Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1874-12-10
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Of lhc Late
Captain Jsurneycake the Ia
nous Indian Warrior and Min
lister. md the Manner Of his
Death. ~sfgH
- coobEY,S BLUFF, \
INDIAN TERRITORY, :
November 23d, 1874. J

days ago an associated press telegram
from Viutta stating tina. the dead body oil
the once noted Captain John S. Journey.
cake had been found on the banks OF On.
ion Creek. near Coffeyille, and iutimatipg
thatbe bad come 10 his death by foul
means. This noted Indian has led a life
so remarkable 10 every detail, doing good
and eyil to himself and every one that
came IN contact with him, that isia-eom.
pany with Major Foley for the New York
Herald. fastened to bis native regions to
learn, if possible, and record. the most
important instances connected with bis
career.
Captain Journeycake was a man Of
about six feet four inches in height, was
well made, and possessed rather pleasing
features He was born in Florida in
1919, ID 1882 with his parents moved to
the Territory. lie was a Cherokee, and
among bis Nation had considerable in,
fuence. At the age Of fourteen he was
sent to school at Tahlequah, the capitol of
the Cherokee Nation, where he remained
nearly four years, impressing his teaching
his teachers with a high regard for lis
natural ability for learning. In l843 he
entered Vale College and in 1850 gradu.
ated with the highest honors Of his class.
He then returned TO the Territory where
no entered the field of politics with fat
tcring prospects for a brilliant future. IL
1852 he was appointed the General
Superintendent of the schools Of the
Cherokee Nation. which Office he filed
ably for the term Of four years. In 1856
be was elected to the Legislature. He
served one term, after which be was elect
ed High Sheriff Of bis Nation, an office
Of the first worx. He continued to die
charge the duties Of this last named Office
until the breaking out Of the rebellion,
when he raised a company Of half>breeds,
was elected captain, and entered the
rebel hrny under Col. Boudinot. He
made himself somewhat noted among his
own people by his conduct at the battle
Of Pea Ridge, when he fred the shot that
Killed the gallant Col. John A. Hendricks
ossthe 22dIpdiana. In the confusion o;
the relels following the hattie be, with
his hundred braves, covered the retreat
and saved the rebel arm y from total an,
Inhalation. lCol. Boudinot's regiment
was sadly demoralized, and Captain Jonr>
neycake end his company were employed
as scouts. They concealed themselves 10
a deepSraviuc on a branch of the White
Riverin Benton county, Arkansas, about
tive miles northeast Of Van Wrinkles
Mill aud then captured twelve men..from
the l5Oth New York regiment, who we're
out fsragiug under Sargent Watson. With
their prisoners they moved back to their
camp on Dog Greek, when they proceed,
ed TO wreak vengepce from tho dozen poor
wretches Of the l5Oth New York. They
scalped them all burned the men at the
stake, and shot the Sargent through and
through with nearly a thousand poisoned
arrows. The writer Of this and Col,
Baldwin Of Labette county, Kansas, have
frequently seen the scalps of Sargen,
Watson and his twelve comrades hanging
from the log ceiling of Captain Journey
cakes lodge at this place. The Captain
was afterward sent east Of the Mississippi
and took q part in the battle Of Iuka, but
the writer knows little of bis subsequent
career until after the close Of the war
when he returned to his home and at.
tempted to follow the ayocation Of the
farmer. But he had been SO long used 10
the shedding Of human blood that he could
not settle down and live a life as became
one Of his education. In 1867 be raised
q company Of o hundred AMI thirty
five men, principally members Of Col.
Boudinot's old regiment, and started to
the plains, September the 9th, under IRE
tence Of hunting buffalo. They we're in
,realitya band of highwaymen. Aboa:
the middle Of October they intersected a
drove If cattle on Medicine Lodge Creek,
in the extreme southwest Of Kansas, which
= were driven from Texas aud on their
way to Iowa, by John W. Lewis and ten
men. oil Of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Capt.
Journcycakc killed the drovers, stamped
ed the cattle and drove them to Lawrence,
Kansas, where he disposed of them for
Sl7.250,cash. lie then went into a gamb-
ling house on East Massach usetts street.
owned at that time by a Spaniard named
III Pase. The gambler made a pass at
him with q large bowie knife, but OF the