American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-02-04
(Recollections of w. T. Oliver,


tRecollections of w. T. Oliver)
Inc death of General Pocatello. the
noted Shoshone chieftain, occurred IN
April, 1881. While / was living ON the
smiling ranch General Pocatello and
MS retinue came and camped near nv
mouse. He was a wanderer. and al
ways accompanied by seven or eight
families who brought all their horses
and dogs. l was told that General Po-
cateiio was very sick At two O'Clock
IN the morning about two days after
they came we were awakened by the
most unearthly sounds mortal man ev-
er heard. This was kept up for two
days and nights and ceased as sud-
oehiy as IT began. They had finished
mourning and were preparing to per-
form the last sad rites in honor of their
noted chieftain. China Eye came to the
house and ! expressed a desire To wit
ness the burial, and was invited nv
him to go along.
One Of General Pocatello's hest
horses was made to do the duties of a
hearse. A long pole was fastened to
each side OF the horse, the other end
lying on the ground On the litter the
body Of Pocatello was lain and secured
and the funeral procession started. II
went about two miles northward and
stopped by big spring on the banks
OF the Portneuf. The spring is about
mile up the Portneuf from Snake
river, Is located in Power county, and
is about forty feet across. The cort-
ege stopped by the spring and the
body of Pocatello. wrapped in blank
ct, was placed in the spring. 1t sank
rapidly to the bottom, leading to the
belief that it was weighted down with
rocks. The hearse horse was then led
sp 10 the spring ana shot and its
body rolled into the spring This was
continued until about ten horses had
been killed and left with their former
owner TO provide him with horses in
the happy hunting ground to which he
had gone.
General Pocatello was a sielnt In
dian and could not become friendly to
this was the dealing out, by party of
emigrants, of summary justice to a
band of Shoshones 1t was about 1850
that band of Indians were harrassing
an immigrant train on the Truckee
river in Nevada. The immigrants
were too strong for the Indians and
captured one of them Fastening the
tongues of three wagons together. so
as to make a tripod they hanged the
captured Indian. who happened to be
Pocatello's father. Whatever Poca-
tello's conduct up to that time had
been, he at once became an inplacable
foe OF the whites. The Battle Creek
fight in Franklin county, when all but
four of Pocatellos band were slain,
was a direct result of his continued
harrassing of settlers and immigrants.
The settlement of Franklin was made
in 1860. There were quite a number
of families there, and Pccatello's band
was continual menace to them They
finally appealed TO General Conor at
Fort Douglass for protection Without
waiting for authority from Washing
ton, Connor left Ft Douglass with
three companies of soldiers, to put
Quietus to Pocatello's depredations. 1t
is said that on the way he issued or
ders TO spare none. neither warriors.
squaws or papooses. They found the
Indians camped about five miles north
OF Preston. on a small creek since
called Battle Creek. The soldiers had
the advantage of position, the Indians
being in a ravine with soldiers on
three sides OF them and Bear river
running full Of ice, on the other side
effectually preventing retreat. The
battle was fought either in December
or January, 1868. When it was over
General Connor thought the entire
band had been wiped out. Four es-
capped, however, among the number
being General Pocatello and China
Eye. China Eye later said they had
escaped by getting into the river and
hanging to the willows overhanging
the water. and working their way
down stream to safety The water
was quite swift at that place and at
that time running full of ice. China
Eye said this fight made good In
dian" of him.
w. A Bennett. postmaster here for
many years, who died about five years
ago. was one of General Connor's men.
All knew of this battle was what he
and China Eye who later became my
best Indian friend. have told me. An
dur hn oh al
by Mr.. Bennett, was the shooting of