USA > Colorado > History of the State of Colorado, Vol. I > Part 39
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On the date last mentioned, the Arapahoe and Cheyenne Indians, with whom and the Kiowas and the Comanches a treaty had been nego- tiated by the peace commissioners in the fall of 1867 at Medicine Lodge, seventy miles south of Fort Larned, whereby their lands between the Arkansas and Platte had been relinquished, the Indians being required to locate on reservations provided for them in Indian Territory, began a general assault upon the borders of Colorado. While the chiefs signed the treaty, the young braves almost unanimously repudiated the act, refusing to be bound by its provisions. The discontent grew hot and bitter, until in the spring of 1868 a general uprising was threatened. General Sheridan took command of the department in March, 1868. The Indians were concentrated about Fort Dodge, uneasy and clamo- rous for the arms and ammunition, clothing, etc., etc., that had been
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promised by the peace commission. Various means were employed to keep them quiet, but finding that nothing else would satisfy their demands, the arms were issued. In July the encampment about Dodge broke up, and the Indians disappeared, being next heard of on the war path raiding the settlements of Western Kansas. Bill Comstock (Wild Bill), who with a companion named Grover had been sent out as media- tors to the Indians, was killed, and Grover severely wounded. Then ensued a series of attacks on the Smoky Hill stage route, and in a short time the war became general, the savages having about six thousand warriors in the field. Sheridan transferred his headquarters to Fort Hays, then the terminus of the Kansas Pacific or Eastern Division rail- road. All the available forces at his command, consisting of about twelve hundred mounted men and fourteen hundred infantry were widely scattered, and much time was consumed in concentrating them for active movement. He decided, therefore, upon a winter campaign to strike the hostiles in their encampments, and employed Buffalo Bill (W. F. Cody), to discover their principal haunts. Being driven southward into our Territory, the Cheyennes and Arapahoes, well armed, clothed, mounted and furnished with letters from the peace commission certifying their friendly character with complete absolution for past offences, came down en masse, and striking the settled borders of Colorado separated into detachments, distributing themselves along the line from about Fort Wallace to Colorado City. Being extremely affable at the outset, giving no offense until they had fully insinuated themselves into the confidence of the people, they penetrated to every hamlet and ranch where fine horses and other stock were kept, taking careful inventory of the same for future use.
On my return from the mountains on the 23d of August, having left the Colfax party near the head of Turkey Creek Canon, the tele- graph wires began to pour in appeals for assistance, the dispatches stat- ing that the Indians had attacked, evidently at a preconcerted signal, all along the border, and were burning ranches, killing people and driving off stock. The death of Comstock was announced ; also that a number
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of men had been slain, scalped and mutilated at various other points, settlers' cabins robbed and destroyed, and their occupants horribly mas- sacred. On the Bijou several were killed and their stock and other movable property appropriated. A veritable reign of terror had been inaugurated by these very friendly savages. Messengers came thick and fast from the frontier, while the wires and mails were burdened with sup- plications for aid. The savages had made a clean sweep of the Kiowa and Bijou. A large band of Arapahoes swarmed about Colorado City, taking everything they could find that could be moved and of use to them. A man named Teachout lost a large herd of valuable horses, about one hundred and twenty, as near as I can recall the circumstance.
Being advised that this band had gone to the South Park via Ute Pass, on a foray against their hereditary enemies the Utes, and fearing that the Colfax tourists might be discovered and attacked, I dispatched a runner named Bonser who had lived some time among these Indians to warn them, giving him letters to Governor Hunt, stating the material points of the outbreak, and my apprehension that the Arapahoes were on their trail. The messenger overtook the party in camp near the western boundary of the park, and delivered his dispatches, but to achieve some personal glory for himself, fabricated an account of his having encountered the hostiles en route, and been fired upon by them, but that he escaped without further harm than a bullet hole through his saddle, which he exhibited, though it turned out that he had not seen an Indian on the way, but had found a bottle of whisky, the most of which had entered his person, and was then taking effect. A party of Utes being near at hand was sent for, and informed of the expected attack from the Arapahoes. They immediately offered to attend the party and protect them from all harm, which escort was gladly accepted.
