Post by jones on Jun 17, 2024 21:02:58 GMT -5
I’ve often wondered if John Bidwell’s reminiscence of his emigrant train to California was realistic as to his assertion that the Cheyennes that were encountered on the Blue River were a war party just because they had a medicine woman with them.
tile.loc.gov/storage-services//service/gdc/calbk/046.pdf
THE FIRST EMIGRANT TRAIN TO CALIFORNIA.
By JOHN BIDWELL (Pioneer of '41).
Page 13
For a time, until we reached the Platte River, one day was much like another. We set forth every morning and camped every night, 19 detailing men to stand guard. Captain Fitzpatrick and the missionary party would generally take the lead and we would follow. Fitzpatrick knew all about the Indian tribes, and when there was any danger we kept in a more compact body, to protect one another. . . The first incident was a scare that we had from a party of Cheyenne Indians just before we reached the Platte River, about two weeks after we set out. One of our men, who chanced to be out hunting, some distance from the company and behind us, suddenly appeared without mule, gun or pistol, and lacking most of his clothes, and in great excitement reported that he had been surrounded by thousands of Indians. The company, too, became excited, and Captain Fitzpatrick tried, but with little effect, to control and pacify them. Every man started his team into a run, till the oxen, like the mules and horses, were in a full gallop. Captain Fitzpatrick went ahead and directed them to follow, and as fast as they came to the bank of the river he put the wagons in the form of a hollow square, and had all the animals securely picketed within. After a while the Indians came in sight. There were only forty of them, but they were well mounted on horses, and were evidently a war party, for they had no women except one, a medicine woman.
Frederic Remington sketched an illustration (linked below) of those Cheyennes for The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine, Volume 41
November 1890 to April 1891
books.google.com/books?id=BH4gAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA116
tile.loc.gov/storage-services//service/gdc/calbk/046.pdf
THE FIRST EMIGRANT TRAIN TO CALIFORNIA.
By JOHN BIDWELL (Pioneer of '41).
Page 13
For a time, until we reached the Platte River, one day was much like another. We set forth every morning and camped every night, 19 detailing men to stand guard. Captain Fitzpatrick and the missionary party would generally take the lead and we would follow. Fitzpatrick knew all about the Indian tribes, and when there was any danger we kept in a more compact body, to protect one another. . . The first incident was a scare that we had from a party of Cheyenne Indians just before we reached the Platte River, about two weeks after we set out. One of our men, who chanced to be out hunting, some distance from the company and behind us, suddenly appeared without mule, gun or pistol, and lacking most of his clothes, and in great excitement reported that he had been surrounded by thousands of Indians. The company, too, became excited, and Captain Fitzpatrick tried, but with little effect, to control and pacify them. Every man started his team into a run, till the oxen, like the mules and horses, were in a full gallop. Captain Fitzpatrick went ahead and directed them to follow, and as fast as they came to the bank of the river he put the wagons in the form of a hollow square, and had all the animals securely picketed within. After a while the Indians came in sight. There were only forty of them, but they were well mounted on horses, and were evidently a war party, for they had no women except one, a medicine woman.
Frederic Remington sketched an illustration (linked below) of those Cheyennes for The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine, Volume 41
November 1890 to April 1891
books.google.com/books?id=BH4gAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA116