The Old Santa Fe Trail: The Story of a Great Highway

At the commencement of the "commerce of the prairies," in the early portion of the century, the Old Trail was the arena of almost constant sanguinary struggles between the wily nomads of the desert and the hardy white pioneers, whose eventful lives made the civilization of the vast interior region of our continent possible. Their daring compelled its development, which has resulted in the genesis of great states and large cities. Their hardships gave birth to the American homestead; their determined will was the factor of possible achievements, the most remarkable and important of modern times.

When the famous highway was established across the great plains as a line of communication to the shores of the blue Pacific, the only method of travel was by the slow freight caravan drawn by patient oxen, or the lumbering stage coach with its complement of four or six mules. There was ever to be feared an attack by those devils of the desert, the Cheyennes, Comanches, and Kiowas. Along its whole route the remains of men, animals, and the wrecks of camps and wagons, told a story of suffering, robbery, and outrage more impressive than any language. Now the tourist or business man makes the journey in palace cars, and there is nothing to remind him of the danger or desolation of Border days; on every hand are the evidences of a powerful and advanced civilization.

It is fortunate that one is left to tell some of its story who was a living actor and had personal knowledge of many of the thrilling scenes that were enacted along the line of the great route. He was familiar with all the famous men, both white and savage, whose lives have made the story of the Trail, his own sojourn on the plains and in the Rocky Mountains extending over a period of nearly forty years.

The Old Trail has more than common interest for me, and I gladly record here my indorsement of the faithful record, compiled by a brave soldier, old comrade, and friend.

W. F. Cody, "Buffalo Bill."

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION. The First Europeans who traversed the Great Highway--Alvar Nunez Cabeca de Vaca--Hernando de Soto, and Francisco Vasquez de Coronado-- Spanish Expedition from Santa Fe eastwardly--Escape of the Sole Survivors.

CHAPTER I. UNDER THE SPANIARDS. Quaint Descriptions of Old Santa Fe--The Famous Adobe Palace-- Santa Fe the Oldest Town in the United States--First Settlement-- Onate's Conquest--Revolt of the Pueblo Indians--Under Pueblo Rule --Cruelties of the Victors--The Santa Fe of To-day--Arrival of a Caravan--The Railroad reaches the Town--Amusements--A Fandango.

CHAPTER II. LA LANDE AND PURSLEY. The Beginning of the Santa Fe Trade--La Lande and Pursley, the First Americans to cross the Plains--Pursley's Patriotism-- Captain Ezekiel Williams--A Hungry Bear--A Midnight Alarm.

CHAPTER III. EARLY TRADERS. Captain Becknell's Expedition--Sufferings from Thirst--Auguste Chouteau--Imprisonment of McKnight and Chambers--The Caches-- Stampeding Mules--First Military Escort across the Plains-- Captain Zebulon Pike--Sublette and Smith--Murder of McNess-- Indians not the Aggressors.

CHAPTER IV. TRAINS AND PACKERS. The Atajo or Pack-train of Mules--Mexican Nomenclature of Paraphernalia--Manner of Packing--The "Bell-mare"--Toughness of Mules among Precipices--The Caravan of Wagons--Largest Wagon-train ever on the Plains--Stampedes--Duties of Packers en route--Order of Travelling with Pack-train--Chris. Gilson, the Famous Packer.

CHAPTER V. FIGHT WITH COMANCHES. Narrative of Bryant's Party of Santa Fe Traders--The First Wagon Expedition across the Plains--A Thrilling Story of Hardship and Physical Suffering--Terrible Fight with the Comanches--Abandonment of the Wagons--On Foot over the Trail--Burial of their Specie on an Island in the Arkansas--Narrative of William Y. Hitt, one of the Party--His Encounter with a Comanche--The First Escort of United States Troops to the Annual Caravan of Santa Fe Traders, in 1829--Major Bennett Riley's Official Report to the War Department --Journal of Captain Cooke.

