Arizona republican., 1921-04-13
FIGHTING INDIANS IN THE {. EARLY DAYS OF ARIZONA
 KEPTLIFEF FROM BEING DULL

under a cottonwood tree, his slA- shooter at his side
 Suddenly We heard a shot. An Indian had opened fire with Whit comb as the target. The ball hit Whitcomb's gun and dropped into his holster. A second shot followed and inflicted flesh wound in his thigh. Culberson got a line on the Indian leaders and managed to hold them off until we retreated to the house and got guns and ammunition. In making our break for the ranch house we were protected by the cattle, who became frightened and rushed for the corral
 Our crowd divided. some crossing the river and the others renAining in ambush. Shots were heard across the river. Jake Rasmussen received a flesh wound in the thigh. The h. dians got yoke of oxen and set fire to the barley. We opened fire on them from ambush and killed sey-r' eraL There were enough Indians to carry away the dead, so we never knew how many we shot down.
 After that fight several months passed< before the ranchers encoun-- tered any more trouble from the In- dians. In the fall of the year, when roasting ears were ready for picking, Indians began to cause trouble. Col onel Anderson, then in command of Fort Whipple, was asked to send cavalrymen to help protect the crop.
 One incident related by MT Os- borne throws light on the craftiness of the Indian and the danger to which the pioneers of that district were constantly exposed. Polk James and Dr. Sweatnam had volunteered to act as guard for the corn crop and taken their posts in the field Dr. Sweatnam was attracted by the sound of rustling corn shocks and creeping up, discovered an Indian not more than 20 feet distant in the act of stealing corn Taking careful aim in the dim twilight pr. Sweatnam fired and the Indian apparently fell Polk James rushed to the assistance of his companion. The two men crept forward and discovered that the dead Indian" was a sack of corn.t While laughing at the ruse shower of bullets was sent in their direction. The men quickly dropped to the ground and returned the shots, fright ening the attacking Indians away. Next night no one went on guard and the Indians. with endorsements of their own tribe. raided the corn field. Mir. Osborne expressed the opinion that 1t was extremely fortu- nate for the white men that none of
 
 time.
 After the soldiers arrived from the fort the Indians made another raid. They selected a time when the sol diers were watching their horses graZe and at the same time cattle were being herded The soldiers were almost unprepared for a suddn raid by about "a Indians, who circled about and started the horses and cat To m nf Taa mounted on an exceptionally swift steed, detoured and managed to head off the horse before being seen by the Indians. His steed served as lead | CT for all the other cavalry horses and he led them to safety. pGs the cattle weSe lost to the Indians 1 In an attempt to recover the cat | tie two of the ranchers and four soldiers rounded the canyon and headed off the Indians. The red men ] formed a letter Y and the white boys rode into the trap Quickly realizing their situation, the six men decided | the only escape for them was to make a dash through the line. With yells and shots they bore down directly | upon the enemy The Indians hesi- | tated, returned the fire, and then made room. Two of the cavalry horses were shot. John Culberson | was shot with an arrow which tore four holes in his flesh. The point penetrated through the shoulder and ! into the arm from the rear.
 In 1869. W. L. Osborne came to Phoenix and was followed by other | members of the family one year later.
 We never had any trouble with Indians in the Salt River valley" he said. However. he was probably ready to get along for a while with out being shot at from ambush, as 1 the fights mentioned really constitute a small proportion of the number in which the pioneer figured prom inently.