After suffering losses going head to head with American troops, Native Americans turned to guerrilla tactics of warfare, raiding small parties. Sometimes these raids involved taking the anglos' necessities. Sometimes they meant to kill them outright.
In the summer of 1870, nearby Fort Whipple had an extreme shortage of men. In order to keep a skeleton crew guarding the fort, they could only send out around half a dozen soldiers at a time. (*1)
When the local Native Americans learned this, the surrounding settlements around Prescott quickly found themselves in serious trouble.
The June 25th, 1870 issue of the Arizona (Weekly) Miner related that:
*A placer miner's horse was stolen at Lynx Creek.
*A pair of men were shot at as they travelled from Lonesome Valley to the Big Bug Creek.
*The Watson family as well as a Canadian emigrant were killed between Kirkland Junction and Camp Date Creek. (*2)
It was reported that the Indians "have infested every road, trail, and pass through the country, and robbed and murdered the traveler...(as well as) the farmer and the miner."(*3)
The story of a group of Mexican volunteers fighting proudly during the Indian Conflicts.
Walnut Grove, a settlement that might have been all but lost to history had it not been for a deadly dam disaster in 1890, was particularly hard hit.
The settlement, located about 30 miles south-southeast of Prescott, included farmers and miners, both of whom's luck would eventually run out.
One man's account of the trials and tribulations of simply traveling to Prescott, Arizona in 1871.
In June of 1870, Apaches raided the area no less than three times in a single week. They "stole two horses from John Burger and...ten head of donkeys from Mr. Lamberson." Then "they visited the valley, cut down a great deal of wheat and carried it away to some secure place in the mountains." (*4)
"Indians were plenty in the vicinity" of Walnut Grove. In July, "(they) chased Mr. Lamberson's cattle out of his corral." (*5)
The reason for the Indian's successes was mostly due to a real shortage of men at Fort Whipple. Many of the scantly paid soldiers got gold fever and left for the hills. "The fact is, the ranks of the few companies of troops...in this section of territory (had) been thinned by death, desertion and discharge until only a few (were) left in each company to do garrison duty, escort trains, mails, paymasters, etc." (*1)
For their part, local whites were becoming bitter. "There's nothing wrong with our territory," the newspaper wrote, "our only problems lie with the red devils and the government." (*3)
For their part, local whites were becoming bitter. "There's nothing wrong with our territory," the newspaper wrote, "our only problems lie with the red devils and the government." (*3)
However, these Indian successes would soon bring the attention of the eastern press and Washington, DC. and the necessary soldiers would be on their way.
The days of the Indians roaming and raiding freely were numbered.
The days of the Indians roaming and raiding freely were numbered.
Sources:
(*1) Arizona (Weekly) Miner, July 2, 1870; page 3 col 2
(*2) Ibid. June 25, 1870; page 3 cols 1&2
(*3) Ibid. July 23, 1870; page 2 col 2
(*4) Ibid. July 2, 1870; page 3 col 3
(*5) Ibid. July 30, 1870 page 3 col 2
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Many of my family members are buried in the Walnut Grove Cemetery. The Jackson's, Campbell's, McNary's. George and Elizabeth Jackson homesteaded Walnut Grove and this cemetery is on land George Jackson and George Oswald donated for their neighbors and ranchers living in the area.
ReplyDeleteTheir Ranch was the SAD Ranch, which stands for the youngest son, Stephen Andrew Douglas Jackson.
George Oswald (Oswalt) is Elizabeth's son from a former marriage. Both, Georges received 160 arces, so the SAD Cattle Ranch was 320 acres in total.
Charles and Mariah McNary, early pioneers, settled in Picket Post, in 1872-73. Their daughter Emmaline McNary, married Stephen Jackson. Several McNary's rest here.
My Great Aunt Ilee Campbell is buried here as are other Campbell family members.
I have a book my Great Aunt Ilee wrote about her life growing up in the late 1800's on her Grandparents ranch. Her Grandparents are Charles and Mariah McNary. She was a young girl during the Sheep and Cattle Wars, and wrote a some events she remembered about that, and also when the Spanish Flu hit. She took food to sick families, and wrote of knocking on doors and when no one answered, she opened the door and called-out, only to find entire families dead. Apparently, three or four families were found this way. Many people in the area died, she wrote.
Her father, Archie Campbell worked the mines up in Jerome. This is when Jerome was considered the most lawless town in the United States.
Molly Pierce Jackson is the second wife of Stephen Jackson and is buried next to him in the Walnut Grove Cemetery. The Pierces were well known and can be found in books on Arizona's early Pioneers, and other history books.
I want to ask if I might have some information on events back in the day, or if you like, maybe I have something of interest in the book Ilee Campbell wrote. Thank you,
Sincerely your, Kandie L Mitchell (Rosales is my married name)