USA > Wyoming > The history of Wyoming from the earliest known discoveries > Part 47
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glorious news, that if they pushed on rapidly they would find plenty to eat. On the 13th continued our march up the river eight and one half miles, when the teams were so badly played out that we could march no farther. Next day we marched thirteen and one-half miles. Another detachment of scouts, Pawnee Indians under command of Captain North, also Captain Marshall with a small squad of the Eleventh Ohio Cavalry, were started for Powder River this evening, with instructions to fight their way through to Cole's com- mand. The General is risking our entire force for the sal- vation of Cole's men. If our force should be attacked now it would be short work for the Indians to massacre the en- tire party. The two days following were spent in recuperat- ing our stock, as we found the mules too weak to pull the wagons.
"17th. Marched up the river fourteen miles and camped. About 3 o'clock today, while the train was cross- ing the river, experiencing a great deal of trouble, I strag- gled on ahead of the command to the advance guard beyond. I had my Sharpe's rifle with me, and thought I would push on a little further and see if I could not shoot an elk. Cros- sing over a little divide, I found that to reach the next point of timber I had a bottom of about two miles in width to cross. Not seeing any Indians, or signs of Indians, I very recklessly gave my fast-walking mule the rein and contin- ued on. Soon after reaching the timber I concluded I was getting too far ahead of the command, led my mule a short distance off the road, tied him to a sapling, took my gun and sat myself on a log, when suddenly I heard the clank of horse's hoofs upon the rocks just ahead of me. Glanc- ing in that direction I saw just before me a party of Indians. I sprang to my feet and raised rifle, as they pulled their reins, having noticed me; just at that moment the face of a white man appeared behind the Indians, and they threw up their hands to show that they were friendly. The white man, who proved to be Lieutenant Jones, of the Second Missouri Artillery, rode up. He was from Cole's command, and had been sent by Cole with five Indians to communicate with General Connor the safe arrival of our scouts, and that he would push on to Fort Connor. Jones had left Cole's command in an opposite direction from the Indians; had gone around them, discovered our trail near Big Piney, and followed down Peno Creek to Tongue River to the point where we met. I was so rejoiced at hearing from Cole's command that I could scarcely keep back the tears, and
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when I rode back to the train the news set them wild with joy. Cole's command had been found. Lieutenant Jones reported that soon after passing to the right of the Black Hills they were attacked by the Sioux, who had continued to fight them from that time until they reached Tongue River. By that time their stock had become so worn out for want of feed that they were compelled to shoot many of their horses and burn up a large supply of saddles, stores and accoutrements, and to turn from their course towards the Wolf Mountains and the Rosebuds, the country before them being so rough that they could not drag their wagons after their command. Colonel Cole, being so early sur- rounded by Indians, made up his mind that General Con- nor's command must have been massacred, and that if he ever reached the Rosebuds he would then be in a more dang- erous position than he was east of Wolf Mountains; that his only chance for escape now would be in marching up Powder River, making his way, if possible, to Fort Laramie. Several of his men had been wounded by the Indians, and for several days the men had to subsist on mule meat, being absolutely out of provisions. On the 18th and 19th we con- tinued our march up the river, camping on the 19th on Peno Creek, three miles above our old camp. Large bands of elk passed the command today, and several of them were halted by our bullets. Next day we continued our march up Peno Creek sixteen miles.
