The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-07-19
How Pawnee Rock got its Name.

ALLEN, Kan, July 8, 1873.
EMPoRIA NEWS: In closing an article
which you clipped from the Larned
Chronoscope the editor says: "Pawnee
Rock is gradually unfolding the secrets
of its Sphinx-li history" Correct, Mr..
Chronoscope; Pawnee Rock has history.
II was there that Kit Carson had his first
fight with the Indians, and with your
permission, editors, L VIII give the
readers of THE NEWS O history of that
battle as told me by Col. st. Vane In pres
ence of Kit Carson himself. In August
of 1852 or '53, L have forgotten which,
when coming in with the Santa Fe mail 4,
we found Col. st. Nane, Kit Carson, Bill
Mitchell, and others in camp at Pawnee
Rock. Gov. Lane, of st. Louis, at that
time governor OF New Mexico, was in the
coach with us. Col. st. Vane insisted
that we should camp with them, and to
please the governor we staid with them
that Hight. While eating supper, the
Col. says: exit, do you remember the
time you shot your mule there by that
rock?" Kit said "Yes, but was only n
boy then" We all insisted that the Col
must tell us the story.
sin those days." says the Col, ''we al
ways expected to have q fight with the
Pawnee Indians either at Walnut creek,
Pawnee Fork or at the Coon creeks. They
were the worst Indians on the route. In
the spring OF 1888 left Eft. Usage with
20 wagons and AZ men for the mountains.
Kit Carson, then about II years old, was
with me. He assisted in driving the eX-
30
not see any signs Of Indians until we got
TO Walnut creek They tried to STAN.
pede our mules the night we camped
there. The next night we camped where
we are now. In putting out the guars
that night, stationed Kit ut the Rock
about 200 yards from the corral. About
IL o'clock some of the guard gave the
alarm and run the mules into the corral
Soon after Kit came running in. L asked
him what the matter was, and If he saw
any Indians? He says &c Yes, killed one
OF the red devils. L saw him fall" The
next morning we went to look for the
dead Indian, and found Kits mule dead
shot through the head"
Kit Carsop-"Well, Governor,I will tel
You the balance of that mule story be-
fore the Col. gees any further. did moi
sleep any the night before. L watched al
night TO get shot at the Indians that
were trying to stampede our mules.
suppose 1 felt little sleepy when was
leaning against those rocks; at any rate,
was wide awake enough to hear the cry
OF Indians. i had picketed my mule
about 20 steps from where stood. 1 sup
pose he had been lying down. The frs
thing l saw after the alarm, was some
thing raising up out Of the grass which
thought was an Indian. 1t was a cente
shot. 1 do not believe the mule eve
kicked after he was hit.'
The Indians kept us busy all tina
night, the next day and until midnigh
the next night-the mules all the time il
the corral without feed and water. W,
hitched up ana drove over to Pawnei
fork. You all know how the road cross
es that creek-(the creek makes benz
in the shape Of horse shoe, the roaC
crossing at the toe Of the shoe.) We go
some Of the wagons badly punched up IL
the creek. The mules were so THIRSTY
that they would rush in the water il
spite OF their drivers. We had got thu
most Of the wagons strung out on the road
again when the Indians opened fire on u
from both sides Of the road. They wer,
hid under the bank OF the creek waiting
to get us in that cuI de sac. The Col
was Frenchman. We charged on then
before they could tre again, and 1t die
not take us long to clean them out. W.
lost four men killed and seven wounded
and IL mules killed and 20 woundedSs
Now, you have the history OF tht
fight just as it was told to me by the par
ties themselves. That is the way Paw.
nee Rock got its name. There are othel
places on the old Santa Fe trail that hav,
histories which / propose to write up
some Of these days. Respectfully,
@. III. WILMINGTON.