|
| | The Old Santa Fe Trail: The Story Of A Great Highway By Colonel Henry Inman Late Assistant Quartermaster, United States Army
With a Preface by W. F. "BUFFALO BILL" CODY Original publication date unknown Editors Note: The links to the following chapters open a new browser. Contents PREFACE INTRODUCTION.
The First Europeans who traversed the Great Highway--Alvar Nunez Cabeca de Vaca--Hernando de Soto, and Francisco Vasquez de Coronado--Spanish Expedition from Santa Fe eastwardly--Escape of the Sole Survivors.
CHAPTER I. UNDER THE SPANIARDS.
Quaint Descriptions of Old Santa Fe--The Famous Adobe Palace--Santa Fe the Oldest Town in the United States--First Settlement--Onate's Conquest--Revolt of the Pueblo Indians--Under Pueblo Rule
--Cruelties of the Victors--The Santa Fe of To-day--Arrival of a Caravan--The Railroad reaches the Town--Amusements--A Fandango.
CHAPTER II. LA LANDE AND PURSLEY.
The Beginning of the Santa Fe Trade--La Lande and Pursley, the First Americans to cross the Plains--Pursley's Patriotism-- Captain Ezekiel Williams--A Hungry Bear--A Midnight Alarm.
CHAPTER III. EARLY TRADERS.
Captain Becknell's Expedition--Sufferings from Thirst--Auguste Chouteau--Imprisonment of McKnight and Chambers--The Caches--Stampeding Mules--First Military Escort across the Plains--Captain Zebulon Pike--Sublette and Smith--Murder of McNess--Indians
not the Aggressors.
CHAPTER IV. TRAINS AND PACKERS.
The Atajo or Pack-train of Mules--Mexican Nomenclature of Paraphernalia--Manner of Packing--The "Bell-mare"--Toughness of Mules among Precipices--The Caravan of Wagons--Largest Wagon-train
ever on the Plains--Stampedes--Duties of Packers en route--Order of Travelling with Pack-train--Chris. Gilson, the Famous Packer.
CHAPTER V. FIGHT WITH COMANCHES.
Narrative of Bryant's Party of Santa Fe Traders--The First Wagon Expedition across the Plains--A Thrilling Story of Hardship and Physical Suffering--Terrible Fight with the Comanches--Abandonment
of the Wagons--On Foot over the Trail--Burial of their Specie on an Island in the Arkansas--Narrative of William Y. Hitt, one of the Party--His Encounter with a Comanche--The First Escort of United States Troops to the Annual Caravan of Santa Fe Traders, in 1829--Major
Bennett Riley's Official Report to the War Department --Journal of Captain Cooke.
CHAPTER VI. A ROMANTIC TRAGEDY.
The Expedition of Texans to the Old Santa Fe Trail for the Purpose of robbing Mexican Traders--Innocent Citizens of the United States suspected, arrested, and carried to the Capital of New Mexico-- Colonel Snively's Force--Warfield's Sacking of the Village of Mora--Attack upon a Mexican Caravan--Kit Carson in the Fight--A Crime of over Sixty Years Ago--A Romance of the Tragedy.
CHAPTER VII. MEXICO DECLARES WAR.
Mexico declares War against the United States--Congress authorizes the President to call for Fifty Thousand Volunteers--Organization of the Army of the West--Phenomenon seen by Santa Fe Traders in the Sky --First Death on the March of the Army across the Plains--Men in a Starving Condition--Another Death--Burial near Pawnee Rock--Trouble at Pawnee
Fork--Major Howard's Report.
CHAPTER VIII. THE VALLEY OF TAOS.
The Valley of Taos--First White Settler--Rebellion of the Mexicans--A Woman discovers and informs Colonel Price of the Conspiracy--Assassination of Governor Bent--Horrible Butcheries by the Pueblos
and Mexicans--Turley's Ranch--Murder of Harwood and Markhead--Anecdote of Sir William Drummond Stewart--Fight at the Mills--Battle of the Pueblo of Taos--Trial of the Insurrectionists--Baptiste, the Juror--Execution of the Rebels.
CHAPTER IX. FIRST OVERLAND MAIL.
Independence--Opening of Navigation on the Mississippi--Effect of Water Transportation upon the Trade--Establishment of Trading-forts--Market for Cattle and Mules--Wages paid Teamsters on the Trail--An Enterprising Coloured Man--Increase of the Trade at the Close of the Mexican War--Heavy Emigration to California--First Overland Mail--How the Guards
were armed--Passenger Coaches to Santa Fe--
Stage-coaching Days.
CHAPTER X. CHARLES BENT.
The Tragedy in the Canyon of the Canadian--Dragoons follow the Trail of the Savages--Kit Carson, Dick Wooton, and Tom Tobin the Scouts of the Expedition--More than a Hundred of the Savages killed--
Murder of Mrs. White--White Wolf--Lieutenant Bell's Singular Duel with the Noted Savage--Old Wolf--Satank--Murder of Peacock--Satanta made Chief--Kicking Bird--His Tragic Death--Charles Bent, the Half-breed Renegade--His Terrible Acts--His Death.
CHAPTER XI. LA GLORIETA.
Neglect of New Mexico by the United States Government--Intended Conquest of the Province--Conspiracy of Southern Leaders--Surrender by General Twiggs to the Confederate Government of the Military Posts and Munitions of War under his Command--Only One Soldier out of Two Thousand deserts to the Enemy--Organization
of Volunteers for the Defence of Colorado and New Mexico--Battle of La Glorieta--Rout of the Rebels.
CHAPTER XII. THE BUFFALO.
