Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains, Or, the Last Voice from the Plains: An Authentic Record of a Life Time of Hunting, Trapping, Scouting and Indian Fighting in the Far WestDrannan, William F.
History
Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains, Or, the Last Voice from the Plains: An Authentic Record of a Life Time of Hunting, Trapping, Scouting and Indian Fighting in the Far West
Drannan, William F.
Frontier and pioneer life -- West (U.S.); Indians of North America -- Wars
When we were within three hundred yards we could see the glimmer
of their fires that had not entirely gone out, evidence that they
had not gone to bed till late. We crawled so near that we could
see the outlines of the fiends lying around the few coals that
were yet smoldering. Now and then a chunk would blaze up as if to
show the exact positions of the murderers.
After satisfying ourselves that this was the party we were in
pursuit of, we returned to our horses.
I told Jones to mount his horse and not spare him until he met the
soldiers; and to hurry them up so we could catch the Greasers in
bed; and I said to him as he was mounting: "If you do not return
with the soldiers before daylight I will take chances of holding
them here with Black Bess until you do return." But he had not
gone more than two miles and a half when he met the soldiers
coming in a stiff gallop.
George reported that we had the outlaws located, and the
Lieutenant gave orders for the soldiers to muffle their spurs and
sabres and to be quick about it.
I did not have to wait long until Black Bess told me they were
coming, for when they got near me I could not keep her still.
Upon the arrival of the soldiers I told Lieut. Jackson the
particulars of the murder as given to me by Mrs. Davis, and also
where the murderers were. He divided his men, sending fifty around
on the opposite side of the camp, giving them half and hour to
make the circuit, George piloting them, and I the other fifty.
When the time was up we rode down, both squads arriving almost at
the same time. Just one word from the Lieutenant and the Greasers
were surrounded, and us with our pistols drawn.
The outlaws seemed to be sound asleep, but when we commenced to
close in on them they woke, and the first one that jumped to his
feet had his pistol in his hand, but when he looked around and saw
the situation he dropped his pistol before the Lieutenant had time
to tell him to drop it.
It was not yet daylight, but their being a very bright moon, one
could see first rate. All the Mexicans were soon on their feet and
begging for their lives. Lieut. Jackson being able to speak
Mexican asked if any one in their crowd could speak English, but
they said they could not speak a word in that language. He then
asked them in Spanish who their Captain was, and a big, rough,
greasy looking fellow said he was the Captain.
The Lieutenant then told him to form his men in line out on the
road, saying: "I will give you five minutes to prepare to die." He
then turned to his orderly and told him to relieve them of their
arms, and they gave them up without a word of protest. He then
told them all to stand in a line and when the five minutes were up
they must die. During all this time their Captain was pleading for
their lives and making all kinds of promises, but the Lieutenant
turned a deaf ear to them, not even answering them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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