"The command marched twenty-one miles today. Just before we left camp this morning, I prevailed upon the Gen- eral to allow Lieutenant Jewett, Captain Laurant and my- self, with three men to ride two or three miles to the right of the command, to the front of the right flankers, to give us an opportunity to kill some elk; the country seemed full of them. The General made us promise that we would keep together, and, being well armed, we might fight off the In- dians if they should attack us and make our way back to the train. We extended our ride some two or three miles to the right of the line of march, and out of sight of the train in the foothills on the mountains. About 8 o'clock we ran across a large band of buffalo, and as we were out upon a hunt, dashed among them to see how many of them we could kill. I took after a fine bull, one of the best in the herd, who with a small band of buffalo struck up a ravine. It was short work to down the fellow and cut out his tongue as a trophy and to remount, when I discovered that there was not one of the party in sight; I was entirely
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alone. I rode up a hill, expecting to see the party a short distance away, but saw nothing except here and there a buffalo, all on the gallop, and here and there an an- telope. Thinking I was pretty close to the men, I pushed on in my regular course south, parallel to the train, drop- ping a little to the left, expecting soon to come in sight of the wagons. After riding about half a mile and reaching the top of a little ridge, I discovered, just before me, an antelope so very close that I could not resist the temptation to chance a shot. Jumping from my pony, which, by the way, was a wild Indian pony captured out of the herd a day or two before, I threw the lariat over my arm, raised the gun and fired. The pony made a jump and dragged the rope through my hands, blistering them badly, and escaped, gal- loping off in another direction from the course I was trav- eling. My first impulse was to fire at the pony to save my saddle and other accoutrements; turning, I saw that I had shot the antelope and that he was getting onto his feet again. As he was so close by I dropped my gun on the ground, pulled my revolver, ran up towards the antelope and fired as I ran. The antelope gained his feet and started down the slope. I had fired the last shot from my revolver and had no time to reload, and as I had wounded the antel- ope continued the pursuit. For nearly a half a mile I fol- lowed the antelope in a winding course, until, finally he fell to the ground in his death struggles. I cut his throat and took the saddle-the two hind quarters. Started back to the hill to get my gun; found I was on the wrong hill. Was finally compelled to return to the carcass of the antelope and retrace my steps to where I fired at the antelope, track- ing my way by the blood. This work delayed me fully an hour, but was rewarded by finding the gun. Then, as I was so far behind the train, (it was now 10 o'clock), I con- «luded it to be dangerous to attempt to follow it, and, as I was afoot my only salvation was in keeping at least four miles to the right of the train, away from the Indians who would follow the train, and to make camp in the night time. I hung on to the saddle of antelope and with my gun took up the tramp. After walking two or three miles I came to a ridge overlooking a little valley and in the valley saw a horse, which, upon closer inspection, I determined to be my own horse, which had by a roundabout course struck the valley ahead of me. The animal was feeding by himself, not another animal in sight. I resolved at once to make an effort to re-capture the horse. Slipping down to
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the creek I deposited my gun and antelope meat in the limb of a dead cottonwood and commenced crawling through the grass, which was very high and fine, towards the horse. After more than an hour's work, slowly dragging myself along, I just managed to get hold of the end of the rope but not with sufficient grip to hold the startled pony which again escaped from me. This only aggravated me and made me resolve that I would have the pony or die trying. One, two, and three more hours were passed before I could again get hold of the rope; and finally, it was about 4 o'clock p. m. when I managed to capture the pony. I had walked up the valley three or four miles above where I had left the antelope meat and my gun, but after I had mounted my pony it was a short ride back to these articles, and, after lunching, I took up my line of march for the camp and with- out further incident of importance reached camp at day- light next morning; having gone fifteen miles out of my way to avoid the possible chance of running upon the Indi- ans. The other members of the party had joined the camp about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and after 9 o'clock that night nearly every man in the camp had given me up for dead.
"22d. Captain Marshall and a detachment of his com- pany, came from Fort Connor with a letter to General Con- nor with the news that he had been relieved of the command of the District of the Plains; that Colonel Cole, with his two regiments of Missouri troops and the Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, had reached Fort Connor in a very destitute condi- tion, half of the men barefoot, and that for fifteen days they had had no rations at all and had subsisted entirely upon what little game they could get close to camp, and on mule meat; and that they had been obliged to burn a large por- tion of their train, together with camp equipage.
"23d. Camped on Crazy Woman's Fork, and on Septem- ber 24th reached Fort Connor, having traveled twenty-five miles today. The General and staff reached the fort about 11 a. m .; train got in just before sundown. Cole's command looked as if they had been half starved, and are very ragged and dirty; the men resemble tramps more than they do soldiers. They have had little but suffering since they left the Platte River, and are as completely disgusted and dis- couraged an outfit of men as I ever saw. They report having fought the Indians six days on the Powder River, and claim they killed three or four hundred of them. This day's march ends the story of the Powder River Indian
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Expedition. General Connor will return with a small escort of men, leaving the command of the expedition to Colonel Cole, who will make his way back to the States by slow marches. General Frank Wheaton has been assigned to. the command of the District of the Plains, and we expect to meet him at Fort Laramie. I pursuaded General Con- nor to allow me to take back to Fort Laramie the captured: stock, that he might have credit therefor.
