwater and are re- 
 corded by Lieutenant-Colonel Plumb, who with his com- 
 mand, the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, was operating along 
 the line from Fort Laramie west. In an oflScial report dated 
 June 1st, at Camp Dodge, which was located a short dis- 
 tance above Platte Bridge, he says: 
 
 "I have the honor to report that on the morning of last 
 Saturday the Indians in considerable force attacked Bock 
 Bidge Station and ran off what stock remained, and soon 
 after cut the telegraph line. No further information was 
 received from there until yesterday, when a messenger ar- 
 rived from Sweetwater Station, bringing intelligence that 
 on Sunday night Lieutenant Collins, Eleventh Ohio Volun- 
 teer Cavalry, with two men, started from Three Crossings 
 for Bock Bidge, and, arriving within a short distance, dis- 
 covered that the station was in flames. Not considering it 
 prudent to venture farther, he returned to Three Crossings. 
 The fate of the garrison at Bock Bidge is unknown, but the 
 worst is feared. It numbered four men, all of the Eleventh 
 Ohio Cavalry. Monday afternoon about forty Indians ef- 
 fected a stampede of the herd of mules and horses belonging 
 to the Sweetwater garrison, and succeeded in getting away 
 with four horses and six mules. One Indian was killed. 
 Yesterday I sent Lieutenant Bretney, with eight men of his 
 company, to Sweetwater, then to proceed to Bock Bidge if 
 deemed safe. He will be at the latter place tomorrow. I 
 also sent Captain Green, with sixty men of the Eleventh 
 Kansas, provided with twenty days' rations, to go up the 
 road as far as Bock Bidge, with instructions to repair the 
 telegraph line and take the necessary measures for the im- 
 mediate rebuilding of the station at Bock Bidge. I also 
 turned over to Captain Lybe five of the government teams 
 that came up with my regimental train, and ordered him to 
 proceed at once to his station at Three Crossings and dis- 
 tribute his company according to orders from you, and also 
 to submit to the order and direction of Captain Green in 
 reference to repairing the telegraph, and re-erection of sta- 
 tion at Bock Bidge." 
 
 Lieutenant Bretney proceeded up the road as ordered 
 and investigated the condition of the various stations, and 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 449 
 
 his report shows that on May 26th three Indians made an 
 attempt to take the herd at Sweetwater Station, but were 
 repulsed by the garrison, who killed one hostile and wound- 
 ed another. Fortunately none of the small force was in- 
 jured. Two days later the Indians returned in force and 
 succeeded in stampeding four horses and two mules. The 
 little garrison fired at the hostiles and wounded one of them. 
 On June 1st, the Indians again returned and made a des- 
 perate attempt to run off the balance of the horses, but the 
 soldiers, being on the watch, opened a vigorous fire and 
 drove them off. This party cut the telegraph wire and car- 
 ried off about 100 yards of it: Lieutenant Bretney also re- 
 ported that on the 27th of May, about 150 savages made a 
 furious attack on Saint Mary's Station and in a short time 
 succeeded in setting fire to the buildings. The garrison, 
 consisting of five men, retreated to an old well outside of 
 quarters, where they remained until the night of the 28th, 
 when they escaped to South Pass. The operator. Private 
 Chavil St. Clair, took precaution enough to secure a relay, 
 sounder and a coil of fine wire, and was thus enabled to 
 communicate with Fort Bridger. The garrison lost every- 
 thing but the firearms and the clothes on their backs. Their 
 horse equipments were burned. There were but two horses 
 kept at the station; one of these the Indians captured and 
 the other was shot to prevent its falling into their hands. 
 They cut about 400 yards of telegraph wire and burned the 
 poles. When the Indians left they moved to the south, pass- 
 ing up the valley of Sage Creek. The garrison did as well 
 as could be expected under the circumstances. When the 
 Indians came within proper distance they fired upon them 
 briskly. Several were known to have been wounded. None 
 of the garrison was injured. 
 
 The Indians were active along the telegraph line at 
 this time. A little affair occurred at Platte Bridge on the 
 morning of June 3rd which made something of a stir but 
 did not result very seriously. Six Indians appeared on the 
 river bank, opposite the post, and it was thought their ob- 
 ject was to draw the men across the river and lead them into 
 
 -(29) 
 
45 o History of Wyoming. 
 
 an ambush prepared. As soon as the alarm of "Indians" 
 was given, First Sergeant Samuel B. White, Eleventh Ohio 
 Cavalry, who was in charge, dispatched a messenger to 
 Colonel Plumb of the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, who was at 
 Camp Dodge, informing him of the appearance of the hos- 
 tiles. As soon as this messenger had gone. Sergeant White 
 ordered a twelve-pound howitzer trained on the Indians 
 and the first fire resulted in crippling two of their ponies 
 but inflicted no injury on the savages, who quickly took ref- 
 uge behind the rocks. The sergeant then mounted ten men 
 and sent them to the bluffs on the North Platte to watch 
 the movements of the enemy, and followed these by ten 
 soldiers on foot in the rear to prevent the mounted men 
 being cut off by a superior force. One Indian was seen go- 
 ing toward the telegraph line with the evident intention of 
 cutting it. He was pursued and fired upon, but only the 
 horse was hit. As soon as Colonel Plumb received the 
 message from Platte Bridge, he mounted ten men of Com- 
 pany B, Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, and hastened with all 
 possible speed to the scene of hostilities. Arriving at Platte 
 Bridge, he took ten men of Company G, Eleventh Ohio Cav- 
 alry, all mounted, and proceeded in pursuit of the Indians. 
 On leaving Camp Dodge, he had ordered twenty more men 
 of his own regiment to mount as soon as possible and fol- 
 low him. The pursuit of the Indians led Colonel Plumb and 
 his command across to the north side of the Platte and then 
 over some rough country directly north of the post. A hard 
 chase of five miles brought them within shooting distance 
 of the hostiles and a running fight ensued which resulted in 
 one Indian pony being killed and two Indians wounded. 
 One-half of Colonel Plumb's force had fallen behind on ac- 
 count of their horses being unable to keep up. The Indians, 
 aware of the situation, now turned and made a vigorous 
 charge on their assailants, but Colonel Plumb and his ten 
 troopers received them by showing a compact front and de- 
 livering a galling fire. The Indians now turned and fled. 
 Shortly after, about sixty Indians charged down the bottom 
 of Dry Creek, a half a mile to the left of the command, with 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 451 
 
 the evident purpose of cutting them off from Platte Bridge. 
 The little party now realized that they were in a dangerous 
 position, but fortunately the twenty who had been ordered 
 to foUow from Camp Dodge appeared in sight and the In- 
 dians turned and fled. Six or seven of the soldiers started 
 in pursuit of some hostiles who had turned to the right. The 
 soldiers pressed them closely and were led into ambush 
 by about thirty Indians in front and rear. At the time of 
 this attack the soldiers found themselves with empty re- 
 volvers and were unable to hold their ground until assist- 
 ance could arrive. In this affair Private Bonwell, Company 
 F, Eleventh Kansas, and Private Sahlnecker, Company G, 
 Eleventh Ohio Cavalry, were killed. Night coming on, the 
 troops returned to Platte Bridge Station. On the same day 
 as the above. Lieutenant James A. Brown of the Eleventh 
 Ohio Cavalry reported from Fort Halleck the result of an 
 effort to open the mail route west to Fort Bridger. He had 
 under his command a force of thirty men and was accompa- 
 nied by Captain Lewis of General Connor's staff and R. I. 
 Spotswood, the division agent of the Overland Stage Com- 
 pany. He says that he found the station at Sage Creek de- 
 serted and four miles beyond, lying by the roadside, were 
 two dead emigrants, one of whom had been scalped. The 
 next two stations, Pine Grove and Bridger Pass, were also 
 found deserted. At the fourth station. Sulphur Spring, 
 were the stock tenders and drivers from the above named 
 stations and also the stock belonging to Sage Creek and 
 Pine Grove. It was learned here that the stock at Bridger's 
 Pass Station had been driven off by the Indians. Having 
 ascertained that the depredations extended no farther west, 
 Lieutenant Brown remained at Sulphur Spring Station un- 
 til 4 p. m. next day, when detaching three men he sent them 
 to Washakie (next station west) and leaving five men for 
 the protection of Sulphur Spring, started for Fort Halleck, 
 accompanied by the two division agents of the Overland, 
 two coaches and stock for the line, camping that night at 
 Bridger's Pass. Next morning they left, leaving a corporal 
 and four men at the station; from thence to Pine Grove 
 
-.452 History of Wyoming. 
 
 station, leaving five men there; they then came on to Sage 
 Creek Station, where they left a corporal and four men; 
 -from thence to the North Platte crossing, and camped for 
 vthe night. The next day they returned to Fort Halleck. 
 
 Lieutenant Brown had scarcely left Sage Creek Station, 
 where he had stationed four men and a corporal, when 100 
 well armed Indians attacked the place. After an hour's se- 
 vere fighting, the ammunition gave out, which compelled 
 the little garrison to abandon the station. They were well 
 mounted and were accompanied by the two stock tenders, 
 also mounted. The moment they left the station they were 
 completely surrounded by the savages, and then ensued a 
 desperate fight, the white men retreating toward Pine Grove 
 Station. The Indians followed them for eight miles, killing 
 George Bodine and Perry Stewart, wounding and capturing 
 Orlando Ducket, wounding Corporal W. H. Caldwell and 
 Private William Wilson, all of Company K, Eleventh Ohio 
 Volunteer Cavalry. The two citizens were also missing. 
 Corporal Caldwell and Private Wilson escaped to Pine 
 Grove Station. They and the detachment then retreated to 
 Sulphur Spring Station, taking the detachment at Bridger's 
 Pass with them. Next morning they started back, com- 
 manded by Sergeant McFaddin, who was up the road on 
 escort duty with ten men of Company K, Eleventh Ohio 
 Volunteer Cavalry. They found the bodies of Perry Stew- 
 art and George Bodine lying in the road, horribly mutilated, 
 the latter scalped. They also found one citizen. The other 
 citizen and Private Ducket of Company K could not be 
 found. 
 
 Simultaneously with this trouble west of Fort Halleck, 
 -the Indians made an attack east of that place. A dispatch 
 from Virginia Dale from Major Norton of the Sixth U. S. 
 Volunteers to General Connor says : 
 
 "The stage from the west has just arrived at this sta- 
 tion, having made but one change of horses from Fort Hal- 
 leck. All stations have been abandoned by the stage com- 
 pany except Big Laramie. Their stock has been concen- 
 itrated at that place and Halleck. I learn from the passen- 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 453 
 
 gers that fourteen horses were stolen from the latter place 
 on the 4th instant. Unless the stage company re-occupy 
 their stations, I shall be obliged to make a different dispo- 
 sition of the escort for self-protection, if nothing else. There 
 are large bodies of Indians on the road; the lowest accounts 
 place them at from 600 to 800. I am on my way to Fort Hal- 
 leck with Captain Wilson and an escort of ten men. Should 
 anything special occur, I will inform you by messenger." 
 
 Major Norton had two days before ordered Company R 
 of the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, to relieve some Ohio troopa- 
 serving on the Laramie Plains, but the company to a man 
 refused duty, alleging that their time of service had ex- 
 pired. Company B of the same regiment offered to assist 
 them in their mutiny. Finally Company F was persuaded' 
 to go, but they threatened to return in two weeks. 
 
 On the 10th, Captain Wilson, commanding the post at 
 Fort Collins, reported that Indians had robbed the station; 
 at Willow Springs and that he had started out in pursuit 
 with a force of twenty-five men, but owing to a bad storm 
 coming on he was unable to get farther west than Virginia 
 Dale, but that he had sent word to Sergeant Linnell, com- 
 manding detachment at Big Laramie, to send five men to 
 guard Willow Springs station. 
 
 General Connor had hastened to Fort Collins, where 
 he found matters in even a worse condition than he sup- 
 posed. Robert Spotswood, the superintendent of the stage 
 line, had withdrawn all the stage stock east of Fort Halleck 
 and declined to put it on again unless there was a guard of 
 thirty men placed at each stage station. This was out of the 
 question, so General Connor sent the mails through by wag- 
 ons in charge of soldiers. 
 
 It has been mentioned that a large number of what were 
 styled "friendly Indians" had been fed at Fort Laramie 
 during the winter of 1864-5. Some of the ofScers had ques- 
 tioned the good faith of these savages, but as they put on 
 the appearence of peace and good will, they and their fami- 
 lies were fed and allowed to remain. They were composed 
 of Sioux, Cheyennes and Arapahoes. Under instructions 
 from General Dodge, an attempt was made to use these na- 
 
454 History of Wyoming. 
 
 tives as scouts. A company of them was organized, uni- 
 formed and armed at the expense of the government, and 
 one Charles Elston was intrusted with the command of 
 these very questionable soldiers. He was also in charge 
 of the Indian encampment. During the spring and early 
 summer members of this Indian company were sent out to 
 scout the hills and locate the hostiles. It afterwards turned 
 out that these scouts were in the confidence of the enemy 
 and made such reports to the commander at the fort as were 
 desired by the hostile chiefs. The scouts were well posted 
 as to what was going on in military circles and also under- 
 stood the purposes of the government. Early in June it was 
 decided to send these hangers-on across to Julesburg, so as 
 to remove them from the influence of the hostile bands 
 which were in the hills around Fort Laramie. The leading 
 Indians were consulted and agreed to the removal, and con- 
 sequently on June 11th, 185 lodges of these people were 
 started for that place, with an escort of 135 enlisted men 
 under command of Captain W. D. Fouts of the Seventh 
 Iowa Cavalry and four other commissioned officers. Captain 
 Wilcox and Lieutenants Haywood, Smith and Triggs. The 
 escort was made up of Company D, Captain Fonts' company, 
 and detachments from Companies A and B from the same 
 regiment. The Indians numbered in warriors, squaws and 
 papooses, about 1,500. The cavalcade proceeded slowly on 
 its way and nothing occurred to arouse the suspicion of 
 Captain Fouts for three days, except signal smokes by hos- 
 tiles north of the Platte and reputed conferences by night 
 between the so-called friendly Indians and the other class 
 across the river. On the afternoon of the 13th, the party 
 went into camp on Horse Creek and the Indians proceeded 
 to give a dog feast. Late in the evening 382 of the warriors 
 congregated in secret council. The officers were a little cu- 
 rious to know what was going on and yet their best efforts 
 failed in finding out. What followed is told by Captain Wil- 
 cox in a very clear and concise manner. He says : 
 
 "On the morning of the 14th, reveille was sounded at 
 3 a. m., and the order of march announced to be at 5. At 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 455 
 
 sunrise I was ordered by Captain Fonts to proceed with the 
 advance guard (Companies A and B, detachments) two 
 miles on the route of march, then halt and wait till the 
 wagon train closed up and the Indians closed up on the rear 
 wagons, then to move forward in column of march. Just 
 as the wagons were closing up I heard the rapid report of 
 firearms to the rear. Believing it to be a revolt and attack 
 by the Indians, and knowing the great disparity in numbers 
 against us, as well as the fact that the family of Captain 
 Fonts, the family of Lieutenant Triggs, and Mrs. Eubanks 
 and child (late rescued Indian captives) being with us, I 
 determined to prepare for defensive warfare, and had the 
 wagons corraled in the best possible shape, the teams un- 
 hitched and put inside the corral and securely fastened, 
 and the men in line outside, ready for action (it would not 
 do to leave the train unprotected.) In this condition I 
 awaited orders from Captain Fonts. A messenger coming 
 up shortly after, reported that Captain Fouts had gone 
 across the creek to hurry up the Indians, and was shot and 
 killed by them, and that the Indians were then fighting 
 among themselves. I immediately dispatched a messenger 
 on the fleetest horse to communicate with Fort Mitchell and 
 the telegraph office, eighteen miles distant. The messenger 
 was closely pursued by Indians. 
 
 "The rear guard (Company D) coming up, I demanded 
 of Lieutenant Haywood why he did not stand and fight the 
 Indians instead of retreating. He replied that his men had 
 no ammunition, and that the Captain (Fouts) had refused to 
 have cartridges issued to the men of his company; that he 
 (Lieutenant Haywood) had urged the issuing of cartridges 
 the night before and that the captain said they would not be 
 needed. I ordered the filling of the cartridge boxes immedi- 
 ately, and ordered Lieutenant Smith, in command of Lieu- 
 tenant Triggs and sixty-five men, to keep in line outside the 
 corral, dig rifle pits defensible against all approaches, and 
 to hold the corral, while I with Lieutenant Haywood and 
 seventy men mounted on the best horses (the horses were 
 all very poor from hard service; but few were really ser- 
 viceable, and many men were altogether dismounted) re- 
 paired with all possible dispatch to the scene of action. 
 Passing the late Indian encampment, we saw the body of 
 Captain Fouts, dead, stripped and mutilated. The Indians 
 had fled two or three miles to the Platte. The squaws and 
 papooses were swimming the river on ponies, while the 
 warriors were mounted, circling and moving in hostile ar- 
 
456 History of Wyoming. 
 
 ray. Supposing that a part of them were really friendly, 
 and would join us in Subduing the rest, I charged on in pur- 
 suit of the criminal fugitives. Passing a few squaws and 
 papooses, I ordered my men not to kill or harm them ; they 
 returned. When within 600 yards of the enemy, I halted 
 my command in line and sent the interpreter (Elston) to the 
 front to signal and tell all who were our friends to return, 
 and they should not be harmed, but protected. But all 
 were hostile, and with hideous yells charged upon us. I dis- 
 mounted my men and deployed a line of skirmishers to the 
 front with long-ranged arms (Galleger carbines, meanest 
 arm in service) to receive them. When within 300 yards the 
 Indians opened fire upon us. My men answered them 
 promptly with a volley that repulsed them temporarily in 
 front, but more than 100 were dashing by each flank and 
 closing in the rear, while from the hills to our left they were 
 rapidly bearing down upon us by scores and hundreds. See- 
 ing that we were assailed by more than 500 warriors, equal- 
 ly armed and better mounted than my own little squad, and 
 fearing that to stand, be surrounded and cut off from our 
 ammunition and defenses would involve the entire command 
 in indiscriminate slaughter and massacre, as well as the 
 burning of the train and capture of the animals, I deter- 
 mined to act upon the principle that 'prudence is the better 
 part of valor.' Remounting my men, I fell back to our de- 
 fenses by desperate skirmishing to our rear and flanks, the 
 enemy's flankers being all the while in our advance, endeav- 
 oring to close in front, till within gunshot of our rifle pita, 
 when a volley sent them howling to the rear. In falling^ 
 back, a few only (I cannot give their names) of my command 
 acted badly. Most of them behaved nobly, and a few with 
 unsurpassed bravery. In the action, nearly all the ammuni- 
 tion in the cartridge boxes was used up; some entirely so. 
 
 "After replenishing the cartridge boxes with a new 
 supply of ammunition and finding that the Indians were 
 not disposed to attack the entire command behind defenses, 
 I went out with Lieutenant Smith and fifty men (all I could 
 mount on serviceable horses) to feel the enemy and if possi- 
 ble detain him until we could be reinforced. After going 
 three miles we saw the Indians in vastly superior numbers 
 forming in front and coming over the hills to the left, evi- 
 dently intending to entrap and overwhelm us away from 
 the corral and rifle pits. Not being strong enough to whip 
 them in open field, we again retired, taking with us our 
 killed and mutilated on the battlefield. 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 457 
 
 "Captain Shuman, Eleventh Ohio Cavalry, arriving 
 promptly with reinforcements from Fort Mitchell, at about 
 9 o'clock, I mounted every available horse and mule in my 
 command and went for them again with sanguine hopes, 
 but unfortunately the reinforcements were a little too late. 
 Their families having got across the Platte, we had the mor- 
 tification of seeing the warriors follow and from the oppo- 
 site hills tauntingly beckon us to follow — an impossibility 
 in the face of a superior enemy at the swimming stage of the 
 river. In their flight they dropped and abandoned all their 
 lodges and loose plunder, which I ordered burned and de- 
 stroyed. From discoveries in the timbered islands, the In- 
 dians had evidently been strongly reinforced by warriors 
 from the opposite side of the river. Their loss in killed was 
 not less than twenty or thirty, most of whom they threw in 
 the river, as dead bodies were seen floating in the river 
 below where they crossed. After repairing the telegraph 
 line, broken by the Indians in the action, we took up our line 
 of march and arrived at Fort Mitchell a little after night- 
 fall. 
 
 "Our loss in action was four killed and four wounded, 
 viz.: Captain W. D. Fonts, Privates Edward McMahon, 
 Richard Groger, Company D, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, and 
 Private Philip Alder, Company B, killed; Privates Samuel 
 Kersey and Lewis Tuttle, Company B, Privates James H. 
 May and John W. Trout, Company D, wounded. 
 
 "Throughout the action all the officers under my com- 
 mand behaved with credit to themselves and to the service." 
 
 While this affair was going on at Horse Creek, Colonel 
 Moonlight was at Fort Laramie, and having received notice 
 by telegraph of the revolt, hastily started with a cavalry- 
 force to the scene of the disturbance. He had with him 
 Companies L and M, Second California Cavalry, Company 
 L, Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, and detachments from the 
 Eleventh Ohio and Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, numbering 
 in all 234 men. When they had reached a point nine miles 
 east of Fort Laramie, a messenger met Colonel Moonlight 
 to inform him that the Indians had crossed the North Platte 
 and were on the north side of that river. The North Platte 
 was swollen and impassable, so Colonel Moonlight took his 
 command back to Fort Laramie, where they crossed and 
 pushed down the river to overtake the Indians. In two 
 
458 History of Wyoming. 
 
 days the command reached Dead Man's Fork, in the neigh- 
 borhood of the place where it was expected the runaways 
 would be found. Here a halt was made for breakfast and 
 for the purpose of allowing the horses to graze. What hap- 
 pened at that point I prefer to have Colonel Moonlight tell 
 in his own way, and therefore I quote from his report. 
 
 "The camp was in the bed of the river, with steep banks 
 on both sides, where our horses could be easiest protected 
 and herded. But few of the California troops had any pick- 
 et ropes or pins, so that- their animals had to be herded. The 
 others were either picketed or tied head and foot. About 
 10 o'clock the alarm of Indians was given and every man 
 sprang to his arms. The Indians, numbering about 200, 
 made a bold attempt to get into camp, but were handsomely 
 repulsed and compelled to fall back from three-quarters of 
 a mile to a mile, and had given up the attack. In the mean- 
 time, the horses had been corralled in camp, and I ordered 
 part of the men to get them saddled up while the others 
 watched the movements of the Indians. The horses had be- 
 come frantic with fear at the noise made by the Indians and 
 the firing on both sides, and broke through the men in spite 
 of every attempt to check them. Captain Huntoon and my- 
 self threw ourselves in front of them, but they rode us right 
 down. Captain Booth, Eleventh Kansas, succeeded in cut- 
 ting off a few horses in the rear by firing his pistols into 
 them. The horses broke straight for the Indians, who fled 
 at first, supposing we were charging, but after discovering 
 their mistake closed round and galloped them ofiE over the 
 mountains, where they were pursued by Captains Brown, 
 Conrad and Booth with about twenty-five mounted men. 
 These officers were unable to accomplish anything, as the 
 horses were surrounded with what they considered about 
 400 Indians, who, in the English language, dared them to 
 fight. After losing the horses, there was nothing left for 
 me to do but to return, after destroying the saddles and 
 other property which we had no means of transporting. 
 The Indians made no attack on us afterward, and we ar- 
 rived here on the 20th instant. The march back on foot was 
 a tedious and severe one, as water is only found in little 
 creeks from twenty-five to thirty miles apart." 
 
 The number of horses captured by the Indians, as shown 
 by Moonlight's official report, was seventy-four. His own 
 horse was among the number, and he with the other dis- 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 459 
 
 mounted men was obliged to walk back to Fort Laramie, a 
 distance of 120 miles. Moonlight had a heavy burden to 
 bear in this transaction; not only was be obliged to walk 
 back to Fort Laramie, but he was forced to listen to remarks 
 that were not at all complimentary from the troopers, who 
 held him responsible for the toilsome journey they wore 
 obliged to make on foot. The colonel of the Elerenth Kan- 
 sas closed his career as a soldier with that eventful tramp 
 from Dead Man's Fork to the mouth of the Laramie. 
 
 The misfortunes of Colonel Moonlight were fast bring- 
 ing his affairs in Wyoming to a climax. The horses lost by 
 him, as stated above, were serviceable animals, belonging 
 to General Connor's old regiment. In consequence of this 
 loss, the men had been obliged to walk back to Fort Laramie. 
 Their indignation at what they styled the stupidity of Colo- 
 nel Moonlight reached the boiling point and continued so 
 until they met their old friend and comrade. General Connor, 
 who had led them through dangers seen and unseen from 
 California to Salt Lake. Connor was attached to these men 
 by ties such as band men together who have shared the 
 same dangers on many a battlefield. An investigation 
 proved that these horses had been put on herd regardless 
 of the protest of nearly every trooper who rode them. They 
 had clearly pointed out the great danger to be expected 
 from Indians, but Moonlight, as usual, was obstinate. He 
 had given the order to have the horses turned out, and so 
 out they must go. They were lost, and in the identical way 
 pointed out to him by the California troopers. Moonlight 
 had committed many blunders and indiscretions, but this 
 last affair was too much for Connor to bear and he promptly 
 suspended him from command and sent him in disgrace to 
 Fort Kearney to be mustered out. He reported his action 
 to General Dodge and said in explanation: "His adminis- 
 tration here was a series of blunders." 
 
 The ravages and murders committed by the Indiana 
 along the Overland route aroused feelings of horror through- 
 out the east, and yet when General Connor's expedition was 
 nearly organized these same people declared that the Indi- 
 
460 History of Wyoming. 
 
 ans wanted to make peace, but the army officers out west 
 refused them this boon, preferring to kill them off. Unsuc- 
 cessful contractors in Wyoming and Colorado confirmed 
 these reports which had appeared in eastern newspapers. 
 Congress discilssed the subject and as usual in such cases 
 there were plenty of people who wasted their sympathy on 
 the hostiles. Major General Dodge became annoyed over 
 these reports and telegraphed General Connor as follows: 
 "Could you make peace with those Indians? Representa- 
 tions are sent to Washington that they desire peace, and that 
 we will not make it. Have they made any overtures to you, 
 or shown any disposition to make peace?" 
 
 General Connor did not manifest any surprise at this 
 question from his superior officer, nor did he, seemingly, 
 regard it as very important. Having long had to do with 
 Indians and white men in such affairs, he did not even take 
 the trouble to more than just refer to the matter incidentaly 
 in a dispatch to General Dodge from Julesburg. This is his 
 manner of answering the question: "I have just returned 
 from up the road. Indians attacked stage line west of 
 North Platte; killed several persons. Send me four regi- 
 ments of cavalry and two of infantry and necessary sup- 
 plies. The cavalry should come by forced marches. I will 
 move my headquarters to Laramie in four days, and will 
 move against the Indians as soon as cavalry arrives. In- 
 dians have made no overtures for peace; on the contrary, 
 they are getting bolder every day." 
 
 General Pope, discussing this subject at the time, gave 
 proof of his knowledge of the character of these Indians 
 when he said: "The Indians seem to be hostile and active 
 all over the plains and keep up these hostilities from day to 
 day in the constant expectation of having a treaty made 
 with them which will exempt them from punishment for 
 what they have already done, and at the same time furnish 
 them with blankets, powder and ball and such other sup- 
 plies as they need. This has hitherto been the practice of 
 our Indian Department, and the Indians naturally expect 
 from day to day the same thing will happen now. It has 
 
The Bloody Tear on the Plains. 461 
 
 long been a saying of the Sioux Indians along the Platte 
 that whenever they are poor they have only to go down on 
 the Overland route and kill a few white men, and there will 
 be a treaty of peace which will supply all they need. Under 
 such a system we cannot expect peace on the frontier except 
 for short periods." 
 
 General Connor now devoted most of his time getting 
 ready his Powder Kiver expedition. General Pope suddenly, 
 became deeply interested in punishing the Indians on the 
 Powder Kiver. He telegraphed to General Dodge, who was 
 then at Leavenworth, that the Indians in the Black Hills 
 must be routed immediately, as their presence there would 
 interfere with the construction of the wagon road from 
 Sioux City to Montana. This message brought one from 
 General Dodge to General Connor, urging him to push for- 
 ward his expedition, first against the Cheyennes in the Black 
 Hills, so as to protect Colonel Sawyer, who was building the 
 wagon road, later into the Powder Kiver country. Major 
 General Pope at last became anxious to have the expedition 
 start north from Fort Laramie and asked General Dodge 
 very pointedly the question, why Connor was not on the 
 march. To this, the latter replied that he found it very diffi- 
 cult to get the troops intended for Connor from the Missouri 
 River to Fort Laramie. The mud was very deep and the 
 roads well-nigh impassable. Supplies had been sent for- 
 ward, but they were fast in the mud all along the road. 
 Dodge telegraphed Connor to get started as soon as possi- 
 ble, even if he had to leave Fort Laramie before all his trains 
 arrived. It was found that supplies were not the only thing 
 that prevented Connor from moving. Some of the cavalry 
 were still on the road, and then came another difficulty. 
 Part of the troops under Connor were enlisted to serve 
 against the rebels in the south, and the war being over, they 
 were clamorous for their discharge; some of them going so 
 far as to mutiny. Connor reasoned with the men and suc- 
 ceeded in persuading them to remain loyal to the service. 
 They went back to duty, but were far from being satisfied, 
 as it was generally understood among them that they en- 
 
462 History of Wyoming. 
 
 listed for a certain period or the war. Other troops had 
 been mustered out, while they were retained in the service 
 and required to fight an enemy quite different than the one 
 for which they had volunteered. 
 
 On the 15th of July, General Connor returned to Fort 
 Laramie. He had been able to accomplish very little for 
 the protection of the stage line across Laramie Plains, ex- 
 cept to send the mail through regularly by wagon under a 
 heavy guard of soldiers. Passengers had accumulated at 
 Denver and were awaiting an opportunity to get west. Oth- 
 ers were at Forts Halleck and Bridger, desiring to go east. 
 Among these were some women who were anxious to pro- 
 ceed on their journey. These were all taken across the gap 
 between Big Laramie Station and Fort Halleck under es- 
 cort of troops. Nothing could be done about running the 
 regular stages until Stagg's brigade should arrive, which 
 was intended for escort service. After returning to Fort 
 Laramie, Connor succeeded in convincing himself that he 
 could see the end of his present trouble. He had been look- 
 ing up the whereabouts of his supply train and troops that 
 were on the road. He telegraphed General Dodge: "Com- 
 missary stores ordered from Kearney and Cottonwood will 
 be here in ten days ; contractors' train in about fifteen. Will 
 start left column in six days with what supplies I have. 
 Stagg's brigade will not reach Halleck in less than two 
 weeks; will arrive at Julesburg tomorrow. The Indians on 
 the mail route are Cheyennes, Sioux and Arapahoes. Have 
 five companies of Eleventh Kansas on that road, but they 
 are insubordinate and disobedient, caused by Colonel Moon- 
 light telling them that they were entitled to muster out and 
 that I intended to muster them out of service here. Moon- 
 light is at Kearney and refuses to give the commissary of 
 musters the proper data to muster him out. I have ordered 
 commissary to muster him out without it. I can hear noth- 
 ing of the Indians north ; they have the best of it at present. 
 I wish they had Contractor Buckley under their scalping 
 knives." 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 463 
 
 General Sully was at this date operating on the Mis- 
 souri, spending most of his time having peace talks with 
 Blackfeet and Yanktonnais. He reported 1,000 lodges of 
 hostile Sioux seventy miles south of Berthold and a large 
 number of Cheyennes and Arapahoes still south of that. 
 He was very anxious to secure reinforcements and promised 
 as soon as additional troops should arrive at his camp to 
 march against the Sioux and whip them badly and drive 
 them south, where they would fall into the hands of troops 
 marching from Laramie. His hesitation to push out into 
 the Indian country greatly displeased General Grant, who 
 grew impatient and made an order removing Sully, but tele- 
 graphed Pope the following explanation: "I meant Sully 
 in my dispatch to Sherman. The order for a change is not 
 imperative, but the complaints against Sully and the man- 
 agement of the quartermaster's department in the North- 
 west are such that whilst we have so many generals of 
 known ability, I think a change can do no harm and may do 
 great good." 
 
 The following dispatch from General Connor to General 
 Dodge gives the situation on the 21st: "Part of the First 
 Nebraska Cavalry, stationed at Kearney, claim, as the war 
 is over, that they are entitled to discharge, and have muti- 
 nied. I have ordered Colonel Heath to suppress it with 
 grape and cannister, and bring the leaders to trial. I will 
 have subsistence sufficient from Kearney and Cottonwood 
 in four days to move the column. There is only one con- 
 tractor's train this side of Julesburg; it is loaded with bacon 
 only, and was diverted from Denver. The Indians are still 
 very troublesome, and are scattered in small bands along 
 the mail and telegraph line ; their families are north. I hear 
 of a large body of Indians on Heart River. I shall make my 
 arrangements to continue the campaign during the winter, 
 if necessary. I can hear nothing of the mowing machines 
 ordered for Powder Kiver. I hope the troops from Leaven- 
 worth will move as rapidly as possible. I have not troops 
 enough and should have some more whose time does not 
 expire this fall. I have great confidence in being able to 
 
464 History of Wyoming. 
 
 close this war before midwinter. I am losing much pre- 
 cious time now; cause, contractors." 
 
 The reply to the above bears date of the same day and 
 shows that General Dodge was very anxious to conquer a 
 peace with the savage tribes. "Get your columns ofE as soon 
 as possible. We have got these Indian matters now in our 
 hands, and must settle them. I will come to Laramie during 
 August or September, and I hope you will catch them before 
 that. All the troops are giving me great trouble. Infantry 
 at Fort Leavenworth mutinied; cavalry (some of it) the 
 same; but are now on the march under new reorganization 
 of commands. All territories west of Missouri Eiver and 
 east of Kocky Mountains are in may command. Utah goes 
 to Department of Pacific, so that Dakota and Montana are 
 added to us. Would not send any troops to Utah only those 
 necessary to protect Overland route. If they will not take 
 stores to Powder Eiver you will have to force them to do it. 
 There are plenty of stores on the road, but when they will 
 arrive it is impossible for me to even predict. I have done 
 all in my power to forward them. They started in time to 
 reach their destination long ago. Mowing machines are 
 enroute. All troops going to plains have one and two years 
 yet to serve. Seventh Kansas Cavalry are enroute by boat 
 to Omaha. Tibbit's brigade of cavalry is between Fort 
 Leavenworth and Kearney. Stagg's must be on the ground 
 before this." 
 
 General Connor was very glad to learn that Major Gen- 
 eral Dodge would visit Fort Laramie that he might see for 
 himself the conditions on the Overland and the necessity of 
 employing troops recruited for this particular service. He 
 well understood that General Dodge did not underestimate 
 the hard work that was to be encountered in the Powder 
 River country, and he likewise realized that General Dodge 
 was rendering him every assistance in his power. The com- 
 pleted plans for the Powder Eiver campaign were now ready 
 to be sent to the various commanders interested in the move- 
 ment against the hostiles. While we await the arrival of 
 
H. B. KELLY. 
 
 GEN. F. W. LANDER. 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 465 
 
 troops and supplies, it will be well to explain the wagon 
 Toad expedition which has been previously mentioned. 
 
 The opening of the government wagon road from Nio- 
 brara, Nebraska, to Virginia City, Montana, was an under- 
 taking accompanied by both danger and hardship. Con- 
 gress made an appropriation of $50,000 during th^ winter of 
 1864-5 for the purpose of constructing this road and Colonel 
 James A. Sawyers of Sioux City, Iowa, was given command 
 of the expedition. The Secretary of War assigned two com- 
 panies of infantry and twenty-six mounted cavalry as es- 
 cort. The working train consisted of fifty-two wagons 
 4rawn by oxen. The expedition left Niobrara in the early 
 summer of 1865 and proceeded west 266 miles, at which 
 point they forded the Niobrara Eiver and crossed over to 
 the South Cheyenne and followed up that stream until they 
 came in full view of the Big Horn Mountains. At this point 
 the guide for the expedition led them across toward Powder 
 Eiver and they were soon entangled among deep ravines, 
 when it was discovered they had reached a country where 
 not a drop of water was to be found for the stock or men. 
 They floundered on, but were finally obliged to return to 
 the North Cheyenn, which stream they followed until they 
 reached Eawhide Butte. They had now arrived in the yicin- 
 ity of the place where Lieutenant G. K. Warren of the 
 Topographical Engineers had encountered the Sioux on his 
 exploring expedition in September, 1857. That explorer 
 was the first scientific man to go into that country and his 
 report speaks of rich valleys, covered with fine grass, plenty 
 of fuel and good timber for lumber and many useful miner- 
 als. He gave the opinion at the time that gold was plen- 
 tiful in that section. The savages did not take kindly to 
 white men examining the country and they ordered Warren 
 and his party to leave, and the Sioux being numerous and 
 the white men few in numbers, they returned to Fort Lara- 
 mie, the point from whence they came. After Warren left, 
 that part of Wyoming slept on in the silence of former 
 years, when it was again awakened by the arrival of Colo- 
 nel Sawyer and his train of road-makers in the summer of 
 -(30) 
 
466 History of Wyoming. 
 
 1865. Warren's expedition was a failure, because of the 
 whim of the savage Sioux, but the red men had a different 
 sort of man to deal with now. 
 
 Sawyers' party on the way back to the North Chey- 
 enne, found a small pool of water in a ravine, where they 
 proceeded to allow their animals to drink. Here they were 
 attacked by Indians (Sioux and Cheyennes) and had it not 
 been for the brave conduct of Colonel Sawyers the savages 
 would have captured the train and scalped the escort and 
 working force. As soon as the cry of "Indians" was heard, 
 the Colonel formed a corral of the wagons and hurried the 
 stock inside, and the men placed in a secure position for 
 defense. The Indians, seeing that they had been outwitted, 
 contented themselves with stampeding some of the horses 
 belonging to the escort, and then retired. Only one man 
 connected with the expedition was killed — that was Nat 
 Hedges. The next morning the train pushed forward and 
 before noon they were again attacked, but Colonel Sawyer 
 was an experienced Indian fighter and quickly placed his 
 command in position and opened on the savages with two 
 six-pound mountain howitzers and kept them at bay for 
 twenty-four hours, when they signified a desire for a talk. 
 Colonel Sawyers, taking Captain Hilford with him, met a 
 couple of the chiefs and after a time a treaty was entered 
 into permitting the expedition to go forward upon turning 
 over to the Indians thirteen boxes of hardtack, a wagon load 
 of bacon, a sack of coffee and a sack of sugar. In this en- 
 gagement. Colonel Sawyers had another man killed. A few 
 days after this affair, and while the expedition was still on 
 the North Cheyenne, the escort mutinied and refused to 
 proceed farther west. This was a severe blow to the under- 
 taking, but at this point Colonel John Godfrey, who was an 
 assistant in the expedition, volunteered to accompany the 
 Indian guide and look out a road for the train to pass over 
 Powder Kiver. Godfrey was an experienced soldier, having 
 served in the Civil War and won his way from the ranks 
 to the position of Colonel of a regiment. Godfrey and his 
 Indian guide started at midnight from the camp on the 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 467 
 
 NortH Cheyenne and at the end of three days they returned, 
 bringing the intelligence that the command was within 
 thirty-five miles of the Bozeman road, and that they had dis- 
 covered a practical route across the country to this road. 
 The mutineers were now quite willing to escort the train, 
 as it was their plan to go to Fort Laramie. Colonel Sawyers 
 pushed forward with his expedition and in due time reached 
 the Bozeman road. They were now only fourteen miles from 
 Fort Connor, which was at that time garrisoned by a por- 
 tion of the Sixth Michigan Cavalry. Colonel Sawyers at 
 once applied to the commander at the fort for an escort 
 for his train to take the place of the two companies of in- 
 fantry which had mutinied. General Connor at once or- 
 dered one company of the Sixth Michigan Cavalry to per- 
 form the escort duty and assigned the mutineers to the fort 
 to act as garrison, where they remained through the follow- 
 ing winter. The road-builders now pushed forward and 
 passing along the base of the Big Horn Mountains they 
 reached the vicinity of Little Tongue Eiver. They were 
 attacked by Indians, when Captain Cole of the Sixth Michi- 
 gan Cavalry, who had accompanied the expedition from 
 Fort Connor for recreation, was killed. The next day Colo- 
 nel Sawyers pushed his command as far as the western 
 branch of Tongue River, where he was again attacked by a 
 band of Arapahoes, who were driven off by the use of ar- 
 tillery. He had two men wounded. Sawyers now sent back 
 to General Connor for assistance and after fourteen days a 
 company of the Second California, in command of Captain 
 Brown, arrived and escorted the train to the Big Horn, and 
 after many experiences the road builders finally reached 
 Virginia City. The men were paid off at that point and 
 most of them returned to their homes by the way of Salt 
 Lake, thence by stage to Fort Bridger, South Pass and Fort 
 Laramie. 
 
 The following year Colonel Sawyers was again sent out 
 with a working force to complete the opening of the road. 
 He left the mouth of the Niobrara River on the 1st of May 
 with sixty-nine men and two brass field-pieces. He was 
 
468 History of Wyoming. 
 
 joined by two trappers just before starting, so that the en- 
 tire force amounted to seventy-two men, including himself. 
 There was no trouble until they reached the South Chey- 
 enne River in Wyoming, when they were attacked by In- 
 dians, but the savages were driven off without loss on the 
 part of the white men, one Indian being killed. On reach- 
 ing the North Fork of the Cheyenne, they followed up that 
 stream and crossed over to the Dry Fork of Powder River, 
 where they were again attacked by a party of Cheyennes, 
 but suffered no loss. They finally reached Fort Reno. The 
 following day after leaving the fort there was another at- 
 tack, but the savages were again driven off. They next ar- 
 rived at Fort Philip Kearney, which was under construc- 
 tion by the Eighteenth United States Infantry, Colonel H. 
 B. Carrington in command. Colonel Oarrington had agreed 
 to furnish an escort for the balance of the journey, but when 
 the train was ready to pull out Colonel Sawyers was in- 
 formed that the post commander had come to the conclusion 
 that he would not be doing justice to his command to divide 
 them in a country where lurked so many dangers, and con- 
 sequently the road makers moved forward without the es- 
 cort. From that time on they fought Indians every day and 
 sometimes twice a day, but fortunately none of the party 
 was killed. The work on the road was completed and the 
 men discharged and paid off at Virginia City. Those were 
 stirring times in Wyoming, and it has been admitted that 
 there were few men who could have accomplished this work 
 with so little loss. 
 
 Colonel James A. Sawyers was a typical western man, 
 having served in the Mexican War, at the close of which 
 he settled in southern Iowa, where he remained until 1857, 
 when he moved to Sioux City, when in 1861 he joined a regi- 
 ment of U. S. cavalry and did service against the Indians, 
 who at that time infested northern Iowa. He entered the 
 service as lieutenant, but was soon after promoted to lieu- 
 tenant-colonel of the regiment. He was born in Tennessee, 
 December 16, 1824, and died March 27, 1898. He was hon- 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 469 
 
 ored and respected by all who knew him. His portrait will 
 be found in this volume. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXV. 
 
 THE BLOODY YEAR ON THE PLAINS— [Continued]. 
 
 The Massacre at Platte Bridge — Lieutenant Caspar W. Collins 
 Goes Out to Insure the Safety of a Wagon Train and is 
 Killed Together with Eight of His Men and Seven More 
 Wounded — Twenty-one Men Belonging to a Wagon Train are 
 all Killed but Three — 3,000 Indians Threaten Platte Bridge 
 — How Fort Caspar Received Its Name— Able Letter on the 
 Indian Question by Major General John Pope — Indian Affairs 
 Discussed by the Author — Mistakes Made by the Government 
 IN the Management of Indians — General Connor is Given a 
 New Command — General Wheaton Assumes Command of the 
 District of Nebraska with Headquarters at Fort Laramie — 
 Reduction of the Army on the Plains — Its Effect on the 
 Savages — The Much Talked of Peace Conference to be Held 
 at Fort Laramie, May, 1866. 
 
 During the month of July the hostiles attacked the two 
 lines of travel across Wyoming, simultaneously. Almost 
 every station from Virginia Dale west as far as Bitter Creek 
 was raided, and about the same time a heavy force of Indi- 
 ans congregated along the telegraph line from Bridger's 
 ferry west as far as Rocky Ridge. There were but few troops 
 on the line and these scattered in small detachments with 
 a view of protecting the telegraph. About July 20th it was 
 noticed that Indians were moving to the west from points 
 near Fort Laramie and to the east from the Sweetwater 
 Valley. On the 24th hostiles appeared in large numbers on 
 the hills on the north side of the Platte, opposite Platte 
 Bridge Station. 
 
 On the afternoon of the 25th, Lieutenant Collins ar- 
 rived from Fort Laramie to which place he had been ordered 
 to be mustered as First Lieutenant, having been promoted 
 
470 History of Wyoming. 
 
 from Second. That same afternoon a body of Indians had 
 crossed the river where Caspar now stands and had at- 
 tempted to run off some stock connected with the fort. 
 There were three or four hundred Indians on this foray. 
 Major Howard of the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, com- 
 mander of the post, sent out a detachment composed of 
 about twenty men, infantry and cavalry, and attacked the 
 savages. The squad of cavalry rode ahead of the infantry, 
 and when they arrived at Garden Creek, the Indians see» 
 ing the small force, attacked them in front and at the 
 same time attempted to cut them off by a flanking move- 
 ment. The soldiers opened fire and succeeded in killing 
 ■one Indian. One of the troopers rushed forward and scalped 
 the fallen brave and carried back the ghastly trophy to his 
 •comrades. The Indians now charged down on the caval- 
 rymen and forced a retreat, the enraged savages following 
 closely, charging past the infantrymen, who had remained 
 half a mile back. One of the formost of the red warriors, 
 riding at a furious pace, threw his spear at a retreating 
 soldier and the weapon striking him in the back pierced 
 his body so as to enter the heart. The trooper clung to 
 his saddle and did not fall to the ground until he was 
 within twenty feet of the stockade; when picked up he 
 was dead. The infantry soldiers who were in the rear now 
 ■cut off the Indians and forced them toward the mountains. 
 There was more or less fighting all day. When night ar- 
 rived a greater part of the Indians had retired across the 
 river. That night, or rather at 2 o'clock in the morning. 
 Lieutenant Bretney of Company G, Eleventh Ohio Cav- 
 alry with ten men arrived at the fort. They were accom- 
 panied by Captain A. Smyth Lybe, Sixth U. S. Infantry. 
 These two ofiScers were on their way to Fort Laramie to 
 meet the paymaster who had sent for them to receive the 
 pay for their respective commands. When the company 
 was coming down the river road toward the bridge they 
 noticed a considerable number of horses feeding not far 
 off, and there was some speculation as to whom they be- 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 471 
 
 longed and they finally arrived at the conclusion that they 
 were Indian ponies, though in the darkness it was difficult 
 to determine. When they reached the bridge they found 
 a. picket stationed there and the gate closed. This picket 
 told them of the conditions which prevailed around the 
 fort and of the fighting that had been going on the day 
 before. One of the soldiers of Lieutenant Bretney's de- 
 tachment was John C. Friend, who afterward became a 
 well known newspaper man in Wyoming, but of him I 
 shall have occasion to speak more in detail later. On the 
 morning of the 26th, there were stirring events about to 
 transpire at that little post, which was pretty well hemmed 
 in by savages. Lieutenant Bretney reported that there 
 was a train on the road from Sweetwater, composed of ten 
 wagons driven by as many soldiers and escorted by Sergeant 
 Martin Ebberly and ten men all of the Eleventh Kansas 
 Oavalry. The escort was dismounted. It was thought 
 that this train would be in that morning. Major Howard, 
 the post commander, could not help feeling anxious for the 
 safety of the train as the hills in the vicinity of the road 
 over which it was to pass were covered with Indians. A 
 detachment of twenty-five men was made at an early hour 
 to go out and meet those who were escorting the wagons. 
 After the rescue party was in line some question arose as 
 to who should take command. Several officers excused 
 themselves on one plea or another and while this was going 
 on Lieutenant Caspar W. Collins stepped forward and said 
 he would go providing he was furnished with a horse as his 
 own was in bad condition. Finally the leader of the Elev- 
 enth Kansas band offered his horse, a powerfully built, 
 spirited grey. Lieutenant Bretney did not approve of Col- 
 lins taking charge of the party and advised the young 
 officer not to go, telling him that it was not his place, that 
 the men were not of his command and he was only a chance 
 visitor at the fort. Finding that Collins was determined 
 to go Bretney hunted up John C. Friend and told him to 
 use his influence to induce the young Lieutenant not to go 
 with the relief party. Friend and young Collins had been 
 
472 History of Wyoming. 
 
 very intimate for two or three years and Bretney thought 
 that he would have some influence over him. Friend went 
 to Collins and advised him not to lead the party, but all 
 his arguments and pleadings were useless for Collins had 
 determined to go. He said to Friend that he had no fears 
 and would perform his duty. Lieutenant Bretney and 
 Captain Lybe now organized a party of about thirty en- 
 listed men and citizens and followed on foot the rescue 
 party. Among the thirty was John C. Friend, Frank Ecof- 
 fey, Phildean Ganard, and Jules Seminoe. Lieutenant Col- 
 lins at 6 :30 a. m. placed himself at the head of the twenty- 
 five mounted men and led the way across the bridge closely 
 followed by the dismounted force under Bretney and Lybe. 
 The troopers on reaching the north end of the bridge formed 
 into fours. They took the quick, ringing words of command. 
 Trot! Gallop! Charge! and away they dashed along the 
 road and up the hill. Never was there a braver band or a 
 more gallant leader. On they went for over half a mile 
 when they were met and attacked by 500 or 600 Cheyennes 
 who came out of the brush on the left toward the river. 
 Then was seen 700 or 800 coming down from the bluffs on 
 the right and a little to the rear, 300 or 400 of this party 
 attempted to cut them off in the rear but the deadly rifle- 
 men under Bretney and Lybe moved quickly forward and 
 drove the howling demons back. Collins and his men en- 
 countering overwhelming numbers on every side now 
 turned and attempted to fight their way back. The con- 
 test was being watched with deep interest at the fort, and, 
 seeing the situation, Major Howard ordered the single piece 
 of artillery to be run out behind Canard's store on the river- 
 bank and a rapid fire was opened up on the Indians who 
 were determined to annihilate Collins and his little band. 
 The shells reached the savages, but it was too late. Finding 
 that more than half of his men were either killed or wound- 
 ed and that it was impossible to hold the others in a compact 
 body and keep up an orderly retreat, they all turned in the 
 direction of the bridge and made a mad dash to escape. At 
 this moment one of the troopers was wounded and fell from 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 475 
 
 his saddle but he called out to his comrades, "Don't leave 
 me, Don't leave me," Collins turned his horse and rode to 
 the place where the wounded man was lying, bnt his horse 
 becoming unmanageable, ran away with him, going at a 
 fearful pace along the ridge toward the north and a short 
 distance west of Red Cloud's band of Sioux, who were 
 still pouring down the bluff. The powerful grey horse rap- 
 idly bore Collins out of the sight of his friends. The effec- 
 tive work of the shells from the fort had routed the savages 
 along the river bank and the hillside above and many of 
 them followed the direction taken by the runaway horse 
 which was carrying Caspar Collins to his death, but there 
 were still hundreds of them bent on the destruction of not 
 only the men on horseback but those on foot. The troopers 
 returning, were protected by the fire of the dismounted men 
 until they got safely to the bridge when Lieutenant Bret- 
 ney gave the order to retreat and the soldiers and citizens 
 returned to the fort. 
 
 Of those who went out with Collins, eight were killed, 
 not including their brave leader and seven were wounded. 
 Two hours later, the Indians having retired from the hill- 
 side, William Worrell, Thomas St.Clair, and John C. Friend,, 
 all members of the Eleventh Ohio Cavalry and of Lieuten- 
 ant Collins' company, mounted their horses and started 
 across the bridge to find the body of their gallant First 
 Lieutenant, for they were certain that he would be killed,, 
 as there was no escape for him. They went up the road 
 to the place where Collins had turned to rescue the wounded 
 trooper and there lay the soldier dead who had called for 
 help. His body was lifted and laid across Friend's horse 
 and that trooper returned to the fort with it. While he 
 was gone the others found two more of the dead. 
 
 Indians now appeared and it was their evident inten- 
 tion to cut off these bold riders. The dead soldiers were 
 hastily lifted across the horses and the three cavalrymen 
 retired toward the fort bearing the remains of their com- 
 rades with them. The wire being cut on the east as well 
 as on the west and Major Howard being anxious to com- 
 
474 History of Wyoming. 
 
 mninicate with Fort Laramie to call for assistance, sent a 
 party out at 10 o'clock in the morning to mend the wire. 
 They had not been gone long before they were attacked 
 by 100 Indians who drove the men back. The gun at the 
 ^ort was brought out and some well directed shells drove 
 the savages back across the river. After dinner Captain 
 Lybe, with a detail of twenty men, commenced the erection 
 of breastworks around the fort. At 3 o'clock the expected 
 wagon train was seen coming down the hill from the west 
 and the appearance of this brought the savages from their 
 hiding in the sand bluffs on the north side. 
 
 The train came down the hill and 500 mounted In- 
 dians charged along the ridge in its direction. All now was 
 excitement at the fort. Lieutenant Bretney wanted to 
 take one hundred men and go to the rescue of the train, 
 but the experience of the day convinced Major Howard that 
 such a movement would be futile. In the meantime the 
 soldiers in charge of the train seeing the oncoming savages, 
 turned to the right in an open ravine and formed a corral 
 and prepared hastily for defense. Three of the men, con- 
 vinced that a successful stand could not be made, ran 
 down the ravine toward the river half a mile away and 
 getting into the bushes they finally reached the water and 
 swam across and late in the afternoon arrived safely at 
 the fort. The other eighteen men from behind their wag- 
 ons made a fight for life. As the savages approached, again 
 and again they sent them reeling backward with their well 
 directed fire. The Indians finding that it was certain death 
 to get within range of the deadly rifles of the white men, 
 resorted to Indian strategy and with their knives and tom- 
 ahawks dug trenches and commenced a gradual approach 
 in such numbers as would enable them to overwhelm the 
 brave Kansans when the supreme moment should arrive. 
 For more than an hour the savages dug on these trenches. 
 Those at the fort watched and waited with beating hearts 
 the outcome of the struggle in the ravine. They did not 
 know the methods being employed by the savages but it 
 was very evident that some deep Indian strategy was in 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 475 
 
 process of being worked out. Another circumstance was 
 noticeable, the soldiers were on the alert and every savage 
 who exposed himself was fired upon by the besieged. Some- 
 times a single rifle report would come from the ravine, 
 again two or three shots would be heard in quick succes- 
 sion and then, after an ominous silence, a volley would 
 rumble and rattle over in the ravine to be followed by pain- 
 ful silence. This had been going on for more than an hour 
 when those watching saw Indians spring up out of the 
 ground all around and in close proximity to the doomed 
 men and this was followed by savage yells of exultation 
 such as can only come from savage men and savage beasts. 
 There were a number of shots fired but who fired them could 
 not be told. It was plain to be seen that there was a hand 
 to hand struggle, but it was of short duration and when 
 it was over there were more savage yells and these were 
 taken up and repeated by groups of Indians in almost every 
 direction. The little garrison at the post knew well what 
 had happened, even though they were unable to see the 
 actual struggle. They knew also that those eighteen brave 
 men had compelled their enemies to pay dearly for their 
 victory. Major Howard now realized that the garrison at 
 the fort was in danger, but the telegraph line being down 
 there was no opportunity to call for aid. The garrison con- 
 sisted of two companies of the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, 
 besides these there were a few infantrymen and also some 
 chance visitors at the fort, soldiers who had come from 
 below or above. There were possibly 200 men in all but 
 what were these as compared to the 3,000 savages every- 
 where about them and all intent on capturing the post and 
 scalping its defenders. That night "Mich." Seminoe and 
 another man slipped out of the fort and made their way to 
 Deer Creek for aid. They had a journey over a country 
 that was swarming with savages but they finally reached 
 their destination and secured two companies of the Elev- 
 enth Kansas who went to the rescue of the garrison at 
 Platte Bridge. They arrived the next day and soon after, 
 these troops, together with about twenty men of the Elev- 
 
476 History of Wyoming. 
 
 enth Ohio, crossed the bridge and went up to the place 
 where Collins and his men had their light with the Indians, 
 In that vicinity they found five more of the dead. The bod- 
 ies were all horribly mutilated. They were gathered up 
 and sent to the fort in a wagon after which the command 
 moved farther up the hill to the place where the wagon 
 train party had struggled so heroically against overwhelm- 
 ing numbers. The bodies of the eighteen were all found 
 but they had been cut, hacked, mutilated and burned, in 
 some cases beyond recognition. It was a horrible sight and 
 one that was never forgotten by those who gazed upon it. 
 A hole was dug in the gulch and the dismembered portions 
 of human bodies gathered up and deposited in this hur- 
 riedly made grave. When all of the swollen, blackened 
 and charred remains had been gathered their surviving 
 comrades lovingly covered them with mother earth and 
 left them on the field where they so nobly fought and fell. 
 A search was commenced for the body of Lieutenant '■Col- 
 lins which was not found until the following day. The 
 place where it was discovered was up Caspar Creek about 
 a mile and a half from the spot where he turned to rescue 
 the wounded trooper. The body had been stripped of the 
 bright new uniform which he had put on after his muster 
 at Fort Laramie only a few days before. He was not mutil- 
 ated like the others but powder had been exploded in his 
 mouth which caused his face to present a horrible appear- 
 ance. The body had lain three days in the hot sun and was 
 consequently in a bad condition. A box was sent for and in 
 this the remains were deposited and carefully closed up and 
 carried to the fort where it was buried. A year later it was 
 shipped to his native town in Ohio and interred in the fam- 
 ily burial ground. 
 
 On the morning of the 27th the break in the telegraph 
 line east of Platte Bridge was repaired and word was sent 
 to General Connor of the condition of afffijrs' in that part 
 of the North Platte valley. Genei'al Cohijor ordered Col- 
 onel J. H. Kidd, Sixth Michigan Cavalry, with nine com- 
 panies to proceed by forced marches to the assistance of the 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 477 
 
 garrison at Platte Bridge. Tlie troops moved with great 
 celerity but found upon their arrival that the Indians had 
 been gone three days. They had left on the morning of 
 the 28th, going north toward Powder River. Red Cloud, 
 who was the leading chief of these red monsters had evi- 
 dently heard of the proposed movement of General Con- 
 nor's forces into that country and had resolved to be there 
 in advance. 
 
 Caspar Collins was born at Hillsboro, Ohio, September 
 30, 1844, and was consequently, at the time of his death, 
 July 26, 1865, twenty years, nine months and twenty-six 
 days old. In years and appearance he was scarcely more 
 than a boy, but in bravery he will ever be ranked among the 
 most gallant heroes of any age. He was the son of Lieuten- 
 ant-Colonel William O. Collins of the Eleventh Ohio Cav- 
 alry, who made a brilliant record fighting Indians in Wyo- 
 ming. Fort Collins, Colorado was named in his honor. 
 Caspar was a worthy son of this hero and his early death 
 deprived the West of one of the bravest young ofiicers in 
 the service on the plains. In 1862 young Collins came with 
 his father to Wyoming, first going to Fort Laramie. He vis- 
 ited Fort Halleck in September of that year, arriving there 
 while the post was under construction. From this post he 
 wrote home to his mother an enthusiastic letter regarding 
 the country, the big game and the people he met. In October 
 he returned to Fort Laramie. On this trip from Port Hal- 
 leck to Fort Laramie Jim Bridger was the guide, and young 
 Collins, in another letter home, speaks of the old mountain- 
 eer in a manner which indicates his admiration of him. He 
 says : "We had Major Bridger with us as guide. He knows 
 more of the Rocky Mountains than any other living man. He 
 came to the country about forty years ago in command of 
 a party of thirty or forty trappers, and some time after, with 
 some others, organized the Rocky Mountain Fur Company 
 which drove the Hudson Bay Company from American soil. 
 He is totally uneducated but speaks English, Spanish and 
 French equally well, besides nearly a dozen Indian tongues, 
 such as Snake, Bannock, Crow, Flathead, Nez Perces, Pend 
 
478 History of Wyoming. 
 
 d' Oreille, Ute and one or two others I cannot recollect. 
 Under him Kit Carson first made his acquaintance with 
 the Rocky Mountain region and he traveled through this 
 while Fremont was a child." 
 
 The death of Lieutenant Collins and the brave men 
 under him was the theme in army circles over the entire 
 country. Major General Pope, who always had a warm 
 place in his heart for a hero, issued an order on November 
 21st of that year which reads: 
 
 "The military post situated at Platte Bridge between 
 Deer and Eock Creeks, on the Platte River, will be hereafter 
 known as Fort Caspar, in honor of Lieutenant Caspar Col- 
 lins, Eleventh Ohio Cavalry, who lost his life while gallantly 
 attacking a superior force of Indians at that place." 
 
 Thus it was that Caspar became one of the permanent 
 names in Wyoming. It will be observed that the spelling is 
 with an "a." The town, which is located two miles below 
 old Fort Caspar derived its name from the same source and 
 should be spelled in the same way. In this work I have uni- 
 formly used the "a" so as to properly honor the gallant hero 
 who met his death on the heights above old Platte Bridge. 
 This name did honor to old Fort Caspar, to the State of 
 Wyoming, and I am sure it will honor the enterprising city 
 which has grown up in sight of the heights where Caspar 
 W. Collins and his intrepid followers so bravely fought 
 and fell. 
 
 The Kansans who were slaughtered on this occasion 
 belonged to the regiment of which Lieutenant Colonel Pres- 
 ton B. Plumb was in command. The companies were scat- 
 tered along the telegraph line and south along the stage 
 line and they were being relieved for the purpose of going 
 to Fort Kearney to be mustered out. These men had been 
 doing hard service on the plains and were very anxious to 
 get home. Their Lieutenant-Colonel was a gallant fighter 
 and afterwards distinguished himself in the United States- 
 Senate, to which body he was elected three times by the 
 Kansas Legislature. He died at Washington, December 
 20, 1891. 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 479 
 
 Now let us turn back and see what has been going on 
 in Washington, St. Louis and other points in regard to the 
 Indian question and General Connor's method of dealing 
 with the savages. The war being over in the South the 
 newspapers turned their attention to the operations of the 
 army against the Indians in the West. The leading daily 
 papers commented with much severity on the methods em- 
 ployed in fighting the hostiles and the whole country was 
 stirred up over the campaign of General Connor. The pres- 
 ident was besieged with letters protesting against the in- 
 humanity of the national policy toward Indians. In every 
 city in the East there were religious societies appealing to 
 heaven and the president to stay the hand which was carry- 
 ing the sword to the home of the Eedman. It was a notice- 
 able fact that all these petitions and prayers were in the 
 interest of the Indian, the white men and women together 
 with their innocent children were left without prayers to 
 the tender mercies of the savages. It was plain to be seen 
 that General Connor was to be a sacrifice whether he suc- 
 ceeded or failed in the Powder River expedition. 
 
 A few days before the departure of General Connor's, 
 forces from Fort Laramie for Powder River, orders came 
 from Washington to Major General Pope to reduce the ex- 
 penses of the army employed on the plains to the lowest 
 possible limit and, to accomplish this, to reduce the force 
 employed. To this Pope made the only reply possible to 
 make under the circumstances. He said: 
 
 "In relation to reduction of forces on the plains I pre- 
 sent the following statement and suggestions: All the 
 tribes of Indians east of the mountains, and many west^ 
 are in open hostility. They attack the mail coaches, emigrant 
 trains, and small posts continually. The United States is 
 required to protect the great overland routes passing in 
 several directions through this great Indian region. Protec- 
 tion is thus required along 3,500 miles of road, nearly all' 
 of which lies in an uninhabited country, and yet over which 
 are daily passing the U. S. mails to the Territories and the 
 Pacific, crowds of emigrants, and great trains of supplies 
 for the mining regions, as well as individuals and small 
 parties of travelers. The threatened diflSculties with the 
 
«48o History of Wyoming. 
 
 Mormons in Utah also demanded attention, and the civil offi- 
 cers appointed for that Territory by the government, as 
 well as the citizens of the United States now there and go- 
 ing there, absolutely need military protection to enable 
 them to remain in the Territory at all. This condition of 
 affairs certainly demands a considerable military force, if 
 the government means to assure security of life and of prop- 
 erty to emigrants across the plains and to settlers in the 
 newly opened Territories. The Indian question is the most 
 difficult, and I confess I do not see how it is to be solved 
 without an entire change of the Indian policy which has 
 hitherto been and must, under the laws, now be pursued. 
 The development of the rich mining regions in the Terri- 
 tories of itself has attracted throngs of emigrants, and their 
 number has been tenfold increased by the necessary results 
 of the late civil war. Thousands of families who have been 
 disloyal or have been sympathizers with the South have, 
 since the conclusion of the war, found it difficult, if -not im- 
 possible to live at their homes, and have left the States of 
 Missouri, Arkansas, Southern Illinois, Kentucky, and no 
 doubt other Southern States, to make their permanent 
 homes in the new Territories. Many thousands of men who 
 have been discharged from the army are also seeking the 
 mining regions. A surprising emigration has been going 
 forward ever since the opening of spring and seems still to 
 flow on without cessation. Not alone, or even generally, are 
 the great overland routes pursued by these great throngs of 
 emigrants. Every route supposed to be practicable is ex- 
 plored by them. They make highways in every direction 
 across the great plains and drive off or destroy the game. 
 No part of that region, however inaccessible, escapes the 
 prying eye of the gold seeker, and no route which promises 
 discoveries of value or in any manner shortens his routes of 
 travel is neglected. Of course, neither the movements nor 
 the conduct of these parties can be controlled. No man ex- 
 cept themselves can say what wrongs they do to the Indians 
 by robbing, by violence, or by dispossessing them of dis- 
 tricts of country which they have occupied unmolested for 
 centuries, yet the United States government is held respon- 
 sible if any damage is incurred by them or any loss of life 
 or property sustained anywhere in the vast and remote 
 region they are traversing. What the white man does to 
 the Indian is never known. It is only what the Indian does 
 to the white man (nine times out of ten in the way of retal- 
 iation) which reaches the. public. 
 
{See page 47S.) 
 
