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AN INDIAN SUMMER TRAGEDY Virginia K. Nielsen Ephraim, Utah Non-Professional Division First Place Historical Essay The day was October 17, 1865, the last year of the long Civil War. In Ephraim, Utah, two young men made plans to go into Cottonwood Canyon, despite the stories of Indians on the move, and the threat of an Indian attack. One of these young men was Neils O. Anderson, who was eighteen years old, a handsome, dark-haired, enerqetic youth. His companion, Peter Larsen, said the Indians had been troublesome, but a number of Ephraim men were in the moun-tains logging, so they departed, thinking there would be safety in numbers. They reached the forks of the road when Henry Green came running toward them. He warned them to turn back; a band of Indians had ambushed the loggers and killed some of them. The loggers were Benjamin Black, Peter Greaves, Thomas Wolsey, William T. Hite, Louis Larsen, and Rasmus Jensen. They had stopped on Lake Hill when the Indians made a sur-prise attack. The men fled in various directions. Peter Greaves ran west, and came face to face with an Indian, partially concealed in the brush. The Indian had fired his gun and not reloaded, so Peter increased his speed and ran down Maple Creek. Peter had his dog with him and while concealed, held the dog's jaws shut to prevent his barking. When he reached Bald Mountain, an Indian fired at him, missed, then turned back. Peter reached home just be-fore sundown. William Rite was less fortunate. He ran down the road, but was killed at Wire Grass Flat. Thomas Wolsey ran east to warn his companions, Louis -8- |
