Our State from Topeka, Kansas • 1

OUFi STATE I I 1 1-JW KANSAS MAGAZINE TOPKKA. KANSAS, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1890 I. NUMHKK 9. Written for Oini Htatk. QUATRAINS.

from the wild herds at any time. In these liberal surroundings men grew large, strong, self-reliant and brave, rich in every thing necessary to their personal comfort, and rich enough in enemies to keep up their war like spirit. In this garden Adam and Eve would never have sinned, and the Cheyenues never sinned until the white man, with his tyranny and fraud, forced it upon them. If, then, after years of suffering and broken promises, like Hannibal, the young Cheyenne swore eternal vengeance and resolved to. fight the cause of his misery to death, blame the Chivingtous and a government too changeable and fickle to look after the rights of its helpless wards, a government too much absorbed in the next election, too intently listening to the jobbers and politicians, to hear the cry of suffering caused by cold, hunger and out- POBTBY, The eed exists Unit future flowers may be; The llower in born to consummate new Heeds; So human life blooms into poetry That ripeni duly into living deeds.

(iRKATNEKS. He lightly wins the honored name of Great, Who rightly yields unto his destiny; No man may over hope to compter fate, Yet life may be a constant victory. SUMMITS. Tlie loftiest height! are those, 1 ween, Which have been reached on Sorrow's wing Those are the (Towns of rarest sheen Which have been won through suffering. I'ltirvnvi: L.

Sunn; while not considered dangerous on their reservations, were good stock thieves on the great overland trails, and not to be trusted at any time. The Pawnees ranged west of the Big Blue to what is now Norton county, south along the Republican, and north to and beyond the Platte. Their villages were on the Platte and Loup fork. Their war parties took wide range. They were at war with all the wild tribes on the plains, the Coiuanches and Kiowas on the south, the Arappahoes, Cheyenncs and Sioux on the west and north-west.

Though not numbering near so many as their opponents, except the Arappahoe, tliey defended Iheinse so successfully that the enemy rarely got away without leaving some scalps. They were also the worst Indians the whites had to contend with on the northern overland trail. Though they would not attack well armed parties, they were dangerous stock thieves and the guards were always doubled when the Big Blue was crossed. Having passed the Pawnees, some forty miles west of Fort Written for oeu State. I rage coming from the poor remnant of this once powerful people.

If they became fiends incarnate and descended to acts the most brutal and revolting KANSAS, As Seen in the Indian Territory. What I have to sav of Kansas as I saw it in the Carney, traveling was quite safe. I hough they Indian Territory is wholly from memory, having no were numerous and powerful, the overland emigra-record of occurences. I shall avoid mentioning in- tion with their immense flocks and herds were not dividuals when by doing so tedious details would molested by the Sioux and Cheyenues, for the five become necessary. My experience commenced in hundred miles through their country during the in the history of our country, and if finally the best and most distinguished soldiers in the land were compelled to wage a war of practical extermination, blame not the soldiers who risked and lost their lives, and whose graves are scattered from Texas to the Big Horn, and from central Kansas to the Pacific, nor blame the fierce Cheyenues.

In 1850 Colonel Sumner established the post of Fort Atkinson on the Arkansas about six miles years from '49 to '54. December, 1849. The Indian Territory then extended from the During the summer of 1850, and the year follow- west line of Missouri to the State of Deseret, (changed jing, emigration to California and Oregon was 1111-in 1850 to the Territory of Utah,) and from Miune- mense. In 1850, the cholera swept away many sota to Texas, out of which was afterwards carved men, women and children, and hundreds of bodies Kansas. I were torn from their shallow graves by the wolves.

Fort Leavenworth was the steamboat landing The Pawnees were untiring in their depredations, from which all military supplies were sent by and a few people were killed. Dragoons patrolled wagon, and from which all military expeditions the road from thirty miles west of Kearney to one started across the great plains. To the south ran hundred miles east and rendered every assistance the military road across Oriuter's ferry to Fort possible, at one time following a large war party Scott, and thence to Forts Gibson and Smith. To through what is now Washington, Republic, Jewell, the west and south-west the military road crossing Smith, Phillips and Norton counties. The action the Kansas at Pappan's ferry, near where Topeka of Major Chilton in command of his troop and of now is.

tfefittfifi to Council On-ve. hnTerting the F'ri Kernev. in '40 rud V. was so vigorous that 'above where Dodge City now is. The soldiers I dubbed it Fort Sod," and later on Fort Sodom." I The walls were built entirely of prairie sod, partly I covered with poles and canvas, and partly with poles, brush and sod.

It was built by the soldiers. I Company 6th infantry, commanded by Brevet Captain S. B. Buckuer, now governor of Kentucky, was left to garrison the post. It was the only military post between Fort Leavenworth and Riado, New Mexico, 650 miles.

The Kiowas and 1 Comanches frequently pounced upon freight trains, run off stock and killed stragglers. They ragged the Pawnees gave very little trouble afterwards. Santa Fe trail from Independence a few miles east The Cheyenues and Arappahoes were the habitual occupants of these plains from the Platte to the Arkansas, and from the torks of the Solomon to the mountains. I then thought and still believe that the Cheyenues were the handsomest, noblest and bravest Indians I ever saw in a wild state. I met them often, knew them well and their way of living.

