BATTLING THREE DAYS' BATTLE BETWEEN THE COMANCHES AND THE UTES FOR
THE POSSESSION OF A "HUNTER'S PARADISE."--AN UNSEASONABLE BATH.
All being ready, Uncle Kit, Johnnie West and myself pulled out for
South Park. We passed over a high range of mountains, struck the
Park on the east side, and a more beautiful sight I never saw than
the region was at that time. Coming in from the direction
mentioned, one could overlook the entire park, which was almost
surrounded by snow-capped mountains, and the valley, several miles
below, which was about eighty miles long and from ten to twenty
miles wide, was as green as a wheatfield in June. When we were
near the valley we could see elk in bands of a hundred or more,
with small herds of bison scattered here and there in the valley,
and antelope by the hundred.
I had often heard of a hunter's paradise, and when I got sight of
this lovely valley, with its thousands of wild animals of almost
every description known to the continent, I made up my mind that
if there ever was such a place as a hunter's paradise, I had
surely found it. The high mountains with scattering pine trees on
the sides; the snowy white peaks above the timber line, and the
many little mountain streams and rills that paid tribute to the
main stream that coursed this beautiful valley, all combined to
form a scene of magnificent grandeur. The quaking-asp, balm and
various other kinds of small timber that grew along the streams
all helped to add to the beauty of the scene.
We crossed over to the west side to a cove that ran back some
twelve miles from the main valley; here, we decided, was the best
place to establish our winter quarters. Every little mountain
stream in the valley was alive with beaver, and Uncle Kit thought
it so late that we would not be bothered by the Indians that fall,
but, that we would have to get out early the following spring.
Feeling perfectly safe, we built our cabin this winter entirely on
top of the ground, consequently we were not long in getting our
winter quarters completed and were soon ready to start in
trapping. We had excellent success this winter; very little snow
to contend with, making it much better getting around than usual
and an easier task to look after strings of traps.
In those cases each man had his string of traps, and it was his
business to go to each trap every day, take the beaver out, skin
them, set the traps, carry the skins home and stretch them.
Sometimes we would trap as far as seven miles from camp, that
being the outside limit. After we had trapped here about three
weeks there came a light fall of snow which drove most of the game
to the valley, and we experienced no trouble in getting all the
meat we wanted close to camp, in fact we could often kill deer and
antelope from our cabin door.
The second morning after the snowfall, Uncle Kit, Johnnie West and
myself all started down the valley to took after our traps. We
went about a mile together, I left the other two, my traps being
the farthest away, some three miles down the valley. After leaving
the other two I struck out down the valley on a turkey trot, that
being my usual gait when alone. I had not gone far when I heard
two gun shots. Thinking that Uncle Kit and Johnnie had been
attacked by the Indians, I turned in the direction that I heard
the shooting, and ran back much faster than I had come, but had
not gone far when I saw ahead of me, up the narrow valley, a band
of about twenty bison coming direct for me. I thought by shooting
the leader it might check their speed and perhaps cause them to
change their course. So I brought my gun to my face and dropped
the leader, but it neither caused the others to halt or change
their course, and they were making a bee line for me, and there
was not a tree in reach large enough for me to climb nor a place
of any kind that I could hide.
Now I was not long in making up my mind that I had a first-class
foot-race on my hands--as an Irishman might say--and after running
some distance I looked back and saw the bison were on me at every
jump. Had I only known the nature of bison, which I learned
afterward were not so vicious as buffalo, I could have turned to
the right or left and they would have passed on; but thinking that
they were after me, I got out like a quarter-horse, putting in my
best licks to try to reach a wash-out that I knew of ahead of me.
Thinking that if I only could reach that ditch I might have some
possible show for my life, I lost no time in getting there, but
got right down to business and did the prettiest running I have
ever done in my life. Every time I looked back I saw that the
rushing herd was closer upon me, until they were within a few
feet, and by the time I reached the ditch I fancied that I could
feel the breath from the nostrils of a half dozen bison on the
rear base of my buckskin trousers. Then into the ditch I went,
head-long and into about four feet of water. It seemed to me that
those buffalo were half an hour crossing that ditch, but I stood
perfectly quiet in the water up to my waist until they had all
passed over.
