USA > Colorado > History of Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming, 1540-1888 > Part 42
USA > Nevada > History of Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming, 1540-1888 > Part 42
USA > Wyoming > History of Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming, 1540-1888 > Part 42
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The message of Governor Gilpin to the legisla- ture contained much good advice, with many original ideas. He recommended a thorough organization by counties, townships, districts, and precincts, and advised a system of "social police" laws for the protection of property, enforcement of contract, tax- ation, roads, education, and charities; but particu- larly he desired them to recognize the importance of the judiciary and military departments of the govern- ment, which constituted "the bulwark of their liber- ties." Acting somewhat upon the suggestions made, and also on their own good sense, the first legislature of Colorado, as I have said, did some excellent work in establishing good government, both civil and mili- tary. Among their acts was a joint resolution ex- pressing sympathy with the government, and pledging support. Another resolution indorsed the acts of the governor which had reference to preserving the loyal attitude of the territory. Joint memorials asked for the establishment of a branch mint at Denver,27 for a mail route along the upper portion of the Platte river, from which the mail had been withdrawn by the opening of a cut-off, for a daily mail between Denver and Mountain City (Central City), which, it was alleged, distributed more mail than any office in the territory. An act was passed increasing the rep-
27 The amount of gold coined at the U. S. mint from Colorado mines in 1859 was $622,000; in 1860 it was $2,091,000. Large amounts were in cir- culation without coinage, and a certain amount was used in manufactures. On this showing the Coloradans thought themselves entitled to a mint. Colo Gen. Laws, 1861, 513.
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resentation in the legislative body to thirteen council- men and twenty-six representatives, the whole num- ber allowed by the organic act, and congress was asked to increase the per diem from three to six dollars, which it did not do until 1867. By the act increas- ing the membership, it was provided that these addi- tional legislators should be chosen at the general elec- tion in December 1861, and another session of the legislature held, commencing on the first Monday in June 1862, but that thereafter the territorial legisla- ture should meet on the first Monday in February of each year. The adjournment took place on the 8th of November.2
Meanwhile Governor Gilpin, relying upon the in- formal permission given him to do whatever he thought right and proper for the good of Colorado and the preservation of the government, had ex- ceeded the powers ordinarily invested in a territorial executive. Believing that the exigencies of the times required the raising of a regiment, he proceeded to raise and send it into the field.29
28 The additional councilmen elected for the 2d session were H. R. Hunt, William A. H. Loveland, N. J. Bond. J. B. Woodson, and Henry Altman. The additional representatives were Joseph Kenyon, D. C. Oakes, C. G. Hans- come, William M. Slaughter, H. B. Hayes, J. W. Hamilton, Wilbur F. Stone, John Fosher, M. S. Beach, José Raphael Martine, José Francisco Gallejos, and D. Powell. Of the council E. A. Arnold was president, S. L. Baker chief clerk, D. A. Cheever asst clerk, E. W. Kingsbury sergeant-at-arms. Of the house, Charles F. Holly was speaker, P. H. Page chief clerk, E. P. Elmer sergeant-at-arms. Corbett, Legis. Manual, 212-14.
29 Owing to the presence in the territory of a large number of southern men, he felt the importance of avoiding a conflict, and the necessity of pro- ceeding secretly to the accomplishment of his purpose in order not to pro- voke opposition from those who, while not openly disloyal, had confederate proclivities. Two infantry companies were firstraised, of picked men, armed with weapons quietly purchased wherever they could be found. Lead was obtained from a Colorado mine, and three loads of gunpowder from Topeka, through the friendship of John Burke. Having now the nucleus of a regi- ment, a call was made for eight more companies, which were rapidly formed, and promptly furnished by the governor, who paid the Denver merchant; for supplies by drafts on the treasury, which he had authority for drawing in the fully given word of the president and secretary of war. But that it was a fortunate forecast in the executive became apparent when it was dis- covered, after the call had been made, that the disloyal part of the popula- tion was proceeding with equal caution to gather a force to plunder the banks and business houses of Denver and escape into Texas, there to join the con- federate army. At the head of this conspiracy was McKee, a Texan ranger. He was arrested with about forty of his followers, and confined in jail. The
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southerners had their rendezvous about forty miles from Cherry creek, near Russellville, where the first Colorado infantry was sent to capture the remainder. Some prisoners were taken, but about one hundred escaped and went into camp near Fort Wise, on the Arkansas river, where they captured a government train, but were overtaken and forty-one brought back to Den- ver, where they were a source of infinite vexation, nobody knowing what to do with them, while they had to be guarded and fed at considerable expense.
