USA > Idaho > The history of Idaho > Part 6
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Prior to the coming in of white men in 1862, there were several different tribes of Indians that roamed at their will and pleasure over the southern and southeastern portion of what is now Idaho. Up to that time, they had full possession of the country, and no white person had attempted to settle upon or lay claim to any por- tion of land in Southern Idaho, except a few emigrants who passed across this country on the road from the States east of the Mis- souri River to Oregon or Washington Territory.
These Indian tribes consisted of what was called the Snakes, the Weisers, the Malheurs, the Bruneaus, the Shoshones, and the Bannocks. They were all more or less hostile to the whites and often levied tribute on the poor white traveling emigrants by first begging all they could in day time, under the pretense of being friendly and "good Indians," and at night, stealing and driving away most of their stock, and in a few instances, murdering all of the people who were traveling in small trains.
None of them up to this time had ever felt the power of our Uncle Sam's army, or the force of a volunteer company of miners. They seemed to think the country belonged to them and that they would make it so unsafe for the life and property of any and all whites who came into this part of the country, that they would be glad to leave soon if left alive. They commenced by shooting from ambush and killing the leader of the first party of white men who went into and discovered gold in the Boise Basin in the summer of 1862, a Mr. George Grimes, a few days after their arrival, while he was at his work prospecting for gold on what is now called Grimes' Creek, near Pioneer City in Boise Basin, Boise County. This cowardly, murderous and thieving warfare was carried on against the miners who were trying to prospect, and also against the packers who were trying to pack supplies in for the miners, and against all who attempted to travel on the roads or trails, until about the first of March, 1863, when things got to such a state that men could neither travel nor work with any degree of safety, except several were together and well armed and some of them constantly on the watch for Indians. By this time several hundred white men had come into this mining district. Their supplies, tools, etc., were running short. Packers of supplies had suffered the loss of so many animals at the hands of the Indians, they hesitated to
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THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
contract to pack more supplies in, although big prices were of- fered. Something had to be done, although the snow was then two feet deep in the mining district; but in the valleys where the trou- bles were, there was no snow. The miners and the merchants rose to the occasion, miners, saloon-keepers and some sporting men agreeing to do the fighting.
I give this history as it was given to me by Daniel Ritchard who was with the company, a man whom I believe to be perfectly truth- ful, brave, and cool-headed.
"A company was soon raised, consisting of about eighty men, the volunteers furnishing their own horses and arms and the merchants providing provisions, ammunition and other necessaries. Jeff Stan- difer was elected Captain and Greenwood, First Lieutenant. We left Idaho City about March Ist, 1863, came down Moore's Creek to the Warm Springs the first night. The next day we went east to Indian Creek and camped at what is now called Mayfield, or the Obe Corder ranch. In the morning, the night guard who herded the horses drove them in early and reported that they had seen a bunch of Indians at a point of rocks not far away. A majority of the company immediately saddled our horses as rapidly as possible and started for the rocky mount where the guard had seen the Indians. The Indians saw us and galloped away on their horses before we were near enough to open fire on them. We chased them about ten miles and captured one, whose horse had given out. The others had scattered in all directions in the rough, hilly and rocky country, so we gave up the chase and returned to our camp for breakfast.
"After a hasty breakfast, Captain Standifer ordered me (Ritch- ard) to take sixteen men and go east and try and cut the Indians off from getting to the mountainous country on the north. Captain Standifer and the remainder of the company would follow in the direction the Indians seemed to have taken when we abandoned the chase. We traveled all that day and until one o'clock next morning. At that time we heard what seemed to be a squaw moan- ing. We supposed it to be the wife of the buck who had been captured in the morning by the volunteers. Feeling satisfied that the Indian camp was near, we quietly withdrew for about a half mile until daylight. We would then be able to determine their lo- cation and the nature of the surrounding country. At daylight we discovered two Indians on horseback. We advanced on their camp, shot and killed one of them at the first fire. The fight then commenced in earnest, but did not last long. The men were all good marksmen and we soon dispatched all of the bucks, about
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eighteen in number, took the squaws prisoners and went back a few miles south and met Captain Standifer.