 3~ ^"^ "^'^^-'"^^^^"'''^ 
 
 INDIAN ATTACK ON OUERLAND STAGE, 
 
The Bloody Tear on the Plains. 481 
 
 "The Indian, in truth, has no longer a country. His 
 lands are everywhere invaded by white men; his means 
 of subsistence destroyed and the homes of his tribe vio- 
 lently taken from him; himself and family reduced to starv- 
 ation, or to the necessity of warring to the death upon the 
 white man, whose inevitable and destructive progress threat- 
 ens the total extermination of his race. Such is today the 
 condition of affairs on the great plains and in the ranges 
 of the Rocky Mountains. The Indians, driven to despera- 
 tion and threatened with starvation, have everywhere com- 
 menced hostilities against the whites, and are carrying them 
 •on with a fury and courage unknown to their history hith- 
 erto. There is not a tribe of Indians on the great plains or 
 in the mountain regions east of Nevada and Idaho of any 
 consideration which is not warring on the whites. Until 
 lately the U. S. troops, small in number and utterly incap- 
 able on that account of affording security to the whites or 
 protection to the Indians, have been strictly on the defensive. 
 Lately large re-enforcements have been sent to the plains, 
 and several expeditions have been organized which are mov- 
 ing against the Indians in the hope to restore peace, but in 
 my judgment with little prospect of doing so, except by 
 violent extermination of the Indians, unless a totally dif- 
 ferent policy toward them is adopted. The commanding 
 ofiBcers of these expeditions, as also the commanders of mili- 
 .tary posts on the frontier, have orders to make peace with 
 the Indians if possible, and at the earliest moment that any 
 peace which even promises to be lasting can be made. The 
 diflSculty lies in the fact that we can promise the Indian 
 under our present system nothing that he will ask with any 
 hope that we can fulfil our promise. The first demand of 
 the Indian is that the white man shall not come into his 
 country, shall not kill or drive off the game upon which his 
 subsistence depends, and shall not dispossess him of his 
 lands. How can we promise this, without any purpose of 
 fulfilling the obligation, unless we prohibit emigration and 
 settlement west or south of the Missouri River? So far 
 from being prepared to make such engagements with the 
 Indian, the government is every day stimulating emigration 
 and its resulting wrong to the Indian, giving escorts to all 
 parties of emigrants or travelers who desire to cross the 
 plains, making appropriations for wagon roads in many di- 
 rections through the Indian country, and sending out engi- 
 neers to explore the country and bands of laborers to con- 
 struct the roads, guarded by bodies of soldiers. Where 
 -(31) 
 
482 History of Wyoming. 
 
 under such circumstances is the Indian to go, and what is 
 to become of him? What hope of peace hare we when by 
 these proceedings we constantly are forcing the Indian to 
 war? I do not know of any district of country west of the 
 Mississippi where the Indian can be located and protected 
 by the government, and at the same time support themselves, 
 as is their custom. I explained all these difficulties very 
 fully in the conference which was had between the Secre- 
 taries of War and the Interior, General Grant and myself. 
 "It is idle to talk of making treaties of peace with the 
 Indians when not even an unmolested home in the great 
 region which they claim can be promised them with any 
 sort of certainty that such a promise can be fulfilled. The 
 very soldiers placed to protect the limited district which 
 the government could alone protect against the incursion 
 of white men would render it impossible for the Indian to 
 maintain himself in the only manner known to him. It is 
 useless to think of the government undertaking to subsist 
 large bodies of Indians in remote and inaccessible districts. 
 Whatever may be the abstract wrong or right of the ques- 
 tion, all history shows that the result in this country must 
 inevitably be the dispossession of the Indian of all his lands 
 and their occupation by civilized men. The only practical 
 question to be considered is, how this ineveitable process can 
 be accomplished with the least inhumanity and the greatest 
 moral and physical benefit to the Indian. We are surely 
 not now pursuing such a course, nor are the means used 
 becoming to humane and Christian people. My duties as 
 a military commander require me to protect the emigration, 
 the mails, and the settlements against hostile acts of the 
 Indians. I have no power under the laws of the United 
 States to do this except by force. This necessity demands 
 a large military force on the plains, which will have to be 
 increased as the Indians are more and more driven to des- 
 peration, and less and less able to protect the game, which 
 is their only means of life. The end is sure and dreadful to 
 contemplate. Meantime, there is, so far as my power goes, 
 nothing to be done except what is being done, and if this 
 condition of affairs demands considerable military force and 
 heavy expenditures they must either be accepted by the 
 government or the troops must be withdrawn and the plains 
 again given up to the Indians. It would probably not be 
 difficult to make such a peace now with the Indians as has 
 been the custom in times past, but useless to do so unless 
 we can at the same time remove the causes of certain and 
 
The Bloody Tear on the Plains. 483 
 
 speedy renewal of war, when by withdrawing our forces we 
 will be far less prepared for it than now. These treaties 
 perhaps answered the purpose (though I think they are al- 
 ways unwise and wrong) so long as the Indians continued 
 to occupy the greater portion of their own country and the 
 war only involved small encroachments by whites on its 
 borders. Hitherto the process of dispossessing the Indian 
 of his lands, although equally certain, was far slower and 
 far less alarming. Today we are at one grasp seizing the 
 whole region of country occupied by the Indians and plung- 
 ing them without warning into suffering and starvation. 
 Treaties such as we have made with them in times past will 
 no longer answer the purpose. I have presented my views 
 on this subject and suggested what seems to me the proper 
 course to be pursued so fully and so often to the War De- 
 partment, and have so frequently urged the matter upon 
 the attention of the government, that it seems unnecessary 
 and hardly consistent with oflScial propriety that I 
 should reiterate them in this manner. I only do so now 
 because the telegram from the General-in-Chief, which you 
 inclose to me, seems to indicate dissatisfaction that so many 
 troops are employed in the Indian country. Either a large 
 force must for a time be kept there, or we must furnish in- 
 suflflcient protection to our citizens in that region. 
 
 "It is hoped that during the present season the expedi- 
 tions now marching against the Indians will be able to in- 
 flict such damage upon them that they will prefer to under- 
 go much wrong and suffering rather than again break out 
 in hostilities. This is a cruel process, but the only one which 
 under the present system seems to be in my power. I will 
 withdraw and muster out of service all the troops I pos- 
 sibly can from day to day, and by the close of this season 
 I will endeavor to reduce to much less force the troops serv- 
 ing on the plains. It is proper for the government, however, 
 to realize that owing to the changed condition of affairs on 
 the plains, arising from the rapid development of the min- 
 ing regions and the great emigration to and rapid settlement 
 of the new Territories, a much larger force will for a long 
 time be required in that region than we have heretofore con- 
 sidered necessary. The remote stations of these troops and 
 the necessity of hauling in wagons from the Missouri River 
 all supplies needed for them, renders the protection re- 
 quired and demanded by the mail service, the emigration, 
 and the remote settlements an expensive undertaking, the 
 propriety of which must be determined by the government 
 
484 History of Wyoming. 
 
 itself. The military commander ordered to furnish such 
 protection has only to carry out his orders in the best and 
 most economical manner. I trust I have no purpose except 
 to perform my duty in this matter and in this manner. I 
 have assigned Major-General Dodge, a well known and most 
 efficient and careful officer, to the command of all opera- 
 lions in the Indian country west and south of the Missouri 
 Eiver, with orders to reduce forces and expenditures as 
 rapidly as it is possible to do so. His subordinate command- 
 ers are men entirely familiar with Indians and Indian 
 
 > country. 
 
 "In conclusion, I desire, if it be consistent with the 
 public interests, to be informed upon two questions, in order 
 "that I may act with more full understanding of the purposes 
 of the government : First. Is it designed that such military 
 pressure be kept upon the Indians that small parties of 
 
 ; adventurers prospecting the mountains and plains in every 
 direction, and in the most remote and uninhabited regions 
 
 ' of the country, will be unmolested by Indians, whatever 
 such parties may do or wherever they may go? I need not 
 ■say that protection of so general and universal a character 
 ■will require a large military force, which will be mainly 
 iieeded to protect the Indians, by watching these white 
 men and preventing them from committing acts for which 
 the Indians will assuredly retaliate. Is the commander of 
 this department responsible for hostile acts of Indians 
 ■against such parties? Second. In case treaties of peace, 
 such as have been usual, are made with the Indians by the 
 proper officers of the Indian Department, and the troops 
 withdrawn from the Indian country in accordance with 
 such treaty, is the army commander to be held responsible 
 if the Indians violate the treaty and renew the war? In 
 «hort, is the army to be made responsible for every murder 
 -or outrage committed on the great plains by Indians or 
 white men, who are officially at peace according to the rec- 
 ords in the office of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs? 
 When there is divided action, as is the case now in the man- 
 ;agement of Indian affairs, there should be divided responsi- 
 bility. Army commanders are very willing to be held re- 
 sponsible for military operations under their immediate 
 ■command, but they are not willing and ought not to be held 
 responsible for breaches of treaties made by other depart- 
 ments of the government which they did not approve, yet 
 to terms of which they are obliged to conform. If these 
 questions, which are respectfully asked, can be answered 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 48 j 
 
 without official impropriety, the question of troops needed 
 in the Indian country and attendant expenses can be easily 
 settled." "^ 
 
 It will be seen that General Pope grasped the situation- 
 and presented it in a nut shell, but unfortunately the Presi- 
 dent, the Cabinet, and all those in authority, were unwilling 
 to hear the truth and adopt a wise policy. There were con- 
 ditions which an honest and prudent government should 
 have recognized, but instead matters were allowed to drift 
 on. We had been dealing with the savages of the west since 
 the close of the Revolution. The subject had been discussed 
 in every session of Congress, and yet it remained for General 
 John Pope to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, 
 on the Indian question. The government of the United. 
 States had been prosperous, developed commerce, manu- 
 facturing, mining, carried through successfully a gigantie 
 civil war, extended its territory from the Mississippi to the 
 Pacific Ocean, and in I860 had secured for itself the respect 
 of mankind the world over, and yet we had utterly failed 
 to produce a statesman who could solve the Indian ques- 
 tion. It is true it was no easy matter, for we had taken up- 
 the policy in vogue in Colonial days and carried it on down 
 to the year of which I am writing. The massacres of New 
 England and the Middle States had been repeated on the 
 western border and continued year after year as that bor- 
 der land was extended toward the setting sun. The govern- 
 ment invited the people to occupy the rich lands acquired 
 by the Louisiana purchase in 1803 and those secured by the 
 annexation of Texas in 1845 and also those ceded to us by 
 Mexico in 1848, and yet in all these were savage and warlike 
 tribes who refused to be considered citizens or subjects of 
 the United States. Thomas Jefferson, whom his followers 
 and admirers, even down to the present day, claim was 
 the 'ablest of our Revolutionary fathers, failed to point out a 
 wise and humane Indian policy. In fact, the Indian ques- 
 tion has ever remained the one stumbling block in the path 
 of American statesmen. Emigrants settled in the west 
 because they accepted in good faith the invitation extended- 
 
486 History of Wyoming. 
 
 to them by the government, and they were entitled to pro- 
 tection. In effect, the United States bargained, sold and 
 transferred homes to these people and was therefore legally 
 and morally bound to protect its title. Too often were these 
 pioneers left by the government to protect themselves. 
 There was only one party to blame, and this was neither the 
 Indian nor the emigrant, but the great and proud govern- 
 ment of the United States, and coming generations will not 
 fail to place the responsibility where it belongs. The policy 
 of that government was to exterminate the Indians, and 
 these tribes would have been wiped out in 1865 had it not 
 been that someone in Washington discovered that the plans 
 of Generals Pope, Dodge, Curtis, Connor and others would 
 cost millions of dollars. The civil war was over and the 
 spasm of economy suddenly seized the powers that be and 
 troops were no longer to be kept in the field, for retrench- 
 ment was the cry of the politicians. Let no one be deceived ; 
 there was to be no change in the Indian policy. The gov- 
 ernment was simply to neglect the settlers of the west and 
 permit them to be murdered and scalped by the now thor- 
 oughly enraged savages. In Wyoming, the conditions were 
 these: General Connor had just started for the Powder 
 Eiver country when General Dodge received his orders from 
 General Pope. These were dated St. Louis, August 1st, and 
 I make one short extract which tells the whole story: 
 
 "Whatever the results of these expeditions, I wish you 
 on their completion to return at once to a simple arrange- 
 men for the defense of the overland routes to Santa Fe and 
 to California so far as these routes lie within the territory 
 under your jurisdiction. Of course you will be able by this 
 means to muster out of service a force in the aggregate 
 equal to the whole forces composing the several expeditions 
 now in progress." 
 
 General Dodge was a good soldier, and the proof of this 
 was that he had learned to obey, but he wrote a letter to 
 General Pope in which he said he did not fully understand 
 the order in regard to mustering out of troops and reducing 
 expenses. He said he had pushed forward reinforcements 
 to this department and incurred great labor as well as ex- 
 
The Bloody Tear on the Plains. 487 
 
 pense, and now he was asked to muster these regiments 
 out. He thought it would have been better had this action 
 been taken before the troops were sent to the Indian coun- 
 try. He pointed out that there were 15,000 savages in open 
 hostility in the north of his department and 10,000 in the 
 south, and his judgment was that more troops should be on 
 the plains instead of less. He submitted to the government 
 for consideration that the country west must either be 
 abandoned to the Indians or the war issue presented must be 
 met. If the latter policy was to be adopted, he asked if it 
 were not better to use the force and means in readiness and 
 make quick work of it, than to weaken the army and drag 
 along from year to year at a largely increased cost of blood 
 and treasure. Nothing immediately came of this letter and 
 the work of reducing the army in the field went on. 
 
 The next sensation was the order of General Connor to 
 his commanders in regard to not receiving overtures of 
 peace or submission from the Indians, which has been given 
 in the last chapter. Somehow these instructions of General 
 Connor reached the newspapers, the President and the Cab- 
 inet. The Indian worshipers of the east were horrified. 
 Politicians, who are quick to find out which way the wind 
 blows, paced up and down the earth and denounced Connor 
 as an inhuman monster. The vox populi, which always 
 has and always will control the army, was as usual success- 
 ful, for we find General Pope telegraphing to Dodge, de- 
 nouncing Connor's instructions as atrocious and demanding 
 his removal instantly. "If any such orders as Connor's are 
 carried out, it will be disgraceful to the government and 
 will cost him his commission, if not worse." He also threat- 
 ened him with a court-martial. General Dodge, who was 
 not under the infiuence of politicians, was fairly dazed with 
 this outburst from Pope, but he soon began to see that the 
 wind had set in from another quarter, for he received a sec- 
 ond dispatch from General Pope which showed clearly that 
 the storm had burst on Connor's head : "General Connor is 
 ignoring the quartermaster and commissaries and violating 
 law and regulations in making contracts himself and forcing 
 
488 History of Wyoming. 
 
 officers to pay public money on them. Stop all this business 
 at once and order all officers to conform to law and regula- 
 tions." 
 
 To the first telegram, General Dodge replied: "I have 
 seen no instructions of Connor's. I see in his orders to his 
 troops that he instructs them that they must follow a trail 
 wherever they find it until the Indians are caught; and also- 
 instructs them that they must not be guilty of any outrage- 
 of any kind on women or children. I do not see how I can 
 relieve him, as he is now far north of Laramie, and I know 
 of no one whom I could put in command. I fear it will be 
 difficult to get dispatches through to him, but will at any 
 rate try it." 
 
 To the second dispatch he said that he had never 
 heard of Connor's letting any contracts with officers on the 
 plains. Pope's two orders were sent to Fort Laramie and 
 there forwarded by special messenger into the Powder River- 
 country, while Dodge waited with many misgivings the re- 
 sult of the delivery of these dispatches. The messenger at 
 last found Connor, but not until August 20th, and that sol- 
 dier, ever mindful of his duty to his superiors, sent the fol- 
 lowing dignified reply: "I have the honor to acknowledge 
 the two telegrams of the 11th instant from Major General 
 John Pope in reference to instructions to column command- 
 ers and contracts in Utah. The general's and your own 
 instructions will be implicitly obeyed." 
 
 On August 12th, we find Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary 
 of War, telegraphing as follows to General Grant, who 
 chanced to be at Detroit. "The President is much concerned' 
 about the Indian expedition. The Secretary of the Treasury 
 declares his inability to meet an expenditure so large and 
 unexpected, and not sanctioned by the government. Have 
 you any information to relieve the President's anxiety or to 
 satisfy him as to the object and design of the expedition?' 
 Who planned it? Whether Sherman has reduced it any, 
 and its probable results. Please answer speedily, and state- 
 when you expect to return to Washington." General Grant 
 replied that the expedition had been planned under Gene- 
 
The Bloody Tear on the Flams. 489 
 
 Tal Pope's direction and that he was not posted as to the 
 necessity of it. He promised to go to St. Louis and look into 
 the matter, bnt in the meantime thought that all extraor- 
 dinary requisitions should be disapproved. Dodge was now 
 sent by General Pope to straighten out matters on the 
 plains, and ihat oflQcer on his arrival at Council Bluffs tele- 
 l,Faphed Pope: "I get off today and will straighten matters 
 •B the plains It seems to me all the rascals in the west are 
 combined to swindle Government. My staif officers at Fort 
 Leavenworth report great amount of swindling there and in 
 Kansas. It is done by stealing government stock and in 
 every conceivable way. I have picked up over 100 stolen 
 horses and mules here, and there appears to be a fearful or- 
 ganization extending clear to Denver and to Missouri. They 
 entice men to desert, sell the government property, and 
 Mien assist them in getting out of the country." 
 
 All this time Connor and his army were in the wilds 
 «f the future Wyoming, totally unconscious of the schemes 
 »f politicians or the worry of generals who were courting 
 political favor. 
 
 It will now be necessary to return to the telegraph line 
 and stage road and ascertain what is transpiring on these 
 two highways. The incidents have been reported up to the 
 latter days of July. The emigrant trains had been numerous 
 all the season and the Indians, as has been shown, were not 
 disposed to permit anybody to go through the country with- 
 out paying dearly for the privilege. It is difficult to say 
 whether the savages caused more trouble on the Sweetwater 
 ©r on the Laramie Plains route. Sometimes a train would 
 be attacked at three or four diiferent points going from 
 Laramie to the head of the Sweetwater, and things were 
 »o better between Virginia Dale and Bridger Pass. Along 
 the mail line. Fort Halleck was in about the center of the 
 disturbances. The Eleventh Kansas Cavalry were almost 
 «ie only troops on that line during July, but the enlist- 
 ed men had made up their minds to insist upon their dis- 
 cbarge,and this interfered with their fighting Indians. Lieu- 
 
490 History of Wyoming. 
 
 tenant Colonel Plumb, who commanded the regiment, did 
 all in his power to punish the saA'ages, but his best efforts 
 fell far short of accomplishing anything decisive. It was 
 finally agreed that this regiment should be relieved by 
 Stagg's brigade, but this body of troops was long on the 
 road and the Eleventh Kansas were not relieved until in 
 August. During June and July, it was estimated that fully 
 seventy-live men, women and children were killed by Indi- 
 ans between Big Laramie and Bridger Pass Stations and 
 more than 1,000 head of stock were run off at the same time. 
 On the line between Julesburg and Denver many persons 
 were killed. The boasted supei-iority of the white soldiers 
 was not apparent that season, for the savages kept the rec- 
 ord more than even. On August 11th, the Sixth West Vir- 
 ginia and the Twenty-first New York were ordered to the 
 mail line, the former to Fort Laramie and the latter between 
 Collins and Sulphur Springs, but the order was changed 
 and later both were sent to Fort Laramie. The Twenty- 
 first New York was camped some time at Julesburg. On 
 August 14th, the Indians made a raid on Big Laramie Sta- 
 tion and ran off a lot of horses and mules. They were pur- 
 sued by troops, but the stock was not recovered. On the 
 16th, the stage company re-distributed their stock on the 
 line between Fort Collins and Bridger Pass and for a time 
 it looked as if the Indians would permit it to remain there, 
 but on August 25th, 400 Indians appeared again on the line 
 at Willow Springs but it was soon discovered by the soldiers 
 that they were headed for the Powder River country, having 
 heard that General Connor's forces were in that section. 
 Shortly after, Indians were seen going north from all points 
 and all were in haste. Runners had come down to recall 
 the marauding bands, and for a time the mail line was left 
 in jieace. 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 491 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 BLOODY YEAR ON THE PLAINS— [Continued]. 
 Troops Operating Against Savages — Divided into Small Detach- 
 ments— Rldmen Have Things Their Own Way— Indian Affairs 
 and the Indian Question — The Powder River Campaign Dis- 
 cussed AND Determined by Generals Pope, Dodge and Connor 
 — General Connor Issues His Instructions to Colonel Cole 
 and Makes Known His Plan of Campaign — Departure of the 
 Expedition — Captain George F. Price Left in Command at 
 Fort Laramie — Pope Abolishes the District of the Plains — 
 Assigns Connor to the District of Utah — General F. Whea- 
 ton Assigned to the District of Nebraska with Headquarters 
 AT Fort Laramie — Indian Depredations on the Telegraph and 
 Mail Line After General Connor's Departure for Powder 
 River. 
 
 The operations against Indians by the gOTernment had 
 reached large proportions by the 1st of July, 1865. A con- 
 siderable column of troops was operating south of the Ar- 
 kansas. Another force on the north side of that river and 
 still another on the Smoky Hill and Eepublican. Besides 
 those mentioned there were troops in Colorado, and a still 
 larger force in Nebraska. In what is now Wyoming and the 
 two Dakotas there was even a greater number than the com- 
 bined armies employed in Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado. 
 The various tribes of the mountains and plains had little 
 diflSculty in holding their own against the troops in the 
 field. The war had developed great leaders among the sav- 
 ages. These chieftains had secured by their peculiar meth- 
 ods of attacking trains, stage coaches and stations along the 
 mail routes, a large number of arms and a corresponding 
 amount of ammunition. By making war a trade and their 
 chief business in life, they had succeeded to an extent that 
 surprised even themselves. With great forethought they 
 had planned to keep their families in the wilderness, away 
 from danger, so that they could operate against the whites 
 
492 History of Wyoming. 
 
 without being annoyed by the care of the helpless ones, 
 They carried on, what would be termed among white men,, 
 a gorilla warfare and it was impossible for the government 
 to successfully operate against them for the reason that they 
 refused to be brought to battle. It is useless to deny that 
 they were a source of much annoyance to the government. 
 They knew the country thoroughly and managed to fight 
 the troops sent against them on battle fields chosen by them- 
 selves. The laws of civilized warfare were unknown to 
 them and consequently they took advantage of every cir- 
 cumstance that would permit of the capture of emigrant 
 trains containing men, women, children and merchandise. 
 The men were killed and scalped, the women were carried 
 into a captivity that was worse than death, the children 
 were sometimes killed but oftener carried to their villages 
 in the mountains to be brought up as savages. Emigrants 
 too often ventured across the plains badly armed or in such 
 small numbers as to be an easy prey to war parties. To add 
 to the diJHculties there was too often bad judgment used 
 by military commanders who had charge of the war against 
 Indians. Plans of campaigns were made and carried out 
 which fell far short of reaching the desired end. The oflS- 
 cers in the east who had the management of campaigns 
 against western Indians, as a rule, little understood the 
 more modern Indian. The savage was continuously un- 
 derated, that is his ability to conduct war. The fact that 
 the hostiles in some respects had made rapid strides in the 
 arts of war seemed to be entirely unknown to those who 
 managed our armies. Five or ten men were expected to 
 guard a stage station that was certain to be attacked by 
 ten or twenty times their number, and the same thing ap- 
 plied to guards furnished to trains and mail coaches. The 
 soldiers, as a matter of course, were continually getting the 
 worst of it. Regiments sent on this service melted away. 
 Not only were our soldiers killed, but the savages were en- 
 couraged to keep up the war because they were successful. 
 A few of the officers understood the situation, and recom- 
 mended the employment of a large force to hunt down the 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 493 
 
 savages and conquer a peace, but this plan was objected 
 to because war on such a scale meant the expenditure of 
 millions of dollars. Then we had in the eastern country a 
 peace party, that is a class who were opposed to killing 
 Indians. They considered and argued that a great Chris- 
 tian government was in poor business when it sent men to 
 the plains to butcher Indians. We heard a great deal about 
 robbing Indians of their lands and driving them from their 
 homes. They claimed that when white people were killed 
 by the natives it was a misfortune, but that the poor, 
 untutored savage could not be blamed; that the duty of the 
 ■government was to civilize and Christianize these red men, 
 but under no circumstances was it justifiable to kill them. 
 When pressed closely they always ended up with the argu- 
 ment that white people had no right in the Indian country 
 ■and. if they were killed it was their own fault. These men 
 were the impracticables; they refused to see that as soci- 
 ety and civilization existed and had existed since the land- 
 ing of the May Flower, the Indian must give way to a force 
 that was as irresistable as the power which placed the sun 
 in the heavens. Colonists who settled Cape Cod and all 
 New England wrested the land from the native tribes. The 
 Jamestown Colony did the same thing, and so the conquest 
 went on until all the land east of the Missouri was acquired. 
 There was but a single exception and that was the Schuyl- 
 kill settlement of Pennsylvania. William Penn bought his 
 land with cheap trinkets, and for this he was called honest 
 and a Christian in his dealings though he paid not a tenth 
 of the price per acre that was afterwards paid by the gov- 
 ernment to the wild tribes for the lands beyond the Missouri. 
 Up to midsummer 1865, Generals Pope, Dodge and Con- 
 nor were of one mind in regard to methods to be employed 
 in bringing the hostiles to terms. Connor had said that 
 the soldiers must hunt them down like wolves before any 
 attempt should be made to form a treaty. This, in his judg- 
 ment, was the only way to secure lasting peace. He wanted 
 the government to reward good Indians, but to punish bad 
 •ones with a heavy hand. General Pope, as I have shown in 
 
494 History of Wyoming. 
 
 a preyious chapter, argued somewhat the same way and 
 instructed the generals under him to follow out this method 
 of warfare in the campaigns against the Sioux, Cheyennes, 
 Arapahoes and some other tribes. Not only did he approve 
 of the plans submitted to him by General Dodge (these were 
 Connor's) but he urged the campaign pushed forward 
 without delay. On July 28th General Connor issued his in- 
 structions to Colonel Cole, who was to have command of 
 the right column of the army invading the Powder Eiver 
 country. The troops which were to compose this column 
 were the Second Missouri Light Artillery, equipped as cav- 
 alry, 797 offlcers and men; Twelfth Missouri Cavalry, 311 
 officers and men ; total 1,108 ; one section of three-inch rifle 
 guns and a train of 140 six-mule wagons. The mules fur- 
 nished were unbroken and the drivers were equally as bad 
 as the mules. The route was by way of Columbus, then up 
 the north bank of the Loup, thence to the Niobrara Eiver 
 and up that stream to the head waters of Wounded Knee 
 Creek, from thence down the valley to White Earth River, 
 where they struck the old trail of the American Fur Com- 
 pany, used by General Harney in 1855. This trail was fol- 
 lowed to the South Fork of Cheyenne River when a north- 
 west course was taken which led to Belle Fourche River. 
 The expedition followed up this stream to White Wood 
 Creek and from thence directly west to Pine Creek, where 
 it was joined by Lieutenant-Colonel Walker of the Sixteenth 
 Kansas Cavalry, who was in charge of the center column 
 of invasion, and his command consisted of 700 cavalry, 
 which had left Fort Laramie on August 2nd, passing through 
 the Black Hills. The left column was commanded by Colo- 
 nel J. H. Kidd, Sixth Michigan Cavalry, and composed of 
 the Seventh Iowa Cavalry, ninety officers and men ; Eleventh 
 Ohio Cavalry, ninety officers and men; Sixth Michigan Cav- 
 alry, 200 officers and men, and Pawnee Scouts, ninety-five 
 officers and men, total 475. The west column was com- 
 manded by Capt. Albert Brown, Second California Cavalry, 
 composed of Second California Cavalry, 116 officers and 
 men and Omaha Scouts, 84 officers and men, total 200. Each 
 
The Bloody Tear on the Plains. 495 
 
 column was supplied with artillery. Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Walker was instructed to take forty days supplies on pack 
 mules. The west column was to be accompanied by wagon 
 trains containing supplies and material for the construction 
 of a post either on Powder River or Tongue River. The 
 general rendezvous for the different columns was to be on 
 Rosebud River. Fire signals were arranged for the direc- 
 tion of the different columns. General Connor's idea was 
 to bring the Indians to battle, but failing in this he intended 
 to change his plan of campaign on arriving at the rendez- 
 vous. The west column left Fort Laramie on July 30th, and 
 at La Bonta General Connor joined it and directed its gen- 
 eral movements to the Powder River country. He issued 
 strict orders to each of the commanders to keep scouting 
 parties in their front and on their right and left flanks. One 
 paragraph in these orders attracted great attention in the 
 east. It was this, "You will not receive overtures of peace 
 or submission from Indians, but will attack and kill every 
 male Indian over twelve years of age." This paragraph will 
 soon be heard from in high offlcial quarters. On the day 
 Connor left Fort Laramie to join the troops on Powder Riv- 
 er General Dodge telegraphed from Fort Laramie to Gen- 
 eral Pope, pouring out his troubles to that ofScer. His dis- 
 patch reads, "General Connor is laboring under great difS- 
 culty. Stores that should have been at Laramie six weeks 
 ago are stuck in the mud, and the columns here started out 
 half shod and half rationed. There is not one foot of the 
 road but what we have a guard near our trains, and it uses 
 up troops beyond all conception. Every regiment that has 
 come here so far has been dismounted or horses unservice- 
 able. There is one regiment here now that has waited here 
 six weeks for horses, and the prospect of getting them is 
 is about as good here as it was there. I have not horses 
 enough to mount even an escort, but we will overcome it 
 all if it will only stop raining and let us have a few weeks 
 of solid road." 
 
 The day following General Connor's departure from 
 Fort Laramie a portion of the Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, 
 
496 History of Wyoming. 
 
 the regiment which was to compose the center column of 
 the advance against the Indians on Powder Kiver, mutin- 
 ied. It was the same old story, they had enlisted for the 
 war, and it being over they were determined to go home. 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Walker made a strong appeal to the 
 men but it was all to no purpose and he finally asked As- 
 sistant Adjutant General Price, who was in command of 
 the District of the Plains, during Connor's temporary ab- 
 sence, for assistance. That oflflcer sent him two howitzers, 
 double shotted, and ordered him to do his talking to mutin- 
 eers with grape and canister. A part of the regiment re- 
 mained loyal and with the aid of these Walker quelled the 
 mutiny before the arrival of the artillery, which was on the 
 way. Seven of the ringleaders were put in irons and a court 
 was convened the following day to try them. Those engaged 
 in the mutiny, finding that the matter was taking serious 
 shape and that they were about to lose their good name, 
 hastened to express the sorrow they felt for their unwise 
 and disloyal conduct. These troops, notwithstanding' their 
 mutinous behavior, left Fort Laramie on the morning of 
 August 2nd filled with enthusiasm and a determination to 
 make their part of the Powder Eiver expedition a success. 
 Captain George F. Price, Acting Assistant Adjutant 
 Oeneral at Fort Laramie telegraphed General Dodge on 
 August 15th, protesting against reducing the force operat- 
 ing against Indians along the telegraph line and mail line. 
 He claimed that the government should furnish troops to 
 protect men who were proposing to open up and develop 
 the country. He continues, "I repeat, and but give the ex- 
 perience of every military man who has served on the fron- 
 tier and understands Indian character, that a half way 
 exhibition of power will only result in evil — deplorable evil. 
 These Indians have repeatedly declared that they do not 
 want peace. We should fight them like the fiends they are 
 until they come begging on their hands and knees for mercy. 
 When they do this then we can afford to make peace. They 
 are now proud and insolent. Have been able until lately 
 to dash down on a road and destroy everything. They 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 497 
 
 should not only see the power of the government, but also 
 feel it. If peace is made with them before they are pun- 
 ished it will not last six months; scarcely longer than the 
 time it will take to deliver the presents. That which ap- 
 pears to be a cruel policy East is really humanity to Indians, 
 to say nothing of the outrages committed by them upon our 
 women and children. It will be hazardous to weaken our 
 force on the mail and telegraph line. In many places have 
 not now sufficient troops We can hardly obtain men 
 to do the necessary camp and post duties, so great is the 
 demand for escort and scouting duty. The stage company 
 has finally agreed to place the stock on road between Col- 
 lins and Sulphur Springs. That could have been done three 
 weeks ago if they had not been scared almost to death about 
 the loss of a few broken-down horses and mules. The Gen- 
 eral does not yet know the infantry brigade has been or- 
 dered back. He should have another infantry regiment for 
 this district and Powder Eiver. One thousand infantry and 
 one regiment of cavalry should be sent to Utah. When you 
 arrive can talk with you fully on these subjects, telling you 
 exactly what General Connor's ideas and plans are. The 
 mail road and telegraph line all quiet. Our cavalry over- 
 took Indians who committed depredations at Big Laramie 
 several days ago, whipped them badly and is still after 
 them. Quartermaster and commissary stores are arriving 
 at the different depots, and all work pertaining to winter 
 is being pushed as rapidly as it can under the circum- 
 stances." 
 
 Captain Price was an experienced Indian fighter and his 
 knowledge gained in the field was worth more to the gov- 
 ernment than huge volumes of theories advanced by eastern 
 sentimentalists. This officer. General Dodge well knew, 
 was honest in all he said and did. His opinions did have 
 weight with the General, but alas, that commander was 
 practically without power to furnish a sufficient number of 
 troops to properly punish the Indians. Before another year 
 rolled around it was clearly proven that General Connor 
 and his assistant adjutant general knew what they were 
 -(32) 
 
498 History of Wyoming. 
 
 talking about. General Pope and even General Grant be- 
 came advocates of these same methods of fighting Indians 
 before the year 1866 had come and gone. The mistakes of 
 the people in Washington were many during the closing 
 months of 1865. The Indian was encouraged to keep up 
 hostilities. The Redman had in a few years outgrown his 
 bow and arrow and had become an expert with the latest 
 improved weapons. Once he could not stand before infantry 
 or cavalry, soon he was to defy the best drilled squadron. 
 
 On August 22d General Pope abolished the District of 
 the Plains and established the District of Nebraska, which 
 included the territories of Nebraska and Montana and that 
 portion of Dakota lying west of the west boundary of the 
 first-named territory, this, of course was the territory which 
 afterwards became Wyoming. The headquarters of this dis- 
 trict was Fort Laramie. Brigadier and Brevet Major Gen- 
 eral F. Wheaton, U. S. Volunteers was made commander. 
 He also created the district of Utah, which included the 
 territory of Utah; with headquarters at Salt Lake City. 
 Brigadier General Connor was placed in command and when 
 this officer returned from the Powder River expedition he 
 visited Denver and from there went to Salt Lake. This 
 closed the labors of General Connor in Wyoming. The War 
 ■Department failed to properly appreciate his services but 
 not so Major General G. M. Dodge. That gallant officer 
 during General Connor's absence on the Powder River ex- 
 pedition visited Fort Laramie and also made a hasty visit 
 to Fort Connor on Powder River, and, on his return, spoke 
 in the highest terms of the management of the expedition 
 and its results. After General Connor's return to Fort Lar- 
 amie General Dodge telegraphed him: "I congratulate 
 you and thank you for the success you have met with. 
 Please extend my thanks to your command for their success 
 and for the fortitude they have shown under such trying 
 circumstances and hardships." General Pope maintained a 
 dignified silence. 
 
 It has long been a recognized fact that opportunities 
 make men. This brought to the front during the civil war 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 499 
 
 great leaders and gave us Grant, Sherman, Sheridan and 
 hundreds of others. This war on the plains was the oppor- 
 tunity which developed great leaders among the Indians 
 and the country was soon to hear from them and the gov- 
 ernment to feel their power. General Wheaton, the new 
 commander of the District of Nebraska, headquarters at 
 Fort Laramie, on August 23d, received a letter from Gen- 
 eral Pope, suggesting that Fort Kearney, Cottonwood, Jules- 
 burg, Fort Laramie, and Platte Bridge should each be gar- 
 risoned by three infantry and two cavalry companies, and 
 that if a post should be established at Powder River, it 
 should be garrisoned by four companies of infantry during 
 the winter with the addition of a company of cavalry in the 
 spring. If it was decided to establish a post on the Sweet- 
 water, one company of cavalry and one of infantry would 
 be sufficient to garrison it. This small force was to hold in 
 check 15,000 or 20,000 well armed savages who were on the 
 war path. All other troops were to be mustered out of the 
 service. This mistaken policy on the part of the government 
 was to cost many lives and many millions of dollars within 
 the next two years. 
 
 Seeing how matters stood. General Dodge, who was at 
 Fort Laramie, made one more effort and to this end used all 
 his personal influence with General Pope. He telegraphed 
 him as follows on August 31st : "I consider the Indian mat- 
 ters here of so much importance, and knowing no one can 
 judge of them so well as when he is on the ground, that I 
 desire to make one proposition to the government. If the 
 government will allow me to keep General Connor in the 
 field with not to exceed 2,000 men of his present force, leav- 
 ing the forces you have designated to garrison posts on the 
 plains, I will settle these Indian diflSculties before spring, 
 satisfactorily to the government, and bring about peace 
 that will be lasting. I may do it in a month or two or it may 
 take longer. The additional expense to the government 
 will be the pay of that number of troops for the time de- 
 tained. All the stores, forage, etc., to support them are 
 here and en route. As soon as we settle with them we can 
 
5O0 History of Wyoming. 
 
 send these troops in and take 2,000 more from our posts in 
 .addition and muster them out. General Connor left Powder 
 Eiver with sixty days' supplies, and I am satisfied if we will 
 allow him time he will settle the matter before he returns. 
 Should he come back by our orders without settling the 
 .matter, the entire Indian tribes will be down on our lines, 
 and we will have our hands full and more too." 
 
 In view of what followed the next year, General Dodge's 
 request should have been granted. Had Gen. Connor made 
 a winter campaign in the Powder River country the power 
 of the combined tribes in that section would have been 
 broken forever and the terrible massacre which closed the 
 year 1866 could not have occurred. Instead of granting 
 this all-important desire on the part of General Dodge, Con- 
 nor was ordered to return to Fort Laramie with all his 
 troops except the small garrison to be left at Fort Connor 
 and to arrive at that post not later than the 16th of Octo- 
 ber. This was a fatal mistake and the government paid 
 dearly for it. On September 15th, General Dodge addressed 
 a letter from Horse Shoe Station to General Pope in which 
 he gives him some important information from Powder 
 Eiver. I make a short extract, as it shows the real feelings 
 and intentions of the savages: 
 
 "Arrived here today on my return from Powder Eiver. 
 That post is well located; right in the heart of the Indian 
 country, and is an important post. The Indian trails all 
 cross at or near it, and it will have a good effect hereafter 
 in holding in check Indians. I have not heard from Gen- 
 eral Connor since August 24th. We cannot reach him now. 
 They have done a good deal of work on Powder Eiver ; got 
 up the stockade and commenced the quartermaster's store 
 up there, the Powder Eiver stores not having reached Lar- 
 amie yet. From Laramie to Powder Eiver, then to Virginia 
 City is an excellent wagon road; good water, grass, and 
 wood all the way, and the most direct road that can be got. 
 The travel over it in another season will be immense; it 
 saves at least 450 miles in distance. After the Indians at- 
 tacked Colonel Sawyers' wagon road party and failed in 
 their attempt, they held a parley. Colonel Bent's sons George 
 and Joe Bent appeared on the part of the Indians and Col- 
 
The Bloody Tear on the Plains. 501 
 
 onel Sawyers gave them a wagon load of goods to let him 
 go undisturbed, Captain Williford, commanding escort, not 
 agreeing to it. The Indians accepted the proposition and 
 agreed to it, but after receiving the goods they attacked the 
 party and killed three men. Bent said there was one con- 
 dition on which the Cheyennes would treat, viz: The hang- 
 ing by the government of Colonel Chivington. He also said 
 that the Indians considered that they were strong enough 
 to fight the government ; preferred to do it; that they knew 
 the government would withdraw troops in the fall; then 
 they would have it all their own way again. Expressed great 
 fear about General Connor and said they were concentrat- 
 ing everything to meet him, which is true. Since he left no 
 Indians have troubled the mail and telegraph line, but all 
 are moving north, stragglers and all. At Fort Connor they 
 kill a few of them as they pass every few days. There is one 
 band of Arapahoes in Medicine Bow Mountains, who are 
 committing depredations around Denver, on Cache la Pou- 
 dre and Big Thompson Creeks. They belonged to the band 
 that were at Cow Creek treaty." 
 
 On the night of September 30th a number of Indians 
 belonging to the bands of Ijittle Thunder and Spotted Tail 
 attacked a quartermaster's supply train on the North Platte, 
 not far from what is now the eastern line of Wyoming. 
 There were but two wagons in the train, eight men and one 
 woman. The white men made a desperate resistance and 
 at last succeeded in driving ofO the Indians, but they took 
 with them all the mules belonging to the train. One of the 
 white men, J. H. Temple was killed and three others, An- 
 thony Shilling, James Ireland and Alfred Acres were 
 severely wounded. Fortunately a detachment of cavalry 
 came up the road and assisted the train men in carrying the 
 wounded to a nearby ranch. Unfortunately these troops 
 arrived too late to be of assistance in the fight. During the 
 next fifteen days there were numerous attacks made on 
 stations along the telegraph line east of Fort Laramie. 
 These Indians all appeared to be on their way to Powder 
 River as they went in that direction. It was astonishing 
 to witness the carelessness of many emigrants while passing 
 through the Indian country. It was hard to make them 
 observe even ordinary precautions. In reply to oflScers and 
 
S02 History of Wyoming. 
 
 soldiers, who warned them against Indians, they invari- 
 ably said they were not afraid and these were the very ones 
 who met with mishaps. Men of experience knew that the 
 price of safety was constant vigilance and that carelessness 
 led to woeful consequences. Many of the women among 
 these emigrants were exceedingly reckless and were con- 
 stantly declaring that there was no danger to be appre- 
 hended from Indians. One case will illustrate the class 
 referred to. Early in October a train encamped late one 
 afternoon just above Bridger's ferry. In this train was a 
 father, mother, two grown sons and a daughter of eighteen. 
 When the train halted these people pulled out of the line 
 and went up the river some little distance above the others. 
 Before night set in a gentleman connected with one of the 
 other wagons, seeing the exposed position taken by this 
 family, went to them and suggested the danger of a loca- 
 tion so remote from the other wagons. The head of the 
 family admitted that it was not good policy and seemed 
 on the point of moving back when his wife spoke up and 
 said that the place was good enough; that the horses had 
 fine feed and the family were enjoying the privacy of a sep- 
 arate camp, and, with a lofty toss of her head, remarked 
 that she did not believe there were any Indians within fifty 
 miles, and further stated that she was tired of this con- 
 stant talk about danger which did not exist. The well- 
 meaning fellow traveler went back to his wagon and this 
 woman who was so anxious to enjoy the privacy of a separ- 
 ate camp kept her family where they were. During the 
 night there was an Indian attack on that part of the camp 
 which was isolated and all their horses, four fine ones, were 
 run off. The young men and their father turned out to de- 
 fend their stock but too late, they were gone. One of the 
 boys, who had struggled hard to secure the animals, came 
 back to the wagon with an arrow sunk deep in his shoulder. 
 After much difficulty the arrow point was removed but it 
 left a dangerous wound. 
 
 On October 24th, General Pope telegraphed General 
 Orant as follows: "Is it to be expected that the United 
 
The Bloody Year on the Plains. 503 
 
 States furnish mounted escorts for the overland stages? 
 Such service is enormously expensive, as it kills off both 
 horses and men at a fearful rate, and requires a very large 
 force, more than the government is willing to allow. With 
 the sums appropriated to carry the mail, the company ought 
 to be, and is, able to furnish enough men itself to accompany 
 the coaches. If the military are to furnish mounted escorts, 
 they had best carry the mails themeselves. With one-fifth 
 the amount paid to the mail company the military in this 
 department can carry the mails regularly without additional 
 expense to the government. I would be glad to be informed 
 whether I am required to furnish mounted escorts to the 
 «oaches. If so, it will need more troops than we have spec- 
 ified and a constant supply of horses. The stage company 
 threatens to draw off their coaches and stock and stop car- 
 rying the mail unless I furnish mounted escorts." 
 
 To the above General Grant replied on the following 
 day : "You need not f urninsh escorts to the overland stages 
 except when it can be done without inconvenience or ex- 
 pense. The route should be as well protected as practicable 
 with the means at your disposal, and when troops are mov- 
 ing over it they might move with the stages. With the col- 
 ored and regular troops sent to you, can you not now muster 
 out of service all the volunteers remaining?" 
 
 The President was in favor of making peace with the 
 Indians; General Grant favored a new treaty with these 
 providing there was any hope of such a peace being lasting. 
 The Indian Department was anxious that peace com- 
 missioners be appointed and sent among the Indians. The 
 Indian sympathizers and admirers wanted peace at any 
 price. General Pope thought that the time had not yet 
 come when a lasting peace could be made with the Indians 
 in Wyoming, but he announced himself as ready to do his 
 duty and follow instructions. The Arapahoe, Sioux, and 
 Cheyennes were willing to talk peace and secure supplies 
 which were very much needed to take the place of those 
 destroyed by General Connor and General Sully. Eed Cloud, 
 who was fast coming to the front as the master mind among 
 
504 History of Wyoming. 
 
 the hostiles, did not care to talk but he allowed the other 
 chiefs to indulge in this harmless pastime, while he took 
 good care not to commit himself to a policy that would be 
 detrimental to his own personal ambition, which was to be- 
 come the one great leader among the powerful Sioux trij)es. 
 With the close of 1865, the peace talk reached a climax and 
 it became generally understood that there would be a confer- 
 ence at Fort Laramie in the spring and accordingly mes- 
 sengers were sent to the Cheyennes and Arapahoes as well 
 as to the numerous bands of Sioux, inviting them to come 
 to Fort Laramie in the spring, and before the winter passed 
 it was generally understood that from 20,000 to 30,000 Indi- 
 ans would participate in the grand peace conference. All 
 that winter was heard the certainty of the coming peace 
 which should make everybody happy. General Wheaton, 
 who commanded at For t Laramie, was enthusiastic, und all 
 the news which found its way into eastern journals from 
 this fort indicated that the peace conference of 1866 
 was to be an affair reflecting credit on all concerned. Old 
 Jim Bridger and other mountain men of experience did not 
 feel willing to express the opinion that the Indians were 
 honest in their peace talk. They would wait and see what 
 the savages had to say after grass came. General Pope was 
 out of patience with those people who were willing to haz- 
 ard everything on the peace conference, but he said little. 
 The War Department was anxious to muster out all the 
 volunteers and these organizations were, as far as possible, 
 hurried to points where they could receive their discharge. 
 The council was to open in May and General Wheaton had 
 abundant evidence to prove that all the Indians in the dis- 
 puted region would be at Fort Laramie at the appointed 
 time to do the smoking and talking and it was thus that the 
 winter of 1865-6 closed in. 
 
Report of the Powder River Expedition. 505 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVII. 
 
 REPORT OF THE POWDER RIVER EXPEDITION. 
 
 Captain Palmer's Diary — The Army op Invasion Starts North — 
 Crossing the Platte at La Bonta's Ranch — Incidents by the 
 Way — Building Fort Connor — A Running Fight — Twenty-four 
 Indians Killed — A Skirmish — Visits Lake De Smet — Something 
 About Jim Bridges — Battle of Tongue River — Exciting Scenes 
 on the Field of Carnage — The March Down Tongue River — 
 Anxiety About Colonel Cole's Command — Scouring the Coun- 
 try for Indians — Colonel Cole Heard From and His Troops 
 Reported in a Starving Condition — He Fails to Meet General 
 Connor at the Appointed Place of Rendzevous — Return of 
 THE Various Commands to Fort Laramie. 
 
 No fact in history has been more obscured than the 
 opei'ations of General Connor in the Powder Eiver country. 
 A careful search among the records of the War Department 
 makes it clear that there are no official reports on file there 
 pertaining to this expedition, except those relating to the 
 right column which was commanded by Colonel N'ilson 
 Cole. I have met many officers and soldiers who were in 
 the Powder Eiver campaign and while they, in a general 
 way, are familiar with what occurred, are unable to give 
 dates and facts sufficient for a reliable history of the im- 
 portant events which transpired on the Powder River 
 campaign. It has always been supposed that Gen^^ral 
 Connor made an official report, but it now transpires that 
 he never did. Smarting under the injustice done him at 
 the close of this campaign, he hastily boxed his reports and 
 papers and sent them to Salt Lake, explaining that he 
 wished to examine them carefully before making a formal 
 report to the War Department. It chanced that the build- 
 ing in which these reports were stored was shortly after 
 burned and hence the official data of the Powder Eiver ex- 
 pedition was destroyed. Fortunately, Captain H. E. Palmer 
 
5o6 History of Wyoming. 
 
 of the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, who was acting quarter- 
 master for General Connor, kept a diary of events from the 
 time the column started from Laramie until its return and 
 thus a reliable record has been preserved. From this diary 
 he prepared a paper which he read before the Nebraska 
 Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of 
 the United States, on February 2 1887. This paper. Cap- 
 tain Palmer has been kind enough to place at my disposal 
 and thus it is that I am enabled to give the history of this 
 important military event in the Indian wars of Wyoming. 
 It was Captain Palmer's duty to provide transporta- 
 tion, forage, etc., for the expedition, and, upon investigation, 
 he found that there were but seventy government wagons 
 at Fort Laramie. It was estimated that the commissary's 
 stores and forage required would take in the neighborhood 
 of 200 wagons, he therefore was obliged to press into ser- 
 vice, outfits belonging to citizens to make up the deficiency. 
 Thomas Alsop was at the fort in charge of forty wagons 
 belonging to Ed. Creighton, these were taken, also Tom 
 Pollock's train of thirty wagons and forty-five others be- 
 longing to numerous freighting outfits. This made up a 
 train of 185 wagons upon which was loaded the stores nec- 
 essary for the expedition. 
 
 CAPTAIN H. E. PALMER'S EEPORT. 
 In order that the Powder River expedition may be fully 
 understood I give here an extract from the paper prepared 
 by Captain Palmer, and as it is thoroughly reliable, is enti- 
 tled to a permanent place in the history of Indian warfare 
 in our state. The report contains much valuable informa- 
 tion relating to events on the plains which has been told 
 in other parts of this work, I therefore commence with the 
 paragraph relating to the starting out of the expedition. 
 
 "Our command left Fort Laramie on the 30th day of 
 July, 1865, enroute for the Powder River. The column was 
 known as the "Powder River Indian Expedition," and was 
 composed of eighty-eight men belonging to company F, Sev- 
 enth Iowa Cavalry, under command of Captain N. J. 
 O'Brien, with First Lieutenant John S. Brewer, Second 
 
Report of the Powder River Expedition. 507 
 
 Lieutenant Eugene F. Ware; sixty men of company E, 
 Eleventh Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, under Captain Marshall; 
 seventy men of company K, Eleventh Ohio Volunteer Caval- 
 ry, Captain J. L. Humphreyville ; fifty-seven men of company 
 E, Eleventh Ohio Volunteer Cavalry; sixty-one men of 
 company M, Second California Cavalry, commanded by 
 Captain Albert Brown ; forty-four men of company L, Sec- 
 ond California Cavalry, commanded by Captain George 
 Conrad; fourteen men, a detachment of the Second Mis- 
 souri Artillery; fifteen men, a detachment of the signal 
 corps of the United States Army, under command of Lieu- 
 tenant J. Willard Brown, assisted by Second Lieutenant 
 A. V. Eichards; fifteen men on detached service from the 
 Eleventh Ohio Cavalry, serving in the Quartermaster's de- 
 partment;, seventy-five Pawnee scouts under command of 
 Captain Frank North, and seventy Winnebago and Omaha 
 Indians under command of Captain E. W. Nash, together 
 with six companies of the Sixth Michigan Cavalry, num- 
 bering about two hundred and fifty men, under command of 
 Colonel Kidd. The Michigan troops were intended as a 
 garrison for the first military post established, to be loca- 
 ted on the Powder Eiver, and were not properly a part of 
 the left column on the Powder River Indian Expedition. 
 Not including the Michigan troops, we had, all told, four 
 hundred and four soldiers and one hundred and forty-five 
 Indians, together with about one hundred and ninety-five 
 teamsters and wagon-masters in the train, which was in 
 the direct charge of Eobert Wheeling, Chief Train Master. 
 The General's staff was limited to five officers: Captain 
 C. J. Laurant, A. A. G.; Captain Sam. Bobbins, First Colo- 
 rado Cavalry, Chief Engineer; myself as Quartermaster; 
 Captain W. H. Tubbs, A. C. S.; and Oscar Jewett, A. D. 0. 
 "We arrived at the south bank of the Platte, August 
 1st, expecting to cross at the old La Bonta crossing. The 
 General, with his guides and advance guards, had arrived 
 the night before, expecting from information furnished by 
 the guides that he would find a good crossing here. Our 
 guides, chief among whom were Major James Bridger, Nick 
 Janisse, Jim. Daugherty, Mich. Bouyer, John Eesha, Ant- 
 wine LaDue and Bordeaux, were supposed to be thoroughly 
 posted on this country, especially with the region so neap 
 Fort Laramie, where they had been hundreds of times. But 
 the treacherous Platte was too much for them. The spring 
 flood that had just passed had washed away the crossing, 
 and after ten hours' diligent searching, not one of the cav- 
 
5o8 History of Wyoming. 
 
 airy escort could find a place to cross the river without 
 swimming his horse and endangering his life. Coming up 
 with the train, which had been delayed and did not reach 
 camp until afternoon, I found the General thoroughly dis- 
 couraged and more than disgusted with his guides. The river 
 had been examined for four miles each way from La Bonta 
 crossing, and not a place could be found where it would be 
 possible to cross a train. The alternative was presented 
 to march to Platte Bridge, one hundred and thirty miles 
 out of our regular course. Soon after parking the train I 
 rode off by myself, on my government mule, up the river, 
 searching for an antelope. Without noticing the distance 
 traveled I was soon nearly five miles from camp and out of 
 sight of same over a sharp bluff near the river. Just beyond 
 this bluff I discovered a fresh buffalo trail leading down 
 into the water, and across the river on the opposite bank 
 could distinguish tracks that the buffalo had made coming 
 out of the stream. Curious to know how they could cross 
 so straight without swimming in the rapid current, I rode 
 my mule into the river and crossed on a good solid bottom. 
 Eeturning by the same route, I marked the location in my 
 mind, rode back to camp in time for supper. Soon after 
 feasting on antelope steak that I had captured on my expe- 
 dition, and having lit my pipe, I strolled up to General Con- 
 nor and asked if he proposed crossing the Platte at this 
 point, or if he intended to go around by the bridge. The 
 General seemed put out by my question, which, under the 
 circumstances, he considered aggravating, and answered 
 me rather roughly that we would have to go around by the 
 bridge. I told him that if it was the train that bothered 
 him about crossing, I would guarantee to have it on the 
 opposite bank of the river by daybreak the next morning. 
 The General's reply was: 'Very well, sir; have it there.' 
 After 9 p. m., when all was still in camp, I detailed a gang 
 of teamsters, about forty men, with picks and shovels, and 
 marched them up the river to the buffalo trail and set them 
 to work making a road. It being a moonlight night the 
 work was easily prosecuted, and by break of day on the 
 morrow the lead team of the one hundred and eighty-five 
 wagons stood, leaders in the river, waiting the command to 
 march. As soon as it was light enough to distinguish the 
 opposite shore I rode in ahead of the leaders and gave the 
 command "forward." There was no break or halt until 
 the train was parked opposite the General's camp, all before 
 sunrise. In fact the entire train was parked, the mules 
 
Report of the Powder River Expedition. 509 
 
 turned loose to graze and the men preparing their breakfast, 
 when the sentinels on the opposite bank of the river discov- 
 ered the train beyond the Platte and gave the alarm to the 
 General, who rushed out of his tent in his stocking feet to see 
 what he did not believe was true. He immediately ordered 
 "boots and saddles" to be sounded, and in a short time the 
 entire command was with us. After breakfast our column 
 moved on, passing over a country perfectly destitute of grass 
 or timber, and scarcely any water. On the 2nd and 3rd, 
 made thirty-three miles, following up the north bank ot 
 the Platte, nothing of interest transpiring worthy of record. 
 
 "4th. Opened with a cold, drizzling rain. i3roke camp 
 at 6 a. m. Weather soon cleared off. Found roads hilly; in 
 fact no roads at all — an absolutely untracked country. No 
 wagon had ever been near our line of march. Captain 
 Brown, with two California companies, were ordered to 
 push on, following the Platte, while we struck off to the 
 right. They were to come by way of Platte Bridge to the 
 south slope of the Big Horn Mountains into the Wind Kiver 
 Valley, and thoroughly reconnoitre that region of the coun- 
 try, and to rejoin us within twenty or twenty-five days near 
 the Crazy Woman's Fork of the Powder Eiver, which stream 
 they were to jfollow down until they intercepted our com- 
 mand. The Omaha or Winnebago scouts under command of 
 Captain Nash, seventy men, accompanied them. Flanking 
 parties were reinforced on our line of march today, the 
 Pawnee scouts composing same; also a party of scouts 
 two or three miles ahead of the command. Every precaution 
 was taken to guard against surprises. Parties were sent 
 ahead for Indian signs, the guides reporting several strong 
 indications of war parties having traveled the country 
 ahead of us. Our course after leaving the Platte was in a 
 northwesterly direction. Our guides advise us that in the 
 future our camps will be at springs, and that we will un- 
 doubtedly suffer from thirst before we reach the Powder 
 Kiver. Our camp today was in some hills, where we found 
 some stagnant pools; grass very poor; roads very rough; 
 almost impossible to get the trains through, having trav- 
 eled, as before stated, in a country where no wagons ever 
 passed before. We only traversed ten miles of country, 
 and reached camp at half past one p. m. Teams were 
 doubled up nearly every hill ; no wood at this camp. 
 
 "5th. Moved from camp at sunrise, traveled over sev- 
 eral little ranges of mountains and made camp at Brown's 
 Springs at 10 o'clock a. m. Grass and water excellent. 
 
5IO History of Wyoming. 
 
 Stock looking well so far, no accidents having happened 
 since we started, of a serious nature. General very vigilant 
 and careful about being surprised; he superintends every 
 movement himself, and is very sanguine that our expedition 
 will be successful. Distance traveled today, eight and one- 
 half miles. 
 
 "6th. Left Brown's Springs at 6 o'clock a. m., Sunday; 
 everything moves off in the usual manner; course today is 
 nearly north. Saw Pumpkin Buttes at 1 o'clock p. m., which 
 the guides say is thirty miles from Powder River. Some 
 careless soldiers fired the grass near our camp last night. 
 The fire getting beyond our control, serves as a beacon 
 light to the hostiles and gives great uneasiness to our 
 guides, who fear that the Indians will be signalled thereby 
 and may congregate in large numbers — too large for our 
 little command. At the starting of this fire the flames ran 
 across the camp toward two powder wagons. Volunteers 
 from the General's headquarters camp, together with some 
 soldiers, rushed through the fire to the powder wagons and 
 dragged them to a place of safety; in doing so, had to pass 
 over burning grass. Today, Sunday, our left flankers killed 
 three buffalo. Made camp on the Dry Fork of the Cheyenne 
 at 10 o'clock a. m. Grass and water plenty. No water vis- 
 ible, but any quantity of it within a few feet of the surface 
 in the sandy bed of the river. Empty cracker boxes were 
 sunk in the sand, sand scooped out, and soon water could 
 be dipped up by the bucketful, enough to water all the 
 stock and to supply the camp. The last of the train did 
 not reach camp until dark; distance marched only twelve 
 miles. 
 
 "7th. Broke camp at the usual hour ; roads very heavy 
 today; distance traveled eighteen miles. The trains did 
 not arrive in camp until after midnight. Our camp was at 
 some springs in a cozy little valley, where we found plenty of 
 grass and enough wood to cook our buffalo meat. Five 
 buffalo killed and brought in today; any quantity of buf- 
 falo and antelope in sight on both flanks. Teams gave out 
 today, many of the mules refusing to pull. The 8th was 
 spent in recuperating the stock; not a wheel was turned 
 today. [I refer to my diary, from this date on, for only im- 
 portant events of the expedition. Will not try to record 
 the incidents of each day's march.] 
 
 "9th. We obtained our first view of the Big Horn 
 Mountains at a distance of eighty-five miles north west,, and 
 it was indeed magnificent. The sun so shone as to fall with 
 
Report of the Powder River Expedition. 5 1 1 
 
 full blaze upon the southern and southeastern sides as they 
 rose toward Cloud's Peak, which is about ten thousand 
 feet above sea level, and the whole snow-covered range so 
 clearly blended with the sky as to leave it in doubt whether 
 all was not a mass of bright cloud. Although the day was 
 exceedingly warm, as soon as we struck this ridge we felt 
 the cooling breezes from the snow-clad mountains which 
 were most gratefully appreciated by both man and beast. 
 In front and a little to the northwest could be seen four col- 
 umns of the Pumpkin Buttes, and, fifty miles further eastj 
 Bear Butte, and beyond a faint outline of the Black Hills. 
 The atmosphere was so wonderfully clear and bright that 
 one could imagine that he could see the eagles on the crags 
 of Pumpkin Buttes, full forty miles away. 
 
 "11th. Broke camp at the usual hour; traveled down 
 Dry Creek; passed two or three mud-holes where the stock 
 were watered. After eight miles marching got to spot 
 where we could see the long-looked-for Powder River. Saw 
 columns of smoke down the river, indicating an Indian vil- 
 lage a few miles away. It proved to be a fire which the hos- 
 tile Indians had made a day or two before. The Powder 
 Eiver is, at this point, a very rapid stream, water muddy 
 like the Missouri; timber very plentiful, ranging back from 
 the river from one-half to one mile; grass not very good, 
 no chance to cut any hay anywhere on the river. Train 
 reached camp at 2 o'clock and camped in the timber on the 
 river bank. In the evening the General, some members of 
 his staff and the guides, with an escort, went down the river 
 to see if there were any signs of Indians. Pound a "good 
 Indian" very lately sewed up in a buffalo skin and hung up 
 in a tree. Many such sights along Powder River. The 
 country traversed by the General was similar to the camp 
 ground. 
 
 "12th. Train remained in camp. An exploring expedi- 
 tion was sent up the river under the command of Lieuten- 
 ant Jewett, with orders to proceed twenty miles to look for 
 a better location for a military post. Twenty-five of the 
 Sixth Michigan Cavalry went up the river with Lieutenant 
 Jewett to the crossing of the old traders' road from the 
 Platte Bridge to the Big Horn Mountains, and past the 
 same, known as the Bozeman Trail, made in 1864 by J. M. 
 Bozeman, of Montana. Lieutenant Jewett found bottoms 
 on both sides of the river banks heavily timbered, flanked 
 by high, bold bluflfs, with Indian signs all along the stream 
 — scarcely a mile where there had not been Indian villages, 
 
512 History of Wyoming. 
 
 some within a few weeks, some that were probably made 
 jears and years ago. Some camps gave evidence that the 
 Indians had very large droves of horses, as the trees were 
 badly girdled. Numerous Indian burial trees were found 
 with lots of 'good Indians' tied up in them. Several bands 
 of buffalo were seen during the day. Lieutenant Jewett 
 returned to camp the same day, having made a fifty mile 
 march. 
 
 "14th The first timber was cut today for building a 
 stockade, the General having decided to erect a fort on the 
 opposite bank of the river at this point, on a large mesa 
 rising about one hundred feet above the level of the river 
 and extending back, as level as a floor, about five miles to 
 the bluffs. A very fine location for a fort, the only disad- 
 vantage being scarcity of hay land. Our stockade timber 
 was cut twelve feet long and was from eight to ten inches 
 in thickness. These posts were set four feet deep in the 
 ground in a trench. Every soldier and all the teamsters 
 who could be urged to work, were supplied with axes, and 
 the men seemed to enjoy the exercise, chopping trees and 
 cutting stockade timber. 
 
 "16th. Command still in camp waiting for a train of 
 supplies from Fort Laramie before we proceed. Indian 
 scouts discovered a war party today, and the soldiers gave 
 them a running fight. Captain North's Pawnees in the ad- 
 vance, with only a few staff ofQcers who were smart enough 
 to get to the front with the Pawnees. Captain North fol- 
 lowed the Indians about twelve miles without their being 
 aware of our pursuit; then the fun began in earnest. Our 
 war party outnumbered the enemy, and the Pawnees, 
 thirsty for blood and desirous of getting even with their 
 old enemy, the Sioux, rode like mad devils, dropping their 
 blankets behind them, and all useless paraphernalia, rushed 
 into the fight half naked, whooping and yelling, shooting, 
 howling — such a sight I never saw before. Some twenty- 
 four scalps were taken, twenty-four horses captured, and 
 quite an amount of other plunder, such as saddles, fancy 
 horse-trappings and Indian fixtures generally. The Pawnees 
 were on horseback twenty-four hours, and did not leave the 
 trail until they overtook the enemy. There was a squaw 
 with the party; she was killed and scalped with the rest. 
 On their return to camp they exhibited the most savage 
 signs of delight, and if they felt fatigued did not show it; 
 rode with the bloody scalps tied to the end of sticks, whoop- 
 ing and yelling like so many devils. In the evening they 
 
nnjCi^.H P.E.COHMOR 
 
 GENERAL GONNOR AND HIS STAFF. 
 
Report of the Powder River Expedition. 513 
 
 iad a war dance instead of retiring to rest, although they 
 had been up more than thirty hours. The war dance was 
 the most savage scene I had ever witnessed. They formed 
 a circle and danced around a flre, holding up the bloody 
 scalps, brandishing their hatchets and exhibiting the spoils 
 of the fight. They were perfectly frantic with this, their 
 first grand victory over their hereditary foe. During the 
 war dance they kept howling, 'hoo yah, hoo yah, hoo yah, 
 hoo you,' accompanying their voices with music (if such it 
 could be called) made by beating upon an instrument some- 
 what resembling a drum. No one who has never witnessed 
 a genuine Indian war dance could form any conception as 
 to its hideousness — the infernal 'hoo yah' and din-din of 
 the tom-tom. These howling devils kept up the dance, first, 
 much to our amusement, until long after midnight, when 
 finally the General, becoming thoroughly disgusted, in- 
 sisted upon the officer of the day stopping the noise. After 
 considerable talk Captain North, their commander, suc- 
 ceeded in quieting them, and the camp laid down to rest; 
 but this war dance was kept up every night until the next 
 fight, limited, however, to 10 o'clock p. m. 
 
 "19th. Several of the staff officers, myself included, 
 went on a buffalo hunt in the afternoon. We killed several 
 buffalo. One of the scouts reported having seen a large 
 body of Siuox Indians. Captain North started with his 
 company in pursuit; killed one Indian chief and captured 
 six head of horses. Colonel Kidd went out in another di- 
 rection with twenty-five men and reported from dve hun- 
 dred to one thousand Indians. Captain O'Brien and Lieu- 
 tenant Jewett, with fifteen men, went ten or twelve miles 
 down the river and camped until 3 o'clock on the morning 
 of the twentieth, then struck across the country toward 
 camp, but saw no Indians. Captain Marshall, with forty 
 men of the Eleventh Ohio, went in pursuit of another band, 
 killed two Indians and captured eleven head of stock. All 
 of these scouting parties returned to camp; some on the 
 19th, some not until the 20th. 
 