"On the 26th of September the General pushed out for- Laramie with three ambulances, Captain North and his . Indians driving the stock. The General remained at Fort: Laramie until October 4th, when I received receipts from Captain Childs for six hundred and ten head of horses, all that had been saved out of the eleven hundred head cap- tured from the Indians. Horses had escaped from us every day on the march and during the storm on Tongue River several had perished. On our march up Tongue River at least three or four hundred made their escape, at one time a band of more than forty in one drove. In the four days lay-over at Fort Laramie I had completed my reports to the quartermaster and commissary departments, receiving the General's approval on all my papers, and his thanks for ser- vices rendered, and was enabled to accept his invitation to a seat in the ambulance, and rode with him to Denver without any escort, arriving there about the 15th of Octo- ber. We were received with all the honors that could be bestowed; a grand feast was prepared for us at the Plant- er's Hotel, and the best people of Denver, almost en masse, turned out to the reception. The next day we were escorted by more than thirty carriages, filled with prominent citizens, to Central City, forty miles away in the mountains, where we were again received and toasted in the most hospitable manner. I returned to Denver in time to leave on the first coach that had been started from Denver for three weeks. Captain Sam. Robbins and Captain George F. Price (who had been Chief of Cavalry for the General, and whom he had left at Fort Laramie in charge of the office as Adjutant General of the District of the Plains while we were on the expedition), together with Bela M. Hughes, Attorney Gen- eral of Ben. Holliday's overland mail line, and two Pacific Railroad exploring engineers, with Johnnie Shoemaker as messenger, who had with him $250,000 in treasure, were fellow passengers. We left Denver at 10 a. m., October 19th; met with no incidents of an exciting nature until we heard the roar of musketry and the infernal yells of the
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Indians, who had attacked a train camped close to the sta- tion. The chief wagon master, Wells, of Fort Lupton, was killed in this attack. I had just climbed out of the coach to a seat with the driver. Johnnie Shoemaker was in the boot asleep, and every one in the coach was asleep except the driver and myself. I had remarked to the driver that it was daylight, and asked him how far it was to the station; he said it was close by, a mile or two ahead. Just then we heard the firing; the driver whipped his six mules into a run and away we went pell mell for the station, expecting momentarily the arrows and leaden messengers of death. At O'Fallen's Bluff, near Baker's Ranch, we were again attacked by the Indians and ran into the station, where we defended ourselves until morning. Next day pushed on with the coach with all the passengers on foot as advance guard and fiankers. Fortunately for us two companies of a West Virginia cavalry regiment were on the line of march up the Platte and happened to meet us in the worst part of the hills. Their presence had driven away the Indians and we were enabled to drive through the bluffs in safety. This is the last incident worthy of record of the Powder River Indian Expedition.
"As a summary of general results I can only say that, even with the disastrous ending of Cole's expedition, the Powder River Indian Expedition of 1865 was not a failure. The General's plan to 'carry the war into Egypt' succeeded admirably; the warrior element, by the movement of these columns, were compelled to fall back upon their villages to protect their families, and during the progress of the campaign the overland line of travel became as safe as be- fore the Indian outbreak.
"It was not until General Connor retraced his steps, by order of the War Department, back to Laramie, with all the soldiers, that the Indians thinking he had voluntarily retired from their front again hastened to the road, passing General Connor's retiring column to the east of his line of march, and again commenced their devilish work of pillage, plunder and massacre. General Connor's ability, sagacity and courage, and best of all, his success as an Indian fighter remains unchallenged in all the western country. His early schooling in Indian wars especially fitted him to become, as he was, the 'big medicine man' of their hereditary foe."
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GENERAL CONNOR AND SOME OF HIS OFFICERS.
