The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-08-01


helpless and defenseless men, women and
children during the present outbreak. You
will confer an everlasting favor on the
people OF the frontier in general, and
avenge the cruel deaths of the murdered
ones by killing him on sight.
(Signed) PEACOCh-
Although the request made by Peacock
was a ''consummation deYoutly to be
prayed for" it was very foolish in him
to write and give Satank such a note; and
it is difficult to understand how trader
of his knowledge and experience could be
50 Imprudent.
He had traded with the Kiowas great
deal, knew personally nearly every Indian
in the tribe. and certainly must have
known that English Jim. the low brute
of a white man, was living among them;
but as Jim was represented as more OF
savage than many of the Indians, Pea
cock may have counted on his inability TO
read writing But there is where he made
a fatal mistake.
Satank took the paper and rode of to
his camp, few miles across the Arkan-
sas, and gave it to jim to read and inter
pref for him.
This being done he called a few of his
followers and rode back to the ranch, and
without exciting any suspicion called TO
Peacock to bring his spy-glass out and
lODk uONU lLe IOdO low diuS lut DIS L't4lN
to see if that was i party of soldiers APP
preaching.
Peacock, all unsuspicious of the trap the
reyengeful savage had laid for him,
brought his glass and came outside the
gate of his ranch, rested the tube on the
end of a projecting log ut the corner of
the house and began looking through il.
At that moment Satank, who was just
behind him. placed the muzzle of his rifle
IN the hack of ppacOpk'S head and blew
his brains cut
The Indians then entered the Enclosure
and killed several of Peacock S men, but
from some superstition they spared the
life of one man who was sick in bed.
Wild Bill and John Adkins, being away,
also escaped. 1.s. .-
They then went into the store, and
selecting the most valuable goods packed
their horses with all they could carry, and
rode away to their camp.
Charley Rath and George Long, who
had recently begun the establishment of
a trading ranch at the Big Bend, saw the
Kiowas crossing the river with pack
animals loaded with PeacOck's goods, and
Suspecting that something was wrong,
went up to Peaeock's, five miles off, and
found the situation as stated. As there
was no one in this part of the country
related to Peacock, or having any right
to his property, these men, realizing that
his ranch was u much better place IN
every respect than their own, moved up
to Walnut Creek. jumping PcacOck's
claim, and thereafter held and conducted
the trading business at that point.
While we were camped near Big Bend
a passing Santa Fe mail brought orders
for Sedgwick to proceed with his four
companies of cavalry to the upper Arkan-
sas and build military post somewhere
in the vicinity of Bent's Fort. Capt
Steele and the two companies of Dragons
will return to Leavenworth. A train
loaded with tools and such supplies and
building material as were available at
Forts Leavenworth and Riley has been
ordered to follow us to Bents. We ac-
cordingly start up the river to locate and
build the new establishment.
In passing Pawnee Fork we could see
from the road that the infantry companies
who relieved us last May are busily at
work erecting the dObe buildings of + ort
Larned, near our old Camp Alert, about
three miles north of the road.
At Il camp just west of the Santa Fee
Crossing we found Capt. Sam ID. SturgIs
my old Captain, of Co. e., in command
of four companies of our regiment, from
Fort Arbuckle, ChickaSaw Nation, on the
same errand as misunderstanding the
Kiowas, but with like success, the willy
Indians having eluded them so far.
We afterwards heard, however, that
Capt. Sans command caught party of
Kiowas and killed lot of them on the
return trip, as they were going back to
their post.
Go be continued)