Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-05-04
Some Interesting
Pioneer "reminiscences.
RecoIDectIoas Of o. n. p. Baxter Of
Pueblo and uncle Joe Graham Of
nanxanola Conserving the In.
dian Troubies Of the
Early Days.

Some weeks ago Denver daily puo-
lishsd an article dealing with early times
In Colorado. including an account Of the
chivington's Sand Creek fight lsomstimss
called the Sand Creek massaers). A.
considerable space was devoted TO .
prominent citizen Of Pueblo. one Of the
earliest settlers. o. H. P. Baxter. we
wrote Mr.. Baxter inauiring a. 70 the
truth Of the statements. From Mr.. Bax-
tss's reply we make the following sx-
tracts:
came to Colorado in 1858. to the
Arkansas Valley in the fall OF 1861.
Went to farming. taking out bitches
and by I861 with others, was doing
quite a business in farming. Had
acquired q nice herd Of cattle. ETC.,
which VIC moved from the Arkansas
Valley up to the foot Of the noun
,ains. There was plenty Of range.
and OF course. they roamcd from
Pixies Peak on the north to the
Grccnhorn mountains in the south.
In 1863, in fact as early as 1867. the
Indians became very troublesome.
making frequent raides and killing
our cattle and our people when they
cought them out alone. This kind
Of prowiing warfare continued to get
worse until VIC along the Arkansas
river were compelled in iSds to build
forts. collect the women and child.
rcn in them for protection. ] built
one on our ranch seven miles below
Pueblo. close to where Baxter sta
;;on now il. a great many young
men that had taken mp ranches made
this fort headquarters. While We
were forted there the Indians seemed
to be going from bad TO worse. so
Governor Evans. then governor OF
Colorado. called for 4 regiment OF
ioo-day volunteers to 60 and tight
them. He appointed Geo. l.. Shoupe
as colonel. He Immediately started
out: coming down on the Arkansas
to my place in the evening and stat
cd hi. mission. Our fort was full
of young men and about all OF them
enlisted, myself with the rest. In
about two days VIC had enough men
TO Justify us TO start for Denver to
he sworn in. As VIC started We were
met by large party from Colorado
City which Joined rs. The first day
out was elected captain. We went
on to Denver. was swowrn in. got
our equipment. came back and went
into quarters four and half miles
below Pueblo. We did guard duty
protecting the mails until just in a
few days before the Sand Creek
firh, VIC received orders to meet the
balance Of our 3rd regiment at Boon
willie, which I did. From there we
went to Fort Lyon. arriving there in
the afternoon. and Immediately re.
ceivcd order to prepare two days
ra,ions and be ready to march by
six o'clock that night. Up to this
time the 3rd received their orders
from our Colonel Shoupe. but there
Colonel Chivington. who was colonel
of the Colorado First. took command.
Before leaving Fort Lyons all the
haif.brccd Indians and sympa,hizers
were put nudcr guard. my first licu-
tenant, Joe Graham, who lives near
Manzanola. with a detachment OF
troops. was put in charge Of them.
This was done to prevent them from
giving the Indians word. We marched
al, that night. arriving at the In.
dian camp just at day break. opened
the fight killing some Goo or 700 OF
them. men. women and children. So
you see, this article so far as IL re-
fers to me is not literally correct.