CHAPTER VI. A ROMANTIC TRAGEDY. The Expedition of Texans to the Old Santa Fe Trail for the Purpose of robbing Mexican Traders--Innocent Citizens of the United States suspected, arrested, and carried to the Capital of New Mexico-- Colonel Snively's Force--Warfield's Sacking of the Village of Mora --Attack upon a Mexican Caravan--Kit Carson in the Fight-- A Crime of over Sixty Years Ago--A Romance of the Tragedy.

CHAPTER VII. MEXICO DECLARES WAR. Mexico declares War against the United States--Congress authorizes the President to call for Fifty Thousand Volunteers--Organization of the Army of the West--Phenomenon seen by Santa Fe Traders in the Sky --First Death on the March of the Army across the Plains--Men in a Starving Condition--Another Death--Burial near Pawnee Rock-- Trouble at Pawnee Fork--Major Howard's Report.

CHAPTER VIII. THE VALLEY OF TAOS. The Valley of Taos--First White Settler--Rebellion of the Mexicans --A Woman discovers and informs Colonel Price of the Conspiracy-- Assassination of Governor Bent--Horrible Butcheries by the Pueblos and Mexicans--Turley's Ranch--Murder of Harwood and Markhead-- Anecdote of Sir William Drummond Stewart--Fight at the Mills-- Battle of the Pueblo of Taos--Trial of the Insurrectionists-- Baptiste, the Juror--Execution of the Rebels.

CHAPTER IX. FIRST OVERLAND MAIL. Independence--Opening of Navigation on the Mississippi--Effect of Water Transportation upon the Trade--Establishment of Trading-forts-- Market for Cattle and Mules--Wages paid Teamsters on the Trail-- An Enterprising Coloured Man--Increase of the Trade at the Close of the Mexican War--Heavy Emigration to California--First Overland Mail --How the Guards were armed--Passenger Coaches to Santa Fe-- Stage-coaching Days.

CHAPTER X. CHARLES BENT. The Tragedy in the Canyon of the Canadian--Dragoons follow the Trail of the Savages--Kit Carson, Dick Wooton, and Tom Tobin the Scouts of the Expedition--More than a Hundred of the Savages killed-- Murder of Mrs. White--White Wolf--Lieutenant Bell's Singular Duel with the Noted Savage--Old Wolf--Satank--Murder of Peacock-- Satanta made Chief--Kicking Bird--His Tragic Death--Charles Bent, the Half-breed Renegade--His Terrible Acts--His Death.

CHAPTER XI. LA GLORIETA. Neglect of New Mexico by the United States Government--Intended Conquest of the Province--Conspiracy of Southern Leaders-- Surrender by General Twiggs to the Confederate Government of the Military Posts and Munitions of War under his Command--Only One Soldier out of Two Thousand deserts to the Enemy--Organization of Volunteers for the Defence of Colorado and New Mexico-- Battle of La Glorieta--Rout of the Rebels.

CHAPTER XII. THE BUFFALO. The Ancient Range of the Buffalo--Number slaughtered in Thirteen Years for their Robes alone--Buffalo Bones--Trains stopped by Vast Herds-- Custom of Old Hunters when caught in a Blizzard--Anecdotes of Buffalo Hunting--Kit Carson's Dilemma--Experience of Two of Fremont's Hunters--Wounded Buffalo Bull--O'Neil's Laughable Experience-- Organization of a Herd of Buffalo--Stampedes--Thrilling Escapes.

CHAPTER XIII. INDIAN CUSTOMS AND LEGENDS. Big Timbers--Winter Camp of the Cheyennes, Kiowas, and Arapahoes-- Savage Amusements--A Cheyenne Lodge--Indian Etiquette--Treatment of Children--The Pipe of the North American Savage--Dog Feast-- Marriage Ceremony.

CHAPTER XIV. TRAPPERS. The Old Pueblo Fort--A Celebrated Rendezvous--Its Inhabitants-- "Fontaine qui Bouille"--The Legend of its Origin--The Trappers of the Old Santa Fe Trail and the Rocky Mountains--Beaver Trapping-- Habits of the Beaver--Improvidence of the Old Trappers--Trading with "Poor Lo"--The Strange Experience of a Veteran Trapper on the Santa Fe Trail--Romantic Marriage of Baptiste Brown.