The Arapahoes soon after entering the park, surprised a small encampment of Utes, and took several scalps. Satisfied with this result they returned to Colorado City. Meanwhile I had put forth every endeavor for relief. Utterly without troops, the territorial treasury empty, shorn of power to call out the militia because of the frequency of
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previous demands and the unsatisfactory issues attending the same, with only a few arms and no ammunition at all in the city arsenal, there seemed no way out of the difficulty unless General Sheridan could send Federal troops to our assistance. This officer had reported to General Sherman that the Indians had broken loose again in Western Kansas, and the outrages committed by them were too horrible for description. Orders were immediately sent him to pursue the savages and drive them from that part of the country, but Sheridan's force was small and so widely scattered it was impossible for him to go into the field with an adequate number of men until they could be concentrated and moved, upon a well digested plan of campaign.
On the evening of the 28th of August, a wagon was driven into the city bearing the mutilated remains of Mrs. Henrietta Dieterman and her boy about five years of age, who had been killed the day before by Indians on Comanche Creek. The boy had been shot several times and his neck broken. The mother had been shot through the body, her person violated, stabbed and scalped. This was one of the most horrible spectacles I ever witnessed. The remains were exhibited to the public, exciting fierce indignation.
The streets of Denver were filled with people crying for vengeance upon the inhuman monsters. At the corner of Fifteenth and Larimer streets a dense mass had congregated, and was addressed by General Sam. E. Brown, in a spirit born of the occa- sion, intemperate and well calculated to inflame the worst passions of the multitude it is true, yet in some degree warranted by the frightful scene just witnessed, and the prevalent alarm. In the meantime I was at the Western Union Telegraph office endeavoring to discover the where- abouts of Generals Sherman and Sheridan, and when found commun- icating the facts, with appeals for help. On reaching the assemblage on Larimer street, I was seized by two or three men, lifted into an express wagon standing in the center which had been used as a rostrum by Gen- eral Brown, and invited to explain, first what had been done, and secondly how the conflict could be met. After stating my efforts to secure aid from the military authorities but without any immediate pros-
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pect of receiving it, volunteers to the number of fifty resolute men who were willing to proceed at once to the field, were called for. A gen- eral response succeeding, the crowd, by request, adjourned to my office in the Tappan block, where a few minutes later the requisite number had been enrolled and placed under command of Major Jacob Downing, a commander of large experience, and of unquestioned courage. The next difficulty was to provide horses, equipments and transportation, for it was then midnight. Mr. John Hughes fortunately supplied the horses from a large herd owned by him, and located near the city limits. Men were sent out to bring them in. Messrs. Gallup and Gallatin fur- nished the saddles and bridles, and the larger merchants the commissary stores. In the territorial armory there were sufficient carbines for the men, which, though long out of date, would answer for the emergency. Mr. Rufus Clark, then widely known as "Potato Clark" agreed to furnish the transportation. After straggling about in the dark for some time the horses were corraled, the saddles and bridles fitted to them as rapidly as possible, and at three o clock in the morning Major Downing moved out of the city in the direction of the Bijou. M. H. Slater had been chosen First Lieutenant and George Bancroft Second Lieutenant. Though the command failed to discover or punish the Indians, its pres- ence relieved the settlers from present apprehension, and that was about the extent of it.
Meanwhile General Sheridan had telegraphed me to call on Forts Reynolds, Hays or Wallace for troops, but it was found that neither post could furnish them. I asked General Sherman for one thousand rifles with accoutrements and munitions, and he ordered them sent from Fort Leavenworth. As it would take about thirty days to get them here, and the necessity for immediate action being urgent, I called for volunteers to carry a message to the officer in command at Fort Wallace, that being the only post on the frontier from which assistance could be hoped for. Theron W. Johnson and a companion whose name I have forgotten, were selected for this rather perilous enterprise. They were compelled to run the gauntlet of the Indians on the border, and great
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courage, tempered by wise judgment, was required to render the mission successful. Mounted on swift horses they left Denver at night, and while in the Indian country secreted themselves by day, traveling only in the dark hours. They reached Fort Wallace in due time and delivered my dispatches to the officer in charge. It was found that he was nearly or quite as helpless as the commandants at Reynolds and Hays. At length Col. George A. Forsythe, who was present, said he had about fifty scouts, with which force, though small, he thought he could pene- trate the lines and get through to the Colorado border. Receiving per- mission from Colonel Bankhead, he moved out of the post, proceeding in the direction of the Republican River. Capt. Graham with about the same number left almost simultaneously for Kiowa and the head of the Beaver, the two commands arranging to unite in the Bijou and co-operate with such forces as I might have in the field. Graham encountered a large force of Indians, who captured some of his horses. Forsythe left Fort Wallace on the 10th of September with forty-seven men, carrying ten days' rations, and headed north, following the Indian trail. While encamped on the Arickaree branch of the Republican a small band of Indians made a sudden rush for his horses, but were driven off to the main body, about seven hundred strong, near at hand. The whole mass of savages then attacked Forsythe, who, finding himself about to be overpowered, retreated to a small island in the Arickaree, where the Indians immediately surrounded him. The devoted little band dug rifle pits, from which they met and repelled a number of furious charges, but the Indians succeeded in killing all their animals, and finding they could not dislodge the soldiers, laid siege to their defenses.
