Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-11-06
MYSTERY OF THE PLAINS.

The perils, sufferings, adventures and IS
capes OF the pioneers of the great west car
scarcely be numbered. No pen viii ever
write of the half of them Some Of these adj
ventures appeal to our admiration and elicit
words of praise for the pluck and bravery
displayed, while others touch the heart of the
toughest man and bring a mist 20 his eyes
Rs he hears the particulars related around the
evening camp fire.
During the first rush to the Black Hills sec
ton the government posted small force OF
cavalry on the Loup Fork of the Platte river,
a stream having its rise in western Nebraska
Gold hunters and immigrants heading for the
Black Hills from eastern Nebraska, Iowa
Missouri and eastern Kansas all followed the
Loup Fork as far as they could go. The cav
airy numbered only about seventy men
while the number Of hostile Indians up in
arms to drive back the tide was fully 5000
The command was a menace to the Indians
however, and our camp was half way rally.
ing point at which the immigrants could
halt and refresh themselves and repair dam
ages. l YVES the only government scout at
tached to this command, and | had TO carry
. report to either Fort Laramie or Fort
Rearney once fortnight
One afternoon seven or eight horsemen
and four wagons came into ou. camp from
the west and told an exciting story. Two
weeks previous train of fifteen wagons and
forty men had left Sioux City and struck
across TO the Eikhorn river Following that
up for three days, they he'd been attacked by
largs force of hostiles while strung our on
the march. They lost ten men and had five
of their wagons cut of and captured They
went into camp threw up breastworks, and
finally beat the Indians Off Next day over
twenty OF the men, disheartened and afraid
to continue further, took six Of the wagons
and started on their return to the east. There
were five wagons end eight men left One
OF the wagons belonged to an immigrant
named John Hospler, who had his family and
all his belongings in the vehicle. He was one
Of the ten men killed. His family consisted
Of his wife, who was described es little
woman weighing lees than 100 pounds, a boy
OF 10 and a girl of g.
Mrs Hosmer was advised to return with
that section OF the party which bad decided
to retrace Its steps, but she refused to do So
She had Travelled with the smaller party for
i've days, driving her own team and bearing
up In courageous way. Then, when within
thirty miles of our camp, a reaction came,
and she suddenly determined TO return to
Iowa. 1t was an embarrassing situation for
the others. They did not wish to return,
and OF course they could not think of seeing
her go back alone. They argued, coaxed
ard pleaded with her. but she was obdurate
When, in her own interest, they decided to
take possession Of the team, she seized her
dead husbands Winchester rife and threat
ened to Kill the first man who approached
No one has ever blamed the men for allowing
her 20 separate from them and head back over
the trail. They believed she was driving to
her death, but she would not listen to them
She had cosne to the resolution that she
would return, and nothing could be said to
change lt. They were rough fellows, and
she was the only woman and hers were the
only children In the party, but she could not
have been afraid of them. There wasn't a
man among them who would not have laid
down bis life for her. When they knew that
she had determined TO separate, they con-
spired to disable her wagon. but she was on
tho watch to prevent, and had any man at
tempted TO detain her by force he would
have perile6 his life. After breakfast on the
morning OF the day before the party reached
our camp Mrs. Hosmer left them, with
curt good-by, and headed back over the trail
= This was the story as told US, and no one
had reason to doubt that 1t was the true one.
The first thing the immigrants did was to ap-
peal to our ma jor to send out a force to over
take the woman and bring her in. The idea
could not be entertained. It was thirty
miles to the point where she had separated,
and, If she had not been disturbed in her
journey, she had made thirty more by that
hour. To expect a squadron to overtake her,
even, with the country full of hostiies, was
almost absurd Our great wonder was that
the party had come in without being attacked,
and it must have so happened that they
slipped between hostile hands. II was quick
" decided that we could do nothing as q
command. Not a soldier could be spared
from the post, which might be invested any
hour. loffered, IN case the ma or would con-
sent, TO take five of the best mounted imn.i-
grants and make the attempt, but he would
no. consent and none OF the men cared TO en-
counter the peril Fate, however, had a
hand in the matter. Within two hours from
the arrival of the party a courier came in to
Us from Fort Laramie, bearing orders which
must attempt TO transmit TO Fort Ran
y
of the trail, and it was probable that would
make some discoveries
II can't ask you to deviate from your
direct course or 10 incur any additional
peril" said the major. as l was making ready
to go. Indeed. If YOU get through alive
with all your skill and cunning. it will lift a
great load from my mind. / have no doubt
there are thousand hostiles between this
and Fort Randall The woman and children
were no doubt attacked within two hours
after leaving the party. It's a sad case, but
don't see how we can help them"
"Are the dispatches very importantr !
asked.
Eyes, but they will keep. You need not
kill your horse 10 deliver them"
Then before l return | shall learn the
.,ate of the woman"
away 1t was what he wanted, but he would
not command il. he had q wife and two
children Of his own back in the States, and
knew how his sympathies went out for this
poor, obstinate mother, whom grief had
probably worked to such an extent that her
mind was not quite right. Soon after dark
that night / rode away TO the northeast, only
half an hour before a scouting party came il
with the news that large band of bostilss
were approaching from the north. Had /
been delayed few minutes could not have
not out for q week II was july night.
STA &Ao.