The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-05-09
BY A HORSE RACE
How q Fierce Battle with Indians
Was Brought About

An Event which Explains Why the Navs-
goes OF Fort wtngats Were Hostile to
the United states Government
Throuxh the Civil War.
Don Amado Chavez. the eldest son Of
the late Col. Manuel Chavez, New Mex
ico's most noted Indian fighter, tells an
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. Don
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, butt it was
deemed right to keep an eye on them
and keep them from stealing stock, in
which art the Navajos are past mas
tiers.
The Navajos had a pony that they
believed able to outrun anything on
four legs. and they we're anxious toget
up a match race at the fort. The sur,
geon at the post owned a 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
present to little Amado of a 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 a
general heap. A soldier bet five dol
lars against Navajo blanket, the coins
were tied up in a fold of the blanket,
a tag attached showing who were the
parties to the transaction and the
blanket cast upon the pile.
A shrewd Navajo rode the Indian
pony and Mexican of the name Ortiz
rode the thoroughbred horse. A one
thousand-yard stretch across the
prairie was hemmed in on both sides
by a mixed crowd of Indians and Next
can soldiers. A fair start was made,
and the pony got away little In the
lead. He was only Splinter, 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
from passing. Whenever the horse
attempted to pass the Indian pulled
the pony over to that side just enough
to get in the way, and Ortiz was COM
PEELED to pull up to avoid collision.
The Indian worked the trick with
so many variations that the horse was
fairly pocketed all the time by that
lone pony, and Ortiz became furious.
At last Ortiz lost patience, and, when
only few yards from the finish the
Indian tried the trick again, Ortiz
gave his horse the spurs and plunged
ahead. The big American horse rolled
the pony over, but kept his feet and
bounded across the line. The pony's
neck was broken and his rider was
crushed to death in the fall.
As soon as the Navajos understood
what had happened they made rush
for Ortiz. Soldiers rallied around the
rider to protect him. and in half a min
ute free fight was in full blast. The
soldiers got together quickly, and
their fire was more effective than the
scattering fire of the Navajos, but the
Indians were numerous and made an
ugly fight.
Young Amado saw his friend, the
old chief, lying on the ground, wound
ed, and he went to him. The old man
WAS mortally hurt, but he knew the
boy and asked him for water. Amado
go the water. sat down by the Indian,
raised his head and gave him a drink.
The surgeon came riding by, locking
for the boy. and saw him sitting be-
side a wounded Indian. He snatchej
Amado up by the collar, placed him be-
bird on the horse. galloped back into
the fort and handed him over to The
who had just been aroused by
the firing. and was getting out of q
sick bed to take charge of things.
The colonel told the boy to stay in
quarters and not venture out again,
and then he went TO the walls and got
the cannon into action. But the boy
c ould think of nothing but his Navajo
friend lying ont there on the plain
with ghastly wound in his breast.
and longing in vain for water. So he
filed his fathers canteen and stole out
through the gate and found the old
,hief again. The old man was dying |
last, and did not recognize the boy. |
Amado sat down by him. raised his |
head upon his knee, and held the can
teen to the blue lips And SO he sat |
life had gone from the body. and then |
he cried because the old man who gave |
him the buckskin pony was dead.
The thunder of the cannon, the |
shouts of the captains and the yells Of |
The Navajos had ceased, and only an |
crack of a rife told that |
,ome skirmisher out on the prairie was |
.rying some long parting shot at the |
enemy. Not until next day when he |
a " scores of dead Indians gathered up |
Along the race course and on the pra-
lie. and buried in long trench. did /
he boy understand that he had been |
n battle, and that all the tumult had /
aged around him when he sat by the
lying chiefs side was made BY his |
the Navajos, and his friends, |
he soldiers, trying to kill each other
Where 1t Came From.