Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-27

IN 1898 1 was stationed at fOTt bTluBeT,
Wyoming, where 1 was a member of the
Tenth infantry, forming part Of the army
Of General Albert Sydney Johnston, sent by
the government to chastise the Mormons
for the part they played in the Mountain
Meadow massacre Of 1856. While there I
formed the acquaintance of an old French
Canadian hslfbreed, a trapper. Of the name
of Pinto, and in the course Of time became
quite friendly with him. One day l hap
pened to mention the Bouvee's ranch mas
sacre, which took place in 1854, the local
ity in question lying at no great distance
from Fort Laramie, He replied that he was.
on the spot at the time, that. he knew all
the facts in regard to the matter, and hat
If 1 cared to listen to him he would relate
the story Of the massacre just as IL oc-
CURED.
Indians were Hungry.
early in 1854, he said, the Sioux,
Cheyennes and A~rapahoes e~ncamped at
Bouvee's awaiting the arrival Of commits
sioners from Washington to pay them their
annuities and distribute rations. Tho win
ter preceding had been unusually severe,
and the Indians we're hungry and on short
rations. While they were thus waiting, a
Mormon appeared on the scene in a wagon,
drawn by three oxen. which, in the west,
we used to call a spiked team, and the
Indians crowded about him eager to trade
ponies for the extra OK. By means Of their
sign language they offered him first one,
then two, and then as many ponies as he
liked, for the OK, but the Mormon was
obdurate and refused to part with the ami
NAL at any price. Whcreupon the Indians
took the OK by force, giving him to under
stand that they would repay him several
-. 49,, ~,0ntxyaA fhalH
money from the commissioners and were
able to buy whatever they liked.
But the Mormon was not only unusually
stupid, but unnecessarily pig-headed as
we'll, and instead Of relying on the honesty
of the redskins, who most assuredly would
have repaid the value Of the OK several
times over, he went to Fort Laramie and
there laid the matter before Lieutenant
Grattan, who was then in command OF the
small garrison at the fort, consisting OF
some thirty men under arms, together with
about twenty others employed in divers
capacities other than that Of soldiers.
Now, II anything Grattan was twice as
stupid as the Mormon, and worse still, was
a confirmed sot, one of a class of officers
who in the history OF American and Eng
llsh colonization have been the cause of
more wars with the savage and aboriginal
races than all other things combined.
with that Dutch courage which a mar feels
when under the influence Of liquor, he or
dered out his small garrison, and taking the
two twelve FOUNDERS. the only artillery at
the fort, marched down to Bouvee's ranch
to bring the Indians to terms.
'He had as an Interpreter a half-breed,
and through him he called upon the chief of
the Sioux, a very old and gray haired man,
for an explanation Of the affair with the
Mormon. Mind you, this was going on in
a camp OF 5000 Indians. The chief told him
that the Indians we're very much distressed
for want OF food; that they offered the
Mormon all the ponies he could drive away
for the one OK, and that on his having re-
fused to trade, they had taken the animal
by force, but stood ready to make good the
loss as soon as they received their money
from the commissioners. He had barely
finished whe Grattan, between hiccouGhs,
said:
There, thatTl do; we've heard enough
out OF you. Now, old man, you trot that
OK out here purity Id quick, or I'll turn
my artillery loose on you
THE chief replied that such a thing was
impossible. as the OK had been killed.
cooked and eaten some time before, but his
reply made no effect on Grattan. Finally,
the matter became so ridiculous that the
chief laughed in Grattan's face. whereupon
the latter drew his pistol and shot him
dead. Then he gave the order to FIRE, but
before the report Of the thirty rifles hal
died away the 5000 Indians we're upon
Grattan and his command, and in a few mo-
ments all had been killed.
The Interpreter made his escape, but was
captured. brought back and hayed alive.
The indians had an idea that he was re-
sponsible for the whole trouble, as they
were unable to believe that any man could
be so foolish as TO insist on another pro-
ducing an animal when he knew that It
had been killed and eaten. Every member
Of the command was killed except a little
drummer boy, who in fleeing from the In
dams stumbled and fell. A squaw, to whom
time and again he had given food at the
fort. fell upon him and tried to protect
and save his life, in return for the kind
ness she had receive ed at his hands, but
the Indians dragged her away, killed the
boy and compelled the qua to eat Graf
tan's heart as a punishment for having
tried to shield one OF the whites.
"well, instead Of waiting for the COM
missioners, the Indians went on the war
path. and did considerable damage until
finally beaten by a force Of government
troops sent against them from Bridger.
They could Just as we'll have taken Fort
Laramie. but the company surgeon. Dr..
Snyder. dressed the ehambermaids, house
keepers and laundresses OF the fort up in
soldiers clothing. armed them and made
them perform guard duty during the day.
while the few men left at the post went
on as piekets during the night. In this
way lie fooled the Indians into thinking
that the fort was heavily garris0ned. and
thus saved II from falling into their hands.
when steps were taken to reward him
he said that all he desired was ar extra
allowance Of whisky, which. Of course. was