St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-13

guard of mounted troops. Treaties of peace
were made every few months with the Co.
manches, Arapahoes. Cheyennes, Apaches of
the Plains, and other mounted bands of red
men, who had no respect for treaties, and re-
garded jealousy the settlers and Adventures,
moving in their numbering prairie schooners,
and the stage coaches and mounted couriers,
through whose agency communication was
kept up between the different forts and set
tied points.
Remember that in that year, twenty miles
to the west of where Junction City now
stands, some Of our own guards were killed
by the Cheyennes, and between that point
and Pond Greek, in extreme Western Kansas,
we had had half dozen fierce fights.
James White reached Dodge City on his way
West, and was there brought to stop by
stories--of Indian depredations, and he was
prudently advised to go back to his home in
Iowa. or to take employment at that point.
But among the adventurous spirits he met at
Fort Dodge was Captain Baker, a man of
about forty-fve, who had won his title under
Forrest in the Confederate Army. At the
breaking out of the war, Baker, a native of
Tennessee, was out in Western Colorado,
where he,made the acquaintance and friend
ship of Kit Carson, Tom Tobin, Pfeifer-after-
ward Northumberland of Carson's regiment
and other frontiersmen whose lives had
been spent in that country. 1t was the belief
of Carson and his companions that gold, in
abundance, could be found along the San Juan
and its tributaries, and subsequent events
proved that they were not mistaken. Baker
was prospecting in this region when the war
between the States broke out, and moved by
patriotism, or, it may be by the love of adven-
ture, that first sent him West he decided to
go back and eight for his State. The close of
the war saw. him poor. as it did many other
gallant fellows. and it was with view to
mending his fortunes that he was now max
ing his way West.
White had Served for three years in the
Union Army, and judging from his appear
ance, should say he was impelled to it by
feeling of duty, rather than love of adven-
ture. But as with all true soldiers, the war
closed forever in 1865. These brave fellows
met as friends who had never been enemies.
Baker was natural born leader, man of
great force of character, and with belief in
the gold fields of the San Juan, which he sue
ceeded in impressing on all with whom he
came into contact. Like all frontier towns
at that time, Dodge City was swarming with
adventures, most of whom had fought on
one side or the other during the war, and who,
having faced brave men in battle many time,
were apt to regard with Indifference if not
contempt, the painted braves who were then
making travel SO dangerous on the plains.
Captain Baker succeeded in gathering about
him some twenty of these spirits, all with
little money, every one of them owning
horse, and able to ride it; each possessor
of two revolvers and rifle, with whose use
he was entirely familiar, and all chatting
under the restraint and monotony of life in
Dodge City. At Bakers suggestion they pur-
chased four mules and wagon and laid in
supplies necessary to carry them across the
plains to Denver or Canyon City. Colorado
was not then even named, or in existence
and Manisto and the Garden of the Gods were
unknown to the world. Full of hope, high
spirits, and confident of their own ability to
get away with any Indians that might have the
temerity to attack the outfit, they elected Cap
tain Baker to the command of the expedition.
and, following the course of the Arkansas,
directed their march west towards that hand
WAeIo eStcu leiC CERTAIN ne SnOulQ speedily
make a fortune and return to his own home.
to be the envied of his less ambitious and
daring associates.
At that time the plains were covered by
herds OF buffalo; there is not one left. Ante
lope by thousands were ever in sight, and
sometimes herds of wild horses dashed
through the camp. Despite their confidence
in their ability to keep the Indians at bay, six
of the twenty-one men were killed and three
wounded by the Comanches before the little
party reached Canyon City, at the mouth of
what is now known as the Royal Gorge Of the
Arkansas. At that time Canyon City had but
half dozen houses, one of them being
hotel, and another a store that supplied out
fits to men prospecting along the eastern
slope Of the Rocky Mountains, between Dem
yer and Fort Union. The people of Canyon
City had just learned that the Nayajos and
Apaches had taken to the war path, and were
devastating the settlements to the west of the
Rio Grande, and that they had killed all the
prospectors. who had gone beyond the Sierra
Madre Range, and into the San Juan country,
They advised strongly against Bakers going
West, assuring him and his companions that
If they did SO, it would be equivalent to sui