The Portland daily press., 1897-07-29


Men, Women, and Children Sacrificed
A Pale Face Squaw.
(From Chicago Record
Denver, Col, July lathe discovery
of gold on Cherry Greek in 1858 brought
about it's logical result, and two years
later Denver occupied the ground with
population of 1000. When the civil war
broke out there was sharp but brief con-
test between the people from the North
and the South, resulting in favor of the
North. Several expeditions were sent
out from Texas to recover the territory,
with its inexhaustible mines. A number
OF battles took place, but by the time
report could reach Washington they were
both out of date and obscured by the
smoke of the greater conflict.
The plains between the river and the
mountains were covered with Indians,
who had been held in tolerable subjec-
ton. The Utes were powerful mountain
tribe, secure in their own natural for
tress, and were friendly to the whites, for
the reason that their presence made it
possible for them to go out and hunt
buffalo with some degree of safety. The
Indians of the plains did not want the
whites to become the allies of their noun
tain enemies, hence the reason for their
good behavior.
With the rival war a new factor entered.
The plains. Indians were assured by the
representatives of the Confederacy that
Ak fo% ~,
longer able to punish them, and that
jefferson Davis was the big medicine
man. The Indians began their work of
pillage and destruction, though claiming
to be peaceable. They became holder with
success, and swept the plains in every di-
rection. 1t required as much time to
cross from the Mississippi River to Den
yer, with the OK teams, as it now does to
circumnavigate half the globe.
The leet-moving savages would destroy
the''small parties and make lit angerous
for the stragglers of the large trains.
Finding no troops sent against them as
formerly to punish them for crimes COM
mitted, they became firmly convinced that
the great father at Washington had lost
his medicine. In 1864 matters in Colorado
scalped at the very doors of Denver, and
the lnutilated bodies were taken into the
city for burial. The destruction OF the
trains was SO great that starvation stared
the people in the face before spring.
Grant was Tightening the coils for a final
struggle with the Confederacy and the
government could extend no aid.
Such was the condition of things when
Governor Evans called for mounted vol
unteers for special service under Colonel
]. NJ. Chivington. The orders were
blank, though the object was well under :
stood. 1t was given out, however, that
the Confederates were preparing for an
the force was to operate against the invas-
ion.
Col. Chivington stood feet 1-2 inch
es, weighed $50 pounds, and was possessed
of strength and endurance in proportion.
Like Gov. Evans, the Colonel was a
Methodist and a sort of an unordained
preacher. In those days there were sport
ing roughs in the mining camps, who,
among other amusements, delighted in
breaking up religious meetings. The
evening meetings were their favorite time
for operations, when they would shoot
out oandles-oandles being the only mode
of obtaining light. But toughs never
broke up meeting conducted BY Chiv-
ington. When he slowly walked to the
front and disincumbered himself of belt
and pistols, fanking the Bible with big
siX-shooter on each side, the silence was
broken by nothing save the amens of the
brethren.
1t was late in November when the Col
one1's expedition left Denver for Sand
Greek, 100 miles distant, where it was
known that large body of Arapahoes,
with few Cheyennes, were in camp.
They veered their direction SO as to lead
any spy in the belief that it was to Texas
that they were bound. But few miles
out they halted within ten or dozen
miles of the Indian camp and waited for
morning.
1t was the coolest November night ever
known in that part of the Territory, but
they dare not build fire. Before day
light they were in the saddle and silently
but swiftly swept down ON the savages,
who had covered Colorado, Kansas and
Nebraska with the bones of toiling emil
grants. 1t was nearly sunrise when the
expedition sighted the Indian camp
whose denizens were aroused by the bark
ing of dogs. The Coloradoans then swept
through and over them like assstormEcloud
and, wheeling. trampled them under tn e
feet of horses, holding brides in their
teeth and firing right and left.
Two Face and Charles Bent were in
command of the savages. The one was
called Two Face because his father was
an Apache and his mother a Cheyenne:
Bent was a half-breed, with the evils of
both races and the virtues of neither.
Two Face escaped but Bent fought his
last battle. Fresh scalps, including those
of women and children, were found in
the camp; also other evidences of atroci-
ties too horrible for thought. The sight
made the men wild. No prisoners were
taken and few escaped The fight did
not last long, but more than 600 Indians
were killed.
In the preceding August the Eubanks
family of eleven persons were massacred
. on the Blue River. Mrs. Eubanks was
handsome, not quite 80 years old, and
Two Face made her his squaw She was
heid 1or year, when Two Face was
captured and hanged. Mrs. Eubanks
was taken TO the house of Prof O. P.
Virgins. now living in Denver. Virgins
was q scout who, with Kit Carson, found
be path that Fremont had lost in the