USA > Wyoming > The history of Wyoming from the earliest known discoveries > Part 13
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" '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 skillful 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
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leaders, determined to take his share in the conflict. In the meantime an express had been sent off to the rendezvous for reinforcements. Captain Sublette and his associate, Campbell, were at their camp when the express came gallop- ing across the plain, waving his cap and giving the alarm, 'Blackfeet! 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
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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 descried 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 Perces
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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-
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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.
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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
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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 sufficient 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)
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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
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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 served 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 flesh 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.
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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 River 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 Fe. 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- iards 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. Cerre, whose experience and adventures
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were not unlike those of Walker. He is spoken of as an ex- perienced Indian trader. These two men were in every 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 case 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 Fur 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 " Scott'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
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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 his 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 as- 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 pipe 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-
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