General Patrick Edward Connor was the leading char- acter of his time who rose to prominence in the west. He was born in Ireland, March 17, 1820. At an early age he emigrated with his parents to New York City where the family remained until young Connor grew to manhood. In the year 1839, he enlisted in the regular army and partici- pated in the Florida war. After a five years' service he re- turned to New York and engaged in merchantile pursuits. About the beginning of 1846, he went to Texas to reside. That same year the Mexican war broke out and he joined a regiment of Texas volunteers and was elected captain of a company. Albert Sidney Johnston was colonel of the regiment. Captain Connor served with distinction during that war and participated in the battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and Buena Vista. In the latter engagement he received a musket ball in the left hand which produced a severe wound but he refused to leave the field until the battle was over. At the close of the Mexican war he re- ceived a full Captain's pension. In 1850 he went to Cali- fornia and was active in mining matters until the breaking out of the Civil war when he tendered his services to the governor of California and was appointed Colonel of the Third Volunteer Infantry of that state. A year later, in July 1862,he was appointed to the command of the Military Dis- trict of Utah. Of his services there I have given some account in previous chapters. General Connor and his men were very anxious for active service in the war of the Re- bellion and on September 24, 1862 he addressed a note to Major General Halleck, Secretary of War, urging that the regiment be sent to the front, explaining that the men en- listed to fight traitors and if allowed to do so would author- ize the paymaster to withold $30,000 then due the regiment and adding that if the sum mentioned was insufficient, the officers and men would pay their own transportation. The services of General Connor and his soldiers were too valuable to the Government along the mail line and in Utah. to permit of their withdrawal and consequently they were held in service in the mountains and on the plains until long after the war was over. As has been mentioned, Gen- eral Connor was promoted to Brigadier General after the battle of Bear River. After the battle of Tongue River he was promoted to the rank of Brevet-Major General and
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later was offered the position of Colonel in the regular army. At the final mustering out of the volunteer forces in 1866, he retired from the army and entered actively into the de- velopment of the mining interests in Utah. His career as a military commander will for all time challenge the admira- tion of patriotic citizens. His bravery in the field and his devotion to the principles upon which our Government is founded prevented serous trouble in Utah. His policy while commander of the district resulted in the downfall of Brig- ham Young and opened the territory to enterprising Gentiles who from the time of their arrival took the lead in the development of its rich and varied resources.
There have been few braver, nobler, or more enter- prising pioneers in the west than General Patrick Edward Connor. In the dark days of the Rebellion the Government relied upon his bravery and wisdom to manage affairs in this remote field and during these times he made for him- self a name and reputation which entitle him to high rank among the early pioneers. He died at Salt Lake City, De- cember 17, 1891, being nearly 72 years old. He was buried with military and civic honors at Fort Douglas in a grave set apart by the Secretary of War.
Readers of this history are already familiar with the work of Captain H. E. Palmer in the service of the Powder River Expedition. His experience in Wyoming on that occasion resulted in bringing him back in subsequent years and has made him one of the builders of the state in which he is still largely interested, though his residence is in Omaha, Neb. His adventures in Wyoming cover a wide range and are filled with many events of interest which re- late to our state that entitle him to more than passing notice in the pages of this history.
Henry E. Palmer was born in the village of Centerville, town of Madison, Lake county, Ohio, July 31, 1841, moved to Wisconsin with his parents April 1853, worked on his father's farm, taking charge of same at seventeen. March "7, 1860 he left his home for Pike's Peak, starting with only five dollars and 43 pounds of baggage, he worked his way „and walked from Baraboo, Wisconsin to Central City, Colo., 1,250 miles, arriving at Central City, Colo. May 7, 1860. When the war broke out he was mining and did not learn of the firing on Fort Sumpter until July 7, 1861. He left Denver July 9, 1861 and enlisted at the nearest enlistment ·station, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., July 31, 1861 on his twen-
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tieth birthday, October 7, 1861 he was appointed Second Lieutenant on General J. H. Lane's staff. By the disband- ment of Lane's Brigade Palmer was mustered out of ser- vice April 19, 1862. He remained in the service in the Quartermaster's Department until August 20, 1862 when he was commissioned and mustered as Second Lieutenant of Co. A, Eleventh Kansas Volunteer Infantry. December 31, 1862 was promoted to First Lieutenant of same company and February 23, 1863 was mustered in as Captain Co. A. This regiment was changed to cavalry by order of the War Department in May 1863; in June 1863 Captain Palmer was detailed for special duty in command of his own com- pany, A, Eleventh Volunteer Cavalry and 50 picked men from ten companies of cavalry, making a force of 140 men to fight the notorious guerrilla, Quantrill. This very dang- erous work lasted eighteen months.
