OCR Text |
Show INDIAN DEPREDATIONS 145 press reached Circleville with the news that two of the pretended friendly Prates had shot and killed a white man who belonged to a party of militia sta-tioned some distance up the Sevier River at Fort Sanford. This fort, which had been built that spring by the militia under Silas Sanford Smith and his men was about half way between Circleville and Panguitch. Word was immediately sent to the people of Circleville to protect themselves against the Indians who were camped in their valley. On receiving this admonition, the men of Circleville set-tlement were called together for consultation, and after considerable deliberation it was concluded as the best policy to place the Indians encamped near their settlement under arrest. Consequently, all the able- bodied men of Circleville were mustered into service, some on horseback and some on foot. Thus organized they proceeded to the Indian camp, which they surrounded after dark. They had no trouble or occasion, however, to use force as James T. S. and Jackson Allred went into the Indian camp and per-suaded the savages to come to the meeting house in Circleville to hear a letter read, which had just been received. All the Indians complied willingly with this request, with the exception of one young Indian warrior who not only refused to go but commenced to shoot at the posse, who returned the fire and killed him; the rest of the Indians were guarded in the meeting house that night. The letter brought in by express was then read to the Indians who were told that they would be retained as prisoners, awaiting further particulars of the killing of the white man at Fort Sanford. The Indians showed resistance, but their bows, arrows and knives were taken from them, |