The Blackfoot optimist., 1916-02-17
HISTORICAL, REVIEW
OF PIONEER LIFE
Remember the Motives Of the Old Veterans

O"N oeosOS PGoV.OU, COdlOll fS.UU per
gallon, and all other necessities for
the same were proportionately as high,
but they were paid for by the crops the
farmers raised by the sweat of their
brow, and yet barely sustained the life
of himself, wife and children.
The first years of settlement in the
valleys of Utah were years of peril,
hardship and deprivations, to say moth
ing of the dangers and fears of the
Black Hawk and other hostile and cruel
Indians in the sparsely settled valleys
Settlers We're striving with all their
energy to build irrigating canals to
bring the life-giving element to their
arid soil that they might create happy
homes for their loved ones, yet not a
soldier of the United States was there
to protect them in the possession of
their work animals, nor to keep their
range cattle from being shot down and
left with their tongues cut out. These
pioneer settlers and farmers retired to
their nightly couch with fear and
trembling, and often in tears, and vet
they withstood in silence the rayages
of the inhuman red men until the
spring of 1862, when President Abra-
ham Lincoln sent word to the command
ing officer at Stockton, California, for
Colonel Connor. who was put in com
mand of $50 volunteers and sent to
Utah to guard the mail route and the
settlers from the depredations of the
Indians, as many immigrants were
travelling to California, Oregon and
Washington, and the Northwest. When
Colonel Connor started from California
in May of 1862, his command of $50
men consisted of the Second California
Infantry and four companies of the
Second California Cavalry. He con-
cluded his march for the territory in
July, 1862. He then travelled over tho
western desert plains, arriving in Utah
in October 20, 1862, when he founded
Camp Douglas. Soon thereafter Colonel
Connor was called upon to go to Cache
Valley with his troops to defend the
settlers against the Indians January 30,
1862. The Snake and Bannock Indians
were then led by Bear Hunter and other
noted chiefs.
Meanwhile Colonel Connor had his at |
tention called to other matters. Indians
had murdered many immigrants who
had taken the northern route to Cali
fornia. But the Indians continued their
atrocities, especially interfering with
the whites travelling to and from the
mines of Idaho, Montana and Dakota.
Since the arrival of the volunteers at |
Salt Lake two expeditions had been
sent against the Indians in northern
Utah. One was to recover a white boy |
held by them, and the other to recover
some immigrant property. At last
however, Colonel Connor received reli.
able information of the exact location
If the hostile Indians who had been
carrying on their murderous work for
fifteen years, and he at once commenced
for their determination.
rhe expedition started the battles of
Bear River. AS soon as Colonel Connor
approached the Indians who were camp.
ID on Battle Creek, where they were
in deep ravine for defense.
An Indian seeing the troops approach
ng issued challenge, "Come on,"
COLONEL Connor went on. "Four right
md four left, of California sons.' Oh, Il
'oys, when the troops were ordered to
harge the ravine on both ends, and
vhen the orders were given to cross.
ire the Indians, sharp firing ensued
between the troops and Indians for
ONE hours, when lull followed and
he firing ceased. When the trenches
we're looked into they disclosed 224
,odies, among them being the bodies
# Chiefs Bear Hunter, Sagwich and
4ehi 175 horses, some arms, large
quantity of wheat and some other pro-
risions We're realized. Provisions were
eft for 100 captured squaws and child