The Ist Colorado regiment was composed of good material in the main. The regiment was organized as follows: J. P. Slough colonel, S. F. Tappan lieut-col, J. M. Chivington major; captains, E. W. Wynkoop, S. M. Logan, Richard Sopris, Jacob Downing, S. J. Anthony, S. H. Cook, J. W. Hamble- ton, George L. Sanborn, Charles Malie, C. P. Marion. It was presented with a handsome silk flag by the women of Denver. Rocky Mountain News, Aug. 21, 1861. But it contained a certain proportion of undisciplined, strong, and restless men, who had volunteered in the hope of being called upon to go to the front. Their presence in Colorado at this time was a standing menace to confederate sympathizers; but it was not the kind of service which they desired; enforced idleness soon bred a mutinous spirit, and discipline became difficult to maintain, the presence of the regiment in Denver requiring an extra police force to preserve the property of citizens from the nightly prowl- ing of squads of mischievous or drunken soldiers. In November they were removed to Camp Weld, two miles from Denver, where they continued to fret at their bondage and threaten desertion. Two companies were sent to Fort Wise, afterward Fort Lyon, where they were no better pleased. This post, which was in part Bent's new fort, was built by Sedgwick's command of 350 U. S. troops in the winter of 1860-1, after a summer campaign among the Indians. The quarters were of stone laid up in mud, with dirt roofs and floors. Bent's portion was used as a commissary. The post was commanded by Lieut Warner, of the regular army, who regarded the manners of the volunteers with great disfavor, a view which was entirely reciprocated.
In Feb. Major-general Hunter, in command of the department at Fort Leavenworth, yielded to the represeutations of the officers of the Colorado Ist, that unless the men were put into the field they would desert in the spring. Chivington says that it was his influence that procured the change. First Colorado Regiment, MS., 3-4. An occasion was opportunely furnished of making them useful by the advance on New Mexico of 4,000 Texan troops, under Gen. H. H. Sibley, and permission was granted Slough to take his reg- iment south to the relief of the threatened territory. On arriving at Fort Wise orders were received to hasten to the assistance of Gen. Canby, who was being overpowered, the Texans having taken forts Bliss and Fillmore, fought Canby at Valverde, and driven him back to Fort Craig. They were preparing to march on Fort Union, the principal depot of supplies in New Mexico. The Colo troops hastened forward through the Raton pass, and after a brief rest made a forced march of 64 miles in 24 hours the baggage being left at Red river, and the wagons used to relieve the men in squads to prevent their giving out. By great exertion the regiment reached Fort Union on the 13th, where were 400 men, under Col Paul of New Mexico. There were at this time two independent Colorado companies in New Mexico, which had been formed by the governor's permission in the southern coun- ties, and sent to Fort Garland. The captains were James H. Ford and Theo- dore H. Dodd, a nephew of Gov. Todd of Ohio. These two companies became the nucleus of the 2d Colorado regiment.
The day following the arrival of Slough at Fort Union news was received from Canby of the capture of a large train of supplies, and that Sibley was at Santa Fé with recruits pouring in. Upon this information the Coloradans determined to march on Santa Fé. On the 22d the army set out, consisting of the Ist Colorado, two light batteries, one of the independent companies under Capt. Ford, and two companies of the 5th infantry, in all about 1,300 men, commanded by Col Slough. One company was mounted for scouting
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purposes, and divided into detachments, under captains Howland of the regular army and Ford. On the night of the 24th the scouts captured a picket guard, and learned that a force of 800 Texans were advancing on Santa Fé. Preparations were at once made to intercept them. Maj. Chiv- ington was ordered to make a night march from Bernal springs, to encamp by day, and to march again by night to Santa Fé, spike the enemy's guns, and do as much as possible to cripple him. All the mounted men in the command, and two companies of foot troops, were detailed, amounting to 400 men. On the first night out, at the Pecos river, Lieut-col Tappan sur- prised and captured a party of confederate scouts, who were sent to Slough's camp. Chivington continued his march by daylight (there was not a man in the regiment, from the col down, who knew how to obey oders), and met the advanced guard of the enemy a little after noon, which surrendered.
