Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-01-05
old WAGON TRAINS
There Used to Be Exciting Times
on the Santa Fe Trail.
TRlcKERY OF THE REDSKINS.

NNENAIAA ~ WI - ~ NAAH -
Plumber the Caravans and Murder the
Whites-A Bit Of Treaehsry and q
Battle With the Troopers.
AS the overland trade between the
American settlements In Missouri and
the Mexican pueblos in New Mexico in
creased Ia value following the opening
Of the Santa Re trail the greater ne
cessity OF adequate protection for the
traders and their stocks was met by
both the Cnlted States and Mexican
governments furnishing military con
VOWS The troops acted In a capacity
not unlike that Of warships guarding
merchant vessels from piratical 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 Fe. 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.
lsh OF a fight on anything like equal
terms: consequently the savages devel.
opcd their aptitude for treachery and
deceit.
Every sort of ruse their fertile brains
could devise was used to separate the
various divisions Of II train or lure a
small part away from the main con
voy. where 1t 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 II small
party Of Indians to appear at the camp
with pr%otcstatiOns Of peace. For dip.
Iomatlc reasons the reds would be hos.
pitably received and their request to
eat and sleep I'm the camp oftentimes
granted. That night the small party
" Indians would attempt to stampede
the live stock OF the train. If success.
rul n large force OF snvages would be
concealed near by to aid.
Some ruses were far cleverer than
that One which completely fooled a
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
u party Of Indians appeared and asked
for IL parley
The American traders refused the re-
quest The Indians withdrew and held
n consultation. When the convoy
reached the CimurrUn river the saw.
ages appeared again. One rode for
ward with an arrow tied tra~nsversely
across the Shaft of a spear, n symbol
Of the cross Viscarro was a 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 lie ordered the wagons to re-
tire beyond II ridge. Hardly had they
disappeared when II large force Of
Indians rose from cuncealment behind
the sand dunes and poured Il destruc.
tive fire into the Mexican ranks Only
the heroism Of II Iueh!o Indian guide
with the troops saved the colonel from
death. lie heard one Of the CoInanches
yell. "Nuw for the chief" which was
the signal for tbs treikhery TO begin
The Pueblo jumped in front of his
colonel and received Il churge Of shot
aimed nj the officer
The firing was heard 1y re Ameri.
ans. who returned TO the troops. They
rode swiftly to the tanks Of the at
incking Indians and charged Caught
between two fires. tho savnges soon
scattered In flight. but not until they
had been handled severely IN - hand
to hand encounter, where dubbed rines
md t~uinahawkS plny ed Il part. Colonel
ViscurrO was prUfuse IN his thanks to
'hs Americans Kansas city Times.
Quarrel No. (,
'COntOund It all the bridegroom