personal memoirs-2-第33章

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and　good　management　on　the　part　of　the　Indian　Bureau　to　persuade　the

four　tribes　to　go　quietly　to　their　reservations；　under　an　agreement

which；　when　entered　into；　many　of　them　protested　had　not　been　fully

understood。



A　few　hours　after　my　arrival　a　delegation　of　prominent　chiefs　called

on　me　and　proposed　a　council；　where　they　might　discuss　their

grievances；　and　thus　bring　to　the　notice　of　the　Government　the

alleged　wrongs　done　them；　but　this　I　refused；　because　Congress　had

delegated　to　the　Peace　Commission　the　whole　matter　of　treating　with

them；　and　a　council　might　lead　only　to　additional　complications。　　My

refusal　left　them　without　hope　of　securing　better　terms；　or　of　even

delaying　matters　longer；　so　henceforth　they　were　more　than　ever

reckless　and　defiant。　　Denunciations　of　the　treaty　became　outspoken；

and　as　the　young　braves　grew　more　and　more　insolent　every　day；　it

amounted　to　conviction　that；　unless　by　some　means　the　irritation　was

allayed；　hostilities　would　surely　be　upon　us　when　the　buffalo

returned　to　their　summer　feeding…grounds　between　the　Arkansas　and　the

Platte。



The　principal　sufferers　in　this　event　would　be　the　settlers　in　middle

and　western　Kansas；　who；　entirely　ignorant　of　the　dangers　hanging

over　them；　were　laboring　to　build　up　homes　in　a　new　country。　　Hence

the　maintenance　of　peace　was　much　to　be　desired；　if　it　could　be

secured　without　too　great　concessions；　and　although　I　would　not　meet

the　different　tribes　in　a　formal　council；　yet；　to　ward　off　from

settlers　as　much　as　possible　the　horrors　of　savage　warfare；　I　showed；

by　resorting　to　persuasive　methods；　my　willingness　to　temporize　a

good　deal。　　An　abundant　supply　of　rations　is　usually　effective　to

keep　matters　quiet　in　such　cases；　so　I　fed　them　pretty　freely；　and

also　endeavored　to　control　them　through　certain　men　who；　I　found；

because　of　former　associations；　had　their　confidence。　　These　men；

employed　as　scouts；　or　interpreters；　were　Mr。　William　Comstock；　Mr。

Abner　S。　Grover；　and　Mr。　Richard　Parr。　　They　had　lived　on　the　Plains

for　many　years　with　different　tribes　of　Indians；　had　trapped　and

hunted　with　them；　and　knew　all　the　principal　chiefs　and　headmen。

Through　such　influences；　I　thought　I　saw　good　chances　of　preserving

peace；　and　of　inducing　the　discontented　to　go　quietly　to　their

reservations　in　the　Indian　Territory　as　soon　as　General　Hazen；　the

representative　of　the　Peace　Commissioners；　was　ready　to　conduct　them

there　from　Fort　Larned。



Before　returning　to　Leavenworth　I　put　my　mediators　（as　I　may　call

them）　under　charge　of　an　officer　of　the　army；　Lieutenant　F。　W。

Beecher；　a　very　intelligent　man；　and　directed　him　to　send　them　out　to

visit　among　the　different　tribes；　in　order　to　explain　what　was

intended　by　the　treaty　of　Medicine　Lodge；　and　to　make　every　effort

possible　to　avert　hostilities。　　Under　these　instructions　Comstock　and

Grover　made　it　their　business　to　go　about　among　the　Cheyennesthe

most　warlike　tribe　of　allthen　camping　about　the　headwaters　of

Pawnee　and　Walnut　creeks；　and　also　to　the　north　and　west　of　Fort

Wallace；　while　Parr　spent　his　time　principally　with　the　Kiowas　and

Comanches。



》From　the　different　postsWallace；　Dodge；　and　Larned　Lieutenant

Beecher　kept　up　communication　with　all　three　scouts；　and　through　him

I　heard　from　them　at　least　once　a　week。　　Every　now　and　then　some

trouble　along　the　railroad　or　stage　routes　would　be　satisfactorily

adjusted　and　quiet　restored；　and　matters　seemed　to　be　going　on　very

well；　the　warm　weather　bringing　the　grass　and　buffalo　in　plenty；　and