Other scouts sent out by the Captain came in soon and reported Indians in the hills to the northwest. We started that night and found the Indians fortified in a large cleft of rocks with an open place built up with rocks and good rifle pits arranged so they were secure from shots that might be fired at them. At the same time, they might fire on any person who came within range of their rifle pits. We arrived near their fortifications just before daylight and in a short time a few of them came out and we attacked and killed several before they could get into their fort. We then surrounded them and kept a guard around for three days and nights. One of our men, John Dobson, was severely wounded, having been hit in the jaw by one of their bullets. He recovered after a long time. We talked with the Indians and told them if they would come out and give up the man or men who had killed George Grimes in the Boise Basin several months before, we would allow the others to go. This they refused to do. We then cut a large number of wil- lows, intending to tie them in large bundles for breastworks and roll them in front of us to their fort and storm it. After consulta- tion, this plan was dropped and it was decided it should be one man for each of the Indian port-holes or rifle pits. The men should crawl up before day, while it was yet dark, close to each rifle pit and as soon as those on guard in these rifle pits showed themselves, they were to shoot them and this would most likely cause the other Indians to stampede. This scheme worked well. The pit guards rose early, and, Indian like, had to take a look out. Each one of them was shot down the moment he showed himself by the volun- teers who had crawled up close and were waiting and watching for them. This created such confusion among the Indians that it did not take long for them to vacate their fort. Captain Standifer had all of his men under arms at that time and nearby, so they dis- patched the Indians about as fast as they came out. So far as known only one buck Indian escaped. About sixty were killed in this fight. We also captured about eighty head of horses here.
"We then made a litter to carry our wounded man, John Dobson, fastening it between two gentle mules and putting on plenty of blankets to make it as comfortable as possible. With a man to lead each mule, we started back to the Warm Springs ranch. Arriving there the second day, we found all of the ranch stock had been stolen by the Indians. This place was then kept by a man called 'Beaver Dick.' We camped here for a few days and sent a detach- ment of men to Idaho City to take our wounded man and to get more supplies and more men. After a few days our men returned
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with more supplies and a few recruits. We then took the trail of the Indians who had taken the stock from Warm Springs ranch and followed their trail across Snake River. Here the company divided, one part going up Snake River, and the remainder up Mal- heur River in Oregon, where they lost the trail, the Indians having scattered in different directions.
"Captain Standifer sent me back with five men to scout west in what is known as the Mormon Basin country. After two days' scouting, we struck an Indian trail. After following it a short dis- tance, we looked down a canyon and saw five Indians riding up. We concealed ourselves and when near enough, fired at them. They took to the brush. We captured one mule they left. We did not try to follow them, not knowing how many we might meet. We then returned to Captain Standifer's camp on Malheur River.
"The company started up Malheur River, and we soon came to a fresh Indian trail and further on, we found where Indians had recently camped. We also found four Indian bows and quivers of arrows, four spears, ropes, and we concluded they had belonged to the four Indians we had shot a few days before while out scouting and that they had died from their wounds. We continued to follow their trail for two days and the greater part of two nights. Finally we camped and Captain Standifer and myself went on top of a high mountain after night to watch for light or smoke from Indian fires. While on this mountain, we saw lights from the Indian fires a long way off on the opposite side of the creek. We located their position as nearly as possible and the following night, the whole command moved up and surrounded them before daylight at their camp near Goose Creek. Captain Standifer placed all of his men, with the exception of eighteen, on either side of the camp, leaving an opening in front. The eighteen men were placed on the upper side and at the signal given by the Captain, they charged on the Indian camp with whoops and yells and shots. This caused the Indians to stampede and they were soon dispatched by the other volunteers. Fourteen Indians were killed. The squaws and children were left unharmed and allowed to go free, excepting one small boy and a little Indian girl, whom we took to Idaho City with us. It seems that another party of Indians had passed this camp of Indians before we reached them and had driven off all the horses they had.
"We were now pretty well tired out, and very gaunt, having lived principally on horse meat for the last six days, so it was de- cided that as we could not overtake the band of Indians who had stolen the horses and as we were about out of supplies and our horses were very much jaded, we would go back to Idaho City.