 "22d. Broke camp at sunrise; started from Powder 
 Eiver going north, leaving part of the train at the fort, also 
 all the Sixth Michigan Cavalry. Traveled twenty-three 
 and one half miles and made camp on Crazy Woman's Fork 
 of the Powder Kiver, so named because of the fact that 
 some fifteen years before, a poor, demented squaw lived 
 near the bank of the river in a 'wickiup' and finally died 
 there. The water of this stream is not as good as that of 
 -(33) 
 
514 History of Wyoming. 
 
 the Powder Kiver, more strongly impregnated with alkali; 
 grass not very good, sage brush abundant, some timber on 
 the stream. Saw some signs of Indians, but none very 
 recent. 
 
 "23d. Left Crazy Woman's Fork at 6 o'clock a. m.; 
 traveled north five miles; came to a dry creek; passed sev- 
 eral of the same kind during the day; did not find any run- 
 ning water; stock suffered some for want of same. The 
 country is rolling, still seems more compact and gives us 
 a much better road than we had on the south side of the 
 Powder Eiver. The Big Horn Mountains lying right to 
 our front, seem to be within rifle range, so very near that we 
 could see the buffalo feeding on the foot hills; the pine 
 trees, rocks and crags appear very distinct, though several 
 miles away. Fourteen miles from Crazy Woman's Fork we 
 struck the Bozeman wagon trail, made in 1864. Made camp 
 at 3 o'clock; grass splendid; plenty of water, clear and 
 pure as crystal and almost as cold as ice. The stream was 
 full of trout, and the boys had a glorious time in the after- 
 noon bathing in the ice water and fishing for trout with 
 hooks made of willows. Several bands of buffalo had been 
 feeding close to camp, and about 5 o'clock p. m., about twen- 
 ty-five cavalrymen rode out and surrounded a band and 
 drove them into a corral formed of our wagons, and there 
 fifteen were slaughtered and turned over to the commissary 
 department. The General and a few of his staff olHcers, 
 myself included, went up the stream to a high mesa some 
 three miles above camp, and got a beautiful view of the 
 country and the surrounding hills,, when we ran upon a 
 monstrous grizzly, who took shelter in a little plum patch 
 covering about an acre of ground. One of our party, Train- 
 Master Wheeling, with more daring than the rest of us 
 cared to exhibit, rode up within a few rods of the patch, 
 the bear would rush out after him, when he would, turn 
 with his mule so quickly that the bear could not catch him, 
 the bear close to his heels snapping and growling, at the 
 same time receiving the fire of our Sharpe's rifles. After 
 receiving same, Mr. Grizzly would retire, and again Wheel- 
 ing would draw him out of the plum patch, and again we 
 would pour cold lead into his carcass. The fight was in- 
 tensely interesting. When we downed grizzly we found 
 we had perforated his hide with twenty-three balls. The 
 animal was one of the largest of its species; we agreed 
 that it weighed about eighteen hundred pounds. From this 
 point on to Montana, in fact along the whole base of the 
 
Report of the Powder River Expedition. 5 1 5 
 
 Rocky Mountains to the British Possessions, the country is 
 perfectly charming, the hills all covered with a fine growth 
 of grass, and in every valley there is either a rushing stream 
 or some quiet, babbling brook of pure, clear snow water, 
 filled with trout, the banks lined with trees, wild cherries, 
 quaking asp, some birch, willow and cottonwood. No 
 country in America is more picturesque than the eastern 
 slope of the Big Horn Mountains. 
 
 "25th. Broke camp at the usual hour; pushed on north, 
 passing along the base of the above named mountains. 
 Crossed several streams, one of which we named Coal Creek, 
 because of the fact that near the center of the stream lay a 
 block of coal about twenty-four feet long, eight feet thick 
 and about twelve feet wide, the water having washed 
 through a vein of coal that cropped out at this point. We 
 found coal here enough to supply our forges and to enable 
 the blacksmith to do some needed repairs. Seven miles from 
 Clear Fork, we came to a very pretty lake about two miles 
 long and about three-fourths of a mile wide, which Major 
 Bridger told us was De Smet Lake, named after Father De 
 Smet. The Lake is strongly impregnated with alkali, in fact, 
 so strong that an egg or potato will not sink if thrown into 
 the water. Large, red bluffs are to be seen on both sides, 
 and underneath the lake is an immense coal vein. Not 
 many miles from this lake is a flowing oil well. A scheme 
 might be inaugurated to tunnel under this lake, pump the 
 oil into the lake, set the tunnel on fire and boil the whole 
 body of alkali water and oil into soap. Made our camp on 
 the Piney Fork of the Powder River about two miles below 
 the present site of Fort McKinney, where there is now a 
 flourishing city known as Buffalo, county seat of Johnson 
 county Wyoming. Just after we had gone into camp, a 
 large band of buffalo that had been aroused by our flankers, 
 came charging down the hill directly into the camp. Many 
 of them turned aside, but several passed through among 
 the wagons, much to the dismay of our animals, most of 
 which were tied to the same, taking their meal of grain. 
 One monstrous bull got tangled in the ropes of one of our 
 tents, and was killed while trampling it in the dust. 
 
 "26th. Left Piney For.k at 6 o'clock a. m. Traveled 
 north over a beautiful country until about 8 a. m., when our 
 advance reached the top of the ridge dividing the waters 
 of the Powder from that of the Tongue River. I was riding 
 in the extreme advance in company with Major Bridger. 
 We were two thousand yards at least, ahead of the General 
 
5 1 6 History of Wyoming. 
 
 and his staff; our Pawnee scouts were on each flank, and a 
 little in advance ; at that time there was no advance guard 
 immediately in front. As the Major and myself reached 
 the top of the hill, we involuntarily halted our steeds. I 
 raised my field glass to my eyes and took in the grandest 
 view that I had ever seep. I could see the north end of the 
 Big Horn Range, and away beyond, the faint outline of the 
 mountains beyond the Yellowstone. Away to the northeast 
 the Wolf Eiver Range was distinctly visible. Immediately 
 before us lay the valley of Peno Creek, now called Prairie 
 Dog Creek, and beyond, the Tongue River Valley and many 
 other tributary streams. It was clear and bright, not a 
 breath of air stirring. The old Major, sitting upon his horse 
 with his eyes shaded with his hands, had been telling me 
 for an hour about his Indian life — his forty years experience 
 on the plains — telling me how to trail Indians and distin- 
 ■guish their tracks from those of different tribes — a subject 
 that I had discussed with him nearly every day. In fact, 
 the Major and myself were close friends. His family lived 
 at Westport, Missouri. His daughter. Miss Jennie, had 
 married a personal friend of mine. Lieutenant Wiseman, 
 and during the winter of 1863 I had contributed to help Mrs. 
 Bridger and the rest of the family, all of which the Major 
 had been acquainted with, which induced him to treat me 
 as an old-time friend. As I lowered my glass the Major 
 said: 'Do you see those ere columns of smoke over yonder?' 
 I replied: 'Where Major?' to which he answered: 'Over 
 there by that saddle;" meaning a depression in the hills not 
 unlike the shape of a saddle, pointing at the same time to 
 a point fully fifty miles away. I again raised my glass to 
 my eyes ajad took a long, earnest look, and for the life of 
 me could not see any columns of smoke even with a strong 
 field glass. The major was looking without any artificial 
 help. The atmosphere appeared to be slightly hazy in the 
 long distance, like smoke, but there was no distinct columns 
 of smoke in sight. Yet, knowing the peculiarities of my 
 frontier friend, I agreed with him that there were columns 
 of smoke, and suggested that we had better get off our ani- 
 mals and let them feed until the General came up. This we 
 did, and as soon as the General with his staff arrived, I 
 called his attention to Major Bridger's discovery. The Gen- 
 eral raised his field glass and scanned the horizon closely. 
 After a long look he remarked that there were no columns 
 of smoke to be seen. The Major quietly mounted his horse 
 and rode on. I asked the General to look again, that the Ma- 
 
Report of the Poioder River Expedition. 5 1 7 
 
 jor was very confident that he could see columns of smoke, 
 which, of course, indicated an Indian village. The General 
 made another examination and again asserted that there 
 were no columns of smoke. However, to satisfy my curi- 
 osity, and to give our guides no chance to claim that they 
 had shown us an Indian village and we would not attack it, 
 he suggested to Captain Frank North, who was riding with 
 the staff, that he go with seven of his Indians in the direc- 
 tion indicated, to reconnoitre and to report to us on Peno 
 Creek or Tongue River, down which we were to march. I 
 galloped on and overtook the Major, and as I came up to 
 him over heard him remark about 'these damn paper col- 
 lar soldiers' telling him there were no columns of smoke. 
 The old man was very indignant at our doubting his ability 
 to out-see us, with the aid of field glasses even. The joke 
 was too good to keep, and I had to report it to the General. 
 In fact, I don't believe the Major saw any columns of 
 smoke, although it afterwards transpired that there was 
 an Indian village in the immediate locality designated. 
 Bridger understood well enough that that was a favorable 
 locality for Indians to camp, and that at most anytime there 
 could be found a village there. Hence his declaration that 
 he saw columns of smoke. Our march dawn Peno Creek 
 was uneventful, the road being very good, much better than 
 we had before found. Our camp that night was in a valley 
 of the Peno Creek, not far from Tongue Eiver, sixteen miles 
 from Big Piney. 
 
 "27th and 28th. Traveled down Peno Creek and 
 Tongue River; country near the river, very barren — no grass. 
 After camping, four of the Omaha scouts went but a short 
 distance from the camp and met a grizzly, which they very 
 imprudently fired upon. The grizzly, closed upon them, 
 killing one of the scouts and fearfully mangling two others 
 before a relief party of the same company could drive away 
 the bear. Just after sunset of this day, two of the Pawnees 
 who went out with Captain North toward Bridger's columns 
 of smoke two days previous, came into camp with the in- 
 formation that Captain North had discovered an Indian 
 village. The General immediately called me to his tent 
 and instructed me to take command of the camp, keeping 
 the wagons in the corral, protect the stock and hold the 
 position until he should return — that he was going out to 
 fight the Indians. I had never been baptized with Indian 
 blood, had never taken a scalp, and now to see the glorious 
 opportunity pass was too much. So, with tears in my eyes. 
 
5i8 History of Wyoming. 
 
 I begged of the General to allow Lieutenant Brewer, of the 
 Seventh Iowa Cavalry, whom I knew had just reported to 
 me as very sick, to remain with the train and that I be al- 
 lowed to accompany him in the glorious work of annihil- 
 ating the savages. The General granted my request. The 
 men were hurried to eat their supper, just then being pre- 
 pared, and at 8 o'clock p. m. we left camp with two hundred 
 and fifty white men and eighty Indian scouts as the full 
 attacking force. From our calculation as to distance, we 
 expected to strike the village at daylight on the morning 
 of the 29th. Our line of march lay up the valley of the 
 Tongue Eiver, and after we had passed the point where 
 our wagons had struck the stream, we found no road, but 
 much underbrush and fallen tim'ber; and as the night was 
 quite dark, our march was greatly impeded, so that at day- 
 light we were not within many miles of the Indian village. 
 The General was much disappointed at this delay, which 
 compelled us to keep closely under cover, and in many in- 
 stances to march along the water's edge under the river bank 
 in single file, to keep outof sight of the Indians. I had 
 worked myself to the extreme advance, and like, possibly, 
 many others in the command, had begun to think that there 
 was no Indian village near us, and that we would have no 
 Indians to fight. Arriving at this conclusion, I had become 
 somewhat reckless, and had determined that Captain North, 
 who had joined our command soon after we left camp, 
 should not reach the Indian village in advance of myself. 
 As we rode along close together conversing, I managed to 
 forge in ahead of him just as we dropped dov/n into a deep 
 ravine; the bank on the side just beyond the stream was 
 much higher than the bank from which we came, and the 
 trail led up this steep bank. As 1 rode up the bank and 
 came to the top, my eyes beheld a sight as unexpected to 
 me as a peep into shoel. Just before me lay a large mesa, 
 or table land all covered with Indian ponies, except a por- 
 tion about one-half mile to the left, which was thickly 
 dotted with Indian tepees full of Indians. Without a mo- 
 ment's hesitation, I grasped the bits of my horse with my 
 right hand, and his nostrils with my left, to prevent him 
 from whinnying, threw myself from the saddle, dragging 
 the horse down the bank against Captain North's horse, 
 and whispered to him that we had found the village. Cap- 
 tain North held my horse while I ran back motioning the 
 men to keep still. In fact, the General had issued orders 
 when we left camp, that no man should speak above a whis- 
 
Report of the Poioder River Expedition. 519 
 
 per and that when the horses attempted to whinny, they 
 should be jerked up with a tight rein. During the last one- 
 half hour of our march, several men had become somewhat 
 careless, and were not as cautious as they had been during 
 the night. I soon met the General, who was close to the 
 advance, and told him of my discovery. The word was 
 passed back for the men to close up and to follow the Gen- 
 eral, and not to flre a shot until he fired in advance. Gen- 
 eral Connor then took the lead; rode his horse up the steep 
 bank of the ravine and dashed out across the mesa as if there 
 were no Indians just to the left; every man followed as 
 closely as possible. At the first sight of the General, the 
 ponies covering the table land in front of us set up a tre- 
 mendous whinnying and galloped down toward the Indian 
 village. More than a thousand dogs commenced barking, 
 and more than seven hundred Indians made the hills ring 
 with their fearful yelling. It appeared that the Indians were 
 in the act of breaking camp. The most of their tepees were 
 down and packed for the march. The ponies, more than 
 three thousand, had been gathered in, and most of the war- 
 riors had secured their horses ; probably half of the squaws 
 and children were mounted, and some had taken up the line 
 of march up the stream for a new camp. They were Arapa- 
 hoes under Black Bear and Old David, with several other 
 chiefs not so prominent. The General watched the move- 
 ments of his men until he saw the last man emerge into line. 
 The whole line then fired a volley from their carbines into 
 the village without halting their horses, and the bugles 
 sounded the charge. Without the sound of the bugle there 
 would have been no halt by the men in that column; not a 
 man but realized that to charge into the Indian village with- 
 out a moments hesitancy was our only salvation. We al- 
 ready saw that we were greatly outnumbered, and that 
 only desperate fighting would save our scalps. I felt for a 
 moment that my place was with the train; that really I 
 was a consummate fool for urging the General to allow me 
 to accompany him. I was reminded that I had lost no In- 
 dians, and that scalping Indians was unmanly, besides be- 
 ing brutal, and for my part I did not want any dirty scalps ; 
 jet, I had no time to halt; I could not do it — my horse car- 
 ried me forward almost against my will, and in those few 
 moments — less than it takes to tell the story — I was in the 
 village in the midst of a hand to hand fight with warriors 
 and their squaws, for many of the female portion of this 
 band did as brave fighting as their savage lords. Unfor- 
 
520 History of Wyoming. 
 
 tunately for the women and children, our men had no time 
 to direct their aim; bullets from both sides and murderous 
 arrows filled the air; squaws and children, as well as war- 
 riors, fell among the dead and wounded. The scene was 
 indescribable. There was not much of the military in our 
 movements; each man seemed an army by himself. Stand- 
 ing near the 'sweat house,' I emptied my revolver into the 
 carcasses of three warriors. One of John Morgan's men, a 
 fine looking soldier with as handsome a face as I ever saw on 
 a man, grabbed me by the shoulder and turned me about that 
 I might assist him in withdrawing an arrow from his mouth. 
 The point of the arrow had passed through his open mouth 
 and lodged in the root of his tongue. Having no surgeon 
 with us of a higher rank than a hospital steward, it was 
 afterwards, within a half hour, decided that to get the ar- 
 row out of his mouth the tongue must be, and was, cut out. 
 The poor fellow returned to camp with us, and at this late 
 date I am unable to say whether he lived or died. Another 
 man, a sergeant in the Signal Corps, by the name of Charles 
 M. Latham, was shot in the heel. He had been through the 
 entire war in the Army of the Potomac, and wore a medal 
 for his bravery; had passed through many battles and es- 
 caped unharmed. This shot in the heel caused his death; 
 he died a few days afterward with lock-jaw. The Indians 
 made a brave stand trying to save their families, and suc- 
 ceeded in getting away with a large majority of their women 
 and children, leaving behind them nearly all of their plun- 
 der. They fled up a stream now called Wolf Creek, General 
 Connor in close pursuit. Soon after we left the village Gen- 
 eral Connor advised me to instruct Captain North to take 
 his Indians and get all the stock he could possibly gather. 
 This was done, and with a few stragglers I followed a small 
 band of Indians up the main Tongue River about three miles, 
 until they gathered recruits enough to turn upon us and 
 force us back. General Connor pursued the fleeing savages 
 fully ten miles from camp, when he found himself accom- 
 panied by only fourteen men ; our horses had all become so 
 fatigued and worn out that it was impossible to keep up. 
 The General halted his small squad and attempted to take 
 the names of his brave comrades, when the Indians, notic- 
 ing the paucity of his numbers, immediately turned upon 
 him and made a desperate effort to surround him and his 
 small squad of soldiers. They fell back as rapidly as pos- 
 sible, contesting every inch, reinforced every few moments 
 by some stragglers who had endeavored to keep up. With 
 
Report of the Powder River Expedition. 521 
 
 this help they managed to return to camp, where Captain 
 North nad myself had succeeded in corraling about eleven 
 hundred head of ponies. One piece of artillery had become 
 disabled. The axletree of the gun carriage, a mountain 
 howitzer was broken. We left the wheels and broken axle 
 near the river and saved the cannon. The command ren- 
 dezvoused in the village and the men were set to work de- 
 stroying Indian property. Scores of buffalo robes, blankets 
 and furs were heaped up on lodge poles, with tepee covers 
 and dried buffalo meat piled on top, and burned. On one 
 of these piles we placed our dead and burned their bodies 
 to keep the Indians from mutilating them. During our halt 
 the Indians pressed up close to the camp, made several 
 desperate attempts to recover their stock,when the moun- 
 tain howitzer, under the skillful management of Nick 
 O'Brien, prevented them from completing their aims. Our 
 attack upon the village commenced at 9 o'clock a. m. The 
 rendezvous in the village was about half past twelve; we 
 remained there until half past two ; in the intervening time 
 we destroyed an immense amount of property — fully two 
 hundred and fifty Indian lodges and contents. At half past 
 two we took up the line of march for the train. Captain 
 North, with his eighty Indians, undertook to drive the stock;, 
 they were soon far ahead, while the rest of the force was 
 employed in beating back Indians. The Indians pressed 
 us on every side, sometimes charging up to within fifty feet 
 of our rear guard. They seemed to have plenty of ammuni- 
 tion, but did most of their fighting with arrows, although 
 there were some of them armed with muskets with which 
 they could send lead in dangerous proximity to our men. 
 Before dark we were reduced to forty men who had any 
 ammunition, and these only a few rounds apiece. The In- 
 dians showed no signs of stopping the fight, but kept on 
 pressing us, charging upon us, dashing away at the stock, 
 -keeping us constantly on the move, until fifteen minutes 
 of twelve o'clock, when the last shot was fired by our pur- 
 suers. At this time I had gone ahead to communicate an 
 order from General Connor to Captain North relative to 
 handling the stock. Having just completed my work, I 
 halted by the side of the trail and waited for the General, 
 who was with the rear guard. I remember, as I was get- 
 ting from my horse, I heard the last shot fired some two or 
 three miles in the rear. After I had dismounted I realized 
 that I was fearfully tired, so tired that I could not stand up. 
 I sat upon the ground, and in a moment, in spite of myself, 
 
522 History of Wyoming. 
 
 was in a sound sleep, and was only awakened by being 
 dragged by my horse, which was an Indian pony that I had 
 saddled from the captured stock. Nearly all our men had 
 remounted themselves while we were rendezvousing in the 
 Indian village, otherwise we would not have been able to 
 keep out of the way of the pursuing Indians. My lariat was 
 wrapped around my right arm, and with this the pony was 
 dragging me across the prickly pears when I awakened. 
 Eealizing that I was on dangerous ground, I quickly 
 mounted my pony and listened for the least sound to indi- 
 cate whether the General had come up or not. There was 
 no noise — not a sound to be heard, the night was intensely 
 dark, and myself so bewildered that I scarcely knew which 
 way to go. Again jumping from my horse, I felt with my 
 hands until I found the trail and discovered that the foot- 
 prints of the horses went in a certain direction. Taking 
 that as my course, I rode away as rapidly as possible, and 
 after three miles hard riding overtook the General and his 
 rear guard, who had passed me while asleep. All congrat- 
 ulated me on my rather narrow escape. We arrived at camp 
 at daylight, after marching fully one hundred and ten miles 
 without any rest or refreshments, except the jerked buffalo 
 that the boys had filled their pockets with in the Indian 
 village. The incidents of this fight would make interesting 
 reading. Many acts of personal bravery cannot be recorded. 
 Sufflce it to say that every man was a general. Not a com- 
 mand was given by the General after the first order to 
 charge — not a man in the command but realized that 
 his life was in the balance. We must either whip the Indi- 
 ans, and whip them badly, or be whipped ourselves. We 
 could see that the Indians greatly outnumbered us; that 
 our main dependence was upon our superior equipments; 
 we were better armed than they. As for fighting qualities, 
 the savages proved themselves as brave as any of our men. 
 The fight commenced at nine o'clock, was offensive until 
 about 11 a. m., when the General was driven back into 
 camp with his small squad of men; from that time until 
 midnight we fought on the defensive. Yet we had accom- 
 plished a grand victory. Two hundred and fifty lodges had 
 been burned with the entire winter supply of the Arapahoe 
 band. The son of the principal chief (Black Bear) was killed, 
 sixty-three warriors were slain, and about eleven hundred 
 head of ponies captured. While we were in the village de- 
 stroying the plunder, most of our men were busy remount- 
 ing. Our own tired stock was turned into the herd and the 
 
Report of the Powder Biver Expedition,. 523 
 
 Indian ponies were lassoed and mounted; this maneuver 
 afforded the boys no little fun, as in nearly every instance 
 the rider was thrown or else badly shook up by the bucking 
 ponies. The ponies appeared to be as afraid of the white 
 men as our horses were afraid of the savages. If it had 
 not been for Captain North, with his Indians, it would have 
 been impossible for us to take away the captured stock, as 
 they were constantly breaking away from us, trying to re- 
 turn toward the Indians, who were as constantly dashing 
 toward the herd in the vain hope of recapturing their stock. 
 
 "Many exciting scenes were witnessed upon the field 
 of battle. During the chase up Wolf Creek with the Gen- 
 eral one of North's braves picked up a little Indian boy 
 that had been dropped by the wayside. The little fellow 
 was crying, but when picked up by the soldier Indian fought 
 like a wild-cat. One of our men asked the Indian what he 
 was going to do with the papoose. He said, 'Don't know; 
 kill him, mebby.' He was told to put him down and not to 
 injure the bright little fellow. The Indian obeyed, and at 
 least one papoose owed his life to a kind hearted soldier. 
 Several of our men were wounded, some of them quite se- 
 verely. Three or four afterwards died of their wounds. 
 Two of our soldiers, white men, I forget their names, were 
 found among the dead, and three or four of North's Indians 
 were killed. 
 
 "Lieutenant Oscar Jewett, the General's aid-de-camp, 
 the General's bugler and an orderly were among the 
 wounded. Lieutenant Jewett was shot through the thigh 
 and through the hand, and yet was compelled to ride over 
 forty miles after receiving his wounds. We were absent 
 from camp thirty -three hours; had marched, as before 
 stated, one hundred and ten miles ; during that time we had 
 had nothing to eat, except a few hard tack and some jerked 
 buffalo meat. If there is a better record to the credit of 
 the volunteer cavalry soldier, I am not aware of the fact. 
 We brought back to camp with us eight squaws and thir- 
 teen Indian children, who were turned loose a day or two 
 afterward. 
 
 "30th and 31st. We marched twenty-two miles down 
 Tongue River. September 1st, early in the morning, a can- 
 non shot was heard. No two persons could agree in what 
 direction the sound came from, but as this was the day 
 fixed for the general rendezvous of Cole and Connor's com- 
 mand near the mouth of the Rosebud, some eighty miles 
 away, it was supposed that the sound came from that direc- 
 
524 History of Wyoming. 
 
 tion. General Connor directed Captain North, with about 
 twenty of his Indians, and Captain Marshall, with thirty 
 men of the Eleventh Ohio Cavalry, to push on rapidly to 
 the rendezvous to communicate with Cole. Marched fifteen 
 miles September 1st. On the next day did not leave camp 
 until 1 o'clock p. m. Marched down the river eight miles j 
 valley has narrowed up very much, the country appears 
 rough and irregular. Last night several 'medicine wolves' 
 were heard to howl about camp. Ever since we left Fort 
 Laramie our camp has been surrounded with thousands 
 of wolves, who have made the night hideous with their in- 
 fernal howling; but not until tonight have we heard the 
 'medicine wolf,' which old Bridger claims to be a superna- 
 tural sort of an animal, whose howling is sure to bring 
 trouble to camp. Bridger, Nick, Janise and Eulo, being 
 very superstitious, were so frightened at this peculiar howl- 
 ing, that they took up their blankets and struck out for a 
 new camp, which, according to their theor'y, was the only 
 way of escaping from the impending danger; they went 
 down the river about half a mile and camped in the timber 
 by themselves. 
 
 "3rd. Has been cold, dreary day, raining most of the 
 time — some snow. The weather very disagreeable for a 
 mounted man who had to march sixteen miles in the snow 
 and rain. 
 
 "4th. Weather not quite so cold as yesterday — not 
 so disagreeable; country very rough; scarcely any grass, 
 not a spear was seen for miles on the march. Passed down 
 Tongue Eiver; was compelled to cross the stream dozens 
 of times. A messenger from Colonel Sawyers' train of road 
 builders came into camp, tonight with the news that his 
 train was attacked by the Indians, supposed to be the same 
 ones that we had fought; that Captain Cole of the Sixth 
 Michigan and two of his men were killed; that the train 
 was parked and the men doing their best to defend them- 
 selves. Prom him we learned that Colonel Sawyers with 
 about twenty-five wagons and one hundred men were en- 
 route from Sioux City to Bozeman, by way of the Big Horn, 
 or 'Bozeman route;' that they had passed over the country 
 by way of the Niobrara, North Fork of Cheyenne, between 
 Pumpkin and Bear Buttes, intersecting with our trail near ' 
 Fort Connor; that Colonel Kidd, whom we had left in com- 
 mand at Port Connor, had sent Captain Cole with twenty 
 men as an additional escort for the train, to help them 
 through the Arapahoe country. Captain Brown, with two 
 
Report of the Powder River Expedition. 525 
 
 companies of California troops, were hastily detached from 
 our command and marched west about forty miles to relieve 
 the train. When they reached it they found that the Indi- 
 ans had given up the attack, and on the next day the train 
 pushed on, Captain Brown accompanying them. Our com- 
 mand continued their march fifteen miles down the river. 
 
 "5th. Lay in camp all day waiting for some word from 
 Captain Marshall. The General is very anxious to get some 
 news from the column under the command of Colonel Cole. 
 Captain Marshall's guide returned from the Rosbud to- 
 night with no news from Code's command. Captain Mar- 
 shall reached camp with his men soon after, having been 
 to the rendezvous and finding no evidence of our support- 
 ing column there. 
 
 "6th. The command about-faced today, and marched 
 back up the river fifteen miles to find better grass for the 
 stock. A scouting party under Captain North having re- 
 turned from the mouth of Tongue Eiver on the Yellowstone, 
 and reported no grass and no signs of Cole's command. On 
 the 7th marched up th6 river fourteen miles; found good 
 grass and camped. The next day Captain Frank North, 
 with twenty of the Pawnee scouts, left for Powder Eiver 
 this morning. Captain Humphreyville and a part of his 
 company were ordered to the Rosebud; small scouting par- 
 ties were sent in every direction to obtain, if possible, some 
 news of Cole's command. No signs of Indians. Weather 
 very cold and disagreeable. 
 
 "11th. Moved camp one mile up the river to better 
 grass. Captain Humphreyville returned from Rosebud to- 
 day, reporting no signs of Cole's command. Captain North 
 also returned from Powder Eiver, and reports that he found 
 from five to six hundred dead cavalry horses, undoubtedly 
 belonging to Cole's command, most of them were found shot 
 at the picket line. From that it appears that Cole has been 
 hard pressed by the Indians, and has been compelled to 
 dismount his men and shoot his horses, the savages giving 
 them no chance to forage. A large number of saddles and 
 ■other property had been burned. His trail was well marked 
 and showed that he has pushed up the river in an opposite 
 direction from the course which he had been ordered to 
 take. This startling news gave evidence that we were near- 
 ing the end of our expedition, which we feared must end 
 disastrously. As acting commissary of subsistence, as well 
 as Quartermaster, I realized that Cole's command must be 
 out of provisions; that they had provisions until only the 
 
526 History of Wyoming. 
 
 3d or 4th of September, when they were supposed to meet 
 our train. That by this time, September 11th, they must 
 be either out of provisions, or that they had been living on 
 half rations for some time previous. The situation was in- 
 deed a critical one. Here a superior force had been attacked 
 by the Indians at a point only fifty miles east of us, and had 
 been driven from their line of march to take another route, 
 and had been so hard pressed by the savages that they were 
 compelled to shoot their horses to save them from falling 
 into the hands of the enemy, and to enable the men to do 
 better fighting on foot. Our fighting force was only about 
 four hundred men, counting sixty men with Captain Brown, 
 who was then one hundred miles away; theirs sixteen hun- 
 dred, four times our number. What would be our fate 
 should these Indians return from the pursuit of Cole, and 
 cross over from the Powder River to Tongue River, and con- 
 centrate with the Arapahoes in an attack upon us? We 
 knew, or at least Captain North and his Indians knew, that 
 the Indians who were pressing Cole were Sioux and Chey- 
 ennes, and that they numbered thousands; according to the 
 very best estimate, five or six thousand Indians. Nearly all 
 the men realized that we must be prepared to do some very 
 good fighting; that our only chance of escape from the 
 country depended upon cautious movements as well as good 
 luck. 
 
 "Early on the morning of September 12th, we took up 
 our line of march for Fort Connor. By doubling teams, as 
 many as thirty span of mules hitched to several wagons, 
 we managed to drag our loads across the river, and by hard 
 work made twenty miles today. Ran across two very large 
 herds of elk that had been driven into the timber by the 
 storm. This morning early, General Conner dispatched C. 
 L. Thomas, late Sergeant Company E, Eleventh Ohio Cav- 
 alry, who volunteered to go with five Pawnee Indians at 
 the risk of his life, and join Cole's command with dispatches 
 from the General, directing Cole to push on up Powder 
 River to Fort Conner, where he would find supplies for his 
 men, a fact unknown to Colonel Cole. This move was an 
 important one, and the scouts were instructed to travel 
 only by night and to run the gauntlet at all hazards, other- 
 wise Cole and his men might perish within close proximity 
 to the fort where there was an abundance of supplies, food 
 and ammunition. This party made the trip safely; trav- 
 eling only by night they managed to reach Cole's camp and 
 to communicate with him, which to his starving troops was 
 
Report of the Powder River Expedition. 527 
 
 glorious news, that if they pushed on rapidly they would 
 find plenty to eat. On the 13th continued our march up the 
 river eight and one half miles, when the teams were so badly 
 played out that we could march no farther. Next day we 
 marched thirteen and one-half miles. Another detachment 
 of scouts. Pawnee Indians under command of Captain North, 
 also Captain Marshall with a small squad of the Eleventh 
 Ohio Cavalry, were started for Powder River this evening, 
 with instructions to fight their way through to Cole's com- 
 mand. The General is risking our entire force for the sal- 
 vation of Cole's men. If our force should be attacked now 
 it would be short work for the Indians to massacre the en- 
 tire party. The two days following were spent in recuperat- 
 ing our stock, as we found the mules too weak to pull the 
 wagons. 
 
 "17th. Marched up the river fourteen miles and 
 camped. About 3 o'clock today, while the train was cross- 
 ing the river, experiencing a great deal of trouble, I strag- 
 gled on ahead of the command to the advance guard beyond. 
 I had my Sharpe's rifle with me, and thought I would push 
 on a little further and see if I could not shoot an elk. Cros- 
 sing over a little divide, I found that to reach the next point 
 of timber I had a bottom of about two miles in width to 
 cross. Not seeing any Indians, or signs of Indians, I very 
 recklessly gave my fast-walking mule the rein and contin- 
 ued on. Soon after reaching the timber I concluded I was 
 getting too far ahead of the command, led my mule a short 
 distance off the road, tied him to a sapling, took my gun 
 and sat myself on a log, when suddenly I heard the clank 
 of horse's hoofs upon the rocks just ahead of me. Glanc- 
 ing in that direction I saw just before me a party of Indians. 
 I sprang to my feet and raised rifle, as they pulled their 
 reins, having noticed me^ just at that moment the face of 
 a white man appeared behind the Indians, and they threw 
 up their hands to show that they were friendly. The white 
 man, who. proved to be Lieutenant Jones, of the Second 
 Missouri Artillery, rode up. He was from Cole's command, 
 and had been sent by Cole with five Indians to communicate 
 with General Connor the safe arrival of our scouts, and 
 that he would push on to Fort Connor. Jones had left Cole's 
 command in an opposite direction from the Indians; had 
 gone around them, discovered our trail near Big Piney, and 
 followed down Peno Creek to Tongue River to the point 
 where we met. I was so rejoiced at hearing from Cole's 
 command that I could scarcely keep back the tears, and 
 
528 History of Wyoming. 
 
 when I rode back to the train the news set them wild with 
 joy. Cole's command had been found. Lieutenant Jones 
 reported that soon after passing to the right of the Black 
 Hills they were attacked by the Sioux, who had continued 
 to flght them from that time until they reached Tongue 
 Eiver. By that time their stock had become so worn out 
 for want of feed that they were compelled to shoot many 
 of their horses and burn up a large supply of saddles, stores 
 and accoutrements, and to turn from their course towards 
 the Wolf Mountains and the Kosebuds, the country before 
 them being so rough that they could not drag their wagons 
 after their command. Colonel Cole, being so early sur- 
 rounded by Indians, made up his mind that General Con- 
 nor's command must have been massacred, and that if he 
 ever reached the Rosebuds he would then be in a more dang- 
 erous position than he was east of Wolf Mountains; that 
 his only chance for escape now would be in marching up 
 Powder River, making his way, if possible, to Fort Laramie. 
 Several of his men had been wounded by the Indians, and 
 for several days the men had to subsist on mule meat, being 
 absolutely out of provisions. On the 18th and 19th we con- 
 tinued our march up the river, camping on the 19th on Peno 
 Creek, three miles above our old camp. Large bands of elk 
 passed the command today, and several of them were halted 
 by our bullets. Next day we continued our march up Peno 
 ■Creek sixteen miles. 
 
 "The command marched twenty-one miles today. Just 
 before we left camp this morning, I prevailed upon the Gen- 
 eral to allow Lieutenant Jewett, Captain Laurant and my- 
 self, with three men to ride two or three miles to the right 
 of the command, to the front of the right flankers, to give 
 us an opportunity to kill some elk ; the country seemed full 
 of them. The General made us promise that we would keep 
 together, and, being well armed, we might flght off the In- 
 dians if they should attack us and make our way back to 
 the train. We extended our ride some two or three miles 
 to the right of the line of march, and out of sight of the train 
 in the foothills on the mountains. About 8 o'clock we ran 
 across a large band of buffalo, and as we were out upon a 
 hunt, dashed among them to see how many of them we could 
 kill. I took after a fine bull, one of the best in the herd, who 
 with a small band of buffalo struck up a ravine. It was 
 short work to down the fellow and cut out his tongue 
 as a trophy and to remount, when I discovered that 
 there was not one of the party in sight; I was entirely 
 
Report of the Poicder River Expedition. 529 
 
 alone. I rode up a hill, expecting to see the party a 
 short distance away, but saw nothing except here and 
 there a buffalo, all on the gallop, and here and there an an- 
 telope. Thinking I was pretty close to the men, I pushed 
 on in my regular course south, parallel to the train, drop- 
 ping a little to the left, expecting soon to come in sight of 
 the wagons. After riding about half a mile and reaching 
 th? top of a little ridge, I discovered, just before me, an 
 antelope so very close that I could not resist the temptation 
 to chance a shot. Jumping from my pony, which, by the 
 way, was a wild Indian pony captured out of the herd a day 
 or two before, I threw the lariat over my arm, raised the 
 gun and fired. The pony made a jump and dragged the rope 
 through my hands, blistering them badly, and escaped, gal- 
 loping off in another direction from the course I was trav- 
 eling. My first impulse was to fire at the pony to save my 
 saddle and other accoutrements; turning, I saw that I had 
 shot the antelope and that he was getting onto his feet 
 again. As he was so close by I dropped my gun on the 
 ground, pulled my revolver, ran up towards the antelope and 
 fired as I ran. The antelope gained his feet and started 
 down the slope. I had fired the last shot from my revolver 
 and had no time to reload, and as I had wounded the antel- 
 ope continued the pursuit. For nearly a half a mile I fol- 
 lowed the antelope in a winding course, until, finally he fell 
 to the ground in his death struggles. I cut his throat and 
 took the saddle — the two hind quarters. Started back to 
 the hill to get my gun ; found I was on the wrong hill. Was 
 finally compelled to return to the carcass of the antelope 
 and retrace my steps to where I fired at the antelope, track- 
 ing my way by the blood. This work delayed me fully an 
 hour, but was rewarded by finding the gun. Then, as I 
 was so far behind the train, (it was now 10 o'clock), I con- 
 cluded it to be dangerous to attempt to follow it, and, as I 
 was afoot my only salvation was in keeping at least four 
 miles to the right of the train, away from the Indians who 
 would follow the train, and to make camp in the night 
 time. I hung on to the saddle of antelope and with my gun 
 took up the tramp. After walking two or three miles I 
 came to a ridge overlooking a little valley and in the valley 
 saw a horse, which, upon closer inspection, I determined 
 to be my own horse, which had by a roundabout course 
 struck the valley ahead of me. The animal was feeding by 
 himself, not another animal in sight. I resolved at once to 
 make an effort to re-capture the horse. Slipping down to 
 —(34) 
 
530 History of Wyoming. 
 
 the creek I deposited my gun and antelope meat in the limb 
 of a dead cottonwood and commenced crawling through 
 the grass, which was very high and fine, towards the horse. 
 After more than an hour's work, slowly dragging myself 
 along, I just managed to get hold of the end of the rope but 
 not with suflflcient grip to hold the startled pony which 
 again escaped from me. This only aggravated me and made 
 me resolve that I would have the pony or die trying. One, 
 two, and three more hours were passed before I could again 
 get hold of the rope; and finally, it was about 4 o'clock p. 
 m. when I managed to capture the pony. I had walked up 
 the valley three or four miles above where I had left the 
 antelope meat and my gun, but after I had mounted my 
 pony it was a short ride back to these articles, and, after 
 lunching, I took up my line of march for the camp and with- 
 out further incident of importance reached camp at day- 
 light next morning; having gone fifteen miles out of my 
 way to avoid the possible chance of running upon the Indi- 
 ans. The other members of the party had joined the camp 
 about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and after 9 o'clock that 
 night nearly every man in the camp had given me up for 
 dead. 
 
 "22d. Captain Marshall and a detachment of his com- 
 pany, came from Fort Connor with a letter to General Con- 
 nor with the news that he had been relieved of the command 
 of the District of the Plains; that Colonel Cole, with his 
 two regiments of Missouri troops and the Sixteenth Kansas 
 Cavalry, had reached Fort Connor in a very destitute condi- 
 tion, half of the men barefoot, and that for fifteen days they 
 had had no rations at all and had subsisted entirely upon 
 what little game they could get close to camp, and on mule 
 meat; and that they had been obliged to burn a large por- 
 tion of their train, together with camp equipage. 
 
 "23d. Camped on Crazy Woman's Fork, and on Septem- 
 ber 24th reached Fort Connor, having traveled twenty-five 
 miles today. The General and stalf reached the fort about 
 11 a. m.; train got in just before sundown. Cole's command 
 looked as if they had been half starved, and are very ragged 
 and dirty; the men resemble tramps more than they do 
 soldiers. They have had little but suffering since they left 
 the Platte River, and are as completely disgusted and dis- 
 couraged an outfit of men as I ever saw. They report 
 having fought the Indians six days on the Powder River, 
 and claim they killed three or four hundred of them. This 
 day's march ends the story of the Powder River Indian 
 
Report of the Poivder River Expedition. 531 
 
 Expedition. General Connor will return with a small escort 
 of men, leaving the command of the expedition to Colonel 
 Cole, who will make his way back to the States by slow 
 marches. General Frank Wheaton has been assigned to 
 the command of the District of the Plains, and we expect 
 to meet him at Fort Laramie. I pursuaded General Con- 
 nor to allow me to take back to Fort I^aramie the captured 
 stock, that he might have credit therefor. 
 
 "On the 26th of September the General pushed out for 
 Laramie with three ambulances. Captain North and his 
 Indians driving the stock. The General remained at Fort 
 Laramie until October 4th, when I received receipts from 
 Captain Childs for six hundred and ten head of horses, all 
 that had been saved out of the eleven hundred head cap- 
 . tured from the Indians. Horses had escaped from us every 
 day on the march and during the storm on Tongue Eiver 
 several had perished. On our march up Tongue River at 
 least three or four hundred made their escape; at one time 
 a band of more than forty in one drove. In the four days 
 lay-over at Fort Laramie I had completed my reports to the 
 quartermaster and commissary departments, receiving the 
 General's approval on all my papers, and his thanks for ser- 
 vices rendered, and was enabled to accept his invitation 
 to a seat in the ambulance, and rode with him to Denver 
 without any escort, arriving there about the 15th of Octo- 
 ber. We were received with all the honors that could be 
 bestowed; a grand feast was prepared for us at the Plant- 
 er's Hotel, and the best people of Denver, almost en masse, 
 turned out to the reception. The next day we were escorted 
 by more than thirty carriages, filled with prominent citizens, 
 to Central City, forty miles away in the mountains, where 
 we were again received and toasted in the most hospitable 
 manner. I returned to Denver in time to leave on the first 
 coach that had been started from Denver for three weeks. 
 Captain Sam. Bobbins and Captain George F. Price (who 
 had been Chief of Cavalry for the General, and whom he had 
 left at Fort Laramie in charge of the oflSce as Adjutant 
 General of the District of the Plains while we were on the 
 expedition), together with Bela M. Hughes, Attorney Gen- 
 eral of Ben. Holliday's overland mail line, and two Pacific 
 Eailroad exploring engineers, with -Johnnie Shoemaker as 
 messenger, who had with him $250,000 in treasure, were 
 fellow passengers. We left Denver at 10 a. m., October 
 19th ; met with no incidents of an exciting nature until we 
 heard the roar of musketry and the infernal yells of the 
 
532 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Indians, who had attacked a train camped close to the sta- 
 tion. The chief wagon master, Wells, of Fort Lupton, was 
 killed in this attack. I had just climbed out of the coach 
 to a seat with the driver. Johnnie Shoemaker was in the 
 boot asleep, and every one in the coach was asleep except the 
 driver aud myself. I had remarked to the driver that it was 
 daylight, and asked him how far it was to the station; he 
 said it was close by, a mile or two ahead. Just then we 
 heard the firing; the driver whipped his six mules int.0 a 
 run and away we went pell mell for the station, expecting 
 momentarily the arrows and leaden messengers of death. 
 At O'Fallen's Bluff, near Baker's Ranch, we were again 
 •attacked by the Indians and ran into the station, where we 
 defended ourselves until morning. Next day pushed on with 
 the coach with all the passengers on foot as advance guard 
 and flankers. Fortunately for us two companies of a West 
 Virginia cavalry regiment were on the line of march up the 
 Platte and happened to meet us in the worst part of the 
 hills. Their presence had driven away the Indians and we 
 were enabled to drive through the bluffs in safety. This 
 is the last incident worthy of record of the Powder River 
 Indian Expedition. 
 
 "As a summary of general results I can only say that, 
 even with the disastrous ending of Cole's expedition, the 
 Powder River Indian Expedition of 1865 was not a failure. 
 The General's plan to 'carry the war into Egypt' succeeded 
 -admirably; the warrior element, by the movement of these 
 columns, were compelled to fall back upon their villages 
 to protect their families, and during the progress of the 
 campaign the overland line of travel became as safe as be- 
 fore the Indian outbreak. 
 
 "It was not until General Connor retraced his steps, 
 by order of the War Department, back to Laramie, with all 
 the soldiers, that the Indians thinking he had voluntarily 
 retired from their front again hastened to the road, passing 
 General Connor's retiring column to the east of his line of 
 march, and again commenced their devilish work of pillage, 
 plunder and massacre. General Connor's ability, sagacity 
 and courage, and best of all, his success as an Indian fighter 
 remains unchallenged in all the western country. His earlv 
 schooling in Indian wars especially fitted him to become, as 
 he was, the 'big medicine man' of their hereditarv foe." 
 
Report of the Powder- River Expedition. 533 
 
 GENERAL CONNOR AND SOME OP HIS OFFICERS. 
 
 General Patrick Edward Connor was the leading char- 
 acter of his time who rose to prominence in the west. He 
 was born in Ireland, March 17, 1820. At an early age he 
 emigrated with his parents to New York City where the 
 family remained until young Connor grew to manhood. In 
 the year 1839, he enlisted in the regular army and partici- 
 pated in the Florida war. After a five years' service he re- 
 turned to NeAV York and engaged in merchantile pursuits. 
 About the beginning of 1846, he went to Texas to reside. 
 That same year the Mexican war broke out and he joined 
 a regiment of Texas volunteers and was elected captain 
 of a company. Albert Sidney Johnston was colonel of the 
 regiment. Captain Connor served with distinction during 
 that war and participated in the battles of Palo Alto, Resaca 
 de la Palma, and Buena Vista. In the latter engagement 
 he received a musket ball in the left hand which produced, 
 a severe wound but he refused to leave the field until the- 
 battle was over. At the close of the Mexican war he re- 
 ceived a full Captain's pension. In 1850 he went to Cali- 
 fornia and was active in mining matters until the breaking 
 out of the Civil war when he tendered his services to the 
 governor of California and was appointed Colonel of the 
 Third Volunteer Infantry of that state. A year later, in Julj 
 1862,he was appointed to the command of the Military Dis- 
 trict of Utah. Of his services there I have given some 
 account in previous chapters. General Connor and his men 
 were very anxious for active service in the war of the Re- 
 bellion and on September 24, 1862 he addressed a note to 
 Major General Halleck, Secretary of War, urging that the 
 regiment be sent to the front, explaining that the men en- 
 listed to fight traitors and if allowed to do so would author- 
 ize the paymaster to withold |30,000 then due the regiment 
 and adding that if the sum mentioned was insufficient, 
 the officers and men would pay their own transportation. 
 The services of General Connor and his soldiers were too 
 valuable to the Government along the mail line and in Utah 
 to permit of their withdrawal and consequently they were 
 held in service in the mountains and on the plains until 
 long after the war was over. As has been mentioned. Gen- 
 eral Connor was promoted to Brigadier General after the 
 battle of Bear River. After the battle of Tongue River he 
 was promoted to the rank of Brevet-Major General and 
 
534 History of Wyoming. 
 
 iater was offered the position of Colonel in the regular army. 
 At the final mustering out of the volunteer forces in 1866, 
 lie retired from the army and entered actively into the de- 
 velopment of the mining interests in Utah. His career as a 
 military commander will for all time challenge the admira- 
 tion of patriotic citizens. His bravery in the field and his 
 ■devotion to the principles upon which our Government is 
 founded prevented serous trouble in Utah. His policy while 
 commander of the district resulted in the downfall of Brig- 
 ham Young and opened the territory to enterprising G-entiles 
 who from the time of their arrival took the lead in the 
 •development of its rich and varied resources. 
 
 There have been few braver, nobler, or more enter- 
 .prising pioneers in the west than General Patrick Edward 
 Connor. In the dark days of the Rebellion the Government 
 xelied upon his bravery and wisdom to manage affairs in 
 this remote field and during these times he made for him- 
 self a name and reputation which entitle him to high rank 
 -among the early pioneers. He died at Salt Lake City, De- 
 cember 17, 1891, being nearly 72 years old. He was buried 
 with military and civic honors at Fort Douglas in a grave 
 set apart by the Secretary of War. 
 
 Headers of this history are already familiar with the 
 work of Captain H. E. Palmer in the service of the Powder 
 River Expedition. His experience in Wyoming on that 
 occasion resulted in bringing him back in subsequent years 
 and has made him one of the builders of the state in which 
 he is still largely interested, though his residence is in 
 Omaha, Neb. His adventures in Wyoming cover a wide 
 range and are filled with many events of interest which re- 
 late to our state that entitle him to more than passing 
 notice in the pages of this history. 
 
 Henry E. Palmer was born in the village of Centerville, 
 towu of Madison, Lake county, Ohio, July 31, 1841, moved to 
 Wisconsin with his parents April 1853, worked on his 
 father's farm, taking charge of same at seventeen. March 
 7, 1860 he left his home for Pike's Peak, starting with onlv 
 five dollars and 43 pounds of baggage, he worked his way 
 and walked from Baraboo, Wisconsin to Central City, Colo., 
 1,250 miles, arriving at Central City, Colo. May 7, 1860. 
 
 l^ffZ fiH '^''' ^^^^l l""^ ^"^ ^^^ '"^^"^g ^^•l did not learn 
 ot the firing on Fort Sumpter until July 7, 1861 He left 
 
 SSiT S ?' '''' ^°*lr^«ted at the nearest enlMment 
 station. Fort Leavenworth, Kan., July 31, 1861 on his twen- 
 
Report of the Powder River Expedition. 535 
 
 tieth birthday, October 7, 1861 he was appointed Second 
 Lieutenant on General J. H. Lane's staff. By the disband- 
 ment of Lane's Brigade Palmer was mustered out of ser- 
 vice April 19, 1862. He remained in the service in the 
 Quartermaster's Department until August 20, 1862 when he 
 was commissioned and mustered as Second Lieutenant of 
 Co. A, Eleventh Kansas Volunteer Infantry. December 31, 
 1862 was promoted to First Lieutenant of same company 
 and February 23, 1863 was mustered in as Captain Co. A. 
 This regiment was changed to cavalry by order of the War 
 Department in May 1863; in June 1863 Captain Palmer 
 was detailed for special duty in command of his own com- 
 pany, A, Eleventh Volunteer Cavalry and 50 picked men 
 from ten companies of cavalry, making a force of 140 men 
 to fight the notorious guerrilla, Quantrill. This verj' dang- 
 erous work lasted eighteen months. 
 
 In June 1865 (Captain Palmer's company being at that 
 time at Platte Bridge, Wyoming) he was ordered to report 
 to General Connor, and joined him at "Old California Cros- 
 sing" on the South Platte River, was assigned to duty as 
 Acting Assistant Adjutant General "District of the Plains," 
 headquarters at Fort Laramie, Wyoming. Captain Palmer 
 had the entire detail work of organizing the Powder Eiver 
 Expedition, he directed the movement of all the troops. 
 After the several columns of this expedition were on the 
 move his regular Adjutant General, C. J. Laurant, having 
 reported to General Connor for duty. Palmer begged to re- 
 join his company which at this time was guarding the Over- 
 land Stage route in the Wyoming Mountains near Fort Hal- 
 leck, but General Connor would not let Palmer leave his 
 staff and immediately assigned him to duty as Acting Quar- 
 termaster and Commissary of the Powder Eiver Indian Ex- 
 pedition which service has been explained on another page. 
 He was mustered out of service November 1865 and went 
 before an army board for promotion and was recommended 
 for a Lieutenant Colonelcy in the regular army. February 
 1866 he was tendered a position as Second Lieutenant in 
 the Second U. S. Cavalry, which position he promptly de- 
 clined. In March 1866 he started from Kansas City, Mo., for 
 Fort Laramie, Wyoming, with four mule teams loaded with 
 Indian goods; arriving at Fort Laramie about May 1, he 
 waited there until after the famous Eed Cloud treaty, May 
 12, 1866, then started out alone with four teams, two white 
 men and three Indian interpreters, viz : John Eeshaw, Louis 
 
536 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Eeshaw, Mich Bouyer, all half breeds. They drove to Ciear 
 Creek of Powder River, in what is now Johnson county this 
 state without seeing an Indian. At Clear Creek Palmer 
 built the first house ever erected north of the Platte River, 
 east of the Platte Bridge and east of the Big Horn Mountains 
 in Wyoming; this first habitation, 12x12 was built of sod 
 covered with poles, brush and dirt. For nearly a week not 
 an Indian appeared, then they came one at a time until 25 
 Cheyenne warriors were in front of the sod house offering 
 to trade skins for goods. Before perfecting any deals the 
 wily chief proposed a friendly smoke, a ring was formed 
 with six Indians and Palmer's party of three whites and 
 three half breeds; the pipe of peace had passed around 
 twice without one word or dangerous sign, when the chief 
 gave a vigorous grunt and suddenly it transpired that be- 
 hind each member of Palmer's party, who were sitting on 
 the ground, stood a warrior, his blanket dropped to the 
 ground, a drawn bow and arrow just pricking the back of 
 each victim, the chief called out, "Don't stir and you shant 
 be harmed," his pledge was repeated by Bouyer and by 
 Reshaw. The Indians kept one warrior on guard over eadb 
 prisoner while the balance of the party busied themselves 
 by tearing down the sod house, and planting the sod where 
 it had been broken by Palmer's builders. After this work 
 was well done the chief made a speech and proclaimed that 
 no white man should ever break the sod in this Big Horn re- 
 gion, that it was the last good hunting ground for the In- 
 dians and should never be occupied by the whites. This 
 was in June 1866, ten years before the Custer Massacre. 
 Palmer and his men were given their liberty under the con- 
 ditions that they should immediately move on, return, or 
 go through to Montana as they pleased. Palmer decided 
 not to turn back, but push on. At Tongue River, on the 
 site of the present town of Dayton, this state, Palmer 
 stayed five days, hoping that he was out of Cheyenne ter- 
 ritory and in territory belonging to the Arapahoes. Every 
 day the Cheyennes appeared in force on the surrounding 
 hills, but would not come into camp. Palmer then moved 
 on to the Big Horn River where he remained nearly a month 
 in a village of over 700 Arapahoes. The Red Cloud war 
 broke out July 1866. Palmer had sent the two white men 
 of his party with one team to Montana and was then the 
 only white man with the Indians. As soon as they heard 
 the news of the declaration of war, the chief of the band 
 
Report of the Powder River Expedition. 537 
 
 arrested Palmer, his warriors appropriated his goods, and 
 Palmer was for three weeks a prisoner with these Indians 
 on the Lodge Grass near Little Big Horn. The same Indians 
 fought their flight with Custer within ten miles of the Lodge 
 Grass ten years later. Palmer was released and walked 
 to Bozeman, Montana. The next year he was editor of the 
 Salmon River Idaho Mining News and Chief of the Vigil- 
 anties; in August 1868 he returned to Wisconsin, and in 
 November 1868 settled at Plattsmouth, Neb., engaging ia 
 the grain business, and sending out the first carload of 
 grain ever shipped from south of the Platte River in Ne- 
 braska. In October 1870 Captain Palmer engaged in the 
 fire insurance business for eighteen years. From February 
 1, 1872 until May 1889 he was Adjuster and State Agent 
 for Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming 
 and Montana for the Home Insurance Company of New 
 York. In 1883 he was elected Grand High Priest of Masons 
 for Nebraska and in 1884 and 1885 served as Department 
 Commander of the G. A. R. of Nebraska. He has also been 
 Commander of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of 
 Nebraska. He moved from Plattsmouth to Omaha May 
 1889 and opened up what is now the largest local agency 
 for fire and casualty insurance in Nebraska, his son, George 
 R. Palmer, and Mr. J. D. Foster as partners. He was Fire 
 and Police Commissioner of Omaha in 1896 until April 189T, 
 and is now, 1898, a Park Commissioner, has always been 
 an active Republican, never up for an office but always 
 helping his friends. Was married June 1870. His family 
 consists of his wife, Laura Z, his son, George H. and daugh- 
 ter Clara A. 
 
 Since 1881 Captain Palmer has been largely interested 
 in Wyoming, for ten years as a large stockholder in the 
 Grinnell Live Stock Company, Sheridan county. In' 1882 
 he helped to organize the Sheridan Land Company and laid 
 out several additions to Sheridan City and today is largely 
 interested financially in that city and portion of Wyoming. 
 
 Captain Nicholas J. O'Brien, who had already won dis- 
 tinction as an Indian fighter, as has been mentioned in this 
 volume, was General Connor's Chief of Artillery on the 
 Powder River Expedition. He did good service on this 
 occasion and his prompt action at the battle of Tongue River 
 was commended by General Connor. He succeeded in push- 
 ing forward two Parrot gnns and trained them on the In- 
 dian village and hurled destruction into the ranks of the 
 
538 History of Wyoming. 
 
 savages. This fight occurred near the mouth of Wolf Creek 
 where it empties into Tongue River not far from the place 
 where the Burlington and Missouri Railway crosses that 
 stream. Captain O'Brien's prominence in Wyoming affairs 
 during the last thirty years will bring him before the read- 
 ers of this history many times, therefore I reserve for a 
 future occasion a biographical sketch of this brave soldier 
 and eminent citizen. 
 
 Lieutenant Eugene F. Ware, who was with Connor on 
 the Powder River Expedition, belonged to the Seventh Iowa 
 Cavalry. After the Powder River campaign he was pro- 
 moted to Captain of Company P, of that regiment. During 
 the Civil war he enlisted in the First Iowa Infantry and 
 after completing his term of service with' that regiment, 
 re-enlisted in the Fourth Iowa Cavalry and from that or- 
 ganization was in September 1863 commissioned as a lieu- 
 tenant in the Seventh Iowa Cavalry. After coming to the 
 frontier he was detailed for staff duty by General R. B. 
 Mitchell. Later he was requested by General Connor to 
 serve on his staff and very much desired to do so but General 
 Mitchell objected to his leaving and he therefore was obliged 
 to deny himself the honor of becoming a member of the 
 military family of General Connor. He served in the Sev- 
 enth Iowa Cavalry until the summer of 1866 when he was 
 mustered out. Some time afterward he took up his resi- 
 dence in the state of Kansas and became prominent in pol- 
 itics, serving in the state senate and holding other impor- 
 tant positions. In 1872 he became the editor of the Fort 
 Scott Monitor. In 1874, he commenced the publication of 
 numerous poems under the nom de plume of "Ironquill" 
 and soon won a reputation which placed him in the front 
 rank of poets of the west. His "Washer Woman's Song," 
 published along about 1878 was copied extensively over the 
 entire country and received favorable comment every- 
 where. Captain Ware has in the last few years issued a 
 couple of volumes of poems which take high rank. In early 
 life he commenced the study of law and soon became a lead- 
 ing member of the Kansas bar and is at the present time 
 actively engaged in the practice at the capital of his state. 
 He was born in Hartford, Conn., May 29th, 1847. He saw 
 hard service in Wyoming but he carried away with him 
 an admiration for our mountain peaks and beautiful val- 
 leys. The country over which he campaigned has undergone 
 wonderful transformation. Beautiful cities have been 
 
Report of the Powder River Expedition. 539 
 
 built along the line of march of the Powder River Expedi- 
 tion and a railroad now passes near the battlefield of Tongue 
 River. 
 
 Lieutenant A. V. Richards, who was with General Con- 
 nor on the Powder River campaign, was a brother of W. A. 
 Richards, the present Governor of Wyoming. He had 
 served with the Army of the Potomac all through the Civil 
 War, having enlisted at the breaking out of the Rebellion 
 in the Seventh Wisconsin Infantry In 1862 he was detailed 
 to serve in the signal corps and in 1864 was promoted to a 
 Lieutenancy. He was in active sers-ice in the field until the 
 surrender of Lee at Appomatox, after which he was ordered 
 to report to General Connor for service in the campaign 
 against the Indians that season. He was a gallant soldier, 
 a brave and tried ofScer and one who passed through many 
 trying scenes in his long and arduous service in the south 
 ajid in the west. His brother officers with whom he served 
 in Wyoming speak of him in the highest terms not only of 
 his bravery but of his lofty patriotism and stern sense of 
 duty while serving his country. He was born in Illinois 
 May 31, 1841 and died at Preeport in the same state March 
 10, 1891. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Walker, who commanded the 
 middle column of the army that invaded Powder River, was 
 an able, fearless and untiring officer. He had seen service 
 in the free state war of Kansas, having enlisted in 1855 in 
 the Free State Volunteers and was made Captain of a com- 
 pany and was afterwards promoted to Colonel of the Fourth 
 Cavalry serving under Major General Robinson and Brig- 
 adier General Lane. He enlisted in the First Regiment of 
 the Kansas Volunteers. He served with that regiment until 
 it was mustered out and then joined the Sixteenth Kansas 
 Cavalry of which he was made Lieutenant Colonel. His 
 march to the Black Hills was an achievement of no ordin- 
 ary kind and his services on that occasion won for him the 
 promotion to Brevet Brigadier General. He was born Octo- 
 ber 19, 1822, in Franklin county, Pennsylvania and was the 
 grandson of Samuel Walker, who served in the Revolu- 
 tionary war. 
 
 Colonel Nelson Cole who was in command of the right 
 column of the Powder River Expedition won renown as an 
 Indian fighter. He met the hostiles on many occasions and 
 punished them severely but while on this expedition he 
 failed to form a junction with General Connor and in con- 
 
S40 History of Wyoming. 
 
 sequence his troops suffered severely for the want of sup- 
 plies. Colonel Cole won distinction in the Civil war and 
 bore the general reputation of a brave and skilful com- 
 mander. After being mustered out of service he made his 
 home at St. Louis and in 1898 I find him again entering the 
 service of his country in the war between the United States 
 and Spain. He was appointed by President McKinley in 
 May this year Brigadier General of Volunteers and was 
 assigned to service in the West Indies. 
 
 Another hero of the Powder River Expedition, though 
 of quite another sort was the Rev. Thomas Johnson Ferril, 
 Chaplain of the Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry. This brave 
 chaplain located at Lawrence, Kansas in 1854 and being 
 opposed to slavery, took an active part in making Kansas 
 a free state. He was a Methodist, an earnest and eloquent 
 preacher, and by his fearless and outspoken words incurred 
 the displeasure of the pro-slavery party. Through what 
 seemed a miracle he escaped again and again. He preached 
 the first Methodist sermon in Lawrence Kansas and during 
 the Civil War was a resident of that town. When Quantrill, 
 the guerilla, made his raid on Lawrence, August 21, 1863, 
 and brutally murdered 143 of the leading citizens of the 
 town and desperately wounded thirty more, Chaplain Fer- 
 ril was on the list to be killed but it was his fate or luck 
 to escape as usual. The Ferril family was among the 
 early pioneers to cross the Rocky Mountains and they were 
 also Indian fighters in Ohio, Kentucky and Kansas. John 
 I). Ferril, a brother of Chaplain Ferril was in Wyoming in 
 the summer of 1850, being with a party who were on their 
 way to California. The cholera was bad that season and 
 there was much suffering and many deaths among the emi- 
 grants. The brave chaplain is still living and I am told he 
 is fond of recounting the days he spent in the Powder River 
 country. He was born at Independence, Missouri, Decem- 
 ber 24, 1831. William 0. Ferril, Curator of the State His- 
 torical and Natural History Society of Colorado, is a son of 
 this patriotic pioneer preacher. 
 
Thrilling Events on the Baseman Road. 54 1 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
 
 THRILLING EVENTS ON THE BOZEMAN ROAD. '"■■: 
 
 Mountain District Organized-^Colonel H. B. Carrington Assumes 
 Command — E.kpedition Moves From Fort Kearney — The Peace 
 Conference at Fort Laramie — Red Cloud's Position and Brave 
 Words — The March to Fort Reno — The Building of the New 
 Fort — Selecting the Site for P'ort Phil. Kearney — Erection 
 OF THE Post Commenced — Conference with the Hostiles — First 
 Encounter with the Savages — Attack on Train at Clear 
 Creek — Lieutenant Daniels Killed — Fort C. F. Smith Located 
 — General Hazen Inspects the Posts — Fort Phil. Kearney Prac- 
 tically Completed October 31ST. 
 
 The War Department had plenty of opportunity during 
 the winter and early spring of 1866 to discover that a great 
 mistake had been made in not permitting General Connor 
 to make a winter campaign in the Powder River country. 
 Hunters, trappers and other white men who were more or 
 less among the Indians, reported that the hostiles would 
 under no circumstances make peace. Red Cloud who had 
 made himself very popular in the war against the whites 
 on the two lines of road across Wyoming, was very active 
 during the winter sending out runners among the various 
 tribes urging them not to attend the peace conference at 
 Port Laramie, fixed for the month of May. Many of the 
 Indians were heartily in favor of peace for they realized 
 that the Government would in the end defeat them at every 
 point. But Red Cloud's agitators worked upon this class 
 until they agreed to continue the war unless the Govern- 
 ment at the coming conference should promise to withdraw 
 the troops north of the Platte River and keep white men off 
 their hunting grounds. This was the last thing, Red Cloud 
 felt sure, the Government would agree to do. Spotted Tail 
 openly advocated peace and thereby lost his prestige aniong 
 
542 History of Wyoming. 
 
 the great leaders of the Sioux tribes. The War Department 
 now aimed to muster out all the volunteer regiments and 
 employ none but regulars, together with a small force of 
 Indians to be used as scouts. General Pope felt much an- 
 noyed over the outlook. The opinion prevailed among op- 
 timistic people generally that the peace commission was 
 going to settle everything and that there would be no more 
 trouble on the mail line, the telegraph line or the Bozeman 
 road, but General Pope as well as General Dodge knew 
 better. They had carefully estimated Eed Cloud's ability 
 to make trouble and had come to the conclusion that the 
 Indians who made their homes in the Powder River country 
 were going to fight, and they had reached another import- 
 ant conclusion, which was, that these hostiles had the pow- 
 er and ability to defend their country. 
 
