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Show INDIAN DEPREDATIONS 19 whence from an eminence they discovered the fires of the Indians who were encamped on the creek which ran in the midst of willows and dense brush- wood in a deep ravine. The company was divided into four smaller bodies and posted north, south, east and west of the Indians, who, when they awoke in the morn-ing, found themselves besieged. The savages packed up their baggage and ineffectually tried every way to escape. They then commenced to fight by shooting arrows and firing guns. This small predatory band of Indians consisted of two lodges under Kone and Blue- Shirt and numbered seventeen souls in all, including four men. The squaws and children were secured and fed and warmed. After a desultory fight of three or four hours, the four men who took every advantage of the brush for cover were killed. None of the brethern were injured. The skins of fifteen cattle, which the Indians had killed were found near by. During the fight Stick- in- the- Head and his band of Timpanogos Utes came up ready for a fight and took position on an elevation, whence they vainly called to the besieged and urged them to come that way. The company returned to Great Salt Lake City March 6th. The squaws and child-ren of the slain were taken to the City, and after being fed went to their friends among the other In-dians. From this circumstance the creek on which the fight took place was named Battle Creek. The fight referred to was the first battle which the " Mor-mon" Pioneers fought with the Indians in the Ter-ritory of Utah. From Journal History at the Historian's Office. |