The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1897-09-11
ACROSS THE PLAINS.
\ Journey OF Lafayette County Men to
the Gold Fields in 1919.

the Gold Fields in 1919.
In the fall of 1913 the news of the dis
cOvery of gold in California spread over
the country. SO fabulous were the
stories that it reminded us of the tales
OF Aladdin, who with his wonderful lamp
startled the world with the wonders of
his production. The reports OF the
richness OF the mines were much the
same as those now coming from the
mines of Klondike. and excited the
people to the highest pitch, and many
made preparations 10 Try their fortunes
in that distant country.
Many of the citizens or Lafayette
county prepared for the trip in the
coming spring. Several would unite
and outfit team. Among them L
remember the following: One team was
owned 10y Judge Wm. L. Tyree, my
brother, james Hale, and myself; an
other by John McFadin, Gabriel Brown.
VIM. Jones and James Harnett; an
other by Chat. Z. LanSford, John and
Sherman Eddy; one by Thos. w. Man
on, Joe McCarty and Wilson Hamil-
ton; and one by Uncle Matthew Tai
bOtt, good member of the Baptist
church, who took with him two negro
men to dig gold.
Two of these teams, those of Tyree
and Hale and McFadin and others, left
Lexington, April 26, 1919. On the 29th
they reached Independence, where they
dined at the holland House, now the
Merchants hotel 1t was tine last meal
reached Sacramento city.
Col. Benz. Hedspeth was then an ex-
perienced traveller over the plains, and
was forming company To go to Call
fornia. We had made arrangements to
make the journey with him. Our two
teams arrived at his camp at New Santa
Fe, April 30th. Other Lafayette county
teams came up the next day. There
were then about fifty teams there to go
with Col. IIedspeth. Some were mule
/ teams, some oxen and few horses. The
number was still increasing All want
ed to go with Hedspeth.
There were too many teams to make a
quick trip. This was too much for the
ardent spirits of our party, who were
determined to make the quickest trip of
the season. Thirteen mule teams, in
Guiding all from Lafayette county, left
the IIedspeth camp. organized COM
pany, with Gabriel Brown, of Lexing-
ton, captain, and started from the boun-
Diary line May 2d, 1919.
| I'm hn Of xrha
Topeka now is, we met with Maj. Will
liam Lane, of Texas, who was admitted
to our company. He had won an en-
viable reputation as a fighter in the
Texan war of independence, and as
there were hostile tribes OF Indians on
the route, he was a valuable acquisition.
1t was only short time until it glad
dened our hearts that he was with us.
About the 18th of May we reached
the Platte river, twelve miles below old
Fort Kearney While incoming we saw,
several miles below us, large army of
men. The spy glass proved them to be
Indians, who were coming directly to
us. Orders were given to close the cor
raj, bring in the mules and double the
guards. Three men were detailed as a
special picket to go out and head OFF
stragglers, who were far in front and
coming straight to us. AS they came
they were warned to keep off, but not
needing it, the pickets fired upon them,
and they returned to their band and
told of the incident.
We were in the Pawnee country, a
A.,st. 4 L.
stock if they could, and we were deter
mined that they should not come into
camp.
The army of Indians came up oppo-
site our camp, not more than 500 yards
off. halted and formed in line, and as we
afterwards learned, determined to give
us battle for firing upon their men. We
could see the chiefs riding in front and
hear the war whoop, preparatory to the
charge upon us. We were expecting a
charge at any moment, when a u. s
dragoon officer came riding down the
emigrant trail toward us. have for
gotten his name, but for convenience
will call him Capt. Wilson. He saw the
danger and rode into our camp to in.
quire the cause. He was recognized by
our Capt Brown as a schoolmate when
they lived in Jefferson City. 1t was q
happy meeting, as we needed assist
ance. The situation was explained
when Capt. Wilson informed us they
were not Pawnees, but friendly Sioux
who were on the war path, and had
fought battle with the Pawnees two
days before.
Here was chance to escape from the
danger confronting us. Had we known
they were Sioux we would not have
fired upon them. They must be in
formed of il. Cant. Wilson, dressed in
full uniform and mounted upon fine
horse, rode alone toward the line of In
dians. The chiefs met him half way.
When informed that we thought they
were Pawnees, whom we disliked, they
were delighted, and claimed us as
friends instead of enemies. They came
into camp, smoked the pipe of peace,
and left us with promise of protection
when we arrived in their country.
We travelled the emigrant or Fremont
route. On the night of the 10th of June
we camped Oh the summit of the South
pass. North of us, twenty miles away,
WAS the Wind River Mountain, its high
peaks, covered with the SHOWS of q
Thousand years, and their tops lost to
view in the dim distance. South of us
was another range of mountains covered
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