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By JOHN F. CORDEAL [Paper read at the
annual meeting of the Nebraska State Historical Society,
January 10, 1912.]
If Coronado is correct in his assumption that in 1541 he crossed the fortieth parallel of latitude, then he was the first white man to set foot upon the soil of Nebraska. Whether he did or not, we do not know. We have his asser- |
tion for it that he was here1; but modern authority is not agreed on the question, and as we are dealing with facts, the doubt that has been raised should render us cautious about accepting the explorer's uncorroborated statement. Perhaps future investigations will clear away our uncertainties. The journey of Coronado and his band, beginning in Mexico and terminating somewhere on the trans-Missouri plains and consuming nearly two years of time, is without parallel in the annals of exploration. We cannot even form any conception of the difficulties that it involved; and, despite the motives that animated the leader and his followers, we are bound to yield them the tribute of our respect. If, as 1Coronado said that Quivira, "Where I have reached it, is in the 40th degree"; but F. W. Hodge, of the Bureau of American Ethnology, an acknowledged authority on the Coronado expedition, points out that the common error in determining latitude in the sixteenth century was about two degrees,. According to Hodge, Quivira where Coronado said he reached it was in fact in the 38th degree. The following letter to the editor, dated at Washington, February 6, 1914, throws light on this interesting, though insoluble, and so fortunately, not very important question: "Answering your letter of February 2 I beg leave to say that the determination of the fact that the Spanish explorers were almost invariably two degrees out of the way in estimating latitudes was reached after the comparison of various early narrations and maps. I cannot explain why the error should have been so persistent, except, of course, that it resulted from the crude means at the disposal of the early explorers, although this would hardly account for the almost uniform exaggeration of two degrees. "Regarding my statement as to the trend of the evidence that Coronado did not enter Nebraska, you will observe from the chronicles of the expedition, that, after reaching Quivira, Coronado sent parties in various directions, one or more of which may have entered Nebraska, but there is no positive assertion that Harahey was visited, although Tatarrash (Tatarrax) was sent for by Coronado and visited the latter. "I have found no reason to change my views on the above points since writing the account of Coronado's route in Brower's 'Harahey.' I should have been glad if the white man's history of Nebraska could have been traced definitely to 1541, but the only basis for this is the statement of the visit of the Harahey (Pawnee) Chief Tatarrash to Coronado while he was apparently in Kansas.  Yours
very truly,F.
W. HODGE,Ethnologist-in-Charge."--(ED.)3 |
has been said, Coronado is right, and recent critics are wrong, then southwestern Nebraska was known to white men within a half century after the discovery of America, sixty-six years before the settlement of Jamestown, sixty-eight years before the Half Moon sailed up the Hudson river, and eighty years before the pilgrim fathers landed on Plymouth Rock.
In 1739, or nearly two centuries after Coronado's expedition had penetrated to the heart of the North American continent, the Mallet brothers, two French explorers, attempted to reach Santa Fe by way of the Missouri and the Platte rivers. Realizing when they reached the forks of the Platte river that further pursuit of their course would not take them to their destination, they started in a southwesterly direction across the prairies, following, it is said, a more or less well defined trail that had been made by the Indian tribes in their migrations northward and southward. They named the streams and described the country through which they passed with some minuteness. When the opportunity comes to give closer attention to their records perhaps we may be able to determine, with reasonable certainty, the route they followed. That their way took them across the country embraced within the limits of this sketch, there can be little doubt; so that if it shall be decided, eventually, that southwestern Nebraska was not visited by Coronado, we have left the important fact that this section of the state was seen by white men before the revolutionary war .2
Again a century elapsed before civilized men, save, possibly, French Canadian trappers, came to this region. 2As the writer hints, knowledge of this expedition is uncertain and gauzy--ED. |
In 1842 John C. Fremont followed the Platte river to its sources. In 1843 he started with a large party to ascend the Kansas river. Becoming impatient at the slow progress of his expedition, he pushed ahead with a small detachment. Taking a northwesterly direction, he crossed what is now the boundary line between Kansas and Nebraska, a few miles east of the southwest comer of this state. On the evening of the 25th of June he camped a short distance from the main Republican on a little creek, doubtless the Driftwood. Shortly after leaving the encampment, on the morning of the 26th, he remarks that the nature of the country had entirely changed. Instead of the smooth, high ridges, over which they had been traveling, sand-hills swelled around them, and vegetation peculiar to a sandy soil appeared. When they reached the Republican river, they found that here its shallow waters flowed over a sandy bed between treeless banks, beyond which, to the horizon, rolled the sand-hills, clad with billowing grasses, and beautiful with flowers. Here the yucca, the cactus, the sagebrush and the poppy grew. Among the hills, tiny brooks, fed by never failing springs, threaded their way. Except for isolated groves that the fires had left, the land was untimbered. In places out-croppings of magnesia gave to limited areas an aspect almost Alpine. In places, where trampling hoofs had worn the grass, the wind had blown the sand away, leaving great basins, in which stood masses of clay that had been sculptured into fantastic forms. Around the ponds, formed by the rains, they found excellent pasture for their horses. Buffaloes in countless numbers were scattered over the country. For two or three days Fremont and his men traveled in Nebraska territory. Crossing the line into what is now Colorado, they continued their journey, finally reaching the Platte river. |
