Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1890-04-25
BITTER REVENGE.

An ola man. whose nalf nAu D5eh Wuibe-
ned with the snow Of nearly eighty win.
ters, died recently near the ancient town
Of Santa Fe. New Mexico, says the Denver.
Rocky Mountain News. The man was
Joe LAmon, one Of the early pioneers of
Colorado, aud who enjoyed the distinction
Of having killed the last Indian in the
great Sand creek battle. 10 SOuth-esstsrs
CelovadO il 6e4 whsn 400 or 500 ArapA-
hOes and ApaohOs were killed by the Col
Orado treops Many eld-timers in CslOra'
do will recall Lamoa. Just before the
var be removed from Illinois AID settled
daVD ia The Arkaueau valley. He had .
lsrgS family. aud they took up several
elaine adjacent 10 the hOnssteRd. In
those days bat little attention was paid to
farming AS cattle raising wa0 then very
profitable.
When the band Of Indians went on the
Warpath they torrori1ed the aattlsrs along
the Platte and Arkansas rivera for months,
and 6nslly in the fall they began their
aendish massacre. They would sweep
down on the settlements, murder all the
Inhabitants, whose scalpp dangled at the
belts Of come Of the red diVils when they
left the scene Of their butcbery after burn
ing allther houses aud barns. The hor.
rible depred ations we're continued for
months and numbered of whites were
cruelty murdered The saYages man
aged to outwit the troops all through
the year, and winter approached they be-
came suddenly worry peacuble and started
for Fort Lyons, intending to 60 into win
ter quarters near that place. Their prof
fers for peace were made tor no other pur
pose than to secure blankets and Prov
slons from the fort. Before they renched
their destination; Colonel Chivington,
who was in command OF the Colorado
troops, learned Of the whereabouts of the
blood thirsty band. In twelYe hours the
First and Second regiments we're in the
sad dles and several hundred men under a
brave leader, all armed to the teeth, were
soon on their way to the Arkansas valley
to avenge the slau ghter Of the whites
Chiving!on knew every foot Of country
where the depreciation had been commit
ted and knew the course the indians
would follow on their march In order to
intercept them he took the troops across
the divide aud right for that section OF
country in which the town OF Chivingtop
ia Row located. The troops m ,rchpd day
and night the settlers along the trail furn-
iehing them with fresh horses and provi-
sious.
The willy redskins had learned by some
means that they were being pursned, and
kept scouts in the rear on the trail in or
der to warn them OF the approach Of the
so!dirrs. hopng to reach Fort Lyons be-
fore being overtakcu, and once there they
would make treaty Of peace, For once
the red butchers were caught in their own
trap. Colonel Chivlnton made no attempt
to follow the trail of the Indians, but cut
directly across the valley, and consequent
! IS while the scouts were keeping sharp
flookout, The troops swept dowu to Sand
creek, where the indians were camping
The Indians we're discovered just after
nlghtfal on clear winter evening, and
preparations were at once made for the
hattlr. The Indians went through their
usual war dance, as they had murdered
Two famiIies just few days before, and
the fresh seal ps Of their victims hung be-
tore the tepee OF one of the chiefs. The
wretches little dreamed that the troops
! were intently watching their perfoi mauce,
and before another sun arose they would
all be sent TO the happy bunting grounds.
One OF the families that bad last been
buichered was that of Joe Lamon. and he
had ioined the troops only the day befo re
the battle, and swore he would never rest
until tho last Indian wss dead. Lamon
ArPt his word.
The Indiane could not haVs selected a
morc propitious spot for camping, so far as
the soldiers were concerned. Their tepees
were pitched IN basin IN the bed of q
creek and on oil sides of them we're high
hanks. Just before daylight the soldiers
surrounded the camp and quietly waited.
Just as dawn was breaking and the Indi-
ans began TO stir about, the critical mo-
.nent had arrived. They had given no
warning to the settlers and shown no
mercy, and why should tho soldiers give
them the ahghtest adyantageP A a sig-
nal from Colonel Chivingten hundreds OF
muskets belehsd forth volley of leaden
nalssiles right into the tepees Of the Indi-
ans. The frightened sAvages who were
not killed by the fret frs endeavored to
escape. bat each suceeeding valley moved
them down aud finally all were still. The
rest Is Known. The braves. their squaWs
and children had been killed, ana the
murder Of the lnuoeeut whites in the Ar
haniau and Platte valleys had besn AYsng-
ed with y vengeance.
Nov cones the story how old Jos La.
mcs kept bic word. Ia leNrching through
the tepses tho soldiers found two youne
Indian girls who had miTsculously escap-
sd the fns;llade They we're taken in