While encouraging and directing his men, Forsythe was severely wounded, and soon after his lieutenant, Beecher, was killed. The surgeon, Dr. Mooers, while dressing Forsythe's wound, was himself shot and mortally wounded. Twenty-one out of the forty-seven scouts were killed, yet the survivors continued the fight, resolved to perish to the last man rather than surrender. Thus they fought off their assailants
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for three days, when the Indians began to withdraw. Meanwhile, two intrepid volunteers crawled by night through the lines of the besiegers and made their way to Fort Wallace, whence Col. Bankhead proceeded with such men as he could muster to Forsythe's relief. Sheridan telegraphed me of the ordered movements of several columns of troops which had been hastily organized and pushed to the scene of disturbance. Fifteen companies were then marching toward the Colorado border. General Sully's command was still south of the Arkansas, but he had met the Indians, killed seventeen, and wounded a large number. His dispatch concluded in these words: "I am exceedingly sorry to have been unable to relieve the distress on your frontier, but the fact of the case is I have my hands full."
In Larimer county, on the 24th of August, a small band stam- peded the herd of Mr. John Brush, driving off all the horses, twenty- four in number, and killing four head of cattle. Some of them dashed upon William Brush and two of his men, killing all of them. Each was shot three times, and, in addition, tomahawked and scalped. Horses were stolen from other residents in the neighborhood. About dusk on the 27th a party of sixty-four settlers, under the lead of Mr. D. B. Bailey, started in pursuit of the marauders, coming up with them at sunrise on the morning of the 28th within ten miles of a small settlement called Latham. The Indians discovering them, hastily mounted and began circling around them after their usual form of attack, but were soon driven off, retreating toward the Kiowa.
On the 4th of September the Governor and the Colfax party returned from the mountains, under the escort of a band of Ute Indians. The next day a council was held in the Secretary's office, where the Indian outbreak was fully canvassed. Mr. Colfax was asked to lend his powerful influence toward securing military aid, whereupon he telegraphed General Schofield, Secretary of War, an epitome of the condition of affairs on this frontier and requested him to send a strong force of cavalry with orders to use it for the pro- tection of isolated settlers. Copies were sent to Sherman and Sher-
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idan, but the latter had already ordered such troops as were immedi- ately available to the points most seriously endangered. In due time peace was restored by driving the Indians out of the country, and keeping up the pursuit until they could fight no longer, ending with Custer's terrible decimation of the Cheyennes under Black Kettle on the Washita.
On the 29th of October Capt. D. I. Eziekel of the Thirty-eighth U. S. infantry, and Lieut. Whitten of the Fifth infantry, arrived in Denver with a train of guns and ammunition which had been sent by order of General Schofield, for use in arming the citizens. They had nineteen wagons and a guard of thirty men.