The ditch being deep and the banks perpendicular, I had to wade
the water for some distance up the ditch before I could find a
place where I could climb out. I had just scrambled up the bank
and shaken myself, when up came Uncle Kit and Johnnie, who had
heard the report of my gun and had come to see whether or not I
had killed anything.
"Rather cold to go bathing," said Uncle Kit. "When I go bathin' I
allus pull off my buckskin suit."
But I told them I considered myself lucky to be able to find a
suitable place to go swimming just at that time, and congratulated
myself on being all there.
Aside from my race with the bison, I put in a very pleasant
winter, and Uncle Kit said he had never spent as pleasant a time
in the mountains as he did that winter in South Park. "In fact,"
said he, "it was more like a pleasure trip than anything else."
Our camp at this time was near where the town of Tarryall has
since been built, and we ranged our horses in the extreme south
end of the park, where they had the best kind of grazing the
entire winter.
It was in the latter part of March--this now being the spring of
1852--when Uncle Kit made a trip to the south end of the park to
get our horses, thinking we had stayed there about as long as it
was safe.
During his absence Johnnie West and I were busily engaged in
making preparations to start for Bent's Fort, as soon as Carson
should get back with the horses. On his return he informed us that
he would not leave the park until about the first of May, which
was a surprise and disappointment to us both, as we had made all
calculations on getting started the following day. We asked what
was up that we were to be detained so long.
"On my trip for the horses," said Carson, "I saw some Injuns of
the Comanche tribe, and they told me that them and the Utes war
goin' to have a battle as soon as the Utes can cross the
mountains, and the place for the battle decided on is in the south
end of the park." He also said that with all the Indian fighting
he had been mixed up in he had never before had an opportunity to
see two tribes come together, and that he would not miss seeing it
for any consideration.
In those days each tribe of Indians had their own scope of hunting
and trapping ground, and if one tribe was caught intruding upon
the rights of another tribe it was apt to cause trouble.
As I have said before, South Park was a hunter's paradise in the
winter, and added to this, in the summer almost the entire valley
was covered with wild strawberries. Along the many little mountain
streams were abundance of wild gooseberries, blackberries and wild
currants, while on the hillsides were acres of wild raspberries.
In fact almost every variety of berries that there grew west of
the Missouri river could be found in South Park; while the streams
were full of the finest quality of mountain trout as well as many
other kinds of fish.
The two tribes of Indians mentioned had been in dispute for a
number of years as to their boundary line, each claiming South
Park, and this battle had been arranged the fall before by the
chiefs, also the place decided upon for the battle, which was to
be on a little stream in the extreme south end of the park, that
has since gone by the name of Battle Creek.
Battle Creek heads in the Pike's Peak range of mountains, and runs
almost due west. The particular spot selected for this battle was
on this creek, about two miles from where it empties into the
stream that runs through the park.
No better place could have been selected for the fight. There were
scattering pines here and there, with not a bush of any kind to
interfere with their wild charges, and a gentle slope from each
side to the stream which we might call the dead line.
The Comanches were to occupy the south side, while the Utes were
on the north.
As this battle was to settle for all time the long-disputed right
of these two powerful tribes, it was likely to be no tame affair.
This was what might be called a civil war between two tribes of
Indians. They had quarreled so long over this portion of the
country that the two chiefs had met and decided to have it settled
for, and the conditions of the battle were as follows: In the
event of the Comanches being victorious they were to have South
Park; the summit of the Rocky Mountains to be the boundary line.
And in the event of the Utes being victorious, the boundary line
was to be at the foot of the Rocky Mountains on the eastern slope,
the country in dispute comprising all of the territory between the
Arkansas river and South Platte, including South Park.
About two weeks before the time set for the battle, the Comanche
warriors began to arrive. Some brought their families while others
did not.
Uncle Kit, being well acquainted with the Comanche chief, as well
as the most of his warriors, loaded up all his furs and we moved
over near the Comanches' quarters a few days before the battle was
to take place.
As the Comanches came in they would pitch their wick-i-ups back on
the hill about a quarter of a mile south of the little stream,
which was to be their line of battle. They were all on hand before
any of the Utes came across the mountains.
About two days from the time the last of the Comanches came to the
ground, there was a little squad of Utes came in and pitched their
camp about the same distance from the little stream as the
Comanches, only on the opposite side.
