Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-04-11
AT CIMARRON FORD.

Near the town of Cimarron, in Gray
county, Kan, as the cars pass swiftly
westward, the tourist from his plate
glass window may look upon the local
ity of the onco famous ford Of the Ar
kansas river known as the Cimarron
crossing. The two routes to Santa Fe
here diverged. That by the way of the
crossing was over the sand desert, go
called in the days of the commerce Of
the prairies, " which was relatively de-
void of water. In the droughtiest times
the oxen would frequently drop dead in
their yokes from the terrible torture Of
thirst. The Arkansas at the ford is wide
and generally but a few inches in depth.
1t was, therefore. an excellent place to
make the passage of the stream.
The other trail to Santa Fe followed
the Arkansas river to Bent s fort, where
it crossed spur of the Rocky noun
tains, much longer but safer journey
for the caravans, for there was, of
course, always all abundance of water,
the grass generally good, besides some
timber existed i'll spots OH the banks of
the stream.
The boundary line between the Unit
ed States and New Mexico ran north
and south through the Arkansas river
at the Cimarron crossing, and that point
the American troops changed places
with the Mexican, the former returning
eastwardly in escorting the caravans,
while tho latter made their way back
through Mexican territory to Santa Fe.
Cimarron crossing was famous spot
for attacks by the Indians on the freight
caravans, the government trains, the
overland stage, or any outfit passing
along the old Santa Fe trail in the long
ago, before the railroad was regarded as
a possibility even. One of the most un-
equal in point of numbers and tierceness
of the numerous attacks occurred in the
spring of 1865, in which several promi
nent Kansans were participants.
Major Rodney Smith, paymaster
United States army, who was OH one of
his periodical trips to pay the troops
stationed at the several military posts in
the department of the Missouri that
were located on the Arkansas river at
the date specified above, encountered the
notorious Satanta, war chief of the KiO-
was, and above q thousand of his blood
thirsty followers at Cimarron crossing,
holding his own against such fearful
odds until his brave little party were
rescued by detachment of cavalry hur-
riedly sent to his relief OH the second
day of the fight.
The gallant band of men who did
such remarkable work in defending
themselves against the horde of the
worst savage cutthroats on the plains at
that time was composed of the paymas-
ter, who was the ranking officer and in
command; Major A. P. Shaw, now in
Topeka; John E. Jones, now in Okla
homa; Jack Angle, Ed Doyle, Tom
Smith, and a small escort of enlisted
men of the Fifth United States infan-
try, which had been furnished at old
Fort Lyon, the last post in the upper
Arkansas valley.
Having completed his duties at Fort
Lyon, Major Smith. with his compan-
ions, escort and "strong box, left there
on Wednesday morning Immediately
after a very early breakfast, intending
to make Fort Dodge, the next post on his
route where the troops were to be paid.
When the party, who were in excellent
spirits, had travelled about 80 miles
along the broad old trail, a trapper we'll
known to the major, hailed him and in
formed him that the Kiowas were out
on the warpath, headed by that incar-
nate fiend, Satanta, their war chief, and
advised him to keep good lookout for
an ambuscade or direct attack from the
old he devil. He told the major further
that the savages, large band of them,
had congregated in the sand hills south
of the Arkansas, near Cimarron cross
ing and We're watching for favorable
opportunity to pounce upon some freight
caravan, government train, the overland
coach, or any outfit that promised them
plumber and few scalps.
The paymaster's little command
camped that night under the high bluffs
bordering Sand creek, putting out dou-
BILE guards and exercising every precau-
tion to prevent surprise, but there was
no disturbance Of any character except
ing the usual hideous concert Of howl
ing wolves not an Indian was seen nor
heard, nor were any signs discovered by
the scouts indicating that they had been
prowling around.
The next morning the journey was re-
sumed, every one now especially vigi-
liant for the first appearance of savage,
but everything went along smoothly un-
til they were within few miles of
Cimarron crossing. There one of the ad-
vance guard, who was mounted on
magnificent American horse, and who
had ridden few miles farther ahead
on the trail, came dashing back and re-
ported to Major Smith that an immense
number of Indians, rigged out in all
their war parapherDalia, were right ON
the bank of the river, and evidently pro-
posed to prevent the command from
proceeding any farther. He said that
they had their guns unslung, their robes
off, their lancas We're poised, their bows
strung, and they were prancing about ON
their ponies, certainly getting ready for
a fight