At Brown's Hole--Trading in the Navajoe Country--Carson Serves as Hunter
at Brown's Hole--Trapping in the Black Hills--On the Yellowstone--Fight
with the Blackfeet--Their Retreat to an Island--Their Flight During the
Night--An Imposing Array of Warriors.
The fight between the Blackfeet and trappers was one of the most
important in which Kit Carson, previous to the late war, was ever
engaged. The forces must have included several hundred, and the lesson
administered to the aggressive red men was remembered by them a long
time.
After burying their dead, looking after the wounded and setting matters
to rights, the hunters resumed trapping through the Blackfoot country.
They were scarcely disturbed by their old enemies who dreaded rousing
the resentment of such a formidable body of daring and unerring
marksmen.
Our friends were very successful, and, when they made their way to the
rendezvous, a week's journey away, they carried with them an immense
stock of peltries. When the trading was finished, the parties made new
combinations and departed in different directions. Instead of attaching
himself to a large company, Kit Carson and seven choice spirits started
for a trading post known at that time as Brown's Hole. They reached
there just in time for the leader to join an expedition, numbering only
two beside himself, which went into the Navajoe country for purposes of
barter. The venture proved a great success and Carson drifted back again
to Brown's Hole. There such liberal offers were made him to serve
as hunter for the fort, that he accepted and entered upon his rather
singular, but exceedingly congenial duties.
These, as the reader must know, simply consisted of keeping the garrison
supplied with all the meat they needed. Though the country was noted for
its fine game, it required much time, skill and patience for Carson to
make sure that none of the vigorous appetites at the post suffered. No
one could have done better and very few as well as he. When spring came,
and he gave up his position, he was complimented by those whom he left
behind on the admirable manner in which he had met all requirements.
During those years there was much similarity in the life and experience
of Kit Carson. He had become known all through the west and southwest
as the most daring, sagacious and brilliant leader in that country. His
services were in demand wherever he went, and as he was in the enjoyment
of perfect health, overrunning with life and activity, he made money
rapidly and showed his wisdom by laying aside a respectable sum for a
rainy day.
In the spring following his engagement at Brown's Hole, he went with
a small party to the Black Hills, where they were quite successful in
hunting. Later in the summer they joined the main body of trappers on
Green River. All meeting at the general rendezvous on a branch of the
Wind River. Still later, the majority of the trappers went into winter
quarters on the Yellowstone. They were again in the country of their
bitter enemies, the Blackfeet, and were certain of a fight with them;
but several months passed without molestation.
One day, however, several of the trappers who were making the rounds
of the traps, came upon signs which showed they were close to a strong
force of the Blackfeet. The men lost no time in hurrying back to camp
with the news, where it was agreed that trouble was at hand.
Forty men were selected at once to hunt out the Indians and engage them
in battle. It goes without saying, that Kit Carson was made the leader
and there was not a moment's unnecessary delay in starting out to find
the enemy.
They were successful in their search. They suddenly found themselves in
the presence of a scouting party, who were undoubtedly looking for them;
but perceiving the strength of the whites, they began retreating. Carson
and his men pressed them hotly, when, as anticipated, they fell back on
the main body and one of the old fashioned battles between trappers and
Indians began.
The Blackfeet always fight bravely, and, for a time, they held their
ground well, but they were forced to give way and retired to a small
island in the Yellowstone, where they had thrown up rude fortifications
and felt able to hold their own against a much superior force.
Darkness closed in upon the contending forces, and the assailants ceased
firing and encamped for the night on the bank of the river. They were on
the qui vive through the still hours, and so eager for the attack that
with the earliest streakings of light in the east, they plunged into the
stream and made for the barricades. It was not to be supposed that the
Blackfeet would be taken off their guard, and the trappers expected to
reach the defences through a hot fusillade from the dusky defenders.
To their surprise, however, not a single gun was discharged and they
rushed pell mell over the rugged fortifications to engage the enemy
in hand to hand conflict. To their chagrin, however, not a solitary
Blackfoot was visible. Despite the watchfulness of the white men, the
entire Indian force had withdrawn during the night without arousing the
least suspicion on the part of the watchers.
But the trappers were too wise to misconstrue the action of the
Blackfeet. Their withdrawal was a strategic movement, and did not by
any means signify they were afraid of the large force or that they would
prefer not to molest them. The signs around the fortifications showed
that the Indians had suffered severely and they would never content
themselves until full retaliation had been made.
The trappers returned to camp, where a long council was held. The
conclusion was that the Blackfoot village was near by, and when they
learned of the severe punishment received by the scouting party, they
would lose no time in entering upon a campaign of revenge. As the
Blackfeet nation included several thousand warriors, there was reason to
fear they would overwhelm the trappers, despite their bravery and skill.
Barricades were thrown up and the best men stationed as sentinels. One
of them hastened to the top of an adjoining hill, which commanded an
extensive view of the surrounding country.
The sentinel had been in position but a short time when he signalled
to his friends the approach of a large body of Indians. The hunters
immediately began strengthening their defences, and before the redskin
arrived, they had rendered their position almost impregnable against any
force that could be gathered in the country.
As the Blackfeet approached, the sentinel hurried down from the hill and
joined the main body. Shortly after, the advance party of Blackfeet came
in sight and made a reconnaissance which apprised them of the nature of
the defences. They did not fire a shot but waited until the arrival of
the main band.
When that came in sight, it was enough to strike dismay into every
heart. There were few if any less than a thousand warriors. Dr. Peters,
the biographer of Carson, says:
"It was a sight which few white men of the American nation have looked
upon. Arrayed in their fantastic war costume and bedaubed with paint,
armed with lances, bows and arrows, rifles, tomahawks, knives, etc.,
some mounted and some on foot, they presented a wild and fearful scene
of barbaric fancy.
"Soon after their last company had reported, the frightful war dance,
peculiar to the American savages, was enacted in sight of the trappers'
position. The battle songs and shouts which accompanied the dance
reached the ears of the whites with fearful distinctness. Any other
than hearts of oak with courage of steel would have quailed before this
terrible display of savage enmity and ferocity. This dance, to men well
skilled in the ways of the Indian warrior, was a sure signal that the
next day would be certain to have a fearful history for one party or the
other and doubtless for both. The odds, most assuredly, were apparently
greatly in favor of the savage host and against the little band of hardy
mountaineers."