The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-10-31
ON THE HOMEsTRETCH

WITHIN thirty minutes we were ont
on the bench, some two miles distant
from the scene of the slight lnlsundcr
standing between Colonel PAGES men
and old Black Hawk, and within full
view of the quarrelSome whites and
reds. Then something happened
something so grotesquc and ineEplica-
bic as 20 cause n smile every time the
incident is recalled We pulled i'm our
horses for momentary breathing spell
for tho 'homc stretch - to carnage and
victory. VIC had pictured in our minds
how happy the Round valley people
wonld he when we proudly drove their
cows into town, and how, possibly,
some of thc girls at home would crown
US with laurcls. how, also, they might
weep over us. and do other sentimental
and very foolish things-as it is now
viewed from Il distance OF more than
forty-throe years. The vision was soon
dissipatcd, Tho last of the cattle had
disappeared behind the knolls. 4 half
dozen or so of the redskins were stiIl
holding long-range parley with the
$50 whites. There WAS Il sudden halt
IN the puns of smoke. Then. without
our permission, those $50 white men
wheeled and stampeded toward the
north.
Our force was not large enough to
follow the reds into the mountains,
where We could be ambushed at every
bend in the canyon, and our tired horses
were incapable of overtaking the dis
bneuishcd coutroverSiaIistS who were
scamperlng toward Sanpete valley. Let
1T he said right here, that the rank
and file of our fleeing friends were not
blameworfhy for retreat that might
have been an easy victory had Colonel
Pace, earlier in the day, taken posses
sion Of the mouth of Sallna canyon
N.gIinb hp pnnlI h1N-a hold
OF thrice the number Of reds that were
pitted against him. The Indians could
never have driven those tired cattle
up the mountain sides and the prob
ability was that they would have senscd
the hope!essness of-furiher effort, for
they knew full well that white men
from over the range would soou be on
twenty thousand dollars worth of live
stock was lost to the Scipio rancbers.
We proceeded to the scene of car.
mage and viewed the remains of Ivie's
animal, then on to Salina where we
camped during The night. The next
day scouting party discovered us, and
We went with them over to Grass val
ley, where General d. II. Wells was
campcd. We were relieved. as we sup
posed. from further field duty, and re-
turned home via Richfeld and the In.
dian trail over the mountains Within
Il week we were ordered 10 proceed to
Sallna. wherc we were 10 meet rein
forccmcnts. We were then ordered to
pursue the reds and to chastiSe them
Tor their rad on Scipio. On that trip
we took n small company of infantry.
Il number of baggage wagons and sup.
Plies Tor month S campaign The
infantry was required TO guard our sun
plies at Salina, while we were 10 make
q projected double-Quicli march for
Black Hawk s camp over in Wavne
county. The reinforccments were not in
sight, but We took possession of the
stone corral and established our base
Of supplies.
During the afternoon an English vol. |
nntccr named John Pilling came run.
nng from thc rock meeting hoGse
Captain h Owens. Captain h'Owcns.
here be Indians Ii over in tho meet. /.
ing .,,ousc-hi card 'em tallling.' \ |
detail Of men went over to the bniId. |,
ing. and within = few minutes came !
back with two captivcs. Thcv were !
CHRISTIAN Hansen and Morcuas Bore
gard. a couple Of our Scandinavian in
,aniy. They had been talking Danish
The next morning Captain.Oweus con.
,ludcd 10 walt no longer for reinforce.
nentS. and we proceeded to tho mouth
IF The CANYON, where an advance guard
VAS seDf forward While We were nro |
and reported that borscr1c1 |
Nere coming down the canvon. Hur-
'ied orders were given FOR Il POI ton ,or
he command 10 ride right and left TO
ne foothills hundred wards or so
rom thc opening in the thick ccdars.
where The command was waiting. OH
RS were instructed TO dsmuunt and
'autiouSly proceed 10 the upper edge
# the grove and give the reds warm
,eccptIon. Much 10 my chagriu | was
detailed To hold about two dozen horsce
ome of which We're hardly "hridlc.
FiSe 30 FAR ms danger was conca%ncd.
: looked like "soft snap for mo,
urroundcd rs | was. b. an almost wall
Il horScs. ISN'T J have since tried 20
imagine what kind Of n figure 7 would
ave cut holding that band of rear.
ng' pJnnglng causes had q real scrap
AIKEN placc-thc ''6ring hnc;' wouIJ ,
ave been real pianic.
I6o horscmcn proved to be scout {