Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-10-22
OLD WAGON TRAINS
There Used to Be Exciting Tires
on the Santa Fe Trail.
TRlCKERY OF THE REDSKINS.
They Employed All Sorts of Ruses to
Plumber the Caravans and Murder the
Whites-A Bit Of Treachery and a
Battle With the Troopers.

Plumber the Caravans and Murder the
Whites-A Bit of Treachery and a
Battle With the Troopers.
As the overland trade between the
American settlements in Missouri and
the Mexican puebloS in New Mexico in
creased in value following the opening
of the Santa Fee trail the greater ne
cessity of adequate protection for the
traders and their stocks was met by
both the United States and Mexican
governments furnishing military con,
voys. The troops acted in capacity
not unlike that of warships guarding
merchant vessels from piratica at
tacks, for no pirates were more per-
sistent or bothersome than the saw
ages of the plains.
The caravans usually left Franklin
and later Independence and Westport
in the spring. United States troops
would accompany them to the caches
on the Arkansas river: then Mexican
troops would guard them to Taos, and
sometimes even to Santa Fee The re-
turn trip later in the summer was
similarly protected. Sometimes two
trips each way would be made in a
year.
The presence of troops usually kept
the Indians from making a direct as
sault on the trains Even in his brav-
est moments an Indian has small rel
ish of fight on anything like equal
terms; consequently the savages devel
oped their aptitude for treachery and
deceit
Every sort of ruse their fertile brains
could devise was used to separate the
various divisions of Il train or lure a
small part away from the main con-
voy. where it could be plundered and
the whites murdered without serious
danger to the attackers
A favorite plan and one which many
times hoodwinked large parties into
suffering some loss was for a small
party of Indians to appear ut the camp
with protestations of peace. For dip
lomatic reasons the reds would be hos
pitably received and their request to
eat and sleep in the camp oftentimes
granted. That night the small party
of Indians would attempt to stampede
the live stock of the train. If success
full large force of savages would he
concealed near by to aid
Some ruSes were far cleverer than
that One which completely fooled Il
Mexican officer and came near being
the cause of his death was believed by
the traders to deserve the palm. That
officer. Colonel Viscarro. with 100
troopers. was escorting an American
wagon train through the foothills of
what is now southern Colorado when
a party of Indians appeared and asked
for parley.
The American traders refused the re
quest. The Indians withdrew and held
consultation. When the convoy
reached the Cimarron river the saw
ages appeared again. One rode for
ward with an arrow tied transversely
across the shaft of spear. Il symbol
of the cross. Viscarro was Il Catholic
and honored this novel banner He
rode out and spoke to the brave.
IF the Americans will move aside
to some distance we will lay down our
arms and surrender" the Indian said
Certainly, red brother" the colonel
replied He ordered the wagons to re-
tire beyond a ridge. Hardly had they
disappeared when large force OF
Indians rose from concealment behind
the sand dunes and poured deStruc
tive fire into the Mexican ranks Only
the heroism of Pueblo Indian guide
with the troops saved the colonel from
death. He heard one of the Comanches
yell. Now for the chief" which was
the signal for the treachery to begin
The Pueblo jumped in front OF his
colonel and received a charge of shot
aimed at the officer
The firing was heard by the Ameri
cans. who returned to the troops They
rode swiftly to the TANKS of the AT
lacking Indians and charged Caught
between two fires. the SavaceS soon
scattered in flight, but not until they
had been handled severely in hand
to hand encounter. where dubbed rifles
and tomaha wks played part. Colonel
Viscarro was profuSe in his thanks to
the Americans.-Ka Kansas City Times
Quarrel No. 1.