Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-09-18
SAW THE lTASSACRE.
SOLDIERS WHO WITNESSED A HOR-
RlBLE BUTCHERY.

Indians Murdered Whites While an Inter-
vening River Prevented Succor-Disap-
pearance of a Party of Thirty Deserters
From the Regular Army.
''It was one of the tragedies of the
plains whose history will never be
Known" remarked Colonel W. Fl. Pow
ell few days since in speaking OF a
thrilling scene which he witnessed
nearly 80 years ago. The tragedy took
place ON the bank of the Platte river, in
the region of Julesburg, this state. Colo
mel Powell was then a captain in the
regular army and had been sent with
command of about 100 men to relieve
the garrison on the present site of Fort
Morgan. Within view of the soldiers a
large wagon train was attacked by In
dians, and the entire force in charge Of
the train was wiped out of existence.
The white men made gallant resist
ance, but the redskins outnumbered
them ten to one. After killing the
escort the Indians seized such property
as they liked and set fire to the wagons.
Agreat smoke rising toward the sky
gave notice for many miles in all direc-
tions of the awful deed.
"It may seem strange that a company
of soldiers fully armed and prepared for
battle should stand still and see their
fellow countrymen shot down." re-
marked Colonel Powell, "but we could
do absolutely nothing. The river was
raging torrent, and the quicksands
made it wholly impossible for us to
cross to the opposite side, where the bat
tie was in progress. The road which the
train was following was quite dis
tance on the north side. We were on
foot ON the south bank of the stream.
From our position we saw the Indians
sweep down upon the train, saw the
hasty gathering of the wagons in cir
Gle and the last desperate struggle. We
never learned from what point the
wagons came or whittier they were
going. There were perhaps so wagons
in the train. "
As stated, the soldiers were on their
way to Fort Morgan to relieve the gar
rison. This was early i'll the spring Of
1867. Two or three months previously
remarkable occurrence had greatly
weakened the garrison, which consisted
Of company of the Seventh cavalry.
The fact is but little known outside of
the war department, but in January,
1867, body of more than 80 men de-
serted from the post. The men had
grown weary of the isolation, and plan
vas formed for wholesale exit from
che post.
1t is also claimed That the leaders con-
telnplated an attack on Denver, then
1ourisning frontier village, and the
tooting Of the place. The plans were
well laid and were carried out without
a hindrance i'll any particular. Each
man was given a special duty to per-
form. 1t was SO arranged that none but
conspirators were ON guard at the time
Of the departure Orders were given
that if any officer attempted to leave
the quarters Oh the evening the plot was
to be put into effect he was to be shot
down without mercy. The evening was
very cold, and fortunately for the Off
GERS not one of them left his room.
The men were to ride away from the
post. The horses were fully equipped,
and the party carried abundant sup
plies of food and ammunition. The de-
serters carried the guard with them,
and the surprise Of the troops remaining
at the garrison the next morning may
be imagined
''There is no doubt about the truth of
the story concerning the desertion, said
Colonel Powell, ''as I talked with the
officers about the affair and know it to
be fact. One of the strangest features
about the affair, however, is the mys-
terious disappearance of the men. Not
single person in the deserting party
was ever afterward heard from. It is
not known whether the men were mas
sacred by the Indians, lost on the plains,
Or whether they reached the seashore
and started for some distant country. 1t
is known that several weeks after the
men deserted their command a .Rorse
wandered back to the post. TheNorse
was one which had been ridden away.
The saddle had not been removed from
the poor animals back, and the saddle
girth had cut through the animals skin,
making frightful wound. The de-
serters apparently abandoned their in
tention of attacking Denver -
The colonel says that in 1899, when
in New York, he had occasion to make
inquiry concerning one of the deserters,
who was an Englishman. A fortune had
been left him in England. The man was
traced as far as Fort Morgan, where he
dropped out of sight in the winter of
1857. Upon information furnished by
Colonel Powell the estate was divided
other heirs. Denver News.
The Work of the Mississippi.
The Mississippi has in the course of
ages transported from the mountains
and high land within its drainage area
sufficient material to make 400, 900
square miles of new land by filling up
an estuary which extended from it's
original outfall to the gulf Of Mexico
for length of 500 miles, and in width
from 80 to 40 miles. This river is still
pouring solid matter into the gulf.
where it is spread out in a fanlike shape
over coast line of $50 miles, and is
filling up at the rate of 100000
tons year, or six times as much soil
as was removed in the construction Of
the Manchester ship canal and suffi-
cient to make square mile of new
land, allowing for its having to fill up
the gulf to a depth Of so yards.
Some idea Of the vastness Of this
operation may be conceived when the
fact is considered that some Of this soil
has to be transported more than 5000
miles, and that if the whole Of it had
to be carried in boats at the lowest rate
at which heavy material is carried on
the inland waters OF America, or, say,
for one-tenth of a penny per ton per