return to City of Denver, etc.

CHAPTER VI.

CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES -- RESCUE OF THE PRISONERS.


WE come now to the most remrkable feature of the Ute campaign - the sudden cessation of hostilities at the very moment ehen the power of administering punishment to the Meeker and Thornburg murderers was in the hands of Gen. Merritt in the north, and Gen. Hatch in the south.  Nearly, if not quite, three thousand Federal troops had been rushed into Colorado with wonderful celerity, and were now distributed within striking distance of the fire.  Officers and men were alike burning to inflict severe and summary punishment upon the cut-throat assassins who had not only made war upon the Government, but had characterized their revolt by inhuman atrocities upon non-combatants at the Agency.  Colorado, as with one voice, demanded that the war which had been begun by the Utes themselves should be continued until they cried "Enough!"  Although Ouray protested that his Indians were not implicated, it did not seem necessary, for that reason, to spare those really and truly guilty.  "Let the troops advance," and Gov. Pitkin, "and it will be easy to determine who are the hostile Indians.  Those who get in the way of the troops and show fight are the ones who ought to be punished."

    But the high and mighty Moguls of the Interior Department evolved another scheme and put it into execution.  They said, in effect:

    "The troops must not advance upon the Indians.  If they do, some good Indian who did not fight at Milk River, not assist in the Agency massacrem may be killed or wounded.  The war is over anyhow, since Ouray ordered the Utes to stop fighting  Ouray says he will surrender the insurgents, and a trial by a civil tribunal will cost much less than an Indian war.  It is a pity that Meeker and Thornburg were killed, but if we can find out who killed them, through Ouray, we will do something terrible with the murderers -- perhaps send them to prison."

    Economically considered, perhaps, this wa sound doctrine, but it grated terribly on the nerves of Coloradoans and the army.  Gen. Sheridan gave expression to his disgust in very vigorous English.  Gov. Pitkin sent the following ringing telegram to Secretary Schurz:
STATE OF COLORADO, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
DENVER, October 22, 1879.
Hon. Carl Schurz, Secretary of the Interior:
    Information from Southwestern Colorado satisfies me that many of Ouray's warriors were in the Thornburg fight.  To surrender the criminals, Ouray must surrender his tribe, which he is powerless to do.  They adhere to him for protection only, and will not submit to punishment.  Neither will they surrender White River Utes, who are bound to them by the closest ties, and are no more guilty than themselves.  They whipped Thornburg's command, and now Merritt retires.  It cannot be disguised that the fighting men of the tribe are hosteil and flushed with victory.  They are savages.  They take no prisoners, except women.  Their trophies are not banners, but scalps.
    If the policy of military inactivity continues, our frontier settlements are liable to become scenes of massacre.  Unless the troops move against the Indians, the Indians will move against the settlers.  Must 300 miles of border settlements be subjected to this peril?  The General Government is doing nothing to protect or defend our settlements.  The State cannot defend all this border except by attacking the enemy.
    In behalf of our people, I represent the danger to you, and urge that the Government recognize that a war with barbarians now exists which involves the lives of numerous exposed mining settlements.  It can be terminated only by the most vigorous and uninterrupted warfare.
(Signed)     FREDERICK W. PITKIN, Governor.



       The only effect of these and other remonstrances was to secure the retention of troops in the State, whereby the Indians were held in check and the hundred miles to the north, but Ouray was in constant communication with the hostiles by means of Indian runners, who, indeed, had been going and coming continually.  All necessary arrangements were made, including a strong Indian escort, and Adams started on the morning of the 19th of October.

    The escort consisted of Sapovanero Shavano, the young Chief Colorow -- not the celebrated chieftain of that name -- and ten Indians.  Count Von Doenhoff, an attache of the German Legation at Washington; Capt. Cline, the well-known frontiersman, and one of the Agency employes, accompanied Adams.  The party was under the surveillance of Indian runners from the time of leaving the Agency until its return.  These were sent out by Ouray, and reported to him from day to day the progress of events.  Ouray was not entirely confident of the sucess of the mission, as it appeared, and if it failed, he wanted to know exactly who was responsible for the failure.  He had sent out the expedition himself, and felt responsible, at least, for the safey of its members.