They fought their enemies with an unre- of that point, thence south-westerly, striking the Arkansas river at the Big Bend," and following it up to the Cimarron crossing about twenty-five miles above where Dodge City now is, thence southwesterly into New Mexico. From the Cimarron crossing a road ran up to the north side of the Arkansas to Bent's Fort," crossing there it ran nearly south across the Raton mountains into New Mexico. lenting vigor, that was their religious duty from About one-third the way from Cimarron crossing their standpoint. They were as virtuous as any to Bent's Fort, F. X.

Aubrey laid out a new route people on earth whatever civilized man may say in 1852, and being a better watered route than! of their table manners, their family government the Cimarron and nearer than Raton, many trains was perfect, perfect obedience to parents, and took it. child whipping unknown, veneration and respect In April, 1852, Maj. E. A. Ogdeu, quartermaster for old age was universal.

In their relations to each at Fort Leavenworth, with an escort and some other crime was practically unknown. They wor-Kickapoo guides laid out a road north-westerly to a shipped God, in whom they had implicit confidence, point beyond where Seneca now is, to intersect the 1 They hated a liar as a devil hates holy water, and road from St. Joseph, Missouri. At the crossing of that is why, when they came to know him, they Big Blue river, now Marysville, he returned with hated the white man so intensely. For fortitude, his guides, and the escort went on to Fort Kearney.

patience and endurance, the sun never shown on The Shawnee Indians were located south of better examples. They did not crave stealthy mur- the Kansas river, in what is Johnson county; the der for the sake of murder, in which they were un from about where Marion county now is, west along the Arkansas river to the mountains, south-west into New Mexico and south through Texas into Old Mexico. Their war parties sometimes reached north to the Platte. They were numerous, well mounted, savage and treacherous. They had large bauds of horses and were the finest horsemen in the world.

They made frequent raids into Old and New Mexico, sometimes capturing whole villages, killing the men and holding the women and children as slaves. They all spoke Mexican vSpanish. Their pluu-derings had supplied them with silver mounted Mexican saddles and bridles, many of them of great value. The fact that they had only bows and arrows and lances enabled the whites to "stand them off" with rifles. At thirty yards their arrows were the best weapons, always ready and could be discharged more rapidly than repeating rifles.

Woe to the careless train master or stranger. Eternal vigilance was necessary to pass successfully from Council Grove to Mexico. In January, 1851, complaint was made to Col. Fauntleroy, commanding Fort Leavenworth, concerning the outrages committed by the Kaws near Council Grove. They had considerable stolen stock in their possession.

Captain and Brevet Major R. H. Chittou, with his troop 1st dragoons, went out and captured the five principal chiefs and placed them in the guard house at Fort Leavenworth, where they remained a long time, until all the stolen stock was restored and good promises made. In April, 185 1, Fort Atkinson was besieged by the Kiowas and Comanches, and the same troop went to its relief. At Fort Atkinson the Kiowa and Comanche camps extended as far as one could see up and down the south side of the river.

They seldom fought the "long knives" as they called the dragoons, except by stealth, and considering their immense numbers there was not much hope of earthly glory in hunting them, so that there was a sort of standing off business all around, and the party who did the most successful bluffing was the winner. The threatening attitude of the Indians had caused the trains to move cautiously and well prepared for emergencies. A large military command went out to New Mexico, which somewhat overawed the like the treacherous Kiowa and Apache and the doughty hero of Sand Creek. And on what meat did the Cheyenues feed that Wyandottes in the forks of the Missouri and Kansas, part of Wyandotte county the Delawares occupied a part of Wyandotte, Leavenworth and Jef- fersou counties; the Muucies, a small tract of land made them so superior? It is said that they came where the Soldier's Home and Mount Muncie from a northern clime. Be that as it may, they, of all the nomadic tribes that roamed the earth, were masters of the most productive portion of it.

The finest soil under the sun, from end to end, and from right to left of what is now Kansas furnished the cemetary now are, near Leavenworth the Kicka-poos were in Salt Creek valley and farther west; the Pottawatomies occupied the Kansas valley from the mouth of Soldier creek to Big Blue river. The Kansas Indians, called Kaws, were about Council most abundant pasturage, watered by numerous Grove. The Osages and others in southern Kan-! rivers flowing from never failing springs, free from sas, I saw but little of, except as I met them on the swamp and marsh or malarial poisons. By reason hunting grounds further west. None of the reser- of perennial pastures and wooded streams, the vation Indians were very much confined to bouu-: whole face of the country was a continuous park, daries.

They all went to the buffalo country for a where ranged the noble buffalo, the antlered elk, grand hunt at least once a year. The buffalo range deer in the valleys, antelope upon a thousand hills, was a little west of a line drawn north and south and smaller game. The turkey roosts upon all the through Fort Riley. Fast of that were plenty of timbered creeks would astonish the best farmer's turkey, deer, and other small game. The wild In-! wife in America.

diaus, so called, never came east of the buffalo! These Indians knew no suffering except what range. From the Shawnees, Delawares, Muucies, the white man brought them. All were abundent-Kickapoos, Pottawatomies, and some other small ly fed, warmly clothed, and comfortably sheltered, bands, there was nothing to fear; they lived com- They had large numbers of horses, were fine horse-fortably and contented. The Kansas and Osages, men, and if need be could replenish their stock 1.