The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-06-16
CAUSED BY A HORSE RACE
How . Fiercs Battle with Indians
Was Brought About.


sss-.ssst
An Event Which Explains Why the Nava
soes Of Fort WtDgate We're Hostile to
the United states Government
Through the Civil War.
DON Amado Chavez. the eldest son o1
the late Col. Manuel Chavex, New Mex
ico's most noted Indian fighter, tells ar
interesting story of the big fight with
the Navajos at Fort Wingate in 1861
which was the cause of the turbulence
with that tribe during the rebellion
and which he witnessed as boy. Dor
Amado was about twelve years old
then, says Santa Fe IN. NJ CORE
spondent. His father was commander
at Fort Wingate, where New Mexican
volunteer troops were stationed to
watch the Navajos and keep them
quiet. The tribe was supposed to be
peaceable and friendly, but it was
deemed right to keep On eye on them
and keep them from stealing stock, in
which art the Navajos are past mas
ters.
The Navajos had a pony that they
believed able to outrun anything on
four legs, and they " ere anxious to get
up match race at the fort. The sur
geon at the post owned q thoroughbred
race horse. and = match was made be-
tween the two. There was a general
gathering OF the tribe around the fort
for several days before the race, and
the Indians and soldiers were on the
best of terms. One of the chiefs took
fancy to the colonel's son and made a
present to little Amado of pretty
buckskin pony with white tail and
name. Amado was very proud of his
pony and rode him about the Indian
camp and made friends of the Navajos.
{ On the day of the race the Indians
and soldiers bet all of their portable
property on the result. According to
the Indian custom the things wagered
were tied together and piled up in
general heap. A soldier bet five dol
lars against a Navajo blanket, the coins
were tied up in fold of the blanket,
a tag attached showing who were the
parties to the transaction and the
cast upon the pile.
A shrewd Navajo rode the Indian
pony and a Mexican of the name Ortiz
rode the thoroughbred horse. A one
thousand-yard stretch across the
prairie was hemmed in on both sides
by mixed crowd of Indians and Mexi-
can soldiers. A fair start was made,
and the pony got away little in the
lead. He was only q sprinter, how
ever, and was no match for the horse
when the latter got fairly into his
stride. The Indian soon saw that the
pony was outclassed, and that he could
not win by fair running, and so he re-
sorted to tricks to prevent the horse
rom passing. Whenever the horse
attempted to pass the Indian pulled
he pony over to that side just enough
% get in the way. and Ortiz was COM
'elled to pull up to avoid collision.
The Indian worked the trick with |
o many variations that the horse was
airly pecketed all the time by that
one pony, and Ortiz became furious.
1t last Ortiz lost patience, and. when |
My a few yards from the finish the
indian tried the trick again, Ortiz
ave his horse the spurs and plunged
head. The big American horse rolled
he pony over, but kept his feet and |
ounded across the line. The pony's
eek was broken and his rider was
rushed to death in the fall.
AS soon as the Navajos understood
7hat had happened they made rush
Or Ortiz. Soldiers rallied around the
ider to protect him, and in half min
te free fight was in full blast. The
oldiers got together quickly, and
heir fire was more effective than the
fire of the Navajos, but the
ndians were numerous and made an
gly fight.
Young Amado saw his friend, the
Id chief, lying on the ground, wound
d, and he went to him. The old man
'as mortally hurt, but he knew the
oy and asked him for water. Amado
o the water, sat down by the Indian,
aissd his head and gave him q drink.
he surgeon came riding by, looking
II the boy, and saw him sitting be-
de wounded Indian. He snatched
mado up by the collar, placed him be-
ind on the horse, galloped back into
le fort and handed him over to the
lionel, who had just been aroused by
le firing, and was getting out of .
clk bed to take charge Of things
The colonel told the boy to stay in
larters and not venture out again,
Id then he went to the walls and got
le cannon into action. But the boy
ould think of nothing but his Navajo
lend lying out there on the plain
ith ghastly wound in his breast,
Id longing in vain for water. So he
led his fathers canteen and stole out
rough the gate and found the old
lief again. The old man was dying
st, and did not recognize the boy.
nado sat down by him, raised his
.ad upon his knee, and held the can
en- to the blue lips And so he sat
ID ministered to the Indian until the ,
e had gone from the body, and then
cried because the old man who gave
m the buckskin pony was dead. .
The thunder Of the cannon, the i
outs of the captains and the yells Of /
e Navajos had ceased, and only an {
casional crack of . rifle told that /
ne skirmisher out on the prairie was t
ring some long parting shot at the
emy. Not until next day when he
" scores of dead Indians gathered up
,ng the race course and on the pra- Z
!, and buried in long trench, did
} boy understand that he had been
. battle, and that all the tumult had
red around him when he sat by the Q