He was now in the Apache cañon, a pass of the mountains ten miles long, between hills from 1,000 to 2,000 feet high, and proceeding at a leisurely pace, when the picket came running back, informing Chivington that he was confronted with a column of double his strength and furnished with artillery, while his batteries were with Slough in the rear. Cannonading was begun, and Chivington deployed his foot as skirmishers on the sides of the moun- tains out of range of the battery, and held the horse, under Captain How- land of the regular army, as a reserve, under cover, with orders to charge when they saw the enemy in retreat. But when he did retreat Howland failed to charge. His troops parted either way and filed to the rear in con- fusion. Fortunately for the fame of the 1st Colorado he was not of it. Another troop under Cook awaited orders with the shells whistling and screaming over them. The skirmishers soon made the position of the Texans in the road untenable, and they retired to a better one a mile below, conceal- ing their infantry in the rocks, and posting their howitzers to command the road. Chivington followed cautiously until within an eighth of a mile of the battery, when he halted to get the infantry and horse together, except Cook's, deploying them right and left to outflank the new confederate position. In these movements Chivington, who had hitherto been a man of peace, a methodist preacher in fact, behaved well. He was a native of Ohio, born in 1821, migrated to Ill. in 1848, where he entered the conference of the M. E. church, being transferred to the Mo. conference, and in 1855 to Omaha, Neb. While in Mo. he was a missionary to the Wyandottes. In 1860 he came to Denver as presiding elder of the Rocky mountain district. Of a com- manding presence, and in full regimental dress, he was a conspicuous figure as he galloped through the rain of bullets. Further retreat of the Texans was the signal to Cook, who came forward with his 99 horsemen. The road was unfavorable for cavalry, but the charge was successful, resulting in a large number of killed, wounded, and prisoners. On the other hand, the Texans fought bravely and inflicted severe injury. A storm of lead poured down on the enemy from their infantry, but the Colorado regiment was posted above them, and soon drove them down the hillside into the road and to flight. The loss in the battle of Apache canon was five killed, thirteen wounded, and three missing on the union side. The Texans had sixteen killed, forty wounded, and seventy-five taken prisoners. At sunset Chivington fell back to Pigeon rancho-Pigeon being the name given to a Frenchman named Vallé who owned it-where the wounded were attended to and the dead buried. The prisoners, including seven commissioned officers, were sent to Fort Union under guard of Ford's company of dragoons, and the command fell back to a former camp at Coslasky's for water.
On the 28th, two days after the battle, Col Slough came up with the reserve from Bernal springs, and Chivington was again sent forward across the mountain, with six companies of infantry, to harass the enemy's rear, and a company of dragoons was ordered to scout toward Galisteo. The remainder of the 1st regiment, two batteries, and two small companies of regular cav- alry, numbering altogether 600, also moved forward on the road to Santa Fé, not doubting that their passage would be disputed. While halting at
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Pigeon's rancho the pickets came in with the information that the Texans. were advancing in force, less than half a mile away. Quickly the bugles sounded, the men fell in line, and had gone but a few hundred yards when. the firing began.
Had the Texans been aware how greatly they outnumbered the union troops, instead of defeat, they would have prevailed. As it was, after a day's fighting, they called for time to bury their dead. The following day they asked to have the armistice extended to 36 hours. At this moment an order arrived from Canby to stop fighting, and return to Fort Union. The Coloradans were astounded. Canby had so far been driven by the enemy. The loss on the Texan side, in the two battles, was 281 killed, 200 wounded, and 100 prisoners, a total of 581. On the union side 49 were killed, 64 wounded, and 21 captured, a total of 134. Col Slough, on returning to Fort Union, tendered his resignation, being offended, it was said, by Canby's order. The troops were allowed three day's of rest, when information came that Canby had left Fort Craig on the 1st of April, and was having a running fight on the Rio Grande with Sibley's army in retreat to Texas. Orders to march south to divert the enemy's attention, or assist in driving him out of the country were received. On the 6th, the regiment, now commanded by Tap- pan, set out again on the same road it had lately marched over. Canby and Col Paul were found at a small village at the head of Carnuel pass, endeav- oring to make a junction with Slough, while the Texans were at Albuquerque, whither they had fallen back on a feint from Canby looking like an attack. Slough's resignation being accepted, Canby promoted Chivington to the col- onelcy over Tappan, who waived his rank in Chivington's favor, and Gilpin approved. On the 14th of April the united commands moved down the pass, and the Rio Grande valley to a point eighteen miles below Albuquerque, and one mile from Peralta, where Sibley was encamped, the Texan army in igno- rance of the approach of Canby. Chivington desired the privilege of attack- ing with the Colorado regiment alone, but was restrained by his superior. The Colorado troops reposed on their arms, in the hope of being called to surprise the confederates, but no such order came. The bugles sounded on the morning of the 15th, within hearing of Sibley's brass band, and the now superior union forces proceeded openly to the conflict. The battle began in' the morning by the capture of a train coming from Albuquerque. After breakfast Peralta was attacked; but Canby having to fight in the open field, while Sibley was sheltered by the walls of the town, the fighting was of the mildest ever seen. At two o'clock a high wind having arisen, and the air being filled with sand, Canby withdrew to camp. That afternoon and night Sibley crossed the river, and proceeded down on the west side.