As a fitting close to this chapter, the following brief resumé of General Sheridan's report of Custer's attack, which wound up the power of the Cheyennes, is given, since it is really the sequel to the battle of Sand Creek and the events just narrated. He says, "On the 23d of November, 1868, I ordered Custer to proceed with eleven com- panies of his regiment, the Seventh cavalry, in a southerly direction toward Antelope Hills, in search of hostile Indians. On the 26th he struck the trail of a war party of Black Kettle's band returning from the north, near where the eastern line of the Panhandle of Texas crosses the main Canadian. He at once corraled his wagons and followed in pursuit over to the head waters of the Washita, and thence down that stream, and on the morning of the 27th surprised the camp of Black Kettle, and, after a desperate fight, in which Black Kettle was assisted by the Arapahoes under Little Raven, and the Kiowas under Satanta, captured the entire camp, killing the chief, Black Kettle, and one hundred and two warriors whose bodies were left on the field. All their stock, ammunition, arms, lodges, robes and fifty- three women and children were taken. Our loss was Major Elliott, Capt. Hamilton, and nineteen enlisted men killed, and three officers and eleven enlisted men wounded. Little Raven's band of Arapahoes and Satanta's band of Kiowas were encamped six miles below Black Kettle's camp.
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" The highest credit is due to Gen. Custer and his command. They started in a furious snow storm and traveled all the while in snow about twelve inches deep. The families of Black Kettle and Little Raven were among the prisoners. If we can get one or two more good blows there will be no more Indian troubles in my department. One white woman and a boy ten years old were brutally murdered by the Indians when the attack commenced."
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CHAPTER XXVII
1868-1871-ARRIVAL OF ROSCOE CONKLING, PROFESSOR AGASSIZ, SECRETARY WM. H. SEWARD, GENERAL J. M. SCHOFIELD, AND OTHER DISTINGUISHED MEN-AGASSIZ'S OPINION OF COLORADO-RESIGNATION OF SENATORS EVANS AND CHAFFEE-GAS WORKS ESTABLISHED-ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRADE-PROGRESS OF THE COLORADO CENTRAL-ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH SMELTING WORKS-GOV- ERNOR HUNT SUPERSEDED BY GEN. M'COOK - HAYDEN'S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY THE ROBBING OF ORSON BROOKS-PURSUIT AND CAPTURE OF THE OUTLAWS- FRANKLIN KILLED, DOUGAN LYNCHED-A GHASTLY SPECTER BY MOONLIGHT- THE LYNCHING OF MUSGROVE BY DENVER VIGILANTES-DEVELOPMENT OF BOULDER, CLEAR CREEK, PUEBLO AND CANON CITY -FOUNDING OF IRON WORKS- THE AUTHOR DINES WITH ANSON RUDD-PIONEER COURTS-DEALINGS WITH THIEVES -AUNT CLARA BROWN-CHRISTENING THE GARDEN OF THE GODS-TRADITIONS OF MANITOU.
On the 6th of September, 1868, Honorables Roscoe Conkling and Samuel Hooper, a member of Congress from Boston, Professor Louis Agassiz of Cambridge, General W. B. Hazen and Gen. Wm. J. Palmer, escorted by General Sherman and staff with a detachment of troops, arrived in Denver and were quartered at the Planter's House. The eminent geologist, Prof. Agassiz, visited the mountains, proceeding along the valley of Clear Creek, and was reported to have said that he found this region to be one of the most interesting geological studies that he had ever witnessed, and that as soon as his present labors were concluded, he intended to revisit Colorado and make an extended exam- ination of the plains and mountains. Unhappily for us and for science, his life was terminated before the labors in which he had long been engaged were concluded.
On the 25th of the same month, Senators elect Evans and Chaffee
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published a card, resigning their positions under the State organization to enable the people to take up the main question free from all personal considerations. The bill to admit the State of Colorado under certain conditions, was then pending before Congress. If the people should express a desire for the State in unmistakable terms, the bill would probably become a law at the next ensuing session. They pledged themselves to co-operate with the people in any way that might be deemed expedient. As no action was taken, the matter rested without further agitation for a term of seven years.
Col. Heine, who accompanied Commissioner Whitney from the Paris Exposition as previously mentioned, returned here in the fall of 1868, and having secured the promise of a considerable amount of French capital for investment, about the middle of October, having applied for a charter from the city, declared his readiness to invest one hundred thousand dollars in the manufacture of illuminating gas for Denver, and to lay five miles of pipe within six months from the time the charter should be accorded him. A meeting of citizens was called on the 19th of October, at which the Colonel stated that he had abun- dant capital with which to proceed, and desired to know how much gas would be required to accommodate the city. When this should be ascertained, he would go East and purchase the requisite machinery. A committee was appointed by the meeting to collect the essential data. Heine secured a charter to build a tramway to the Erie coal fields, and purchased a site for his gas works, coal yards, etc., but the whole enter- prise failed. The party from whom he expected to procure the funds disappointed him by investing them in Union Pacific securities.
