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Show 133 disturbance with help of the troops. Major Thomas Thornburgh was ordered by telegraph from the Secretary of War to proceed to White River Agency and rescue Meeker. He left Fort Steele, Wyoming on September 21, 1879, with a force of nearly 200 men. (Three troops of cavalry and one of infantry.) Five days from Ft. Steele, Captain Jack, Colorow and some other leaders of the Utes met the army and asked what they were doing. When they learned that Meeker had sent the request they returned to the agency and either persuaded or intimidated Meeker into sending a note asking the army to stop the advance on the Agency. Thornburgh tried to move closer to the Agency to be within striking distance. The Indians watched until the army was well inside the reservation. Then they ambushed the force, inflicted grave damage on the troops and suffered little themselves. They then held the force pinned down with little food and water for six days. Thornburgh was killed early in the affray. The attack occurred on September 29, 1879. The next day the Utes invaded the White River Agency, killed twelve including Nathan Meeker, and took Meeker's wife and daughter captive along with an agency employee's wife and two children. A force of 350 men under General Wesley Merritt advanced on the ambush site and relieved the survivors. Ouray, the moderate leader of the Taviwac (See Chapter I) or |
