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Show 488 AUTOBIOGRAPHY 01'' ing about for a covert to get a secure shot at them, we discovered a few of the enemy hidden away in the bn1sh. One of them, an Indian, ran toward us, exclaiming, "Bueno! bueno! me like Americanos." One of OUT party said, " If you like the Americans, take this sword, and return to the brush, and kiii all the men you find there." He took the proffered sword, and was busy in the brush for a few minutes, and then returned with his sword-blade dripping with gore, saying, "I have killed them." ':,Th~n you oug~t to die for killing your own people, said the American, and he shot the Indian dead. The battle lasted through the whole day, and a close watch was .set at night to prevent the escape of those yet occupying the fort. The assault was renewed the following ~norning, and continued during that day also. Toward night several white flags were raised by the ~nemy, but were immediately shot down by the AmerIcans, _who had. determined to show no quarter. On the tlurd mornmg all the women issued from the fort each bearin~ a white fla~, and kneeled before the gen~ eral to supplicate for the hves of their surviving friends. The ge~eral was prevailed upon, and gave orders to c~ase finng. The enemy lost severely through their disgraceful cowardice. Our company lost but one man throu.gh the whole engagement. Nine of the most pron:nnent conspirators were hanged at Taos, and seven or mght more at Santa Fe. It was about this time that ~he r~port reached us of the butchery of Mr. W aldo, With mght or ten other Americans at theM . Af h · ' mo. _, ter t e Insurrection was suppressed I started again for E ?rt Lea~en~orth. On my way back from the fort I again feii In With Black Shield and his Apaches. I JAME~ P. BECKWOURTH. 489 said to him, "You told me false. You said that you would meet me at the Eagle's Nest, but ·when I went there you were not to be founc1. I had to throw the powder away that I brought for you, and run for my life ; for the whites discovered my errand, and were close at my heels." . "I know it, my friend," said the Black Shield. "We saw your kegs there, but the whites had taken all the powder out. I am sorry they came upon you so sud-denly, for we had to run as well as you." . The second day after we left the Apaches we discovered an object in the distance which I at first took for a stump, but still thought it singulaT that there should be a stump where there were no trees near. A~ we approached the object moved, and we at length discovered it to be a man of the name of Elliott Lee, who had been wounded by the Apaches three or four _ days previously, and had not tasted food since. He had ~elonged to a party of seventeen or eighteen mountaineers, on their way to Santa Fe. They had stopped to rest on the bank of a creek, and were suddenly set upon by the Indians. Several of the party were killed, among whom was my friend Charles Towne, and all the rest were more or less severely wounded. Some few had succeeded in getting away, notwithstanding their wounds; but Mr. Lee had been shot in the thigh, and was unable to crawl along. When we picked him up he was delirious, and his wound was greatly .swoll.en and inflamed. We gave him food, and carne.d h1~11 along with us, until we fortunately came u~ w1th h~s wagons. We then gave him into the keepmg of his friends, and proceeded on our way. On my arrival home I disposed of all my property in Santa Fe, and started to buy horses of the Indians X2 |
