Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1858-12-31
MISCELLA AN Y.
Kit Carson and the Indians.

During the winter, to beguile the time,
the whites We'd with their Indian allies in
many OF their sports. As game existed in
superabundance, always ready for a loaded
rifle, both parties were contented and hap
py. Time flew away rapidly, and soon
brought again the sunshine of spring with
the buds and blossoms, gay with 1owers,
green herbage, and forest verdure. For
the purpose of procuring supplies, the
trappers dispatched two messengers to Fort
Laramie. They did not return and were
never again heard from. The conclusion
which gained belief was, that they had
been murdered by the Souix Indians. The
party waited as long as they possibly could
tor the return of their two companions, but
finally were compelled to commence the
spring hunt without them. They trapped
a short time on the Yellow Stone River,
and then went TO the Twenty-Five-Y Yard
River. From thence they proceeded TO the
head waters of the Missouri, and on the
most northern of its forks, remained some
time, meeting with considerable success.
Here they obtained news of the Blackfeet
Indians, which showed that the ravages of
the smallpox had been greatly over-esti-
mated. They were still nearly as strong,
and in character had not at all become sub
dued. Upon drawing near TO the source of
this river, they discovered that the main
village of these savages, their old foes, was
in close proximity. This was pleasing in
telligence to the trappers. They had suf
fered too many unprovoked insults at their
hands not to desire the avenging of their
wrongs and to punish them by way of re-
taliation. During the whole winter, and,
in fact from the time the party was first or
ganized, they had anxiously abided their
opportunity to meet and punish the rascal
ly Blaekfeet warriors. The old scores, or
sores, had been fostering too long, and here
was chance to probe them satisfactorily.
The party cautiously followed upon the
trail which led to the Indian eneampment
until within one days journey of it. Here
they came TO halt. Kit Carson and five
men were sent in advance TO reconnoiter.
Upon approaching the Indians, the recon-
noitering party discovered them busily en-
gagged driving in their animals to saddle
and pack, and making such other prepara-
tions necessary to the effecting of hur-
ried deeampment. Kit and his compan-
ions FASTENED back and reported the results
of their observations. A council was i'm
medately held, which decided TO send out
forty three picked men to give battle; and
for the commander of this party, Kit Car
son was unanimously elected. The fifty
five men left behind under Mr.. Fontenelle
had the onerous duty of guarding the ani-'
mails and equipage. 1t was a part of the
programme, also, that the latter force should
move slowly and act as a reserve in case
of need.
Kit Carson and his command were IN
fine spirits, and lost no time in overhauling
the village. In the first charge they killed
ten Of the bravest warriors. The savages
quickly recovered from this blow, and COM
menced retreating in good order. For
three consecutive hours they heroically re-
ceived series of these furious and deadly
assaults without offering much resistance.
! At the end of this time the firing of the
mountaineers began TO slacken, as their
ammunition was running low. These expe-