The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-25
THE THORNBURG FIGHT.
Graphic Accounts Of the White River Campaign, BY
Men Who Lived Through It.


Colorado. in the fall of 1875
than in any other Indian campaign OF
this generation, except perhaps the
tragedy of the Little Big Horn, three
years before. There was the brutal
murder of the Indian agent, Meeker,
whose philantroDhic idea of how the
redskins should be governed was the
start of the disaster, and the captivity
of his wife and daughter, whose suf-
ferings were too horrible to tell in
print. There was the march of the
cavalry to the support Of the agent,
the force being under the command of
Major Thornburgh, whose transfer
from the security of the staff to the
dangers of the line insured his dying
on the field of battle; an ambuscaded
column, a retreat TO the wagon train
a retreat covered by a daring band Of
Volunteers six-day siege in the COR
raj, the earning OF q dozen medals of
honor, relief by a troop of negro cav
airy, which mad made forced marCn;
a second reliet by Merriot's command,
which rusned 10 miles in 4S hours-tae
finest long distance ride ever made
the locating OF the besleSed force by
lut sweet HOLES OIL Objects Cdll, anu the
anti-climaX in the DuTsugt OF the red
devils, cut shor1 by per-emptory orders
from Washington aad the subsequent
utter escape rom punishment OF 1le
Utes, relieved only by the rescue OF
the white women.
Greater New York contains a handful
of men who can tell ali about this
campaign-men who need 10 invent
nothing, TO study nothing, for they
lrera there eoTQp Width rnOrQhurPf1 and
others with Merritt, Meeker, himself,
was a New York man, friend Of
Horace Greeley, and the Indian agent
got his place largely through his desire
10 try humane methods on the Indians
These meTnods were not welcomed by
the reds, and in September, 1879, Meek
er, much against mis- will, had 10 ask
for troops.
The nearest military post to the
White River agency was Fort Fred
Steele, Myo., 20 miles 20 the north
east. The commandant of the post,
Major Thornburgh. was ordered 70 take
a force and march to the agency 10
straighten out matters. He took three
troops Of cavalry, gathered from his
garrison and from, hort y. \. Russell.
on the march he was warned by the
Utes shat he would not be allowed 10
enter the reservation; but he pressed
on according to orders. Nearing the
reservation, the road ran through
canyon, at the DCutom of which moved
Milk creek, called so because it flowed
through lime rocks. The bed OF THIS
stream was what Broadway is when
street hydranI is opened. The banks
proper of the stream were six feet
high and the water was perhaps half a
foot TO a foot deep.
On the morning of Sept. %, two troops
came down the canyon, the third troop
remaining with the wagon train in the
rear Lieutenant Cherry, OF the Fifth
cavalry. with a score of men. was in
the advance Leaving the road, an IN
dian trail. which always is a short cut,
was taken, and as Cherry's force got
near the top of the hills they saw In
dams. Up went the lieutenants hand
as the signal TO halt. The Utes, posted
on the bluffs, commanded the road.
There was but one thing for the TWO
troops TO do. and that was 20 get lack
TO the shelter of the wagon train and
make a stand there.
With Lieutenant Cherry's skiTmlsn-
ers was Sergeant kvard P. Grimes.
who is now first sergeant. Fifth artll-
lery. at Fort Slocum. David's Island.
When the order was given for the
squadron TO fall back and Cherry
men to cover the retreat, Sergeant
Grimes was close to the lieutenant
I'm going to stick by you. lieuten-
ant. as long as we are out here" said
Grimes. officer and n-commissioned
officer were full Of pluck and grit. and
Grimes. who admired his commander
daring. resolved to be a bodyguard to
the young West Pointer The men
were deployed as skrnishers and were
standing off the Indians, while the rest
OF the force got back to the wagon
train.
lone by one our men dropped, says
Grimes. until "a out Of the p were
wounded. We were getting out of cart
ridges. and if we stayed there much
longer, someone would have 10 make
the ride back 10 the train for more
BACK FOR AMMUNITION.
Damn it, said Cherry-he never
swore more than to say damn it
Damn it. men, some of you who are
not hit. volunteer to go back for am
munition' NOBODY responded l SAID,
I'd go. lieutenant, but / don't want to
leave YOU The call was repeated sew
eral times. and finally / said: III go,
myself The Indians saw me start. and
knew what I was about. They came
part way down from the bluffs. ana
tried to surround me, and cut me OIL
from either force. What were my
thoughts. as 1 was riding back? Damn
L
of anything in particular, except Just
where I should plunge down the banks
of the stream and cross, for the wagon
train was on the other side. There's no
use in saying I wasn't scared. for
was I guess I was in a kind OF trance.
I remember I kept thinking where
should cross. The Indians thought
was going to stick to the road, and
were gathering at the ford. knew
I a the
/ watched for a good place to make the
lump. l was brought to my senses by
nv horse changing gait. He already
had two wounds in the neck when
7 started. He was kind of an ugly,
Roman-nosed beast. but l had CONN.,
dence in him. Just as we reached the
stream. he skipped, and l knew tnat
he had been struck in the fetlock- he
riunged down the bank, and fell on his
knees on the other side, sending me on
nv nose on his neck. The blood
g1ished from my nose, but l held on,
and the horse climbed up. l had
emptied my revolver, and all there was
10 do now was to go on and trust 10
the Lord not TO get hit. l could Sun
hear the cheering of the boys mad
left and the wagon train, protected
bv the rest of the force. was only l,OO0
wards or so away. When l reached
there. / got a sack of ammunition, 4oO
cartridges. and slung it over the POM
mel Of the saddle. Then l mounted
and started back A corporal and
dozen men saw me safely across the
stream. and the lieutenants men came
forward to meet me on the other sica
After all. the cartridges were not useo
then. for we soon Joined the larger
force in the corral This is how
earned my medal.
.-o,1 -r%r-r,c ~ r1III- CORRAL