Much dissatisfaction was felt by the Colorado troops concerning the gen- eral's failure to attack Peralta. On the 16th, Canby entered Peralta, and marched leisurely down the river on a line parallel with Sibley, but unable to cross until the 20th, at Limitar, when it was learned that the Texans had buried their artillery except two pieces, burned their wagons, and were going through the mountains by Cook springs to Mesilla. Canby then proceeded to Fort Craig, Chivington going into camp at Valverde, a battle-field where a company of the 2d Colorado, before mentioned as being in New Mexico with Canby, had distinguished itself for bravery, losing forty per cent of its number in a vain effort to save the lost battle of the 21st of February. Here the Ist regiment remained inactive until August, waiting for orders and pay, after which it was sent to Fort Union. In July Chivington obtained leave to proceed to Washington, to endeavor to have his regiment transferred to a field of active service, and Col Howe of the 3d U. S. cavalry was placed temporarily in command. He succeeded in securing an order converting the regiment into the Ist Colorado cavalry, with headquarters at Denver. In midwinter it was concentrated at Colorado City, mounted, when it proceeded to Denver, and was received with enthusiasm by the citizens.
The history of the 2d Colorado regiment has less connection with the political history of the state. The first two companies were recruited under
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the order of Gilpin. They were marched to Fort Garland, and mustered into the service of the U. S. in Dec. 1862. They experienced great hardships in crossing mountains to New Mexico, not to mention the fighting at the battle of Valverde. In Feb. 1862 Col J. H. Leavenworth was authorized by the secretary of war to raise six companies of volunteer infantry in Colorado, which with these two, and two others of a later organization, were to consti- tute the 2d Colorado regiment. T. H. Dodd was appointed lieut-col. The captains of the new companies were J. Nelson Smith, L. D. Rowell, Reuben Howard, George West, E. D. Boyd, and S. W. Wagoner. In Aug. the regi- ment was ordered to Fort Lyon, where it remained until April 1863, when six companies were marched to Fort Leavenworth. In June Leavenworth was placed in command of all the troops on the Santa Fé road, with headquart- ers at Fort Larned. The Indians and the confederates together gave him plenty of employment. On the 2d of July occurred the battle of Cabin creek, with a loss to the enemy of about forty killed and wounded. On the 16th they were joined at Fort Gibson by Gen. Blunt commanding the district of Colorado and western Kansas, and their united force numbering 1,400 met the confederate force of 6,000, under Gen. Cooper, at Honey springs, attacked it and in a battle of two hours routed it, with a loss of 400 killed, wounded, and missing. To prevent his stores falling into Blunt's hands, Cooper burned them. The loss on the union side in this engagement was 14 killed and 30 wounded. From July to October, Leavenworth was in com- mand at Fort Larned. In the latter month he was dismissed the service on account of having enlisted a company, without authority, to act as artil- lerymen, but the order was subsequently revoked and his record cleared. Dodd succeeded him in command of the reg. During the same month the 2d and 3d Colorado inf. reg. were consolidated into the 2d Colorado volunteer cav. All detachments were ordered to Missouri, and thence sent east. Ford, who had been major of the 2d inf. was promoted to the command of the 2d cav., Dodd being lieut-col. Curtis, Smith, and Pritchard were made majors of three battalions. Ford was appointed to command subdistrict No. 4 of central Mo., with the Colorado vol. cav., the Mo. militia, and a reg. of inf. The reg. consisted of twelve companies, and numbered 1,240 men. It remained in service until 1865, fighting guerrillas chiefly, but taking an energetic part in the destruction of Price's army. In Dec. the regiment was concentrated at Fort Riley, refitted, and put on a footing as winter scouts to protect the road as far west as Fort Lyon. The following spring Ford was promoted to be a brig. gen. by brevet, and took command of the district. In April, May and June 1865, a force of 5,500 men, and two batteries was distributed in this district, prepared for a summer campaign against the Indians south of the Arkansas river. When everything was ready the interior department interfered, and arrested the movement. Irritated at this policy, Ford resigned, and General Sanborn took the command. Again, as he made ready to chastise the hostile Indians, the campaign was broken up by the same interference. In Sept. the reg. was mustered out at Fort Leaven- worth. It had done faithful servicc, and lost about 70 men killed and many more wounded.