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"The only man hurt in this last fight was Matt Bledsoe, who re- ceived a glancing shot across the forehead, knocking him down, but he was soon over it as the bullet only cut the skin.
"On the way back, when we reached Snake River, we all went out to try and kill some game. The only thing we got was some beaver. This we ate with relish for it was a great improvement on the horse meat we had been using for the last ten days.
"At Warm Springs we disbanded. The Indian boy and girl were taken to Idaho City and the boy given to John Kelley, the cele- brated violinist, who taught the boy many tricks and exhibited him in many parts of the world. The girl was given to a lady in the Basin."
Captain Standifer and his volunteers did succeed in capturing and returning to their proper owners, several head of horses. All things fairly considered in connection with this campaign against these thieving and murderous Indians, it was a complete success, save and except that one brave young man named John Dobbins, was shot by the Indians and severely wounded. He lived about one year afterwards, when he died from the effects of the wound he received.
The chastening given these Indians by Captain Standifer and his brave followers had a salutary effect upon them, at least for several months, for it was some time before they ventured on any more of their raids. When we take into consideration that Captain Standifer and his brave followers left the rich placer gold mines in Boise Basin, where the daily wages of men to work in the mines was eight dollars, and many that had claims of their own were making one hundred dollars or more per day, to shoulder their guns and go on a campaign of this kind, poorly equipped, hard worked, poorly fed, in stormy, bad weather for two months, without any hope of fee or reward other than to bring peace and security to life and property, we must say we think this was pure and unadul- terated patriotism, backed up with indomitable courage. And cer- tainly all of us who are still left to enjoy our peaceful homes in this now reclaimed and happy land, owe a debt of gratitude to Captain J. J. (Jeff) Standifer and his brave followers who did so much towards bringing about security for life and property at a time when it was so badly needed; at a time when it required such a great self-sacrifice to bring it about. Captain Standifer and most of his brave followers have passed from this earthly career. Let us remember their good works here with a confident hope that He who judges as to the rectitude of our purposes in this world, will deal kindly with them all and overlook and forgive any of their short- comings, and assign to each of them a pleasant position in their New Home.
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T. J. SUTTON'S ACCOUNT OF ONE DIVISION OF CAPTAIN STANDIFER'S COMPANY.
After crossing Snake River, Captain Standifer's company divided and part of them, under the command of the First and Second Lieutenants, went up Snake River. In this detachment of volun- teers, was the late T. J. Sutton who had been selected as chief of scouts, who was a very competent man for that business and was also a very good writer. After his return, he wrote up the cam- paign made by this division of the volunteers. Below we give it as he wrote it up, which we think is correct:
SUTTON'S REPORT.
"After crossing Snake River, the company divided up into two parts, nineteen men having previously returned to the Basin. Of the two divisions, the first numbering 45 men under Captain Stan- difer, went up the Malheur River, the remaining 55 went up the Bruneau under command of Lieutenants Greenwood and Thatcher, journeying up Snake River to a point near Salmon Creek. We halted a short distance below the mouth of the latter stream, the purpose of this halt being to reconnoitre, and as far as practicable, acquaint ourselves with the number of Indians we would probably encounter, their whereabouts at that time, their disposition, habits, armament, places of rendezvous and other things incident and nec- essary to the successful conduct of a hostile campaign.
"While in camp at that place, a band of Indians, unaware of our presence, drove about eighty head of stolen horses into Snake River opposite our camp and attempted to swim them across. This gave us an opportunity to capture both horses and Indians, and by good management we could easily have done so, but lack of disci- pline on the part of both officers and men favored the escape of the thieves and they all probably got away, notwithstanding we poured a shower of lead into the river as they scudded away to the farther bank. And I might as well say here that Lieutenant Greenwood was cool and competent, but being a half-breed Crow, and fearful of insult because of his Indian blood, declined to ex- ercise the functions of his office. This threw the responsibility as well as the company's movements, upon Lieutenant Thatcher, who though neither a coward nor unworthy, lacked that self-discipline that comes only of experience. Hence when it was known that a band of Indians with a considerable herd of stolen horses was com- ing right into our camp, the excitement of the men in their eager hurry to bring on the combat, broke over all bounds and restraints. A melee followed, Lieutenant Thatcher being quite as much flur- ried as the men. Firing began while the Indians were in the mid-
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dle of the river, with the result above stated. Had cooler heads commanded, we should almost certainly have secured all of the horses and probably the thieves as well, including, as I believe, the noted 'Bigfoot' who was their leader and boss horse thief of the plains.
