The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1916-06-29
RECALLS
The INDIAN
CAMP AIGN
IN 1887
CANON CITY MILITARY COMPANY
co.oPERATEp IN THE WHITE
RIVER EXPEDITION AGA INST
THE uTEs TWENTY-NiNE
YEARS AGO


try. National Guard of Colorado pre-
liminary TO being sent to the Derief
for patrol duty in case oil war win
Mexico, the following account OF tne
white River Indian caml aisn IN
1887. in which the members oil Com
pany H., Second Regiment \. u. "
this city took part. will be more thah
ordinarily interesting
Twenty-nine years ago this summer
the Ute Indians let their reservation
at Unitah, Utah. entered the north
western part of this state and COM
mitted many depredations. The In
dians were led on the warpath by
their chief Colorow and terrorized the
settlers by menaeing their lives, steal
ing stock and killing on the game
Unable to persuade the Indians 70 SO
peaceably back TO their reservation
Governor Alya Adams called out the
state troops to force them TO return
Military companies from Denver, Colo
rado Springs. Canon City. Leadfihe
and Aspen responded to the cover
nor,s summons and were soon on their
way TO the scene OF the disturbance.
Two posses of citizens on the western
slope were organized to assist the
troops in putting down the uprising
,ne of them in charge OF Sherin Ken
dali of Gieuwood Spr.nEs and the
other sy sheriff Hooper OF Aspen.
- nftN-
four strong. with l. r. French as cap
tain and Joe Esser as lieutenant, en-
trained at the Denver & Rio Grande
station here during the afternoon oil
August ls. ns mounted infantry and
the next morning were at Gypsum. In
Eagle county, at that time the west
ern terminus OF tie railroad. on their
way TO White river. where the Indians
we're gathered In force. After taking
their horses on the train at Gypsum
the men were ordered into the sad
dies and rode up Gypsum canon to the
divide and then down Roaring FORK
river to GIenwood Springs. After n
brief stop there they proceeded to
Rifle creek. then TO Morgan's ranch
and on 20 Meeker. where they estao-
ilshed themselves at Camp Adams un-
til a junction could be effected with
the other units OF the military force
OF which they were a part
George W. West. OF Golden. was
the adjutant general at that time and
Frank Reardon, afterwards postmas-
ter at Victor. was briFadier general
of the Colorado National guard. Major
Leslie of ieadville. a ieweler. was in
command of the White River eSpedi-
tlon. After careful search for the
Indians the SCOUTS moving ahead of
the troops located them early on the
morning OF August goth. enramped In
what is now Rio Blanco county. The
Indians soon discovered the presence
of the soldiers and fighting began
without delay. The battle lasted un-
til about noon when the Indians, hav-
ing been severely punished, withdrew.
taking Their wounded. sluaws .and
rapooses with them. In their haste
TO get away they left many OF their
ponies, tepees and other belongings.
which was taken possession OF by the
troops The Indians retreated to-
wards their reservation and the SOL
d.e.s followed them as far as the Utah
line. distance OF six miles. but had
no further fisht with them.
--h1 ax.rt ,,..r....r - Indtore Etllad
in the fight at Rangeley was never
ascertained. although 1t is known that
several of them lost their lives there.
Among the troops three or four men
were instantly killed and several af-
forwards died from their wounds. One
~ the men killed was Lieut.. Folsom
of the Aspen comrany. Another wns
Undershcrin Jack Ward OF Glenwood
Springs. Altogether there were about
five hundred Indians In the battle at
Rangeley, of which the greater NUM-
ber were warriors. After the battle
n squadron of United States cavalry
under Lieut.. Burnett came in from Ft.
Dnchesne, Utah, and took charge of
tho captured ponies and other prop
erty belonging to the Indians and re-
turned them to their owners at the
reservation. Tho cavalry belonged to
troop OF colored soldiers.
The members OF Company II. wore
gono from Canon City about seven
weeks and had n memorable expert
ence. There was some hkrdshins. but
II was Offset to I considerable extent