 General Pope on March 10, 1866, organized the Moun- 
 tain District and directed the building of two new forts on 
 the Bozeman road beyond Fort Connor. The name of the 
 latter fort was changed to Fort Reno. Colonel H. B. Car- 
 rington of the Eighteenth Infantry was made commander 
 of the new district with orders to take post at Fort Reno. 
 The expedition was organized at Fort Kearney during the 
 winter of 1865-6 and everything was made ready to move 
 as early in the spring as circumstances would permit. The 
 following officers composed the command: District Com- 
 mander, Colonel H. B. Carrington, Eighteenth U. S. Infan- 
 try; Assistant Adjutant General, Brevet Captain Fred- 
 erick H. Phisterer, Adjutant Eighteenth U. S. Infantry; 
 Chief Quartermaster, Lieutenant Frederick H. Brown, 
 Quartermaster Eighteenth Infantry; Chief Surgeon, Brevet 
 Major S. M. Horton, Assistant Surgeon U. S. A.; Acting 
 Assistant Surgeons, Dr. H. M. Matthews, Dr. B. N. 
 McCleary, and Dr. H. Baalan; Mounted Infantry, Captain 
 T. Ten Eyck, Eighteenth Infantry; Battalion Adjutant, 
 Brevet Captain Wm. H. Bisbee, Second Battalion. The 
 additional officers were Captain and Brevet Lieutenant 
 Colonel N. C. Kinney, Captain J. L. Proctor, Captain T. B. 
 
Thrilling Events on the Bozeman Road. 543 
 
 Burrows, Lieutenant J. J. Adair, Lieutenant Thaddeus P. 
 Kirtland, Lieutenant Isaac D'Isay. As chief guide, Major 
 James Bridger had been selected, assisted by H. Williams, 
 and thus organized the command was ready to move. 
 
 On May 19th the expedition left Fort Kearney and pur- 
 sued its way up the Platte, following the North Platte route 
 to Fort Laramie. There were nearly 2,000 troops in the com- 
 mand, but 1,300 of these were intended to relieve volunteer 
 troops who were guarding the telegraph and mail line in 
 Wyoming. Those intended for the Powder Eiver and Big 
 Horn country only numbered 700 and these being infantry 
 were not at all adapted to the service upon which they were 
 being sent, although the order had been given to mount 
 these troops on their arrival at Fort Laramie but this would 
 not make of them trained cavalrymen. The expedition 
 reached Fort Laramie on June 13th while the peace confer- 
 ence was going on. It is true there was a considerable 
 gathering of hostiles but few of them were from the Powder 
 Eiver country. Bed Cloud and Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses 
 were both there, but they were not taking any part in the 
 peace talks, yet doing a great amount of hard work among 
 the tribes on the outside. Nothing was allowed to escape 
 the attention of these chieftains. The conference had been 
 formally opened and speeches had been made by white men 
 and Indians covering a period of more than three weeks, 
 and yet nothing had been accomplished. What the govern- 
 ment wanted and hoped to secure by treaty was the right to 
 use the Bozeman road and establish thereon two military 
 posts beyond Powder River. The country in question was 
 occupied by the Ogallala and Minneconjoux bands of Sioux 
 Indians, the Northern Cheyenne and Arapahoe tribes and 
 the Moimtain Crows. 
 
 The region through which the road passed was most 
 attractive and valuable to Indians. It abounded with game, 
 flocks of mountain sheep, droves of elk and deer, and herds 
 of buffalo ranged through and lived in the country, and the 
 Indians with propriety called it their last and best hunting 
 
544 History of Wyoming. 
 
 grounds. All these Indians were reluctant to allow the 
 proposed road to pass through this territory, but would con- 
 sent to this for a liberal consideration, but they were re- 
 quired to stipulate further that the government should 
 have the right to establish one or more military posts on 
 this road in their country. All the Indians refused thus to 
 stipulate, and through the chiefs, headmen and warriors 
 protested against the establishment of any military posts 
 on their hunting grounds along that road north of Fort 
 Reno. 
 
 While negotiations were going on with Red Cloud and 
 other leading chiefs to induce them to yield to the govern- 
 ment the right to peaceably establish these military posts, 
 which right they persistently refused to yield, saying that 
 it was asking too much of their people — asking all they had, 
 for it would drive away all the game — Colonel Carrigton 
 with about seven hundred oflicers and men arrived at Lara- 
 mie, enroute to their country to establish and occupy mili- 
 tary posts along the Boseman road, pursuant to General 
 Oi-ders No. 33. The destination and purpose of Colonel 
 Carrington and his command were communicated to the 
 chiefs. They seemed to construe this as a determination on 
 the part of the government to occupy their country, even 
 without their consent or that of their people. Red Cloud, 
 who had all through the conference held aloof, now spoke 
 out in ringing tones in favor of war. He claimed that the 
 peace commissioners were treating the assembled chiefs as 
 children, that they were pretending to negotiate for a coun- 
 try which they had already taken by conquest. He accused 
 the government of bad faith in all its transactions with 
 Indian tribes. In his harrangues to the Indians he told 
 them that the white men had crowded them back year by 
 year and forced them to live in a small country north of the 
 Platte, and now this last hunting ground, the home of their 
 people, was to be taken from them. This meant that they 
 and their women and children were to starve, and for his 
 part he preferred to die fighting rather than by starvation. 
 
RESIDENCE OFdIM BAKER, DIXON, WYO. 
 
 OLD FORT RENO. 
 
Thrilling Events on the Bozeman Road. 545 
 
 He promised that if the combined tribes would defend their 
 homes they would be able to drive the soldiers out of the' 
 country. He said it might be a long war, but as they were 
 defending their last hunting grounds they must in the end 
 be successful. This land which had cost them so many 
 braves and so many years of bloody war with the Crows 
 must not be given up to the greedy white man. The elo- 
 quence of this chief put an end to the peace conference, as 
 far as the Indians who lived in the country through which 
 passed the Bozeman road were concerned. As soon as prac- 
 ticable, they withdrew from the conference with their ad- 
 herents, refusing to accept any presents from the commis- 
 sion, and returned to their country, and with a strong force 
 of warriors commenced a vigorous and relentless war 
 against all whites who came into it, both citizens and sol- 
 diers. 
 
 Quite a large number of Indians, who did not occupy 
 the country along this road, were anxious to make a treaty 
 and remain at peace. Some of this class had for a long time 
 resided near Fort Laramie. Others (Brules) occupied the 
 White Earth River valley and the sand hills south of that 
 river. The commissioners created and appointed several 
 of the leading warriors chiefs among their people to be 
 recognized by the government, viz.. Big Mouth, Spotted 
 Tail, Swift Bear, and Two Strikes. A part of these Indians 
 resided near Fort Laramie, and a portion of them on the 
 Republican Fork of the Kansas River, and these strictly 
 complied with their treaty stipulations. 
 
 The number of Sioux Indians who considered them- 
 selves bound by the treaty and remained at peace was about 
 two thousand, while the Minneconjoux and a portion of 
 the Ogalalla and Brule bands, the Northern Cheyennes and 
 Arapahoes, with a few Sans Arcs, numbering in the aggre- 
 gate about six hundred lodges, remained in their old coun- 
 try and went to war under the auspices of Red Cloud, Man- 
 Afraid-of-His-Horses and other chiefs. 
 
 While at Fort Laramie, Colonel Carrington received 
 
 -(35) 
 
546 History of Wyoming. 
 
 further orders which were slight modifications and addi- 
 tions to those of March 10. These were dated June 23d 
 and directed that the Second Battalion, Eighteenth Infan- 
 try, should take post as follows: Two companies at Fort 
 Reno, on Powder Eiver, two companies about eighty mile* 
 nearly north of Reno, on the headwaters of Powder or 
 Tongue River, which post should be known as Fort Philip 
 Kearney, named in honor of Major General Philip Kearney, 
 a distinguished officer of the Federal army, who was killed 
 at Chantilly, Va., September 1st, 1862. The two other com- 
 panies were to build a post at the crossing of the Big Horn 
 River on the same road and about.seventy miles beyond Fort 
 Philip Kearney, to be known as Fort C. F. Smith, and di- 
 rected that the colonel of the regiment should take post at 
 Fort Philip Kearney and command the "Mountain District." 
 
 Colonel Carrington was a good soldier, but he had 
 learned the arts of war in a field quite different from the 
 one he was now entering. His force had been organized not 
 to fight Indians, but to garrison certain posts in the Indian 
 country; yet how General Pope, with his great knowledge 
 of the Indian character, could permit 700 men to go into 
 that wilderness which was inhabited by bloodthirsty sav- 
 ages, and there to be divided up into three detachments 
 and garrison as many different posts, is past understanding. 
 True, these troops were in part well armed with Spencer 
 carbines. When they left Fort Kearney that post was short 
 of ammunition, but it was expected that the deficiency could 
 readily be made up at Fort Laramie, but it turned out the 
 supply was short there also, and consequently Carrington's 
 small army started north indifferently supplied with powder 
 and lead. This proved to be a very serious matter. Colonel 
 Carrington was informed that additional supplies such as 
 he might make requisition for would be furnished him 
 later and that the ammunition could be sent with these, but 
 it turned out that it was many months before this important 
 material was supplied. The ammunition taken along was 
 
Thrilling Events on the Boseman Road. 547- 
 
 sufficient for present needs, but the time came when there 
 was a great scarcity of this important material. 
 
 The worse than failure of the Fort Laramie peace com- 
 mission was at once apparent. No good had come of it, 
 but on the contrary Red Cloud and other chiefs had made 
 use of this conference to organize their forces to defy the 
 government. It was just what they needed to prove to 
 their followers that it was the intention of the white men 
 to take the Indian lands regardless of the owners; in fact, 
 the proof of this was, the forces under Carrington were to 
 build two new posts north of Fort Reno. The government 
 had decidedly the worst of the peace conference, for it re- 
 vealed to the Indian double dealing and cupidity and conse- 
 quently brought death and destruction to many emigrants 
 that year. Red Cloud had a golden opportunity, and he 
 made the most of it, laying firmly the foundation of his fu- 
 ture power among the northern tribes. He made use of the 
 wrongs suffered by the Indians in the past at the hands of 
 white men, the present attitude of the government, which 
 had been caught in the very act of appropriating the choic- 
 est and last hunting grounds of the red men. These were 
 the themes by which he roused the Indians to resistance and 
 attack. The tribes of the north were moved to action by 
 his impassioned eloquence. His recruiting campaign was 
 so successful as to place under his absolute command a 
 powerful army. 
 
 These were golden days for ambitious chieftains, who 
 sought opportunity to distinguish themselves, first as diplo- 
 mats and orators, and later as great military leaders. In- 
 dian eloquence has been handed down among these tribes 
 for hundreds of years. It was the same old story of the 
 "wrongs of the red men," varied to suit the occasion. They 
 were simply old songs sung to new tunes and they were ef- 
 fective in preparing the Indians for resistance and arousing 
 them to action. When Red Cloud charged upon the gov- 
 ernment the intention to rob them of their land by sending 
 white men to occupy the country, his followers knew that 
 
548 History of Wyoming. 
 
 he spoke the truth. When he described in words of burning 
 eloquence the beauty of that country which abounded with 
 buffalo, elk and deer that the white men would destroy or 
 drive away and leave the Indians to perish by starvation, 
 he again spoke the truth and his people realized it. Is it any 
 wonder that these wild men of the mountains and plains 
 should as one man rise in their might and resolve to drive 
 back the invaders? It was as the Indians claimed; the gov- 
 
 ■ ernment was treating them as children, attempting to rob 
 them and to induce them to submit to this by giving them a 
 
 ' few gaudy trinkets. As I have often remarked on this sub- 
 ject, the policy of the government was to exterminate the 
 Indian, but those in authority were pleased to satisfy their 
 own conscience by calling it something else. General Con- 
 nor understood the intentions of the government and he 
 had made war in a manner which had for its object the sub- 
 duing of the wild tribes — the direct purpose of the govern- 
 ment — and if extermination followed it was the fault of the 
 Indian policy and not his. He made war and the savages 
 heJd him in high regard because of his bravery, while they 
 despised the government and its peace commissioners. 
 These untutored savages were expert diplomats, understood 
 the science of deception, could lie and steal when occasion 
 required and would murder when oportunity offered. It is 
 no wonder that they were indignant when those connected 
 with the government entered into their chosen field and at- 
 tempted to beat them at their own games. 
 
 Previous to the departure of Carrington and his com- 
 mand from Fort Laramie, as may be gathered from what 
 has been said, there was great excitement not only among 
 the Indians at the post, but among the soldiers. Fair warn- 
 ing was given by both Red Cloud and Man-Afraid-of-His- 
 Horses that the troops could not go beyond Fort Reno, and 
 that if an attempt was made to build new posts beyond 
 that point there would be bitter, cruel and relentless war. 
 To this Buffalo Tongue and others assented. It was openly 
 told around the post that the Indians proposed to run off 
 
Thrilling Events on the Bomeman Boad. 549 
 
 all the stock belonging to Colonel Carrington's train before 
 he had been on the road two moons, but in spite of all this 
 the commander of the expedition had his orders to go up the 
 Bozeman road, occupy Fort Reno and build two posts be- 
 yond, and this in face of the declaration of war on the part 
 of the Indians. 
 
 Colonel Carrington's command had been camped at 
 the ranch of Jules E'coffee, four miles east of Fort Lara- 
 mie, and had remained there until June 17th, when they 
 moved up the Platte on their way to Fort Reno, and the first 
 night out camped at what was known as the Nine Mile ranch. 
 The next day they made a march of sixteen miles to Little 
 Bitter Cottonwood, where they bivouacked for the night, 
 and the following day pushed on to Platte Canon, a distance 
 of eighteen miles, where the command again went into 
 camp. Jim Bridger thought it his duty while here to cau- 
 tion the officers and men in regard to straying any great 
 distance, as Indians, he believed, were in the vicinity. The 
 oflSeers looked incredulous and remarked that not an Indian 
 had been seen for more than twenty-four hours. Bridger 
 quickly rejoined that when you didn't see any of them, it 
 was just the time to look out, for the chances were they were 
 planning to swoop down and steal some stock or cut off some 
 one who had strayed beyond the limits of protection. Af- 
 terward these same officers had abundant opportunity to 
 find out that Bridger's advice was very timely. On the 20th 
 the Platte was crossed at Bridger's Ferry. The large ferry 
 boat then at that place was used to transfer the men and 
 supplies, while the stock forded the river. On the 23d, 
 camp was made at the mouth of Sage Creek, on the North 
 Platte, up which stream they pursued their way the follow- 
 ing day. The night of the 25th, the South Fork of the Chey- 
 enne was reached, and on the 27th the command camped on 
 the Dry Powder, and the day following they passed down 
 this stream sixteen miles, crossed the divide and an'ived at 
 Fort Reno, on the main fork of the Powder River. The offi- 
 cers and men did not take kindly to this spot in the wilder- 
 
550 History of Wyoming. 
 
 ness. They had not been attacked by Indians, but signs of 
 their presence were on every hand. The command had suf- 
 fered for want of good water on the route ; the weather was 
 intensely hot, and taken altogether there was a plentiful 
 lack of comforts all along the road. The post itself was a 
 rather rude affair, being what is known as an open post. 
 The warehouse and stables had a rough stockade surround- 
 ing them, but the quarters for both ofBicers and men were 
 without protection. There was an abundance of water in 
 the river, but it M'as muddy and strongly impregnated with 
 alkali. This water, bad as it was, had to be hauled some 
 •distance in wagons for the use of the command, but a few 
 days later a good spring was discovered, which was a great 
 blessing. As this was to be a permanent post, Colonel Car- 
 rington at once commenced the erection of better buildings 
 in a new locality, which were surrounded by a stockade, 
 within which were block houses with bastions on diagonal 
 corners, loopholed to sweep all sides of the structure. At 
 the time of the arrival of Oarrington's forces two companies 
 of the Fifth United States Volunteers were the garrison, 
 and these troops had been waiting anxiously to be relieved 
 so that they might return east and be mustered out, and it 
 can be said that they left Fort Reno without a single regret. 
 In addition to the above troops, there had been at the fort 
 during the spring and early summer a company of Winne- 
 bago Indians, but they had left some two or three weeks be- 
 fore. When the new troops arrived at Powder River they 
 found two or three emigrant trains waiting there for an 
 escort, which they had finally made up their minds was not 
 needed. The day after the arrival of Colonel Carrington's 
 forces this commander had an opportunity to learn some- 
 thing about Indians, as the hostiles approached and ran o£E 
 all the horses and mules belonging to the sutler. Major 
 Hammond and Lieutenant Dare, with eighty men, were 
 sent out in pursuit and to bring back the stock, but a seven- 
 ty mile ride convinced them that it was useless to pursue 
 these marauders, and the next day they returned to the fort ' 
 
TliriUing Events on the Bozeman Road. 551 
 
 without having accomplished anything except the capture 
 of an overladen pony belonging to the Indians and having in 
 its pack a large number of presents from the peace commis- 
 sioners at Fort Laramie. The Indians had made a good 
 trade, as the horses and mules they had secured were valu- 
 able animals. While the work of putting up the new post 
 buildings was going on the Fourth of July came and went, 
 but the garrison was too busy to celebrate the day, prefer- 
 ring rather to do all in their power to prepare defenses for 
 the little command that was to be left on Powder River, and 
 by July 9th the work had progressed so far as to make it 
 safe to make the proposed advance movement to the north 
 for the purpose of building Fort Phil. Kearney, located on 
 Piney Creek. Captain Ten Eyck was placed in command, 
 with two companies of the regiment. Captain Proctor and 
 Lieutenant Kirtland, with one company, were left in charge 
 of surplus stores, until such time as the wagons could be 
 sent back for them. Colonel Carrington with four compa- 
 nies now pushed forward toward the Big Horn. 
 
 A few emigrant trains had gone north over the Boze- 
 man road that season, and among others Captain H. E. Pal- 
 mer with supplies to be used in trade with Indians. The ex- 
 periences of this trader have already been given in connec- 
 tion with the report of the Powder Kiver expedition of Gen- 
 eral Connor. Colonel Carrington had practical ideas in re- 
 gard to the movements of emigrants. He believed that 
 these trains should proceed cautiously and should corral 
 on the approach of war parties. He argued that to show 
 a determination to protect themselves would have the de- 
 sired effect on the prowling bands of savages, and in most 
 cases such trains would escape disaster. There was nothing 
 new about this, as Jim Bridger had been advocating this 
 method of passing through an Indian country for more than 
 forty years, and there is little doubt that this old guide was 
 responsible for Colonel Carrington's timely advice to emi- 
 grants. It was the only safe policy for those people to pur- 
 sue, and those who took the hint acted wisely, for none of 
 
552 History of Wyoming. 
 
 these suffered that season. Indians for all time have been 
 in the habit of swooping down on the unwary, running off 
 their cattle and cutting off stragglers. 
 
 Colonel Carrington, with the troops designed for the 
 two new posts north, left Fort Reno on July 9, and made a 
 distance of twenty-six miles the first day out, camping on 
 Crazy Woman's Fork. Their next camp was on Clear Creek,. 
 and on the 13th they reached the Big Piney at the old cross- 
 ing, and the next day the expedition was left in camp at this 
 place, while Colonel Carrington, with some of his officers, 
 accompanied by a mounted escort, made a reconnoissance 
 in the Tongue River Valley. While the Colonel was away 
 on this important service, a circumstance occurred which 
 proved beyond a doubt the attitude of the Indians in the 
 country north of Fort Reno. Stories had been told at Fort 
 Laramie of the fabulous wealth of the Big Horn country. 
 In short, it was generally believed that gold abounded ev- 
 erywhere and these stories had their effect on the soldiers in 
 the command. A few hours after the departure of the re- 
 connoitering party, it was discovered that some of the men 
 who had been left in camp had deserted, going in search of 
 the rich mines before alluded to. The officer of the day. Bre- 
 vet Captain Adair, started out a detachment in pursuit of 
 the deserters, but the detail returned before noon with the 
 report that they had been stopped by a band of Indians and 
 ordered to return to camp. These Indians had sent word tO' 
 the commander of the expedition to take his soldiers out of 
 the country. This was Red Cloud's band, and the Indians 
 were very particular to have the white chief understand 
 their message. They had pressed into their service a young 
 white man who was in the employ of an Indian trader in the 
 country, named Louis Gazzous, and instructed him to say 
 that the soldiers must at once retire to Fort Reno, and that 
 no other posts were to be built north of it. They placed the 
 responsibility upon Colonel Carrington to say whether 
 there should be peace or war. If the soldiers should go back 
 and occupy Fort Reno, the Indians were willing to pledge 
 
Thrilling Events on the Bozeman Road. 553 
 
 themselves to peace, but should they persist in remaining 
 where they were, or in building forts, hostilities would begin 
 at once. The white messenger, who was a mere boy, was de- 
 tained in the guard house until the return of Colonel Car- 
 rington at six o'clock that evening. Carrington s£nt the 
 young man back to the Indians in company with Jack 
 Stead, a squaw man, to invite the chiefs and some of their 
 braves to come to his camp in two days for a conference. 
 Stead returned on the night of the following day and re- 
 ported that the Indians, having become alarmed at the pro- 
 longed absence of their white messenger, had decided that 
 it was not prudent for them to remain in the vicinity, and 
 accordingly they moved across to Tongue River and he had 
 been obliged to follow them a distance of thirty miles. He 
 said that the chiefs had accepted the invitation to the con- 
 ference and would be on hand at the proper time. 
 
 On the 15th, the site of Fort Philip Kearney was se- 
 lected and everything was hurried along so as to have the 
 camp present an impressive appearance on the arrival of 
 the savage visitors on the 17th. The parade ground was 
 staked off, the wagon train and artillery properly parked, 
 the tents for the officers and men properly set up, guards 
 mounted, and in short everything was done that would add 
 to the strength of the position and the military appearance 
 of the camp. On the 16th, a detail of wood-choppers was 
 sent out to cut timber for the necessary buildings of the 
 garrison. A saw mill which had been brought along was 
 set up to cut the lumber needed. Colonel Carrington proved 
 himself a thoughtful, able commander and every soldier 
 dropped into his place and did his duty not only willingly 
 but enthusiastically. The Indians were prompt and in fact 
 a little ahead of time, as forty of them arrived on the after- 
 noon of the 16th, and among these were Dull Knife, Red 
 Arm, Black Horse, Little Moon and some half dozen others. 
 There were no great chiefs among them, but they represent- 
 ied Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses, Red Cloud and others; but 
 these particular Indians belonged to the Cheyennes, and 
 
554 History of Wyoming. 
 
 they came in state and dignity. Colonel Oarrington had 
 erected a hospital tent in which to receive his guests and 
 designated it as the place where the council would be held. 
 The officers of the garrison put on their dress uniforms and 
 tried to impress the savages as much as possible with their 
 dignity and importance, but the chiefs were not to be out- 
 done in the matter of finery or dignified bearing. They as- 
 sembled in the tent and brought out the pipe, lighted it and 
 it was passed around. Jim Bridger, who was there, took a 
 seat in a corner and said nothing, but kept a close watch 
 of the proceedings. Jack Stead, who was the interpreter, 
 occupied a position well to the front and observed the cus- 
 tomary importance of his position. After many hand-shak- 
 ings and exclamations, peculiar to Indians on state occa- 
 sions, this interpreter announced that Black Horse desired 
 to speak, and consequently all eyes were turned toward the 
 Cheyenne chieftain. This warrior arose and dropping the 
 buffalo robe which had encircled his shoulders, stepped for- 
 ward toward the center table and with protid bearing folded 
 his arms across his breast and commenced his address. The 
 speech he made has not been preserved, but it is said that 
 it was a remarkable appeal to the white man to leave their 
 country and spare their people. He pleaded long and elo- 
 quently, telling the whites that they were forcing his people, 
 by this invasion of their hunting grounds, to oppose them 
 with all the strength they possessed. Other chiefs followed 
 him in the same strain, but all assured Colonel Oarrington 
 of their desire to be friendly to the whites, and would con- 
 tinue to be if they were not driven by the Sioux to make 
 common cause in driving the white men back to Powder 
 River. They wanted provisions, and said if these were fur- 
 nished them they would make a strong, peace and allow a 
 hundred of their young warriors to join the white soldiers 
 in the campaign against the Sioux. They received the pro- 
 visions asked for, also twenty pounds of tobacco. They ap- 
 peared uneasy and desired to get away, evidently expecting 
 that the Sioux were on their way to attack Colonel Carring- 
 
Thrilling Events on the Bozeman Road. 555 
 
 ton's camp. Giving as an excuse that they were fearful 
 the Sioux would attack their own camp, which had been left 
 in charge of some old men, they departed. Carrington and 
 his officers seemed to be of the opinion that this conference 
 was productive of good, as these chiefs were not known to 
 have committed any depredations against the whites while 
 his command remained in that country. The next day, July 
 17, Indians crawled close to the fort and ran off a lot of 
 stock. Brevet Major Hammond and an orderly started in 
 pursuit, leaving word for mounted men to follow, but this 
 order did not reach the fort until two hours after, when 
 fifty mounted men and two companies of mounted infantry 
 marched rapidly over Lodge Trail Ridge and came upon the 
 scene of a massacre. A party of six white men, composed of 
 Louis Gazzous, Henry Arrison and four others were found 
 killed. The Indians had driven off the cattle belonging to 
 the train and partially plundered the wagons. Gazzous had 
 long been an Indian trader, and from the fact that he had 
 a Sioux woman for a wife he felt confident that there was 
 no danger to be apprehended. Gazzous, better known in 
 Wyoming as "French Pete," had been warned by Black 
 Horse that there was danger to himself and friends, but he 
 neglected the warning and the worst came. The soldiers 
 from the fort attacked the Indians, but finding them in 
 great force, retreated to the post. Two soldiers were killed 
 and three wounded. On the 24th, a train which had started 
 several days before for Fort Reno was heard from. Captain 
 Burrows, who had charge of the train, reported from Clear 
 Creek that the Sioux were very numerous and hostile and 
 that an additional force was needed at once. The same mes- 
 senger brought a letter from Thomas Dillon stating that 
 Hugh Kirkendall's freight train was corralled and sur- 
 rounded, but Kirkendall and his men were making a gallant 
 fight and keeping off the savages, and yet they would be 
 unable to move on without the aid of troops. A company 
 of infantry with a mountain howitzer was dispatched to 
 Captain Burrows, and this force arrived none too soon, as 
 
556 History of Wyoming. 
 
 they fond the train surrounded by 700 Sioux, who fled on the 
 approach of reinforcements. It was found that Captain 
 Burrows had one man Idlled. On reaching Crazy Woman's 
 Fork it was learned that five offlcers who were on their way 
 to Fort Phil. Kearney had been attacked at that point by 
 fifty Indians. The escort numbered only ten men, and the 
 trains containing Lieutenant Wands' wife and children 
 had been unexpectedly attacked and Lieutenant Daniels 
 killed. A rescue party under Lieutenant Kirtland reached 
 the place from Fort Reno and had given timely assistance. 
 Chaplain White was with the officers and it was said that 
 he had handled a rifle in a very practical way and assisted 
 materially in keeping off the Indians. The officers' train 
 had returned to Fort Reno, taking the remains of Lieutenant 
 Daniels, at which post his burial took place. It was discov- 
 ered that the Sioux were in force at all points along the 
 road between Fort Reno and Fort Phil. Kearney, and nearly 
 every day trains were attacked. 
 
 During the balance of the month, things were made 
 pretty lively at Fort Reno as well as at Fort Phil. Kearney. 
 The plan of the Indians was to constantly harass the forts 
 by running off stock and cutting off soldiers or citizens who 
 ventured any distance beyond the stockades. All govern- 
 ment or emigrant trains were threatened and attacked if the 
 surrounding conditions promised favorable results. From 
 the 15th of July till the 29th, there were no less than eight 
 attacks on trains between Reno and Fort Phil. Kearney. On 
 the 29th, a train was attacked on the East Fork of the Chey- 
 enne and eight men were killed and two dangerously 
 wounded. One of the latter died. The separate killings 
 during the fourteen days mentioned amounted to not less 
 than twenty more. Hay and wood parties from each of the 
 forts were being constantly attacked and soldiers and citi- 
 zens suffered death at the hands of the savages with great 
 regularity. During the first few days of August, Lieutenant 
 Colonel N. C. Kinney, with two companies, was sent to the 
 Big Horn River to establish Fort C. F. Smith. On the 7th 
 
Thrilling Events on the Bozeman Road. 557 
 
 "Of August, Mr. Grover, an artist and correspondent of Frank 
 Leslie's Illustrated Weekly, was scalped while taking a 
 short walk near Fort Phil. Kearney. Two days later, Indi- 
 ans attacked the timber train of the same post, but after a 
 -desperate fight and the killing of one Indian and the wound- 
 ing of another, the hostiles were driven off. On the 12th, 
 14th and 17th, emigrant trains were attacked near Fort 
 Eeno and considerable stock run off. From that time until 
 the 8th of September everything was comparatively quiet, 
 but on the last mentioned date twenty mules belonging to 
 •citizens at Fort Phil. Kearney were cut off from a herd a 
 short distance from the post. Two other demonstrations 
 were made the same day. On the 10th, ten herders, in 
 charge of some horses and mules, were attacked within a 
 mile of the fort and thirty-three horses and seventy mules 
 were driven ofif. On the 13th, a band of Indians attacked the 
 liay contractors, Crary and Carter, on Goose Creek, and 
 killed one of the hay hands, and hay had been heaped upon 
 five mowing machines and set on fire. At the same time 
 209 cattle had been driven off. Lieutenant Adair, with 
 troops from the fort, went to the relief of the hay party, but 
 found the Indians in too great force and was obliged to re- 
 tire. On the same day Indians stampeded the herd belong- 
 ing to the fort, in spite of the best efforts of Captain Ten 
 Eyck and a company of soldiers, and the stock was not re- 
 covered. Two of the herders and a soldier were wounded. 
 A soldier named Gilchrist was killed on the 14th, and on the 
 16th Peter Johnson, belonging to a haying party, was cut 
 off by Indians. On the day following, forty-eight head of 
 cattle were run from the south side of the fort, but the In- 
 dians being promptly pursued the cattle were recovered. 
 On the 20th, an emigrant outfit which was camped at the 
 Junction of the two Pineys was attacked, but meeting with 
 a spirited resistance and help coming from the fort, the In- 
 dians were driven off. One man belonging to the emigrant 
 train was killed and another one wounded. On the 23rd 
 the Indians succeeded in driving off twenty-four head of 
 
558 History of Wyoming. 
 
 cattle, feeding near the fort. Quartermaster Brown, with 
 twenty-three soldiers and some citizens, dashed in among 
 the Indians and killed thirteen of them and recaptured the 
 stock. On the 23d, Contractor Grull, who had been to Fort 
 C. F. Smith, was attacked near Fort Phil. Kearney and he 
 and two of his drivers were killed. During this time the 
 Indians had not been idle around Fort Reno. They had 
 driven off horses and cattle every few days. Caspar H. 
 Walsh, a soldier, was killed on Dry Fork of the Cheyenne, 
 on the 21st W. R. Pettis and A. G. Overhelt, citizens, were 
 wounded. On the 27th, three soldiers and two citizens were 
 killed near Fort Phil. Kearney, and on the same day the In- 
 dians attacked a wood party but were driven back by the 
 prompt use of a howitzer, with which the woods were 
 shelled. In spite of interruptions the work of construction 
 went on at Fort Phil. Kearney and also at Fort C. F. Smith. 
 The soldiers as well as the officers saw that what was 
 needed was protection against the savages, and everybody 
 worked with a will to accomplish this important object. 
 Hay was needed for the stock, but the Indians were rapidly 
 getting away with the horses and cattle, so that a large 
 amount of forage was not required, but protection from the 
 cold as well as the savages was all-important. 
 
 Late in the fall Brigadier General Hazen came through 
 on a tour of inspection from Fort Laramie and passed north, 
 going to Fort Benton by way of Fort C. F. Smith. This 
 officer must have seen the helpless condition of the three 
 forts on the Bozeman road, but he encouraged Colonel Car- 
 rington by telling him that two companies of cavalry were 
 on the way from Fort Laramie, but these troops never came, 
 except a few raw recruits who could be of little service in a 
 place where experienced Indian fighters were required. To 
 make matters still worse, twenty-six picked men were sent 
 to Fort Benton as an escort to General Hazen. Lieutenant 
 Bradley was in command of these men. Colonel Carrington 
 pushed forward the work on the fort, so that on October 
 31st the construction was practically completed and the day 
 
Thrilling Events on the Bozeman Road. 5 59 
 
 Tvas celebrated with a flag-raising and a muster-for-pay. 
 The flagstaff, which had been completed by William Daily, 
 who has for many years resided at Eawlins, was in place and 
 ready to receive the stars and stripes. The fort and all its 
 appointments was a credit to the little army which had con- 
 structed it, and represented the work of loyal, willing hands. 
 To describe what had been accomplished by these soldiers 
 and to tell of the thrilling events which took place during 
 the closing weeks of the year will be the object of the next 
 chapter. 
 
;6o History of Wyoming. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIX. 
 
 THRILLING EVENTS ON THE BOZEMAN ROAD.— [Continued]. 
 
 Description of Fort Phil. Kearney — Colonel Carrington's Address 
 AND Hoisting the Flag — A Night Attack — The Garrison Har- 
 assed BY Night and by Day — Fight of December 6th, Lieutenant 
 Bingham and Sergeant Bowers Killed — The Fetterman Massa- 
 cre, Eighty-one Brave Men Meet Death — Scenes at the Fort 
 — Burial of the Dead — John Philip's Daring Ride for Help — 
 His Arrival at Fort Laramie — Reinforcements Go to Fort 
 Phil. Kearney — Suffering of the Troops from Cold, on the 
 Journey — A Review of the Causes which Led to the Massacre. 
 
 The history of Wyoming presents many vicissitudes, 
 occasions which have tested the bravery of the stoutest 
 hearts, but there has been no time in this history more try- 
 ing to the soldier than the period covered by November and 
 December, 1866, at Fort Phil. Kearney. In judging events 
 we must take into consideration the surroundings, the char- 
 acter of the foe, the number and equipment of those en- 
 gaged, the weather, and especially the season of the year. 
 Here were troops indifferently armed, illy supplied with am- 
 munition, and looking for reinforcements which did not 
 come. Yet in spite of circumstances and and the neglect of 
 the Department Commander, whose duty it was to supply 
 both men and ammunition, these soldiers went forward to 
 meet their fate, resolved to brave every danger in upholding 
 the flag they loved and maintaining the authority of the 
 government, which had neglected them. 
 
 The main fort was 600 feet by 800 feet, located on rising 
 ground with a gradual slope from front and rear, and was a 
 position of great strength. The stockade was of pine logs 
 hewed to touching surface and set in the ground three feet 
 and projecting upward eight feet. There was a block-house 
 at the two diagonal corners, from which the four sides of 
 
Thrilling Events on the Boseman Road. 
 
 S6i 
 
 the stockade could be swept. There were main gates con- 
 structed of heavy planks in which were movable wickets. 
 On the northeast side, inside the stockade, was the guard- 
 house, office, sutler's quarters, band quarters and bakery. 
 These were on the north side of the main entrance, and on 
 the opposite side of this entrance was the quartermaster's 
 office, back of this the laundry, then came the stables, cav- 
 alry yard, and still back of this were the quarters for the 
 non-commissioned staff. Opposite the main gates and at the 
 extreme or southwest side of the fort was the hospital, and 
 adjoining this, close against the wall, were the officers' 
 quarters, and in front of these the battery grounds, where 
 the artillery was parked. Along the north end and adjoin- 
 ing the battery ground were the company quarters. At the 
 southeast end was an extension constructed for a corral and 
 quartermaster's yard. This was also surrounded by a stock- 
 ade. The plan of the grounds and the location of the differ- 
 ent buildings are given in the annexed diagram. On the 
 
 
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 FORT PHILIP KEARNEY, 
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 north side of the Little Piney, near the fort, were located 
 two saw-mills, which supplied the lumber used in the con- 
 struction of the buildings. 
 
 -(36) 
 
562 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Muster day was an event of impressive importance and 
 it was observed as a holiday. It was one of those beautiful 
 Wyoming October days, made more impi^essive in that spot 
 by the grandeur and glory of the surrounding mountains. 
 The men of this command were heroes of the better type. 
 In spite of the knowledge that on every side of them lurked 
 a murderous foe, they had labored in this wilderness to 
 plant the flag of their country in a spot which they had 
 every reason to believe would be permanently occupied by 
 their government. Each had shared the danger of the de- 
 tail of cutting and hauling the logs out of which the fort 
 buildings were constructed, each had served on the picket 
 line and in doing dangerous guard duty around the fort. 
 The whiz of the Indian's arrow and the crack of his rifle 
 were familiar sounds to these brave men who were strug- 
 gling to maintain a foothold in a country where their foe 
 outnumbered them thirty to one. An enemy who in am- 
 bush and decoy was superior to the best soldier in the world; 
 an enemy who in horsemanship has no equal and in strategy 
 could surpass the most experienced and the best trained 
 veterans of any age or country. These were the foes this 
 little band in the wilderness were to fight or hold in check. 
 Colonel Carrington may be pardoned when on October 31st 
 he ordered his soldiers to lay aside their working clothes 
 and appear for inspection and review in their brightest uni- 
 forms. He was proud of these men who had accomplished 
 so much, and were it otherwise he would have been un- 
 worthy of the place he held. Every man that could be 
 spared from the outpost and picket line appeared at the 
 review. The troops were formed on three sides of the 
 square around the new flagstaff which was to receive for 
 the first time the proud emblem of their country — the flag 
 which they had so often risked their lives to plant in a land 
 swarming with savage foes. On the platform which occu- 
 pied the fourth side of the square was the regimental band, 
 the commander of the post, the wives of the oflScers and 
 visitors. Among the citizens gathered there was W. B. 
 
Thrilling Events on the Bomeman Road. 563 
 
 Hugus, who has since for many yeai's been a resident of 
 Saratoga and been prominent in business enterprises and 
 politics of the state. His brother, J. W. Hugus, now of Kaw- 
 lins, held the sutlership at the fort, but at the time of which 
 I write he happened to be absent. There was also present 
 on this occasion William Daily, whom I have previously 
 mentioned in connection with tlje flag-staff. There were 
 also other citizens, interested spectators of the event which 
 was about to happen. 
 
 The scene about that flag-stafE was a memorable one. 
 Every soul in that enclosure felt that the event was one of 
 no ordinary importance, but an occasion in which all were 
 deeply interested. Colonel Oarrington, with swelling heart, 
 stepped to the front and addressed his ofiflcers and men as 
 follows : 
 
 "Three and one-half months ago stakes were driven to 
 define the now perfected outlines of Port Philip Kearney. 
 Aggressive Indians threatened to exterminate the com- 
 mand. Our advent cost us blood. Private Livensberger of 
 Company F was the first victim, July 17th, 1866 ; Lieutenant 
 Daniels, Private Callery of G company; Gilchrist and John- 
 son of E company; Fitzpatrick and Hacket of D company; 
 Patrick Smith of H company; and Oberly and Wasser have 
 also, in the order named, given their lives to vindicate our 
 pledge to never yield one foot of advance, but to guarantee 
 a safe passage for all who seek a home in the lands beyond. 
 
 "Fifteen weeks have passed, varied by many skirmishes 
 and both night and day alarms, but that pledge holds good. 
 In every work done your arms have been at hand. In the 
 pine tracts or hay fields, on picket or general guard duty, 
 no one has failed to find a constant exposure to some hos- 
 tile shaft, and to feel that a cunning adversary was watch- 
 ing every chance to harass and kill. 
 
 "And yet that pledge holds good. Stockade and block- 
 house, embrasure and loop-hole, shell and bullet, have 
 warned off danger, so that women and children now notice 
 the savage as he appears, only to look for fresh occasion for 
 you to punish him, and with righteous anger to avenge the 
 dead. 
 
 "The Indian dead outnumbers your own four-fold, while 
 your acquired experience and better cause afford you con- 
 
564 History of Wyoming. 
 
 stant success in every encounter. This is not all. Substan- 
 tial warehouses, containing a year's supply, spacious and 
 enduring quarters, and a well adapted magazine are other 
 proofs of your diligence and spirit. 
 
 "The steam whistle and the rattle of the mower have fol- 
 lowed your steps in this westward march of empire. You 
 have built a central post that will bear comparison with any 
 for security; completeness, and adaptation to the ends in 
 view, wherever the other may be located, or however long 
 in erection. 
 
 "Surrounded by temptations to hunt the choicest game, 
 lured by tales of golden treasure just beyond you, you have 
 spared your powder for your foes, and have given the labor 
 of your hands to your proper work. Passing from guard- 
 watching to fatigue-work, and, after one night in bed, often 
 disturbed, returning to your post as sentry; attempting with 
 success all trades and callings, and handling the broad-ax 
 and hammer, the saw and the chisel, with the same success 
 as that with which you sped the bullet, your work has 
 proven how well deserved was the confidence I reposed in 
 all of you ; and that same old pledge still holds good. 
 
 "Coincident with your march to this point was the oc- 
 cupation of Fort Eeno ; first by Company B, afterward rein- 
 forced by Company F of this battalion, and the advance of 
 Companies D and G to Fort C. F. Smith, nearly one hundred 
 miles farther west. All these, like yourselves, having a 
 share in the labor, the exposure, and the conflicts that 
 throughout the whole length of the line attended its occu- 
 pation, have sustained the past good record of the Eight- 
 eenth Infantry, and thus also have vindicated your pledge. 
 
 "And now this day, laying aside the worn and tattered 
 garments, which have done their part during weeks of toil 
 and struggle, the veteran battalion of the Eighteenth Infan- 
 try, from which perhaps I shall soon be parted in the 
 changes of army life and organization, puts on its fresh full 
 dress attire for muster and review. 
 
 "The crowning office, without which you would regard 
 your work as scarcely begun, is now to be performed, and to 
 its fulfillment I assign soldiers; neither discharging the duty 
 myself nor delegating it to some brother officer; but some 
 veteran soldiers of good desert shall share with a sergeant 
 from each of their companies, and the worthy man whose 
 work rises high above us, the honor of raising our new and 
 
Thrilling Events on the Bozeman Road. 565 
 
 beautiful garrison flag to the top of the handsomest flag- 
 staff in America. 
 
 "It is the first full garrison flag that has floated between 
 the Platte and Montana; and this wonderful pole, perfect 
 in detail, as if wrought in the navy yards of New York, 
 Philadelphia or Boston, will be sent up by Sergeant Barnes, 
 whose appropriate and well-intended verses will be read to 
 you, a long remembered trophy of his patriotism and skill ; 
 a new impulse to your own future exertions ; a new cause for 
 pride as its stripes and stars are daily unfolded; a new 
 source of courage to each traveler westward advancing; 
 and a new terror to foes who dare to assail you. With mu- 
 sic and the roar of cannon we will greet its unfoldings. 
 
 "This day shall be a holiday, and a fresh starting point 
 for future endeavor. 
 
 "And yet, all is not said that I wish to say! While we 
 exalt the national standard, and rejoice in its glory and its 
 power, let us not forget the true source of that glory and 
 power. 
 
 "For our unexampled health and continued success for 
 that land of the free and home of the brave; for our institu- 
 tions and their fruits, we owe all to the Great Euler who 
 made and has preserved us. 
 
 "Let me, then, ask all, with uncovered heads and grate- 
 ful hearts, to pause in our act of consecration while the 
 chaplain shall invoke God's own blessing upon that act; 
 so that while this banner rises heavenward, and so shall 
 rise with each recurring sun, all hearts shall rise to the 
 throne of the Infinite, and for this day, its duties and its 
 pleasures, we shall become better men and better soldiers 
 of the great Republic." 
 
 At the close of this address Chaplain White offered a 
 prayer, after which the flag slowly mounted to its place 
 while the soldiers presented arms, the band playing a na- 
 tional air and the cannon bursting forth in token of the 
 power that upheld the banner, and as "Old Glory" caught 
 the breeze, it was a proud moment for every one of that gar- 
 rison who in storm, in sunshine and in darkest night had 
 manfully done their part. 
 
 The holiday passed in mirth and social discourse, being 
 the first event of this character which had come to the gar- 
 rison. The Indians were not unmindful of the celebration 
 
566 History of Wyoming. 
 
 among the soldiers and the running up of the flag was 
 quickly understood as a boast and taunt on the part of the 
 whites which meant a defiance to the red warriors. The 
 following day events took their wonted course, but it was 
 noticed that the Indians were more watchful; if possible 
 more dangerous than they had ever been before. The at- 
 tacks on those who had occasion to go to the woods or on 
 herd were of daily occurrence, and some days there would 
 be skirmishing at all points at the same time. Indians were 
 killed every day, and not infrequently a soldier would be 
 killed or wounded. The hostiles seemed to become more 
 daring and often attacks were made in close proximity to 
 the fort. One night there was an attack close to the stock- 
 ade, where there was a corral of sutler wagons, and in the 
 corral thus formed was a group of teamsters engaged in 
 card playing. They were rudely awakened from their game 
 and made aware of the presence of Indians by the firing of a 
 volley under the wagons and three men were wounded, one 
 of them receiving a fatal shot. Soldiers rushed out and 
 scouted the ground around the fort, but in the darkness no 
 Indians could be discovered. These night alarms became 
 vei-y numerous, and after a time the howitzers were used in 
 the direction in which the Indians were supposed to be, and 
 this proved of service in quieting night prowlers. The 
 month of November was bad enough. Red Cloud was in 
 personal charge of the Indians, and he, if he did not make 
 life a burden to the officers and men, compelled them to be 
 on the alert every moment, and while they killed many In- 
 dians he caused the death of some who could be illy spared 
 from the garrison. 
 
 December 6th was an eventful day at the fort. There 
 was an attack on the wood train in the early morning and 
 Lieutenant Colonel Fetterman was sent out with some 
 mounted infantry and a part of Lieutenant Bingham's cav- 
 alry to rout some Indians who were near Lodge Trail Ridge, 
 while Colonel Carrington and Lieutenant Grummond, with 
 thirty mounted men, crossed Big Piney to intercept the In- 
 
Thrilling Events on the Bozeman Road. 567 
 
 dians when they should be driven back by Fetterman and 
 Bingham. The Indians, when attacked by Fetterman, were 
 disposed to make a stand, and there being about 200 of the 
 hostiles there was a warm engagement and some desperate 
 fighting on both sides. Colonel Carrington, hearing the 
 fighting, went on the gallop to the rescue and the Indians 
 were driven off, but quickly gathered in force around the 
 point of Lodge Trail Eidge The recall was sounded and the 
 soldiers assembled around the Colonel, when it was reported 
 that Lieutenant Bingham was still in the advance. A 
 search was now made for the Lieutenant and in this effort 
 the party ran on to Lieutenant Grummond and three men 
 who were being closely pressed by seven well-armed sav- 
 ages. Near this place was found the body of Lieutenant 
 Bingham, also that of Sergeant Bowers. The latter was 
 still alive, but his skull had been cleft with a hatchet. This 
 brave fellow had fought single handed a number of Indians 
 and had killed three of them with his revolver before he 
 received his death blow. Captain Brown, who had left the 
 fort after the others had gone, had a desperate fight with a 
 number of Indians and only saved his life by his coolness 
 and the rapid firing of his Henry rifle. After the finding of 
 the two bodies an ambulance was sent for, and with it came 
 Captain Arnold with forty men to reinforce those already in 
 the field. Red Cloud, it was evident, had planned to strike 
 a crushing blow at the garrison, but Colonel Carrington re- 
 fused to be drawn into the trap the wily chieftain had set 
 for him. The troops held their ground until the wood party 
 returned in the evening. Three days later Lieutenant Bing- 
 ham and Sergeant Bowers were buried with Masonic and 
 military honors. These two men were brave even unto rash- 
 ness, and their comrades were not to be blamed if they felt 
 vindictive toward the savages and possessed a desire for 
 revenge. 
 
 From this on the one hope among the men and officers 
 at the fort was the promised reinforcements. They knew 
 if they did not come quickly they would not be able to arrive 
 
568 History of Wyoming. 
 
 before spring, as the snows of winter were nearly due. They 
 saw their small numbers melt away in contests with over- 
 whelming forces, and the whole garrison could not help 
 feeling that they were being neglected by the War Depart- 
 ment and left to perish in the wilderness at the hands of 
 the relentless and ever on the alert savages. There were 
 buildings to finish and consequently logs must be cut and 
 hauled to the saw-mills, and so every day a detail was made 
 of choppers and haulers, and an equal number were detailed 
 as escort for the working force. Wood for fuel also had to 
 be hauled, for an abundant supply would be needed before 
 the approaching winter would be over. Fort C. F. Smith, 
 though many miles away, yet on this same line of communi- 
 cation was in even a worse condition. This fort was less 
 substantial and very much less comfortable for a garrison 
 than was Fort Phil. Kearney, and the howling savages were 
 quite as bad in that vicinity. The little garrison at Fort 
 Reno could not boast of being in better condition than the 
 two north of it, yet at all three places a gallant struggle was 
 going on with the hope of holding out against the Indians. 
 The government seemed to be in total ignorance of the des- 
 perate condition of the three garrisons. President Johnson, 
 in his message to Congress on December 6th, that year, con- 
 gratulated the country on the peaceful condition of the In- 
 dians at that time, and yet there were three forts along the 
 Bozeman road in a state of siege. Brigadier General P. St. 
 George Cook, commander of the Department of the Platte, 
 seemed to be totally oblivious of the danger that prevailed 
 at the three forts along the Bozeman road, notwithstanding 
 the fact that the commander of the district had made a de- 
 tailed report showing the hostile attitude of the savages 
 around the three posts and the necessity for reinforcements 
 and a supply of ammunition. The strangest part is that at 
 Fort Laramie, where there was comparatively no danger, 
 twelve companies were stationed, and at the three forts 
 along the Bozeman road, where thousands of savages were 
 making bitter and relentless war, only seven companies 
 
Thrilling Events on the Baseman Road. 569 
 
 were located — that is, seven companies were divided up so 
 as to garrison the three forts. Someone was responsible for 
 this, and the blame should be placed where it belongs. The 
 historian must impartially review the then existing facts 
 and place on record a verdict in accordance with the evi- 
 dence in the case. 
 
 From December 6th matters around Fort Phil. Kear- 
 ney assumed the attitude of strict defense. The wood train 
 went out each morning, but the greatest caution was ob- 
 served in going to and coming from the woods and in guard- 
 ing those felling trees and loading logs. The savages, seeing 
 no opportunity to successfully attack the working party, 
 with great patience awaited an occasion. Colonel Carring- 
 ton understood the methods of the Indians and resolved 
 not to fall into their hands. The days passed by without an 
 event of importance until the morning of the 19th, when the 
 wood train was attacked, but the hostiles retired on the ar- 
 rival of the relief party, yet they at the same time indicated 
 their contempt for the soldiers, challenging them to come 
 out and fight. Major Powell, who was in command of the 
 relief, felt like accepting the challenge, but his orders were 
 most strict and he therefore confined himself to the letter of 
 his instructions, which was to go out and relieve the train, 
 but not to follow the Indians. By obeying orders, the Major 
 was saved from being drawn into a dangerous position that 
 might have cost him dearly. 
 
 On the morning of December 21st the wood train went 
 out as usual, except that it was late in getting started. The 
 day was clear, bright and beautiful, and, while the snow wa» 
 lying deep on the mountains, the valley wore the appearance 
 of October. The bright sunshine around the fort and the 
 foothills contrasted strangely with the wintry scene on the 
 mountain tops. The wood train took its place with its 
 front and rear guard in position, and in addition to this each 
 chopper and driver was thoroughly armed and equipped. 
 It was a longer train than usual and consequently the guard 
 
570 
 
 History of Wyoming. 
 
 was stronger, the entire force, including drivers and chop- 
 pers, numbering about ninety men. 
 
 The train moved out of the fort and proceeded about 
 tvFO miles when the pickets on an eminence known as Pilot 
 Hill signaled to the fort that there were many Indians on the 
 line of the wood road and that the escort were engaged in a 
 fight with the hostiles. The train had been forced to corral, 
 but a successful defense was being made against the sav- 
 ages. This was abotit 11 o'clock. A relief party was at once 
 organized, consisting of fifty infantrymen and two officers 
 and twenty-six cavalrymen and one ofiicer. When the re- 
 lief was formed Major Powell was assigned to command it, 
 but at that moment Brevet Lieutenant Colonel W. J. Fetter- 
 man stepped forward and claimed the place by seniority of 
 rank. Lieutenant George W. Grummond requested and 
 obtained permission to take charge of the cavalry. Captain 
 Frederick H. Brown was not assigned a command but joined 
 the party. Two citizens, Wheatley and Fisher, who had 
 had large experience in frontier life, volunteered and joined 
 the cavalcade as it moved out of the fort. After Lieutenant 
 Colonel Fetterman had taken command. Colonel Carrington 
 
Thrilling Events on the Boseman Road. S/i 
 
 gave him explicit instructions, as it afterwards appeared, in 
 the following language: "Support the wood train, relieve 
 it, and report to me. Do not engage or pursue Indians at 
 its expense; under no circumstances pursue over Lodge 
 Trail Ridge." The command moved out rapidly to the right 
 of the wood road, evidently with the intention of cutting ofiE 
 the retreat of the Indians who were attacking the wood 
 train. About the time Fetterman's command left the fort, 
 Indian pickets were seen on Lodge Trail Eidge and some 
 more on the Piney at the Virginia Eoad crossing. A gun at 
 the fort was trained on the latter, and two or three shells 
 dropped in their vicinity dismounted one of the savages 
 and drove thirty more out of the brush, who disappeared 
 very rapidly. Colonel Carrington, some time after the com- 
 mand had left the fort, discovered that no surgeon had gone 
 with them, and he at once dispatched Dr. Hines, accompa- 
 nied by an orderly, with instructions to report to Fetterman. 
 The surgeon made a rapid ride, but soon after returned with 
 the information that the train was safely on its way to the 
 woods; that Fetterman's command was on Lodge Trail 
 Ridge to the north, and that there were so many Indians be- 
 tween the fort and the ridge that he was unable to make his 
 way to the command. About this time firing was heard in 
 the valley of Peno Creek, to the north of Lodge Trail Eidge, 
 out of sight of the fort and about five miles away. It was 
 now discovered that Fetterman was engaging the Indians 
 regardless of the train, and in direct disobedience of orders. 
 All was now excitement at the fort. The rapid discharge of 
 musketry and its increased rapidity told that a desperate 
 battle was going on. Colonel Carrington at once called out 
 seventy-six men, at the head of which he placed Captain 
 Ten Eyck, with instructions to proceed on a double quick to 
 the relief of Fetterman. With this column was sent two 
 wagons loaded with ammunition. The relief advanced rap- 
 idly, but for some reason took a longer route than it should, 
 but for what reason has never been explained. When Cap- 
 tain Ten Eyck reached a high point which overlooked the 
 
572 History of Wyoming. 
 
 battle-field, the firing, which had been continuous but de- 
 creasing, suddenly ceased. Before him was the Peno Val- 
 ley, and it was full of Indians, but he could see nothing of 
 Fetterman or his men. He now sent back to the fort for a 
 howitzer, but this was not sent. Colonel Carrington had 
 during the absence of the last relief party organized the en- 
 tire remaining force of the garrison to go to the assistance 
 of those in the field, or to be held to defend the fort, as cir- 
 cumstances might require. This force was largely made up 
 of employes of the quartermaster's department, convales- 
 cents and all others in the garrison. The Indians in Peno 
 Valley beckoned to Captain Ten Eyck's party to come down 
 from the hill and fight, but they were evidently not very 
 anxious for this, as they soon commenced a retreat. The sol- 
 diers advanced along the road leading to the valley of Peno 
 Creek, and when they had reached a point about half way 
 between where this road commences to descend and the 
 creek they came upon the bodies of Lieutenant Colonel Fet- 
 terman, Captain Brown and sixty-five of the soldiers of the 
 command. Not far ofif lay a number of horses belonging to 
 the party, and these lay with their heads toward the fort, 
 showing that Fetterman and his men were on the retreat fct 
 the time death overtook them. The surroundings indicated 
 that they were attacked by Indians lying on either side of 
 the road. The other bodies were not found that 'light. 
 Wagons were sent for to convey the remains to the fort, 
 and on their arrival the dead heroes were tenderly taken 
 from the ground and placed in the wagons, after which the 
 train started along the road around Lodge Trail Ridge and 
 down the slope to the Big Piney and thence across to the 
 fort, but it did not arrive there until after dark. The next 
 morning Colonel Carrington went out with a party accom- 
 panied by Captain Ten Eyck, Lieutenant Matson and Dr. 
 Ould to rescue the bodies of the balance of the dead. Every- 
 thing at the fort was carefully arranged so that a detail 
 might go to their assistance if it transpired that Indians 
 were found along the route. The hostiles were still Ih the 
 
Thrilling Events on the Bozeman Road. 573 
 
 neighborhood, but they had evidently received severe pun- 
 ishment and consequently did not molest Colonel Carring- 
 ton and his men. The body of Lieutenant Grummond was 
 found some distance beyond the place where the remains of 
 Fetterman and Brown were lying, and near this were found 
 the bodies of the balance of the party, except those of 
 Wheatley and Fisher, which were discovered near a pile of 
 rocks. These pioneers had made the savages pay dearly for 
 their victory, as the numerous empty Henry riflle shells 
 testified. Near these men the fight had been the heaviest. 
 There were great pools of blood which could not have come 
 from the white men. In one place lay ten Indian ponies 
 dead and not far ofiE there were sixty-five pools of dark clot- 
 ted blood. Everything went to show that the soldiers had 
 fought with a bravery almost unequaled and had not their 
 ammunition become exhausted they would without a doubt 
 have kept off the foe until the arrival of Captain Ten Eyck 
 and his reinforcements. As usual, someone had blundered, 
 and looking back over the nearly thirty-two years which 
 have elapsed since that terrible day on the Piney, I think I 
 see clearly two causes which led to the disaster. First, Lieu- 
 tenant Colonel Fetterman, to say nothing of his disobedi- 
 ence of orders, acted imprudently in attacking an over- 
 whelming force. He was a brave man and had a splendid 
 record in the civil war, but he lacked experience on the 
 frontier, and his weakest point was that he had a contempt 
 for Indians. Captain Brown, who was with him, was a 
 gallant officer, but he, too, underrated the fighting qualities 
 of the savages. For a month previous to this occurrence 
 he had been talking about the necessity of this little com- 
 mand at the fort punishing the Indians severely, and he 
 openly said that it was his one desire to personally encoun- 
 ter Bed Cloud and take his scalp. Here was the enthusiast, 
 and while this Napoleonic quality is most desirable in war- 
 fare, it should be tempered with wise discretion. This was 
 certainly lacking on this occasion. These two brave officers 
 undoubtedly resolved to teach the Indians a lesson in war- 
 
574 History of Wyoming. 
 
 fare which would make them respect the little garrison at 
 the fort, little dreaming that it would cost them not only 
 their own lives but the lives of seventy-nine others of their 
 command. This was the first blunder. The second was the 
 tardiness of the rescue party. In criticising this, it is neces- 
 sary to refer to conditions as they existed at the fort at 
 that time. It was practically in a state of siege. For months 
 it had been necessary to send out rescue parties the same 
 as this. Horses, saddles and bridles were ready and the 
 men were supposed to be; while practice in saddling and 
 bridling horses as well as mounting them had been going 
 on for months. When the men and their horses came from 
 the stables it was always on the run and never had it oc- 
 curred that the troopers were tardy, not only minutes but 
 moments counted on such occasions. Usually a relief party 
 dashed out of the gate inside of five minutes from the time 
 the alarm was given. This time it took twelve minutes 
 to get out of the gate. It is true it was a glorious dash to the 
 rescue, for the command did more than gallop, it was a run, 
 but alas, they took a round about road and consumed 
 precious tirtle. The six or seven minutes that were lost 
 getting ready and the ten minutes extra time it took to go 
 the long road round would have saved Lieutenant Colonel 
 Petterman, Captain Brown and a majority of their sixty- 
 five followers whose bodies were found near them. The 
 rescue party, had it reached its place of destination in 
 season, would have attacked the Indians in the rear and 
 for the time being at least would have routed the savages 
 and given Fetterman's command time to have supplied 
 themselves with fresh ammunition from the wagons. Alas, 
 procrastination robbed Captain Ten Eyck of a victory and 
 permitted the death of many brave men who died after 
 their ammunition had been expended. 
 
 After this awful calamity at Fort Phil. Kearney, let 
 us glance at what is going on in this garrison. Five wagons 
 had brought the dead from the battlefield and they were 
 deposited in a spare ward of the hospital, in a double cabin 
 
Thrilling Events on the Bozeman Road. 575 
 
 and in two hospital tents. A careful roll call was made, 
 the dead identified and prepared for burial. Among those 
 who lay cold in death were many who in the trying times 
 of the past had been noted for their individual bravery, and 
 as the living gazed on these inanimate forms and thought 
 of their own situation in this far off wilderness, is it any 
 wonder they should consider their position desperate in 
 the extreme? When we think of their surroundings and 
 the fact that there were a number of women and children 
 in the garrison, our sympathy is aroused and we are led 
 to wonder how they bore up so bravely. Mrs. Grummond, 
 the wife of the dead Lieutenant, proved herself the posses- 
 sor of Christian virtues which inspired all about her. Her 
 heart was breaking but she thanked God that she had her 
 dead and the privilege of taking it with her to her child- 
 hood home in Tennesse, should she escape from the dangers 
 which now threatened the decimated garrison. The other 
 ladies of the post admit that the courage of the newly made 
 widow inspired them to go forward and do the best they 
 could under the circumstances. The mutilated bodies were 
 dressed for the grave in the best garments of the living, 
 which were lovingly offered. Pine coffins and cases were 
 made to contain the dead and a trench fifty feet long and 
 seven feet deep was dug for a grave wherein to deposit these 
 victims of Indian treachery. It was found that there were 
 eighty-one who had lost their lives in this desperate en- 
 counter in the valley of Peno Creek. The remains of Lieu- 
 tenant Grummond and those of three or four othess whose 
 families desired to send the bodies east for burial were 
 kept out and the balance were carried across the river to 
 the cemetery at the foot of Pilot Hill and there placed in 
 the long trench prepared. The weather which had been 
 so bright and beautiful on the day of the massacre suddenly 
 changed that night to the utmost severety of winter and 
 this added to the difficulties of guarding the post and 
 the burying of the dead. The cold was so intense from that 
 on that it was found necessary to relieve the guard every 
 
576 History of Wyoming. 
 
 few minutes. Quite a number of persons were frostbitten 
 in simply crossing the parade ground, but there was work 
 to do and no time was allowed for repining. The sentries 
 walked the platforms and maintained their post in spite of 
 the thermometer ranging close on to forty. There was 
 wood to be prepared, water to be hauled, stock to be cared 
 for and supplies to be issued but in spite of all this the 
 gloom of death pervaded the garrison and men could not 
 help thinking of those brave, cheerful comrades of the past 
 who were sleeping the sleep which knows no awakening, 
 in the narrow chamber of death at the foot of Pilot Hill. 
 There have been many reports of this tragedy but 
 most of them, I am sorry to say, were largely mixed with 
 fiction. An eastern newspaper published what purported 
 to be the story of an eye "witness but there was not one word 
 of truth in it as there were no survivors, no onlookers 
 except Indians, even from a distance. The faces of the 
 dead told the only story and these were mute, speechless 
 and dumb. Red Cloud, in after years, talked often of the 
 heroism of the little band and gave incidents of the bravery 
 of some of the men. One citizen, he said, killed seven Indians 
 and wounded nine more before he was overpowered. The 
 loss of the Indians on this occasion was very great but all 
 have refused to give the number killed. It is reported that 
 the women of the garrison fully believed that the Indians 
 would in time capture the fort and that they begged to be 
 killed to insure their not falling into the hands of the 
 Indians. The story is told that a quantity of dynamite was 
 placed under Colonel Carrington's quarters and arrange- 
 ments completed to blow up the building in case the fort 
 was captured and that the women had agreed upon signal 
 to rush into this building with their children that all might 
 meet death rather than the savage cruelty of the Indians. 
 I am unwilling to vouch for the accuracy of such reports 
 but it is reasonable to suppose that some such arrange- 
 ment was in contemplation. The story is also told that 
 Colonel Carrington sent out three men at different times 
 
Thrilling Events on the Bozeman Road. 577 
 
 to carry the word to Fort Laramie of the desperate condi- 
 tion of the garrison and the awful calamity that had be- 
 fallen it. The riderless horses of these men, it is claimed, 
 came back to the fort thus apprising the garrison of the 
 futility of their efforts. This may or may not be true. I 
 do know, however, that John Phillips, a noted scout, hunter 
 and trapper, who had lived in Wyoming for many years, 
 was at Fort Phil. Kearney at the time and that he was 
 offered his own price if he would carry a dispatch to Fort 
 Laramie. He refused reward of any kind, but approach- 
 ing Mrs. Grummond, he told her he would go for help. He 
 was willing to risk his life for the sake of the women at the 
 garrison but he would not accept money as a compensa- 
 tion for the desperate undertaking. He only made one 
 condition, which was that he be allowed to choose his 
 own horse. Colonel Carrington readily consented to this 
 and the scout's choice fell upon a beautiful thoroughbred 
 belonging to Colonel Carrington. The distance to be trav- 
 eled was 235 miles, the country covered with Indians, and 
 the thermometer when he started ranged in the twenties. 
 After darkness fell upon the fort, on the night of the 22nd, 
 the brave scout mounted the noble animal which was to 
 bear him on this journey fraught with life and death, and, 
 with a few crackers in his pocket, rode up to a postern 
 gate where he found Colonel Carrington ready to let him 
 out into the darkness beyond. Never was a messenger 
 sent forth on a more important errand than John Phillips. 
 He knew and felt that the earnest prayers of those noble 
 and beautiful women at the fort would be offered in his be- 
 half and somehow he felt that he would be instrumental 
 in bringing relief to the beleaguered garrison. The first 
 night he picked his way through the dangerous country 
 and with the first streak of the morning hid himself and 
 horse in the brush to await the coming of the darkness of 
 another night that he might go forward on his journey 
 in the behalf of humanity. The incidents of that ride are 
 tinknown, except that on three different occasions he ran 
 -(37) 
 
57^ History of Wyoming. 
 
 on to Indians and escaped each time by the fleetness of 
 the thoroughbred upon which he was mounted. John C. 
 Friend tells me that he met Phillips on the day he passed 
 Horse Shoe Station, and took a message from him to be sent 
 by telegraph to General Palmer, the commander at Fort 
 Laramie. Friend was at the time telegraph operator at 
 Horse Shoe Station. The message briefly related the facts 
 of the massacre and the desperate condition of the depleted 
 garrison. At the time the dispatch was received at Fort 
 Laramie a Christmas ball was going on in the building 
 known as Bedlam. General Palmer did not think it wise to 
 make known to the dancers the sad news from Fort Phil. 
 Kearney, as it would serve no good purpose to horrify the 
 merrymakers^ and for this reason he adopted the plan of 
 allowing the festivities to go on for a time. One by one, the 
 leading offlcers were communicated with and preparations 
 were begun to send out the relief asked for. At midnight 
 John Phillips arrived, and soon after the news of the massa- 
 cre was known to all. This was on Christmas night, 1866. 
 
