The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-08-15

| left the Colorado and followed the
Gila till they reached the first Mari
copa village. This they believed to
! have been near where the Phoenix
G Maricopa Railroad now crosses
the river
In the gray dawn OF carly morn
| ing they struck the west end of the
village with terrible shock. To their
surprise they found only a few old
sluaws, whom they ruthlessly
butchered, and still a few others a
little further in. an additional whet
| to their thirst for blood. Suddenly
in front and on both sides the allies
were attacked by an overwhelming
force. With terrific yells they closed
in on the invaders and then began
F.; one of the most desperate and
bloody battles ever fought by In
dians in the Southwest. Finding
themselves trapped, the allies faced
about and heroically struggled to ex-
tricate themselves. The overlapping
ianks of the Maricopas and their al
lies, the Pimas and Papagoes, dark
ened the way with flights OF arrows,
spears and stones, but in the agony
CT desperation the Colorado Indians
succeeded in breaking through only
to be dubbed, speared or shot in the
running fight that followed. This is
known to have continued for forty
miles. Of all that left the Colorado
River with such high hopes, but few
lived to return, and those to die of
exhaustion and wounds. They had
put up a hard fight, but went down
under the weight of numbers. The
fatal trap had been barbarously
baited with a few old squaws. The
invaders unsuspectingly entered it
and their doom was sealed. Quarter
was neither asked nor given, and
the brains of the wounded and ex-
hauted were beaten out by the saw
age women that followed in the line
Of pursuit.
Never in the lives of the allied
tribes had they lost so many OF their
best mec. In anticipation of easy
victory and consequent plunder many
of their squaws had gone far to meet
them. They were frenzied with grief
over the unexpected results. 1t is
said that their wailings and lamenta-
tons could be heard for miles.
Among the noted Yumas killed was
Francisco, a chief we'll known to the
few whites then living in the coun-
try. It was through his influence
that the famous Olive Oatman had
been given her liberty by the Mo-
iaves, she having been purchased by
them from the Apaches.
For time it was feared that the
Maricopas, emboldened by their sue
cesses, would attack the Yumas on
the Colorado, and all available war
riors were held in readiness to meet
them. The women and children
were sent to the rancheria on the
California side of the river, and
numerous RATS were prepared for
the crossing of the warriors in case
! they were again beaten; but the VIC
! tors were satisfied to let we'll enough
alone. Beyond an occasional meet
ing of few bold spirits, this battle
ended hostilities between the two
tribes, and animosities have so far
been forgotten that intermarriages
have taken place between them. This
has been due mostly to the schools
at which the young people of the
different tribes are in attendance.
The Maricopcs had been advised
of the proposed raid of the Yumas
by the Cocopahs. These were also
river Indians, but residents of Lower
California. From all time" they
say, they have been at enmity with
! the Yumas. A strip Of land twenty
five miles along the river, between
! the two tribes, was considered neu-
trail ground, but between the Coco
pahs and Maricopas friendly inter-
course had long been kept. Coco
pahs were employed on the steamers
that occasionally found their way up
the river with Government freight.
; These the Yunlas invariably killed
if they were indiscreet enough to
leave the protection Of the white
mans boat. 1t was while so en-
ployed that the .Cocopahs learned of
! the intentions of the Yunlas to raid
and massacre the Maricopas. Ger
tain it is that Maricopa scouts kept
their people Informed of every move
made by the invaders, fo,' at least
two days before they reache> the viii
lagos, where they were impatiently
awaited in cverpowering numbers
! Correspondence in Forest and
!; Stream