The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1888-04-10
THE BATTLE OF J.C~soN CREEK.
An Authentic Account or the Fight with
the Endtans.
PRESCOTT, Arizona, April 4, 1883

ED. SILVER STATE: As you request me
to furnish an account for publication of
the battle of Jackson's Creek, gladly
comply, but shall do SO very briefly.
On the lst day Of July. 1865. a party
consisting Of Thomas Rule. Tom Ewing.
Thos. jackson. Al. and Ed. Cage, Alex.
McMiIleu, myself, and some six or seven
Others whose names do not now remem-
Der, left Alex. Middleton's place in Para
disc Valley, for Idada. 1t SO happened
that majority of the party were un-
armed, there being but five guns in the
crowd, and they were all muzzle leaders.
except the one carried by Tom Ewing,
which was Henry. The first night we
camped at Buffalo Springs. and early on
the morning of the I'd, about day break,
or a little time before, number of In.
dams came down the mountain to the
east of us, yelling like a lot OF demons;
but we were up and ready for them SO
quickly that they did not attack the
camp. and we neither saw nor heard any
more OF them that day. Oar camp that
night was, | think, at Rebel Creek. On
the morning of the 81 we started early,
and before reaching Gums River came to
lot Of willow poles with the bark peeled
off SO lately that the sap was still moist
These had the leaves on them, and were
planted on each side Of the wagon track,
aud joued together at the top forming
an arch for US to pass under On the large
part OF the peeled poles were rude char
acters in bright red paint, representing
men, cattle, horses and wagous-evident-
ly the work of Indians, but we neither
saw nor heard any other signs, except
Smokes" in the mountains on each side
OF the valley, which appeared to be sig
nails About noon, or before, we passed
Beachey's stage station, from which the
stock had all been stolen, and the men
driven of by Indians.
INDIANS OPEN FROM AN AMBUSH.
Aboat three o'clock in the afternoon
it had been raining some time, a warm
July rain-Al. Cage and myself were sit
ting GA the 'front.' seat of our four horse
wagon, singing at the top of our voices,
for the ediication OF ourselves and the
rest o. the passengers, that good old
| hymn, 'Well stand the storm, it won't
be long, Well anchor bye AID bye.
| jackson, Rule and Ewing were sotae die
tance ahead on horseback, and as hey
| approached the bank of Jackxon's Creek,
where the sagebrush was very high ami
the dry bed of the creek very deep, thu
first intimation they had of danger war
the discharge of about twenty guns from
| the bed of the creek. Jackson and his
horse fell dead at the first fire, Rule was
shot through the breast, in the shoulder
and both thighs, Ewing was shot with a
very large ball clear through between the
| stomach aud bowels, but both the latter
two managed to stay on their horses until
they reached us and fell into our arms
where we did the best we could to make
them comfortable. 1t is useless to sly
that Cage and cut short the singing, AID
betook ourselves to shooting as fast aswe
possibly could, by which means the In
dams, which we Judged to be about two
hundred in number. some fifty OF whom
bad guns and were OF horseback, AMI the
rest were armed with bows and grows
land were on foot, were kept at respect.
al distance, notwithstanding which they
almost invariably shot over us; the hull
cts, which were of all kinds and caliIres,
Sang through the air like bees until about
6 o'clock. Rule being unable to Ill the
. position OF Captain, to which he Lad been
chosen before we started, that duty, by
common consent. devolved on me. / had
the ox.team of Rule, the carriage b elong.
ing to McMillen and Jackson, md the
passenger wagon, in which the rtst OF US
rode. punched up together. and tn. teams
unhitohed, for fear they might be STAN.
peded and run away to the Indians vitd
our provisions. Some OF the horses w,re
shot in several places, but none OF TINA