The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1907-07-05
CHAPTER XIV.
The Order from Headquarters.

the south. lie attended a militar,
council held that evening in the meet
inghouSe. Three days of reflection
while it had not cooled the anger h,
felt toward these members of the mol
that had so brutally wronged hi!
people, had slightly cooled his ardol
for aggressive warfare.
The following Tuesday he continued
south to Cedar City, the most popu
lOus of the southern settlements
Here he learned of the campaigns
progress. Brigham's courier had pre-
coded the train on its way south, bear
Ing written orders to the faithful to
hold no dealings with its people; to
sell them neither forage for their
stock nor food for themselves. They
had, 1t was reported been much dis.
tressed as a result of this order, and
their stock was greatly weakened. At
Cedar City, it being feared that they
might for want of supplies be forced
to halt permanently so near the set
tlement that it would be inconvenient
to destroy them, they We're permitted
to buy so bushels of wheat and to
have it and some corn the Indians had
sold to them ground at the mill of
Major Lee.
AS Joers informant, the fiery Bishop
kllngensmith, remarked, this was not
SO generous as it seemed, since. while
it would serve to decoy them on their
way toward San Bernardino, they
would never get out of the valley
with it. The train had started on.
but the animals were so weak that
three days had been required to reach
Iron creek, 20 miles beyond, and two
more days to reach Mountain Mead
ows, 10 miles further south.
Here at daybreak the morning be-
fore, klingensmith told him, a band
OF Piede Indians, under Lees direc-
ton, had attacked the train, killing
and Wounding number of the men.
1t had been hoped, explained Klingen-
smith, that the train would be de.
stroyed at once by the Indians, thus
avoiding any call upon the militia;
but the emigrants had behaved with
such effectiveness that the Indians
were unable to complete the task.
They had cOrralled their wagons, dug
ritie-pit in the center, and returned
the fire, killing one Indian and wound |
ing TWO OF the chiefs. The siege was
being continued.
Late on the following day, Wednes-
day, while they were anxiously wait |
Ing for news, a messenger from Lee
came with call for achievements.
The Indians, although there were 800
OF them, had been unable to prevail
over the little entrenched band of Cen
tiles. Ten minutes after the messen-
gers arrival, the militia, which had
been waiting under arms, set out for
the scene in wagons. From Cedar
City went every able-bodied man but
two.
Joel Rae was with them, wondering
why he went. He wanted not to go.
he preferred that news of the ap-
preaching victory should be brought
TO him; yet invisible hands had forced
him, even while it seemed that fren-
lied voices-voices without sound
warned him back.
The ride was long, but not long
enough for his mind to clear. It was
'tlll clouded with doubts and question
ngs and fears when they at last saw I
he faring of many fires with figures {
offering or moving busily about them.
As they came nearer, a strange,
'hythmlc throbbing crept to his ears; :
learer still, he resolved it into the ,
low, regular beatings of a flat-toned 6
rum The measure, deliberate, in +
esSant, changeleSs,-the same tones,
ne same intervals, worked upon his
trained nerves, at first soothingly and :
hen as pleasant stimulant.
Inc wagons now pulled up near the .
argest camp fire, and the arrivals ;
we're greeted by a dozen or so of the r
saints, who, with Major Lee, had been
lrectlng and helping the Indians in
MIR assaults upon the enemy. Several =
II these had disguised themselves a. =
indians for the better deception of the .
esieged.
At fires near by the Indians were
rolling beef cut from animals thew h
ad slaughtered belonging to the wag. v
n-train. Still others were cutting the
ides into strips to be made into h
ariats. AS far down as the line could Z
e seen, there were dusky figures dart n
lg in and out of the freight. .
A council was at once called of the t.
residents, Bishops, Elders, High n
RESTS, and the officers of the militia S
no were present. Bishop Klingen- Il
NTH barred his massive head in the a
relight and opened the council with
'ayer, invoking the aid of God to d
hide them Alright Then Major Hig. G.
ee, presiding as chairman, announced
e orders under which they were as g
'mbled and under which the train u
Id been attacked. cl
1T is ordered from headquarters al
at thiS marty noucf ha ,eo5 a.. /.