"On looking over the ground after the skirmish, we discovered the tracks of a band of Indians numbering ten or twelve who had crossed the river at that point two or three days before our en- counter of that morning, going north. We also discovered and measured Bigfoot's track, which was seventeen and a half inches long by six inches wide at the junction of the metatarsus with the toes. At that time we had no knowledge of the man, but the enormous size of his track attracted our attention and so aroused our curiosity that careful measurements of its dimensions were made, and no little discussion indulged in as to whether or not it was a human track. A year or two later, the possessor of the abnormally sized foot had become famous because of his connec- tion with and known leadership of gangs of Bannock horse thieves, who, though less bold than formerly, still raided the ranches of the settlers whenever opportunity offered. This continued down to 1868, when Bigfoot was killed in an encounter with a highway- man named Wheeler, after which wholesale horse stealing by the Bannocks became obsolete, but not so much because of a growth of moral sentiment among the tribes, as because no other such bold and skillful leader could be found to take the place of the fallen chief.
"On the morning after our skirmish with the horse thieves and capture of horses, we set out for the headwaters of the Bruneau and Owyhee Rivers, going up between the Bruneau and Salmon Creek. It was about the last of April, according to my recollec- tion of dates, and while the days went pleasantly enough on Snake River, the temperature lowered rapidly as we ascended the moun- tains, and two days after leaving the sunny and picturesque scene at the mouth of the Bruneau, we were enveloped in a dense cloud of falling snow, a very disagreeable experience for men to undergo who hoped for no reward for their services and risk, whose sock- less feet were exposed to the frosts through rents in boots that were only boots by courtesy of a name, and whose clothing would have served admirably for the attirements of a battalion of scare- crows, but afforded little protection to a human body against a mountain blizzard.
"Pursuing a southwesterly course, we crossed the Bruneau at a point forty or fifty miles from its confluence with the Snake, and keeping up the mountains in about the same direction, must have
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been on or at the foot of War Eagle Mountain in our journeyings. For one of our party, whose name should have been preserved, picked up a piece of silver ore during our travels and on his re- turn, carried it with him to Placerville, which circumstance led to to the discovery later on of the world-famed quartz mines at Silver City.
"During the two or three weeks that elapsed between the time of our leaving Snake River and our arrival and encampment near a small lake, somewhere in the Owyhee Mountains (I cannot lo- cate the lake with any degree of precision, though I understand there is such a lake a few miles out of Silver City), we traversed great extents of lava, mahogany thickets and great mountains of broken rock, probably a basaltic lava, which on steep hillsides would slide under our horses' feet, carrying the animals with it twenty or thirty feet or more. During all of that time, no Indians were found, and the 'boys' were 'getting hungry for a fight,' as they expressed it. It was therefore agreed that we should camp at a point near the lake, which we had not yet found, and send out scouts to scour the country. Taking the responsibility of this work upon himself, Lieutenant Thatcher selected ten men and sal- lied forth just after nightfall in quest of game. Failing in his search, he returned on the following morning and retired to sleep off the fatigues of the night's search for the ubiquitous foe. It was still snowing, but by nine or ten o'clock in the morning, the rays of the resurrected sun had dispelled the clouds, and the glare of a cold, bright day lighted up the dreadful scene.
