New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-01-15
GRIGNON.

GRIGNON.
Ii was d pleasant event in INV life when
was thrown into the company of Grignon
l was on my way to California, and had
taken the overland route in preference to
any other. 1t was on my journey across the
plains that made his acquaintance Our
party overlook Il single wagon. 1t contained
q solitary man. The horses were dead and
the man nearly SO. paid the utmost at.
tentiOn to his wants Being medical man
gave him all the benefit Of my skill and
care. As he recovered he naturally enter
tanned a strong friendship for me. His
wagon had fallen behind tho train to which
he belonged, and they had been compelled
by their own necessities to desert him.
The cOniurOr, however, was destined for a
farHnore glorious fate than to die miserably
in the dc'olate American desert. He was to
become an astOnisher to the nativesf Indians),
q savior to civilized lives, and lion in Cali
fOrna
We resumed our journey We had started.
however, like many others in those days.
with insufficient preparations. As soon as
We found out our mistake we had to be very
economical in our provisions. We killed
bilffalOeS whenever we found them, and al
ways replenished our water casks at every
stream. At length, however. we came to a
dry and parched waste. where there was
scarcely drop Of water, scarcely blade
Of grass, and not a single living animal of
any description.
And now began the troubles OF our Jour
Ney. We bad come into the country of the
warlike Indians and they were not slow to
acquaint them with the fact Every day
they prowled around us in great numbers.
threatening and insulting lis. Occasionally
they used to snatch up something and dart
away on their fleet horses. We did all that
we could to he friendly. and determined to
avoid an open rupture as far possible,
tor there were only twelve on our side, and
on their side apparently twelve hundred.
Every day, however, only made matters
worse. In spite of our precautions the In
dams grew more and more abusive and in
sulting. We became watchlul. and tried to
be more forbearing, but our fOrbearance was
taken for cowardicc, and the savages began
to think that they could do anything with us
We held a council of war. and determined
to bring matters to u crisis at once.
The crisis soon came.
One day a big Indian came riding along
By us. He began talking i'll a contemptuolis
way, and Sesticulating furiously. At last.
he asked one of our men for his gun Tho
man refused. Tho Indian repeated his quos
ton, and attempted to take the gun from his
hand. The man drew back. The Indian
sprang forward, fourishing his knife and
threatening. At this the man calmly
leyeled his piece, and shot the Indian
through the heart.
AS the wretch fell shrickng from his
horse the plain seemed to be alive with
other Indians. From behind every clunp
of trees. every hillock, every rock and
every rising ground they poured forth in
countless numbers. We had never seen so
many assembled together as now.
And now our companion. the conjuror,
came out conspicuously. He had been once
in the French army, he said, and understood
all its admirable discipline. A few words of
warning and a short explanation sutiiced to
make Ills form circle of the wagons, and
draw up behind them, with baggage hcapcd
up for breastwOrks. There we waited for
the savages.
But they did not come just then. With
loud whOops and screams they gathered
upon the plain at a distance from Us. The
wrctchcd towards, as soon AS they saw our
slight preparations, were actually afraid to
attack.
They waited till night.
Night came. Our delcnscs were made. |
Our wagons were arranged more closely. |
and the barricade of baggage was made |
higher. deep, and more effective. In the |
centre were our cattle Behind this little |
tOrtiiicatiOn we awaited our foes.
Shortly after dusk the tramp of thou
sands of hoofs shook the plain. Down upon !
burst around.
On they came, nearer and still nearer
Wo waited in breathlcss suspense.
AT last our vOlley burst in thunder upon
them.
Shreks arose from amid the gloom. We
saw not what the effect of orr shots had
been, but could only conjecture that it had
been deadly.
There was a wild uproar-the confused
sound Of trampling horses. the n"isc of men
calling to one another intermnglcd with
SrOans and cries of pain. Without giving
them time to recover from their confusion
We poured in another volley. and yet an
other. loading as rapidly as We could, and
firing revolvers where we had them.
The effect was terrible Many must have
been wounded or killed. judging by the
awful uproar that arose. For time there
was Il confused hubbub of sounds Horses
we're tramping, men calling: groans were
mingled with cries of rage During all this
ime we fired at intervals whenever we
leard sound, outstanding our ammunition.
md not willing to waste Il shot.
At last there arose Il wild tramp OF horses,
he sound moving away from us, and seem
ng to show that our enemies had retired
,affied from the assault.
Yet we were afraid of some plot. Grignon
made us keep our watch. and all that night
We Law on our arms, expecting every mo-
ncnt to hear the Indian yell which an
ounced the assault of the savages.
After long night. which seemed inter
unable, morning dawned. As the light
lumined the wide plain, we looked around
nxiouslr for our enemies, but saw none
,batcver. We took a .hasty breakfast, and
hen deliberated on what we ought to do
-hether to take advantage of this respite,
nd move on, or wait while. Most OF us
fought we had better hurry on, but Girl
nom gave it as his opinion that the Indians
ere vet in the neighborhood, and were
aiting to attack us on the march. ne
fought that it would be better to wait at
AT another day. We all yielded to his
oinion, and waited as best we could;
After o few hours, at about ten O'CLOCK,