still　no　outbreak；　nor　any　act　of　downright　hostility。　　So　I　began　to

hope　that　we　should　succeed　in　averting　trouble　till　the　favorite　war

season　of　the　Indians　was　over；　but　the　early　days　of　August　rudely

ended　our　fancied　tranquility。



In　July　the　encampments　about　Fort　Dodge　began　to　break　up；　each　band

or　tribe　moving　off　to　some　new　location　north　of　the　Arkansas；

instead　of　toward　its　proper　reservation　to　the　south　of　that　river。

Then　I　learned　presently　that　a　party　of　Cheyennes　had　made　a　raid　on

the　Kawsa　band　of　friendly　Indians　living　near　Council　Groveand

stolen　their　horses；　and　also　robbed　the　houses　of　several　white

people　near　Council　Grove。　　This　raid　was　the　beginning　of　the　Indian

war　of　1868。　　Immediately　following　it；　the　Comanches　and　Kiowas　came

to　Fort　Larned　to　receive　their　annuities；　expecting　to　get　also　the

arms　and　ammunition　promised　them　at　Medicine　Lodge；　but　the　raid　to

Council　Grove　having　been　reported　to　the　Indian　Department；　the

issue　of　arms　was　suspended　till　reparation　was　made。　　This　action　of

the　Department　greatly　incensed　the　savages；　and　the　agent's　offer　of

the　annuities　without　guns　and　pistols　was　insolently　refused；　the

Indians　sulking　back　to　their　camps；　the　young　men　giving　themselves

up　to　war…dances；　and　to　powwows　with　〃　medicine…men；〃　till　all　hope

of　control　was　gone。



Brevet　Brigadier…General　Alfred　Sully；　an　officer　of　long　experience

in　Indian　matters；　who　at　this　time　was　in　command　Qf　the　District　of

the　Arkansas；　which　embraced　Forts　Larned　and　Dodge；　having　notified

me　of　these　occurrences　at　Larned；　and　expressed　the　opinion　that　the

Indians　were　bent　on　mischief；　I　directed　him　there　immediately　to

act　against　them。　　After　he　reached　Larned；　the　chances　for　peace

appeared　more　favorable。　　The　Indians　came　to　see　him；　and　protested

that　it　was　only　a　few　bad　young　men　who　had　been　depredating；　and

that　all　would　be　well　and　the　young　men　held　in　check　if　the　agent

would　but　issue　the　arms　and　ammunition。　　Believing　their　promises；

Sully　thought　that　the　delivery　of　the　arms　would　solve　all　the

difficulties；　so　on　his　advice　the　agent　turned　them　over　along　with

the　annuities；　the　Indians　this　time　condescendingly　accepting。



This　issue　of　arms　and　ammunition　was　a　fatal　mistake；　Indian

diplomacy　had　overreached　Sully's　experience；　and　even　while　the

delivery　was　in　progress　a　party　of　warriors　had　already　begun　a　raid

of　murder　and　rapine；　which　for　acts　of　devilish　cruelty　perhaps　has

no　parallel　in　savage　warfare。　　The　party　consisted　of　about　two

hundred　Cheyennes　and　a　few　Arapahoes；　with　twenty　Sioux　who　had　been

visiting　their　friends；　the　Cheyennes。　　As　near　as　could　be

ascertained；　they　organized　and　left　their　camps　along　Pawnee　Creek

about　the　3d　of　August。　　Traveling　northeast；　they　skirted　around

Fort　Harker；　and　made　their　first　appearance　among　the　settlers　in

the　Saline　Valley；　about　thirty　miles　north　of　that　post。　　Professing

friendship　and　asking　food　at　the　farm…houses；　they　saw　the

unsuspecting　occupants　comply　by　giving　all　they　could　spare　from

their　scanty　stores。　　Knowing　the　Indian's　inordinate　fondness　for

coffee；　particularly　when　well　sweetened；　they　even　served　him　this

luxury　freely。　　With　this　the　demons　began　their　devilish　work。

Pretending　to　be　indignant　because　it　was　served　them　in　tin　cups；

they　threw　the　hot　contents　into　the　women's　faces；　and　then；　first

making　prisoners　of　the　men；　they；　one　after　another；　ravished　the

women　till　the　victims　became　insensible。　　For　some　inexplicable

reason　the　two　farmers　were　neither　killed　nor　carried　off；　so　after

the　red　fiends　had　gone；　the　unfortunate　women　were　brought　in　to

