Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1879.djvu/19

Rh of Agent Meeker, who had applied for military aid in keeping the Indians on the reservation, growing louder, the matter was referred in July last to Major Thornburgh, commanding at Fort Steele, for report. Major Thornburgh reported that the complaints about outrages committed by the Indians outside of the reservation were untrue; that the Utes had been merely on a hunting expedition but had harmed nobody, and “that he had never received any orders from his superiors to cause the Indians to remain on their reservation at the request of the agent, but was ready to attempt anything required of him.”

Then occurred the difficulty between Agent Meeker and some of his Indians in consequence of the plowing of a certain piece of land, the assault upon the agent, Mr. Meeker’s request for troops to restore order and to arrest the offenders, the advance of Major Thornburgh’s command upon the reservation, the fight in which Major Thornburgh and some of his men were killed, the massacre of Agent Meeker and the agency employés, the valiant defense of the surrounded troops under Captain Payne, the heroic feat of Captain Dodge and his company of colored cavalry, the splendid march of General Merritt for their relief, the advance to the agency and the sudden retreat of the Indians, as set forth in detail in the report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

As soon as the attack upon Major Thornburgh had become known to him, Ouray, the head chief of the Ute tribe, had sent his orders to the White River Utes to cease fighting, and to retreat before the military forces. The department received information of this fact on November 13, and on the same day I instructed Charles Adams, esq., of Colorado, an officer in the Post-Office Department, who at my request was, by the kindness of the Postmaster-General, detailed for temporary service in this department, a gentleman known by me to be well acquainted with the Ute chiefs and to possess their confidence, to proceed as a special agent to the Los Pinos Agency and to put himself in communication with Ouray, and eventually with the White River band of Utes. The end he was desired to accomplish was twofold: first, to effect the liberation of the wives and children of Agent Meeker and his employés whom the White River Utes had carried with them as captives; and, secondly, if possible, to prevail upon the White River Utes to surrender those of their number who were involved in the attack upon Major Thornburgh and the massacre of Agent Meeker and his employés. Mr. Adams acted in the performance of this task with an intrepidity and judgment worthy of the highest praise. He found in Chief Ouray a loyal and energetic friend, and then went personally to the camp of the White River hostiles on Grand River, where the captive women and children were given up to him. He then proceeded to General Merritt’s camp on White River to communicate to him what had happened and what he still hoped to accomplish. From there he returned by way of the hostile camp to Los Pinos for further conference with Ouray. As soon as the report of the liberation of the captive women and children was received by this
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