The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-01-14
Sept. 10, 1857, they were attacked by

luulauS.
At the very first fire seven we're killed
and fifteen wounded. Thoughtless of
danger, totally unprepared. and in fact
while most of them were fast asleep,
they fell hopelessly before the bullets
of their unseen foes. Had they pos
sessed less bravery, less determination,
the entire party would have been mas
sacred on the spot. With prompt
ness unparalleled in all the history of
Indian warfare, these emigrants
wheeled their wagons into an oblong
corral, and with shovels and picks
threw up the earth from the center of
the corral against the wagon wheels.
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 painted 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 "Battle-axes of
the Lord had responded to the call of
the Indian Agent, John D. Lee, and the
liberal promises they had received
caused the premature attack. The
large herds and the rich spoils, the
blankets, clothing and trinkets, the
guns, 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 in the train, and in a 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. Haight told 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 my
authority. The same person says he
saw eight or ten men start out about
o'clock that night. They were armed
with shot-guns, Kentucky rifles, flint
locks, and every imaginable frearm,
and went under military orders. Mai.
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 we're 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
whe 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
mile and half long and a mile wide,
but the mountains which form the high
rim of the little basin converge at the
lower 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 1O(
wide rose from the Meadows abou
thirty rods above the spring, and com
s 1>1ntals --~hnt ont the Wow. 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 Enclosure 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; a little
babbling brook murmUred along not
forty feet away, and the fine, clean
spring was not more than two rods off,
but yet they suffered indescribaby from
thirst.
THE SIEGE.
The Mormons were painted and dis
gu1sed to appear like their savage al
lies. Not content with the superior
advantages which nature had given to
their position, they threw up breast
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 score of deadly reports
from the cruel concealed guns. II
was supposed at first that none but
the men were in danger. A woman
who stepped outside the coral to milk
a COW, fell pierced with bullets. Two
innocent little girls were sent down to
the spring Hand-in-hand, tremblingly.
these dear little rosebuds walked to-
ward the spring. Their tender little
bodies were fairly riddled with
bullets. The old breastworks 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 emf
grants view. Here the Mormons and
Indians were pitching horse-shoes, and
amusing themselves in various ways.
The towards we'll understood that cruel.