Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-03-23
TWENTY YEARS AMONG THE
INDIANS.

The story Of a Man who was Captured
in Is4s, and Rec srturod by Sheridan
Last November.
From the Springfield Qll.) JOu, aal. March. II,
We had a call, on yesterday, from
a man who was for twenty years a
captive among the Indians. His
name is James G. Kimball, son Of
Judge Newell Kimball, ofSyraeuse,
n. Y. In company with a number
Of others, he was, in 1913, on his
way across the plains to California,
when, after having reached the
mountains beyond Denver, the par
ty we're attacked by a band of the
Snakes and Shoshones, and he was
captured.
From the rapid sketch he gave of
his adventures, it is evident that
they must have been full of exciting
interest. The tribe is known to be
an exceedingly cruel one, and
though they did not massacre him
outright, they compelled him to
"run the gauntlet" Perhaps some
of our readers may not know what
that means. They will imagine,
then, two lines of Indians armed
with clubs, and facing each
other. The intended victim, also
armed with a club, with which to
protect himself, is then started on a
run through the lines, and ifh can
manage to reach the lodge house
alive, he is permitted to live; but
in nine cases out of ten he is
knocked dead before he half way
reaches the goal. Mr.. Kimball says
that he received several severe
blows on the head, which SO mad
dened him, that though he did not
expect to get through alive, he de-
termined to sell his life as dearly
as possible; and giving the war
whoop handled his club with such
spirit and pluck that his tormentors
dropped their clubs in admiration
and let him pass unframed; and
when he reached the lodge, the old
chief extended to him his right
hand, and, placing the other on his
head. announced that he was the
property of the "Chi0f Medicine
Man Of the tribe.
MIR. Kimball was eighteen years
old when he joined the tribe; and
upon the death Of the Medicine
Man." he was selected to fill his
place, a position which was held in
great honor among the Indians.
With the tribe was young white
girl Of about 10 years OF age. She
had been captured from near Fort
Scott, when she was a more infant,
her father having moved to that
place, as is supposed, from near
what is now WOOdson, in Morgan
county. She is not positive about
her maiden name, but thinks it was
Corn or Conn. Kimball was mar
ricd to this girl some time in 1851,
and has had five children, two of
whom are now living, one a girl,
aged IL years, whom he left in Kan
sas, the other a bright boy of Z
years, who accompanied kimba!l
to our office.
Mr.. Kimbail says that when he
first Joined the tribe, his wife, WHOM
he calls Jenny" though the Indians
call her "EnOgOssowana," could not
speak word Of the English lam
guagc. He had = pretty good cd
ucatiOn himself, and he taught her
to speak the language, and then
taught her to spell by cutting the
alphabet on bark, and thus com
bining the letters. About ID years
ago, he found a mutiIated copy Of
the "New Testament" on one of the
mountains of Utah territory, from
which his wife learned to read, and
which she and he ever priced as a
most precious possession. That was
all the reading matter that he saw
during all the twenty years, except a
fragment of a st. Louis newspaper,
which they read and re-read until
it was literally worn to nothing.
As may be supposed, Mr.. KIM
ball knew next to nothing of what
was going on in the United States.
He never heard q word of politics
or news. He did not even know
who was President. He had never
heard Of Mr.. Lincoln or his assas-
sination until after his rcCapturo.
lie had learned, however, that there
was Il big war" going Oh between
the people of the North and South
He says that Gen. Stringfellow, OF
border ruffian fame, had an inter
view with the chief Of the Snakes
and Shoshones, and tried to induce
them to Join the South, but no in
ducement could prevail upon
Spotted Tall to do so.
We have no space to give an ac
count Of Mr. Kimball's wanderings,
manifold adventures, mode Of life,
fights, etc, etc. We can only say
that after twenty years of life with
the Indians, he was recaptured, to-
gether with his wife, by an expedi-
ton sent out by Gen. Phil. Sheri-
dan, under Capt. Kellogg, at the
battle Of Hickory Grove, on the
headwaters Of the Sweet Water, on
the 18th of last November; and,
having been escorted to within the
/ limits Of civilization, he is now on
his way back to Syracuse with his
wife.
1t may be asked why Mr.. Kim
hall remained so long in such cap.
tivity He says he never had any
opportunity of escaping from them
Besides, after living with the Indi
ans 50 long, he grew accustomed tc
their mode Of life, and, when he
finally married from among them {
wife, he never remembered any
other home, and became resigned t,
his fate. Indeed, he says he is al
ready anxious to go back to hi
living among the red men; tina
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