    Not counting the German Count, the commission was admirably organized.  Gen. Adams was known to all the Indians of the tribe, and ot many of them he was endeared by many acts of generosity and kindness which had won for him among them the appellation of "Washington."  Capt. Cline was even more highly esteemed by the Indians.  For years, he had been the only white man living on the reservation.  In another place, it was stated that the wagon road leading to Ouray City crossed sixty or seventy miles of the reservation, and, of course, a stage-station and stopping-place for teams was necessary on that part of the road lying within the reservation.  This station was kept by Capt. Cline, by permission of the "lords of the soil," and they even went so far as to mark out a considerable scope of country which Capt. Cline should have for his own use and benefit.  "Mother Cline," as the Captain's wife was universally known, was also greatly respected by the Indians, and the worthy couple enjoyed, in the fullest degree, the esteem and confidence of the whole tribe of Utes.

    The expedition followed the ld Mormon road as far as it was practicable, about forty miles beyond the Gunnison River.  The wagons were then left behind, and the party struck out on horseback.  Their first camp was at the Gunnison, whence Sapovanero sent out two runners to inform the hostiles of their coming.  The second night's camp was on Grand River, twenty miles distant from the hostile camp, which was reached at 10 o'clock of the third day.  At Grand River, they were met by two envoys from the hostile camp -- Henry Jim, the White River interpreter, and Cojoe, an Uncompahgre Indian.  It is a curious fact that the first hostile Indian who met Gen. Adams en route, and the first Indian he saw in the camp of the hostiles, were Uncompahgres, though it has been long and loudly denied that the Uncompahgre Utes had anything to do with the outbreak. 

    Just before reaching the hostile camp, the commission was met by two other Indians, who informed Adams that he had been graciously permitted to enter.  Nothing was seen, however, of the captives at first, and it was soon ascertained that they were in another camp, on Plateau Creek.  Without waiting for "permission" to proceed further, Gen. Adams and his party rode on to Plateau Creek, and accidentally discovered Miss Josie Meeker, in spite of efforts to secrete her.  The other captives had been hidden away, and were not produced until some hours later. 

    These hours were consumed in a "medicine talk," which lasted five or six hours, and was very stormy.  The young bucks wanted to kill the commissioners, but were overruled by their elders.  This part of the powwow being conducted in classical Ute, without interpretation, Gen. Adams never knew, until some time afterward, of the danger which menaced him.  It was finally resolved that the commssion should be suffered to depart, but without the white women and children.

    This arosed the ire of Sapovanero, who had been instructed by Ouray to bring back the captives without fail, and who felt the importance of his mission.  He made a lengthy speech, in which he threatened the stubborn chief with Ouray's sovereign displeasure if they did not obey his commands.  Although this speech made a decided impression, it was not immediately conclusive.  Chief Douglas desired that Adams should go to White River and have the troops removed from there, promising to surrender the captives on his return if he was successful.  To this Adams demurred, but promised, if the prisoners were at once surrendered and started south, that he would go on to White River and use his influence with Merritt to prevent any advance -- an easy compromise, as Merritt had no orders to advance. 

    This arrangement was eventually agreed to, and shortly the captives were unconditionally surrendered, though with evident reluctance.

    The joy of the poor prisoners knew no bounds when assurred that they were in the hands of their friends once more -- friends indeed, although entire strangers as far as previous acquaintance was concerned.  They had been captives twenty-two days, and had almost despaired of succor.  Miss Meeker and Mrs. Price had borne up wonderfully well under their privations and sufferings, but poor Mrs. Meeker was nearly worn out by anxiety, suffering and exposure.  The two children of Mrs. Price had fared better than the elders, and were enjoying tolerably vigorous health.

    Gen. Adams at once departed, with an Indian esort, for Gen. Merritt's headquarters, communicated to him the facts above recited, and returned to the Southern Agency, via the hostile camp, and over the same road he had followed when going in, reaching the camp of Ouray on the 29th, and Denver a few days later.

    The women and children, in charge of Capt. Cline, had proceeded directly south, reaching Ouray's house on the evening of the second day, where they reeived a warm welcome from the veteran diplomatist, who was greatly elated over the success of his scheme.  Thence they traveled, by easy stages, to Denver, everywhere being greeted  with demonstrations of joy over their escape, and at Denver they had quite an ovation.  Their arrival in Greeley, however, was the most affecting incident of hte latter portion of their trip.  There they met their old friends, neighbors and relatives, whom they had little thought ever to meet again nder such circumstances and surroundings.  It was as if the dead ha been restored to life, and no language can fitly portray the feelings of the rescued prisoners, or their friends who welcomed them "Home again."


pp. 148-151