None of these explorers mentions the
Indians, and yet we know the Indians must, at times, have
frequented this country in large numbers, and that their
villages were scattered along the streams. The Pawnee, who
may be called the aboriginal Nebraskans, were divided into
two clans, called the Grand Pawnee and the Republican
Pawnee, the habitat of the latter being the Republican
valley. The Sioux occupied western Nebraska north of the
North Platte. The southwestern section of the state,
including Dundy and Chase counties, together with the high
plains of eastern Colorado, were occupied by the Arapaho and
the Cheyenne, who, from a time antedating the coming of the
white men, held the headwaters of the Republican and its
largest western tributary, the Frenchman, against the
aggressions of all other tribes. While we lack detailed
information in regard to the encounters that unquestionably
took place in this locality among the natives, we know this
borderland was the scene of many conflicts; that incursions
were made by war parties from each tribe into the territory
claimed by the others; and that these invasions were
repelled. |
the south were the great highways between east and west, while the Republican valley, being shunned by white men, was a refuge for the Indians when they were too closely pressed by the troops. This battle ground of the people who preceded us in its occupancy is strewn with the implements of peace and war. After every rain, arrowheads may be found in the cultivated fields, and the winds uncover articles once used by members of a race that is gone. What stories these relics might tell if they but had the faculty of speech!
For several years prior to the
beginning of the civil war, bands of Kiowa and Comanche
Indians had been ranging over the plains, slaughtering
cattle, stealing horses, burning ranches and killing men. In
the summer of 1860 the government, determined to put an end
to these atrocities, sent a detachment of troops, under the
command of Captain Sturgis, in pursuit of the savages. The
campaign, which necessitated a march from south to north
across the state of Kansas, terminated on the 6th day of
August, 1860, in an engagement at a place that has not yet
been, if indeed, it can ever be, more definitely located
than "near the Republican fork," north of Beaver creek. |
encounter the main body of the savages until the morning of the 6th. Soon after the troops left the camp on Beaver creek, a party of thirty or forty Indians appeared about a mile ahead of them. Lieutenant Fish was detailed with twenty men, on picked horses, to overtake the Indians if possible, and Lieutenant Ingraham followed with the advanced guard, with orders to keep in sight of Fish and go to his support if necessary. The pursuit was conducted with great energy, but after having been continued for eight miles, over a country intersected by ravines, no gain had been made upon the savages. About eleven o'clock in the morning the troops found it necessary to cross a small stream which they had been following; and, owing to the density of the timber along this stream and the belief that a large body of Indians was nearby, every precaution was taken, in crossing the wagons, to guard against surprise. Lieutenant Ingraham was ordered to reconnoiter the timber in the vicinity of the crossing, Lieutenant Stockton deployed his company to the front, as skirmishers, and the troopers stood ready to mount at the word of command. During the crossing of the creek, the Indian scouts with the troops became entangled with the hostile Indians, and Lieutenant Stockton went to their assistance. The number of Indians rapidly increased. A level plain, crossed by ravines, lay in front of the troops, and behind them was the timbered stream. Beyond the plain a range of low hills stretched parallel with the valley. From every draw and pocket the Indians, from six hundred to eight hundred in number, swarmed into the plain, apparently in a flank movement, while Captain Carr intended to attack in front. The entire command galloped forward, but before it reached the Indians they began to give way. Though the soldiers put their jaded horses to their topmost speed, the fresh ponies of the Indians were |
able to gain on their pursuers, though followed for fifteen miles. The long-range arms of the soldiers were, however, effective. The Indians crossed the Republican river and scattered among the hills on the north side, and further pursuit was impracticable. Twenty-nine of them were killed, and an unknown number were wounded in the encounter. No fatalities were reported by their antagonists.3
During the war of the rebellion, the
Indians, taking advantage of the diversion of the small
garrisons of the plains to the South, and incited to
hostility by Confederate sympathizers, were very troublesome
on the plains of Nebraska. To protect the frontier and the
"pilgrims," as the emigrants were called, detachments of
soldiers were stationed at a number of places along the
overland trails. Forts were established in the Platte
valley, at intervals of a few miles, and squads of soldiers
patrolled the most frequented routes of travel.