This little squad of Indians came on ahead to ascertain whether
they would be able to cross the mountains, and if they did not
return in so many days the others would take it for granted that
all was clear and would follow, which they did, and a few days
later the entire Ute nation was there.
The battle did not begin for two or three days after all the Utes
were on the ground, thereby giving both sides ample time to kill
plenty of game to last them through the war.
During the time they were preparing for battle, neither tribe
seemed to make any attempt to molest their enemy in any way
whatever, but apparently looked upon it as a matter of business
and proposed to fight it out on the square.
During the time we were awaiting the battle, Kiwatchee, chief of
the Comanches, who was a very intelligent Indian in his way, and
could speak French fairly well, and who was also an intimate
friend of Kit Carson, came to Uncle Kit and said:
"I know you are a great chief and I want to hire you and your men
to help me whip the Utes.
"If you help me fight the Utes I will give you five ponies each."
Kit Carson declined by telling Kiwatchee that he did not come to
fight, but as he had never witnessed a war between two tribes of
Indians, he had come merely to look on, and as the war was for the
purpose of settling a dispute between the two tribes, he did not
think it would be right for him to interfere. Kiwatchee insisted
on our entering into the battle and asked how many horses we would
take to help him fight the Utes. But Uncle Kit told him he would
take no hand in the affair.
We were camped on the hill near the Comanches, where we could
overlook the entire battle-ground, as well as the Ute camp. We
dared not go near the Utes, for they were not at all friendly
toward the pale-faces, and in case the Utes were victorious we
would have to flee with the Comanches.
The day before the battle was to take place, Kiwatchee came and
said to us:
"To-morrow we will fight."
We asked him how long he thought the battle would last. Kiwatchee
said he thought he could whip the Utes in one day.
The following morning about sunrise, just as we were eating
breakfast, the two chiefs commenced beating their war-drums, which
was a signal to call their men together. The war-drum, or what the
Comanches call a "tum-tum," was made of a piece of hollow log
about eight inches long, with a piece of untanned deerskin
stretched over one end. This the war chief would take under one
arm and beat on it with a stick. When the tum-tums sounded the
first morning there was great commotion among the Indians. At the
first tap the war-whoop could be heard, and in a few moments both
tribes of Indians were down at the little stream, each formed in
line on his own side.
On arriving at the stream the tum-tums ceased and were not heard
again till the Indians were formed in line of battle and each war-
chief passed down in front of his men, after which they again
commenced beating on the tum-tums, and at that the arrows began
flying.
Now the fun had commenced in earnest, and of all the war-whoops I
ever heard they were there, and the more noise the Indians made
the harder they would fight.
After they had fought for about two hours they seemed to get more
cautious than at the start, and would look for some advantage to
take of the enemy.
They fought hard all day; sometimes the Comanches would cross over
to the same side with the Utes, and I saw many hand-to-hand fights
with tomahawks and knives. At other times the Utes would cross
over on the Comanche side of the stream, but would soon retreat
again, and each side would resume their old position for a time.
About sunset both tribes withdrew, apparently by mutual agreement,
each side returning to camp for supper.
I did not learn how many Comanches were killed that day, but there
were some twenty odd wounded, and some of them fatally. The night
was made hideous by the shrieks and cries of the squaws and
children of the warriors who had been killed or wounded during the
day.
Neither tribe put out picket guards during the night.
The next morning about sunrise the war-chiefs were out beating on
the tum-tums. The warriors did not hasten around so briskly as the
morning before, however, they were soon at the spot and ready for
battle.
After going through the same manoeuvres as the morning before, the
war-woops rang out loud and shrill, and again the arrows began to
fly. The contestants fought hard all day again, without ceasing.
About the middle of the afternoon the Comanches made a desperate
charge on the Utes, crossing the creek and fighting them at close
quarters. Among the Comanches was one Indian in particular that I
was acquainted with, that I saw engaged in a number of hand-to-
hand fights, and always came out victorious, but he got badly used
up during the day. This Indian went by the name of White Bird, and
he was beyond doubt the worst disfigured piece of humanity I ever
saw, but he fought on, and he seemed to say by his actions:
"I am slightly disfigured, but still in the ring."
