The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-25
A R INDIAN FIGHTING
THE EXPERIENCE OF DIR. HUGH
JOHN NEEDHAM, OF NEW ALBANY.
Four Years with Col. Kit Carson on
the Indian Trail I'm New Mexico
-PeriIous adventures.

II IS doubtless we'll for the peace of the
retired Indian fighter that he bears in face
and person no characteristic marks Of past
danger and excitement. Not one human
nature student in a million would ever dis
cover in DIR. Hugh John Needham, of New
Albany, Ind, a homeopathic physician and
man of serene exterior and quiet manner,
any indications pointing back to his one
time participation in all the stirring scenes
of Indian warfare. For more than thirty
five years DR.. Needham has led an upper
turbed existence in this city, but in all that
time his recollection Of the old adventurous
DAYS In New. Mexico and Arizona has not
lapsed an iota in faithful and vivid interest.
OF English parentage and e%nterprising
spirit, this young man, at the beginning OF
the civil war but nineteen years old, was
seeking fortune in the mines OF Colorado.
The declaration OF hostilities between North
and South gave q different impetus TO the
zest for adventure which had led him to the
far West, and in 1862, at Parkville, Col, he
enlisted under Capt. Charles Deus in Com
pany NJ, New Mexico Volunteers. CONF
manded by Col. Christopher Carson-none
other than the noted Kit Carson" of from
tier rrowess and renown. At that time, DR..
Needham relates. the famous Indian fighter
and trapper was about ffty-six years old,
of short stature, sturdy build and not at all
IN personal presentment the wild Western
ranger depicted by the dime novel ro-
marcists. In army garb, his hair worn
short in regulation army cut, he bore no
sensational insignia Of his record as a vet
eran Indian fighter. He was not in any
ordinary sense a remarkable man-not at all
a military tactician-and could not maneuV-
er troops, but he was altogether fearless on
the Indian trail, and, in the opinion of his
regiment, could take fifty men and go
through the worst Indian country IN the
world. By his soldiers ne was regarded with
devotion; they knew him 10 be a whole
souled man, always kind and courteous, as
well as cautiously considerable OF their well
fare.
The first rendezvous of Kit Carson's
regiment was held at La Castillo, n. NJ,
and it was mustered into service in October.
1852. at Fort Garland, near the 9ld tndian
garrison Fort Massachusetts,. With the
opening of the civil war the Navajos had
taken the warpath, descending in cruel
hordes on New Mexican settlements, STAY
ing the settlers. burning their homes and
driving of their sheep and goats Colonel
Carson's troops, therefore,, were soon or
dered to the Navajo country, In the region
of the Wasach mountains, north of Fort
Defiance, afterwards Fort Candy, with in
structions to subdue the troublesome red
CARsONs POLICY.
At this time full subsection of the Nava-
Jos had never been achieved, although Gen.
eral Sumner and General Candy had made
strenuous efforts towards that end. The
policy Of Col. Kit Carson's campaign was
TO kill as few Indians as possible, but to
scout in details, find their camps, destroy
their crops, capture as many as feasible
and send them under guard to the regi-
mental headquarters at Fort Defiance.
From this point, as they accumulated to
the number of 900 the Indians were trans
ferred to the government reservation near
Fort Sumner, on the Pecos river, in east
ern New Mexico.
oDn1of- ooos-.k A. Nyo,ofAe r,oe -
no sense a ''feather-bed war" In addition
to the horses and field and staff mules,
twsntycfogr pack mules were allowed to
carried on scouting expeditions. No tents
were allowed. Indian fighters often not see
Rations consisted Of bacon, dessicated po-
tatoes. flour. coffee. tea, salt and pepper.
could be had, but on the trail this luxury
was furnished only by the occasional cap
ture Of sheep and goats from the Indians.
Hardtack was unknown, the men baking
their own simple bread in mess pans COW
cred with hot Goals, or in ruder fashion on
game was found in the Navajo country, as
the Navajos were mainly an agricultural
tribe. raising corn, wheat and ~frijoles,, or
beans. Water was a scarce article in that
region, troops having often to ride from
twenty-four to thirty-six hours before find
water Colonel Carson would order a halt,
the animals would be watered, supper
cooked. canteens filled and then the COM
1900 WONAA SCAGCN az 6AN0N NoA0 a III
for the nights encampment, never allowing
his men to camp near timber, but moving
back near the hills as the safest position
against midnight surprise from the In
dams. After a days hard riding pine trees
from seventy-fve to one hundred feet high
would often have to be felled before a fire
could be made for supper. Sometimes the
men would have TO melt snow TO get a place
In which TO lie; then, with rifles under them,
rolled in army blanket or rubber blanket,
with their heads on their saddles, they
would sink into slumber. liable in an hour,
DarnanG- TO he arODGad m nnu6aF aud shot
realities by the wild yelling Of the agrees
sive Navajo. The Indians were generally
equipped with bow and arrow and a few
stolen squirrel rifles. but they made up in
srmament. When a WA Nav waS camn w IN
found their fields would be destroyed and
fed to the animals in the scouting party.
the mention being to force the Navajos to
surrender. SQuaws and children were taken
Prisoners and delivered at Fort Defiance.
With great zeal Colonel Carson's men
secuted in the Navajo country during the
summer and winter OF 1863, and the results
We're that during the fall and winter, hav-
Ing nothing to eat but a few sheep and
goats. the Indians abandoned the conquest
OF the United States and came into Fort
srn Ney s Msx; rori {, Wingate; IN northwest
al sizes, s~urrendering to government pro-
lection.
THE UNATTRACTIvE NAVAJO.
Between the Indian rugged up in beads,
brckskin and feathers. for a tribal pow
NOH UT CcTcLnOIlOuS QdQce, ana the Indian
of the warpath. as pictured by DIR. Needham,
a wide difference exists. War paint and
breech cloth constituted the red mans garb
for combat with the more heavily ACQUIRED
pale faces. The Navajo Indian is of medium
size. tall ones being exceptional. AS a rule,
he Is never fieshy, and never still a moment
being excessively restless. He is always
dirty: give him a shirt, he dons It at once,
and wears IL until II drops from his body in
black rags. Few Indians wear boards or
whiskers: In observation of ~twenty-eight
tribes but two red men with hair on their
faces were noted. These were Navajo
chiefs: one wore a small goatee and large
mustache. the other an imperial and small
mustache: and they were known. respec-
lively, In their wigwam social circles as
"Whiskers" and Little whiskers." Among
Indians the strongest tribal badge is the
moccasin. each tribe having its own pc
culiar model for constructing this primitive
footwear. These modes are strictly ad-
hered 10. and the Indian recognizes his
friends and enemies of other tribes by their
Characteristic foot prints on the soil. The
everyday moccasin has no decoration or
bead work. being a simple foot covering OF
tanned deer or antelope skin, with a raw
hide sole. sewed and laced with sinev.
After Colonel sCarson's campaign among
the Naya1OS, in many exciting and