 Daniel McUlvane, since the above was written, tells me 
 that John Phillips did not make the ride from Fort Phil. 
 Kearney alone, and that there were five men in the party. 
 He is certain of this, as he saw and talked with them when 
 they reached Bridger's Ferry, and rode with them a consid- 
 erable distance toward Fort Laramie. McUlvane's story 
 will be found in the history of Laramie County. 
 
 Reinforcements were hurried away but it was a ter- 
 rible march through the bitter cold and snow but they 
 finally arrived at Fort Phil. Kearney and there was great 
 rejoicing in the garrison because of this succor that had 
 come to them in their need. The reinforcements consisted 
 of two companies of cavalry under command of Brigadier 
 General H. W. Wessels. It had been the plan of Depart- 
 ment Commander Cooke to make a campaign against the 
 savages during the winter and for this purpose he intended 
 to use 300 men drawn from the forces of Colonel Carring- 
 ton. This of course was absurd, for how could men fight 
 
Thrilling Events on the Bozeman Road. 579 
 
 without ammunition, or what could 300 men do against ser- 
 eral thousand savages? But I shall have more to ?ay about 
 this man Cooke in another chapter. 
 
 George Lathrop, who is well known throughout Wyo- 
 ming, both as a stage driver and a stage manager, went 
 with the Carrington expedition, being connected with the 
 supply train service. He was at the fort at the time of the 
 flag raising and also when the Fetterman Massacre occurred. 
 Wm. Murphy, who has been a prominent merchant in Chey- 
 enne for many years, was a member of the Eighteenth In- 
 fantry and participated in the stirring events around Fort 
 Phil. Kearney and helped to build that famous structure. 
 On the day of the massacre he was in the command which 
 was sent to the relief of the Fetterman party. Both of 
 these men have been connected in a prominent way with 
 the History of Wyoming and their names will appear ir- 
 other places in this work. 
 
$So History of Wyoming. 
 
 CHAPTER XL. 
 
 RED CLOUD CONTINUES THE WAR. 
 1867. 
 
 Government Wants Peace — Red Cloud Jubilant — Brigadier General 
 Wessels Takes Command of Fort Phil. Kearney — Carrington 
 GOES to Fort McPherson — General P. St. George Cooke Removed 
 and General Augur Assumes Command of the Department of the 
 Platte — Report of Congressional Committee on the Fetterman 
 Massacre — Red Cloud with a Large Force Hovers About Fort 
 Phil. Kearney — Makes Preparations to Storm the Fort — Major 
 Powell's Desperate Fight with Red Cloud — Indians Severely 
 Beaten — Recruits His Forces From Other Tribes — Spotted Tail 
 Punishes Deserters — Building of Fort Fetterman — Fort D. A. 
 Russell Located. 
 
 The construction of the Union Pacific Eailroad west- 
 ward to O'Fallen's Bluffs during the summer and fall of 
 1866 was destined to have a direct effect on the Indian 
 troubles. This was an important station on the old Over- 
 land and was located 307 miles west of Omaha. Troops and 
 supplies in the spring of 1867 were forwarded by railroad 
 to that point and thus the distance of hauling by wagon 
 trains was considerably lessened. The Government hav- 
 ing violated every treaty it had made with the Indians north 
 of the Platte, had now a war on its hands of such magnitude 
 as to call for heavy reinforcements, not only in Wyoming 
 but through Nebraska, along the line of construction of 
 the railroad. The Interior Department, and notably the 
 President, was anxious for peace with the wild tribes and 
 showed a disposition to pay tribute rather than furnish 
 money for defense. The attitude of the Government seemed 
 to amuse the hostiles. When Red Cloud was approached 
 and asked to accept terms of peace, he invariably replied 
 by demanding the evacuation of troops from his country 
 
Red Cloud Continues the War. 581 
 
 and the dismantling of Forts Reno, Phil. Kearney and 0. F. 
 Smith. He was assured that the Government had this sub- 
 ject under advisement and it was necessary to have peace 
 while matters were being adjusted. Red Cloud cut treaty 
 talk short by saying, "The white men could have peace as 
 soon as they left the country and not before." The Govern- 
 ment found itself in a condition almost helpless and as 
 nothing else could be done troops were rushed forward with 
 the hope of overawing the hostiles. Early in January, 
 as has been related. Brevet Brigadier General Wessels ar- 
 rived at Fort Phil. Kearney and with him came orders to 
 Colonel Carrington to move headquarters to Fort Caspar 
 without delay. The second battalion of the Eighteenth 
 Infantry had by a previous order become the Twenty-seventh 
 Infantry and Wessels was the Lieutenant Colonel of the 
 Eighteenth. He brought with him to the post three com- 
 panies of the Eighteenth and two companies of cavalry. 
 These additional forces placed Fort Phil. Kearney in a po- 
 sition, it was thought, to defy Red Cloud and his warriors 
 but that chieftain had grown in his own importance and he 
 was full of the belief that he could harass and finally 
 destroy the strong garrison. Later Gen. John E. Smith, 
 who had been in the volunteer service during the Civil 
 War, going from Galena, 111., was appointed by General 
 Grant ,Colonel of the Twenty-seventh Infantry, which was 
 made up by recruiting the first battalion of the old Eight- 
 eenth. The new organization was sent to the Bozeman 
 Road and Colonel Smith was assigned to the command of 
 Fort Phil. Kearney. 
 
 In the meantime, the country had become aroused over 
 the massacre at Fort Phil. Kearney. The Department 
 Commander P. St. George Cooke, the one man who was re- 
 sponsible for the massacre, by not furnishing approved 
 supplies of ammunition and reinforcements, now tried to 
 shift the responsibility from his own shoulders to those of 
 Colonel Carrington, and, as he had the ear of newspaper 
 correspondents, screened himself for the time being. 
 
582 History of Wyoming. 
 
 The winter of 1866-7 was the coldest as well as the 
 longest that had ever been known in Wyoming. The troops 
 which were sent from Fort Laramie to reinforce Fort Phil. 
 Kearney suffered greatly from the cold, and frozen feet and 
 hands were numerous by the time they reached their destin- 
 ation. The order directing the removal of headquarters 
 to Fort Caspar was imperative and was to be obeyed regard- 
 less of the storms and extreme cold weather which pre- 
 vailed, and so on the 23rd of January, amid fantastic snow- 
 drifts, the army of wagons bearing the women and children 
 and household goods of Colonel Carrington, started on the 
 road to Fort Caspar with an escort of twenty cavalrymen 
 and forty infantrymen under the command of Lieutenant 
 Bowman. It was a terrible undertaking and how these 
 people preserved their lives with the thermometer forty 
 degrees below zero was a mystery at the time. They finally 
 arrived at Fort Caspar, only to be informed that Colonel 
 Oarrington had been removed and ordered to report at 
 Fort McPherson to which place he and his train, re- 
 gardless of the weather, hurried on. Fort McPherson was 
 an important post that season for early in the year the 
 Indians attacked the line of travel, railroad parties and 
 all others who were in the country. Colonel Carrington 
 was made commander of the post and was kept busy sending 
 out escorts, entertaining officers and peace commissioners 
 and sending out invitations to Indians to come to the fort 
 and meet representatives of the Government. A mixed 
 commission was sent out that spring to treat with the In- 
 dians ,that is a commission composed in part of military 
 officers and the balance civilians. These came with im- 
 mense trains loaded with presents which were distributed 
 among all the good Indians but the bad ones neither came 
 themselves nor did they send representatives. This 
 commission arrived in April 1867 and was composed 
 of General Alfred Sully, General John B. Sanborn, General 
 N. B. Buford, E. S. Parker, Judge J. F. Kinney and the old 
 Indian trader, G. P. Beauvais. They met the Indians at 
 
Red Cloud Continues the War. 583 
 
 the BeauTais and Lee ranch, at the old California Crossing 
 on the South Platte. Henry M. Stanley, afterwards known 
 the world over as the great African explorer, was the sec- 
 retary of the peace commission. It was in this country 
 that Stanley acquired his love for wild adventure which 
 led him on afterwards to fortune and to fame. 
 
 Brigadier General P. St. George Cooke, who had so 
 unceremoniously removed Colonel Carrington from the 
 <?ommand of the Mountain District, was himself quite as 
 unceremoniously deposed from the command of the De- 
 partment and General C. C. Augur, put in his place. Con- 
 gress sent out a special commission to investigate the cause 
 of the disaster and this commission, after a careful exam- 
 ination of many witnesses, made a report covering all the 
 circumstances which led to the massacre. I quote the es- 
 sential points in that report: 
 
 "On the 9th of August, General Cooke, commanding 
 the Department of the Platte, informed Colonel Carrington 
 that Lieutenant-General Sherman ordered the posts in his, 
 Colonel Carrington's district, supported as much as pos- 
 sible, and announced a regiment coming from St. Louis. 
 
 "No auxiliaries were assigned, and no reinforcements 
 came until November, when company C, Second United 
 States Cavalry reached Fort Kearney sixty strong, armed 
 with Springfield rifles and Star carbines. In December 
 about ninety recruits joined the battalion in the Mountain 
 District, a portion of whom were assigned to a company 
 stationed at Fort Phil. Kearney. No other reinforcements 
 were sent to the district. Approved requisitions for am- 
 munition were not answered. The command at Fort C. F. 
 Smith was reduced to ten rounds per man; the command 
 at Fort Phil. Kearney to forty-five rounds per man and the 
 -command at Fort Reno to thirty-five rounds per man. Re- 
 cruits could not practice any in firing, little time could 
 be allowed from fatigue duty or drill, and with but twelve 
 officers and three posts little could have been done in drill- 
 ing recruits if time could have been allowed. 
 
 "The result of all this was that the troops were in no 
 condition to fight successful battles with Indians or other 
 foes, and this from no fault of Colonel Carrington, and I 
 
584 History of Wyoming. 
 
 am astonished at the zeal with which they fought, and the 
 damage they inflicted December 21st. 
 
 "The numerous demonstrations and attacks made by 
 Indians prior to the 6th of December seem to have been made 
 for the sole purpose of capturing stock, picket posts, small 
 parties of soldiers who might venture beyond the cover of 
 the garrison, and of annoying and checking the wood train 
 constantly drawing material for the new forts. 
 
 "Our conclusion, therefore, is that the Indians were 
 massed to resist Colonel Fetterman's advance along Peno 
 Creek on both sides of the road; that Colonel Petterman 
 formed his advance lines on the summit of the hill over- 
 looking the creek and valley, with a reserve near where the 
 large number of dead bodies lay; that the Indians, in force 
 of from fifteen to eighteen hundred warriors, attacked him 
 vigorously in this position, and were successfully resisted by 
 him for half an hour or more; that the command then be- 
 ing short of ammunition, and seized with panic at this event 
 and the great numerical superiority of the Indians, at- 
 tempted to retreat toward the fort; that the mountaineers 
 and old soldiers who had learned that a movement from 
 Indians in an engagement was equivalent to death, remained 
 in their first position, and were killed there; that immedi- 
 ately upon the commencement of the retreat the Indiana 
 charged upon and surrounded the party, who could not be 
 formed by their oificers, and were immediately killed. 
 Only six men of the whole comand were killed by balls, and 
 two of these. Lieutenant Fetterman and Captain Brown, 
 no doubt inflicted upon themselves, or each other, by their 
 own hands, for both were shot through the left temple, and 
 powder burnt into the skin and flesh about the wound. 
 These officers had oftimes asserted that they would not be 
 taken alive by Indians. 
 
 "In the critical examination we have given this painful 
 and horrible affair, we do not find of the immediate par- 
 ticipants any officer living deserving of censure; and even 
 if evidence justifies it, it would ill become us to speak evil 
 of or censure these dead who sacrificed life struggling to 
 maintain the authority and power of the Government and 
 add new lustre to our arms and fame. 
 
 "Of those who have been more remotely connected with 
 the events that led to the massacre, we have endeavored 
 to report specifically as to enable yourself and the President^ 
 who have much official information that we cannot have, 
 
Red Cloud Continues the War. 585 
 
 to determine where the censure must fall. The diflficulty, 
 "in a nutshell," was that the commanding oflQcer of the dis- 
 trict was furnished no more troops or supplies for this state 
 of war than had been provided and furnished him for a, 
 state of profound peace." 
 
 The investigation by this commission settled, in the 
 minds of people who took the trouble to follow the subject, 
 the responsibility of the Fetterman massacre. Colonel Car- 
 rington may not have been a brilliant Indian fighter but he 
 was conservative and took the best possible care of the 
 men under his command. It was clearly proven that the 
 disaster could not be laid at his door. The men who sat 
 on the commission summed up the difficulty and presented 
 a report to the Senate and the President, which for all time 
 must stand as the deliberate judgment of mankind, but the 
 report of this commission had little bearing on events. The 
 Government was in a fix and had to get out of it. Congress 
 wanted peace but it was apparent that this could not be 
 brought about until some decisive battles were fought and 
 some thousands of Indians were killed. The feeling of the 
 Indians at the commencement of 1867 was that they were 
 masters of the situation and this they made manifest during 
 the summer. 
 
 As has been mentioned, the Government had sent large 
 reinforcements into what is now Wyoming during the spring^ 
 and summer of 1867. These troops were the Second Cavalry, 
 the Fourth, Tenth, Thirteenth, Eighteenth, Twenty-second, 
 Twenty-seventh, Thirtieth, Thirty-first, and Thirty-sixth 
 Infantry. It was designed to send an expedition against 
 the combined Sioux Tribes under Red Cloud but for some 
 reason nothing of this kind was attempted. The troops were 
 stationed at various forts and summer camps were made 
 on the stage line and also along the North Platte. The Ih- 
 dians did not disturb the troops to any extent who were 
 in garrison and the military were content to be safe, and ta 
 save the trouble of escorting emigrants these were stopped 
 at different points and held until a sufficient number arrived 
 to be organized into campanies to defend themselvea 
 
586 History of Wyoming. 
 
 against the hostiles. As earlj as May Indians attacked the 
 stage line west of Fort Sanders and the company refused 
 to carry passengers, giving as an excuse that their stations 
 had been attacked and burned, their men either killed or 
 wounded, their stock stolen and altogether there appeared 
 to be reasons enough why the passenger coaches were not 
 run. There seemed to be no great gathering of savages 
 along the routes of travel but small bands of marauders 
 came to the stage line, ran off stock and if it did not 
 incur too much risk white men were killed and scalped. The 
 depredations were systematic, relentless and were intended 
 to wear out the patience of the stage company, freighters 
 and emigrants. Those who kept a sharp lookout and trav- 
 eled in large bodies had little to fear. Indians and signs 
 of Indians were on every hand and woe to those who lagged 
 in the rear or ventured too far in advance. Surveying par- 
 ties on the Union Pacific, in spite of the precautions taken, 
 »ften suffered severely. A party under a man named Hills 
 was straightening the line, during the month of June, east 
 of where Cheyenne is now located. One morning early they 
 were attacked just after leaving their camp on Crow Creek 
 by seventy-flve Sioux warriors. Hills was killed at the 
 first onslaught and one of his assistants, named Archer, 
 was badly wounded. The Indians were driven off without 
 diflSculty. This affair occurred thirteen miles east of Chey- 
 enne. Hillsdale was named in honor of this murdered sur- 
 veyor. It would be impossible to give a detailed account 
 ©f the numerous attacks on surveying parties, graders, 
 passenger coaches and emigrant outfits which occurred 
 that year. The Indians were satisfied with the running off 
 ©f stock and the killing of any white man who exposed him- 
 self beyond the limit of protection. This was the condition 
 of things on the main lines of travel east and west and along 
 the route of the railroad under construction. The Boze- 
 man Road and the entire country through which it passed 
 was filled with danger seen and unseen. Red Cloud kept 
 
Red Cloud Continues the War. 587 
 
 his headquarters near Fort Phil. Kearney and it was there 
 he intended to fight it out with the soldiers. 
 
 Peace negotiations had been pushed by the Govern- 
 ment during the spring and early summer and some pro- 
 gress had been made in this direction but nothing really 
 satisfactory was accomplished. When a tribe, through its 
 head men, declared for peace, there were always some dis- 
 affected warriors who refused to submit and they with- 
 drew from their tribe and joined Bed Cloud and thus it was 
 that this chieftain recruited a strong fighting force along 
 the Bozeman road in the early summer of 1867. There was 
 trouble enough that season both at Fort Reno and at Fort C. 
 F. Smith but Fort Phil. Kearney was the theater of war. 
 Red Cloud, who had kept a close watch on the fort during 
 
 1866, had cut off haying and wood parties, run off stock, 
 killed nearly one-half of the garrison at a single blow and 
 yet this was nothing as compared with his intentions for 
 
 1867. He redoubled his vigilance and in July prepared to 
 storm the fort and put to death every white man of the gar- 
 rison. It was absolutely necessary to have trains on the 
 road to bring in supplies and these were invariably attacked 
 and received great damage. Wood parties had to be strong- 
 ly protected but, even with the greatest care, disaster fol- 
 lowed closely the doomed garrison. At last the time was 
 ripe for the intended assault. Red Cloud confidently ex- 
 pected a victory and promised his warriors an abundant 
 supply of ammunition and stores from the fori: and the war- 
 riors, taking the great chief at his word, took with them 
 their squaws to assist in carrying off the plunder. Fortun- 
 ately among the supplies received that year was a quantity 
 of breech-loading, long range rifle muskets, a new thing in 
 the infantry service. These had been placed in the hands 
 of the Eighteenth Infantry and were used in the, defense of 
 wood and hay parties. This wonderful firearm was a new 
 thing in the western service and its possession proved of 
 great importance to the soldiers who had been marked for 
 destruction. During July Red Cloud concentrated fully 
 
588 History of Wyoming. 
 
 3,000 fighting men near the fort and was awaiting a suitable 
 time to storm the garrison. 
 
 On the last day of July, Captain and Brevet Major James 
 Powell of the Eighteenth Infantry received orders to pro- 
 ceed to the Piney, about five miles from the fort, to escort 
 the working party of contractor J. E. Porter. The company 
 consisted of fifty-one enlisted men, Lieutenant Jenness and 
 Major Powell. Quoting from Major Powell's offtcial report 
 we find the situation thus : "Upon my arrival at the above 
 named place I found the train divided, one part encamped 
 ©n a plateau, and with one exception the position was well 
 selected for defense, and the best security that the country 
 afforded for the stock. The other part was encamped about 
 one mile distant in a southwesterly direction on a command- 
 ing point across the Little Piney Creek, at the foot of the 
 mountains. My details consisted in sending twelve men 
 to protect the working parties of both trains and thirteen 
 as escort to the trains when coming into the post." 
 
 Another fact should here be mentioned. The post had 
 been supplied with a new kind of wagon beds, either made of 
 iron or covered with plate sufQciently thick to resist an or- 
 dinary bullet. These wagon beds were loop-holed and in- 
 tended for defense against Indians. The two camps were 
 all well enough as far as the contractor was concerned but 
 Major Powell found it difficult to give each the proper pro- 
 tection and he consequently selected the encampment on the 
 plateau and proceeded to place it in a state of defense. 
 There were sixteen wagon beds in his camp and four- 
 teen of these he had lifted from the wheels and arranged 
 them in a circle as close together as possible. The space be- 
 tween each wagon bed was filled with anything that would 
 stop a bullet. The two wagons upon which the beds still 
 remained, were placed in front to keep off horsemen. These, 
 while permitting the soldiers to fire under them at an ad- 
 vancing foe, prevented horsemen from riding close to the 
 wagon beds which were on the ground. Major Powell had 
 brought with him an abundant supply of ammunition and 
 
Red Cloud Continues the War. 589 
 
 this was placed in position ready for instant use. Not only 
 the soldiers but the citizens apprehended an attack. It was 
 understood that on the approach of Indians the workmen 
 were to seek shelter in the improvised fort. All went on 
 peaceably until nine o'clock on the morning of August 2nd, 
 when there was a preconcerted attack on the herders and 
 at the same time on the wood camp at the foot of the 
 mountain a mile away. Two hundred well armed Indians 
 dashed down on the herders and 500 attacked the distant 
 wood camp. Most of the men were cut off from Powell's 
 command and driven into the mountains but they in part 
 made their way to the fort, except three of the soldiers and 
 three or four citizens, who were killed. The Indians set fire 
 to the camp and destroyed everything there and turning 
 quickly they concentrated a large force and proceeded to 
 attack Major Powell's camp, but that oflQcer was thoroughly 
 prepared to receive them. At the first alarm he understood 
 just what would happen and quickly placing his men in 
 the circle of wagonbeds each one lying prone on the bottom 
 awaiting the attack. They did not have long to wait for 
 within fifteen minutes 800 mounted warriors, confident of 
 victory, dashed down on the position. The soldiers 
 waited until the Indians were within easy range when a 
 sheet of flame burst forth from the loopholes and many of 
 the foremost riders fell from their horses. An instant later 
 the breech-loaders were again ready and a second volley 
 did terrible execution. There were but thirty-two men in all 
 in the wagonbeds and four of these were citizens, but small 
 as the number was, they were nerved to the point of doing 
 deadly work. Some of the soldiers were known not to be 
 good shots and these kept extra guns loaded and passed 
 them to the hands of the expert marksmen. The four citi- 
 zens,it chanced,were dead shots and were kept supplied with 
 loaded rifles so that they were enabled to average more 
 than a shot every minute. The men in the wagonbeds un- 
 derstood that the contest depended not only upon their 
 bravery but their steady nerve. They had made up their 
 
590 History of Wyoming. 
 
 minds to save themselves by determined coolness and ac- 
 curacy of aim. The Indians charged the position again 
 and again but each time a murderous fire mowed them down. 
 Bed Cloud watched the combat from a low hill a few hun- 
 dred yards away and seeing his warriors stricken dead every 
 time they advanced he called his principal chiefs together 
 and after a hurried cousultation decided to make an ad- 
 vance with his entire force on foot. The warriors, who were 
 armed with Winchester carbines and muskets secured at 
 the Fetterman massacre, were sent in advance as skirmish- 
 ers and sharpshooters. These Indians crawled along the 
 ravines and sheltered themselves until they secured posi- 
 tions from which they could deliver a fire from nearly all 
 directions on the wagonbeds, but, thanks to the heavy iron, 
 the white men were shielded from harm. Lieutenant Jen- 
 mess and one man had been killed before this but the others 
 kept up that same withering fire which told with terrible 
 effect on those who attempted to approach. If a warrior 
 showed himself it was certain death. The skirmishers and 
 sharpshooters sought shelter and were content to await 
 the charge of the main body. For a time the firing died away 
 and the men in the circle of wagon boxes had an opportun- 
 ity to see what was going on in their immediate front. It 
 was noticed that the savages swarmed from the hills and 
 arranged themselves in a semi-circle and then moved stead- 
 ily forward. When a distance of 500 yards from the wagon- 
 beds was reached, the order to charge was given and the 
 whole body dashed forward but the deadly aim of the white 
 men thinned their ranks, staggered the line and brought 
 it to a halt and then it turned and fled. The war chiefs 
 resolved to make another trial, when the warriors were 
 again formed and sent back to charge, but as often as 
 this was repeated they were hurled back by a storm of bul- 
 lets aimed by men who had determined that every shot 
 should tell. These assaults were kept up for three mortal 
 hours, Bed Cloud feeling certain that the handful of men in 
 the wagon boxes could not hold out against such overwhelm- 
 
Red Cloud Continues the War. ,591 
 
 ing mimbers, but the last charge was as gaUantly met as 
 the others had been and the Indians finally made up their 
 minds that the white men were armed with "medicine guns" 
 which would shoot all the time. The ground on three sides 
 of the wagonbeds was covered with the dead and wounded. 
 The remaining Indians were completely demoralized and 
 terror stricken and fled to the hills. Ked Cloud now gave 
 up the fight and devoted his attention to the recovery of the 
 bodies of those killed. For this purpose skirmishers were 
 sent out to keep up a continuous fire under cover of which 
 those who fell nearest the hills were brought in and for those 
 who were lying nearest the wagonbeds, warriors would 
 crawl up protected by large shields, and fasten long ropes 
 to the dead or wounded while other warriors farther back 
 would pull them in. While the Indians were in the midst 
 of this occupation Major Smith in command of a relief party 
 from the fort arrived on the ground with a strong force and 
 relieved the little garrison. Major Powell's loss was one 
 officer and two privates killed and two soldiers wounded. 
 The loss of the Indians will never be known but it was very 
 heavy. Greneral E. I. Dodge says that a wounded Sioux 
 chief told him that same year that the Indians' total loss 
 in killed and wounded was 1,137. If this be true it is the 
 most wonderful fight on record. In corroboration of the 
 story of the Indian chief General Dodge says : 
 
 "One of the citizens who fought with Powell was a 
 grizzled old trapper, who had spent his life on the frontier,^ 
 and been in Indian fights without number. Some months 
 after the battle, the Department Commander met and ques- 
 tioned him. 
 
 " 'How many Indians were in the attack?' asked the 
 General. 
 
 " 'Wall, Gin'r'l, I can't say for sartin, but I think thar 
 wus nigh onto three thousand uv 'em.' 
 
 " 'How many were killed and wounded?' 
 
 " 'Wall, Gin'r'l, I can't say for sartin, but I think thar 
 war nigh onto a thousand ov 'em hit.' 
 
 " 'How many did you kill ?' 
 
 " 'Wall, Gin'r'l, I can't say; but gi' me a dead rest, I kin 
 
592 History of Wyoming. 
 
 hit a dollar at fifty yards every time, and I fired with a dead 
 rest at more'n fifty of them varmints inside of fifty yards.' 
 
 " 'For Heaven's sake, how many times did you fire?' 
 exclaimed the astonished General. 
 
 " 'Wall, Gin'r'l, I can't say, but I kept eight guns pretty 
 well het up for more'n three hours.' " 
 
 Major Powell's fight with the Indians on the Piney came 
 with crushing eilect to Red Cloud. There was a disposition 
 among the remnants of tribes which made up the force en- 
 gaged in this battle to regard the affair with superstitious 
 dread, and Eed Cloud himself could only explain it by at- 
 tributing the failure to overcome the whites to the direct 
 action of the "bad god." Ked Cloud, after this disaster, 
 found it necessary to recruit his forces, and to do this he was 
 obliged to send runners among the tribes who had signed a 
 treaty with the government. These runners were forced to 
 be very discreet, as Indian laws or usages do not recognize 
 the right of warriors to separate themselves from the tribe 
 for the purpose of joining another which is at war with a 
 nation with whom the parent tribe is at peace. Spotted 
 Tail's band of Brule Sioux had signed a treaty with the 
 government to remain at peace. This treaty was not popu- 
 lar with a portion of the tribe and the malcontents were an 
 easy prey to the runners from Eed Cloud's camp, who 
 chanced to be Cheyenne warriors. Spotted Tail kept a close 
 watch on the visitors, but nothing transpired to indicate 
 the real purpose of these men in visiting his band, and yet 
 he suspected the truth. One morning he learned that twen- 
 ty lodges had stolen away during the night and that it was 
 their purpose to join the hostiles. He at once mounted a 
 party of his most trusted warriors and sent them after the 
 deserters, who were overtaken and brought back to Spot- 
 ted Tail's camp, and they met the fate of Indian deserters: 
 each warrior being severely whipped, and some of the 
 squaws, who were believed to be indirectly responsible for 
 the desertion, met the same fate. All the arms belonging to 
 the braves were broken or confiscated, their horses killed, 
 their lodges, robes and property of every kind burned, and 
 
CHIEF RED GLOUD. 
 
 {Ai the age 0/72.) 
 
 Wrrm 
 
 Arrival 0/ John Phillips at Horse Shoe Station with his message of the massacre 0/ 
 Fettennan' s command. 
 
Red Cloud Continues the War. 593 
 
 the disloyal warriors were left little better than naked beg- 
 gars. Spotted Tail had the satisfaction of knowing, when 
 he got through with them, that they were powerless for evil 
 and that he had treated their disloyalty according to the 
 proud traditions of the numerous and powerful Sioux bands. 
 
 The Indian war after the defeat of Eed Cloud seemed to 
 languish. Hostilities were still kept up all along the Boze- 
 man road, but there were no more open attacks except 
 against such whites as happened to come into the country 
 and who were comparatively helpless. The troops connect- 
 ed with the posts on this road were harassed on all occa- 
 sions, but the Indians avoided a pitched battle. The oflScial 
 record of operations in that section for the balance of the 
 season, when condensed, reads as follows: 
 
 October 1st. — A dash at the mules with the hay party; 
 fourteen mules and seven horses run off. 
 
 October 12th. — Indians attempted to capture mules be- 
 longing to the pinery, four and a half miles from the post. 
 
 October 13th. — Forty-one mules run off by Indians at 
 Fort Eeno. 
 
 October 17th. — One man killed and scalped by Indians 
 at the pinery. 
 
 October 20th. — Detachment of Second Cavalry attacked 
 at Crazy Woman's Fork. 
 
 October 25th. — Indians twice attempted to run off the 
 stock of three trains enroute from Fort Eeno. 
 
 Along the line of railway construction, hostilities were 
 continued, but the attacks were against unarmed men as a 
 rule. Emigrants suffered the loss of their stock and occa- 
 sionally a scalp was taken. Over the line in Nebraska, ma- 
 rauding bands kept up the fight, and yet the hostilities were 
 of a mild nature compared with those of other years. The 
 peace commissioner was abroad with his trinkets and the 
 government was constantly sending additional force into 
 the country, and so the weeks and months passed until the 
 Union Pacific was finally completed as far as Cheyenne and 
 trains running. 
 
 -(38) 
 
594 History of Wyoming. 
 
 FOET FETTERMAN. 
 
 Notwithstanding the fact that the government was de- 
 sirous of making peace with the Indians and was putting 
 forth every effort to consumate a treaty, preparations for 
 war were constantly going forward. It was decided to lo- 
 cate a post on the North Platte at the point where La Prele 
 Creek empties into that stream. This was at the angle 
 where the Bozeman Road turns to the north. Accordingly 
 Major William McE. Dye, with Companies A, C, H and I, 
 Fourth Infantry, was sent to construct the fort. These 
 troops arrived on the ground on July 19, 1867, and at once 
 commenced the erection of the necessary buildings. The 
 fort was located on a beautiful plateau, 800 yards from the 
 river and about 130 feet above it, and on the south bank of 
 the stream. The military reservation which was laid ofE is 
 described as follows: Beginning at a point five miles due 
 east of the flagstaff; thence running due south one mile; 
 thence due west ten miles; thence due south six miles; 
 thence due east ten miles; thence due north five miles to 
 the place of beginning. (General Orders No. 34, Series 1867, 
 Headquarters Department of the Platte.) In addition to 
 this, there were reservations for hay, and also for wood. 
 The former comprised the bottom lands adjacent to Deer 
 Creek from its mouth to the first high range of hills. The 
 latter, "that part of the north range of the Black Hills run- 
 ning almost parallel to and about fourteen miles south of 
 the North Platte River, and that part of the same range 
 which lies between Box Elder Creek and little Box Elder." 
 The logs for the fort were cut by enlisted men, and these 
 were converted into lumber at the two saw-mills located at 
 the post. This fort played a conspicuous part in the Indian 
 wars for the next few years. It was a substantial structure, 
 with all the appointments to make of it a first-class post, and 
 when Fort Caspar was abandoned and the three forts north 
 of it, Reno, Phil. Kearney and C. F. Smith, it became of ne- 
 cessity an important supply point for the army operating 
 against the Indians in the Northwest. The post received its 
 
Red Cloud Continues the War. 595 
 
 name in honor of Brevet Lieutenant Colonel W. J. Fetter- 
 man, captain in the Twenty-seventh Infantry, who, with his 
 whole command, was killed in the Indian massacre near 
 Fort Phil. Kearney, December 21, 1866. With the first 
 troops who came to Fort Fetterman was CSptain John D. 
 O'Brien, who, after serving his time in the army, became 
 a permanent resident of Wyoming and a prominent citizen 
 of Converse county. On the brealving out of the war with 
 Spain, he was elected Captain of Company F, First Regi- 
 ment of Wyoming Volunteers, and went with his command 
 to Manila. His name will appear in connection with the 
 first settlement of his county, also in connection with the 
 history of Wyoming troops in our war with Spain. In this 
 volume will be found a carefully drawn sketch of Fort Fet- 
 terman. The history of this post is largely made up of 
 events which occurred subsequent to the period which this 
 volume covers. Military operations connected with Fort 
 Fetterman will be detailed in the second volme of this worv 
 
 FOET D. A. RUSSELL. 
 
 The building of Fort D. A. Russell occurred at about 
 the same time as that of Fort Fetterman. The official rec- 
 ord in the War Department relating to this post is as fol- 
 lows: 
 
 "Located on the north bank of Crow Creek, a branch of 
 the South Platte River, and distant three miles west of the 
 town of Cheyenne, in Laramie County, Wyoming. 
 
 "In July, 1867, Brevet Brigadier General John D. Ste- 
 venson, Colonel Thirteenth Infantry, then in camp on Lar- 
 ren's Fork, a branch of the North Platte River, in western 
 Nebraska, about eighty miles northwest of old Fort Sedg- 
 wick, having under his command five companies of his regi- 
 ment, received instructions to proceed to a point where the 
 Union Pacific railroad would cross Crow Creek, with a view 
 of locating a military post thereat. 
 
 "On July 15th he left Larren's Fork and on the 21st, 
 with Companies B, G and K, reached the creek about half 
 a mile above the present site of the town of Cheyenne, which 
 he selected as his first camp. Here he found Brevet Major 
 
596 History of Wyoming. 
 
 General Christopher 0. Augur, Colonel Twelfth Infantry, 
 then commanding the Department of the Platte, with his 
 staff, a detachment of Troop H, Second Cavalry, and a camp 
 of railroad engineers. As yet no houses had been erected, 
 though the railway was then running to Julesburg. 
 
 "On August 16th the camp was moved to the present 
 site and a post established thereon, pursuant to General Or- 
 ders No. 33, Headquarters Department of the Platte, July 
 31, 1867, and designated Fort D. A. Russell, in honor of the 
 memory of Brevet Major General David A. Eussell, Major 
 Eighth Infantry, who was killed at the battle of Opequan, 
 Virginia, September 19, 1864. 
 
 "The object in establishing the post was to protect the 
 railway in the vicinity, and the lines of travel south to Den- 
 ver, Colorado, and northward to Fort Laramie, Wyoming, 
 and the posts beyond. Temporary log huts were erected for 
 the accommodation of the enlisted men in September, the 
 officers remaining in tents. Permanent company barracks 
 were constructed in October and November, 1867, and by 
 the end of the year the troops were in barracks with the ex- 
 ception of the officers, whose quarters were commenced later 
 and were not occupied until February, 1868. 
 
 "The site of the post was located a little to the left of 
 the center of the reservation, its southernmost angle reach- 
 ing the edge of the bluff, there about 50 feet above the water 
 which flows directly beneath. The buildings at first were 
 entirely of wood and arranged arOund a parade of diamond 
 form 1,040 feet in its long, by 800 feet in its short axis. The 
 post was designed to accommodate twelve companies, six 
 each of cavalry and infantry. Subsequently it was extended 
 to the east; the addition forming a parallelogram, 800 feet 
 by 420 feet, and buildings of brick, frame and adobe con- 
 structed. 
 
 "In the spring of 1870, cottonwood and pine trees were 
 planted around the parade ground and other parts of the 
 post. The cottonwood trees appear to have thrived fairly 
 and many of them are standing at the present time, whife 
 the pines have entirely disappeared. A fire broke out at 
 the post on January 4, 1875, destroying several sets of offi- 
 cers' quarters, and on December 13, 1882, one sot of company 
 barracks was destroyed by the same element. 
 
 "From the appropriation of Congress of $2,000,000, Act 
 approved July 7, 1884, for the construction of buildings and 
 enlargement of military posts, the Secretary of War, on Au- 
 
Red Cloud Continues the War. ^gj 
 
 gust 7, 1884, authorized $100,000 for the rebuilding of Fort 
 D. A. Eussell, Wyoming. In the civil bill, approved August 
 4, 1886, Congress appropriated a further sum of |225,000 
 for military posts, and out of this sum the Secretary allotted 
 $20,000 for the post. 
 
 "By Act of Congress approved January 29, 1887, the 
 Secretary of ^Yar was authorized and directed to complete 
 the barracks and quarters at the post, at an expense of not 
 exceeding $30,000. This sum, with the $20,000 above re- 
 ferred to for Fort D. A. Eussell, were combined by the Sec- 
 retary, who approved plans and estimates for work aggre- 
 gating $50,000. The repairs and construction of barracks 
 and quarters under the above act, were commenced in 1888, 
 and completed the following year. 
 
 "The region in the vicinity of the post was originally 
 held by the Arapahoe Indians, but under the treaty ratified 
 August 25, 1868, their removal was graduailly effected to the 
 permanent reservation in the Indian Territory, set apart for 
 the Southern Cheyennes and Arapahoes by the treaty of 
 1867, or to the Missouri Eiver reservations set apart for 
 the Brule and other bands of Sioux by the treaty of April 29, 
 1868. 
 
 "The post has been, since its establishment, a rendez- 
 vous or depot for the distribution of troops. A large quarter- 
 master and commissary depot was established in August, 
 1867, located about one and a half miles east of the post, 
 which during its existence was an important base of sup- 
 plies for the military stations to the northward and for 
 troops operating in the field; the old road from Fort Sedg- 
 wick to Fort Laramie having been abandoned for the new 
 and shorter one from Fort D. A. Eussell. 
 
 "The Cheyenne depot of the Quartermaster's Depart- 
 ment was abandoned March 31, 1890, and the stores trans- 
 ferred to Fort Eobinson, Nebraska. 
 
 "During 1890, the guard house was removed and renova- 
 ted and the sewerage and water systems completed. The 
 sewerage connects with that of the town of Cheyenne. 
 Fort D. A. Eussell has been continuously occupied from its 
 establishment to date." 
 
 The military events connected with Fort Eussell, like 
 those of Fort Fetterman, belong to a period which will be 
 covered by the second volume of this history. From 1869 
 forward this post was the most important one in the Eocky 
 
598 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Mountain country, and it had much to do with the Indian 
 wars up to and including the Thornburg massacre of 1879. 
 Its proximity to the railroad enabled the troops to reach 
 points of disturbance in the west, south and east very 
 promptly, which made it an important depot for both troops 
 and supplies. 
 
 CHAPTER XLI. 
 
 MISTAKEN POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT. 
 1868. 
 
 Indians Continue Hostilities — Record For the Month of March — 
 Peace Commissioners Assemble at Fort Laramie — Red Cloud 
 Agrees to Terms but does not Sign — Six Hundred of His War- 
 riors Dissatisfied and Withdraw — The Marauding Bands Con- 
 tinue THE War — Forts Reno, Phil. Kearney and C. F. Smith 
 Abandoned — Several Regiments withdrawn From the Plains — 
 General Sheridan Points out the Mistakes of the Peace Pol- 
 icy OF THE Government — Indian Troubles Renewed — Schuyler 
 Colfax's Message to the War Department — Governor Hunt of 
 Colorado Asks for Arms — General Sherman's Reply — Generals 
 Sheridan and Custer Take the Field — Text of the Sioux Treaty 
 — Building of Fort Fred. Steele. 
 
 Early in the year 1868, the Indians showed a determi- 
 nation to keep up hostilities. The desire of the government 
 to hold a big peace conference at Fort Laramie in April had 
 been communicated to all the Indian tribes during the win- 
 ter. The hostile bands had signified their willingness to 
 come to the conference, but, Indian-like, they were in no 
 hurry to do so, and events proved that they were not acting 
 in good faith. A condensation of the records of the War De- 
 
Mistalcen Policy of the Government. 599 
 
 partment for the month of March that year will show the 
 real condition up to the time the peace commissioners ar- 
 rived at Fort Laramie. Here is the record for the month : 
 
 "March 12th. — Mail party from Port Reno attacked on 
 the Dry Fork of the Cheyenne. 
 
 "13th. — Indians captured a train between Fetterman 
 and Laramie Peak sawmill. 
 
 "14th. — Indians captured a train near post saw-mill. 
 
 "18th. — Indians captured twenty-nine mules of saw-mill 
 train, and killed one man. 
 
 "18th. — Indians attacked Bruce's camp, near Box Elder, 
 and ran off sixty head of cattle. 
 
 "24th. — Eanches burned, and ranchmen killed, between 
 Forts Laramie and Fetterman." 
 
 To these may be added an attack by hostiles on W. E. 
 Talbott, George Spurr, a man named Morse and a Mexican 
 called Joe, who were herding stock for Hook and Moore, on 
 Lone Tree Creek, twenty-flve miles from Cheyenne. Morse 
 was shot through the body and also had an arm broken. 
 Word was sent to Fort RusSell and a detachment of soldiers 
 was at once sent out after the Indians, but the hostiles made 
 good their escape. 
 
 If these Indians were anxious to conclude a treaty of 
 peace, their actions did not so indicate. At this day it seems 
 remarkable that General Sherman should have been so com- 
 pletely in the dark in regard to Indian character. The dep- 
 redations I have mentioned do not include those at South 
 Pass, which will be found in the chapter relating to that 
 country. The peace talk, as far as the Indians were con- 
 cerned, simply meant an opportunity to procure supplies, 
 guns and ammunition. The farce went on^ and in due time 
 the commissioners arrived at Cheyenne on their way to Fort 
 Laramie. This commission consisted of Lieutenant General 
 W. T. Sherman, N. G. Taylor, J. B. Henderson, Brevet Ma- 
 jor General Harney, John B. Sanborn, Brevet Major Gene- 
 ral Alfred H. Terry, Brevet Major General C. C. Augur and 
 S. F. Tappan. These commissioners had been appointed 
 under the Act of July 20, 1867. The men selected were able. 
 
6oo History of Wyoming. 
 
 conscientious and practical, and the country at large had 
 every confidence in them, but there had been so many peace 
 commissions and so little accomplished that neither the 
 white men nor the Indians were disposed to believe that this 
 new effort at treaty making would reach the end desired. 
 In reply to expressed opinions on the subject, it was claimed 
 that this particular commission was clothed with full pow- 
 ers, not only to treat with the Indians, but to settle existing 
 differences without loss of time. The commission an-ived at 
 Fort Laramie on April 7th and proceeded at once to invite 
 the hostiles to come in for a talk, at the same time giving as- 
 surances that the government was ready and willing to deal 
 liberally with the red men. The great difficulty in the way 
 was the finding of suitable runners to visit the hostile bands^ 
 Reliable men around the fort refused to go out on this dan- 
 gerous errand,as it was said that thelndians would not make 
 a treaty before the Government should withdraw the troops 
 from the Bozeman Road. The commission drew up a treaty 
 which set forth the desire of all parties to end the war, and 
 in which it was mutually agreed that hostilities should for- 
 ever cease. The terms and conditions of the treaty followed. 
 The commissioners waited at Port Laramie three months, 
 and in the meanwhile a number of bands came in and after 
 the usual smoke and council talk, they signed the treaty and 
 received a supply of provisions, clothing, blankets, firearms 
 and ammunition, but Red Cloud, Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses^ 
 and the more warlike Indians, while promising to come in, 
 did not. These warriors took their own time. Red Cloud 
 waited, he claimed, for the withdrawal of the troops from 
 the Bozeman road. The troops disappeared in August, but 
 it was not until November that this wily chief turned his 
 footsteps to the North Platte. Winter was coming on and 
 his allied bands were destitute of everything, so he and 
 Thunder Man visited Fort Laramie and on NoA'ember 6th 
 they signed the treaty. Following Red Cloud were a large 
 number of Indians who had been waiting to find out what h& 
 was going to do. The first signature to this treaty was at- 
 
Mistaken Policy of the Government. 60 1 
 
 fixed on the 29tli day of April and the last one was attached 
 on the day Bed Cloud signed, thus it will be seen that it 
 took more than six months to secure the signatures of these 
 different bands, and all this time depredations were con- 
 tinued by these Indians, not by organized tribes, it is true, 
 but by prowling savages who made no pretense of acting 
 with their tribes; they were freebooters of the worst sort 
 and there were thousands of them. 
 
 As soon as it was known among the Indians that Red 
 Cloud had agreed to make peace, 600 warriors withdrew 
 from his camp in the Powder Eiver country and started 
 south, and on the 28th of July they attacked the paymaster 
 between Ports Reno and Fetterman. There were sixty sol- 
 diers in the escort, and in the first a,ttack two of these were 
 killed. A sharp battle took place and the Indians were 
 finally repulsed after a number of them had been killed, and 
 the paymaster and his escort passed on without further mo- 
 lestation. These Indians, after spending some time in hunt- 
 ing, finally crossed the railroad on August 28th, and a de- 
 tachment from the band attacked Laycock's camp of wood 
 choppers. The men fell back to a place where their arms 
 were deposited and then opened a telling fire on the savages, 
 killed one of them, when the rest took to their heels. None 
 of the wood choppers were injured. On the same day it was 
 reported at Fort Sanders that three white men were killed 
 on Big Thompson by this band. It was thought that strag- 
 glers from this same band killed Edmond M. Pratt one mile 
 and a half east of Cheyenne and ran off thirty-four head of 
 stock on August 22d. B. J. Evert, Pratt's companion, es- 
 caped and reached Cheyenne. A detachment of soldiers was 
 sent out from Fort D. A. Russell in pursuit of the murderers, 
 but they had made good their escape. Later in the day hos- 
 tiles were reported on the road between Denver and Chey- 
 enne. 
 
 On September 15th, a band of Indians made an attack 
 on a party of whites at Cooper Lake, killed one man, cap- 
 tured two more, also one woman. The hostiles went in the 
 
6o2 History of Wyoming. 
 
 direction of Laramie Peak. The commanders at Forts Lara- 
 mie and Fetterman were notified and detachments were sent 
 out from both places to head them off, but the Indians slip- 
 ped through and went into the Sweetwater Country and thus 
 escaped. 
 
 In order to take away the last excuse of Red Cloud for 
 continued opposition to making a treaty, the President had 
 on March 2d ordered the abandonment of Forts Eeno, Phil. 
 Kearney and C. F. Smith. This order was not carried out 
 until August, as wagons had to be sent out to bring away 
 the stores, and these, in sufQcient number, were difficult to 
 procure. The stores which were taken from the three dis- 
 mantled forts were transferred to Fort Steele and other 
 posts and as soon as the troops from these places were with- 
 drawn, the War Department ordered several regiments, 
 which were serving in the west, sent to Omaha, the excuse 
 given being that it was too expensive to maintain so many 
 soldiers in the far west. It was soon discovered that this 
 policy was of the kind known as "penny wise and pound 
 foolish." There was much indignation expressed in Wyo- 
 ming over the transfer of these regiments, and the War De- 
 partment was not long in finding out that another stupid 
 blunder of its own was to be added to the long list which 
 had previously been marked down to the credit of the War 
 Office and those who controlled the army. I have said that 
 the President ordered the abandonment of the three posts 
 to secure a peace with Eed Cloud, but this was not admitted 
 by the administration. The reason claimed was that the 
 completion of the Union Pacific Railroad made Montana ac- 
 cessible without the government keeping up the expense of 
 guarding the Bozeman Road. This was not true, as most 
 people going west at that time transported their families 
 and goods in wagon trains, and the Bozeman Road was seve- 
 ral hundred miles shorter than following the line of railway. 
 Disguise it as they would, white people, as well as the Indi- 
 ans, understood the President's order as the acknowledg- 
 ment of defeat, and events proved that the abandonment of 
 
Mistaken Policy of the Government. 603 
 
 the Bozeman Road and the treaty of 1868 was the worst pol- 
 icy that could possibly be pursued toward the Indians. 
 General Sheridan, who then commanded the Department of 
 the Missouri, in his official report, dated September 26th, 
 1868, pointed out clearly the mistakes of that year. I quote 
 from that report : 
 
 "The motives of the peace commissioners were humane, 
 but there was an error of judgment in making peace with 
 the Indians last fall. They should have been punished and 
 made to give up the plunder captured, and which they now 
 hold ; and after properly submitting to the military and dis- 
 gorging their plunder, they could have been turned over to 
 the civil agents. This error has given more victims to sav- 
 age ferocity. The present system of dealing with Indians, 
 I think, is an error. There are too many fingers in the pie, 
 too many ends to be subserved, and too much money to be 
 made; and it is the interest of the nation, and of humanity, 
 to put an end to this inhuman farce. The Peace Commis- 
 sion, the Indian Department, the military and the Indian, 
 make a balky team. The public treasury is depleted and in- 
 nocent people plundered in .this quadrangular arrangement, 
 in which the treasury and the unarmed settlers are the 
 greatest sufferers." 
 
 General Sheridan in the above condensed a whole chap- 
 ter of truth in a few lines, and before the year was out, 
 events proved that he was correct and everybody fully real- 
 ized the mistake that had been made in the treatment of the 
 Indians. General Sheridan not only viewed the matter from 
 a practical but a soldier's standpoint. Farther on in this 
 same report he uses this language in justification of his 
 opinions: 
 
 "I desire to say with all emphasis, what every officer on 
 the frontier will corroborate, that there is no class of men in 
 this country who are so disinclined to war with the Indians 
 as the army stationed among them. The army has nothing 
 to gain by a war with the Indians; on the contrary, it has 
 everything to lose. In such a war it suffers all the hardships 
 and privation, exposed as it is to the charge of assassination 
 if Indians are killed, to the charge of inefficiency if they are 
 not; to misrepresentation by the agents who fatten on the 
 
6o4 History of Wyoming. 
 
 plunder of Indians, and misunderstood by worthy people at 
 a distance who are deceived by these very agents." 
 
 The newspapers of Denver and Cheyenne published se- 
 vere criticisms regarding the movements of the army and 
 were very sarcastic in reference to the peace policy of the 
 government. The Fort Laramie Treaty had just been pro- 
 mulgated but was not bearing very desirable fruit. General 
 Sherman expressed his belief that in time this treaty would 
 be effective, but he evinced a determination to punish all 
 Indians who refused to observe their treaty obligations. 
 
 Notwithstanding the treaty and the large amount of 
 supplies furnished the Indians by the government, the In- 
 dian war did not come to an end. During the latter part of 
 August and through September, hostiles committed depre- 
 dations not only in Wyoming but in Montana, Colorado, 
 Nebraska and Kansas. The Arapahoes, Cheyennes, Kiowas 
 and detached bands of the Sioux made bitter and relentless 
 war on the whites. It was estimated by the War Depart- 
 ment that five thousand head of stock belonging to settlers 
 and the government were run off during the months of Sep- 
 tember, October and November, and that nearly a hundred 
 settlers were foully murdered by the Indians. Is it any 
 wonder that the people had little faith in the peace commis- 
 sion? It was at last discovered that General Sheridan was 
 right and that the only peace which would last must come 
 after the Indians had been severely punished. Hon. Schuy- 
 ler Colfax, who was on a visit to the west, telegraphed from 
 Denver under date. of September 7th to the Secretary of 
 War: "Hostile Indians have been striking simultaneously 
 at isolated settlements of Colorado for a circuit of over two 
 hundred miles. Men, women and children have been scalped 
 daily, and hundreds of thousands of dollars have been 
 stolen." The Governor of Colorado also telegraphed Gene- 
 ral Sherman asking for a thousand stands of arms to place 
 in the hands of citizens. The General sent the arms, and 
 he was evidently out of humor at the attitude assumed by 
 
Mistaken Policy of the Government. 605 
 
 the people of Denver. He wrote Governor Hunt, under date 
 of September 7th : 
 
 "I would make no concessions to clamor, but would as- 
 sure the people of Denver, if they want to fight Indians, they 
 can have all they want. The great bulk of Arapahoes have 
 surrendered to General Sheridan at Fort Dodge. He has 
 one column after the Cheyennes on the Cimarron and an- 
 other towards Beaver Creek. General Grant promises me 
 more cavalry, and now that the Indians are clearly in the 
 wrong I will not prevent your people from chastizing them 
 if they are really in earnest, but it is more than our small 
 army can do to defend every ranch in Colorado, Montana, 
 Nebraska and Kansas. The settlers should collect and de- 
 fend their own property, leaving the regular troops to go af- 
 ter the Indians." 
 
 General Sheridan took the field, also General Custer 
 with the Seventh Cavalry. The latter started out in search 
 of Arapahoes and Kiowas, and chased them south and 
 gained a decisive victory over the Indians on November 27th 
 beyond Antelope Hills on the Texas border. There was 
 desperate fighting that fall, and the army, assisted by citizen 
 soldiers, fought the Indians with a determination to bring 
 about a lasting peace. In Wyoming no decisive battles were 
 fought, but the working parties on the railroad were pro- 
 tected. 
 
 SIOUX TEEATY. 
 
 Article 1. From this day forward all war between the 
 parties to this agreement shall forever cease. The govern- 
 ment of the United States desires peace, and its honor is 
 hereby pledged to keep it. The Indians desire peace, and 
 they now pledge their honor to maintain it. 
 
 If bad men among the whites, or among other people 
 subject to the authority of the United States, shall commit 
 any wrong upon the person or property of the Indians, the 
 United States will, upon proof made to the agent and for- 
 warded to the commissioner of Indian affairs at Washing- 
 ton City, proceed at once to cause the offender to be arrest- 
 ed and punished according to the laws of the United States, 
 and also reimburse the injured person for the loss sustained. 
 
6o6 History of Wyoming. 
 
 If bad men among the Indians shall commit a wrong or 
 depredation upon the person or property of any one, white, 
 black or Indian, subject to the authority of the United 
 States, and at peace therewith, the Indians herein named, 
 solemnly agree that they will, upon proof made to their 
 agent and notice by him, deliyer up the wrong-doer to the 
 United States, to be tried and punished according to its 
 laws; and in case they wilfully refuse to do so, the person 
 injured shall be reimbursed for his loss from the annuities 
 or other moneys due or to become due to them under this or 
 other treaties made with the United States. And the Presi- 
 dent, on advising with the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, 
 shall prescribe such rules and regulations for ascertaining 
 damages under the provisions of this article as, in his judg- 
 ment, may be proper. But no one sustaining loss while vio- 
 lating the provisions of this treaty or the laws of the United 
 States shall be reimbursed therefor. 
 
 Art. II. The United States agrees that the following 
 district of country, to-wit, viz: commencing on the east 
 bank of the Missouri river where the forty-sixth parallel of 
 north latitude crosses the same, thence along low water 
 mark down said east bank to a point opposite where the 
 northern line of the State of Nebraska strikes the river, 
 thence west across said river, and along the northern line 
 of Nebraska, to the one hundred and fourth degree of lon- 
 gitude west from Greenwich, thence north on said meridian 
 to a point where the forty-sixth parallel of north latitude 
 intercepts the same, thence due east along said parallel to 
 the place of beginning; and in addition thereto all existing 
 reservations on the east bank of said river shall be, and the 
 same is, set apart for the absolute and undisturbed use and 
 occupation of the Indians herein named, and for such other 
 friendly tribes or individual Indians as from time to time 
 they may be willing, with the consent of the United States, 
 to admit amongst them; and the United States now solemnly 
 agrees that no persons except those herein designated and 
 authorized so to do, and except such offlcers, agents and em- 
 ployes of the government as may be authorized to enter 
 upon Indian reservations in discharge of duties enjoined by 
 law, shall ever be permitted to pass over, settle upon or re- 
 side in the territory described in this article, or in such ter- 
 ritory as may be added to this reservation for the use of 
 said Indians, and henceforth they will and do hereby relin- 
 quish all claims or right in and to any portion of the United 
 
Mistaken Policy of the Oovernment. 607 
 
 States or Territories, except such as is embraced within the 
 limits aforesaid, and except as hereinafter provided. 
 
 Art. III. If it should appear from actual survey or 
 other satisfactory examination of said tract of land that it 
 contains less than one hundred and sixty acres of tillable 
 land for each person who, at the time, may be authorized to 
 reside on it under the provisions of this treaty, and a very 
 considerable number of such persons shall be disposed to 
 commence cultivating the soil as farmers, the United States 
 agrees to set apart, for the use of said Indians, as herein 
 provided, such additional quantity of arable land, adjoining 
 to said reservation, or as near to the same as it can be ob- 
 tained, as may be required to provide the necessary amount. 
 
 Art. IV. The United States agrees, at its own proper 
 expense, to construct at some place on the Missouri River, 
 near the center of said reservation, where timber and water 
 may be convenient, the following buildings, to-wit: a ware- 
 house, a storeroom for the use of the agent in storing goods 
 for the use of the Indians, to cost not less than twenty-flve 
 hundred dollars; an agency building for the residence of the 
 agent, to cost not exceeding three thousand dollars ; a resi- 
 dence for the physician, to cost not more than three thou- 
 sand dollars; and five other buildings, for a carpenter, 
 farmer, blacksmith, miller, and engineer, each to cost not 
 exceeding two thousand dollars ; also a school house or mis- 
 sion building, so soon as a sufflcient number of children can 
 be induced by the agent to attend school, which shall not 
 cost exceeding five thousand dollars. 
 
 The United States agrees further to cause to be erected 
 on said reservation, near the other buildings herein author- 
 ized, a good stfeam circular saw-mill, with a grist-mill and 
 shingle machine attached to the same, to cost not exceeding 
 eight thousand dollars. 
 
 Art. V. The United States agrees that the agent for 
 said Indians shall in future make his home at the agency 
 building; that he shall reside among them, and keep an oflflce 
 open at all times for the purpose of prompt and diligent in- 
 quiry into such matters of complaint by and against the 
 Indians as may be presented for investigation under the 
 provisions of their treaty stipulations, as also for the faith- 
 ful discharge of other duties enjoined on him by law. In all 
 cases of depredation on person or property, he shall cause 
 the evidence to be taken in writing and forwarded, together 
 with his findings, to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, 
 
6o8 History of Wyoming. 
 
 whose decision, subject to the revision of the Secretary of 
 the Interior, shall be binding on the parties to this treaty. 
 
 Art. VI. If any individual belonging to said tribes of 
 Indians, or legally incorporated with them, being the head 
 of a family, shall desire to commence farming, he shall have 
 the privilege to select, in the presence, and with the assist- 
 ance of the agent then in charge, a tract of land within said 
 reservation, not exceeding three hundred and twenty acres 
 in extent, which tract, when so selected, certified, and re- 
 corded in the "land book," as herein directed, shall cease to 
 be held in common, but the same may be occupied and held 
 in the exclusive possession of the person selecting it, and 
 of his family, so long as he or they may continue to culti- 
 vate it. 
 
 Any person over eighteen years of age, not being the 
 head of a family, may, in like manner, select and cause to be 
 certified to him or her, for purposes of cultivation, a quan- 
 tity of land not exceeding eighty acres in extent, and there- 
 upon be entitled to the exclusive possession of the same, as 
 above directed. 
 
 For each tract of land so selected, a certificate, contain- 
 ing a description thereof and the name of the person select- 
 ing it, with a certificate endorsed thereon that the same has 
 been recorded, shall be delivered to the party entitled to it, 
 by the agent, after the same shall have been recorded by him 
 in a book to be kept in his offtce, subject to inspection, which 
 said book shall be known as the "Sioux Land Book." 
 
 The President may, at any time, order a survey of the 
 reservation, and, when so surveyed. Congress shall provide 
 for protecting the rights of said settlers in their improve- 
 ments, and may fix the character of the title held by each. 
 The United States may pass such laws on the subject of 
 alienation and descent of property between the Indians and 
 their descendants as may be thought proper. And it is fur- 
 ther stipulated that any male Indians over eighteen years 
 of age, of any band or tribe that is, or shall hereafter become, 
 a party to this treaty, who now is, or who shall hereafter be- 
 come, a resident or occupant of any reservation or territory 
 not included in the tract of country designated and de- 
 scribed in this treaty for the permanent home of the Indi- 
 ans, which is not mineral land, nor reserved by the United 
 States for special purposes other than Indian occupation, 
 and who shall have made improvements thereon of the value 
 of two hundred dollars or more, and continuously occupied 
 
Mistaken Policy of the Government. 609 
 
 the same as a homestead for the term of three years, shall 
 be entitled to receive from the United States a patent for 
 one hundred and sixty acres of land including his said im- 
 provements, the same to be in the form of the legal subdivis- 
 ions of the surveys of the public lands. Upon application in 
 writing, sustained by the proof of two disinterested wit- 
 nesses, made to the register of the local land office when the 
 said land sought to be entered is within a land district, and 
 when the tract sought to be entered is not in any land dis- 
 trict, then, upon said application and proof being made to 
 the commissioner of the general land office, and the right of 
 such Indian or Indians to enter such tract or tracts of land 
 shall accrue and be perfect from the date of his first improve- 
 ments thereon, and shall continue as long as he continues 
 his residence and improvements, and no longer. And any 
 Indian or Indians receiving a patent for land under the fore- 
 going provisions, shall thereby and from thenceforth be- 
 come and be a citizen of the United States, and be entitled 
 to all the privileges and immunities of such citizens, and 
 shall, at the same time, retain all his rights to benefits ac- 
 cruing to Indians under this treaty. 
 
 Art. VII. In order to insure the civilization of the In- 
 dians entering into this treaty, the necessity of education is 
 admitted, especially of such of them as are, or may be, set- 
 tled on such agricultural reservations, and they therefore 
 pledge themselves to compel their children, male and fe- 
 male, between the ages of six and sixteen years, to attend 
 school ; and it is hereby made the duty of the agent for said 
 Indians to see that this stipulation is strictly complied with; 
 and the United States agrees that for every thirty children 
 between said ages who can be induced or compelled to at- 
 tend school, a house shall be provided and a teacher compe- 
 tent to teach the elementary branches of an English educa- 
 tion shall be furnished^ who will reside among said Indians, 
 and faithfuly discharge his or her duties as a teacher. The 
 provisions of this article are to continue for not less than 
 twenty years. 
 
 Art VIII. When the head of a family or lodge shall 
 have selected lands and received his certificate as above di- 
 rected, and the agent shall be satisfied that he intends in 
 good faith to commence cultivating the soil for a living, he 
 shall be entitled to receive seeds and agricultural imple- 
 ments for the first year, not exceeding in value one hundred 
 dollars, and for each succeeding year he shall continue to 
 
 -(39) 
 
6io History of Wyoming. 
 
 farm, for a period of three years more, he shall be entitled 
 to receive seeds and implements as aforesaid, not exceeding 
 in value twenty-five dollars. 
 
 And it is further stipulated that such persons as com- 
 mence farming shall receive instructions from the farmer 
 herein provided for, and whenever more than one hundred 
 persons shall enter upon the cultivation of the soil, a second 
 blacksmith shall be provided, with such iron, steel and other 
 material as may be needed. 
 
 Art. IX. At any time after ten years from the making 
 of this treaty, the United States shall have the privilege of 
 withdrawing the physician, farmer, blacksmith, carpenter, 
 engineer, and miller herein provided for, but in case of such 
 withdrawal, an additional sum thereafter of ten thousand 
 dollars per annum shall be devoted to the education of said 
 Indians, and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs shall, upon 
 careful inquiry into their condition, make such rules and 
 regulations for the expenditure of said sum as will best pro- 
 mote the educational and moral improvement of said tribes. 
 
 Art X. In lieu of all sums of money or other annuities 
 provided to be paid to the Indians herein named, under any 
 treaty or treaties heretofore made, the United States agrees 
 to deliver at the agency house on the reservation herein 
 named, the first day of August of each year, for thirty years,, 
 the following articles, to-wit: 
 
 For each male person over fourteen years of age, a suit 
 of good substantial woolen clothing, consisting of coat, pan- 
 taloons, flannel shirt, hat, and a pair of home-made socks. 
 
 For each female over twelve years of age, a flannel 
 skirt, or the goods necessary to make it, a pair of woolen 
 hose, twelve yards of calico, and twelve yards of cotton do- 
 mestics. 
 
 For the boys and girls under the ages named, such flan- 
 nel and cotton goods as may be needed to make each a suit 
 as aforesaid, together with a pair of woolen hose for each. 
 
 And in order that the Commissioner of Indian Affairs 
 may be able to estimate properly the articles herein named, 
 it shall be the duty of the agent each year to forward to him 
 a full and exact census of the Indians, on which the estimate 
 from year to year can be based. 
 
 And in addition to the clothing herein named, the sum 
 of ten dollars for each person entitled to the beneficial ef- 
 fects of this treaty shall be annually appropriated for a pe- 
 riod of thirty years, while such persons roam and hunt, and 
 
Mistaken Policy of the Government. 6 1 1 
 
 twenty dollars for each person who engages in farming, to 
 be used by the Secretary of the Interior in the purchase of 
 such articles as from time to time the condition and neces- 
 sities of the Indians may indicate to be proper. And if with- 
 in the thirty years, at any time, it shall appear that the 
 amount of money needed for clothing under this article can 
 be appropriated to better uses for the Indians named herein, 
 Congress may, by law, change the appropriation to other 
 purposes; but in no event shall the amount of this appropri- 
 ation be withdrawn or discontinued for the period named. 
 And the President shall annually detail an officer of the 
 army to be present and attest the delivery of all the goods 
 herein named to the Indians, and he shall inspect and report 
 on the quality and quantity of the goods and the manner of 
 their delivery. And it is hereby expressly stipulated that 
 each Indian over the age of four years, who shall have re- 
 moved to, and settled permanently upon, said reservation; 
 and complied with the stipulations of this treaty, shall be 
 entitled to receive from the United States, for the period of 
 four years after he shall have settled upon said reservation, 
 one pound of meat and one pound of flour per day, provided 
 the Indians cannot furnish their own subsistence at an ear- 
 lier date. And it is further stipulated that the United 
 States will furnish and deliver to each lodge of Indians or 
 family of persons legally incorporated with them, who shall 
 remove to the reservation herein described and commence 
 farming, one good American cow, and one good well broken 
 pair of American oxen within sixty days after such lodge or 
 family shall have so settled upon said reservation. 
 
 Art. XI. In consideration of the advantages and bene- 
 fits conferred by this treaty and the many pledges of friend- 
 ship by the United States, the tribes who are parties to this 
 agreement hereby stipulate that they will relinquish all 
 right to occupy permanently the territory outside their res- 
 ervation as herein defined, but yet reserve the right to hunt 
 on any lands north of North Platte, and on the Republican 
 Fork of Smoky Hill River, so long as the buffalo may range 
 thereon in such manner as to justify the chase. And they, 
 the said Indians, further expressly agree: 
 
 First — That they will withdraw all opposition to the 
 construction of the railroads now being built on the plains; 
 
 Second — That they will permit the peaceful construc- 
 tion of any railroad not passing over their reservation as 
 herein defined; 
 
6i2 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Third — That they will not attack any persons at home, 
 or traveling, nor molest or disturb any wagon trains, coach- 
 >es, mules, or cattle belonging to the people of the United 
 States, or to persons friendly therewith; 
 
 Fourth — They will never capture, or carry off from the 
 settlements, white women or children; 
 
 Fifth — They will never kill or scalp white men, nor at- 
 tempt to do them harm; 
 
 Sixth — They withdraw all pretense of opposition to the 
 construction of the railroad now being built along the 
 Platte Kiver and westward to the Pacific Ocean, and they 
 will not in future object to the construction of railroads, 
 wagon roads, mail stations, or other works of utility or ne- 
 cessity, which may be ordered or permitted by the laws of 
 the United States. But should such roads or other works 
 be constructed on the lands of their reservation, the govern- 
 ment will pay the tribe whatever amount of damage may be 
 assessed by three disinterested commissioners to be appoint- 
 ed by the President for that purpose, one of said commis- 
 sioners to be a chief or headman of the tribe; 
 
 Seventh — They agree to withdraw all opposition to the 
 military posts or roads now established south of the North 
 Platte Eiver, or that may be established, not in violation of 
 treaties heretofore made or hereafter to be made with any 
 of the Indian tribes. 
 