The Ancient Range of the Buffalo--Number slaughtered in Thirteen Years for their Robes alone--Buffalo Bones--Trains stopped by Vast Herds--Custom of Old Hunters when caught in a Blizzard--Anecdotes of
Buffalo Hunting--Kit Carson's Dilemma--Experience of Two of Fremont's Hunters--Wounded Buffalo Bull--O'Neil's Laughable Experience--Organization of a Herd of Buffalo--Stampedes--Thrilling Escapes.
CHAPTER XIII. INDIAN CUSTOMS AND LEGENDS.
Big Timbers--Winter Camp of the Cheyennes, Kiowas, and Arapahoes--Savage Amusements--A Cheyenne Lodge--Indian Etiquette--Treatment of Children--The Pipe of the North American Savage--Dog Feast--Marriage Ceremony.
CHAPTER XIV. TRAPPERS.
The Old Pueblo Fort--A Celebrated Rendezvous--Its
Inhabitants--"Fontaine qui Bouille"--The Legend of its Origin--The Trappers of the Old Santa Fe Trail and the Rocky Mountains--Beaver Trapping--Habits of the Beaver--Improvidence of the Old Trappers--Trading with "Poor Lo"--The Strange Experience of a Veteran Trapper on the Santa Fe Trail--Romantic Marriage of Baptiste Brown.
CHAPTER XV. UNCLE JOHN SMITH.
Uncle John Smith--A Famous Trapper, Guide, and Interpreter--His Marriage with a Cheyenne Squaw--An Autocrat among the People of the Plains and Mountains--The Mexicans held him in Great Dread-- His Wonderful Resemblance to President Andrew Johnson--Interpreter and Guide on General Sheridan's Winter Expedition against the Allied Plains Tribes--His Stories around the Camp-fire.
CHAPTER XVI. KIT CARSON.
Famous Men of the Old Santa Fe Trail--Kit Carson--Jim Bridger-- James P. Beckwourth--Uncle Dick Wooton--Jim
Baker--Lucien B. Maxwell--Old Bill Williams--Tom Tobin--James Hobbs.
CHAPTER XVII. UNCLE DICK WOOTON.
Uncle Dick Wooton--Lucien B. Maxwell--Old Bill Williams--Tom Tobin--James Hobbs--William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill).
CHAPTER XVIII. MAXWELL'S RANCH.
Maxwell's Ranch on the Old Santa Fe Trail--A Picturesque Region--Maxwell a Trapper and Hunter with the American Fur Company--Lifelong Comrade of Kit Carson--Sources of Maxwell's Wealth--Fond of Horse-racing--A Disastrous Fourth-of-July Celebration--Anecdote of Kit Carson--Discovery of Gold on the Ranch--The Big Ditch--Issuing Beef to the Ute Indians--Camping out with Maxwell and Carson--A Story of the Old Santa Fe Trail.
CHAPTER XIX. BENT'S FORTS.
The Bents' Several Forts--Famous Trading-posts--Rendezvous of the Rocky Mountain Trappers--Castle William and Incidents connected with the Noted Place--Bartering with the
Indians--Annual Feast of Arapahoes and Cheyennes--Old Wolf's First Visit to Bent's Fort--The Surprise of the Savages--Stories told by Celebrated Frontiersmen around the Camp-fire.
CHAPTER XX. PAWNEE ROCK.
Pawnee Rock--A Debatable Region of the Indian Tribes--The most Dangerous Point on the Central Plains in the Days of the Early Santa Fe Trade--Received its Name in a Baptism of Blood--Battle-ground of the Pawnees and Cheyennes--Old Graves on the Summit of the Rock--Kit Carson's First Fight at the Rock with
the Pawnees--Kills his Mule by Mistake--Colonel St. Vrain's Brilliant Charge--Defeat of the Savages--The Trappers' Terrible Battle with the Pawnees--The Massacre at Cow Creek.
CHAPTER XXI. FOOLING STAGE ROBBERS.
Wagon Mound--John L. Hatcher's Thrilling Adventure with Old Wolf, the War-chief of the Comanches--Incidents on the Trail--A Boy Bugler's Happy Escape
from the Savages at Fort Union--A Drunken Stage-driver--How an Officer of the Quartermaster's Department at Washington succeeded in starting the Military Freight Caravans a Month Earlier than the Usual Time--How John Chisholm fooled the Stage-robbers--The Story of Half a Plug of Tobacco.
CHAPTER XXII. A DESPERATE RIDE.
Solitary Graves along the Line of the Old Santa Fe Trail--The Walnut Crossing--Fort Zarah--The Graves on Hon. D. Heizer's Ranch on the Walnut--Troops stationed at the Crossing of the Walnut--A Terrible Five Miles--The Cavalry Recruit's Last Ride.
CHAPTER XXIII. HANCOCK'S EXPEDITION.
General Hancock's Expedition against the Plains Indians--Terrible Snow-storm at Fort Larned--Meeting with the Chiefs of the Dog-Soldiers--Bull Bear's Diplomacy--Meeting of the United States Troops and the Savages in Line of Battle--Custer's Night Experience--The Surgeon and
Dog Stew--Destruction of the Village by Fire--General Sully's Fight with the Kiowas, Comanches, and Arapahoes--Finding the Skeletons of the Unfortunate Men--The Savages' Report of the Affair.
CHAPTER XXIV. INVASION OF THE RAILROAD.
Scenery on the Line of the Old Santa Fe Trail--The Great Plains--The Arkansas Valley--Over the Rocky Mountains into New Mexico--The Raton Range--The Spanish Peaks--Simpson's Rest--Fisher's Peak--Raton Peak--Snowy Range--Pike's Peak--Raton Creek--The Invasion of the Railroad--The Old Santa Fe Trail a Thing of the Past. FOOTNOTES
Source: This etext can be found on the Project Gutenberg web site. | |
|