The 3d Colorado volunteer infantry was raised in 1862 by Gov. Evans. By the Ist of Feb. 1863, the first battalion was mustered in, Curtis com- manding. James H. Ford was made colonel, and James L. Pritchard major. The captains were R. R. Harbour, E. W. Kingsbury, E. P. Elmer, G. W. Morton, Thomas Moses, Jr. In March they set out for the States via the Platte route, reaching Fort Leavenworth on the 23d of April. They shared the hardships of border warfare with the 2d regiment, to which they were finally joined.
Besides the presence of confederate sympathizers, the territory was visited in the summer of 1863 by a small band of Mexican guerrilas, who spread terror through the South park by emulating the sanguinary deeds of the traditional Mexican banditti. The bloody Espinosas they were called. Much mystery surrounded their actions and their motives, since it was not for
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gain that they committed their crimes. They are supposed to have been out- laws from Chihuahua, and that they were brothers or cousins. One was a large, iron-framed man, with a villainous countenance, the second a smaller man, with nothing marked in his appearance. There was also a third, a mere boy. On their journey to Colorado they killed a merchant of Santa Fé, and a soldier at Conejos. During three weeks in the vicinity of Canon City they killed 9 men, William Bruce of Hardscrabble creek being the first victim; then Harkins on Fontaine creek; and Alderman at his farm, on the road from Colorado City to South park. Then fell Shoup, a brother of George L. Shoup, Binckley, Carter, Lehman, and others. A company was raised in Califor- nia gulch, by John McCannon, which followed and traced them to a camp on the head waters of Oil creek .. in El Paso co., where the larger man was killed by Joseph Lamb. The other Espinosa escaped to New Mexico. He wrote a letter in Spanish to Gov. Evans, stating that he had killed 22 men, and for that reason demanded the restitution of his property captured by the volun- teers. He was finally killed, together with a nephew, by Tom Tobins of Costilla co. Hollister's Miners of Colorado, 302-3; Brickley and Hartwell South- ern Colo, 29-30; Baskin's Arkansas Vol. Hist., 575-6; Fowler's Woman's Experience, MS., 1-2; Hill's Tales of Colorado Pioneers, 290-2; Overland Monthly, v. 526; Folsom Telegraph, Oct. 28, 1871; El Paso County, etc., MS., 30-40. In the spring of 1864 James Reynolds, a pioneer of Colorado, turned guerilla, and picking up a company of 22 confederate deserters in Texas invaded Colorado. On the way they captured a train, which furnished them ample subsistence, arms, and ammunition, $5,000 in drafts, and a larger sum in money. They quarreled over the spoils, and separated, 13 turning back. The other half secreted their plunder, and proceeded to the South park, the former home of Reynolds, capturing a stage coach going from Buckskin Joe to Denver, and robbing the mail. They continued to infest the road for a few days longer, seeming to invite observation, as if they gloried in their valiant deeds of theft and outrage. But they were soon pursued by parties of citizens, and finally overtaken by a squad of volunteers from the mines in Summit co., under Jack Sparks on the north fork of the Platte. Reynolds was wounded and one man killed, named Singleterry. In the flight of the band, one Holliman was captured, who turned state's evidence. Five others were caught by parties lying in waiting on the Cañon City road. They were brought before a military commission, and ordered to Fort Lyon, but attempting to escape, were fired on and all killed.
CHAPTER VI.
POLITICAL AFFAIRS.
1861-1886
GILPIN'S HEROIC SUCCESSES-SUPERSEDED BY JOHN EVANS-WELD AND ELBERT-LEGISLATIVE ACTION-COINAGE-BENNETT-FAILURE TO Es- TABLISH STATE GOVERNMENT-FURTHER EFFORTS AND FINAL SUCCESS -CURRENT TERRITORIAL AFFAIRS-ORGANIC LAW-GOVERNOR CUM- MINGS-BRADFORD-CHILCOTT-HUNT, MCCOOK, AND ELBERT-GOV- ERNOR ROUTT-CHAFFEE-POSTAL ROUTES-PATTERSON, BOONE, AND BROMWELL-THE JUDICIARY-POLITICS UNDER STATE ORGANIZATION -TELLER-POPULATION AND LANDS-GOVERNORS PITKIN, GRANT, AND EATON-SENATORS HILL AND BOWEN.
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