In June 1865 (Captain Palmer's company being at that time at Platte Bridge, Wyoming) he was ordered to report to General Connor, and joined him at "Old California Cros- sing" on the South Platte River, was assigned to duty as Acting Assistant Adjutant General "District of the Plains," headquarters at Fort Laramie, Wyoming. Captain Palmer had the entire detail work of organizing the Powder River Expedition, he directed the movement of all the troops. After the several columns of this expedition were on the move his regular Adjutant General, C. J. Laurant, having reported to General Connor for duty, Palmer begged to re- join his company which at this time was guarding the Over- land Stage route in the Wyoming Mountains near Fort Hal- leck, but General Connor would not let Palmer leave his staff and immediately assigned him to duty as Acting Quar- termaster and Commissary of the Powder River Indian Ex- pedition which service has been explained on another page. He was mustered out of service November 1865 and went before an army board for promotion and was recommended for a Lieutenant Colonelcy in the regular army. February 1866 he was tendered a position as Second Lieutenant in the Second U. S. Cavalry, which position he promptly de- clined. In March 1866 he started from Kansas City, Mo., for Fort Laramie, Wyoming, with four mule teams loaded with Indian goods; arriving at Fort Laramie about May 1, he waited there until after the famous Red Cloud treaty, May 12, 1866, then started out alone with four teams, two white men and three Indian interpreters, viz: John Reshaw, Louis
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Reshaw, Mich Bouyer, all half breeds. They drove to Clear Creek of Powder River, in what is now Johnson county this state without seeing an Indian. At Clear Creek Palmer built the first house ever erected north of the Platte River, east of the Platte Bridge and east of the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming; this first habitation, 12x12 was built of sod covered with poles, brush and dirt. For nearly a week not an Indian appeared, then they came one at a time until 25 Cheyenne warriors were in front of the sod house offering to trade skins for goods. Before perfecting any deals the wily chief proposed a friendly smoke, a ring was formed with six Indians and Palmer's party of three whites and three half breeds; the pipe of peace had passed around twice without one word or dangerous sign, when the chief gave a vigorous grunt and suddenly it transpired that be- hind each member of Palmer's party, who were sitting on the ground, stood a warrior, his blanket dropped to the ground, a drawn bow and arrow just pricking the back of each victim, the chief called out, "Don't stir and you shant be harmed," his pledge was repeated by Bouyer and by Reshaw. The Indians kept one warrior on guard over each prisoner while the balance of the party busied themselves by tearing down the sod house, and planting the sod where it had been broken by Palmer's builders. After this work was well done the chief made a speech and proclaimed that no white man should ever break the sod in this Big Horn re- gion, that it was the last good hunting ground for the In- dians and should never be occupied by the whites. This was in June 1866, ten years before the Custer Massacre. Palmer and his men were given their liberty under the con- ditions that they should immediately move on, return, or go through to Montana as they pleased. Palmer decided not to turn back, but push on. At Tongue River, on the site of the present town of Dayton, this state, Palmer stayed five days, hoping that he was out of Cheyenne ter- ritory and in territory belonging to the Arapahoes. Every day the Cheyennes appeared in force on the surrounding hills, but would not come into camp. Palmer then moved on to the Big Horn River where he remained nearly a month in a village of over 700 Arapahoes. The Red Cloud war broke out July 1866. Palmer had sent the two white men of his party with one team to Montana and was then the only white man with the Indians. As soon as they heard the news of the declaration of war, the chief of the band
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