Dangers of the Trail in 1865: A Narrative of Actual EventsYoung, Charles E. (Charles Edward)
History
Dangers of the Trail in 1865: A Narrative of Actual Events
Young, Charles E. (Charles Edward)
Colorado -- Description and travel; West (U.S.) -- Description and travel
That morning, as usual, the men called for their liquor, and among
them was a long lanky fellow with red hair and bushy beard. He
certainly had the appearance of an outlaw. He had received one glass
of grog and came for the second which I refused him. Without a word I
was on my back. At that point the German came in and caught him with
the left hand in the same locality. Suffering with pain and crazed
with liquor, he left the store, secured his revolvers and returned. I
was behind the counter at the time with my back to the door. The first
thing I knew I heard the report of a revolver and a bullet whizzed
past my ear and buried itself in a can of tomatoes not six inches
from my head. As I turned around, I saw the fellow being propelled
through the door by the German's right. At that point the contractor
came in and after being told of what had happened, he discharged the
fellow. He wished to retain his revolvers, but his request was not
granted. He had an old-fashioned army musket and begged to be allowed
to keep that. I told Mr. A---- not to let him have it for I was
satisfied from the blow he gave me that he was a bad actor; but Mr.
A----, being good natured and kind hearted, consented. He ordered four
days' rations put up for him and he left camp in an ugly mood and was
given no further thought.
After grub, the German proposed that we flip a coin to see who should
go for the horses. The visitor losing, he at once started for the
canyon below where the horses were grazing. Shortly after I heard a
shot and then many more, but gave it no heed as it was a common
occurrence there. Half an hour later one of the men came in and told
me that the German lay dead in the canyon below. I, with the others in
camp, proceeded to the point indicated, where we found the poor fellow
lying on his back. A bullet from that villian's musket had pierced his
heart. His watch, belt of cartridges, revolvers, and repeating carbine
were gone. After we returned with the body, Mr. A---- had the mill
whistle blown calling all hands to quarters and for three days and
nights with little sleep or rest we searched those hills and trails
leading to Salt Lake and Denver. We picketed men on each trail to
search all passing trains; but the demon gave us the slip, and cheated
that maddened crowd of a lynching, or something worse; perhaps a tug
of war between two wild bronchos, which we had in camp, with that
man's body as the connecting link.
I can to this day remember just how that poor fellow looked; cold in
death, far from home and loved ones, with no mother to weep at his
bier. With uncovered heads we lowered him in earth, in a rough box, at
the foot of one of the tall sentinels of the hills, and placed a slab
to mark the spot, that his friends might some day claim all that
remained of as brave and honest a German as ever lived.
A WATCHFUL PROVIDENCE
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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