Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs - 1887

Page 94

REPORT OF AGENT 1N UTAH. While the payment was progressin great intereat and noeasiness was felt by these Indians as to the fate of Colorow anfhis followers then in Colorado who the week before had beenfired upon by Sheriff Xendall and hisarmed possee, while on a peace-ful hunt in the mountains beyond Meeker. When I first heard of this trouble I called a eonncil of the White River Utes. At this council Sowawick, the head chief of the White Rivers understandin the situ-ation a8 I explained it, oSered to send an Indian to conlmo~icatew ith ~o?orow and induce him to return at onae to the reservation. A t this oounoil Waas volunteered to carry the message, and Shim-a-ruff also on Indian, agreed to accompany him. I wrote a pws which I gave to Wass, ;hioh is hereunto annexed, and is a part of this report, and Was8 started on his misaion by way of Onray agemy. Arriving there, they were afraid to go further, fearing bodily harm. They asked that a white man accompany them. I at once detailed Mr. John McAnhrews, chief herder at Ourav for that pUrp080. MoAndrews is a thoroughly reliable man, and was perfectly famfliar with the roadq conntry, eta. I also sent ont Indians Nickeree and Shavanah to communicate with Colorow and order him on the reaervation. Wednesday, 4 p. m., Augost 24 Nickeree returned to this agency and reported Colorow &nd his followers beyond blai?s ranch, about 30 miles from reservation line and 85 miles from the apney, movillg toward the reservation aa fast as his wounded wollld allom. These wounded were Wishe-u~ his son, Frank Colorow, sod Unoom-paghre Colorow's son, who was shot by the aheriFs posse above Meskar. Nickeree also stated that these Indiana were pursued by the Colorado militia and Sheriff Ken-dall's posse. The news of theselndiaus being pursued while on the way to their re* ervation greatly exoited the Indiana at this and the Uintah reservations; runners going ~ u rdetu rning oonatantly between the agencies. The following day, Thursday, 25th Augost, at 9 a. m., Mr. JohnMoAndrewsarrived at the agency and reported himself roughly handled by the Colorado people, and thet 125 mounted Colorado troops passed him at a gallop in pursuit of Colorow, while he, McAnheras, nas taking dinner at Smith'a ranoh, about 14 miles west of Meeker; that after these troops passed he mounted his home and caught up to them at Blair's ranch, 28 miles west of Meeker. There he found Major Leslie in command of the troops, and he, McAndrews, handed him the paper I had given Waaa, which is here- ,Into annexed. Major Leslie paid no attention whatever to this paperr, and treated him with the utmost indifference. McAndrews further stated that knowing that Colorow waspeaceably mak'ing hi. way to thereservation as fast a8 possible, under a guaranty that he would not be molested, hewas satisfied that the pursuers intended to do the Indians harm by taking advantage of the guaranty given them. He st,ole out af the militiacampin the nightandby a oircuitans routec&me to the Iudieus, who were camped 8 miles below, and warned them of their danger. MaAndrew8 further reported that the militiamen told him thatitvas their intention to pursne Colorov 50 miles beyond the reserve,tion line to the agency. The I n d i a ~ae~ oe a r ede t the aeenov in ereat nuumbers to hear the reoort of McAn-drrwa, and i~pn'hc a r ingit tlte tGcit<n~cni'grrarlyi rnen.anet1. l'lnry nc:rnr rsx.!,t.l.s to Ilit~toh to aro8l.n thatlt to thn thr?arrncd {lnnger; they fearing on ntr.,rk i l l rh<,tr hawe*. untletl tl,emarlvca and nret,an.d tbr the arr3irk. 1 wrut . I ~ I IO~ L 't llrnl : I I I1,"~- hure(1 rhcn, of rag protuc~ioo. 'I ia.1~ tlwm that I wuultl "or penrrir ihcm rtl 18" cuu-lenrrd in their own ba,~ue,inthpiro\rro rouutrx sol#,ngasthey remilinedon their rusvr-vntion and ol,ept-d ntv xvunl: rhut t1,c.y ~leed nor i#oscarad: that I ~vuuld tokn care of them and theiiwives"and children. 'Phis held them dorknind for a while gave them encouragement; my earnestness impressed them. As soon ns I heard thestory from MoAndrews, and fearing that the pursuers in their excitement would carry out their threat and pursue beyond the reservation line, at 9.30 a. m. I sent a written reauest to Colonel Ranalett. the commander at Fort Dn Chcrne, to prrarir i~>u;;ban,l nut t o rho rnnr\,ntiuo lina ~ i a n rO. corg-d R. Bunlr,tr, 111- ttrprorer curtra, and n clarnrh~tloro~fr 11 men of Company H, Ninth (:arairy, slru hnd aarornpauied lua with tho annuity fntldd to tlbi9 apenry August i)2, I l t v ~ .to~ inf~rnl Bliaiur Lealie nor to erosd tinu lino; if Ila did 80, ir wauld be i r hl* peril. F'r.ndrng tllu returu of thecourier wit11 the reply of Colonel Raodlett, aodut 3.15 p. m.. Pont, asno of Cnluro\\'b Le a d -m~ ~a)r,r i~e dg m~ r l yex cired and reported tltaf *b~r r ly after daylight on tlmr clay, Augttrt 25, rhnt the Coloratlo rroopa and KL'o~IIII1'R11 en c.2111e dttd~lvn1yo nCulurow atld hi* fi,llower8, w110 wirh f h n i ~\v iv*.i and ohildr~nw ere tnkilte u. meal in anunur o t e~r~dandnx !~ns t~dunlhromnt~ 3 milc.s frow wla>rot ltoreder-vation line is suppodd to be, aud o{enad a deidly fie on them. This was @greet surprise to the Indiantns, who had confidence in the assoranoe that they would be el-lowed to go peaoeably to the reservation. They had no picketa, scouts, or runners out, and they were totally unprepared, their horses g r a~i n go n the hill-sides. An anon as the attack was made Pont immediately started for this agency to give the alarm.