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Show THE SHOSHONES W E S H A L L R E M A I N : U TA H I N D I A N C U R R I C U L U M G U I D E 131 As white settlers pushed further into Shoshone lands and began to use, or interfere with, more and more of the vital resources of the area, tensions between settlers and some of the Shoshones rose. This was especially true of the area along the Snake River, in what is now south-ern Idaho and eastern Oregon, and in northern Utah. Beginning in the 1850s, in response to the destruction of water holes, game, and vital plant resources, Shoshone groups not directly affiliated with Chief Washakie began to conduct raids against emigrant groups. In 1858 as a result of the "Utah War," control over Indian affairs passed from Mormon leaders to U.S. government and military leaders. While tensions existed between the Mormons and the Shoshones prior to 1858, this change in leader-ship further destabilized the region. In January 1863, several small incidents of violence and theft between the Shoshones and settlers occurred near the town of Franklin, Washington Territory (now Idaho). On January 29, 1863 Colonel Patrick Edward Connor and about two-hundred army volunteers from Camp Douglas in Salt Lake City attacked a group of 450 Shoshone men, women, and children in a winter camp along the Bear River, about twelve miles from Franklin. In the early hours of the morning, Connor and his men surrounded the Shoshones and began a four-hour assault on the virtually defenseless group. Some 350 Shoshones were slaughtered by the troops, including many women and children. This was one of the most violent events in Utah's history and the largest Indian massacre in U.S. history. Chief Sagwitch, who at the time had been trying to negotiate peace with the United States, survived. So did his young son Beshup Timimboo, although he had been shot many times. In addition to murdering so many of their people, the army also destroyed all of the Northwestern Shoshones' food and shelter, leaving survivors of the massacre destitute. Many of the survivors escaped to Washakie's camp in Wind River. In the aftermath of the Bear River Massacre, the Shoshones felt the full impact of the federal government's removal and relocation policies. In 1863 Washakie, along with other Shoshone leaders, signed a treaty at Fort Bridger that was designed to help keep peace between the Shoshones and the white emigrants and settlers. It allowed for white roads, ferries, and settlements, while only loosely defining what constituted Shoshone land. In the years following this treaty, the Shoshones under Washakie faced increasing conflict with neighboring groups and pressure from increased settlement. In 1867 Washakie and a local Indian agent requested that the Wind River Valley be set aside as a reservation, and in 1868 a second treaty was signed at Fort Bridger granting those lands to the eastern Shoshones under Washakie. However, between 1896 and 1904 this reservation was slowly whittled down to one-fifth of its original size. Throughout these difficult times for the Shosho-nes, Chief Washakie offered friendship to the American settlers. For instance, he was a friend of Brigham Young, the leader of Mormon Church, and he and about three hundred other Shosho-nes converted to the LDS faith in 1880. Although Washakie would later convert to Episcopalian-ism, many Shoshones, including many from the Northwestern band, remained members of the Mormon Church. |