 Art. XII. No treaty for the cession of any portion or 
 part of the reservation herein described which may be held 
 in common shall be of any validity or force as against the 
 said Indians, unless executed and signed by at least three- 
 fourths of all the adult male Indians occupying or interested 
 in the same ; and no cession by the tribe shall be understood 
 or construed in such manner as to deprive, without his con- 
 sent, any individual member of the tribe of his rights to any 
 tract of land selected by him, as provided in Article VI of 
 this treaty. 
 
 Art. XIII. The United States hereby agrees to furnish 
 annually to the Indians, the physician, teachers, carpenter, 
 miller, engineer, farmer, and blacksmiths, as herein con- 
 templated, and that such appropriations shall be made from 
 time to time, on the estimates of the Secretary of the Interi- 
 or, as will be sufficient to employ such persons. 
 
 Art. XIV. It is agreed that the sum of five hundred 
 dollars annually, for three years from date, shall be ex- 
 pended in presents to the ten persons of said tribe, who, in 
 
Mistaken Policy of the Government. 613 
 
 the judgment of the agent, may grow the most valuable 
 crops for the respective year. 
 
 Art. XV. The Indians herein named agree that, when 
 the agency house and other buildings shall be constructed 
 on the reservation named, they will regard said reservation 
 their permanent home, and they will make no permanent 
 settlement elsewhere; but they shall have the right, subject 
 to the conditions and modifications of this treaty, to hunt, as 
 stipulated in Article XI hereof. 
 
 Art. XVI. The United States hereby agrees and stip- 
 ulates that the country north of the North Platte River and 
 east of the summits of the Big Horn Mountains shall be held 
 and conceded to be unceded Indian territory, and also stipu- 
 lates and agrees that no white person or persons shall be 
 permitted to settle upon or occupy any portion of the same; 
 or without the consent of the Indians, first had and ob- 
 tained, to pass through the same; and it is further agreed 
 by the United States, that within ninety days after the con- 
 clusion of peace with all the bands of the Sioux nation, the 
 military posts now established in the territory, in tliis arti- 
 cle named, shall be abandoned, and that the road leading to 
 them and by them to the settlements in the Territory of 
 Montana shall be closed. 
 
 Art. XVII. It is hereby expressly understood and 
 agreed, by and between the respective parties to this treaty, 
 that the execution of this treaty and its ratification by the 
 United States Senate shall have the effect, and shall be con- 
 strued as abrogating and annulling all treaties and agree- 
 ments heretofore entered into between the respective par- 
 ties hereto, so far as such treaties and agreements obligate 
 the United States to furnish and provide money, clothing, 
 or other articles of property to such Indians and bands of 
 Indians as become parties to this treaty, but no further. 
 
 BUILDING OF FORT STEELE. 
 
 The continued Indian hostilities along the line of rail- 
 road construction in Wyoming induced the government, in 
 April of that year, to locate a new post, and the place se- 
 lected was at the railroad crossing of the North Platte. 
 Colonel Richard I. Dodge was ordered to proceed to the lo- 
 cality, lay off the grounds and commence the construction. 
 The troops chosen were G troop of the Second Cavalry, Lieu- 
 
6i4 History of Wyoming. 
 
 tenant Eobinson in command, and Company B of the Thirti- 
 eth Infantry, with Captain Bartlett, First Lieutenant James 
 H Spencer, and Second Lieutenant R. H. Young. Lieuten- 
 ant Spencer was Acting Quartermaster. These companies 
 were drawn from Fort Sanders. The command marched 
 west along the line of railway and arriving at the North 
 Platte made a temporary camp on the east side of the river 
 and about a month later moved to the west side, where the 
 grounds had been laid off for the permanent post. The In- 
 dians about this time made a raid on the camp and suc- 
 ceeded in running off, in broad daylight, about a dozen head 
 of horses, but most of these belonged to private individuals. 
 The government herd was on the opposite side of the river 
 and under a strong guard and were consequently safe. The 
 troops were followed by a concourse of rough element 
 drawn from about Fort Sanders, Dale City and Chey- 
 enne. These camp followers were composed of a class of 
 people who either lacked opportunity to pursue their calling 
 at Cheyenne and the other places mentioned or were of those 
 who had been told by the constituted authorities to "move 
 on." Not a few were of that class who possessed a whole- 
 some fear of the vigilantes, which organization had been 
 active during the winter and spring at Cheyenne and Dale 
 City. The camp followers on arriving at the Platte selected 
 a townsite about half a mile up the river, which they called 
 Brownsville, and in an incredibly short time opened stores, 
 eating houses, saloons, boarding houses, gambling and 
 sporting places. Within forty-eight hours everything was 
 in full blast, with a population numbering five hundred or 
 more. It was a typical city of the wild west and was what 
 was known as an "all-night town." Brownsville was short- 
 lived, being supplanted by Benton, a railroad town three 
 miles farther west. Benton, like Brownsville, had for its 
 population a large number of disreputable characters and 
 at once took high rank as a saloon, gambling and sporting 
 town. In two or three days it had from 1,000 to 1,500 inhabi- 
 tants, and there being no such thing as law and order the 
 
Mistaken Policy of the Oovernment. 615 
 
 rough element ran things to suit themselves. Murder was 
 an every day occurrence and peaceably disposed people soon 
 learned that protesting against violence vi^as something that 
 would not be tolerated by those in control of affairs. Ben- 
 ton in its day was certainly the one bad town along the line 
 of the Union Pacific. In other places the better element 
 attempted to make life and property secure and after a time 
 succeeded, but in Benton no such effort was put forth and 
 the result was that crime was popnlar and good conduct 
 undesirable with the rough element, and this continued as 
 long as the town lasted. Prize fighting and all that goes 
 with it was patronized, and the place became the rendezvous 
 of outlaws of every description. ' It was a city of portable 
 houses and tents stretched over wood frames. 
 
 The new post was named Fort Fred. Steele in honor 
 of Major General Frederick Steele, a hero of the Civil War. 
 The conditions about this new post were such as to demand 
 scouting parties constantly in the field, and, the force being 
 small, little could be accomplished at once toward the 
 construction of permanent buildings. Two saw mills 
 were put up and during the season a large number of logs 
 were hauled from Elk Mountain and these were cut into 
 lumber, as opportunity ofifered, preparatory for building. 
 
 The garrison at Fort Fred. Steele was actively engaged 
 during the summer in giving protection to tie choppers and 
 to the force employed in railway construction. Scouting 
 parties went as far north as Sweetwater and west to the 
 mines of Atlantic and South Pass. Indians were constantly 
 seen in every direction but the activity of the troops held 
 them in check. It was soon seen that there was a class of 
 white men in the country quite as dangerous as the Indians. 
 These ran off stock when opportunity afforded and the gov- 
 ernment came in for its full share of losses at the hands of 
 these desperadoes. There was great temptation in those 
 days to steal government horses and mules, as these animals 
 could be readily sold at remunerative prices. A pair of 
 mules brought from $350 to |700 and no questions asked. 
 
6i6 History of Wyoming. 
 
 There being little or no attention paid to brands, stealing, 
 was an easy way to make money by those who considered 
 that the world owed them a living. Bands of robbers form- 
 ed camps in out of the way places in the mountains from 
 which they sallied forth to capture government property 
 enroute to Fort Fred. Steele and points beyond. One of 
 these gangs was in charge of a man named Musgrove and 
 his operations gave the army officers much annoyance and 
 finally a reward was offered for his apprehension. It some- 
 times became a nice question to determine whether a rob- 
 bery had been committed by Indians or white outlaws, as 
 their methods in most cases were alike. During the month 
 of September the beef herd at Fort Fred. Steele, numbering 
 fifty head, was run off and while an effort was made to re- 
 capture them, not a hoof was recovered. A little later In- 
 dians attacked the timber train of Hance and Hall, railroad 
 contractors, who were hauling logs to the railroad. Three 
 or four of the teamsters were killed and a part of the mules 
 taken.* In October, Wagon-master Wallace went to Elk 
 Mountain to deliver instructions, from the quartermaster, 
 to the timber contractors working at that point. He rode 
 out alone and on the way was attacked by Indians. Little 
 was known of what happened, except that he had a rxinning 
 fight and was killed. His body was searched for but not 
 found until three days after. During the fall timber haulers 
 from the mountains were scarcely ever out of sight of In- 
 dians, but these teams were accompanied by an escort and 
 were thus saved from molestation. During October all the 
 horses belonging to the Cavalry Company were run off in 
 the night. These were supposed to have been taken by 
 
 *The Hance spoken of was the well known Captain M. A. Hance, who resided in Lara- 
 mie for nearly thirty years, after the completion of the Union Pacific Railroad. He was a na- 
 tive of Illinois and born in 1835. During the Civil War he enlisted in the First Nebraska 
 Infantry, which regiment did service in the southwest. From the ranks lie was for meritorius 
 service promoted to a captaincy. He came west to engage in the construction of the Union 
 Pacific road. He entered into partnership with James Hall and the firm took a contract for 
 furnishing a large number of ties. The firm had a tie camp at Elk Mountain and while there 
 suffered severely from Indian raids. Captain Hance had a claim against the government for 
 stock run oiTby Indians. The amount claimed was $4,000, and, while the evidence was com- 
 plete and he had every reason to believe that the money would soon be paid, the claim lingered 
 for years without action and the Captain died without receiving the money. His death occurred 
 January 22nd, 1808. 
 
Mistaken Policy of the Government. 617 
 
 Musgrove's gang. It was strongly suspected that the sol- 
 diers on guard in that particular locality were connected 
 with the affair, as they had disappeared with the horses 
 and there was no evidence that they had been killed. -As 
 soon as the loss was discovered men were mounted on such 
 animals as were in the corral and sent in pursuit of the 
 thieves, but they came back empty handed. A number of 
 other raids were made soon after and in each case small 
 bunches of horses or mules were taken. 
 
 Colonel Dodge did not remain long in charge of the 
 fort, he being relieved by Colonel John D. Stevenson. Late 
 in the fall, Lieutenant James H. Spencer, who had been 
 acting quartermaster and commissary was relieved by Lieu- 
 tenant John Scott. The quartermaster's ofSce was in a 
 tent and among other things with which this of5Eice was sup- 
 plied was a safe. Thieves cut open the tent with a knife 
 and removed the safe, carrying it to a gulch some distance 
 away where it was blown open and the money it contained, 
 |1,800, secured by the thieves. The robbery was the subject 
 of an investigation and while Scott was not directly blamed 
 for the burglary, the $1,800 was held against him and he 
 was expected to make the amount good to the government, 
 but the matter was not pushed and the money has never 
 been paid. The stealing of the safe could not, of course, be 
 charged to the Indians and an effort was now made to break 
 up the organized gangs of outlaws who infested the country. 
 Musgrove, who was supposed to be the leader of the bri- 
 gands, came in for his full share of attention. A description 
 of the man was published, together with the amount of the 
 reward which was to be paid for his apprehension, and this 
 was scattered broadcast. One day he rode down from Elk 
 Mountain to a station on the railroad called Percy, which 
 was located a short distance east of what is now known as 
 Dana. It chanced that a Scotchman, a tie chopper, was at 
 Percy on the morning of Musgrove's arrival and visited a 
 restaurant for his breakfast. On entering, he noticed a man 
 at one of the tables whom he believed to be the outlaw. He 
 
6i8 History of Wyoming. 
 
 studied his face carefully and finally convincing liimself 
 that he was not mistaken, walked over and covering the 
 stranger with a pistol, commanded him to throw up his 
 hands. The resolute bearing of the Scotchman convinced 
 the desperado that it was best to obey. It turned out that 
 the chopper had not made a mistake as to the identity of the 
 man. He took his prisoner to Fort Steele where he was 
 ironed by the blacksmith at the post and a day or two after- 
 wards he was sent to Denver, where he was placed in jail. 
 He arrived in that city at rather an unfortunate period for 
 himself, as the people had lately been devoting their atten- 
 tion to the cleaning out of outlaw gangs. Sam. Dugan, 
 another outlaw who was well known in Cheyenne and Lar- 
 amie City, from which places he had been driven, haci just 
 committed a robbery in Denver and had been hanged by the 
 citizens. The day after this execution a vigilance commit- 
 tee formed on Blake Street and proceeded to the Larimer 
 Street Prison where Musgrove was confined and demanded 
 entrance and was admitted to the prison. They took Mus- 
 grove in a wagon up Cherry Creek to the Larimer Street 
 Bridge where a noose was placed around his neck and the 
 rope fastened to the bridge timber and the order given to 
 drive the wagon from under him. To insure a quick death, 
 Musgrove sprang into the air and when he fell his neck was 
 dislocated. 
 
 "Musgrove was an outlaw," says the "News" of that date, 
 "who had made society his prey for several years, success- 
 fully defying by boldness, when he could not outwit by cun- 
 ning, the oflBcers of justice. He was driven as a bandit from 
 California, Nevada and Utah, and first appeared in Colorado 
 in the role of a murderer at Fort Halleck in 1863. For this 
 he was arrested and sent to Denver, where he was discharg- 
 ed by the United States commissioner for want of juris- 
 diction. Taking up his residence on Clear Creek at Baker's 
 Bridge, he soon became the recognized chief of a band of 
 land pirates who lived by running off government stock, 
 effacing the brands and then disposing of it." 
 
 The capture of Musgrove did not entirely discourage 
 his followers as we find that on the night of January 31st, 
 
Mistaken Policy of the Government. 619 
 
 1869, a party of these same outlaws stole twenty-five horses 
 and mules from Port Steele. A mounted detail in charge of 
 Brevet. Captain J. H. Hays was sent in pursuit of the gang 
 and the stock. By order of the commander of the Fort, 
 Wagon Master J. M. Ingersoll accompanied the party. The 
 robbers were with diflSculty traced as they took care to pass 
 over ground from which the snow had been blown off, con- 
 sequently no trail was left, the ground being frozen hard. 
 Ingersoll proved himself of service in following the difflcult 
 trail. Night came on and the party was obliged to go into 
 camp but they went forward again at dawn the following 
 day, keeping in a northwesterly direction. About 4 o'clock 
 in the afternoon they came upon the robbers, who concealed 
 themselves in a gulch, surrounded by tall sage brush and 
 from this advantageous position they opened fire on the 
 advancing military force. There were five of the robbers, 
 all desperate characters, and they fought with the deter- 
 mination not to be taken. The enlisted men were Infantry- 
 men and unaccustomed to the saddle and consequently some 
 of them were unable to keep up and this reduced the force 
 to eight men including the officer and wagon master, Inger- 
 sol. The robbers, it was soon discovered, were doing some 
 close shooting as a shower of bullets reached the vicinity 
 where the party had halted and Wagon Master Ingersoll had 
 his horse shot from under him. The soldiers now dis- 
 mounted and kept up a continuous fire on the robbers whose 
 position was indicated by the smoke of their guns. The fir- 
 ing was kept up until nightfall when the outlaws stole 
 away on foot, leaving their blankets and other property. 
 The little command returned to the fort with the recaptured 
 stock and on the following afternoon the same force went in 
 search of the dismounted robbers. They found them on Sand 
 Creek near Seminoe Mountain and they were captured with- 
 out difficulty, as they were in a bad plight, being destitute 
 of everything except their firearms. Wagon Master Inger- 
 soll is still a resident of this State and a prominent citizen. 
 He entered the government employ at Fort Sanders in the 
 
62 o History of Wyoming. 
 
 fall of 1867 and was detailed as assistant master of trans- 
 portation to go with the party who located Fort Steele and 
 was soon after this placed in charge of transportation and 
 forage and remained until the fall of 1871. His name is 
 mentioned in connection with other events in this volume. 
 The capture of the robbers mentioned gave great satisfac- 
 tion in army circles and General C. C. Augur, the command- 
 er of the department, in general orders No. 8, dated, Omaha, 
 February 10, 1869, complimented those engaged as follows- 
 
 "The Commanding General announces the successful 
 result of an expedition of eight men under command of Bre- 
 vet Captain J. H. Hays, First Lieutenant 30 Infantry, sent 
 in pursuit of thieves and a herd of government mules, stolen 
 from Fort Fred. Steele on the night of the 31st of January, 
 1869, and, discovering the trail three miles from the post, 
 followed it next day twenty-five miles, leaving two strag- 
 glers and one man whose animal had given out. The pursuit 
 was continued next morning in a drifting snow storm, under 
 discouraging circumstances, with the trail at times obliter- 
 ated. The trail becoming fresher the pursuit was pressed, 
 and after a march of thirty-flve miles, the thieves made a 
 desperate fight and after being wounded made good their 
 escape into a ravine, on foot, leaving their blankets, bed- 
 ding and animals behind. The men of the party were on 
 short rations, and with no water except melted snow. On 
 the return, the expedition captured two thieves with two 
 animals stolen from the post on the night of February 1, 
 1869. 
 
 "Captain Hays especially commends the conduct of 
 Wagon Master Ingersoll, and Private Charles Moore, Com- 
 pany 'A'; Perry Case, Campany 'F', and Michael Owens, 
 Company 'K', 30th Infantry. 
 
 "The Commanding General desires to express his com- 
 mendation of the conduct of Captain Hayes and his party, 
 in pushing to so creditable a termination a pursuit which at 
 times would have discouraged officers and men of less en- 
 ergy and enterprise." 
 
 There were stirring times at Fort Steele all through 
 1869 and for some years following. These events will be 
 detailed in the next volume of this history 
 
The Territory of Wyoming. 621 
 
 CHAPTER XLII. 
 
 THE TERRITORY OF WYOMING. 
 186S. 
 
 The Building of the Railroad Necessitates j a Government — The 
 Name Wyoming and its Origin — The First Bill in Congress — 
 Dr. Hiram Latham Sent to Washington as an Agent of the 
 People — Circular Distributed Among the Senators and Mem- 
 bers OF the House of Representatives — Bill Passes the Sen- 
 ate—Difficulties Encountered in the House — It was Finally 
 Passed and Signed by the President — Territorial Officers 
 Nominated by President Johnson but not Confirmed by the 
 the Senate — Bill Delayed Until Gen. Grant Becomes Presi- 
 dent — The Act Organizing the Territory. 
 
 The building of the Union Pacific made it necessary 
 that a new territory be formed out of parts of Dakota, Utah 
 and Idaho. This country was remote from the capitals of 
 a/11 the territories mentioned and when settlement along the 
 line of the Railroad was commenced public policy demanded 
 a government for the use and benefit of the settlements. As 
 soon as the line of the Union Pacific was located, far seeing 
 and interested citizens commenced the movement which fin- 
 ally resulted in the organization of a territory carved out of 
 those whose names I have mentioned. The first bill intro- 
 duced into Congress having this object in view was pre- 
 sented by Ashley of Ohio in 1865, who named his proposed 
 territory "Wyoming". But his bill failed to become a law.* 
 There has been much discussion, for a number of years, 
 as to who first applied the name Wyoming to this section 
 of country. Leigh Richmond Freeman, of the state of Wash- 
 
 *Congressinan/. M. Ashleywas not so anxious to create the newTemtory of Wyoming as 
 he was to reduce the holdings of the Mormons. His plan was to extend the boundary of Colorado 
 west on a line with the present western boundary of Wyoming and to extend Idaho south to the 
 present southern line of this state and to create the Territory of Wyoming on the present bound- 
 ary line. This would have reduced the Territory of Utah more than one-third. Many congress- 
 men at that time were anxious to crush Brigham Young and his church. 
 
622 History of Wyoming. 
 
 ington, makes the claim that he, in the spring of 1866, while 
 en route from Fort Kearney, Nebraska, to Fort Laramie to 
 attend a Peace Conference, wrote a letter for publication to 
 Ms paper and dated this correspondence "Third Crossing 
 of Lodge Pole Creek, Wyoming Territory." This, he says, 
 was the first time the name was applied to the "southwest- 
 ern half of Dakota." Mr. Freeman was at that time publish- 
 ing the "Pioneer Index" at Fort Kearney. This paper was 
 afterwards published at Fort Sanders and when Laramie 
 was started it was moved to that town. Afterwards the 
 paper was located at Bear River. It has been stated that 
 Congressman Ashley originated a bill in 1865 in which this 
 name was used. I get this from the works of Hubert Howe 
 Bancroft. 
 V Freeman undoubtedly did more to popularize the name, 
 
 Wyoming, than any other man. He had numerous articles 
 in his "Pioneer Index" advocating the name and there is no 
 doubt that such editorial work had its effect on the people 
 in this country and those who afterwards inserted the name 
 in the bill creating Wyoming Territory. This editor says: 
 "The word Wyoming was taken from Wyoming Valley, 
 Pennsylvania, rendered famous from Campbell's beautiful 
 poem, 'Gertrude of Wyoming.' 
 
 "The word means 'Mountains with valleys alternating.' 
 Or, as we construed it: 'Here God has bent down the backs 
 of His mountains for man to make his habitations.' " 
 v^ Of the name and its meaning, Charles Miner, writing in 
 
 184.5, says: 
 
 "The name Wyoming was long supposed to mean, being 
 interpreted, 'A Field of Blood;' but Mr. Heckewelder, per- 
 fectly versed in Indian language, to the inquiry of Mr. Chap- 
 man, replied: 'Wyoming is a corruption of Maughwau- 
 wama, by which it was designated by the Delaware Indi- 
 ans, being a compound of maughwau, meaning large, and 
 waraa, signifying plains; so that it may be translated, "The 
 Large Plains".' " 
 
The Territory of Wyoming. 623 
 
 Wyoming. — Name carried to the West by emigrants 
 from the Wyoming Valley of Eastern Pennsylvania in its 
 native location, the word derived from the Delaware ex- 
 pression m'cheuomi or m'cheuwami, meaning "great plain." 
 — From U. S Curious Facts, by Malcolm Townsend. 
 
 The first man to go east in behalf of Wyoming Territory 
 was John B. Wolff. He stirred up the politicians, talked 
 around the hotels at Washington and talked to members of 
 Congress when opportunity offered. Wolff was a man of no 
 ordinary ability but he had the misfortune of talking too 
 much. When he commenced to interview a member of Con- 
 gress it was absolutely impossible for him to let go his vic- 
 tim. I chanced to meet this man of the mountains in the 
 early part of 1868, I think it was at the National Hotel in 
 Washington, and heard him talk about the possibilities and 
 probabilities of this fair territory. He was an interesting 
 character and once seen would never be forgotten, but he 
 was not a good lobbyist for the reason that he was regarded 
 as a "bore." The next man from Wyoming to put in an ap- 
 pearance at Washington was Dr. Hiram Latham, who was 
 sent to the capital by the people interested in the organi- 
 zation of the territory. This man was quite different from 
 Wolff. He had great discretion, was well educated, had 
 good command of language, could answer questions without 
 using unnecessary words; in short he was a man of ability. 
 He had been at Washington only a few days when the pro- 
 posed territory became something more than a shadow and 
 members of Congress began to feel that there was need of a 
 temporary government in this part of the country. Dr. 
 Latham, soon after his arrival, issued the following circular 
 which he politely handed to senators and members of the 
 House of Eepresentatives with the request to read it at such 
 times as opportunity offered : 
 
 WYOMING. 
 
 To the Honorable Members of the Senate and the House 
 of Representatives: 
 
624 History of Wyoming. 
 
 The people of Western Dakota have commissioned the 
 undersigned to express to the Members of both Houses of 
 Congress their earnest desire for a separate territorial gov- 
 ernment. The following are some of the facts and reasons 
 that render the measure both desirable and necessary: 
 
 There are now .35,O0OAmerican citizens within the limits 
 of the district called Wyoming. That district embraces 
 110,000 square miles, and is nearly twice the size of any state 
 east of the Mississippi. Its eastern boundary is about 300 
 miles from Yankton, the capital of Dakota, and nearly one 
 half of the people reside more than 1,200 miles from that 
 capital. The Union Pacific railroad is now finished for a 
 distance of 250 miles within the limits of Wyoming, and by 
 November next the cars will be running on that road across 
 the Territory from east to west, a distance of nearly 500 
 miles. The facilities afforded by the Pacific Railroad for 
 reaching Wyoming, the exhaustless mines of gold, silver and 
 copper with which the territory abounds, its mountains of 
 iron and thousands of square miles of coal lands, its mil- 
 lions of acres of unequaled pasturage, and the salubrity of 
 the climate, are now attracting to that district of country 
 a vast throng of enterprising people. 
 
 It is confidentially believed that in one year from this 
 time Wyoming will have a population of 60,000 white people, 
 nearly all American citizens. Cheyenne the principal town 
 in the Territory, has now a population of more than 5,000 
 souls, and it is not yet a year old. 
 V The people of Wyoming are practically without gov- 
 
 ernment and without law. Vigilance committees usurp the 
 functions of the courts, and the only restraint upon the evil- 
 disposed is the fear of violence at the hands of those self- 
 constituted tribunals. While the public lands remain un- 
 surveyed, permanent improvement will not and cannot be 
 made. For the people and for the Pacific Railroad there is 
 a great and constantly increasing necessity for an early sur- 
 vey of the lands along the line of said road. 
 
 The people of Wyoming earnestly desire and respect- 
 fully ask that the Senate bill establishing a Territorial gov- 
 ernment for them may become a law at this session of Con- 
 gress. 
 
 H. LATHAM, 
 Agent For the People of Wyoming. 
 
The Territory of Wyoming. 625 
 
 It will be observed that Mr.Latham used the name Wyo- 
 ming in his circular, and from this it is only fair to presume 
 that the people who sent him to Washington were in favor 
 of this name. The Doctor succeeded in making friends, and 
 in due time the bill organizing the territory was introduced 
 in the Senate and took its regular course and passed early in 
 June. On the 29th of this month it was discussed by the 
 Committee on Territories of the House. Dr. Latham was 
 given a patient hearing and when the committee adjourned 
 they agreed to report the bill favorably. The friends of the 
 bill were delighted with the successful progress that had 
 been made and felt certain that within a few days the 
 House would create the new territory. Dr. Latham waited 
 patiently for the next act in the drama but much to his sur- 
 prise he was told some time later that Congress would ad- 
 journ during July and that there would not be time to take 
 up the Wyoming matter. This was discouraging, but the 
 friends who had been faithful to the measure were induced 
 to make another effort to bring the bill before the House and 
 the Committee on Territories was urged to make a report, 
 and this it did on the 22nd of July. On the 25th the bill 
 came up and an amendment was offered changing the name 
 to the Territory of Lincoln but it was promptly voted down. 
 A second amendment was offered changing the name to the 
 Territory of Cheyenne. This was also voted down. This 
 was followed by the passage of the bill and the same day 
 President Andrew Johnson affixed his signature and the 
 Territory of Wyoming was an accomplished fact. 
 
 There was great rejoicing in Cheyenne, Laramie City 
 and other points beyond the line of the railroad. The Presi- 
 dent, anxious to have the territory fully organized, appoint- 
 ed territorial officers and sent them to the Senate on the 
 identical day he affixed his signature to the bill. The Senate 
 and President were not in accord and that body was not / 
 willing to confirm nominations of his making. Going back 
 to the executive records, Vol. 16, 1 find the following entries: 
 
 —(40) 
 
 • 
 
626 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Under the date of July 25th, 1868, A. S. Paddock of 
 Nebraska to be Governor of Wyoming. Referred to Com- 
 mittee on Territories. Reported adversely. Confirmed. Re- 
 considered and laid on the table. 
 
 Jacob W. Caldwell, to be Register of Lands at Chey- 
 enne. Referred to Public Lands Committee. Reported 
 favorably. Ordered to be laid on the table. 
 
 Omar F. Roberts of Indiana to be Secretary. Referred 
 to Committee on Territories. Reported adversely and re- 
 jected. 
 
 Under date of January 1, 1869, are the following en- 
 tries: 
 
 Matthew F. Pleasants for Governor. Referred to Com- 
 mittee on Territories. 
 
 ■ Henry M. Slade of Ohio to be Secretary. Referred to 
 Committee on Territories. 
 
 Edward P. Johnson, for United States Attorney. Re- 
 ferred to Committee on Judiciary. 
 
 Smith P. Young for United States Marshal. Referred 
 to Committee on Judiciary. Reported and recommended to 
 lie on the table. 
 
 Henry Z. Zaner for Chief Justice Supreme Court. Re- 
 ferred to Committee on Judiciary. Reported with recom- 
 mendation that it lie on the table. 
 
 John H. Howe for Assistant Justice. Referred to Com- 
 mittee on Judiciary. Reported and recommended that it lie 
 on the table. 
 
 Wm. F. Pidgeon, for an Associate Justice. Referred to 
 Committee on Judiciary. Reported with recommendation 
 that it lie on the table. 
 
 S. K. N. Patton of Tennessee for Register of Lands. Re- 
 ferred to Committee on Public Lands. 
 
 Lemuel JefPeries of Maryland for Receiver of Land 
 Office. Referred to Committee on Public Lands. 
 
 Wm. E, Mathes, of Tennessee, for Surveyor General- 
 Referred to Public Land Committee . Reported and laid on 
 the table. 
 
 On the 7th are the following: 
 
 Hiram Latham for Surveyor General, Referred to Com- 
 mitte on Public Lands. 
 
 George A. Hawley for Receiver of Land Office. Referred 
 to Committee on Public Lands. 
 
The Territory of Wyoming. 627 
 
 Thus matters stood until March 4th, 1869 when General 
 U. S. Grant became President. Among the early acts of 
 his administration was the appointment of the oflScers of the 
 Territory of Wyoming and these were promptly confirmed 
 by the Senate. 
 
 The full and complete equipment of the territory was 
 heartily appreciated by those who had taken up here a per- 
 manent residence. The act providing a government seemed 
 to these residents the beginning of all things and never was 
 there a people who considered themselves more fortunate. 
 The building of the railroad had brought cities, towns and 
 prosperity and the organization of the Territorial Govern- 
 ment brought with it law and order. There were public 
 rejoicings and an earnest effort made to bring additional 
 prosperity to the mountains and valleys that comprise Wyo- 
 ming. 
 
 The names of the officers appointed by President Grant 
 and the final organization of the territory are matters which 
 will be discussed in the second volume of this history. The 
 bill as it was passed by Congress will be found below. 
 
 ORGANIC ACT OF WYOMING. 
 
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Eepresentatives 
 of the United States of America, in Congress assembled: 
 
 That all that part of the United States described as fol- 
 lows : commencing at the intersection of the twenty-seventh 
 meridian of longitude west from Washington with the forty- 
 fifth degree of north latitude, and running thence west to 
 the thirty-fourth meridian of west longitude; thence south 
 to the forty-first degree of north latitude; thence east to the 
 twenty-seventh meridian of west longitude; and thence north 
 to the place of beginning, be, and is hereby, organized into a 
 temporary government by the name of the Territory of Wyo- 
 ming; Provided, That nothing in this act shall be construed 
 to impair the rights of persons or property now pertaining 
 to the Indians in said territory, so long as such rights shall 
 remain unextinguished by treaty between the United States 
 and such Indians; Provided, further. That nothing in this 
 
 ^ 
 
62 S History of Wyoming. 
 
 act ( ontained shall be construed to inhibit the government 
 of the United States from dividing said territoi^ into two 
 or more territories, in such manner and at such time as con- 
 gress shall deem convenient and proper, or from attaching 
 anv portion thereof to any other territory or state. 
 
 " Sec. 2. And shall it be further enacted, That the ex- 
 ecutive power and authority in and over said Territory of 
 Wyoming shall be vested in a governor, who shall hold his 
 office for four years, and until his successor shall be appoint- 
 ed and qualified, unless sooner removed by the President of 
 the United States, with the advice and consent of the senate. 
 The governor shall reside within said territory, shall be com- 
 mander-in-chief of the militia thereof, shall preform the 
 duties and receive the emoluments of superintendent of In- 
 dian affairs, and shall approve all laws passed by the legis- 
 lative assembly before they shall take effect, uiiless the 
 same shall pass by a two-thirds vote, as provided in section 
 six of this act; he may grant pardons for offences against 
 the laws of the United States, until the decision of the presi- 
 dent can be made known thereon : he shall commission all 
 officers who shall be appointed to office under the laws of 
 said territory, and shall take care that the laws are faith- 
 fully executed. 
 
 Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That there shall be 
 a secretary of said territory, who shall reside therein and 
 hold his office for four years, unless sooner removed by the 
 President of the United States, with the consent of the sen- 
 ate ; he shall record and preserve all the laws and proceed- 
 ings of the legislative assembly hereinafter constituted and 
 all acts and proceedings of the governor in his executive 
 department; he shall transmit one copy of the laws and one 
 copy of the executive proceedings on or before the first day 
 of December in each year to the President of the United 
 [States, and, at the same time, two copies of the laws to the 
 sj)eaker of the house of representatives and the president of 
 the senate, for the use of congress ; and in case of the death, 
 removal, resignation, or other necessary absence of the gov- 
 ernor from the territory, the secretary shall have, and he is 
 hereby authorized and required to execute and perform, all 
 the powers and duties of the governor during such vacancy 
 or absence, or until another governor shall be appointed to 
 fill such vacancy. 
 
The Territory of Wyominf/. 629 
 
 Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the legislative 
 power and authority of said territory shall be vested in the 
 governor and legislative assembly. The legislative assem- 
 bly shall consist of a council and house of representatives. 
 The council shall consist of nine members, which may be in- 
 creased to thirteen, having the qualification of voters, as 
 hereinafter prescribed, whose term of service shall continue 
 two years. The house of representatives shall consist of 
 thirteen members, which may be increased to twenty-seven,, 
 possessing the same qualifications as prescribed for mem- 
 bers of the council, and whose term of service shall continue 
 one year. An apportionment shall be made by the governor 
 as nearly equal as practical among the several counties or 
 districts for the election of the council and house of repre- 
 sentatives, giving to each section of the territory represen- 
 tation in the ratio of their population, (excepting Indians not 
 taxed), as nearly as may be, and the members of the council 
 and house of representatives shall reside in, and be inhabi- 
 tants of, the districts from which they may be elected, re- 
 spectively. Previous to the first election, the governor shall 
 cause a census or enumeration of the inhabitants of the sev- 
 eral counties or districts or the territory to be taken, and 
 the first election shall be held at such times and places, and 
 be conducted in such a manner, as the governor shall ap- 
 point and direct, and he shall, at the same time, declare the 
 numbers of the council and house of representatives to 
 which each of the counties or districts shall be entitled un- 
 der this act. The number of persons authorized to be elect- 
 ed having the highest number of votes in each of the said 
 council districts for members of the council, shall be de- 
 clared by the governor duly elected to the council ; and the 
 person or persons authorized to be elected having the great- 
 est number of votes of the house of representatives, equal to 
 the number to which each county or district shall be en- 
 titled, shall be declared by the governor to be elected mem- 
 bers of the house of representatives; Provided, That in case 
 of a tie between two or more persons voted for, the gover- 
 nor shall order a new election, to supply the vacancy made 
 by such tie vote. And the persons thus elected to the legis- 
 lative assembly shall meet at such place and on such day 
 as the governor shall appoint; but thereafter the time, 
 place and manner of holding and conducting elections by 
 the people, and the apportioning the representatives, ac- 
 
630 History of Wyoming. 
 
 cording to the population, shall be prescribed by law, as well 
 as the day of commencement of the regular sessions of the 
 legislative assembly; Provided, That no one session shall 
 ■exceed the term of forty days, except the first, which may 
 ibe extended to sixty days, but no longer. 
 
 Sec. 5. And be it further enacted. That every male 
 •citizen of the United States above the age of twenty-one 
 .years and [including] persons who shall have declared their 
 intention to become citizens of the United States, who shall 
 have been a resident of the said territory at the time of the 
 passage of this act, shall be entitled to a vote at the first 
 election and all subsequent elections in the territory, and 
 shall be eligible to hold any office in said territory; and the 
 legislative assembly shall not at any time abridge the right 
 of suffrage, or to hold office, on account of race, color, or 
 previous condition of servitude of any resident of the ter- 
 ritory; Provided, That the right of suffrage and of holding 
 office shall be exercised only by citizens of the United 
 States, and those who shall have declared on oath before 
 a competent court of record their intention to become such, 
 and shall have taken an oath to support the constitution 
 and government of the United States. 
 
 Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, [That] the legis- 
 lative power of the territory shall extend to all rightful sub- 
 jects of legislation consistent with the constitution of the 
 United States and the provisions of this act; but no law 
 shall be passed interefering with the primary disposal of 
 the soil; no tax shall be imposed upon the property of the 
 United States, nor shall the lands or other property of non- 
 residents be taxed higher that the lands or other property of 
 the residents, nor shall any law be passed imparing the 
 rights of private property, nor shall any unequal discrim- 
 ination be made in taxing different kinds of property, but 
 all property subject to taxation shall be taxed in propor- 
 tion to its value. Every bill which shall have passed the 
 council and the house of representatives of said territory 
 shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the governor 
 of the territory. If he approves he shall sign it ; but if not, 
 he shall return it with his objections, to the house in which 
 it originated, who shall enter the objection at large upon 
 their journal and proceed to reconsider it. If, after such 
 reconsideration, two-thirds of that house shall agree to 
 pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections 
 
The Territory of Wyoming. 631 
 
 to the other house, by which it shall likewise be re-consider- 
 ed ; and if approved by two-thirds of that house it shall be- 
 come a law. But in all such cases the votes of both houses 
 shall be determined by yeas and nays, to be entered on the 
 journal of each house respectively. If any bill shall not be 
 returned by the governor within five days (Sundays except- 
 ed) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall 
 be a law in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the as- 
 sembly, by adjournment prevent its return, in which case it 
 shall not be a law. 
 
 Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That all township, 
 district and county officers not herein otherwise provided 
 for, shall be appointed or elected, as the case may be, in such 
 manner as shall be provided by the governor and legislative 
 assembly of the territory. The governor shall nominate, 
 and by and with the consent of the council, appoint all 
 officers not herein otherwise provided for and in the first 
 instance the governor alone may appoint all such officers, 
 who shall hold their offices until the end of the first session 
 of the legislative assembly; and he shall lay off the neces- 
 sary districts for members of the council and house of rep- 
 resentatives, and all other officers. 
 
 Sec. 8. And be it further enacted. That no member of 
 the legislative assembly shall hold or be appointed to any 
 office which shall have been created, or the salary or 
 emoluments of which shall have been increased while he 
 was a member, during the term for which he was elected, 
 and for one year after the expiration of such term ; and no 
 person holding a commission of appointment under the 
 United States, except postmasters, shall be a member of 
 the legislative assembly, or shall hold any office under the 
 ^ovf rrment of said territory. 
 
 Sec. 9. And be it further enacted. That the judicial 
 power of said territory shall be vested in a supreme court, 
 district courts, probate courts, and justices of the peace. 
 The supreme court shall consist of a chief justice and two 
 associate justices, any two of whom shall constitute a 
 quorum, and who shall hold a term at the seat of govern- 
 ment of said territory annually, and they shall hold their 
 offices for four years unless sooner removed by the presi- 
 dent, with the consent of the senate of the United States. 
 The said territory shall be divided into three judicial dis- 
 tricts, and a district court shall be held in each of the said 
 
632 History of Wyoming. 
 
 districts by one of the justices of the supreme court, at such 
 time and place as may be prescribed by law; and said 
 judges shall, after their appointments, respectively, reside 
 in the districts which shall be assigned them. The juris- 
 diction of the several courts herein provided for, both ap- 
 pellate and original, and that of the probate courts, and of 
 the justices of the peace, shall be as limited by law; Pro- 
 vided, That justices of the peace shall not have jurisdiction 
 of any matter in controversy when the title or boundaries of 
 land may be in dispute, or where the debt or sum claimed 
 shall exceed one hundred dollars; and the said supreme and 
 district courts, respectively, shall possess chancery as well 
 as common law jurisdiction and authority for redress of all 
 wrongs committed against the constitution or laws of the 
 United States or of the territory, affecting persons or prop- 
 erty. Each district court, or the judge thereof, shall appoint 
 a clerk, who shall also be the register in chancery, and shall 
 keep his office where the court may be held. Writs of error, 
 bills of exception, and appeals shall be allowed in all cases 
 from the final decisions of said district courts to the supreme 
 court, under such regulations as may be prescribed by law, 
 but in no case removed to the supreme court shall trial by 
 jury be allowed in said court. The supreme court, or the 
 justices thereof, shall appoint its own clerks, and every clerk 
 shall hold his office at the pleasure of the court for which he 
 shall have been appointed. Writs of error and appeals 
 from the final decision of said supreme court shall be al- 
 lowed and may be taken to the supreme court of the United 
 States, in the same manner and under the same regulations 
 as from the circuit courts of the United States, where the 
 value of property or the amount in controversy, to be as- 
 certained by oath or affirmation of either party, or other 
 competent witness, shall exceed one thousand dollars; and 
 each of the said district courts shall have and exercise the 
 same jurisdiction in all cases arising under the constitution 
 and laws of the United States, as is vested in the circuit 
 and district courts of the United States; and the said su- 
 preme and district courts of said territory, and the respec- 
 tive judges thereof, shall and may grant writs of habeas 
 corpus in all cases in which the same are grantable by the 
 judges of the United States in the District of Columbia; and 
 the first six days of every term of said courts, or so much 
 thereof as shall be necessary, shall be appropriated to the 
 
The Territory of Wi/oming. 633 
 
 trial of cases arising under the said constitution and laws; 
 and writs of error and appeals in all such cases shall be 
 made to the supreme court of said territory, the same as in 
 other cases. The said clerk shall receive in all such cases 
 the same fees which the clerks of the district courts of Da- 
 kota Territory now receive for similar services. 
 
 Sec. 10. And be it further enacted, That there shall 
 be appointed an attorney for said territory, who shall con- 
 tinue in office for four years, unless sooner removed by the 
 president, with the consent of the senate, who shall receive 
 the same fees and salary as is now received by the attorney 
 of the United States for the Territory of Docotah [Dakota]. 
 There shall also be a marshal for the territory appointed, 
 who shall hold his ofiSce for four years, unless sooner re- 
 moved by the president, with the consent of the senate, and 
 who shall execute all processes issuing from the said courts 
 when exercising their jurisdiction as circuit and district 
 courts of the United States; he shall perform the duties, be 
 subject to the same regulations and penalties, and be en- 
 titled to the same fees as the marshal of the district court 
 of the United States for the present Territory of Dakota, 
 arid shall, in addition, be paid two hundred dollars annual- 
 ly, as compensation for extra services. 
 
 Sec. 11. And be it further enacted. That the governor, 
 secretary, chief justice and associate justices, attorney, and 
 marshal shall be nominated, and, by and with the advice and 
 consent of the senate, appointed by the President of the 
 United States. The governor and secretary to be appointed 
 as aforesaid, shall, before they act as such, respectively, 
 take an oath or affirmation before the district judge, or some 
 justice of the peace in the limits of said territory duly au- 
 thorized to administer oaths and affirmation by the laws 
 now in force therein, or before the chief justice or some 
 associate justice of the supreme court of the United States,^ 
 to support the constitution of the United States, and faith- 
 fully to discharge the duties of their respective offices, 
 which said oaths when so taken shall be certified by the 
 person by whom the same shall have been taken; and such 
 certificates shall be received and recorded by the secretary 
 among the executive proceedings, and the chief justice, and 
 associate justices, and all other civil officers in said ter- 
 ritory, before they act as such, shall take a like oath or af- 
 firmation before the said governor or secretary, or some 
 
634 History of Wyoming. 
 
 judge or justice of the peace of the territory, who may be 
 duly commissioned and qualified, which said oath or afiSr- 
 mation shall be certified and transmitted by the person 
 taking the same, to the secretary, to be recorded by him, 
 as aforesaid, and afterwards the like oath or affirmation 
 shall be taken, certified, and recorded in such manner and 
 form as may be prescribed by law. The governor shall re- 
 ceive an annual salary of two thousand dollars as governor 
 and one thousand dollars as superintendent of Indian af- 
 fairs; the chief justice and the associate justices shall each 
 receive an annual salary of twenty-five hundred dollars, 
 and the secretary shall receive an annual salary of eighteen 
 hundred dollars. The said salaries shall be payable quarter- 
 yearly at the treasury of the United States. The members 
 of the legislative assembly shall be entitled to receive four 
 dollars each per day during their attendance at the session 
 thereof, and three dollars for every twenty miles' travel in 
 going and returning from the said sessions, estimating the 
 distance by the nearest traveled route. There shall be ap- 
 propriated annually the sum of one thousand dollars, to be 
 «xpended by the governor, to defray contingent exi)ense8 
 ©f the territory. There shall also be appropriated annually 
 a sufficient sum, to be expended by the secretary, and upon 
 an estimate to be made by the secretary of the treasury of 
 the United States, to defray the expenses of the legislative 
 assembly, the printing of the laws, and other incidental ex- 
 penses; and the secretary of the territory shall annually ac- 
 count to the secretary of the treasury of the United States 
 for the manner in which the aforesaid sum shall have been 
 expended. 
 
 Sec. 12. And it is further enacted, That the legislative 
 assembly of the territory of Wyoming shall hold its first 
 session at such time and place in said territory as the gov- 
 ernor thereof shall appoint and direct; and at said session, 
 or as soon thereafter as they may deem expedient, the gover- 
 nor and legislative assembly shall proceed to locate and es- 
 tablish the seat of government for said territory at such 
 place as they may deem eligible; which place, however, shall 
 thereafter be subject to be changed by the said governor 
 and legislative assembly. 
 
 Sec. 13. And be it further enacted, That a delegate to 
 the house of representatives of the United States, to serve 
 during each congress of the United States, mav be elected 
 
The Territori/ of Wyoming. 635 
 
 by the voters qualified to elect members of the legislative 
 assembly, who shall be entitled to the same rights and priv- 
 ileges as are exercised and enjoyed by the delegates from the 
 several other territories of the United States in the said 
 house of representatives. The first election shall be held 
 at such time and places, and be conducted in such a manner, 
 as the governor shall appoint and direct; and at all subse- 
 quent elections the time, place, and manner of holding elec- 
 tions shall be prescribed by law. The person having the 
 greatest number of votes of the qualified electors as here- 
 inbefore provided, shall be declared by the governor elect- 
 ed, and a certificate thereof shall be accordingly given. 
 
 Sec. 14. And be it further enacted, That sections num- 
 bered sixteen and thirty-six in each town-ship in said ter- 
 ritory shall be, and the same are hereby, reserved for the 
 purpose of being applied to public schools in the State or 
 States hereafter to be erected out of the same. 
 
 See. 15. And be it further enacted, That temporarily 
 and until otherwise provided by law, the governor of said 
 territory may define the judicial districts of said territory, 
 and assign the judges who may be appointed for the said 
 territory to the several districts, and also appoint the times 
 and places for holding courts in the several counties or sub- 
 divisions in each of said judicial districts by proclamation 
 to be issued by him; but the legislative assembly, at their 
 first or any subsequent session, may organize alter, or mod- 
 ify such judicial districts and assign the judges and alter 
 the times and places of holding the courts as to them shall 
 seem proper and convenient. 
 
 Sec. 16. And be it further enacted,That the constitu- 
 tion and all laws of the United States which are not locally 
 inappplicable, shall have the same force and effect within 
 the said Territory of Wyoming as elsewhere within the 
 United States. 
 
 Sec. 17. And be it further enacted, That this act 
 shall take effect from and after the time when the executive 
 and judicial officers herein provided for shall have been 
 duly appointed and qualified; Provided, That all general 
 territorial laws of the Territory of Dakota in force in any 
 portion of said Territory of Wyoming at the time this act 
 shall take effect, shall be and continue in force throughout 
 the said territory until repealed by the legislative authority 
 
636 History of Wyoming. 
 
 of said territory, except such laws as relate to the posses- 
 sion or occupation of mines or mining claims. 
 
 CHAPTER XLIII. 
 
 SOUTH PASS GOLD DISCOVERIES. 
 
 1842-1869. 
 A Georgian Makes the First Discovery in 1842 — Thirteen Years Later 
 Forty Men Arrived and Made Rich Discoveries — Next Year They 
 Are Driven Out of the Country by United States Troops— The 
 Attempts at Mining From 1858 to 1864— Lieut. Brown's Discov- 
 eries — Maj. Baldwin Outfits Two Prospectors — Organization 
 OF the Lincoln Mining District — Discovery of the Carissa in 
 1876 — Killing of Capt. Lawrence and Tony Shields by Indians 
 — Mad Rush to South Pass in 1868 — Numerous Rich Mines Dis- 
 covered That Year — Attack by Indians — Building of Saw Mills 
 AND Quartz Mills — Discoveries of 1869 — More Indian Depreda- 
 tions — Murders of the Year — Pioneers of the Camps. 
 
 Two classes of men explored the Rocky Mountains; 
 first came the trappers and fur traders, who richly rewarded 
 themselves for the dangers and trials of a trapper's life. 
 These men penetrated the mountain fastness, faced the sav- 
 age trihes who inhabited the country, withstood the rigors 
 of a climate that was severe in the extreme and finally made 
 colossal fortunes for the men whom they served. When the 
 business became unprofitable because of the destruction 
 of fur-bearing animals, another class of men quite as cour- 
 ageous as the trappers entered the country and commenced 
 prospecting for gold. Five years previous to the great gold 
 discoveries of California the precious metal was uncovered 
 in the South Pass country. The editor of the Sweetwater 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 637 
 
 Miner, in his issue of March 24, 1869, rescues from oblivion 
 a scrap of history which appears to be authentic ; at least 
 Rossiter W. Eaymond, who made a geological survey of the 
 Sweetwater country that same year, included this newspaper 
 article in his official report, and to that extent indorses the 
 story. The article referred to reads as follows : 
 
 "Gold in the Sweetwater district was first discovered 
 in 1842 by a Georgian who came here with the American Fur 
 Company for the recovery of his health. After remaining a 
 year he started for home, intending to organize a company 
 and bring them here to work the mines. He never reached 
 his home, however, and was supposed to have been killed by 
 the Indians. Thirteen years elapsed, when a party of forty 
 men arrived here. They prospected the whole length of 
 the Sweetwater, found gold everywhere in the river, as well 
 as in all of its tributaries, and turned the main stream from 
 its channel 400 yards. A small shaft eight feet deep, from 
 which they took from 2 to 10 cents worth of gold per pan, 
 was sunk and worked some time. When winter approached 
 they abandoned their enterprise to winter at Fort Laramie, 
 where they intended to provision themselves for a year and 
 get a supply of necessary tools in the spring. This done 
 they started, but when two days on their way were over- 
 taken by United States dragoons and brought back to the 
 fort. The leader was sent to prison for some imaginary of- 
 fense and the property of the company confiscated. 
 
 "In 1858 the leader returned to this region but did no 
 mining until 1860, when he and eight others commenced 
 mining on Strawberry gulch. Their rotten sluices, rockers 
 and toms remain there to the present day. During 1861 
 mining was abandoned because men could make more money 
 putting up hay and delivering telegraph poles for the Over- 
 land Stage Company. In the fall of 1861, however, fifty-two 
 men had collected at South Pass City ready to commence 
 mining in the early spring of 1862. Their locations were 
 selected, and prospects over-promising, when like a thun- 
 derbolt the Shoshone Indians broke down upon them, 
 robbed them of everything and drove them off." 
 
 In the summer of 1850 ten wagons arrived at South 
 Pass containing emigrants on their way to California. 
 These people were from Missouri, and the Captain of the 
 company was Jonathan Ferril, an experienced freighter on 
 
638 History of Wyoming. 
 
 the old Santa Fe trail. Of the party was John D. Ferril, a 
 nephew of Jonathan ; also B. Chestney, Jackson and Joseph 
 Tackett, Samuel Parker and Dr. Hocker. This party had 
 encountered a train which had suffered greatly with chol- 
 era. Dr. Hocker and John D. Ferril went to the assistance 
 of the unfortunate people, nursed the sick and buried the 
 dead, and joined their own train again at South Pass, where 
 it had awaited them. 
 
 During the summer of 1862 quite a number of miners 
 from Colorado went to the Sweetwater and prospected. 
 Among these were Joseph Sherrick of ISTevadaville, Colo., 
 John L. Kimble, W. C. Patrick and J. W. Eedliff, all of the 
 same place. These men all brought home rich specimens 
 of placer gold taken from the bars along Sweetwater river. 
 They left the country on account of hostile Indians who in- 
 fested the neighborhood. 
 
 That same year, J. Dubois, J. Patneese and three broth- 
 ers whose names are not mentioned, left the stage line at 
 Sweetwater Crossing with the intention of prospecting be- 
 tween there and South Pass and to eventually go into the 
 Big Horn country. These men were told by old trappers 
 and guides, stories of rich gold deposits in various localities, 
 but when they were asked to guide the miners to the places, 
 they refused because, as they explaind, they were afraid of 
 Indians. These men were all French Canadians. They were 
 never heard from after they left the Sweetwater. It was be- 
 lieved in Wyoming and Montana that they were all killed by 
 Indians. About this time a trading post was established at 
 Pacific Springs. 
 
 On April 9, 1863, James Stuart, Cyrus Watkins, George 
 T. Geery, A. Sternblake, George H. Smith, Samuel T. Hau- 
 ser, Eichard McCafferty, John Vanderbilt, Drewyer Un- 
 derwood, James N. York, Henry A. Bell, James Hauxhurst, 
 William Roach, Ephraim Bostwick and George Ives left 
 Bannock City, Mont., on a prospecting tour to the Yellow- 
 stone country. They followed up the Big Horn river and 
 on the night of the 12th of May were attacked by a band of 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 639 
 
 Crow Indians. The fight was a desperate one. Geery, Bost- 
 wick and Watkins were killed. The next day the remainder 
 of the party pushed on up the river as far as where Fort 
 Washakie now stands, and from there they went south, 
 striking the Sweetwater at a point not far below Lewiston. 
 According to a report made by Stuart to the Montana His- 
 torical Society, they found at this point rich prospects in 
 loose gravel. The party spent three weeks prospecting in 
 that vicinity, when they returned to Montana, having trav- 
 eled a distance of 1,600 miles, for which they received very 
 poor pay. In the same year, Capt. H. G. Nickerson informs 
 me, the first placer mining was done in Carissa gulch. He 
 says that men who were serving at that time as soldiers, 
 along the telegraph line passing through South Pass, 
 told him that they saw an old mountaineer working in 
 this gulch. He packed the dirt on an ox to Willow creek 
 and washed out the gold there. The dirt was rich, but the 
 soldiers advised the old man that it was dangerous to at- 
 tempt to work without protection, as the Indians would kill 
 him if he was found by them. The miner was out of pro- 
 visions, but the soldiers supplied his wants and he left the 
 country. This closes the record for 1863. 
 
 In the summer of 1864 Lieut. William H. Brown was 
 serving with a detail of his company on the Sweetwater, 
 guarding the telegraph line and protecting emigrants who 
 passed that way to the west. While on this service, he and 
 a few of his men did some prospecting in the South Pass 
 country. They found some very rich dirt in a dry gulch 
 and filling gunny sacks with it transported the sacks on their 
 horses several hundred yards to a small stream. The sol- 
 diers loaded the sacks and managed to carry two on each 
 horse, and in this way they carried considerable dirt to the 
 stream. The Lieutenant knew something about placer min- 
 ing and had therefore little diflSculty in washing out the 
 gold. Some of these sacks yielded two dollars, three dollars, 
 and others as much as five dollars. Later this same party 
 discovered a rich lead north of Eock creek, which they lo- 
 
640 History of Wyoming. 
 
 cated and called it the Buckeye in honor of the state from 
 which the regiment came. By request of W. A. Carter, the 
 sutler of Fort Bridger, Lieut. Brown located a claim for 
 him, also one for Gen. Connor, and several claims for the 
 officers in the 11th Ohio. Lieut. Brown and his men com- 
 menced development work on the Buckeye and were getting 
 along nicely with the work when one day the Indians came 
 in their absence and destroyed their tools, which was the 
 red man's way of showing his disapproval of what was going 
 on. Brown and his companions took the hint and went 
 back to their duty of protecting the telegraph line and emi- 
 grants. Lieut. Brown informs me that he is satisfied that 
 his was the original discovery on what was some years later 
 opened out as the Buckeye lead, which yielded a large 
 amount of gold. 
 
 The following incidents are related of 1864 : John Dun- 
 kel, a private in the Eleventh Ohio Volunteers, sunk a shaft 
 at the head of Willow creek, and when it was down eight 
 feet, he was taken sick with pneumonia. The regimental 
 surgeon, who was at Sweetwater Bridge, was telegraphed 
 for and came up to attend the sick man, but in spite of the 
 best efforts of the physician he died. A few days after this 
 a well appointed outfit with two four-mule teams came along 
 and stopped at Burnt Ranch. The owner of the train was 
 a Wisconsin man and he had been taken sick down on the 
 North Platte and from day to day he grew worse. The peo- 
 ple who were with him believed that he was going to die, 
 and being helpless they took him out of the wagon and left 
 him at the station, and in spite of the sick man's remon- 
 strance and the indignation of the men at the station, they 
 hurried away and left the helpless owner of the train, tak- 
 ing all his property with them. The sick stranger was care- 
 fully tended and finally recovered. He returned to Fort 
 Laramie and later went back to Wisconsin. A year after 
 this he passed through the country on his way west to hunt 
 up the men who had robbed him of his train and left him by 
 the roadside to die. Whether he ever recovered his prop- 
 
ESTHER MORRIS. 
 
 lA^ she appeared while living at South Pass, in i86g.) 
 
South Pass Gold Discoreries. 641 
 
 erty or succeeded in punishing- his unfaithful and inhuman 
 employes is not known. 
 
 In the summer of 1865, prospectors and miners again 
 turned their faces towards the South Pass country. Pros- 
 pecting was done along the Sweetwater river and over as 
 far north as Beaver creek. Some of these men had been in 
 the country before and they were quickly followed by gold 
 hunters from both the east and the west. Among others, I 
 find that Dr. Leonard worked in the Carissa gulch, the same 
 place worked by the old mountaineer in 1863, but there is 
 no record as to his success or failure. Mrs. Josephine Bald- 
 win of Lander has placed in my hands an agreement made 
 by her husband, Maj. Noyes Baldwin, and Capt. John S. 
 Skelton, in which they agree to furnish to John A. James 
 and D. C. Moreland provisions and mining tools suflScient 
 for a six months' prospecting tour in the South Pass coun- 
 try. They also furnished these men with pack animals. The 
 agreement is dated at Fort Bridger, Oct. 31, 1S65. With 
 these two went William Jameson, William Burch and W. H. 
 Shoemaker. All these men had belonged to the First Ne- 
 vada Cavalry and had fought Indians on the plains under 
 Gen. Connor. Baldwin was at that time major of the regi- 
 ment and commander of Fort Bridger. Connor considered 
 it good policy to encourage the prospecting for gold, in the 
 hope of bringing into the country a large number of settlers, 
 who would serve to hold the Mormons in check. The party 
 proceeded to South Pass and the next we hear of them is 
 a letter from James and Moreland, dated at Beaver creek, 
 Nov. 11, 1865. They expressed themselves as delighted with 
 the prospects for gold, and thought they would strike it rich. 
 They proposed to locate some rich ledges the next day. 
 There must have been a large number of miners on the 
 ground, as they speak of holding a public meeting and the 
 organization of a mining district. As this was undoubtedly 
 the first mining district organized in what is now Wyoming 
 I give the proceedings below in full : 
 
 -(41) 
 
642 History of Wyoming. 
 
 "Lincoln Mining District, 
 "Dakota Ter., Nov. 11, 1865. 
 
 "At a meeting of the miners of this Lincoln mining dis- 
 trict, held on one of the tributaries of Beaver creek on the 
 evening of the 11th Nov., 1865, meeting being called to or- 
 der, Mr. W. H. Shoemaker was chosen president and Mr. 
 John A. James secretary. The following laws concerning 
 the location and representation of quartz leads or lodes of 
 gold or silver bearing rock were adopted : 
 
 "Sec. 1. Any person locating quartz lodes or leads of 
 gold bearing rock within the limits of this Lincoln district 
 which shall comprise all that part of the territory known as 
 Dakota, which lies west of the 20th degree of longitude west 
 from Washington shall not be entitled to more than 200 
 feet in one claim by location, and no person shall hold more 
 than one claim on the same lead by excavation, except he 
 be the discoverer of the ledge, who shall be entitled to one 
 claim for discovery. The locator or discoverer shall be enti- 
 tled to all the dips, spurs and angles appertaining unto the 
 same. When the discovery is made by a company, they shall 
 be entitled to but one claim for discovery and one each by 
 location. All persons shall define the limits of their claims 
 by a stake at each end of the claim not less than three (3) 
 inches in diameter nor less than two (2) feet in height, with 
 the name of person or persons and date of location thereon 
 written 
 
 "Sec. 2. All persons shall have their claims recorded in 
 the district recording office within ten (10) days from the 
 time of their location; Provided, the distance of claim is not 
 more than thirty (30) miles from the recorder's office. When 
 the distance of claim is more than thirty (30) miles from 
 the recorder's office, the time limited shall extend to fifteen 
 (15) days from time of location. This law not being com- 
 plied with, the claim shall be subject to relocation by any 
 person thereafter. All persons shall within the space of 
 ninety (90) days from the time of the location of their claims, 
 improve the same by work in or for the benefit of the claim 
 to the amount of fifty ($50) dollars, said work to be appraised 
 by two competent judges of the same who reside in the 
 district, when on application to the district recorder the 
 claim holder shall receive a certificate of deed for his claim, 
 which shall hold good above all other claims, save that of 
 government. In case of doubt as to work having been per- 
 formed, it shall be the duty of the recorder to visit said 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 643 
 
 claim himself before issuing a certificate, in which case he 
 shall be entitled to mileage at the rate of fifty (50) cents 
 per mile to and from said claim. The district recorder shall 
 be entitled to two ($2.00) dollars for recording each claim, 
 and four ($4.00) dollars for issuing a certificate of deed. All 
 persons shall renew the notices on their claims once in ev- 
 ery twelve months after a certificate of deed is given. 
 
 "Sec. 3. No person shall have the right to locate claims 
 for others except he has the power of attorney from the 
 person himself, in which case the location shall hold good as 
 though done by himself. Where a company makes a loca- 
 tion together as a company, they shall have the right to put 
 the improvements on their claims in one or two places, at the 
 option of said company. 
 
 "Sec. 4. The recorder of this Lincoln Mining district 
 shall be elected annually by a majority of the miners of the 
 district, who shall vote by ballot. 
 
 "W. H. SHOEMAKER, President. 
 "JOHN JAMES, Secretary, 
 "of meeting organizing Laws and Limits of Lincoln Mining 
 district." 
 
 John A. James was duly elected recorder of the dis- 
 trict. There must have been considerable enthusiasm in 
 the camp, as in a letter to Maj. Baldwin, James gives it as 
 his opinion that there will be a great rush into the coun- 
 try the next year. The next letter from James is dated at 
 South Pass, March 18, 1866. He reported that they had 
 prospected the country to their satisfaction as far north as 
 the Popo Agie river, and while they could get colors every- 
 where they did not find the ground rich. From this letter it 
 appears that the rich ledges they were going to file on, the 
 previous November, were located on Willow creek, but he 
 states that he is unable to give a definite opinion about the 
 rock, as the snow had been ten feet deep all winter. Enough 
 had been done, however, to prove that the gold was of fine 
 quality, worth, he thought, $20 an ounce. It was his opinion 
 that the gold in the lead would run $50 a ton. He closes his 
 letter by promising some good news by the 15th of April. 
 This letter is the last one found from James in Maj. Bald- 
 win's papers. The contract between the four men would 
 
544 History of Wyoming. 
 
 expire on May 1, 1866, and there is no evidence that it was 
 -renewed. A few months before the date of the last letter, 
 •James mentioned reports of rich finds on Wind river and 
 on the Yellowstone, and it may be presumed that he drifted 
 into that country. James was an educated man, and from 
 his letters it must be concluded that he was a miner in 
 former days in Nevada, as he compared the quartz which he 
 found in the South Pass with that of the mines of that 
 country. 
 
 This was not the first visit of James to the South Pass 
 country. During the late summer of 1865, Maj. Baldwin, 
 with forty picked men, explored the country about South 
 Pass, the head of Strawberry creek, the head of Beaver 
 creek. Little and Big Popo Agie, going as far north as Big 
 Wind river, and James and Sergeant Shoemaker were of the 
 command, and it was on this expedition that they were im- 
 pressed with the idea that there was gold in that section. 
 Maj. Baldwin became convinced not only that there were 
 rich quartz veins in the country but that placer gold 
 abounded, and this was why he was willing to outfit the 
 party of prospectors. During the summer, fall and winter 
 the gold prospects of the South Pass country was the princi- 
 pal topic of conversation at Fort Bridger. Men who passed 
 through, going either way, heard much about these gold 
 discoveries. During the fall of '65 a man named Eddy, con- 
 nected with the Overland Telegraph Company, made what 
 he considered a rich find over near Rock creek. He had 
 some knowledge of silver mining and thought he had found 
 a silver lead. This rock was sent to Salt Lake and the as- 
 sistant superintendent of the telegraph line sent it to Vir- 
 ginia City and had it assayed, but it only ran f 6.85 per ton. 
 