Notwithstanding these precautions, however, the Indians
committed many depredations on outlying ranches and the
smaller parties of travelers. 3A full account of this expedition by its commander, Captain S. D. Sturgis, of the First cavalry, dated Fort Kearny, August 12, 1860, is published in the report of the secretary of war for 1860--Senate Documents 2d session 36th Congress, v. 2, p. 19. It appears that the boggy stream the command crossed on the day of the battle was a branch of Whelan's (Beaver) Creek. The fatalities of the attacking force were two friendly Indians killed, three officers wounded, and one missing. Companies A, B, C, D, E, and I composed the command. The fact that the Indians were pursued fifteen miles is some indication that the battle-field is in the southwesterly part of Red Willow county, since the Beaver and the Republican approach each other too closely east of that vicinity to fit the description.-ED. 4This shocking tragedy of the great Indian war which was precipitated in 1864 occurred about one hundred and seventy-five miles southeast of |
this punishment would put a stop to further hostilities by these two tribes; but on the 7th of January, 1865, the Indians, to the number of more than one thousand, appeared suddenly before Fort Julesburg.5 In the battle that ensued, which continued for several hours, fourteen of the soldiers were killed, while the Indians are known to have lost at least fifty-six. After this engagement, the Indians disappeared from the vicinity of Fort Julesburg, and as it was reported they had gone down into the Republican valley Denver. It was denounced in severest language by officers of the department of the interior. N. G. Taylor, member of a special commission appointed to investigate the Indian troubles, called it, in his report, "the horrible Sand Creek massacre," and a "cold-blooded butchery of women and children, disarmed warriors and old men"; and General John B. Sanborn, member of a commission appointed by the president of the United States February 18, 1867, to investigate the causes of the incessant Indian hostilities, denounced the Sand Creek butchery still more severely. He said that the commanding officer of the post [Fort Lyon] guaranteed them protection, designated a place for them to encamp on Sand Creek while the chiefs and young men were absent to bring in the hostiles and procure food for their people, and gave them a United States flag to indicate their friendship and insure their protection. While they were thus encamped and at a moment of their feeling of greatest security, United States troops were seen approaching, presumed by them to be on a friendly mission. White Antelope, who had made himself a servant of the whites on the plains, stepped out apparently to greet and welcome the troops, but was shot down like a dog and the massacre of women and children commenced. "Some twelve old men and about one hundred and fifty women and children were put to death by the troops. Helpless infancy and decrepit age shared the same fate. Women were scalped, disemboweled, and unseemly parts cut from their places and borne off on the pommels and saddles or bridles of horses." (These denunciations were copied from my "History of the Indian War on the Plains from 1864 to Final Peace," pages 20 and 54, and footnote 2, ms. Nebraska State Historical Society.) The troops engaged in the massacre comprised three companies of the First regiment Colorado cavalry and a detachment of the Third regiment Colorado cavalry, commanded by John M. Chivington, colonel of the First Colorado. (History of Nebraska, v. 2, p. 188, note.)--ED. 5Though often called Fort Julesburg, this post was named Fort Sedgwick by order of the war department, September 27th, 1864, immediately after its construction. See footnote 1 of Adventures On The Plains 1865-67, this volume.-ED. |
in southwestern Nebraska, those in authority determined to pursue them. Accordingly an expedition was fitted out, under the command of General Mitchell, which started from Fort Cottonwood6 down what was termed the "Trader's Trail" on the 16th day of January, 1865. They went in a southwesterly direction until they reached the Kansas-Nebraska boundary, not far from the southwestern corner of the state, from which point part of the detachment continued for fifty miles down into Kansas. Returning to the Republican river, they followed that stream as far east as the mouth of the Medicine, when they turned north, reaching Fort Cottonwood on the 26th day of January. The sufferings of the men in this winter campaign of twelve days were almost unendurable. The weather was extremely cold, at one time the mercury registering twenty degrees below zero. The men had no shelter but their tents, and many nights they were compelled to sit by their camp fires to keep from freezing. We, who know the country as it is do-day (sic), can scarcely realize what suffering such an adventure entailed. From morning till night the troopers rode over the plain in search of an elusive foe, whose presence they could feel but could not see, not knowing at what instant a savage and relentless horde might swoop down upon them. The prairies at this season are overpowering in their desolation. The stream, from bank to bank, is a sheet of ice. Through the leafless branches of the trees that fringe the river the winter winds wail dismally, after dark, to the accompaniment of that dolefulest of sounds--the coyote's cry. The hills that bound the valley are 6According to Eugene Ware's story of the expedition in "The Indian War of 1864," pp. 454 and 458, it went from Fort Cottonwood to Jack Morrow's ranch, ten miles west, on the evening of the 15th and started from Morrow's, southwesterly, up Trader's Trail, on the 16th as the author says.--ED. |
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