White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-05-26

for the fight was fast and furious
while II lasted.
After a brief rest and a hearty
breakfast the troop took up the trail.
which led south up Duck creek owe
the summit and down Steptoe creek
then over the divide II down Coop
er canyon into Spring valley, where
they emerged into the valley. They
were only a mile or two behind the
fleeing Indians. who were evidently
being led by some Ute ~renegades
and were making their way to Utah
to join that tribe, who were then
under the leadership of Black Hawk,
one of the most cruel and crafty
chiefs in the west. who with his fol-
lowers vas on the warpath and raid
, ing the scattered settlements in cen
i, trail Utah.
The Indians, some thirty-two in
number. seeing that they we're press
ed. urged their jaded ponies into a
run, and when they found the troop
ers rapidly gaining on them they
jumped off their tired mounts and
fed afoot, making for the cedar
swamp east of Bastian creek. where
the troop surrounded them. Here
the battle to the death took place. the
Indians keeping under cover as much
as possible and replying to the deadly
fire of the troopers, who now dis
mounted and with their repeating
Eenry rifles closed in on the few sur
yiying foes. When no reply came to
their yolleys they advanced TO the
spot where i'm the shelter of the ce-
dars they fought and died. for they
neither ave nor asked for quarter.
Att1a f1ltt,r - n lfaA x~a - n sra
owing to the superior arms Of the
troopers, the Indians never wayered
and all but one was killed. This one
hid in some heavy brush and when
he saw that his hiding place was TO
he discovered he jumped up and ran.
The boys gave him a farewell volley.
and 10 prove their craftsmanship
they examined his body and found
that sixteen bullets had reached their
mark. :
So fell the last OF the Shoshone
braves who opposed in battle the un-
resistible advance of the pioneers into
their domains which they had pos
sessed and enjoyed for centuries.
This information was given NE by
II of the troopers-Ira Abbott
who belonged to company y. Califor-
mia volunteers, and who did duty dur
Ing the civil war on the frontier. Al
though they never participated in any
OF the great battles of the war their
services were of incalculable value in
hunting down outlaws. fighting indi-
ans and maintaining law and order
ever an immense area. a body equal
led only by the Canadian mounted no
lice of the present day.
1t has been my good fortune 10
have known a few OF those brave
men, who bore uncomplainingly the
man, hardships encountered in per.
forming their duties regardless Of
danger.
The fight at Duck creek and the
battle in the cedars of Spring valley
created such a fear of the soldiers in
the remaining members OF the Sho-
shone tribe that the very mention of
the soldiers coming Was sufficient 10
cause those who were iaclired to he
troublesome to be good Indiana. al
though there have been "A few out
RACES committed by small bands and
individual members of which | will
write later.
This incident was the final action
which caused the red men 10 respect
the sound Of the bugle and to realize
that The civilization of Unole Sam
was slowly but surely usurping au-
thority over mountain and plain, the
happy hunting grounds of their peo-
Pic for centuries. Still can we cen
sure them. for who OF us with good
red blood in our veins would lot to-
day fight for our homes and firesides,
TO which our title. although approved
by our laws and customs, may not
be any better or a. good as that of
our red brethren was before we rob-
bed them of their lineal inheritance?
|, WANTED-To rent from one to
FIVE acres Of tillabie land. with devil.
ling and adequate outbuildings: or