 During the summer of 1865, Lewis B. Chapman, a sol- 
 dier of the Third California Infantry, accompanied by Ezra 
 McAtee and Samuel Connor, started from Fort Bridger to 
 find the Great Tar Spring which Captain Bonneville had 
 mentioned. These three men were hired by Judge W. A. 
 Carter, Major Stover, L. B. Scott and others at Fort Bridger 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 645 
 
 to find this renowned oil spring and locate it under the then 
 existing mining laws. They went by the way of South Pass, 
 turned north at that point and finally reached the valley of 
 Wind River, now known as the Lander Valley. On the road 
 they were joined by three men, one of whom was the no- 
 torious outlaw. Mountain Jack. When they reached the 
 valley they met Major Baldwin, who was at that time in 
 command of Fort Bridger. The major had with him a de- 
 tachment of forty men and he was on his return from Wind 
 River, where he had been scouting and prospecting. Chap- 
 man and his companions had great difficulty m flndtng the 
 "Great Tar Spring," but were finally guided to it by the 
 strong odor of the oil. They at once erected a stone cabin 
 which they covered with a roof of cedar poles, and taking 
 samples of the oil they returned to Fort Bridger. The 
 Mountain Jack spoken of was without doubt one of the 
 most desperate characters ever in Wyoming. He was a 
 soldier in General tTohnston's command and deserted while 
 going through Wyoming and joined the Shoshone tribe of 
 Indians. This man, under all circumstances and on all oc- 
 casions, considered the law of might, right. If he met an 
 emigrant who possessed any property that he took a fancy 
 to. Jack never hesitated to possess himself of it, and any 
 show of resistance on the part of the emigrant was met by 
 instant death from the unerring pistol of the outlaw. The 
 traders in the country feared this man more than they did a 
 whole tribe of Indians. On one occasion he went into Judge 
 Cartei''s place and told him that he wanted a loan of $200. 
 The Judge understood his man and at once counted out the 
 money. This was his method of making what was styled in 
 those days, forced loans. From 18.57 to 1865, he was the 
 terror of the mountains. In the year last named, and at 
 the time of his visit to the Wind River Valley, he went to 
 Montana and was run out of that country by vigilantes and" 
 came back to the Shoshones. During the winter of 1866-7, 
 W. A. Johnson and a man named Jackson went from Ham's 
 Forli to the Lower Popo Agie with a stock of goods to trade 
 
646 History of Wyoming. 
 
 with Indians. They took up their abode in the Three Cabins 
 and were soon afterwards joined by Archie Blair and his 
 brother Duncan. Mountain Jack met Johnson and Jackson 
 at Green Eiver and went with them to the Three Cabins. 
 Jack did not remain, but went over to the Shoshone village, 
 where he lost, by gambling with the Indians, several hun- 
 dred dollars worth of goods which he had brought with him. 
 After this loss he returned to the Three Cabins and soon 
 after arriving told one of the Blair boys that he had come 
 there for the purpose of killing Johnson, as that trader had 
 reported him to the vigilantes in Montana. Blair sought an 
 opportunity to warn Johnson, and it was agreed that Moun- 
 tain Jack must be killed by Johnson or the latter be killed 
 himself by the outlaw. Blair went into the cabin where 
 Jack was sitting by the fire with a buiialo robe over his 
 head, Indian fashion. He paid no attention to Blair, who 
 took down a gun from some hooks on the wall and placed it 
 in the comer by the door. Johnson soon after came in, took 
 up the gun and blew off the top of Jack's head, and the out- 
 law's body fell over into the fire. Thus died Mountain Jack, 
 and his death was an event which produced rejoicing among 
 the early settlers. The real name of this desperado was said 
 to be Jackson Alvese. Lewis B. Chapman, who knew him 
 well, says that his death at the hands of Johnson was justi- 
 fiable, and it was well for the latter that the outlaw did 
 not look round when Johnson entered the door, as Jack al- 
 ways carried a revolver in the breast of his shirt and in a 
 position to draw it at a moment's notice.. He was always 
 prepared for any emergency. It had been noticed by many 
 persons that when the outlaw was in company with others 
 and strangers approached, his hand invariably went inside 
 his shirt front, and this was followed instantly by the click 
 of the lock of his revolver, and thus he waited the advent of 
 newcomers. 
 
 Lewis B. Chapman is one of the few survivors of the 
 Third California Infantry, which was composed of some of 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 647 
 
 the best Indian fighters ever in Wyoming. Connor loved 
 these grim warriors because they were true as steel, and 
 while he was Colonel of that regiment they learned to idol- 
 ize him. Chapman was mustered out of the service at Salt 
 Lake, returned to Fort Bridger and entered the employ. of 
 Judge W. A. Carter, hauling wood, burning charcoal and 
 cutting hay to fill government contracts. In the year 1874 
 he left Fort Bridger and took up his residence in the Lander 
 valley and remained two years, then went to Miner's De- 
 light, where he lived for seven years, when he returned to 
 the valley and made his residence in Lander, where he still 
 resides. 
 
 It should be stated here that, during 1865, Tom Ryan, 
 a soldier in the Nevada volunteers, went with his command 
 through the South Pass country. He had heard the story 
 of the rich mineral in that section and being a miner, he 
 made a discovery of fine gold quartz on the Carissa, but not 
 having an opportunity to develop the property he after- 
 wards reported the find in Salt Lake. Being known as a re- 
 liable man, his disclosures created no little excitement in 
 the Mormon city, and the result was a considerable com- 
 pany organized there in the winter of 1866 and 1867, and 
 early in the spring a number of men started out with the 
 avowed purpose of finding the place where Ryan had uncov- 
 ered the rich gold quartz. In this party were H. S. Reedall, 
 Harry Hubbel, J. W. Lawrence, Frank Marshall, Bill Hick- 
 man (a noted Mormon), Porter Rockwell, John Smith, Homer 
 Roberts, Richard Grace, and a large number of others. Min- 
 ers from Montana who had heard the news of Ryan's discov- 
 ery were early on the road to South Pass. But in the excite- 
 ment we must not lose sight of Maj. Noyes Baldwin, who 
 had all along remained firm in the faith that wonderful 
 gold discoveries would be made in South Pass. He having 
 been mustered out of the service in July, 1866, at once se- 
 cured a license to trade with the Shoshone Indians. He lo- 
 cated the same year near the mouth of the Popo Agie, tak- 
 ing his family with him. He remained there until the spring 
 
648 History of Wyoming. 
 
 of 1867, going back to Fort Bridger on account of Indian 
 troubles. Of his family and their connection with pioneer 
 work, I shall have more to say farther on. 
 
 Through the early spring of 1867 there were constant 
 arrivals at South Pass, and as soon as the snow left the 
 tops of the hills the prospectors spread themselves over the 
 country. On June 8th H. S. Reedall, Harry Hubbel, Capt. 
 J. W. Lawrence and others succeeded in finding the Carissa 
 lode, which Tom Ryan had told about. The rock was rich 
 beyond anything that am^ of the party had before seen; the 
 walls were well defined, and there was every probability 
 that a great producer had been discovered. The news spread 
 like a great confla gration all over the camp ; nor did it stop 
 here. Prospectors hastily sent word in all directions to 
 their friends at home, and then commenced the rush to the, 
 new mining camp. New York, San Francisco, and al! in- 
 termediate points in a few weeks were well informed of the 
 great strike at the Carissa. The little army of pioneer min- 
 ers in the camp dreamed of wealth even beyond that which 
 falls to the lot of men the most fortunate, but this happi- 
 ness and exultation was of but short duration, for in July a 
 war party of the Sioux tribe of Indians made an attack on 
 the men engaged in sinking a shaft on the Carissa. The ex- 
 citement of the discovery had driven the fear of Indians from 
 the minds of the white men, and consequently they were un- 
 prepared to meet the wild charge of the painted savages. 
 Capt. Lawrence rallied the miners and attempted to hold 
 the position, but his men were without arms and practically 
 defenseless. Their only weapons at hand were picks and 
 drills, but with these they made a bold stand until Capt. 
 Lawrence fell mortally wounded. His followers, realizing 
 that they would all be killed if they remained in the mine, 
 rushed out and down the hill toward Willow creek, which 
 they crossed in mad haste. Keeping on, they finally reached 
 the Sweetwater, the red devils close at their heels. Here 
 Tony Shields, another of their number, was killed. At this 
 point the Indians turned back. The Carissa party were 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 649 
 
 now joined by numerous prospectors who had become aware 
 of the affair at the Carissa. Some of these were armed, and 
 this fact instilled courage and confidence among the whites. 
 The Indians in their retreat gathered up a lot of horses and 
 other stock belonging to the prospectors and miners, and 
 with these disappeared. They evidently were apprehensive 
 of an attack by a band of Shoshones who were known to be 
 in the neighborhood. The little band of miners was in no 
 condition to return to the mines, as they had reason to ap- 
 prehend that the Indians were waiting for them, so they 
 kept on to the west, hoping to meet a party which had some 
 days before left Fort Bridger, bound for South Pass. The 
 following day this party came up, and with them the minerst 
 and prospectors returned to the camp. The surviving part- 
 ners in the Oarissa at once returned to work, but each man 
 armed himself and a guard was posted on a high point in 
 the vicinity. The duty of this guard was to warn the miners 
 of approaching danger. The prospectors likewise went out 
 armed, two going together. One of these kept watch for 
 Indians while the other worked. 
 
 In September, Captain A. G. Turner arrived from Cen- 
 terville, Boise County, Idaho. He at once took a prominent 
 part in all matters relating to the mining camp. Turner 
 was a man of ability. Born in Alabama, he left his home 
 and went to California in early days and in 1862 located in 
 Centerville, Idaho, where he entered politics and was a can- 
 didate for Delegate to Congress in 1865, but was defeated 
 by E. D. Holbrook, a brother of Jack Holbrook who was af- 
 terwards one of the discoverers of the Miners Delight mine. 
 
 During the fall the town-site of South Pass was laid out 
 and the first permanent buildings erected. The season was 
 short, but much was accomplished toward making the 
 miners comfortable for the winter. Quite a number of well 
 built houses were finished and an abundance of wood for 
 fuel was cut in the hills and hauled into the new town. 
 Before the snow covered the ground the army of prospectors 
 had discovered and located many promising properties. 
 
650 History of Wyoming. 
 
 When winter set in a good supply of provisions had arrived, 
 and this stock vt^as added to by the hunters, who brought in 
 buffalo, elk and deer meat in great abundance. The winter 
 passed off pleasantly and everybody was at work getting 
 ready for active mining operations in the early spring. At 
 the Carissa shelter had been provided and all hands were 
 kept at work pounding the rich rock in mortars and when 
 spring arrived it was found that $15,000 in gold had been 
 taken out in this primitive manner. 
 
 The news which went out that fall after the Carissa 
 strike resulted in a grand rush from every direction to the 
 mines. Early in the spring of 1868 miners from Colorado, 
 Montana, Utah, Nevada and California came flocking in to 
 South Pass. Some wonderful strikes were made early that 
 season. The Young America was discovered by Francis 
 Zeriner and Geo. Arnett, which turned out to be a good 
 producer. The Carrie Shields was discovered by Capt. A. 
 G. Turner. It was a rich mine and flowed a golden stream 
 for a number of years. The Mohamet was located by Roberts 
 and Gildersleeve. Tom Eyan, who had been discharged 
 from the service, came back to South Pass to find that his 
 rich mine had been located by other parties, but he spent no 
 time in repining and was off among the hills to make another 
 discovery. His practical eye soon detected a rich vein 
 which he located as the Carter lode. I do not know how 
 much gold Ryan took out of this mine, but it was afterwards 
 relocated and ■called the "Robert Emmet," and it is now 
 known as the "Gould and Curry." This mine has first and 
 last been a great producer. Jim Duncan that season lo- 
 cated what is known as the Duncan mine, which afterward 
 came into the possession of James Smith and is now owned 
 by his widow. Tozier and Eddy that year erected the first 
 quartz mill in the country. It was much needed at the 
 time. This mill was located on Willow creek, a short dis- 
 tance below the Carissa mine. The saw-mill, that indispen- 
 sable adjunct to every mining camp, came early that season. 
 The Halderman mill also soon followed on the same creefe. 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 651 
 
 The Hinman mill and the Decker were located on the head ©f 
 this stream. By the middle of May South Pass contained 
 hundreds of houses and thousands of people. I have heard 
 many figures given as to the population at that period, but 
 as they were all guess work I will not specify the number. 
 The Indians, while all this was going on, were not unmindful 
 of the great opportunities which the condition of things 
 presented for them. The well-organized outfits which had 
 come in to the country possessed an abundance of fine 
 horses, and these had been placed in charge of herders and 
 sent into the hills. During the latter part of May the In- 
 dians made a raid and carried oif a hundred of these fine 
 horses and mules and at the time gathered up a large num- 
 ber of other horses pasturing among the hills. The miners 
 were well armed, but being without mounts were unable to 
 pursue the savages and were obliged to make the best of it. 
 An armed party, however, went after the thieves but was 
 unable to overtake them. The value of the stock taken was 
 estimated at the time to be not less than ten thousand dol- 
 lars. This was a serious blow to the camp, as the horses 
 and mules were needed to haul in goods for the stores, as 
 well as tools and mining machinery. The miners redoubled 
 their vigilance, but scarce a month had passed before the 
 hostiles made another raid. There had been large accessions 
 to the camp and consequently there was again an abundant 
 supply of horses and mules. These they took, also a consid- 
 erable amount of mercantile goods and money. The Indians 
 took a northern course on leaving the mines and on reach- 
 ing the Little Popo Agie they entered the stone cabin of 
 Frank Morehouse, which they plundered. Morehouse had 
 gone to the hills to hunt his horses. They soon found him, 
 killed and scalped him, and robbed the body of f 1,500. Soon 
 after passing Morehouse's place they met William Rhodes, 
 who was driving a four-horse team. They at once killed and 
 scalped him and stripping the clothing from his body and the 
 hai-nees from his horses made off with them. On the Cot- 
 tonwood they met a man known in the camp as "Dutch 
 
652 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Henry," whom they also killed. They visited the cabin of an 
 old Frenchman named Deveraux. The old man had planted 
 a garden and was in his little patch at work when the Indi- 
 ans came up. They killed him on the spot and horribly mu- 
 tilated his body. On August 9th a freighter known around 
 the camps as "Uncle Hirst" had been after supplies with a 
 four-ox team. He had reached, on his return, Three Cross- 
 ings, a place on the Sweetwater, when he was attacked by 
 Indians. He had a heavy load of goods for one of the new 
 mercantile establishments at the mines. The Indians shot 
 and mortally wounded the driver,Dave Hayes,and shot Hirst 
 in the heel. The two wounded men made a vigorous de- 
 fense and succeeded in driving off the savages. After the 
 Indians had left. Hirst placed his wounded driver under the 
 wagon in his blankets, unhitched his cattle and drove them 
 into South Pass. Hirst returned in company with Maj. 
 Baldwin, who was going after supplies with a train of 
 wagons. The Indians attacked them at Ice Slough, and af- 
 ter a spirited engagement, Major Baldwin was driven back. 
 A man named Leach, connected with the train, was wound- 
 ed. William Tweed, now of Red Canon, was interested 
 with Hirst in the freighting outfit, and hearing of the Three 
 Crossings affair, went out with Hirst, William Rose and 
 another man to rescue the wounded teamster and the 
 property. When they reached the wagon they found the 
 man dead and the goods carried off. They now proceeded 
 to take the wagon to town, but the Indians, who were lying 
 in wait, vigorously attacked the party. The savages, being 
 well armed and in overwhelming numbers, compelled the 
 four men to retreat to the willows which were near at hand. 
 Rose was mounted on a race horse, and having great confi- 
 dence in the animal's speed, thought that he could outrun 
 the Indians; he therefore followed the road to South Pass. 
 Some of the best mounted of the enemy turned in pursuit 
 of him, and then commenced a race for life. Poor Rose dis- 
 covered that his great confidence in his racer was misplaced, 
 and like many another, found that he had staked his all on 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 653 
 
 the wrong horse. With whip and spur he urged his pet 
 forward; but, alas, the two foremost Indians were close be- 
 hind and shots from their rifles barely missed him, but the 
 Indians were getting the better of the fight and finally a 
 shot from one of them struck Rose in the back of the head 
 and he fell from his saddle, being killed instantly. The In- 
 dians' pursuit of Rose created a diversion which enabled Mr. 
 Tweed, though wounded, and his companions to escape. This 
 affair aroused the people of the whole mining district and 
 twenty-seven men, well mounted and armed, went in pursuit 
 of the savages, but they had flown. They buried the bodies 
 of Rose and the teamster and took the wagon to town. This 
 was the first fight with the savages. They had tested the 
 metal of the white men in an open fight and by a greatly su- 
 perior force had defeated them. There were plenty of brave 
 men in the camp who were willing to pursue the savages 
 and punish them for their murderous conduct, but the ques- 
 tion was how to find them, and so the matter dragged on and 
 the search for gold was resumed, but nearly every man 
 armed himself and procured an abundant supply of ammuni- 
 tion, and a strict watch was kept for the appearance of any 
 hostile band. 
 
 The William Tweed who figured in the foregoing inci- 
 dent was the first man to bring his family to South Pass. 
 He arrived early in the spring and thus Mrs. Tweed became 
 the pioneer mother of the mining district, but quickly follow- 
 ing this family were a number of others, and South Pass 
 became a prosperous little city of happy homes. The hotel, 
 the saloon and the gaming establishment came as if by 
 magic. The South Pass hotel was opened by Dr.W.C.Irvin, 
 John Thompson opened the U. S. Hotel; the Eclipse Hotel 
 was started by Capt. Sherlock; Mrs. Caroline Chapin (now 
 Mrs. James Kime) became the founder of the City Hotel; 
 the Kidder hotel was started by a man of that name. The 
 first store was built by Cotter & Houghton. They dealt in 
 miners' supplies, which meant everything. Houghton wa* 
 afterwards elected the first sheriff in Sweetwater county, in 
 
654 History of Wyoming. 
 
 which county the mines were then located. Marks & Meyers 
 opened a clothing store; Hugh Frank also started a cloth- 
 ing establishment. Maj. Noyes Baldwin, Sidney Ticknor, 
 Louie Engler and Henry Crutcher each started general 
 stores. The display of saloon signs became very numerous 
 and it was not long after when the following establishments 
 were in full blast: The "'49er" saloon and restaurant, 
 started by Robinson & Sherlock; Fritz Rittich ran a like 
 place ; Geo. Hirst the Keg Saloon ; also one kept by "Fatty" 
 Smith ; another by Castle & Giles ; A. W. Furgeson, a saloon 
 and restaurant; Frank Gilman, W. H. Bright and Geo. 
 Shakespear & Brother all ran saloons; the Magnolia saloon 
 was run by Charley Sickles ; John Donnelly had a saloon and 
 restaurant; Charley Sowers ran the Elephant saloon, and the 
 Occidental was run by Pat Walsh; Louis Goodman started 
 a wholesale liquor establishment. There were three meat 
 markets. The first was opened by William Tweed, the next 
 by Dave Hamilton, the third by Pat Murphy. George W. B. 
 Dickson and Calvin Lightburn opened a general store and 
 Dickson became postmaster. He afterwards became a de- 
 faulter to the government and suddenly left for the diamond 
 fields of South Africa. The summer of 1868 was certainly a 
 prosperous one. The Carissa mine was producing a large 
 amount of gold and placer ground was being worked in the 
 gulches and along Willow creek. Rock creek and other 
 streams in the vicinity. Prospecting had been pushed north 
 for some miles with considerable success. During that year 
 quite a number of men, who afterwards became prominent, 
 took up their residence in South Pass. Among others was 
 Eugene Amoretti, who came July 4th. He at once showed 
 his faith in the country by the purchase of mining property. 
 He located his family at South Pass, and it was here that his 
 son Eugene was born, being the first white child born at the 
 mines. This pioneer boy will appear later in connection 
 with the stock interests and also the mercantile business 
 of Fremont county. Mr. Amoretti entered actively into 
 business of various kinds, and early gained the reputation 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 655 
 
 of being an enterprising, far-seeing business man. He de- 
 veloped mining properties, erected a stamp mill and engaged 
 in the mercantile business. At one time, he owned the Star 
 mine, Eldorado, Washington, Tollgate, Hunkadori and later 
 the Caribou. The Eldorado was a good property, and out of 
 it Mr. Amoretti made some money, but finally lost the ledge. 
 After this he went to work on the Caribou and took out a 
 thousand tons of ore which it was thought would run $75 a 
 ton, but only milled three dollars. This was in consequence 
 of the richest ore being refractory and the free milling pro- 
 cess would not save the gold. He afterwards struck a very 
 rich vein in this mine and took out forty-eight tons of ore 
 which ran up into the thousands. This ore was sacked and 
 awaiting shipment when someone stole the entire lot, leav- 
 ing the identical number of sacks filled with low grade ore. 
 This circumstance induced Amoretti to confine his attention 
 to his mercantile business which he had established in South 
 Pass and which had been successful. He started another 
 store at Atlantic, still another at Miners Delight, and later 
 one on the North Fork, and still later established a large 
 mercantile establishment at Lander. B. F. Lowe had se- 
 cured title to the land on which the original town site of 
 Lander was located and he turned over to Amoretti a con- 
 siderable portion of the property in consideration of having 
 this enterprising citizen locate there and assist in building 
 up the town. Amoretti at once built a large store and three 
 residences and eventually sold |46,000 worth of town lots, 
 all out of the land turned over to him by Lowe. The ambi- 
 tion of this pioneer town builder knew no bounds, and yet 
 all his plans were carefully laid and he worked them out 
 with the greatest care. He encouraged men to open farms, 
 assisted worthy men to establish themselves in business, 
 took measures which resulted in the building of a large 
 flouring mill, and induced men of enterprise and capital to 
 locate in his town. He was one of the principal promoters 
 of the Lander Electric Light and Power plant. When the 
 time came, he established a private bank, which afterwards 
 
656 History of Wyoming. 
 
 became the First National Bank of Lander, one of the 
 strongest financial institutions in Wyoming. Is it any won- 
 der that this pioneer has long been called the father of Lan- 
 der? When the city was incorporated, he was its first 
 mayor, and when the State was admitted, he was elected a 
 member of the first Legislature. Every enterprise which 
 was for. the benefit of Lander, Fremont County, or of the 
 State, has received his earnest help. He presented the coun- 
 ty with an entire block in the city, whereon the court house 
 was built, and added to all the others, he assisted financially 
 in the building of all the churches in the city. The history 
 of Fremont County could not be written if this pioneer's 
 name were left out. He will therefore appear again in the 
 annals of that county. 
 
 On May 29, 1868, Capt. Herman G. Nickerson found his 
 way into this country and became a prospector. The 
 ground around South Pass proper was alive with men 
 searching for leads and ledges, and so Nickerson went to 
 the north a few miles with others, and some valuable discov- 
 eries were made at Miners Delight. He is one of the men 
 who has remained in the country from first to last and has 
 become a part of its history down to the present time. 1 
 will have occasion to refer to his services and operations 
 later. John M. Eeid was another who located in South 
 Pass during the early part of 1868, where he remained eight 
 years, engaged in blacksmithing. He afterwards became 
 interested in freighting and took large contracts for sup- 
 plying wood and hay to the government. In this business 
 he was associated with James A. McAvoy, whose story is 
 told in another place. Eeid was an old soldier, having 
 served in the 87th Indiana Volunteers. He will be men- 
 tioned more extensively in connection with the civilization 
 and settlement of Fremont county, in the second volume of 
 this history. There were other blacksmith shops besides 
 Eeid's. Philip Harsch started the first one, Eeid the second, 
 Penoyer & Harris the third, Jim Edwards the fourth, Henry 
 Hopper the fifth and Geo. Bush the sixth. As soon as the 
 
E. AMORETTI. 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 657 
 
 Union I'aciflc railroad was completed to Point of Rocks, 
 passengers were run from that point to South Pass, a dis- 
 tance of about seventy miles, in all sorts of conveyances, at 
 first. Business increased rapidly, requiring a daily service. 
 Finally, in 1870, there were two lines of stages running 
 daily between Point of Rocks, South Pass and Atlantic City. 
 Alexander Eenham ran one and Larimer and John G. Gano 
 ran the other. Alexander Benham also secured a contract 
 from the government, in 1869, to carry the mail daily from 
 Bryan station, on the Union Pacific, to South Pass and At- 
 lantic. For this service he was paid $65,000 per annum. 
 The mail coach also took passengers. This line was splen- 
 didly equipped and made fast time both ways, but I think it 
 did not get in complete operation until the early spring 
 of 1870. Among the men who located in South Pass in 1868 
 and afterwards became prominent in the state was Archi- 
 bald E. Slack. He had served in the Civil War and like many 
 of his comrades sought the boundless west as the theater of 
 his ambition. He first engaged in mining, later secured 
 the control of a saw-mill and cut lumber for the mines, towns 
 and the government. About this time he founded and suc- 
 cessfully ran a newspaper. All this will be found detailed 
 in another part of this volume. The close of the year 1868 
 found South Pass and several small adjacent mining camps 
 in the full tide of prosperity. The mines were being success- 
 fully operated and some of them had become -large pro- 
 ducers. People had flocked in, and some had gone away, but 
 the majority remained to work in the mills, and others to 
 hunt up new prospects. 
 
 W. P. Noble, who afterwards became prominent as a 
 stock owner in Fremont County and a member of the mer- 
 cantile house of ?voble & Lane of the Shoshone Agency and 
 Lander, and also a member of the banking house of Noble, 
 Lane & Noble of the last named city, brought a stock of 
 goods to Atlantic in April, 1868. This pioneer was a reso- 
 lute character and his work is a part of the history of Fre- 
 
 -{42) 
 
658 History of Wyoming. 
 
 mont county, in the annals of which he and his associates 
 will appear in detail. 
 
 During the stirring times of this year came Joseph 
 Wagner, who was born in Ohio, November 2, 1845, raised in 
 Indiana, and at the breaking out of the Civil War was in the 
 South and became a wagon master in the army of the Con- 
 federacy. He, like many others who had served on the side 
 of the South, came west in 1866 and soon located in Wyo- 
 ming. He worked as a miner for several different parties 
 and in 1870 served with the Carissa force as foreman. In 
 1871, he took the contract to run the English tunnel on the 
 Wild Irishman. In 1873 he bought the Pacific Springs 
 ranch and four years later went to Red Canon, where he re- 
 sided for eighteen years, and then moved to Lander, where 
 he now lives. This man is a typical pioneer. 
 
 I will mention here that during the fall of 1868 John 
 Holbrook, Frank McGovern, Jonathan Pugh, Maj. P. A. 
 Gallagher, Dave Manson, Joe Garbor and a man named 
 Livingston discovered the Miners' Delight. The mine was 
 located just west of a new town called Hamilton. The name 
 of this town was afterwards changed to Miners Delight, 
 which name it still bears. The ore was free milling and ran 
 all the way from forty dollars per ton up into the thous- 
 ands. Some of the ore was worked in a custom mill and the 
 result was so satisfactory that a ten-stamp mill was or- 
 dered. This mill was put in operation in the fall of 1869 and 
 was equipped with two amalgamating pans and a settler. 
 Geo. McKay, a California miner who reached South Pass in 
 March, 1868, helped in the construction of this mill and was 
 its first superintendent. He was a man of experience in 
 mining and milling and the owners of the Miners Delight 
 were fortunate in securing his services, as he turned out 
 $300,000 in gold during the first six months the mill was in 
 operation. Mr. McKay at this date (September, 189S) still 
 lives at Miners Delight, and he informs me that this mine 
 has paid to its owners from first to last more than $1,200,- 
 000. The property has had many owners, who have in some 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 659 
 
 instances been unfortunate in their management. The mine 
 is new filled with water and the mill has gone into decay, 
 but notwitstanding this many experienced mining men say 
 that it is a good mining proposition yet, and will pay abund- 
 antly if properly handled. 
 
 John T. Huflf arrived during this year and at once com 
 menced prospecting and mining. He proved himself a mac 
 of enterprise, and having some success and a large share of 
 faith, has remained with the country and still resides with 
 his family at Atlantic. Few men in that country have had 
 more experience in both quartz and placer mining. 
 
 The year 1868, while it had been full of danger to the 
 miners, was upon the whole a highly prosperous year and 
 it can be said that the South Pass country was at that time 
 one of the great gold camps of the mountains. All kinds of 
 business had been successful and everything pointed to a 
 wenderfully productive gold camp, and thus the season of 
 1868 was brought to a close by the approach of winter. Dur- 
 ing the winter months, plans were laid for the coming year. 
 Everybody understood that there would be a great influx of 
 prospectors, miners, business men and that other class of 
 individuals who represent the sporting fraternity. 
 
 Those who possessed bright hopes for the camp in 1869 
 were not disappointed, for every road leading from the 
 Union Pacific was lined that spring with the incoming 
 crowd, and added to the multitudes came those who always 
 travel in wagons or by pack outfits. Many did not wait for 
 the spring, but came plowing through the snows, regardless 
 ©f hardships, that they might be on the ground ready for 
 active operations when the snow should disappear. The 
 merchants ordered their goods early and had them hauled 
 frem the railroad as soon as the roads were passable. New 
 mining men who came that year were surprised and pleased 
 with the conditions that existed. The ore was of superior 
 quality, while those who had undertaken to develop placer 
 ground had been richly rewarded for their labor. Like all 
 new camps which have the reputation of being successful;. 
 
66o History of Wyoming. 
 
 there was an over abundance of the rough element, but these 
 characters did not interfere with those who were not in- 
 clined to mingle with the questionable crowd. There were 
 plenty of the better class of people, men and women who 
 possessed a desire for the welfare of the community, and 
 they exerted an influence for good which was far reaching. 
 It can be said that these mining camps brought into Wyo- 
 ming some of the strongest and ablest characters that ever 
 came to the territory, and many of them became permanent 
 residents and are yet to be found in various x^arts of the 
 state. There would have been an overflow were it not for 
 the fact that a certain class of people cannot content them- 
 selves to remain in any community beyond the time when 
 the newness of things has worn off. This class kept hearing 
 of new and rich fields in Idaho, Montana and Nevada, and 
 of course it was their nature to give up everything and go. 
 They were the rolling stones of the camp, and whether they 
 gathered moss at other places it is impossible to say. 
 
 In the spring of 1869 enough people had gathered 
 around what is now known as Atlantic City to form a com- 
 munity of several hundred. There was also a considerable 
 settlement around what is now Miners Delight. All these 
 places were within a radius of four miles from a common 
 center. They were therefore practically one settlement, in- 
 terested in all things that pertained to the protection, pros- 
 perity and general welfare of each other. During the season 
 of 1869 some very important discoveries were made. John 
 Bilcox uncovered a rich lode and called it the Franklin. 
 Anton Btnbo discovered the Europe, afterwards called the 
 Dr. Barr and now known as the El Dorado. Tom Ryan again 
 comes to the front with the discovery of the King Solomon. 
 Dr. Leonard, who had been in the country in 1865, as I have 
 before mentioned, turns up this year as the discoverer of 
 the St. Lawrence mine. Soon Atlantic City became a pros- 
 perous town, but for a time it was overshadowed by the 
 great city of South Pass. The'Buckeye mine, just north of 
 Atlantic, had been re-discovered in 1868 by John McTurk, 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 66 1 
 
 Setli Mount. James Forrest and Ed. Long, and had become a 
 produier. It was in full operation in 1869. The Jim Dyer 
 mine, now called the St. Louis and owned by Mrs. L. E. Mc- 
 Auley, was discovered late in 1868 by Jim Dyer, who lo- 
 cated it in the name of himself and his associates, W. R. 
 Spratt, Thomas Joice, ("hris Rchulce, John Frank, J. N. Hin- 
 man and E. G. Snyder. The Alice Lawn mine was located 
 in 1869 by Ed. Lawn. Later this mine became known as 
 the Alice Davis. It now goes under the name of the Eo- 
 sella, and is owned by Nefif & Miller. The Woules and Per- 
 kins mine was discovered the same year by Soule, Perkins, 
 Frye, Taylor and Pease. This mine produced about $75,000 
 in gold. The Caribou mane was likewise discovered in 1869, 
 and has produced about $50,000 in gold. E. Amoretti be- 
 came the owner of this property a few years after its dis- 
 covery. He has associated with him in the ownership Louis 
 Poire. The original locator was a Mr. Tadder, who was a 
 contractor in Atlantic in 1869. He had a partner by the 
 name of- Monroe and they carried on the dairy business as 
 well as being contractors. In 1869 quite a number of busi- 
 ness houses were established in Atlantic. Louie Engler 
 erected a quartz mill called the Elkhorn, and by this time 
 E. Amoretti's mill was running on the Hermit. There was 
 also a mill running on the ore of the Young America. The 
 Mary Ellen was discovered that year by Pease, Frye and 
 Perkins. This mine has been a good producer for many 
 years. The Lone Star was discovered by Dr. Leonard and 
 was afterwards relocated by Louis Poire and Jonathan 
 Pugh. 
 
 During the winter of 1868-9, J. W. Anthony and his 
 family came to Atlantic. He was a man who had had large 
 experience in Wyoming as a freighter and contractor. He 
 had been engaged with Russell, Majors and Waddell in 1858 
 and had been across Wyoming to Salt Lake many times. 
 When General Connor had campaigned in this country An- 
 thony was one of his freight contractors, hauling supplies, 
 wood, grain and hay. When the Union Pacific was built he 
 
662 History of Wyoming. 
 
 furnished material for the construction of the road and had 
 a camp at Granite Canon. He was a sturdy pioneer and was 
 born at Geneva, New York, March 18, 1832. In October, 
 1861, he married Miss Sarah Davis at Plattsmouth, Nebras- 
 ka. He was a good business man and on his arrival built 
 a ten-stamp mill at Atlantic and did work for the Mary 
 iEllen, the Buckeye and the Soules and Perkins mines. This 
 ^mill was supplied with a complete assaying outfit, which 
 •was very much needed at the time. He, with a partner, put 
 •up the large stone building which has been occupied for 
 many years by Robert McAuley. During the Indian trou- 
 bles in the camp, Anthony was commissioned Colonel by 
 Governor Campbell and was instructed to raise four compa- 
 nies of volunteers, which he did, but on receiving his in- 
 structions, not to kill any of the Indians, he refused te ac- 
 cept his commission. He built the first bathing house at 
 the Hot Springs on the reservation, and furnished the lum- 
 ber for the first Agency building. In 1871 he moved to Ev- 
 anston, and later took up his residence in Denver, where 
 he still resides. 
 
 Amos Steck located in South Pass in the spring of 1869 
 •and opened a bank. He bought gold of the miners and 
 shipped it to New York. He remained in the country two 
 or three years. Steck was one of the original founders of 
 the City of Denver, and after leaving South Pass he returned 
 to that place, where he still resides. 
 
 lu that same j'ear Ervin F. Cheney established a black- 
 smith and wagon shop. He was in partnership with a man 
 named Henry Bouck. Cheney remained permanently in the 
 country and became prominent in business, politics and pub- 
 lic affairs. He comes more prominently into my story a 
 little later. John Posher located in Atlantic that year. 
 He had been a member of the First Territorial Colorado 
 Legislature and afterwards was prominent as a member of 
 the Second Territorial Legislature of Wyoming. His bi- 
 ography will be found in the second volume of this history in 
 connection with the pioneers of Fremont county. 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 663 
 
 James A. McAvoy, who has been mentioned as a partner 
 of Mr. Eeid, reached the South Pass in June, 1869, and went 
 to work as a miner, at which occupation he continued for 
 two years. He is another pioneer and permanent resident. 
 He figures prominently among the old timers. 
 
 Among the arrivals in 1869 was Esther Morris. Her 
 husband, John Morris, had reached the camp the year preyj- 
 ous, coming with his stepson, E. A. Slack. Mrs. Morris was 
 accompanied by two of her sons, Edward J. and Robert 0. 
 Morris. Thus her entire family, consisting of her husband 
 and her three sons, took up their residence in South Pass. 
 
 During the year 1869 the placers around Miners De- 
 light and Atlantic produced a large amount of gold. The 
 gravel in Meadow gulch in the next two or three years 
 yielded |100,000, Yankee gulch $50,000, Spring gulch $1,- 
 000,000, Poor Man's gulch $30,000, Promise gulch |30,000, 
 Smith's gulch |20,000, Atlantic gulch $15,000, Beaver creek 
 $10,000. 
 
 South Pass during the summer of 1869 became a typi- 
 cal mining town. Money was plenty and as a result it was 
 spent freely. There were two breweries in the city, one run 
 by Adam Henry and the other by Fred Shuster. A livery 
 and feed stable was conducted by Lawrence Hunt, another 
 by Gano Brothers. C. O. Smith ran a jewelry store and Col. 
 Duke operated a shooting gallery, ball alley and beer gar- 
 den. Greo. Keene opened a fur store and Freund Brothers 
 opened a gun store. Two doctors had come to the town, 
 Dr. Barr and Dr. Hull. Dr. Barr engaged in mining as well 
 as the practice of medicine. He was a man of superior edu- 
 cation and a gentleman worthy of confidence. It is said of 
 him that his surroundings were in every way foreign to his 
 nature and tastes, and that while he mingled with rough 
 miners everywhere he never indulged in any of their ex- 
 cesses, but was at all times friendly to those about him. He 
 met a tragic death, which will be told farther on. While all 
 the other lines of business and professions were filling up, 
 that of law was not neglected. Judge A.B.Conaway came in 
 
664 History of Wyoming. 
 
 1869 and from the first made friends and found a welcome. 
 He prospected and rained and at the same time conducted 
 the business of attorney. From that time to his death he was 
 a conspicuous figure and his name will appear many times 
 in this history. M. C. Page was the name of another attor- 
 ney. Then came the firm of Williams & Sheeks, followed by 
 Geo. Ktrunk. 
 
 During the summer of 1869 there were a number of 
 Indian scares in the country, but the mines proper were 
 practically free from depredations. Few miners ventured 
 far without being armed. The Sioux Indians were known to 
 be about, but they kept at a safe distance. On Aug. 20th 
 Geo. Colt and Wm. Skinner were killed on the Big Popo 
 Agie, and Wm. Williams of the same party was wounded. 
 The Indians secured considerable booty in the shape of 
 money and horses. The following day Moore, Lehman and 
 two others of the Standifer party were killed on Big Wind 
 river, near Bull Lake. Standifer, Andrew Newman and 
 John Phillips escaped on foot into the mountains. The lat- 
 ter was the hero who made the wonderful ride for the re- 
 lief of the Fort Phil. Kearney garrison in 1866. 
 
 These same Indians encountered Henry Lusk and Sage 
 Nickerson on Little Wind River, not far from the Hot 
 Springs, fired upon them and wounded Lusk. Mckerson 
 attempted to save the horses belonging to Lusk, and for this 
 purpose headed the herd as they were being driven away by 
 the Indians. The savages now made chase after Nickerson 
 and he only escaped by riding rapidly to the river, into 
 which he plunged and swam under the water to an over- 
 hanging bank, where he remained in hiding until the Indi- 
 ans left, taking with them his horse. 
 
 On the 20th of September a band of Sioux Indians 
 appeared near Miners Delight and meeting John G. Ander- 
 son, who was hauling lime with three yoke of cattle, killed 
 him and drove off his cattle. The Indians went on to At- 
 lantic gulch, where they found a man named Latham cutting^ 
 wood, whom they promptly killed. This band, on the same 
 
,a-v&^ 
 
 
 /lr6. A^Lldie P^aynse i^ 
 
 dAMES A. McAUOY. 
 
 DR. dAMES IRWIN. 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 665 
 
 day, were at the mouth of the Little Popo Agie, where they 
 encountered James Goodson. Goodson was an old moun- 
 taineer and had had experience with Indians. He took ref- 
 uge in the mouth of the canon and warned the savages not 
 to approach. They made signs of friendship, but the white 
 man was not willing to trust them and continued to wave 
 his hand for them to keep away. Finding that they could 
 not induce him to place himself in their power, a number of 
 shots were fired at him which went through his clothing 
 but did not touch his person. Goodson promptly returned 
 the fire and killed three of the savages. The balance of the 
 band withdrew to a safe distance and waited for 1:heir dan- 
 gerous enemy to come out, but he did not do so until after 
 dark, when he escaped and went up to Miners Delight. The 
 bodies of the three Indians killed were afterwards found. 
 The mouth of this canon became famous in after years. 
 Shortly after the above incident Jack Walker built a cabin 
 there and from that time on it became a stopping place for 
 those going to or coming from the Wind River Valley. Twa 
 years later Ed. Young made the place his home and encoun- 
 tered many adventures with the Indians, but in spite of 
 every obstacle he remained, and still resides there. He is a 
 pioneer in fruit growing in Wyoming, having a large apple 
 orchard. His adventures with Indians and his experience 
 in fruit growing come properly in the second volume of this 
 history. 
 
 The year of 1869 was not without its tragedies. Drink- 
 ing, gambling, and the excitement growing out of business 
 relations resulted in a number of deaths. It is not the pur< 
 pose of this history to go into details. Suffice it to say that 
 the following tragedies occurred: Pat Flannigan was killed 
 by Prank McGovern; a man known as Scotty was killed by 
 John B.Oakley ; Bob Evans was killed by Jeff Davis ; Francis 
 Zeriner (called Vinegar) was killed by Sam Fairfield; Geo. 
 McComie was killed by Al. Tomkins. 
 
666 History of Wyoming. 
 
 PIONEERS OF THE CAMPS. 
 
 I have already mentioned the name of Major Baldwin in con- 
 nection with numerous events in this history. There are few men 
 who came to Wyoming as early as he did and made it their perma- 
 nent residence. He was a man of much force of character, abounded 
 in enterprise and was of the kind who found states, conquer dif- 
 ficulties and succeed in undertakings. Before he came to Wyoming 
 he had seen much of the world, had large experience in business as 
 well as in military affairs and all this contributed toward making 
 him the valuable citizen he proved himself to be in the frontier 
 days of the territory. In the year 1849 he went around Cape Horn 
 to San Francisco and became a contractor and builder in that city 
 in partnership with Philman Canfield, and the two, possessing large 
 means and enterprise, undertook contracts for many important build- 
 ings which they successfully completed. In 1854 he returned to the 
 states on a visit, crossing the Isthmus of Panama, but a few weeks 
 later found him back in San Francisco where he and Captain 
 Randall of the Pacific Steamship Company, bought a brig, manned 
 it with a full complement of men and two divers, and set sail for 
 Callao, intending to recover the bullion from a sunken vessel near 
 that place. Though the wrecked vessel was found they were unable 
 to recover the treasure on account of defects in the armor of the 
 divers. To pay the expenses of the trip, they loaded with copper at 
 Valparaiso and returned to San Francisco and disposed of their cargo 
 and vessel. When General Scott and General Hearney went up the 
 coast to settle the northwestern boundary question. Major Baldwin 
 accompanied them. In 1859 he went to Nevada, following the mining 
 excitement into that country. Locating at Silver City, he built a 
 hotel which he successfully conducted for three years. The year 
 after his location at this place, July 3, 3 860, marked the event of 
 the birth of a son which was the first white child born in Silver 
 City. This boy is the well known M. N. Baldwin, who is now a lead- 
 ing merchant of Lander. In 1863 he raised a company of one hun- 
 dred men for the First Nevada Cavalry and was made Captain of his 
 company. He took service at Fort Churchill and in 1864 he was pro- 
 moted to Major of the regiment. In a short time he was ordered to 
 Fort Douglas by General Connor and a year later was assigned to 
 the command at Fort Bridger. In the fall of 1865, he cut a road 
 through the mountains to Brown's Hole and did other important mil- 
 itary service in Utah and Wyoming. In July, 1866, he was mustered 
 out of the service at Fort Douglas. General Connor valued his ser- 
 vices very highly in these trying times, generally selecting him 
 for independent commands, where coolness, judgment and bravery 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 667 
 
 were demanded. In October, 1866, having secured a license to trade 
 with the Indians, he took his family and goods and located in the 
 three Bonneville cabins at the mouth of the Popo Agie. In the 
 spring of 1867 he was obliged to leave the valley on account of 
 Indian hostilities, going to Fort Bridger. The following year he es- 
 tablished a store at South Pass and again opened trade with the 
 Indians in the Lander Valley, this time locating on what is known 
 as Baldwin Creek, building there a log store and residence. He 
 opened a brisk trade and had for interpreter Richard May, better 
 known as Indian Dick. Mrs. Baldwin tells of two Indians who visit- 
 ed them one night and remained until morning, bringing with them 
 a young antelope which would dress about twenty-five pounds. 
 They explained that they were "heap hungry." They sat by the fire, 
 cooking and eating, and before morning had devoured the whole car- 
 cass. On May 4, 1869, George L. Baldwin was born, being the pioneer 
 white child in the valley. Nine days after this event the Indians 
 became hostile and Major Baldwin was obliged to hastily remove 
 his family and goods to South Pass. His trade had amounted to 
 3,700 buffalo, elk, deer, otter and mink skins, which was at the time 
 considered a successful venture. 
 
 The events of his life were many, but it is unnecessary to retell 
 them here, as they appear in connection with Fort Bridger, South 
 Pass and the Wind River Country. When Camp Stambaugh was 
 established Major Baldwin secured the Post Tradership of that post 
 and held the position for ten years. In 1876 he established a store 
 at Lender and three years later he took up a soldier's homestead 
 adjoining and partially in the town. Upon this homestead he erect- 
 ed a family residence which has been and still is the home of his 
 family. 
 
 On September 5, 1854, Major Baldwin was married at San 
 Francisco to Miss Josephine Wright, only daughter of Joseph Wright 
 of New York, who was a direct descendent of Silas Wright of Rev- 
 olutionary fame. Mrs. Baldwin went to San Francisco with her fam- 
 ily in June, 1854, and crossed the Isthmus on a mule. This was be- 
 fore the Panama Railroad was built. By this marriage there were 
 nine children who grew to manhood and womanhood. These are 
 settled in Wyoming and some have become prominent in the lo- 
 calities in which they live. In a later volume I shall have occasion 
 to mention these sons and daughters. 
 
 Major Noyes Baldwin was born September 8, 1826, at Wood- 
 bridge, Connecticut, being the only son of Lyman Baldwin of New 
 Haven. He died at his home in Lander January 12th, 1893. 
 
 The arrival of James A. McAvoy at the mines has already been 
 mentioned. He had helped to build the Union Pacific Railroad, that 
 
668 History of Wyoming. 
 
 is, served as clerk to a contractor, and after the section upon which 
 they were engaged was finished, he resolved to take his chances in 
 the much talked of South Pass Gold Country. He iirst worked in the 
 mines, then became a contractor, cutting hay for the governEaent. 
 In this position he often encountered hostiles but seemed to success- 
 fully escape the many dangers. He was in partnership with John 
 M. Reid and opened a farm in the Wind River Valley upon which they 
 raised potatoes to supply the mines. On that farm McAvoy went 
 about his work accompanied by his rifle in order that he might de- 
 fend himself against Indians. He has remained with the country 
 and has seen it grow up from a wilderness to one of the most pros- 
 perous sections in the Rocky Mountains. His education and natural 
 ability won for him a place among a people who needed his services. 
 The story of his life is a part of the history of the mining camps 
 of Fremont County. (See second volume of this history.) 
 
 Jules Lamoreaux reached Atlantic City May 1, 1868, and brought 
 with him a stock of groceries and provisions, opened a store in a 
 tent on the banks of Rock Creek. Later he obtained a building and 
 secured a good trade but found out in a couple of years that a credit 
 business could not be depended upon. Men whom he trusted either 
 could not or would not pay. In 1870 he became discouraged with the 
 mercantile business and so closed out. His next move was to pur- 
 chase a freighting outfit and haul goods from Point of Rocks to 
 the camp. This was continued until 1875, when he took up a home- 
 stead on the south side of the Popo Agie adjoining Lander where he 
 still resides. He has followed the stock business for many years 
 and grown wealthy. He was elected the second mayor of Lander. 
 
 F. G. Burnett is one of the oldest living settlers in Wyoming. 
 He went to South Pass and located in April, 1869, but came to Wyo- 
 ming in May, 1865, having crossed the plains from Omaha with A. C. 
 Leighton, an army sutler. He followed General Connor on the 
 Powder River Campaign and helped to build the old fort which was 
 afterward known as Fort Reno. He remained at various posts on 
 the Bozeman Road until that country was abandoned by United 
 States troops in 1868. In 1867 he had a wood contract at Fort C. F. 
 Smith and conceived the idea of cutting wood on the Big Horn 
 above the canon and float it down to the fort. The contract was 
 for two thousand seven hundred cords of wood. A boom was built 
 below the fort and a party consisting of Burnett, John Harwood, 
 John Tewksbery, Zeke Colvin and several others went sixty miles 
 up the river to the head of the canon where they cut and threw into 
 the stream between seven hundred and a thousand cords of wood 
 and then feeling some curiosity to know whether it had floated down 
 through the canon, Burnett, Colvin and two others with a sixteen 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 669 
 
 foot boat, undertook to explore tlie canon. They took with them 
 a Hawkins rifle and ammunition, with one loaf of bread, and start- 
 ed on the perilous journey. The walls of this canon are for the 
 most part perpendicular and in places many hundreds of feet high 
 and up to that time it had never been explored. They started at nine 
 o'clock in the morning, down the swift current, discussing on the 
 way the probabilities of encountering dangerous rapids and perpen- 
 dicular falls. Down rushed the little boat, while the party held them- 
 selves in readiness to meet and overcome any obstacle in the way. 
 After a time they could hear the roar of mighty waters and knew 
 from the sound that it was a fall but it was too late to turn back 
 and so they dashed onward and finally reached the dangerous place. 
 The fall was only about four feet high but it capsized their boat 
 and gave them a thorough drenching. The party, all being good 
 swimmers, succeeded in righting the boat and preserving the rifle. 
 When It was nearly night they landed on a little sandy beach where 
 they resolved to camp until morning. Their supply of bread was ex- 
 hausted and they could only look forward to a night and a day of 
 fasting. The canon was filled with gloom but high up the sunlight 
 was yet to be seen. While the party gazed at the last rays of the 
 departing sun they observed a mountain sheep on a high point 
 nearly over their heads. Colvin grasped the rifle and lying down 
 on his back fired at the animal. The crack of the rifle was followed 
 by the sheep falling down from one point of rocks to another until it 
 finally landed on the sand at the feet of the party. This appeared 
 almost like something supernatural, like manna from the wilderness. 
 They gathered up some drift wood, built a fire and cooked the 
 mountain mutton, enjoying a feast. They slept that night but it 
 proved to be very cold and disagreeable. It was midsummer, but, 
 nptwithstanding this, ice formed along the shore of the little beach on 
 which they were camping. The next morning, putting their trust in 
 Divine Providence and their own strong arms, they again embarked 
 in the little boat and floated down the rapid current. Before noon 
 they dashed over another fall and again the boat capsized, but as 
 before they righted the little vessel and swept onward down the 
 stream and late in the afternoon they floated out of the mouth of the 
 canon in sight of the fort. Strange to say there was not a stick of 
 wood lodged against the boom nor had they encountered any as they 
 came down the canon. What became of the wood has always been 
 a question hard to answer by the members of that little exploring 
 party. 
 
 Burnett became a permanent resident of Fremont County, where 
 he has raised a large family. He has been in the stock business, mer- 
 cantile business and many years ago held the position of head farmer 
 
6/0 History of Wyoming. 
 
 on the Shonshone Reservation. After giving up this employment, 
 he again gave his attention to business in Lander, but a few years 
 ago he was appointed to his old position of teaching the Imdians 
 to farm and is still so employed. 
 
 Among the first to investigate the reported gold fields at South 
 Pass in 1867, was J. D. Woodruff. He was at that time engaged as 
 hunter at Port Laramie and being invited to go with some parties to 
 the new gold camp, accepted the invitation. He did not remain long 
 nor did he have an opportuntiy of investigating critically, yet he saw 
 enough to induce him to return tp the camp a year or two later, when 
 he became a permanent resident of what is now Fremont County. 
 Since that time he has been prominent in business and public af- 
 fairs and the promoter of many of the most important enterprises 
 in that part of the state. His life work has been closely connected 
 with the development of the Territory of Wyoming, the State, the 
 County of Fremont and the City of Lander where he has resided 
 for many years. He is by nature a pioneer and a builder and what 
 he has accomplished will be told in the history of Fremont County 
 and in the record of State Legislation. 
 
 With the crowd of 1869 came John M. Hornecker, who reached 
 Miner's Delight August 10, being accompanied by his brother 
 Ernest, and also another well known character in Fremont County, 
 Jake Frey. These pioneers came to stay and they have made good 
 their purpose. John M. Hornecker remained at the mines until 1874, 
 when he commenced farming and stock-raising in the Lander Val- 
 ley, of which business he made a success, developing one of the best 
 farms in the country. In the early days he did carpenter work at the 
 Shoshone Agency. In 1886 he was elected County Commissioner 
 and served as chairman of the board for two years. In 1894 he was 
 again elected to the same position and re-elected in 1896. He served 
 his county with great fidelity and won the respect of all parties. He 
 was born in Baden, Germany, 1847, came with his parents to America 
 in 1856, settled in Missouri, from which state he came direct to 
 Wyoming. , 
 
 James Kime arrived in Atlantic in the fall of 1869 and later mov- 
 ed to Hamilton or Miner's Delight where he became a permanent 
 resident. This sturdy pioneer was one of the first to locate the City 
 of Denver, and in 1867 was among the pioneers who founded the 
 city of Cheyenne. He has been a prominent figure in Wyoming, 
 having assisted in organizing the territory and also the state. He 
 has held numerous public oflices and has been postmaster of Miner's 
 Delight since April, 1872. A more complete biography of this prom- 
 inent citizen will appear in the annals of his county, second volume 
 cf this History. 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 67 1 
 
 Robert McAuley and his wife came to Atlantic City in 1869. 
 These pioneers settled in Colorado In 1866, removed to Cheyenne ia 
 1868 and from there went to Atlantic City. Mr. McAuley entered 
 actively into business and has remained in the same town until the 
 present writing (1898). He was the first postmaster, the office be- 
 ing established in 1870, when Atlantic had a population of 1,200. 
 He continued in this position up to May 3, 1893, nearly a quarter of 
 a century. He tells me that he has lived in three counties. Carter, 
 Sweetwater and Fremont; two territories, Dakota and Wyoming, 
 and one state, Wyoming, and during all these changes moved neither 
 his residence nor his place of business from Atlantic. All these mu- 
 tations came to Atlantic and through all he remained a fixture, carry- 
 ing on the mercantile business for a period of more than twenty- 
 nine years, and at the same time interesting himself in all move- 
 ments which were for the benefit of the town, county or state. He 
 was born in East Troy. New York, November 22, 1837. In the forties 
 his family moved to Illinois and in 1854 young McAuley went to 
 Kansas, where he remained five years, during the Free State troubles. 
 In 1865 Mr. and Mrs. McAuley were married and since that time 
 have walked the journey of life together, seeing many changes come 
 to their chosen home. 
 
 Michael Heenan and his family located In Atlantic in August, 
 1869, and the following year, in December, moved to Miners Delight. 
 Two years later, Mr. Heenan was killed by Indians. A detailed ac- 
 count of this afEair will be found in its proper place in the second vol- 
 ume of this work. Three years after the death of her husband, Mrs. 
 Heenan married P. P. Dickinson, one of the pioneer business men of 
 Fremont County. They have for many years lived in Lander. Mrs. 
 Dickinson is one of the pioneer mothers of the mines and of Fre- 
 mont County. She was born in Ireland and came to America with 
 her parents when a child. In 1867 she and Mr. Heenan took up their 
 residence in Cheyenne, being among the pioneers who settled that 
 place. 
 
 In the early days of South Pass, either the latter part of 1868 
 or early in 1869, James Smith located there and through all the 
 changes of the town, and the coming and going of others, he re- 
 mained a permanent resident. Running a store and a hotel and en- 
 gaging actively in mining, he necessarily became prominent. He 
 did a thriving business for many years and accumulated a consider- 
 able fortune. He died in 1896 full of years and will ever be remem- 
 bered for his courtesy to strangers and kind acts to his neighbors. 
 He was born in Mississippi about the year 1826, was a volunteer ia 
 the Mexican War, serving in the navy and distinguishing himself 
 as a brave and unselfish hero. I will relate one instance which will 
 
6/2 History of Wyoming. 
 
 illusti-ate his kindness of heart and at the same time his desire to do 
 his part on public occasions. In the summer of 1894 the business men 
 of Rock Springs made up an excursion to visit the mines and 
 Lander and took with them a band of nineteen pieces. The excur- 
 sion was a large One and filled to the utmost the public places of 
 entertainment of both South Pass and Atlantic. The band was as- 
 signed to Smith's Hotel and was there tor supper, lodging and 
 breakfast. When they were ready to go away, the leader hunted up 
 Mr. Smith to settle the bill and asked how much it would be. Smith 
 looked at him a moment and replied: "Not a cent, sir. I haven't seen 
 or heard a band since General Scott entered the City of Mexico. I 
 couldn't charge you a cent, sir. Come and see me again." 
 
 R. M. Ricketts, another old timer, worked his way to Atlantic 
 as a freighter, arriving on June 17, 1869, and has remained there ever 
 since that time. He helped to build Camp Stambaugh, also old Camp 
 Brown on the present site of Lander, but most of the time up to 1883, 
 followed the freighting business. Since that time he has been actively 
 engaged in mining and with considerable success, having operated 
 some of the best properties in the camp. Like other men in that 
 section, he has fought Indians, experienced good as well as hard 
 times but through it all has remained loyal to the country. He was 
 born in Nashville, Tennessee, February 3, 1851. 
 
 The men who deserve honorable mention in the history of the 
 mining camps of South Pass, Atlantic, Miner's Delight and Lewiston 
 are those who came early and worked hard in developing the min- 
 eral wealth of the country. These men have seen many changes, 
 successes and failures and at no time have they lost faith in the 
 country. As an illustration of this class Samuel L. Spangler stands 
 prominent. In the early spring of 1874 he came to Wyoming and 
 stopped for a time at Cheyenne and from there went with a party of 
 surveyors into the country near Port Bridger. While on this trip 
 he drove a freight team into South Pass, and, liking the country, re- 
 mained there. He had abundant opportunities to assist in the public 
 defense against Indian attacks, to witness the bright side as well as 
 the dark side in the mines, to labor unceasingly to develop proper- 
 ties, and often realizing but slight returns for his hard work. He 
 was part owner in the Red Canon placers, in which he worked for 
 four years. He did work on many of the leading quartz mines of 
 that country, and has at times been the owner of a number of prop- 
 erties. He developed the Ground Hog, a quartz mine of promise, of 
 which he is still the owner. Through all the years he has gone on 
 with a quiet determination to do his part in proving that the mil- 
 lions of dollars in gold which have been taken from the surface did 
 not come from the clouds but was the outcroppings of great mother 
 
lR-5 NDYES BALDWIN J 
 
 ' f ri/^JOR Nores sildwin U, 
 
South Pass Gold Discoveries. 673 
 
 lodes which are still intact in the hills. Spangler was born in Musk- 
 ingum County, Ohio, November 16, 1849, emigrated with his parents 
 to Illinois in 1863 and later went to Iowa, from which state he came 
 to Wyoming. In 1892 he was elected County Commissioner and serv- 
 ed as chairman of the board. 
 
 The name of Captain Herman G. Nickerson has been mentioned 
 in the history of the mines. He was born in Litchfield, Modena 
 County, Ohio, May 4, 1841. He entered the army early in 1861, Com- 
 pany D, Twenty-third Ohio Infantry. He was afterward transferred 
 to the One Hundred and Sixty-eighth Infantry and made Captain of 
 Company I. He saw hard service during the war and passed through 
 the four years and was mustered out when hostilities ceased. Re- 
 turning home he commenced the study of law, but his health giving 
 away, he started west in 1866, going to Montana. As has been stated 
 he arrived at the mines in 1868. From the day of his arrival down to 
 the present time he has been one of the busiest men in that 
 country. He will appear prominently in the History of Fremont 
 County, having held numerous positions of trust and great responsi- 
 bility. 
 
 Among the pioneers who came in 1868 and remained in the 
 country, should be mentioned John Curry. He mined for a year and 
 then started a store, remaining at the mines until 1874, when he 
 moved to Lander. In 1872 he was elected County Assessor. He will 
 be mentioned in the history of Sweetwater County and also in that 
 of Fremont County. In the latter he held prominent positions. He 
 still resides in Lander. 
 
 I have already mentioned the arrival of Ervin F. Cheney in 1869. 
 His wagon and blacksmith shop became famous. For a number of 
 years, in addition to his regular business, he made the coffins used in 
 the community and during the time of the Indian troubles he had 
 plenty of work. Cheney came from Fort Sanders, to which place he 
 had been transferred from Camp Carlin. He was born in the state 
 of New York, served in the Civil War in the Twenty-flrst New York 
 Cavalry and was in the campaigns in Virginia. At the battle of Mal- 
 vern Hill he was wounded and taken prisoner and held for seven 
 months when he was paroled and soon afterward regularly exchang- 
 ed. After serving his enlistment, he re-enlisted as a veteran and con- 
 tinued in the army until the end of the war. He crossed the plains 
 in 1865 and located temporarily in Colorado, from which place he 
 came to Wyoming. He has held various political offices and his 
 services will receive further notice in the history of Sweetwater 
 County and also in that of Fremont County. 
 
 Another old timer and one who has become prominent in the 
 history of that section is Benjamin Sheldon, who was a soldier in the 
 
 —(43) 
 
6/4 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Civil War and remained in the service, going to Soutti Pass in 1869- 
 ■with his regiment. That fall he went to tftah, but returned in the 
 spring, going to Camp Brown where he was Commissary Sergeant. 
 He continued in service until 1879 when he retired from the army 
 and with his family took up a permanent residence in Lander Val- 
 ley. From the first he was active in the Civil Government and has 
 held many important positions in Fremont County. His biography 
 is part of the history of the county in which he has lived. He will 
 come more prominent in public matters in the second volume of this 
 History. 
 
 On August 1, 1869, Edward T. St. John reached South Pass, com- 
 ing direct from Laramie City, where he had been located for some- 
 thing over a year. Soon after his arrival he commenced prospecting 
 and afterwards worked in a mine for a couple of years and later lo- 
 cated a ranch in the Wind River Valley and finally made his home in 
 Lander. During the Indian troubles, St. John shared with his neigh- 
 bors in the anxieties, defense and pursuit of the savages. He was 
 born in Marshall County, Indiana, January 12, 1844. He served in 
 the Civil War, enlisting in the Tenth Illinois Cavalry in October, 1861, 
 and served three years and three months. 
 
 Samuel liams is another old pioneer who came to the mines at 
 an early day. He worked on the Miner's Delight and other mines in 
 the different camps. After the Indian trouble was over he took up 
 his residence near Lander and followed stock growing and farming. 
 He has one of the most productive farms in that section of the 
 country and connected with this he has a cheese factory from which 
 he sends to market a large amount of cheese annually. 
 
Biiihiing the Union Pacific. 675 
 
 CHAPTER XLIY. 
 
 BUILDING THE UNION PACIFIC. 
 
 National Surveys — Chartered by Congress — Subsidy in Lands — Gov- 
 ernment Bonds Loaned — The Road a National Necessity — Pa- 
 triotic Private Citizens Furnish Money and Construct the 
 Road — The Government Secures Great Benefits, for Which It 
 Pays Practically Nothing — Incidents in the History of Con- 
 struction — Marvelous Speed of the Tracklayers — A Well Or- 
 ganized Army of Builders — Building Across Wyoming — Bear 
 River Riot — Close of 1868. 
 
 The building of the Union Pacific Railroad was the 
 crowning colossal event in the history of railway construc- 
 tion in the United States. It was long talked of by individu- 
 als and Congress, but it was many years before there was an 
 «amest attempt at construction. From first to last there 
 were ten routes surveyed, and these extended all the way 
 from the 32nd to the 49th parallel of latitude. The first 
 Pacific railroad company organized was the Central, in 
 California, early in 1861. The Union Pacific Company was 
 granted a charter by Congress in July, 1862. In October of 
 1863 the preliminary organization of this company was com- 
 pleted, with a capital authorized of one hundred million 
 dollars. The first contract for construction was entered 
 into in 1864, but it was not until November 5th, 1865, that 
 the work actually commenced at Omaha. The war, which 
 had continued for a period of four years, had demonstrated 
 to the country the necessity of connecting the Pacific coast 
 with the Atlantic slope. The American people had felt dur- 
 ing the progress of the war that our western possessions 
 were constantly in danger from any foreign power which 
 might feel disposed to take possession of our territory be- 
 yond the mountains. It had required the ablest diplomacy 
 
6/6 History of Wyoming. 
 
 to prevent England finding a pretext for war, and it was 
 well understood by our leading statesmen that if hostilities 
 were declared by England that California would be the ob- 
 jective point of English hostility. After the war was over, 
 all men agreed that a railroad to the Pacific was a national 
 necessity, and every patriotic American was anxious to see 
 the road an accomplished fact. With this laudable purpose 
 in view, many of the leading financiers of the country fur- 
 nished capital for the enterprise. The government, anxious 
 to promote the construction of the road, voted a subsidy in 
 land of each alternate section for twenty miles on each 
 side of the road and in addition issued its bonds to the com- 
 pany to the amount of $16,000 per mile across the plains, 
 and $45,000 per mile across the mountains. At that time 
 it was not believed either in or out of Congress that the 
 road would ever be able to repay the government the 
 amount advanced. United States Senator Henry Wilson, 
 who was afterwards Vice President, said in the Senate 
 while the bill was under discussion: "I give no grudging 
 vote in giving away either money or land. I would sink 
 1100,000,000 to build the road and do it most cheerfully, and 
 think I had done a gi'eat thing for my country. What are 
 $75,000,000 or $100,000,000 in opening a railroad across the 
 central regions of the continent that shall connect the peo- 
 ple of the Atlantic and the Pacific and bind us together? 
 Nothing. As to the lands, I do not grudge them." The 
 only wonder today is, that private individuals were found 
 who were willing to invest capital in the construction of 
 this road, and it was asking much on the part of the govern- 
 ment to even expect that financiers would invest their 
 money in an enterprise which promised so little in the way 
 of returns, over and above the cost of constructing and 
 operating. 
 
 It was generally understood in business circles that 
 the road was a necessity on the part of the government 
 and leading public men did not hesitate to say that if pri- 
 vate capital could not be secured, the general government 
 
Building the Vnion Paiific. 677 
 
 must ©f necessity build the road. There are some iuterest- 
 ing figures given in this connection as to tlie cost to the 
 government for Overiand service from the time of the ac- 
 quisition of our western possessions down to the completion 
 of the Pacific road. These figures show that there was paid 
 out annually more than |8,000,000. This was a large sura, 
 and as it was constantly on the increase the necessity for a 
 railroad was plainly apparent, even aside from the public 
 policy of binding together the east and the Avest. In the 
 public mind there was a possibility of the far west becom- 
 ing dissatisfied with a union of states when they were en- 
 tirely cut off from all advantages of such union by high 
 mountain barriers and broad plains. Not a few argued that 
 the Pacific states were liable to secede from the Union and 
 erect a government of their own. This was the condition of 
 the public mind when Congress voted a subsidy in aid of 
 the construction of this railway. It so happened that the 
 author of this work took a deep interest at the time in all 
 matters pertaining to the building of this road, and he is 
 now willing to admit the surprise he felt when it was at last 
 announced that sufBcient capital had been secured for the 
 construction. People at this day are inclined to believe 
 that the government did a generous thing toward this en- 
 terprise, but it was not so regarded at the time. The dona- 
 tion of land and the promise of bonds seemed to have little 
 effect. Capitalists doubted and held back. From the time 
 of the granting of the national charter in July, 1862, up to 
 nearly the close of 1865, practically nothing was accom- 
 plished, and had it not been for a few bold, determined and 
 patriotic men the project would have fallen through and 
 Congress would have been left to provide the entire means 
 of construction. As it was, the enterprise was only carried 
 through by the citizens I have mentioned pledging their 
 private fortunes in aid of the great work. All things con- 
 sidered, the government secured the road not by its gen- 
 erosity but by the patriotism of its citizens. The lauds it 
 donated enabled it to sell other lands at |2.50 an acre to 
 
678 History of Wyoming. 
 
 actual settlel's, double the ordinary price, from which it re- 
 ceived hundreds of millions of dollars. The bonds it issued 
 have been paid for by the newly-organized company, and 
 they in turn will be obliged to assess the interest to the 
 people who patronize the road. Wyoming will have for its 
 share more than one-third of the interest on the amount 
 paid by the reorganization committee; thus the general 
 government, which received a greater portion of the benefit, 
 escapes by placing its burden on the shoulders of the pio- 
 neers of the west. I think I hear someone exclaim, "What 
 would you have had the government do?" I answer 
 promptly in the language I used in 1864, "It is the duty of 
 the general government to build this railroad — not only a 
 broad gauge, but a double track — and then lease it for 
 enough to keep the roadbed in repair, stipulating that the 
 people shall have the benefit of low rates of fare and 
 freight." This policy would have built up the west and 
 would have given protection to the pioneer farmers, miners, 
 manufacturers and merchants. This would have doubled 
 the population of the western states and would have devel- 
 oped enterprises of great moment throughout the western 
 country. Had this been done, Wyoming would today have 
 had a population of 250,000 and her mining enterprises 
 would have astonished the world. 
 