CHAPTER XV. UNCLE JOHN SMITH. Uncle John Smith--A Famous Trapper, Guide, and Interpreter-- His Marriage with a Cheyenne Squaw--An Autocrat among the People of the Plains and Mountains--The Mexicans held him in Great Dread-- His Wonderful Resemblance to President Andrew Johnson--Interpreter and Guide on General Sheridan's Winter Expedition against the Allied Plains Tribes--His Stories around the Camp-fire.

CHAPTER XVI. KIT CARSON. Famous Men of the Old Santa Fe Trail--Kit Carson--Jim Bridger-- James P. Beckwourth--Uncle Dick Wooton--Jim Baker--Lucien B. Maxwell--Old Bill Williams--Tom Tobin--James Hobbs.

CHAPTER XVII. UNCLE DICK WOOTON. Uncle Dick Wooton--Lucien B. Maxwell--Old Bill Williams--Tom Tobin-- James Hobbs--William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill).

CHAPTER XVIII. MAXWELL'S RANCH. Maxwell's Ranch on the Old Santa Fe Trail--A Picturesque Region-- Maxwell a Trapper and Hunter with the American Fur Company-- Lifelong Comrade of Kit Carson--Sources of Maxwell's Wealth-- Fond of Horse-racing--A Disastrous Fourth-of-July Celebration --Anecdote of Kit Carson--Discovery of Gold on the Ranch-- The Big Ditch--Issuing Beef to the Ute Indians--Camping out with Maxwell and Carson--A Story of the Old Santa Fe Trail.

CHAPTER XIX. BENT'S FORTS. The Bents' Several Forts--Famous Trading-posts--Rendezvous of the Rocky Mountain Trappers--Castle William and Incidents connected with the Noted Place--Bartering with the Indians--Annual Feast of Arapahoes and Cheyennes--Old Wolf's First Visit to Bent's Fort-- The Surprise of the Savages--Stories told by Celebrated Frontiersmen around the Camp-fire.

CHAPTER XX. PAWNEE ROCK. Pawnee Rock--A Debatable Region of the Indian Tribes--The most Dangerous Point on the Central Plains in the Days of the Early Santa Fe Trade--Received its Name in a Baptism of Blood-- Battle-ground of the Pawnees and Cheyennes--Old Graves on the Summit of the Rock--Kit Carson's First Fight at the Rock with the Pawnees--Kills his Mule by Mistake--Colonel St. Vrain's Brilliant Charge--Defeat of the Savages--The Trappers' Terrible Battle with the Pawnees--The Massacre at Cow Creek.

CHAPTER XXI. FOOLING STAGE ROBBERS. Wagon Mound--John L. Hatcher's Thrilling Adventure with Old Wolf, the War-chief of the Comanches--Incidents on the Trail--A Boy Bugler's Happy Escape from the Savages at Fort Union--A Drunken Stage-driver--How an Officer of the Quartermaster's Department at Washington succeeded in starting the Military Freight Caravans a Month Earlier than the Usual Time--How John Chisholm fooled the Stage-robbers--The Story of Half a Plug of Tobacco.

CHAPTER XXII. A DESPERATE RIDE. Solitary Graves along the Line of the Old Santa Fe Trail--The Walnut Crossing--Fort Zarah--The Graves on Hon. D. Heizer's Ranch on the Walnut--Troops stationed at the Crossing of the Walnut-- A Terrible Five Miles--The Cavalry Recruit's Last Ride.

CHAPTER XXIII. HANCOCK'S EXPEDITION. General Hancock's Expedition against the Plains Indians--Terrible Snow-storm at Fort Larned--Meeting with the Chiefs of the Dog-Soldiers--Bull Bear's Diplomacy--Meeting of the United States Troops and the Savages in Line of Battle--Custer's Night Experience-- The Surgeon and Dog Stew--Destruction of the Village by Fire-- General Sully's Fight with the Kiowas, Comanches, and Arapahoes-- Finding the Skeletons of the Unfortunate Men--The Savages' Report of the Affair.