Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-04-05
At this moment I heard the scream Of

al JmS moment neafQ tne scream
a child. l looked up and saw an Indiar
have little boy by the hair of his head
dragging him out Of the hind end of the
wagon, with aknife in his hand, getting
ready to cut his throat. 1 sprang fol
the Indian with my revolver in hand
and shouted at the top Of voice, ''Arick
coma, cot too sooetv (Stop, you fool
The child was terror stricken. His CHR
was bleeding. I supposed it was the
cut ola knife, but afterwards learned thai
it was done on the wagon box as the In
dian yanked the boy down by the hail
ofthe head. Ihad no sooner rescued
this child than another Indian seized g
little girl by the hair. rescued her as
soon as 1 could speak. 1 told the In.
dams that they must not hurt the chill
dren, that would die before they should
be hurt; that we would buy the children
of them.
Before this time the Indians had rush.
ed up around the wagon in quest O
blood, and dispatched the two remain
ing wounded men. In justice to my
statement I would say that if my shooter
had not prematurely exploded I would
have had hand in dispatching the five
wounded, l had lost control of myself
and scarce knew what was about. ]
saw an Indian pursue little girl who
was fleeing. He caught her about one
hundred feet from the wagon, and
plunged his knife through her.
1 said to McMurdy that he had better
drive the children to Hamblln's ranch
and give them some neurishment. while
would go down and get my horse al
the camp. Passing along the road
saw the dead strung along the distance
of about half of mile. The women
and children were killed by the Indians
1 saw Shurtz with the Indians, and nc
other white man with them. When
came to the men they lay about a roc
apart. Here came up with Higbee.
Bishop Smith and the rest fthe compa.
ny. As I came up Higbee said to me
Let US search these persons for valu a.
bles, and asked me to assist him; gave
mea hat to hold. Several men were al
ready engaged in searching the bodies
replied that l was unwell, and wanted
to get upon my horse and go to the
ranch and nurse myself. My request
was granted. Reaching Hamblin's
ranch, being heart-sick and worn out,
laid down on my saddle blanket and
slept, and knew but little of what passed
through the night. About daybreak in
the morning l heard the voices Of Col
Dame and Isaac c. Haight.
1 heard some very angry words pass
between them which drew my atten-
ton. Dame said he would have to re.
port the destruction of the emigrant
camp and company. Haight said :
''How? as an Indian massacre ?" Dame
said he cid not know so we'll about that.
This reply seemed to irritate Haight,
who spoke quite loudly, saying, ''How
the HI can you report it any other
way without duplicating YOURSELF" At
this Dame lowered his voice almost to
a whisper; 1 could not understand what
he said, and the conversation stopped.
I got up, saw the children and the In
dams south, at Harmony, Washington
and Santa Clara to join the Indians
from the north and make the attack
upon the emigrants at the meadows.
I said to him: Would it not he
well to hold a council of the brethren
before making a move ?" He replied
that ''every true Latter Day Saint that
regarded their covenants knew well
their duty, and that the company of
emigrants had forfeited their lives by
their acts" and that Bishop P. K.
Smith (Klingensmith) and Joe White
had already gone by way of Pinto to
raise the Indians in that direction, and
those that have gone from Parowan
and here will make the attack, and may
be repulsed. "We can't now delay
for a council of the brethren. Return
Immediately and start Carl Shurtz; tell
him that l ordered you to tell him to
go, and 1 want you to try and get there
before the attack is made, and make
the plan for the Indians, and l will call
a council to-day to talk the matter over,
and will send Nephi johnson, the in
terpreter, to the Meadows as soon as
he can be got to help Carl Shurtz man
age the Indians" 1 did just as was
ordered. The Indians from the North
and about Harmony had already start
ed for the Meadows before 1 reached
home. Shurtz started Immediately to
do his part. 1 arrived at home in the
night and remained till morning.
I thought ever the matter, and the
more I thought the more my feelings
revolted against such horrid deed
Sleep had fled from me. 1 talked to my
wife Rachel about it,and she. advised me
to let them do their own dirty work, and
said if things did not go just to suit
them the blame would be laid on me.
She never did believe in blood atone.
ment, and said it was from the devil,
and that she would rather break such a
covenant if she had to die for so doing
than to live and be guilty of doing such
an act. l finally concluded that
would go; that would start by day.
break in the morning and try to gel
there before an attack was made on the
company, and use my influence witt
the Indians to let them alone. cross.
ed the mountains by trail, and reach
ed the Meadow between 9 and 10 O'Clock
in the morning, the distance from my
place being about twenty-five miles
But was too late.