The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-12

In an Incredibly short space of time
they had an excellent barricade. An
eyewitness says that it was done with
such remarkable celebrity that the plans
of the epainted assassins were completely
frustrated.
The original plan had been, as be-
fore stated, to attack them at Santa
Clara Canyon, but the Indians became
too impatient. These 60 Battle-ax of
the Lord had responded to the call of
the indian Agent, John D. Lee, and the
hseral promises they had received
caused the premature attack. The
large herds and the rich epoils. the
blankets, clothing and trinkets, the
gums, pistols and ammunition, por-
ton of all of which was to he theirs, in
duced them to make the attack at Cane
Spring. They intended to kill as many
as possible at the first fire, and then
charge upon the remainder. The charge
never was made. There were crack
marksmen ia the train, and in few
moments there were three wounded In
| dams.
An Indian runner came into Cedar
the first night, and reported the unsuc-
cessful assault. The Mormons imme-
diately started to the Meadows to as
sist. Hsight told a certain man that
orders had come from headquarters to
massacre the last id one of them.
The mans boy, now grown to middle
age, overheard the remark, and is nay
authority. The same person says he
saw eight or ten men start out about 8
o'clock that night. They were armed
with shot-guns, Kentucky rifles, flint
locks, and every imaginable frearm,
and went under military orders. Maj.
John D. Lee had command of the
forces which started from Cedar City,
and, finding these inadequate, sent back
to Cedar and Washington for reinforce
ments.
Sworn afidavits tell us that when the
auxiliaries had arrived, the entire COM
mand were assembled about half mile
from the intrenchments of the fated
emigrants, and were there coolly in
formed that the whole company was to
be killed. and only the little children
who were too young to remember any
thing were to be spared. But the order
could not be Immediately carried out
because of the determined resistance
of the emigrants. The Meadows are
a mile and a half long and mile wide,
but the mountains which form the high
rim of the little basin converge at the
iower end and form a wild, rugged
canyon. Just at the mouth of this can
yon is Cane Spring.
A mound some 200 feet long by 100
wide rose frOm the Meadows about
thirty rods above the spring, and COM
pleteiy shut out the view. Low hills
with deep ravines came down on either
side, and completely hemmed in the
party. Bullets from every side of this
death-pen swept the inclesure and
whistled through the wagon covers.
Such cattle as were inside the " coral >
were shot down, and the herds outside
were stampeded. Yet for seven OF
eight days they bravely held out, and
seemed to be masters of the situation.
Water was their great need q little
babbling brook murmured along not
forty feet away, and the fine. clea,
spring was not more than two rods off,
but yet they suffered indescribaby from
thirst.
THE SIEGE.
The Mormons were painted and dis
guised to appear like their savage al
lies. Not content with the superior
advantages which nature had given to
their position, they threw up breas t.
works of stone on the adjacent hillsides.
From behind these their rifles could
! sweep the little grassy plain below
without single portion of their body
! being exposed to view. Every attempt
to obtain water, either day or night,
{ awakened a score of deadly reports
1 from the cruel concealed guns. 1t
! was supposed at first that none but
! the men were in danger. A woman
i who stepped outside the coral to milk
! a COW, fell pierced with bullets. Two
. innocent little girls were sent down to
) the spring. Hand hand, tremblingly,
, these dear little rosebuds walked to-
{ ward the spring. Their tender little
bullets. The old breastwo1ks still
remain in places, and no one can
visit the spot without being surprised
that the emigrants held out SO long.
Behind the mounds. and just beyond
the low foothills and the mounds, are
. level fats concealed from the emi-
grants view. Here the Mormons and
Indians were pitching horse-shoes, and
| amusing themselves in various WAYS.
The towards well understood that cruel,
pitilesss hunger and burning thirst
were their powerful allies inside that
corral. Wagon-loads of provisions
were arriving from Cedar, for the be-
siegers, and each day lessened the
scanty stock of the emigrants. Who
can picture the torments of mind and
body which those poor people suffered
In bleak, desolare country, hundreds
of miles from help, surrounded by
painted fends, and dying of thirst and
starvation, how deep must have been
the gloom!
Three spies had been sent with the
train from Cedar. HOstensibly they
were apostatss going to California, but,
in reality, they wereto learn thestrength
of the party, their scarcity of provisions,
etc. I heard the names of the men, but
did not note them down when my in
formant gave them, and may be mis-
taken. I think they were Elliot Will
den, or Willets, man by the name of
Reeves, and Bill Stewart. They are we'll
known in Southern Utah as g the three
boys" They were unable to accomplish
anything after the siege began, and so
escaped TO the Indians. They dressed
in savage costume, and put war-paiut
on their faces, and throughout the black
days of the horrible siege and butchery
they played bloody part.
4 CRY OF DISTRESS.
One thrilingly horrible incident gives
q vivid idea of the anguish of the emf
grants. It shows that the brave. true
hearts of those Arkansas men scorned
death and danger if only little hope
could be seen of saving the wives and
| babies MoAdav T'nasday WA1Dnaf7o-,