Fort　Harker；　their　arrival　being　the　first　intimation　to　the　military

that　hostilities　had　actually　begun。



Leaving　the　Saline；　this　war…party　crossed　over　to　the　valley　of　the

Solomon；　a　more　thickly　settled　region；　and　where　the　people　were　in

better　circumstances；　their　farms　having　been　started　two　or　three

years　before。　　Unaware　of　the　hostile　character　of　the　raiders；　the

people　here　received　them　in　the　friendliest　way；　providing　food；　and

even　giving　them　ammunition；　little　dreaming　of　what　was　impending。

These　kindnesses　were　requited　with　murder　and　pillage；　and　worse；

for　all　the　women　who　fell　into　their　hands　were　subjected　to　horrors

indescribable　by　words。　　Here　also　the　first　murders　were　committed；

thirteen　men　and　two　women　being　killed。　　Then；　after　burning　five

houses　and　stealing　all　the　horses　they　could　find；　they　turned　back

toward　the　Saline；　carrying　away　as　prisoners　two　little　girls　named

Bell；　who　have　never　been　heard　of　since。



It　was　probably　the　intention　to　finish；　as　they　marched　back　to　the

south；　the　devilish　work　begun　on　the　Saline；　but　before　they　reached

that　valley　on　the　return；　the　victims　left　there　originally　had　fled

to　Fort　Harker；　as　already　explained；　and　Captain　Benteen　was　now

nearing　the　little　settlement　with　a　troop　of　cavalry；　which　he　had

hurriedly　marched　from　Fort　Zarah。　　The　savages　were　attacking　the

house　of　a　Mr。　Schermerhorn；　where　a　few　of　the　settlers　had

collected　for　defense；　when　Benteen　approached。　　Hearing　the　firing；

the　troopers　rode　toward　the　sound　at　a　gallop；　but　when　they

appeared　in　view；　coming　over　the　hills；　the　Indians　fled　in　all

directions；　escaping　punishment　through　their　usual　tactics　of

scattering　over　the　Plains；　so　as　to　leave　no　distinctive　trail。



When　this　frightful　raid　was　taking　place；　Lieutenant　Beecher；　with

his　three　scoutsComstock；　Grover；　and　Parrwas　on　Walnut　Creek。

Indefinite　rumors　about　troubles　on　the　Saline　and　Solomon　reaching

him；　he　immediately　sent　Comstock　and　Grover　over　to　the　headwaters

of　the　Solomon；　to　the　camp　of　a　band　of　Cheyennes；　whose　chief　was

called　〃Turkey　Leg；〃　to　see　if　any　of　the　raiders　belonged　there；　to

learn　the　facts；　and　make　explanations；　if　it　was　found　that　the

white　people　had　been　at　fault。　　For　years　this　chief　had　been　a

special　friend　of　Comstock　and　Grover。　　They　had　trapped；　hunted；　and

lived　with　his　band；　and　from　this　intimacy　they　felt　confident　of

being　able　to　get　〃Turkey　Leg〃　to　quiet　his　people；　if　any　of　them

were　engaged　in　the　raid；　and；　at　all　events；　they　expected；　through

him　and　his　band；　to　influence　the　rest　of　the　Cheyennes。　　From　the

moment　they　arrived　in　the　Indian　village；　however；　the　two　scouts

met　with　a　very　cold　reception。　　Neither　friendly　pipe　nor　food　was

offered　them；　and　before　they　could　recover　from　their　chilling

reception；　they　were　peremptorily　ordered　out　of　the　village；　with

the　intimation　that　when　the　Cheyennes　were　on　the　war…path　the

presence　of　whites　was　intolerable。　　The　scouts　were　prompt　to　leave；

of　course；　and　for　a　few　miles　were　accompanied　by　an　escort　of　seven

young　men；　who　said　they　were　sent　with　them　to　protect　the　two　from

harm。　　As　the　party　rode　along　over　the　prairie；　such　a　depth　of

attachment　was　professed　for　Comstock　and　Grover　that；

notwithstanding　all　the　experience　of　their　past　lives；　they　were

thoroughly　deceived；　and　in　the　midst　of　a　friendly　conversation　some

of　the　young　warriors　fell　suddenly　to　the　rear　and　treacherously

fired　on　them。



At　the　volley　Comstock　fell　from　his　horse　instantly　killed。　　Grover；

badly　wounded　in　the