"Having breakfasted and saddled our horses, we moved camp, going about ten miles, when mutterings of discontent became so loud and general that in deference to a peremptory demand of a majority of the company, a camp was made and T. J. Sutton, at the head of four men as resolute and determined as could be found in the world (viz: James F. Cheatly, Frank Crabtree, Thomas Cook and Wall Lawrence) started out to find Indians. They had orders, however, to be back by twelve o'clock of the following day, but knowing that the men would desert and go home if he reported no Indians, their leader ignored orders and continued his travels until the morning of the second day out, when a camp of Reds was discovered on what I now think was Jordan Creek. It had no name at that time. Having made sure that we were not dis- covered by the Indians, the little party stealthily retraced their steps and by riding all night and until noon next day, reached camp, to find the captain of the scouts booked for punishment for disobedience of orders. The scouts rode nonchalantly into camp and dismounted among as surly and desperate a gang of men as
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could be found anywhere. Indifferent to their scowls and oaths, the captain of the scouts made his way to Lieutenant Greenwood's tent and made his report. He had two reasons for this. First, he recognized in the lieutenant a warm, personal friend whose cour- age no degree of danger could daunt. Second, he realized that the least misstep might precipitate a riot that would terminate in a slaughter, and he was confident of Greenwood's ability to avert the threatened catastrophe. The lieutendant received the report with a grim smile and a 'thank you' that meant a good deal, and rising to his feet, went outside his tent, and calling the men before him (they all respected the brave lieutenant), he said: 'Boys, the scouts have found Indians enough to give us a fight that will be interesting, and we will go for them tomorrow morning.' This information was received with a burst of applause that made the hill tremble, but declaring the news too good to be true, the cap- tain of the scouts was called out and questioned. His answers and explanations 'restored confidence.' 'Peace reigned in Warsaw.' Preparations for the march were begun, and when morning once more illumined the face of the earth, a happy, jesting throng of devil-may-care men were riding rapidly over the hills in the direc- tion of the doomed horse thieves, who, unconscious of their near- ing danger, watched their stolen herd in the sweet little valley that was so soon to be their graves. The first day of our journey only developed the fact that we had not succeeded in reaching a point from which we could determine the whereabouts of the Indian camp. Early the next morning, Cheatly, Greenwood and Sutton rode away while the company was preparing to move, and ascending an elevation 500 feet above the surrounding country, swept the horizon with a telescope, but no landmark or other fa- miliar object rewarded their observation. Descending they re- turned to the company, and requesting Lieutenant Thatcher to meet them at a knoll far to the southeastward of us, Greenwood and party reinforced by Riddle and Lawrence, went forth to recon- noitre. They rode hard, and at about one o'clock in the afternoon had the satisfaction of again discovering the hiding place of the enemy. The Indians were still unguarded and evidently unsus- picions of lurking danger.
Hastening back to the company, the cheering news was im- parted to them. A shout of gladness was their answer. The com- pany pushed on, 'hurting for a fight,' as some of them expressed it, and when another day dawned, having secreted ourselves about a mile from the encampment of thieves and determined its exact location, the slumbering wretches were aroused from their couches by the clamor and tumult of charging horsemen and belching six-
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shooters, to perish in a strife again a recklessness of assault that would have paralyzed a much braver foe. Three squaws and two children were killed in the terrible melee and confusion in which a rain of lead produced a whirlwind of fright and a harvest of death. Thirteen warriors were slain, but enough survived to stampede the horses we had hoped to secure, and to escape with them to the high mountains at the head of the Owyhee River. Two female prisoners were taken after the fight, both of whom were probably murdered by Bob Emery, known as 'Yankee Bob,' but this was not done with the consent nor connivance of the officers or men, nor with their knowledge. The purpose had in view when they were taken was to get a confession from them that would enable us to capture the escaped Indians and secure their horses. Finding it impossible to learn anything from them, Lieu- tenant Fisher ordered their release while on the march. They were accordingly turned loose and a scant supply of provisions given them-as much as we could spare-and the company moved on leaving them in the sagebrush. A few minutes after this, shots were heard in the rear of the company and Yankee Bob was ab- sent from the ranks. Men were dispatched in the direction of the place where the firing had been done, who met Bob coming up and were informed by him that he had been 'firing at a rabbit.' His statement was accepted as true and nothing more thought of the incident until the bodies of the women were found two or three days later, perforated with bullets.
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