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Show OLD SANTA FE TRAIL 129 Mitchell, of Boone county, Missouri, was killed. About midnight the party tried to get away, but was driven back. The fight continued all of the next day, by which time the traders had expended all of their ammunition and most of them were wounded. They had almost given up when they were most unexpectedly hailed by the Indians, who told them in Spanish that they might go. The traders had lost all of their horses and mules and they were compelled to abandon their property, including about twelve thousand dollars in specie. The next day after leaving the battle-ground they separated, one part taking the nearest cut to the settlements and the other going down the river. They suffered incredible hardships. It was winter and most of them were wounded. They were likewise nearly destitute of clothing, and being without ammunition, could not procure food. The fate of the division going down the river is not known but evidently no lives were lost. Ocaté creek, at the point reached by the Cimarron trail, was a noted place; in the early days there were pines growing there, the first seen on the trail. The elevation is six thousand feet above sea-level at this point. Wagon Mound was a well known place on the trail; near-by 1s the Santa Clara Spring. The rock composing the mound is a black and spotted basalt. In this vicinity the party transporting the mail from the United States was cut off by the Indians in 1850; they were en route from Fort Leavenworth to Santa Fé, ten in number, all of wagon whom were of its rifled killed, together From contents. with their information mules, and the afterwards ob- tained, it was ascertained to have been the work of Apache and Ute Indians. The first attack was made in the morning, the fight lasting all day, without much damage, only a man or two having been wounded. This was done by the Apaches alone. In the evening they were joined by a party of Utes, who told them they did not know how to fight Americans, but they would show them. The attack was renewed the next morning, when the combined force of the Indians short resistance. rushed upon and overpowered the hills, where the savages had every advantage. Sence of the fight them after a The final struggle took place at a pass between reached out to bury the dead. Santa Fé, a party When intelli- of soldiers was sent Two men were found dead in the wagon, hav- |