Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1871-02-01
GRIGNON, THE CONJURER.

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IT was a pleasant event in my life
when I was thrown into the company of
Grignon; the conjurer. I was on my
way to California, and had taken the
overland rout in preference to any other.
It was on my journey across the plains
that I made his acquaintance. Our par
ty overlook single wagon. It contain
ed a solitary man. The horses were
dead and the man nearly so. This man
was Grignon, Ipaid the utmost atten-
tion to his wants. Being medical man
II gave him all the benefit of skill and
care. AS he recovered he naturally en-
tertained a strong friendship for me-
His wagon had fallen behind the train
to which he belonged, and they had
been compelled by their own necessities
to desert him.
We had come into the country of the
war-Iike Indians, and they were not
slow in becoming acquainted with the
fact. Every day they, prowled around
us in great numbers, threatening and
insulting US.
Every daymade matters worse. We
did all that we could to be friendly, and
determined to avoid an open rupture as
far as possible, for there were only twelve
on our side, and on their side apparently
twelve hundred.
We had council of war, and deter
mined to bring matters to a crisis at
once. The crisis soon came.
One day big Indian came riding by
US. He began talking in a contemptu-
Gus way, and gesticulating fUriously.-
At last he asked one of our men for his
gun. The man refused. The Indian re-
peated his question, and attempted to
take the gun from his hand. The man
drew back. The Indian sprang forward
iourishing his knife and threatening.-
At this the man calmly levelled his
piece and shot the Indian through the
heart.
AS the wretch fell shrieking from his
horse the plain seemed to be alive with
other Indians. From behind every
clump OF trees, every hilloek, every
rock, and every rising ground, they pour
ed forth in countless numbers. We had
never before seen so many assembled to-
gether as now.
And now our companion, the conjurer,
came out conspicuOusly. He had been
OuDE III LAC GlCACA al L4yg AC oetAA1 anu
understood all its admirable discipline.
A few words of warning and short ex-
PLANTATION sufficed to make US form a cir
Gle of the wagons, and draw up behind,
them, with baggage heaped up for breast
works, There we waited for the saw
ages.
But they. did not come just then; they
waited till night.
Night came. Our defenses made. Our
wagons were arranged more closely, and
the barrieade of baggage was made high
er, deep, and more effective.
Shortly after dusk the tramp of thous-
ands of hoofs shook the plain. Down
upon US hundred the Indians. Shouts
and yells burst around.
At last our volley burst in thunder up
on them.
The effect was terrible. Many must
have been wounded or killed, judging by
the awful uproar that arose. For time
there was confused hubbub of sounds.
Horses were trampling, men calling;
groans were mingled with cries of rage.
During all this time we fired at inter
walls whenever we heard sound, hus-
banding our ammunition, and not will
ing to waste shot.
At last there arose a wild tramp of
horses, the sound moving away from us,
and seeming to show that our enemies
had retired baffied from the assault.
Yet we were afraid of some plot
Grignon made US keep our watch, and all
that night we lay on our arms, expect
ing every moment to hear the Indian
veil which announced the assault of the
savages.
After long night, which seemed in
terminable, morning dawned. As the
light illumined the plain we looked
around anxiously for our enemies, but
saw none whatever. We took a hasty
breakfast, and then deliberated on what
we ought t0do. GrignOn gave it as his
opinion that the Indians were yet in
the. neighborhood and were waiting to
attack us on the march. He thought
that it would be better to wait at least
another day. We all yielded to his
opinion, and waited as best we could.
After few hours, at about 10 o'clock,
ten or dozen hOrsemen appeared over
a hillock in the distant, riding slowly
toward us. i
''They wish to have a parley,' said
Grignon. Some of you step forth, and
see what they want. l wish to have q
little to say, but will watt
One of our men was selected, and
went outside of our inclOsure to meet
them.
Meanwhile Grignon lifted a trunk out
of the wagon which belonged to him,
drew it outside, and busted himself
coOlly in arranging and turning over the
things.
Our representive stood outside waiting
for the Indians. Ten Of them dismOunt-
ed, and walked towards us in a friendly
manner, while the rest held the horses.
One of them addressed our men in
broken English.
The Indians, he said, did not want our
lives. They wanted powder.
They were very much in want Of bull
lets.