About sundown the two armies again withdrew for refreshments and
repairs.
That evening after eating my supper! went over to White Bird's
wick-i-up and found him sitting there, bloody from head to foot,
with a huge cut on one cheek, another on one side of the head, and
numerous other wounds, making him the most horrible specimen of
humanity that I had ever seen living. He had not even washed the
blood from his face or hands, but was sitting there telling his
squaw and children how many Utes he had killed during the day,
apparently as cool and unconcerned as though nothing had happened
him. But he was not able for duty the next day, and died about ten
o'clock.
We never learned where the Indians buried their dead, for they
took them away during the night and disposed of them in some
manner.
There were more Indians killed and wounded the second day than the
first, and that night the Comanches had a big war-dance over the
scalps they had taken.
The morning of the third day each tribe marched down at about the
usual hour and resumed their positions in the line of battle, and
that morning they fought more cautiously than before, until about
ten o'clock, when the Utes made their first big charge on the
Comanches, and they had a hard fight, which resulted in the death
of many Indians, and the Utes retreated with considerably the
worst of it.
In this charge we counted over forty Utes that were killed and
scalped.
After the Comanches had driven the Utes back, Johnnie West and I
went down within about fifty yards and sat there until the war was
ended. About the middle of the afternoon of the third day, the old
war-chief of the Comanches rushed up and commenced to shout, "Co-
chah! Co-chah!" which meant to go ahead, or, in other words, to
charge. Johnnie West, who understood the language, turned to me
and said:
"The Comanches are going to make another charge."
Sure enough, they did; crossing the creek and made a desperate
rush for the Utes, but the Utes could not stand the pressure and
retreated, the Comanches following them to the top of the hill
where the Utes were camped, it being understood between the two
chiefs that, when either army or tribe was driven back to the top
of the hill, they had lost the battle.
The Comanches now returned, singing and shouting at the top of
their voices, and in a short time a little squad of Comanches came
in with about one hundred head of Ute horses. We never learned
whether they had captured the horses or whether they had won them
in the battle.
That night the Comanches had another big war-dance, and while the
unfortunate squaws and children were weeping over the loss of
their fathers and husbands, the victorious warriors were dancing,
singing and shouting, and while dancing, each warrior would try to
show as near as he could the manner in which he killed and
scalped his enemy, and of all the silly maneuvers a white man ever
witnessed, it was there at that war-dance.
The next morning there was not a Ute to be seen, all having left
during the night.
The day following, the Comanches broke camp and started back for
their main village on the Arkansas river. We broke camp and
started out ahead of them, and in four days reached Bent's Fort,
where Uncle Kit sold his furs to Colonel Bent and Mr. Roubidoux.
These two kept a boarding-house at the Fort, and this being the
general loafing place during the summer season for most of the
trappers in this part of the country, they also kept whiskey, and
after the trappers had sold their furs, many of them would stop
around the Fort and pay board for about three or four months
during each summer, and by the time they were ready to start
trapping again, Col. Bent and Mr. Roubidoux would have all of
their money back for grub and whiskey, and, in fact, many of them
would be in debt to them.
There being so much stock around the Fort the game was driven back
so far that it became necessary to go considerable distance to get
any. Col. Bent and Mr. Roubidoux proposed to hire Johnnie West and
I to hunt for them for two months, saying that they had not had
fresh meat half of the time the past spring. We agreed to work for
them for two months, they being willing to pay us fifty dollars
each per month, with the understanding that in case we kept them
in meat all summer they would pay us extra wages. They now having
some thirty odd boarders, it took a great deal of meat, and having
to go some distance for game we had to pack it on pack-horses. We
hunted for them two months, and at the end of that time we had
kept them in meat and had enough ahead to last them one month
longer.
It now being time to start out to look for trapping ground for the
coming winter, we went to Col. Bent for a settlement, and after he
had counted out our hundred dollars each he asked us how much
extra wages we thought we should have. I told him I was perfectly
willing to leave it to Mr. Roubidoux, and Johnnie being willing to
do that also, Mr. Roubidoux told the Colonel to pay us twenty
dollars each, extra, all of which was agreeable to us, and they
engaged us to hunt for them the next summer at seventy-five
dollars per month.
We returned now to Taos to prepare for the winter's trapping.