The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-09-05
A BATTLE AMONG INDIANS.
THE TRAGEDY ENACTED ON THE
SHORES OF GRAND LAKE.

L
scene of the recent tragedy, has a
number of romantic associations con-
nected with it weaved with number |
of Indian legends, all of them more !
or less tragic in their character, and |
all full of the superstition of the red
man. To the Indian Grand Lake has a |
peculiar interest, for with it is con- /
nected stories of battles and carnage, |
heroic bravery and fierce fight which |
swept whole band from the face of |
the earth. The principal tribes inhab- !
iting this section Of the country were
the Utes, Arapahoes and Cheyennes,
and between the former, who were the
mountain Indians, and the latter tribes,
who pitched their tepees on the plains,
was waged a perpetual warfare. The
Utes, if anything, more cruel and un-
scrupulous than their neighbors of the
lowlands, always dwelt in mountain
Businesses, from which they would
swoop down from time to time, carry
ing off the ponies and other valuables
of the Cheyennes and Arapahoes, pro-
voking each time short battles, in
which they were generally victorious.
In the spring of 1847 a considerable
band of Utes were encamped on the
banks Of the lake on the exact spot
where the town now stands. The
SHOWS of the past winter had left the
trails sufficiently are, and the stock of
ponies and other luXuries was getting
very low, so a considerable portion of
the warriors were called together one
fine morning by their chief and ha-
rangued on the duty they owed to their
tribe to inhict punishment on their
hereditary enemies, and get some po-
MES, after which the line of march
was taken for the distant plains. After
several days of marching the enemy
was surprised in grove of cotton
wood on the banks of the Platte, few
miles below where Denver now stands,
which was the favorite camping and
hunting ground of all the plain In
dians. Stealing stealthily upon their
foe the attack was made in the gray of
the early dawn. Although aroused
from their slumbers thus unexpect-
edly vigorous defense was made. and
the battle ragged until the sun was high
in the heavens, when the attacking
party, being repulsed. retreated, not
stopping until they had reached their
mountain home on the lake. In Their
flight, however, they carried off, be-
side several of the coveted ponies, the
fair "Star of the Night" the favorite
daughter of the Arapahoe chieftain.
AS soon as the great loss was discov-
cred all of the young warriors, burn
ing for revenge, clamored for the war
path. But little time was occupied in
the funeral dance over the half dozen
who had been slain in the battle, when
the pursuit was began with VOW
from each that no halt should lie made
until the enemies were punished and
the maiden rescued. Silently, like an
immense serpent crawling through the
defileS and canonS the faint NOON
light casting weird shadows from the
cliffs above, now vending around
scme rocky bluff, then stealing through
some thicket or scrub-oak, the united
bands trod their way, nor paused IN
their course, following closely in the
trail of the despoilers. On the third
day, just as the dawn was breaking,
they came upon the camp of the
enemy, who, tired with the fatigues Of
their long march :nd battle, were
sleeping soundly. Like a whirlwind
of destruction was poured the arrows
of the avengers into the bodies Of the
sleepers, and many of them never
awoke to consciousness. A stubborn
resistance, however, was made by the
Utes, and the battle lasted the whole
day through. The latter, as a measure
of safety, placed all the squaws and
pappooses in the camp in the canoes
belonging to the tribe, and directed
them to proceed to the center of the
lake to await the issue of the fight. AS
the day wore on, however, the sky be-
came overcast, a furious storm arose,
and one by one the frail barks were
wrecked until out of the whole number
of frightened women and children not
a soul remained. The Utes received a
terrible punishment, for out Of the six
score of warriors composing the band
but few escaped to tell the tale to the
, other bands of the distant West. The
victors, flushed with their victory, re-
turned to their beloved plains and were
never afterward troub ed by these
dreaded enemies.
oInCc Jlle udy VI IIlo DdIIlo IuO pIaOe
has ever been regarded by the Indians
as haunted by the spirits of those who
| perished there, the soughing of the
, wind as it means through the tall pines
, around the lake being, in the supersti-
tous minds of these sons Of the forest
the cries of and shrieks of the women
and children drowned on that fatefu
day. Recent events would seem t.
lend some color to the Indian theory
that an uncanny spf overs over the
place, and Grand Lake, with all its nat
ural beauties of mountain and lake
will ever carry with its mention the
memory of fendish deeds and scenes
I; of carnage, which will repel for Ions