The Weekly Arizona Miner was shocked. “The Indians…commenced the most daring, vigorous, persistent and may we add, successful raids against the whites of this section that we have ever known or heard of them to make.” The newspaper was referring to a series of four raids in as many days. “And in ever instance,” the paper continued, “ [they] have come out winners in the game of life and death.”
It started in late October, 1868. “Our people have been in a high state of excitement ever since our wily foes started upon this, their most brilliant campaign,” the paper declared.
Sunday October 25:
It seemed a peaceful autumn Sunday when Josiah Whitcomb, William King, and a Mr. Boblett, who all had ranches along the toll-road into Prescott, started toward that town. Four miles away from downtown Prescott, at Burnt Ranch, they were ambushed by Native Americans. From both sides of the road Native Americans rose up and began a merciless fire. Whitcomb, who was driving the wagon was killed almost immediately. He dropped the reins and started to fall out of the wagon. However, Boblett dropped his weapon and grabbed Whitcomb and brought him back into the wagon. He then grabbed the reins “and drove out of the trap as fast as possible,” the Weekly Journal-Miner told. Boblett’s gun fell from the wagon and fell into hands of the Native Americans. Boblett escaped injury as did a discharged soldier who was fellowing behind. As soon as the ambush was sprung, King raised his weapon to return fire, but a bullet cut through his left leg causing a severe wound which took him out of the fight.
A group of new recruited soldiers was traveling behind this party and heard the attack, but by the time they reached the area, the only thing left was the after-math.
Jefferson Harrison Lee, owner of the American Ranch, was with that group of soldiers. He surveyed the scene and reported to the Journal-Miner “that the ground in the vicinity of the place where the attack was made, was literally covered with arrows.”
Whitcomb was buried in the Masonic Graveyard. He left a wife and three children as well as his aged parents who also lived in the vicinity. The paper later reported that King was healing.
Monday, October 26:
The following day, two Miles south of where Highway 169 meets Interstate 17 today, there was another Indigenous ambush against five Caucasians. Three soldiers were accompanying George Bowers and Joseph Lennon who were traveling from Camp Lincoln to Prescott.
Where's Camp Lincoln? Find out:
A comprehensive primer of military posts in Yavapai County, AZ during the Indian Wars. Included are dates, locations and the reason behind each post's name.
“At the time of the attack,” the paper described, “Mr. Bowers was in the lead, followed by a soldier; next came Mr. Lennon, who was followed by two soldiers.”
“The first intimation he party had of danger was the seeing of a blaze of fire issuing from the mouths of about thirty guns,” the paper continued, “which the Indians had leveled upon them from both sides of the road, accompanied by showers of arrows and deafening savage yells.”
The leader, George Bowers, was shot in the abdomen, but it was the soldier following him who took the brunt of the fire. He fell from his mule after being wounded in six places.
Under fire, the two uninjured soldiers collected their comrade, while Lennon grabbed Bowers. Lennon put Bowers over his horse while the soldiers did the same for their stricken compatriot. The took off post-haste followed for a mile and a half “by about sixty yelling, fiendish [Native Americans],” the paper wrote. Mr. Lennon and the soldiers who were following him were fortunate to escape injury.
The fleeing party then caught up with Lt. Derby and approximately 20 soldiers “Who where coming to Fort Whipple with some wagons,” the paper wrote. “The wounded men were placed in the wagons, and all returned to Camp Lincoln;” while Lennon, Lt. Derby and seven soldiers continued toward Prescott. “In this fight, the Indians captured a mule, a Spencer gun, two revolvers, and lots of ammunition,” the paper related.
Tuesday October 27:
The Osborn ranch, east of present day Camp Verde, already had four horses taken from them since Spring. As a result, they relocated the horse corral adjacent to the house. Despite this effort, the stealthy Native Americans were still able to steal two more horses this night within twenty steps of the front door! The equines made no protest nor alarm.
Wednesday October 28:
It was in the evening and Augustus Begole and BF Thompson were hauling a load of timber to the ranch that Begole was in a partnership with EA Banning (for whom the creek is named,) located about three-quarters of a mile south of Prescott.
As they approached the ranch, “they were attacked by a large party of Indians, who lay hid in the rocks,” the newspaper described. The Native Americans hid stealth fully while the party passed before they attacked from behind; “which they did with guns, bows and arrows, and unearthly yells,” the paper described.
Thompson was said to have fought bravely before being cut down by the native warriors. Begole suffered a severe injury to his shoulder, yet he still was able to empty his revolver. He then dashed for the ranch house and grabbed a rifle “and prevented [them] from taking the team.
Searchers looked for Thompson’s body all night, but he wasn’t found until after sunrise. All of his clothes had been taken off of him, and he was immediately buried on the spot he was found.
Description of the Indian Wars in Yavapai County, AZ in the Spring of 1870.
The newspaper was despondent: “We have not time nor space to say more on this subject, but would earnestly implore General Halleck to take note of our helpless condition and send more troops here as speedily as possible.”
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SOURCE:
Weekly Arizona Miner, 10/31/1868 Pg. 2 Cols. 1-2
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