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Show . oem <I ed TERRITORY HISTORY MEXICAN OF NEW FACTS LEADING OF THE REPUBLIC OF MEXICO 19 a = 18 ed ee ~ * heated é ea ay = ~~ cd to protect the caravans from the Arkansas river to Santa Fé, and ro ee ae ee Reh t ot. e262 ee ee Pe or eeereee ‘ieee 2 a 8 ore te pe nO year” ~ C tee ee ee ee <1 eeaePre Sane ye Se Ske e Colonel Viscarra was in command of the Mexican troops detailed Indian outrages on the trail from the Missouri for that purpose. river to Santa Fé at this time were particularly numerous and the government had been petitioned by the Santa Fé traders for military protection, which was granted; this escort, however, constituted the only government protection ever afforded to the Santa Fé trade, until 1843, when large escorts under Captain Cooke accompanied two different caravans as far as the Arkansas river.*” In the month of August, 1829, shortly after the arrival of the United States troops at the Mexican border, occurred the first invasion of New Mexican territory by American soldiers pursuing hostile Indians, who had attacked a caravan going to Santa Fé. 17 Gregg, Josiah, Commerce ote ee ee ore ee the Indians had learned to form return companies were generally a correct provided. 27-29: ‘‘The fall of 1828 trip, for by this time estimate of the stock with which Two young men named MeNees 7 and Monroe, having carelessly lain down to sleep on the banks of the stream, ee et pe since known as MecNees’ it was supposed in very creek, were barbarously shot, with their own sight of the caravan. When their comrades they found MeNees lifeless, and the other almost expiring. latter was carried nearly forty miles to the Cimarron ceremonies were about to be concluded, six guns, a8 came up In this state the river and was buried according to the custom of the prairies. where Just or seven Indians that been he died as the funeral appeared on the opposite side of the Cimarron. Some of the party proposed inviting them to a parley, while the rest, burning for revenge, evinced a desire to fire upol them at once. It is more than probable, however, that the Indians were not only would innocent hardly but ignorant have ventured of the outrage to approach the had caravan. committed, Being of or they quick per ception they very soon saw the belligerent attitude assumed by some of the company, and therefore wheeled around and attempted to escape. One shot was fired which wounded a horse and brought the Indian to the ground, whea he was instantly riddled with balls! Almost simultaneously another of several guns followed, by which all the rest were either killed or wounded, except one, who escaped to bear his tribe the news of their catastrophe! These wanton cruelties had a most disastrous effect 6 Pe 2 veo *.* Pes ee Ce ee ee a ee ee ee ee ee ee | ee ee ee el a prospects & TN f -auren ae alt of the Prairies, i, pp. proved still more fatal to the traders on their homeward of the trade; for the exasperated children of the desert discharge mortally dreadful upon the became more and more hostile to the pale-faces, against whom they continued to wage a cruel war for many successive years. In fact, this same party suffered very severely a few days afterward. They were pursued by the enraged comrades of the slain savages on the Arkansas river, where they were robbed of nearly a thousand head of mules and horses, But the Indians were not yet satisfied. Having beset a company of about twenty men, who they killed one of their number, and subsequently took followed shortly after, from them all the aar mals ae. they had in their possession. The unfortunate band compelled to advance on foot, but were even constrained ousand dollars each upon their backs to the Arkansas was cached (concealed in the ground till , vey it to the United States.” ) til a conveyance were now 20 to carry nearly river, where it was procure d to com Major Riley and his command of four companies of infantry crossed the Arkansas and pursued the Indians for two days, but, owing to the fact that the American troops were not mounted accomplished nothing, except the recovery of the body of one of the traders who had been killed and inducing the caravan to proceed on the journey to the capital of New Mexico.*® The American troops remained in the vicinity of Chouteau island until the return of the caravan in the fall, meanwhile having several skirmishes with the hostile Kiowas,!° in AMERICAN AND MEXICAN TROOPS ON THE ARKANSAS’ 18Gregg, Josiah, Commerce of the Prairies, i, pp. 29-30: ‘‘Such re- peated and daring outrages induced the traders to petition the federal government for an escort of United States troops. The request having been granted, Major Riley with three companies of infantry and one of riflemen, was ordered to accompany the caravan which left in the spring of 1829. The escort stopped at Chouteau’s island, on the Arkansas river, and the traders thence pursued their journey through the sand-hills beyond. They had hardly advanced six or seven miles, when a startling incident oceurred, which made them wish once more for the company of the gallant major and his well disciplined troops. A van-guard of three men, riding a few hundred yards ahead, had just dis- mounted for the purpose of satisfying their thirst, when a band of Kiowas, one of the most savage tribes that infest the western prairies, rushed upon them from the immense hillocks of sand which lay scattered in all directions. The three men sprang upon their animals but only two who had horses were enabled to make their escape to the wagons; the third, a Mr. Lamme, who was un- fortunately mounted upon a mule, was overtaken, slain and scalped before Somewhat alarmed at the boldness of anyone could come to his assistance. the Indians, the traders despatched an express to Major Riley, who immediately ordered his tents struck; and such was the rapidity of his movements, that when he appeared before the anxious caravan everyone was lost in astonishment. The re-enforcement having arrived in the night, the enemy could have obtained no knowledge of the fact, and would no doubt have renewed the attack in the morning, when they would have received a wholesome lesson from the troops, had not the reveille been sounded through mistake, at which they precipitately retreated. The escort now continued as far as Sand Creek, when, perceiving no further signs of danger, they returned to the Arkansas, to await the return of the caravan in the ensuing fall.’’ General Philip St. George Cooke, who was an officer under Major Riley, in his Scenes and Adventures in the Army, pp. 47-48, says of this affair: ‘‘We reached the encampment at one o’clock at night. All was quiet, and remained So until dawn, when, at the sound of our bugles, the pickets reported & number of Indians moving off. On looking around us, we perceived 5 the caravan ‘© arena of in the all gun-shot gas this spot had of sand-hills, was around. There been suddenly situation defenseless unfavorable amphitheatre a natural within most about fifty feet high, and practicable entrance fifty mounted Indians; narrowest the they saw ourselves possible — in re outlet. We ascertained that some mounted traders, in spite of all remonStrance or command, had ridden on in advance, and when in the narrow pass aoe ed and 'panions, Coney, escaped, save one, who, overtaken and slain.’’ James, in Handbook beset mounted of by about on American a mule, Indians, was abandoned vol. i, pp. by his 699-700: |