November Ist, 1869, Colonel James Archer submitted a propo- sition for the erection of gas works, and meeting with suitable encour- agement organized his company on the 13th following, with whom the city council entered into a contract for lighting the city, Archer agreeing to have the plant ready and pipes distributed by January Ist, 1871, and fixing the maximum price to consumers at five dollars per thousand feet.
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The foundations of this enterprise were begun on the 3d, and pipe laying in the streets on the 20th of September, 1870, the mains aggre- gating a mile and three-quarters in length. Though the buildings were completed and all appliances put in order about the close of that year, owing to some mishaps and the difficulty of manufacturing gas from the rather inferior coals first used, the promised illumination did not occur until the beginning of February, 1871.
The first annual meeting of the Board of Trade was held January 14th, 1869, when William M. Clayton was made President, W. S. Chees- man and D. J. Martin respectively first and second Vice-Presidents, R. W. Woodbury Secretary, and Frank Palmer Treasurer. John W. Smith, F. M. Case, George W. Kassler, Daniel Witter, George Tritch, William N. Byers, F. Z. Salomon, and J. S. Brown were chosen directors for the ensuing year. By this time the efficiency of this organization had become thoroughly established, and its influence upon the chief purpose for the attainment of which its members were associated, very potential. But its good offices were not confined wholly to the advance- ment of the Denver Pacific enterprise. It extended to matters pertain- ing to good municipal government, and the orderly conduct of public affairs in every department.
At the annual meeting of the Colorado Central & Pacific railroad company held on the 11th of January, 1869, Messrs. John Duff, J. G. Tappan, T. J. Carter, J. B. Taft, A. Lambert, and F. G. Dexter of the Union Pacific, and Henry M. Teller, Truman Whitcomb and E. K. Baxter of Gilpin County, John Turk of Clear Creek, and W. A. H. Loveland of Jefferson County, were elected directors.
Mr. Carter made a report of the material progress attained during the previous year. In July, 1868, contracts had been made for the grad- ing and masonry upon six miles of the most difficult part of the line, which had been completed. In November the other portions of the line were put under contract, and would be completed early the next season. The county of Jefferson, had voted one hundred thousand dollars in bonds, the cash proceeds of which had been applied to the construction.
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Thus far the company had expended eighty-six thousand six hundred and sixty-five dollars.
In February, 1869, John W. Smith proposed to secure a charter for the Denver Smelting & Refining Works,-to be established with a capital of fifty thousand dollars, and to deed the company certain prop- erty in West Denver upon certain conditions, which it is only neces- sary to say were never complied with. Some time afterward, Charles Hallack and associates instituted a new scheme to the same end, but, like its predecessor, it came to naught.
On the 15th of April in the same year, Governor Hunt, who had devoted the greater part of his brief administration to the peaceful set- tlement of all issues between the government, the people and the Ute Indians, and which, had he been permitted to continue would have resulted in lasting benefit, was suddenly removed, and General Edward M. McCook appointed his successor. Congress had been induced to make liberal appropriations for settling the Utes upon the new reserva- tions set apart for them, providing them with horses and cattle ; sawmills whereby comfortable dwellings might be built for them, with barns and sheds for their stock, and with the better implements of modern agri- culture. The greater part, if not the entire project, had been planned by Hunt. Being assured of the passage of the appropriations, and that his position as Governor would not be disturbed, he had gone to Chi- cago, and when the intelligence of his removal reached him, was en- gaged in contracting for the machinery and implements provided for in the bill. Mr. Hall had been reappointed by President Grant very soon after the new administration took control. McCook came first to Col- orado in 1859, and engaged in the practice of law. In the fall of 1860 he was elected to the Kansas legislature, and from there entered the army soon after the outbreak of the Rebellion, where by gallant service he rose to the brevet rank of Major General. At the close of the war he was appointed minister resident at Honolulu in the Sandwich Islands. In the fall of 1868, tiring of the distinguished (?) honor, he resigned, and returning to Washington began to look about for a more desirable
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