 But to resume the history of construction. During 
 1865 forty miles of track were laid from Omaha west. The 
 following year — that is, 1866 — the road was completed to a 
 point .'iOO miles west of Omaha. By this time the rapidity of 
 construction began to astonish the world. The Indians 
 were troublesome and quite a number of employes were 
 killed and scalped, but the work was pushed forward 
 during the season of 1867, regardless of danger and 
 death, and before winter set in the rails were laid to Chey- 
 enne and beyond to Sherman Hill. Trials and difiiculties in 
 the way of the builders now began to show themselves. The 
 mountain country had been reached and everybody looked 
 forward to slow progress from the foot of Sherman Hill 
 
Building the Union Pacific. 679 
 
 west, but they little understood the ability and enterprise 
 of the men who led the army of construction. They had 
 learned the art of grading, placing the ties, stretching the 
 iron and building the bridges. Wyoming once reached, 
 detachments of tie-choppers covered the hills for miles on 
 either side of the proposed line. The ties were cut, dressed 
 and rushed to the grade with great celerity, and as soon 
 as the graders had passed on cars loaded with rails moved 
 forward and stopped just long enough to place two rails in 
 position, when they again moved up and other rails were 
 laid in less time than it takes to write the facts on paper. 
 To the manj' who saw the work done, every workman ap- 
 peared as an expert, and they had to be to hold their posi- 
 tions. Every night word was sent by telegraph to the east, 
 stating the number of miles completed that day. On start- 
 ing out from Omaha, the average per day at first was one 
 mile; finally two miles was the day's work, and as the men 
 became more expert, three miles was a day's work. A little 
 later four miles per day Avas accomplished, then five, and by 
 the time Cheyenne was reached six miles a day was the 
 average, and before the Wyoming construction was com- 
 pleted seven miles a day was announced. When it is un- 
 derstood that it took 2,580 ties, 352 rails, 5,500 spikes, 704 
 fishplates and 1,408 bolts to complete a mile of road, the 
 rapidity of the work will be appreciated. Following the 
 track-layers came a gang of men with shovels and picks 
 who ballasted the track, and these, like the others, per- 
 formed their work in the quickest possible time. The men 
 in all departments were willing to do a big day's work every 
 day because they were well paid, well fed and properly 
 housed. Each man worked as if the completion of the great 
 enterprise depended on his individual efforts. The men 
 at the head of the Union Pacific not only understood rail- 
 way construction, but they possessed a knowledge of men 
 which enabled them to select the chiefs for the different 
 -departments. The force once organized, every man at the 
 head of a division of work fell into his place and moved for- 
 
68o History of Wyoming. 
 
 wai'd. The secret of success was the selection of the proper 
 men to do the work and the organization of the forces in the 
 field. Early in the spring of 1868 the road was built down 
 the west side of Sherman Hill and on the night of May 8th 
 the iron was laid to Fort Sanders; little after noon of the 
 9th Laramie was reached, and before the sun went down 
 the track-layers had passed on and were out of sight of the 
 citizens of the town. The spring, summer and fall of 1868 
 were stirring days in southern Wyoming. The army of 
 employes numbered thousands — graders, bridge builders, 
 tie and timber choppers, men running the numerous saw- 
 mills, a small army quarrying and hauling stone, hundreds 
 of teams bringing in ties and timber, the well-organized 
 force laying the ties, putting down the rails and complet- 
 ing the ironing of the road, made up a scene which can never 
 be forgotten by those fortunate enough to be engaged in the 
 proud achievement — an achievement that meant so much 
 not only for Wyoming, but for the whole west, and still 
 more for the nation. In a large sense it contributed to na- 
 tional unity and expansion of empire. 
 
 The army had its share of work in the construction of 
 the railroad; its duty being to protect working parties as 
 they advanced toward the west. In Nebraska the Indians 
 had been hostile in the extreme. They harassed surveying 
 and working parties continuously and as the track ad- 
 vanced and the line to be defended grew longer more soldiers 
 were required to give protection. It soon began to be under- 
 stood that it was useless to undertake to construct the road 
 without adequate force. Troops were thrown out in ad- 
 vance and a strong guard kept constantly in the vicinity of 
 all working parties along the line. In spite of all the pre- 
 cautions taken, a considerable number of men were killed 
 by the savages. Surveying parties, tie and timber chop- 
 pers were attacked almost daily. Truly eternal vigilance 
 was the price of safety. Danger lurked everywhere. Work- 
 ing parties were too apt to venture beyond protection and as 
 often as they did they met with exciting adventures and fre- 
 

 PIONEERS OF THE UNION PAGIFIG. 
 
Building the Union Pacific. 68 1 
 
 quently lost their lives. As the work progressed across 
 Wyoming additional troops were pushed forward. Forts 
 Russell, Sanders, Steele and Bridger were well garrisoned 
 and between these were numerous campswheresoldierswere 
 held in readiness to move on short notice in any direction. 
 A majority of the men employed in the construction car- 
 ried revolvers for self protection. The men doing the work, 
 and the soldiers, realizing that they were conducting 
 operations in an enemy's country, but nothing was al- 
 lowed to hold back the work. The people of the At- 
 lantic and the Pacific watched eagerly for the daily reports 
 from the two great armies of railroad builders, one pushing 
 across the deserts and mountains from the east and the 
 other, which had started from the shores of the Pacific, was 
 making its way across the mountains to the appointed place 
 of meeting. The year 1868 witnessed the greatest achieve- 
 ment in construction known in the history of all previous 
 railway building. As the months passed and the year begau 
 to wane, it was realized that the Kocky Mountains which 
 had so long been a gloomy barrier against civilization would 
 soon be cut in twain. That wonderful man of science and 
 progress, the civil engineer, had utilized the dark recessea 
 of Thomas Jefferson's "Stony Mountain" and built a 
 railway through and over it on which was to be carried a 
 restless tide of humanity, quite in contrast with all that 
 had been before. Thirty-two years had passed since Mar- 
 cus Whitman and his bride had toiled up the North Platte 
 and through the valley of the Sweetwater, on to Green 
 River and beyond into Oregon with their wagon; the first 
 vehicle to cross Green River and to roll into Fort Hall. If 
 these two pioneers could have escaped the merciless sav- 
 ages they reasonably might have lived to see the iron road- 
 way parellel their route across the Rocky Mountains. Jim 
 Bridger saw the miracle and partially realized its impor- 
 tance. Captain Bonneville talked about it at his farm near 
 Fort Smith, Arkansas, and never ceased to wonder over the 
 reBaarkable achievement. That other grand old pioneer, 
 
682 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Alexander Majors, witnessed the great event and tlianked 
 God that he lived to see it. His pony express riders, his 
 stage drivers and bull whackers congratulated each other 
 over the fact that a more rapid method of transporiing the 
 mails, passengers and freight across the Rocky Mountains 
 had been found and that the sun of civilization was flood- 
 ing mountain and valley where all before had been loneliness 
 danger or death. The few remaining trappers looked on 
 from afar, scarcely being able to believe in the re;ility of 
 what their eyes beheld. The wild man of the, mountain 
 refused to sanction the coming of the train of civilization, 
 fully realizing that it was a power that would crush him 
 and all his warriors. 
 
 During the summer of 1868 private enterprise kept pace 
 with the operations of the railroad company; in fact led 
 the advance. In the account of the building of Fort Steele 
 I have given some idea of the rapid growth of the temporary 
 towns which were started ahead of the railroad. Town 
 building was very popular with a large number of enter- 
 prising men but some of these were so unfortunate as not to 
 consult the wishes of the railroad company and the latter, 
 not feeling under obligations to meet the wishes of town 
 builders, often left the embryo cities in the lurch. During 
 the earlv summer of 1868 Green River was selected by pri- 
 vate individuals as the place to build an important city. 
 In July the town was laid, out, lots sold, houses built and by 
 September two thousand inhabitants occupied the place but 
 when the railroad reached that point the company bridged 
 the river and went on without paying the least attention 
 to the enterprising town lot speculators who expected to 
 make money by forcing the company to recognize a large 
 town. Years before this, there had been an important trad- 
 ing station at this place, it being an old emigrant crossing. 
 In the early days the Mormons had a ferry there, the river 
 being seldom low enough to be fordable except late in the 
 fall. When the water was up this ferry was in demand and 
 The price of crossing was from five dollars up, according as 
 
Building the Union Pacific. 683 
 
 the owners were found able to pay. The rush next was to 
 Bryan, from which station a stage was run to Soutli Pass. 
 There was a good deal of uncertainty in those days as to the 
 intentions of the railroad company. Bryan promised well 
 but somehow those who had so often been disappointed had 
 little faith in the future and when a new town was an- 
 nounced on Bear River most of the people stampeded to that 
 point. Early in November Bear River City contained a large 
 population composed mostly of the rough element and as a 
 consequence robbery and murder were frequent. The better 
 element in the town finally made an effort to overawe the 
 lawless and to accomplish this a vigilance committee was 
 formed and wholesale arrests were made and the prisoners 
 locked up in a temporary jail which had been provided. 
 This enraged the rough element and a riot occurred. To add 
 to the confusion the men belonging to the difl'erent con- 
 tractors' camps on the outside came to town and joined in 
 the riot and were promptly arrested and locked up. On 
 November 20, armed men from the I'ailroad camp came Into 
 the town, released all the prisoners confined in the jail and 
 then applied the torch to the building. They next visited 
 the Frontier Index ofBce, which paper had boldly proclaim- 
 ed the necessity of law and order, applied the match and the 
 building and its contents were consumed. The town was 
 abundantly supplied with a police force, but these were 
 helpless in this emergency. The assistance of troops was 
 asked for from Fort Bridger to quell the riot but these did 
 not arrive until 8 o'clock of the morning of the 21st when 
 order was restored. In this riot no one was killed but sev- 
 eral persons were badly injured. Mr. Freeman, the editor 
 of the Index was the greatest loser, his newspaper plant be- 
 ing entirely destroyed. This outrage was deeply regretted by 
 all the well meaning people of the town but there was no 
 redress and so Mr. Freeman was obliged to suffer in silence 
 the loss of his property. The Frontier Index is mentioned 
 in another part of this history. It was known as a "Press on 
 Wheels," because the outfit was hauled in a wagon from 
 
684 History of Wyoming. 
 
 place to place in advance of railway construction. It some- 
 times remaining as long as six months in a place butseldoma 
 year. It did good work in Wyoming and its editor is worthy 
 ©f remembrance in the history of our state. 
 
 The work accomplished during the year 1 868, in railway 
 construction, was remarkable. The well trained forces were 
 kept in the field until December and in some places the work 
 went on all winter. As early as October, trains were run- 
 ning to Bridger's Pass and much of the construction work 
 was completed as far as Bear River, and thus matters stood 
 at the close of the year 1868. 
 
 What hapi)ened in 1869 will be detailed in the next 
 volume of this work. 
 
Pioneers and Origin of Names. 685 
 
 CHAPTER XLV. 
 
 PIONEERS AND ORIGIN OF NAMES. 
 
 August Lucius, First Government Interpreter at Fort Laramie — 
 Sergeant Leodiger Schneider — Ward and Guerrier and Other 
 Post Traders at Fort Laramie — James Baker — Origin of the 
 Name Independence Rock — Richard Wootten in Wyoming — Origin 
 of the Name Platte River — B. F. Lowe, Henry Perri — Old 
 Trappers and Traders — Origin of Names of Big Horn River 
 and Mountains, Big Wind River, Wind River Range, Shoshone 
 Range, Popo Agie Rivers, Teton Range and Peaks — Climbing 
 the Grand Teton. 
 
 In the preparation of this work it has been difficult to 
 speak at length of many of the characters who figure in the 
 historic events, and the same difficulty exists in regard to lo- 
 calities, and the origin of names of rivers and mountains. 
 This chapter is given to supplement what has already been 
 mentioned and to more fully exjilain matters of historical 
 importance. Under this head will be found many things of 
 absorbing interest which form a part of our early history. 
 This chapter is made up of those things which merit a place 
 in this volume and which of necessity were left out of chap- 
 ters where mention occurs. 
 
 One of the interpreters at Fort Laramie was August Lu- 
 cius. He accompanied Lieutenant Grattan on the morning 
 of May 19, 1854, to arrest the Indians who killed the Mor- 
 mon cow or ox, and he was there killed in what was known 
 as the Grattan massacre. This affair is explained on pages 
 322-3. Lucius was a man of a quarelsome disposition, when 
 under the influence of liquor, and as he had been drinking 
 on the morning of that day, it is believed that his conditioH 
 caused the Grattan massacre. 
 
686 History of Wyoming. 
 
 Sergeant Leodiger Schneider was stationed at Port 
 Laramie and on continuous duty thirty-seven years. He ar- 
 rived at the post with Company Gr, Sixth Infantry, August 
 12, 1849, and during the year 1886 was ordered east to take 
 charge of the property of an abandoned post in New Eng- 
 land. This veteran joined the army in 1836. He was born 
 in 1818 of German birth and enlisted from Pennsylvania. 
 At an early age Schneider was apprenticed to a bookbinder, 
 but not liking the trade he joined the army. The Sergeant 
 was a well known figure at Fort Laramie from the first year 
 of its founding as a military post down to within three years^ 
 of its abandonment. During all these long years he v/as re- 
 spected and trusted by every commander. At the time of 
 the Grattan massacre there were three or four women at the 
 post, and these quite naturally were much frightened, as 
 they greatly feared that the Indians would make an attack 
 on the garrison, and Schneider, to quiet their apprehen- 
 sions, ordered that they be concentrated so that a better de- 
 fense of them could be made. He was a great friend and 
 admirer of First Lieutenant Richard B. Garnett, who as-' 
 sumed command of Fort Laramie eluly 19, 18.52. Garnett 
 resigned in 1861 and cast his lot with the Southern Con- 
 federacy and won distinction and high rank in the Confed- 
 erate army. He was killed at Gettysburg on the .Srd of July,, 
 1863. Schneider died, as near as I can learn, in 1892. 
 
 Among the recollections regarding early traders, Seth 
 E. Ward is entitled to a prominent place. He came west 
 to Fort Lupton, Colorado, in 18:$(), and engaged in business,, 
 trading with Indians as well as white men, over a consid- 
 erable territory. In the early forties, this pioneer and 
 William Guerrier established a trading post nine miles 
 above Fort Laramie on the North Platte, on the south side 
 of the river. They built a stone fort, or trading post, and 
 conducted business there for several years. During the 
 winter of 1858 Guerrier was in the Powder River country, 
 trading with the Indians. On February 16th he 
 was accidentally killed in a very singular manner. In the 
 
Pioneers and Origin of Names. 687 
 
 front of his wagon was a keg of powder with the head out, 
 and this he was in the habit of covering with a blanket. 
 Some of his employes had uncovered the powder without his 
 knowledge, and having occasion to go to the front of the 
 wagon he stepped upon the tongue with a lighted pipe in his 
 mouth, the flre from which dropped into the powder. There 
 was a terrible explosion, and the old trader who had braved 
 so many dangers was killed. The stone in the old trading 
 post was afterwards hauled away, but enough remains to 
 mark the spot. In the early fifties Ward formed a partner- 
 ship with a man named Fitzhugh, and this firm succeeded 
 Tutt and Daugherty, the first sutlers at Fort Laramie. The 
 firm of Ward and Fitzhugh continued until 1858, when 
 Fitzhugh retired and William Gr. Bullock was appointed as 
 agent for the firm, though Ward remained still continuing 
 to hold the appointment as sutler. Colonel Bullock, as he 
 was called, kept the agency of the firm until 1871, when 
 Ward was relieved from the post tradership. Seth E. 
 Ward was, in many respects, a remarkable man. He made 
 'strong friends among army officers, trappers and Indians. 
 He was admirably adapted to this western country in the 
 early times, always managing to get along with everybody 
 without friction. Retiring from the post tradership he went 
 to Kansas City, where he at this time, 1898, still lives, though 
 greatly advanced in years. The next post trader at Fort 
 Laramie was J. S. McCormick. He had a partner named 
 Taylor, of Omaha, and they did business under the firm 
 name of J. S. McCormick & Co. Soon after this McCormick 
 retired from the business and Gilbert Collins was appointed 
 post trader and held the position for four years, when his 
 brother, J. S. Collins, received the appointment and was 
 post trader until 1881, when John London was appointed 
 and remained until 1888, when John Hunton received the 
 appointment. He held the place until April 20, 1890, when 
 the last United States troops retired from this noted trading 
 post. These post traders cover the entire time Fort Laramie 
 
688 History of Wyoming. 
 
 was occupied by the United States government, a period of 
 nearly forty-one years. 
 
 John Hunton still resides at Fort Laramie, being the' 
 Jast link which connects the present with the past history 
 of post traderships of that place. He was personally ac- 
 quainted with nearly all of his predecessors and talks enter- 
 tainingly of them. He was born at Madison Courthouse, 
 Virginia, Januai'y 18, 1839. When the Civil War broke out 
 he enlisted in Company A, Seventh Virginia Volunteers, 
 and served throughout the war. In 1866 he left his native 
 state and started to go to Nevada. On his way west he ran 
 across a freighting outfit on the Missouri Eiver belonging 
 to Seth E. W^ard and engaged to drive a mule team through 
 to Fort Laramie, at which place he arrived in May, 1867. 
 He at once took employment as a clerk in the sutler's store 
 and remained in this capacity until October, 1870, when he 
 started a ranch on the Chugwater and ran a freighting out- 
 fit, carrying governmpnt stores to Fort Laramie and other 
 posts. He continued in this occupation until 1882, when he 
 found it necessary to devote all his time to his ranch and 
 cattle business. This ranch became one of the best in the 
 Territory. In 1888, as has been stated, he was appointed 
 post trader. He has held many positions of more or less 
 prominence. He was elected County Commissioner in 1886, 
 and was Postmaster at Bordeaux for many years. In 1892 
 he was appointed United States Commissioner, a position 
 he still holds. Mr. Hunton, during his residence in the 
 State, met many distinguished military and civil charac- 
 ters at Fort Laramie. He says that Eobert Campbell visited 
 the old fort for the last time in 1868, thiry-four years after 
 he built Fort William, which later he called Fort Laramie. 
 At the time of his visit he was a member of an Indian com- 
 mission sent out to treat with the Sioux. Generals Harney, 
 Sherman, Terry and Augur were members of the same com- 
 mission. At that time Eobert Campbell's hair was white 
 and he was a fine looking elderly gentleman. He was popu- 
 lar with all the old plainsmen, ^\^ho gave him a warm wel- 
 
dIM BAKER. 
 
Pioneers and Origin of Names. 689 
 
 come at tlie fort. Mr. Hunton was also intimately acquaint- 
 ed -with James Bridger and had many talks with him regard- 
 ing his life. Bridger claimed that his mother was Dorothy 
 Tyler, a sister of President John Tyler, and that she was dis- 
 owned for marrying his father. He describes Bridger as 
 being an old looking man in 1867. He was tall, spare, with 
 gray eyes and thin lips, mild talking, low toned, and though 
 determined in manner was not rough. When Hunton first 
 went to the fort, Joseph Bissonette, John Reshaw, Antoine 
 Janis, Nicholas Janis and Antoine Ladeau as well as Jim 
 Bridger were frequent visitors. 
 
 Lieutenant W. H. Brown built the first hotel at Fort 
 Laramie, and the second was built by Collins in 1875, and 
 the manager was Jacob Markell, the father of J. E. Markell, 
 manager of the Union Pacific hotel system. The last hotel 
 was destroyed by fire April 19, 1890. The mail and tele- 
 graph route to Fort Laramie was by the way of Julesburg 
 until the fall of 1867, when the government established a 
 mail route from Cheyenne and built the telegraph line along 
 the same road. The new telegraph line was connected with 
 the old one and was used as far west as Fort Fetterman. 
 Antoine Ladeau, the half breed, was the guide in laying out 
 the new road from Cheyenne. The building called "Bed- 
 lam," at Fort Laramie, was made famous by the writings of 
 Captain King. It was erected in 1852, was 32x48 feet on 
 the ground, two stories high, with a double deck porch on 
 the southeast side. This was the first permanent quarters 
 built for ofiBcers. The lumber in the building was hauled 
 from the Missouri Elver. When completed, tradition says 
 that it cost $60,000. It received its name, "Bedlam," from 
 the fact that it was often the scene of carousal of the oflS- 
 cers. This was before the days when the wives and daugh- 
 ters of military men came to reside at Fort Laramie. About 
 1880 a one story kitchen of concrete was added on the rear. 
 The first fiagstaff at Fort Laramie stood near the old stone 
 guard house, but a later one was erected in the northeast 
 corner of the parade ground, about 150 yards northeast of 
 
 -(44) 
 
690 History of Wyoming. 
 
 the first one. The last pole was a spliced native jelioyr 
 pine, 100 feet long, set in the ground twelve feet. This pole 
 blew down on November 3, 1897. 
 
 James Baker or as he is more familiarly known, Jim 
 Baker, has been mentioned many times in this history. It 
 has been pretty generally conceded that his experience in 
 Wyoming covered a period of greater length than that of 
 any other white man, unless it be Jim Bridger. Baker was 
 born December 19, 1818, at Belleville, Illinois, but while 
 yet an infant went with his parents to live on the Sagamon 
 Eiver. From early childhood he was taught the use of fire- 
 arms and at the age of twenty was an expert marksman. 
 In the year 1838 he joined a company of recruits at St. Louis, 
 who were entering the service of the American Fur Com- 
 pany and with them he made the long journey up the 
 Missouri, across the plains into Wyoming. There were 
 ninety of these recruits on that trip and they went direct to 
 the rendezvous, which was that year at the mouth of the 
 Popo Agie on Big Wind Eiver. His first trip as a trapper 
 was up Big Wind River to its head and then across the 
 range into Jackson's Hole. During the next nine years he 
 served as a trapper and was constantly employed by the 
 American Fur Company and was in the brigades of Frapp, 
 Vasquez, Bridger and Fitzpatrick. On August 20, 1841, 
 Frapp, with thirty-two trappers under him, Jim Baker be- 
 ing one of them, had a desperate battle with Sioux and 
 Cheyennes on Snake Eiver. Ten men had been sent out 
 for the purpose of driving buffalo, it being understood that 
 the men in camp would head off the bison after the ten had 
 started them running in their direction. It chanced that 
 these men ran on to a large body of Indians and were at- 
 tacked with great fury. One of the ten, named Burken, was 
 wounded badly in the fight and h» at once turned his horse 
 in the direction of the camp,which he reached in safety, when 
 Frapp ordered twenty of his party to mount and he led them 
 to the rescue of the nine trappers who were carrying on the 
 unequal contest. It was a desperate fight but the arrival 
 
Pioneers and Origin of Names. 691 
 
 of the reinforcements decided the battle and the Indians 
 were obliged to retreat. Baker informed me that Frapp 
 was a brave man and his trappers would follow him any- 
 where. He said that while serving under Frapp in 1844 
 their party met Fremont on Bear River. This was on the re- 
 turn of the Pathfinder from his first visit to the Pacific 
 coast. 
 
 Trappers and Indians have told many stories about 
 the cold winter of 1845. No one knew just how cold it was, 
 but many white men claim that it could not have been less 
 than sixty degrees below zero. Jim Baker, who was in 
 Wyoming that winter, says that it was the coldest weather 
 he ever experienced. It killed nearly all the horses and 
 ponies belonging to the Indians as well as the trappers. 
 In those days hundreds of herds of buffalo wintered in 
 Wyoming and that year they all froze to death. Elk, ante- 
 lope and deer largely suffered the same fate. Bridger has 
 also told of this severe winter many times and he said that 
 the cold extended all over Wyoming and Colorado. The 
 Indians never tired of telling of the winter when all their 
 ponies died. In their traditions they made the record on the 
 rocks by the sign of a prostrate horse which told the story 
 in the forcible language of the aborigines. Jim Baker re- 
 lates an interesting incident connected with the loss of the 
 horses of the trappers. The band he was connected with 
 that winter, found themselves on foot in the spring and 
 they left their cabins on the headwaters of the North Platte 
 above Saratoga and went southwest into Utah in search of 
 another band belonging to the same company. They be- 
 came footsore and hungry. There was no game, as every- 
 thing had been killed by the cold, and consequently the 
 journey was a terrible one, but they at last reached the camp 
 of trappers they were in search of and a council was held as 
 to what should be done. The Utah trappers had saved the 
 most of their horses, but they were in need of more. It was 
 at last deceded to go into Southern California and supply 
 fresh mounts, and so they united their forces and set out for 
 
692 History of Wyoming. 
 
 the South. Southern California at that time belonged to 
 Mexico and it was inhabited by Mexicans and Spaniards 
 who had large bands of horses. The trappers had lived so 
 long in the country where might made right that they pos- 
 sessed Ho scruples in supplying themselves at the expense 
 of the rich stockmen of the southern country. They found 
 horses more numerous than they expected and they had 
 little difficulty, Baker said, in gathering up 4,000 head and 
 with these they started back to Utah. The owners followed 
 for a long distance but the trappers sent their squaws ahead 
 with the stock and formed themselves into a rear guard to 
 keep off the Mexicans. The trappers, Indian like, 
 greatly rejoiced over their successful foray and after cele- 
 brating the event they divided up the herd and Baker and 
 his friends came on to their old hunting and trapping 
 grounds. But tidings of their approach had reached the In- 
 dians, who were greatly excited to hear that a big band of 
 horses were near, offering a chance to replace their dead 
 ponies. No sooner were the trappers comfortably install- 
 ed in their old cabins, with their horses about them, than 
 they were fiercely attacked by a large band of savages. 
 It was a long, desperate flght, in which many of the Indians 
 paid dearly for their boldness, the unerring rifles of the 
 trappers giving them great odds over the poorly armed red 
 men. Nothing remains now to mark the spot where the 
 deadly struggle for supremacy took place except the names 
 Battle Mountain and Battle Creek, now made famous by re- 
 markable rich veins of copper ore, which names came from 
 the engagement fought by Jim Baker and his fellow trap- 
 pers with the hostile Indians for the possession of a band of 
 horses, the bitterness of the flght being intensified by the 
 fact that they were the only horses in that part of the 
 country. 
 
 The trappers of that day very often lost their horses 
 by marauding bands of Indians and in this instance they 
 justified themselves by applying the old proverb, "When 
 you are in Rome, do as the Romans do." This is one of Jim 
 
Pioneers and Origin of Names. '^93 
 
 Baker's stories,and he had hundreds of them,which illustrat- 
 ed the conditions which prevailed at that time in Wyoming. 
 When the country became settled by white men Uncle Jim, 
 as he was familiarly called, proved himself an honest neigh- 
 bor and a loj^al friend to those who settled about him. 
 
 A year after leaving the American Fur Company's em- 
 ploy, Baker established a ferry on Green River which he 
 maintained for several years. In 1855 he entered the service 
 of the Government as Chief of Scouts under General Har- 
 ney, joining at Fort Laramie. When General Johnston's 
 army came west in 1857 he was again employed and served 
 under Captain Marcy as guide and interpreter, which service 
 is given on page 354 of this volume. Army officers always 
 spoke in the highest terms of Jim Baker. The Pikes Peak 
 excitement drew this hunter and guide to Colorado and in 
 1859 he built a home on Clear Creek, not far from Denver. 
 Here he remained until 1873 when he took up his residence 
 on Snake River, near Dixon, in Wyoming. Here he took 
 up a ranch and became interested in the stock business. The 
 incidents of his life were many. His reminiscences of the 
 past in Wyoming covered a space of sixty years. In prepar- 
 ing this work I have found it necessary to consult him 
 in regard to many events. During the fall of 18f)7 1 spent a 
 day with this old pioneer, which gave me an opportunity 
 to hear him talk about the men he had known so well in the 
 days of the fur trade. These recitals illustrated the better 
 side of his nature and proved him to be a worthy pioneer. 
 He lacked in education but posessed many of the tiner in- 
 stincts which will make him long remembered and ap- 
 preciated. I chanced to ask hira if he knew Captain Bonne- 
 ville and he replied that he did not, as the Captain left this 
 country three years before he arrived but he said he had 
 heard much about this renowned fur trader from trappers, 
 jvho regarded him as a jolly good fellow and the friend of 
 every man who wanted to do right. He was personally ac- 
 quainted with Captain William Sublette, Robert Campbell, 
 and was an associate of Jim Bridger, Thomas Fitzpatrick 
 
694 History of Wyoming. 
 
 and many others who were leaders in the fur trade. He 
 had a large acquaintance among army officers but among 
 them all none stood so high in his estimation as Captain 
 Marcy whom he guided across the range in the dead of 
 winter from Fort Bridger to Port Massachusetts. He had 
 an Indian wife and raised quite a family of children. One 
 of his daughters is married to N. B. Kinnear, who lives on 
 Big "^Vind River in Fremont County. Of his other childrea 
 I am not informed. 
 
 It must be borne in mind that Jim Baker came to the 
 Eocky Mountains at a time when hard drinking was the 
 rule and attended the annual rendezvous where debauchery 
 was encouraged by the traders who had whisky to sell. Is 
 it any wonder that the young man coming into the country 
 when such conditions prevailed should fall a victim to the 
 greed of his employers? Men are but human and therefore 
 liable to succumb to the tempter. This patriarch of Wyo- 
 ming died the spring of 1898 in his eightieth year. In spite 
 of the rough scenes through which he passed and the hun- 
 dred or more Indian fights in which he participated and 
 the dangers which beset him in these mountains during a 
 period of more than half a century, he remained to the last 
 a man of many superior qualities and we hear him spoken 
 of by those who knew him best as Honest Uncle Jim Baker. 
 
 The origin of the name of Independence Rock I have 
 not been able to clearly trace. The generally accepted be- 
 lief is that it comes from a Fourth of July celebration which 
 occurred there during the rush to Oregon; but this is cer- 
 tainly a mistake. I have talked to many persons in regard 
 to it. Jim Baker, who came to Wyoming in 1838, says that 
 it had received its name previous to that time and he is of 
 the opinion that Bonneville named it. The name was first 
 Rock Independence and from this fact it has been claimed 
 that it was so named because it was a rock occuring on the 
 plains, independent of all other rocks, that is, a solitary 
 rock of the prairie. Bonneville had a rendezvous on the 
 Sweetwater near this land mark at least once while he 
 
Pioneers and Origin of Names. 695 
 
 was in the country and spent the fourth of July there. Eev. 
 Samuel Parker mentioned this rock in 1835. 
 
 I have said on page 259 of this volume that the first 
 mention of Independence Rock, I had been able to find, was 
 by the above missionary and author, but since this statement 
 was put into print, I have seen "The Narrative of a Journey 
 Across the Rocky Mountains to the Columbia River in the 
 Tear 1834," published in Philadelphia in 1839 by John K. 
 Townsend. The author of this work was accompanied on 
 the trip by Nuttall, the English Botanist, who has been men- 
 tioned in connection with John Colter, on page 69. Town- 
 send speaks of visiting "Rock Independence" on June 9th 
 of that year and says that he fc)und the names of Bonneville, 
 Cerre, Fontenelle, William Sublette, Milton Sublette and 
 many others cut in the face of the rock, and, following the 
 example of previous travelers, the party placed their names 
 in conspicuous places. The company consisted of about a 
 hundred persons and consequently many names must have 
 been placed near those of Captain Bonneville and others. 
 These scientific gentlemen went out in convoy of Milton 
 Sublette and thirty-five men, Nathaniel J. Wyeth and fifty 
 followers. In the party was Jason Lee and his nephew, 
 Daniel Lee, the pioneer missionaries to Oregon. 
 
 Fremont, while on his first expedition, calls it Rock In- 
 dependence. Several trains of emigrants passing through 
 the country in 1847 celebrated the Fourth at the same 
 place. H. B. Kelly, of Cheyenne, informs me that he was 
 in the party and that there were over a thousand people 
 gathered there that day. Some of them were on their way 
 to California and others were going to Oregon; and they 
 stopped by common consent at this rock and all participated 
 in a grand old fashioned Fourth of July celebration. They 
 loaded old wagon hubs with powder, placed them in the 
 crevices of the rock and produced an explosion that was 
 worthy of the discharge of heavy artillery. 
 
 An event of importance in Masonic circles took place 
 on this rock July 4, 1862. Several trains of emigrants had 
 
6q6 History of Wyoming. 
 
 gathered there and laid over for the Fourth of July. The^ 
 story is thus told by Asa L. Brown in a communication to 
 Edgar Snow, Past Grand Master of Wyoming. Brown was 
 a Past Grand Master of Washington Territory. The com- 
 munication was read in open lodge at Rawlins, October 8,. 
 1897. The letter states: 
 
 "We had just concluded our arrangements for a cele- 
 bration on the rock, when Captain Kennedy's train from 
 Oskalooso, Iowa, came in, bringing the body of a man who 
 had been accidentally shot and Idlled that morning. Of , 
 course we all turned out to the burial, deferring our cele- 
 bration until 4 p. m., at which time we were visited by one 
 of those short, severe storms peculiar to that locality, which, 
 in the language of some of the boys 'Busted the celebration. '^ 
 But some of us determined on having some sort of recog- 
 nition, as well as remembrance of the day and place, and so 
 about the time when the sun set in the west to close the 
 day, about twenty who could mutually vouch, and, so to 
 speak, intervouch for each other, wended their way to the 
 summit of the rock and soon discovered a recess, or rather 
 depression in the rock, the form and situation of which 
 seemed prepared by nature for our special use. 
 
 "An altar of twelve stones was improvised, to which a 
 more thoughtful or patriotic brother added the thirteenth, 
 as emblematical of the original Colonies, and, being elected 
 to the East by acclamation, I was duly installed, i. e., led to 
 the granite seat. The several stations and places were fill- 
 ed, and the Tyler, a venerable brother with flowing hair 
 and beard of almost snowy whiteness, took his place with- 
 out the Western Gate on a little pinnacle which gave him a 
 perfect command of view over the entire summit of the 
 rock, so he could easily guard us against the approach of all, 
 either 'ascending or descending.' I then informally opened 
 'Independence Lodge, No 1,' on the degrees of Entered Ap- 
 prentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason, when several of 
 the brethern made short, apropriate addresses and our ven- 
 erable Tyler gave us reminiscences of his Masonic history,ex- 
 tending from 1821 to 1862. It was a meeting which is, no 
 doubt, remembered by all the participants who are yet liv- 
 ing, and some of those who there became acquainted, have 
 kept up fraternal intercourse ever since." 
 
 In connection with the above it may be stated that the 
 Square and Compass used on that occasion and made from^ 
 
Pioneers and Origin of Names. 697 
 
 a paper box cover, and the Holy Bible were afterwards pre- 
 sented to the Grand Lodge of Wyoming. A story has been 
 going the rounds for some years to the effect that Fremont 
 held a Masonic meeting on Independence Rock during his 
 exploring trip in 1842 but I have been unable to trace this 
 to any satisfactory conclusion. I am of the opinion that 
 Fremont's name has in some way become mixed up with thfr 
 event of 1862, above related. 
 
 In the spring of 1836 Richard ^Yootton, with a party of 
 thirteen men, left Fort Bent on the Arkansas River and pro- 
 ceded northwest on a trading expedition. The party had 
 ten wagons loaded with goods for the Indian trade, and they 
 crossed the state of Colorado, trading with Indians on the 
 way,and entered Wyoming,going up the North Platte River^ 
 finally reaching Fort Laramie. Pushing on, they came to 
 the Sweetwater country. Here, turning north, they entered 
 the Wind River Valley late in the season. They had suc- 
 ceeded in meeting numerous Indian villages and trade had 
 been brisk. They gave trinkets, about thirty cents worth, 
 for the skin of a beaver and the result was they were doing^ 
 a very profitable business. The winter came on early so 
 they remained in the Wind River Valley until spring. As 
 soon as the snow disappeared they made their way back to- 
 Fort Laramie and from that point went south and finally 
 reached Fort Bent, the place from which they started, 
 nearly a year before. All their goods had been disposed of 
 and their wagons were loaded with furs worth many thous- 
 ands of dollars. This was one of the most profitable trip* 
 ever made into Wyoming. The Indians had not in any way 
 molested them, but, on the contrary, had given them a wel- 
 come at every point. This was Richard Wootton's first 
 venture with a trading outfit. In after years he became 
 famous as a trader, trapper, freighter and Indian fighter. 
 He was associated with such men as Kit Carson, Colonel 
 St. Vrain, Charles Bent, George Simpson, Lucien B. Max- 
 well, Joseph Doyle and many other noted men of the 
 mountains. In his mature years, Wootton was familiarly 
 
698 History of Wyoming. 
 
 called "Uncle Dick." He finally settled on a ranch at the 
 foot of Eaton Mountains, where he gracefully grew old,loTed 
 and respected by all who knew him. He was born in Vir- 
 ginia, May 6, 1816, and died only a few years ago. 
 
 In 1837 Uncle Dick Wootton led a trapping expedition 
 into Wyoming by the way of Green River. His party trap- 
 ped on many of our streams, and he again wintered in Wyo- 
 ming. He had seventeen men in his party. Two of his 
 trappers were killed in this country but the balance of the 
 party returned safely. The expedition was a profitable one 
 to all concerned. 
 
 In 1838 Uncle Dick Wootton again entered with a large 
 party of trappers and this time they trapped on the North 
 Platte, Sweetwater, Green River and all its tributaries, and, 
 passing north, they finally reached the headwaters of the 
 Big Wind River and, following down this stream, they trap- 
 ped in the Little Wind River, all the branches of the Popo 
 Agie and then turned north, reached the Big Horn river, 
 from which country they crossed to the head of Powder 
 River and, after trapping on all the branches of that stream, 
 they returned to Big Horn River and followed down to the 
 Yellowstone. On this expedition they had a number of 
 encounters with the Indians. In the party was August 
 Claymore, one of the oldest trappers in the mountains. This 
 trapper had a severe fight with a party of Snake Indians 
 »n Green River and came near being killed, in fact his 
 companions felt certain he would die of his injuries but he 
 finally recovered. La Bonte, another noted character was 
 of the party and was killed in Utah. La Bonte belonged in 
 Wyoming and had lived for a number of years on the North 
 Platte in what is now Converse County. La Bonte Creek, 
 which flows into the North Platte, and La Bonte Station on 
 the old Overland Trail were named after this old trapper. 
 The Indians, after killing this noted character, cut the flesh 
 from his bones and ate it. Le Due, another French trapper, 
 was also killed in Utah, being shot with a poisoned arrow. 
 
 The origin of the name of the Platte River, I have been 
 
Pioneers and Origin of Names. 699 
 
 enabled to trace back to the earliest occupation of the val- 
 leys of this stream by the French settlers, which occurred in 
 the year 1719. These Frenchmen discovered that the In- 
 dians called the river the Nebraska, v?hich word in their 
 language signified flat, which interpreted into French means 
 Platte, carrying out the idea of a broad and shallow river. 
 Hence the La Platte River, which since that time has de- 
 scended into the ordinary name of Platte River. The 
 early trappers made many attempts to navigate this stream. 
 Robert Stuart, in March, 1813, constructed canoes and 
 launched them on the river at about the east line of Wyo- 
 ming, but the water was low and sand bars numerous. Af- 
 ter dragging his canoes over these obstructions for a couple 
 of days he abandoned this method of travel and his party 
 pursued their journey on foot down the banks of the stream. 
 After that many trappers tried the same experiment, and 
 some succeeded in getting their boats down by taking ad- 
 vantage of the high water season. Previous to 1820, Jacques 
 Laramie successfully launched his bull boats, laden with 
 furs, from the lower point of Grand Island. Other trappers 
 and traders in after years did the same thing. Edward Ev- 
 erett Hale, in his work on Kansas and Nebraska published 
 in 1854, says that traders sometimes descended in canoes 
 and batteaux from Fort Laramie to the Missouri River, and 
 adds: "This navigation, however, is intricate and very 
 tedious. The canoes or boats constantly get aground, and 
 it seems to be regarded, even at the season of the freshets, 
 as a last resort in the way of transfer of goods from above. 
 These remarks only apply, however, to the very highest 
 waters of the stream. The steamboat El Paso is said to have 
 ascended the river last year, when the water was high, more 
 than five hundred miles from its mouth, passing up the 
 North Fork above Fort Laramie. In token of this triumph, 
 she still 'wears the horns,' for it is a custom on the western 
 waters for a steamboat which has distinguished herself by 
 any decided feat like this, to wear a pair of antlers until 
 «oi»e more successful boat surpassess her in the same enter- 
 
700 History of Wyoming. 
 
 prise by which she won them. The distance achieved by the 
 El Paso is probably over-estimated. At most seasons of the 
 year the river is of little use for navigation." 
 
 Milton Sublette has been overshadowed to a great ex- 
 tent by his brother, Captain William Sublette. While the 
 Captain was a gallant leader and a fur trader of unusual 
 sagacity, his brother Milton had qualities that made him 
 conspicuous among the trapper bands. He had that kind of 
 daring and dash that marks the popular leader and it is said 
 of him that his men would follow him in and through every 
 danger. Unfortunately his career was cut shoi't by the in- 
 jury to one of his legs, which resulted in what was called 
 fungus, which necessitated amputation, and this failing to 
 give relief, the leg was a second time amputated. This put 
 an end to his mountain operations. After this he remained 
 in St. Louis, where he died while comparatively young. Old 
 trappers never tired in telling of his bravery and of his abil- 
 ity as a leader 
 
 B. F. Lowe came west from Missouri by the way of Fort 
 Leavenworth in the summer of 1859, going as far as Camp 
 Floyd. Late that season he returned to Henry's Fork of 
 Green River, where he wintered, and early in the spring 
 went to Boise Basin to trade with Bannock Indians. In the 
 latter part of May he came as far as Fort Bridger and there 
 engaged with Battese Lorain to manage a trading post at 
 Burnt Ranch, at the upper crossing of the Sweetwater. Sep- 
 tember of the same year he visited the Flathead country, 
 now Montana, in the interest of the Central Overland and 
 Pike's Peak Express Company to attempt the recovery of 
 pony express hoi'ses which had been stolen. In the spring 
 of 1861 he returned to Fort Bridger, and shortly after the 
 news came of the breaking out of the Civil War. He went 
 again to Burnt Ranch Station and was employed as before 
 in trading with freighters, emigrants and Indians. When 
 the Federal troops were ordered east from Camp Floyd and 
 Fort Bridger for service in the War of the Rebellion, Lowe 
 went with them as far as Fort Kearney and from that point 
 
Pioneers and Origin of Names. 701 
 
 went to Leavenworth and finally reached his home in Mis- 
 souri. It was his intention to cast his lot with the Confed- 
 erates and join Price's army, but his mother strongly op- 
 posed this and made what she termed "her last request," 
 which was that he should return to the West, which he re- 
 luctantly did. I will have much to say of this man through 
 this work, as he is one of the pioneers and has had much to 
 do with affairs in Wyoming. Lowe is mentioned in this 
 work on pages 304 and 371, in connection with important 
 events. 
 
 One of the characters connected with the Overland 
 trail was Henry Perri. He was born in St. Louis in 1830, 
 came west in 1849 and located in Wyoming in 1851, and in 
 July of that year went to work for Jim Bridger. He re- 
 mained around Fort Bridger for many years. A few years 
 ago he moved to the Wind River Valley. This pioneer is 
 one of the oldest residents of the state and has outlived 
 nearly all of his old friends. His recollections of Jack Rob- 
 inson, Judge Carter, Jim Bridger, Jim Baker and many 
 army officers are interesting and pleasant stories of the long 
 ago. In appearance he is a typical hunter, trapper and 
 mountain man. He knew Colonel Fremont, Robert Camp- 
 bell, the Sublette brothers and many others of that class. 
 He remembers distinctly the starting of the monthly stage 
 which carried the mail through Wyoming, and later the 
 great Overland Stage, which ran daily, the pony express, 
 the old bridges and ferries on the various streams along 
 the Overland Route. These have all come and gone within 
 his memory, and yet the old pioneer remains with us, and up 
 to a few months ago, when I last met him, was hale and 
 hearty. 
 
 Fitzgerald was one of Bonneville's trappers, who re- 
 mained in Wyoming after the Captain returned to the East 
 in 1835. He trapped in 1836 along the Beaver and the three 
 Popo Agies and wintered in the Wind River Valley. The 
 following season he came to Fort Laramie and took service 
 under the American Fur Company, and later joined Joseph 
 
702 History of Wyoming. 
 
 E. Walker, another of Bonneville's men who located m 
 California. He served under Fremont in his campaign 
 against the Mexicans and Indians, and still later came again 
 to Wyoming. 
 
 Basil Lajeunesse was one of Fremont's men and accom- 
 panied the explorer on his first expedition into Wyoming 
 and was honored by his commander in his selection as one 
 ©f the party to make the ascent of Fremont's Peak. This 
 pioneer was descended from a numerous family of hunters, 
 trappers and traders. Gabriel Lajeunesse, his uncle, tra- 
 dition says, was the hero of "Evangeline." Francois, Ba- 
 sil's brother, was one of the Fremont party in 1843. These 
 two brothers are spoken of by old trappers as remarkable 
 men. They were not only successful hunters and trappers, 
 but were familiar with the mountains, streams and valleys 
 in every part of Wyoming. They trapped many years before 
 they met Fremont. They were associates of Jim Bridger, 
 Thomas Fitzpatrick and other men of their day who made 
 fame and renown as well aswealth in the fur trade. Both 
 ©f them became permanent residents of Wyoming. In 1858 
 Basil Lajeunesse established a trading post on the Overland 
 Road above Devil's Gate, about 100 yards south of the place 
 where the residence of Tom Sun is now located. He traded 
 with Indians and supplied emigrants who passed through 
 the country, doing a prosperous business. His family lived 
 on a ranch at what is now Ferris, and it was there his chil- 
 dren grew up. In 1862 he started to make a trip to Deer 
 Creek for the purpose of trading with the Sioux. He took 
 with hira two men, and fifteen pack animf\ls loaded with 
 goods. On the way the party was attacked by Indians, La- 
 jeunesse killed and all his goods and mules run off. He was 
 married to a Sioux woman and had several children. 
 
 Theophilus Simmons was an early trapper and trader 
 in Wyoming. In 1842 he was at Fort I^aramie and there 
 met Fremont, and from this trapper the explorer gained 
 much valuable information. He is regarded as reliable au- 
 thority on all matters relating to the fur trade. He finally 
 
Pioneers and Origin of Names. 703 
 
 took up his residence in Colorado, where he still resides, 
 having grown old in years as well as in experience. 
 
 James Chambers was a trapper in Wyoming in the 
 early days and continued in the business up to the time of 
 his death in August, 1867. He was killed by William Car- 
 michel, but of the circumstances I know nothing. Robert 
 Dixon, another old time trapper, came to Wyoming from 
 Kentucky. He trapped for many years on the Big and Little 
 Laramie and reached a great age. When the Union Pacific 
 railroad became a certainty, he was in the habit of saying to 
 his friends that he intended to live until he saw a railway 
 train cross the Laramie Plains, but it was his fate to be 
 killed by the Arapahoes the year before the road came. 
 
 Joseph Chatillon was a well known guide and hunter 
 through the Rocky Mountains. He was with Sir George 
 Gore's expedition for three years and acted as guide the 
 first year, when Bridger took his place and Chatillon be- 
 came the hunter and supplied the wild meat for the expe- 
 dition. Henry Chatillon, who was with Francis Parkman 
 in Wyoming in 1846, was a brother of Joseph. 
 
 With Bonneville's expedition were two brothers named 
 Hedspeth. They were trappers and men of good repute. 
 They remained in Wyoming many years after Captain Bon- 
 neville left, making their headquarters most of the time at 
 Port Bridger. 
 
 Isaac Hitchcock was a trapper in Wyoming in the early 
 times, and during the palmy days of the Overland was en- 
 gaged in trading. I can find no mention of the death of 
 this pioneer or of his leaving Wyoming. 
 
 No range in the Rocky Mountains is better known than 
 the Big Horn. When it was first discovered by white men 
 is beyond the knowledge of those who have written on the 
 subject. Its name comes to us from Indian tribes, and they, 
 it is said, called it after the mountain sheep, that were 
 found in large numbers among the rocks and precipices of 
 this locality. The Indian name for this sheep was ahsahta, 
 which rendered into English means the big horn, and thus 
 
704 History of Wyoming. 
 
 we have the big horn sheep, and from this the Big Horn 
 Mountains. The first explorers called the whole range of 
 mountains, from the British possessions on the north to 
 "California on the south, the Stony Mountains, and this was 
 the general name by which they were known by both the 
 Spanish and the French. Later the English speaking peo- 
 ple, some time in the Eighteenth century,, called them the 
 Rocky Mountains, but this did not become general until the 
 time of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Even as late as 
 1793, Thomas Jefferson called them the Stony Mountains, in- 
 timating that they were a solid mountain extending their 
 awful barriers against civilization. At that time they were 
 supposed to have an elevation of 25,000 feet. Lewis and 
 Clark succeeded in finding a gateway through the moun- 
 tains, but they evidently knew nothing of the explorations 
 of the De la Verendryes or they would have attempted the 
 South Pass route and saved themselves much hard climbing 
 and given to the world a broad and easy path and a practical 
 road to the Pacific Ocean. 
 
 The early trappers knew the Big Horn range well, but 
 these were French Canadians, and their knowledge served 
 little, in a general way, as they were not men who contrib- 
 uted written reports of their explorations. Colter certainly 
 visited this locality, but he does not mention the mountains, 
 r^dward Rose, who was the guide in that part of the coun- 
 try, to the Astorian expedition, knew all about them. From 
 the Astorians has come down to us about all that was known 
 of this range up to that time. The Big Horn Eiver takes its 
 name from the mountains. 
 
 The Wind River Range is named from the river of that 
 name which rises in the north end of these mountains. The 
 Indians, who were always practical in the matter of names, 
 discovered a strong current of wind coming down this river 
 from the northwest, and there could be nothing more natu- 
 ral than for them to call the river the Big Wind. The pre- 
 vailing wind along this river comes through the notch be- 
 tween the Shoshone Range and the Wind River Range and 
 
Pmieers and Origin of Names. 705 
 
 at Hearly all seasons of the year it amountB to a gale. In 
 the winter season, this is exceedingly disagreeable to those 
 passing up the valley of this stream. 
 
 The Shoshone Range derives its name from the Sho- 
 shone tribe of Indians. These were an off-shoot of the 
 Snakes, and tradition says that the Shoshones were the fol- 
 lowers of an ancient chief who nearly 200 years ago led his 
 people into these mountains and they subsisted on the big 
 horn sheep and became known among other tribes as sheep 
 eaters. They did not possess horses and consequently re- 
 mained in their mountain homes. Not cultivating the arts 
 «f war, they became a timid and inoffensive tribe, marrying 
 among themselves and at last became dwarfed and were 
 despised by war-like nations. In the early part of the pres- 
 ent century, the tribe nearly reached the point of extinction. 
 The young men commenced to take wives from the ancient 
 Snakes and aflSliated with this tribe, and thus it was that 
 the sheep eaters passed out of existence and only the name 
 Shoshone was retained by a branch of the Snakes. It must 
 be understood that the reference to this ancient tribe is 
 pnrely Indian tradition. Captain Bonneville, it is evident, 
 beard something of this story, for in his report of the climb- 
 ing of Mount Bonneville he mentions that one of his men, 
 ■while out hunting one day, came upon the track of a man in 
 a lonely valley in the Wind River Range, and following it 
 up he reached the brow of a cliff, whence he beheld three 
 savages running across the valley below him. He fired his 
 gun to call their attention, hoping to induce them to turn 
 back. They only fled the faster, and disappeared among the 
 rocks. The hunter returned and reported what he had seen, 
 ^ptain Bonneville at once concluded that these belonged to 
 a kind of hermit race, scanty in number, that inhabited the 
 highest and most inaccessible fastnesses. Captain Bonne- 
 ville says: "They speak the Shoshone language, and are 
 probably off-sets from that tribe, though they have peculi- 
 arities of their own which distinguish them from all other 
 Indians. They are miserably poor and are destitute of every 
 -(45) 
 
7o6 History of Wyoming. 
 
 convenience to be derived from an intercourse with the 
 whites. Their weapons are bows and stone-pointed arrows, 
 with which they hunt the deer, the elk and the mountain 
 sheep. Thej' are to be found scattered about the countries 
 of the Shoshone, Flathead, Crow and Blackfeet tribes; but 
 their residences are always in lonely places and the clefts 
 of the rocks. Their footsteps are often seen by the trappers 
 in the high and solitary valleys among the mountains, and 
 the smoke of their fires seen among the precipices, but they 
 themselves are rarely met with, and still more rarely 
 brought to a parley, so great is their shyness and their dread 
 of strangers. As their poverty offers no temptation to the 
 marauder, and as they are inoffensive in their habits, they 
 are never the object of warfare; should one of them, how- 
 ever, fall into the hands of a war party, he is sure to be 
 made a sacrifice, for the sake of that savage trophy, a scalp, 
 and that barbarous ceremony, a scalp dance. These forlorn 
 beings, forming a mere link between human nature and the 
 brute, have been looked down upon with pity and contempt 
 by the Creole trappers, who have given them the appellation 
 of 'les dignes de pitie,' or 'the objects of pity.' They appear 
 more worthy to be called the wild men of the mountains." 
 
 When white men first came into the country, they 
 found the three Popo Agie Elvers already named — the Popo 
 Agie, which is the main stream, the North branch of that 
 river, and the Little Popo Agie, which is the south branch. 
 Popo Agie is a Grow name, and like all Indian names has a 
 direct and practical meaning. Popo signifies head, and 
 Agie water; therefore, these streams are so named because 
 they get their waters direct from the fountain head, the 
 mountains. They are very beautiful mountain torrents and 
 were highly prized by the Crows in their day in that coun- 
 try. The present settlers of the Wind River Valley, or what 
 is now known as the Lander Valley, have utilized these 
 streams for irrigation and many valuable farms are now lo- 
 cated on all three of these rivers. The present is quite in 
 contrast with the time when Arapooish led his Crow war- 
 
Pioneers and Origin of Names. 767 
 
 piors through the rich valley. (See description of Crow 
 <!Ountry, page 406 to 409). 
 
 The name of the Medicine Bow Mountain is derived 
 irom the Indians. Tradition says that the northern tribes 
 repaired annually to the foot of this mountain for the pur- 
 pose of procuring a variety of ash timber from which they 
 made their bows. With the Indians, anything that is ex- 
 cellent for the purpose for which it is intended is called 
 Good Medicine, hence the locality was known as the place 
 where they could procure good medicine bows. Medicine 
 Bow Mountain and Medicine Bow River naturally followed. 
 
 The origin of the name Laramie as applied to the river 
 is fully explained in the opening chapter of the history of 
 Fort Laramie, page 296. The origin of the name Sweetwater 
 is discussed on page 122. The discovery of the Yellowstone 
 Eiver and the origin of the name will be found on page 39. 
 
 The Snake River gets its name from the Snake tribe of 
 Indians. These lived on its banks and their villages traveled 
 down the river to secure salmon, upon which they lived half 
 of the year, and up to the headwaters of this stream to cap- 
 ture buffalo and elk, which supplied the balance of their 
 sustenance, that is, the staple portion of it. Large quanti- 
 ties of roots which the Indians used as food grew in abund- 
 ance on the Snake River. The origin of the name of that 
 branch of Green River known as Horse Creek is given on 
 page 124. Captain W. F. Reynolds named Union Pass in 
 1859. (See pages 293-4.) 
 
 It is to be hoped that the Wyoming Legislature will 
 provide a State Board of Geographic Names, so as to change 
 Ihe names, authoritatively, of a large number of streams in 
 the State. There are half a dozen "Horse Creeks" to be 
 fOuud on the map, and twice that number of "Muddy 
 Creeks'' and there are "Sand Creeks" and "Dry Creeks" 
 and "Forks" without number. The repetition of names is 
 confusing and a board such as I have mentioned will have 
 the authority to select one creek for the original name and 
 «tipply new ones for the others. It needs no argument to 
 
7o8 History of Wyoming. 
 
 show the wisdom of this, and I trust that the next Legis- 
 lature vhich assembles will give the subject attention. A 
 new map of the state is a necessity, and these chauge& 
 should be made before it is issued. 
 
 The Chouteau trading post near Fort Laramie was only 
 one of many belonging to the Chouteau family. The elder 
 Chouteaus, Auguste and Pierre, two brothers, made a voy- 
 age from New Orleans up the Mississippi during the winter 
 of 1763-4 and established a trading post on the ground now 
 occupied by the City of St. Louis. They bought furs from 
 the Indians, sent out trappers and built up an immense fur 
 business which soon amounted to $300,000 per annum. The 
 sons of these men were their successors in the trade, and by 
 them posts were established on the Missouri, Kansas and 
 Platte Rivers. This remarkable family were the fathers of 
 the fur trade in the United States. They had in their em- 
 ploy a large number of Indians and half breeds, as well as 
 Spaniards, Frenchmen and Americans. Their operations 
 in Wyoming covered a period of about thirty years. They 
 were conservative business men, lacked the dash of Ashley 
 and the Sublettes, but they understood the methods neces- 
 sary to be employed in trading successfully with the Indi- 
 ans, and seldom experienced losses at their hands. They 
 left Wyoming when the fur bearing animals disappeared. 
 
 In July, 1851, Newsom's train from Illinois passed up 
 the North Platte and Sweetwater on the way to Oregon. 
 With this train was Luther C. Morrison, who is now a prom- 
 inent stockgrower of Natrona County. He is located on 
 South Caspar Creek, twenty miles from the City of Caspar. 
 Few men now living in Wyoming saw the country as early 
 as did Mr. Morrison. He had many experiences in Oregon, 
 then came back to make a permanent location along the 
 Overland Trail. He has been successful in the sheep busi- 
 ness and has taken a deep interest in the development of 
 irrigation. 
 
 Among the men to enter Wyoming, as a trapper and 
 hunter, in pioneer days, and who is still a resident of the 
 
Pioneers <md Origin of Nmnes. 709 
 
 State, was C. K. Bucknum. He trapped on the Yellowstone, 
 in Jackson's Hole, on the head of Snake and Green Rivera, 
 as well as other streams farther north. In the early seren- 
 ties, he became a guide and scout in the service of the arm/ 
 aad participated in a number of Indian campaigns. At 
 one time he served under General Miles and during this pe- 
 riod was an actor in many exciting events. Bucknum m 
 now a prominent business man of Caspar and is also a sheep 
 and wool grower. His experiences will be related in con- 
 nection with the Indian wars which occurred during the 
 Territorial days. These will be found in the second volume 
 of this series. 
 
 Brown Springs, thirty miles northwest of Douglass, gets 
 its name from an incident which happened there in the early 
 part of July, 1864. Captain Marshall of Company E, Elev- 
 enth Ohio Cavalry, left Fort Laramie in pursuit of a band 
 of Indians who had run off some stock belonging to emi- 
 grants. The hostiles were chased north of the Platte and they 
 were encountered near the spring spoken of. A flght ensued 
 and Lieutenant Brown was wounded with an arrow and fell 
 from his horse. This was in the evening and Brown was 
 supposed to have been killed. The next morning, the troops 
 being camped at the spring, a party was sent out to bring in 
 Lieutenant Brown's body, and much to their astonishment 
 they found him alive but dangerously wounded. They 
 brought him into camp, but he died during the day and was 
 buried at the spring. From that time until the present the 
 place has been known as Brown's Spring. 
 
 John Campbell, a nephew of Robert Campbell, was a 
 large freighter between the Missouri River and the moun- 
 tains from 1850 to 1863. With the assistance of his uncle he 
 was successful in getting contracts both from the govern- 
 ment and the traders in the Rocky Mountain country. He 
 was welJ known all along the Overland route and was popm- 
 lar as long as he remained in the country, which was from 
 1850 to 1863. 
 
 In connection with the Overland Trail and the histoiy 
 
yio History of Wyoming. 
 
 of army operations appears the name of J. K. Moore, the 
 present post trader at Fort Washakie. His business career 
 goes back to the days of the Overland stage and the troubles 
 with the Indians on the plains. He has been an active and 
 successful trader and has passed through many and varied 
 experiences. A personal sketch of this pioneer will be found 
 in the second volume of this series in connection with the 
 history of Port Washakie and the Indian wars of the sev- 
 enties. 
 
 Harvey Premo & Co., fur dealers in St. Louis, did a 
 large business on the North Platte in early days. They 
 bought furs both from the Indians and trappers and shipped 
 into the country a large amount of goods annually. They 
 went out of business in 1850, after following the trade for 
 more than forty years. These pioneer traders did business 
 with the Indians on Powder River, in the Lander Valley and 
 even as far west as Green River. 
 
 John Sublette, now living in Carbon County, is one of 
 the few living pioneers who came to Wyoming as early as 
 1860. He was born in Missouri in 1840 and at the age of 20 
 went to Fort liaramie and up to the time of the building 
 of the Union Pacific Railroad was with the army in a civil 
 capacity. He spent four years along the Platte west of 
 Port Laramie, during the time being employed as a govern- 
 ment scout in connection with the Eleventh Ohio Cavalry. 
 In 1864 he went to Fort Halleck. When the Union Pacific 
 was building, he took employment under Mark Coad, a wood 
 and tie contractor, and in later years became a contractor 
 who furnished coal mine timbers, and still follows the busi- 
 ness. Sublette was a son of Captain Andrew W. Sublette, 
 in the Missouri Mounted Volunteers, known as the Oregon 
 battalion, which organization afterwards came to Wyo- 
 ming. 
 
 The Teton Range derived its name from three lofty 
 peaks rising from it. These peaks are known to have been 
 named some time in the eighteenth century by French trap- 
 pers. In 1811, in the passage of Mr. Hunt and his party 
 
Pioneers and Origin of Names. 711 
 
 across the country, one of his guides pointed out these lofty 
 peaks and informed Mr. Hunt that they were on the head- 
 waters of the Columbia. The guide evidently did not know 
 or did not remember the name, and so Mr. Hunt christened 
 the three peaks Pilot Knobs. (See page 82-3 of this volume.) 
 Hon. N. P. Langford says that the French explorers named 
 these peaks Tetons because of their similarity in form, to 
 the female breast. 1 have made some investigation of the 
 origin of the name and have asked a number of savants, in- 
 cluding Mr. Langford, if the Teton tribe of Indians wergJn' 
 any way resposible for the naming of these mountain Jeaks, 
 but of course it is useless to pursue such investigations, as 
 no one at the present day is likely to know anything about it. 
 The Grand Tetons in their awful sublimity, have in the past 
 centuries stood silent sentinels watching the headwaters of 
 the "River of the West." They have cheered and encour- 
 aged the explorer as well as the trapper. While they have 
 watched and waited, numerous Indian tribes grew up about 
 them, flourished for a few centuries and passed away to 
 make room for the white race, which has chased the dark- 
 ness out of these mountain solitudes, and yet they still 
 stand guard, watching the development of civilization in 
 the mountains and valleys around them. See illustration, 
 page 88. wV-it(. \ s >+ ' ^ 
 
 The traditions among the Indian tribes are to the effect 
 that the bold warriors of many tribes have during the past 
 two centuries made attempts to ascend the Grand Teton, but 
 the feat was never accomplished by them. Michaud, the 
 French explorer, was the first white man to attempt to reach 
 the summit of this grand mountain peak. During the summer 
 of 1843 he, with a well-organized party ah3 with a complete 
 climbing outfit ascended to a point directly beneath the 
 summit, but here he encountered pei-pendicular rocks and 
 was unable to proceed further. This was a great disappoint- 
 ment to the explorer and he never ceased to regret his fail- 
 ure. Captain James Stevenson, a member of the lynited 
 States Geological survey, under Dr. F. V. Hayden, accom- 
 
712 History of Wyoming. 
 
 panied by N. P. Langford, climbed the peak in the summer 
 of 1872. It has been claimed that these explorers did not 
 peach the top, but Dr. Hayden, in his report for that year, 
 gives them the credit of having accomplished the feat, thus 
 establishing the official record of the event. Mr. Langford 
 wrote an interesting description of the ascent, which was 
 published in Scribner's Monthly for June, 1873. The article 
 was handsomely illustrated and the report of the climb was 
 a fine literary production. Thomas Cooper, now of Chey- 
 enne, was connected with Hayden's Geological Survey in 
 the seventies. In 1877 he was with Bechler's division and 
 by direction of Dr. Hayden made the attempt to climb this 
 peak. He was accompanied by Louis McKeene and Peter 
 Pollock, all three being good climbers. They went up to the 
 head of Fox Creek and reached the ampitheater and crossed 
 the snow a distance of five miles. From this point thejr 
 ♦limbed to the saddle and from there went around to the 
 north side of the peak and, after an hour's steady climbing, 
 peached the shoulder on which is located a stone enclosure 
 (mentioned in the narrative of Stevenson and Langford). 
 Just about this place they came to a solid, perpendicular 
 wall of granite, which barred their further progress, and 
 they were obliged to return without having accomplished 
 their object. 
 
 In 1891, W O. Owen made the attempt to climb this 
 peak, but was unsuccessful. In 1897 he made another at- 
 tempt and again failed. The present season, 1898, this in- 
 trepid explorer made his third attempt and succeeded in 
 reaching the summit. On the way up to the peak and alsc* 
 on the summit he procured a number of valuable phota- 
 graphs, and these will be used to illustrate an account of 
 this successful climb to be given in a future volume of this 
 work. Extracts from Langf ord's article will be given ; also 
 some of his illustrations. Owen gives the altitude of this 
 famous peak as 13,800 feet. Stevenson and Langford give 
 the height as 13,762 feet. 
 
 END OF VOLUME I.