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GALIESTO, 20 Miles South of Santa Fe, August 11,1849. Before leaving Independence we had reliable in formation of the successful working of the Taos mines, and finally concluded to take them in our route, and should we be able to make anything by working them, to spend most of the Summer there, and pass down by way of the Gila in the fall and Winter, and be ready for work in California in the spring. We had previously concluded to take the Gila route in preference to the northern, on ac count of the large amount of emigration that were going out that way. With this view we left Independence about the 15th of May, taking the old Santa Fe trail to the crossing of the Arkansas—thence up the Arkan sas, via Bent’s Fort to Puebla, a village built by the Mormons,where they stopped the first winter after leaving the States, and about 100 miles above Bent’s Fort. We here crossed the river and took a south wardly course about thirty miles to Green Horne (or horn) Fort, situated on a creek of that name, and about five miles from the base of that part of Rocky Mountains, known as the Spanish Peaks, and about forty miles from the Taos Mines. It is occupied by a party of traders, who gather up furs and Robes from the Indians in the winter, and send them to the States in the Spring. In the neighborhood of this place we had sup posed, would be a suitable place to do the re pairs which were necessary to be done to the wag ons, and also to send out a detachment to exam ine the mines, before moving the train up to them. We encamped about five miles south-west of the Fort, and about three miles from the base of the mountain, on a beautiful plain, sloping off from the mountain, four and a half to four and three quarters wide and three miles long, bounded on each side with a stream of clear cold water, occa sioned by the melting of the snows on the top of the mountain, running by. From our camp we have a most beautiful view ; in our rear is a range of fofty mountains , although it is only about two miles distant, yet it would be a good day’s journey to reach its summit and return. About thirty miles to the south, are those two cele brated peaks, generally marked in all our maps , and about eighty miles the Raton mountains, cele brated for their beautiful and Castle like appear ance, and about thirty miles to the east, is a range of high and lofty hills, striking out from the Raton mountains to the Arkansas, and about two miles distant on the north, are high and rocky spurs running out five or six miles from the main moun tain and nearly at right angles. Taking the whole together it makes one of the most beautiful views I ever beheld. It was on the 2d of July we pitched our camp at this place, and immediately took measures to send forward the detachment to examine the mines.— The detail was made and they left camp for that purpose on the 4th. While they were absent, those remaining in camp burned two kilns of Coal,—put up a couple of forges we had with us, and went on with the repairs of our wagons. There was scarce ly any of the wagons but what wanted more or less repairs—they were generally new,—some made to order, others were thought of the manufacturer. The Mule part of the train, to which Tam attached, consists of eighteen wagons, and all but three had to have the tire cut or otherwise repaired, and those three were wagons that had been used the year previous, and two of them belong to the mess to which I do. I would advise any one in taking a trip of this kind, to purchase good second hand wagons, in preference to new ones. The detachment which went forward to exam ine the mines returned in about eight days with an unfavorable report. It had been the intention of the company, to have crossed the mountains at the Mines, and go down the valley of the Rio Grande, which I suppose would have been done, had the commanding officer thought proper to have or dered the train forward ; but he not liking the route appointed a board of road viewers to report to the company the practicability of taking the train over that route, at present only a mule path, which re viewers made I believe about the following re port: From camp by way of Eaton Mountains, Vegas, Peca, Galisteo, c. to Valencia, about 150 miles further than by the way of Taos and the Valley of the Rio Grande to Valencia. The distance from camp to the foot of the pass in the mountain, twen ty miles, requires the labors of fifty men one and a half days; from the foot of the pass to the valley of Santa Cristi, twenty miles, one half of this road is good, the balance dead timber and brush to cut, and some rock to remove, will take 50 men six days,no very steep grades to overcome; the road down the valley of the Rio Grande is good. The report was presented to the company, and the route of the Raton Mountains adopted. Should there ever be much trade carried on be tween the States and that part of the valley of the Rio Grande, above Santa Fe, which by the by is considerable at present, this route across the moun tains to the valley of the Santa Christi, will be adopted, and no doubt will be much the best pass that has ever yet been found. The advantage it will have over the other routes, will be the abun ant supply of wood, water, and grass. For a description of the route from Indepen dence to Bent’s Fort, and from the crossing Purga tory at the foot of the Raton Mountiins, to Santa Fe, I refer you to Major Emory’s very able and correct report made in 1846—7, with the advance guard of the army, of the west, and any person wishing to take this route need no better guide than his report. The road from Bent Fort to Puebla is along the valley of the river and good. The road from Pu ebla to the Raton mountains is about 130 miles and was never traveled but with a small train before ours it is generally three or four miles from the mountain and is as good a road, and as easily trav eled with a road as the road from Springfield to Beardstown. The crossing of the Raton is about 30 miles from the crossing of the Purgatory; from the base to the summit is about 20 miles, and from the summit to the valley below,on the opposite side, about ten miles. Were it not for a rocky spur of the mountain of about one mile you have to pass in descending the road would be good. I asked some of the committee who reviewed the other route while passing this place, the difference between this place and the route they reviewed ; they replied that the other road was smooth and level compared to this. Our trip thus far has been rather pleasant than otherwise as far as traveling is concerned; the weather has been fine, the roads good and the health of the camp excellent. The company have to regret the death of W. W. Simms, of Jackson ville, who was accidently caught under one of the wheels of his wagon,and was so injured that he died in about two hours. It happened about 20 miles from Puebla on the Arkansas; he was taken to the village and buried on the point of a high bluff in the vicinity of several other graves. We have had two or three alarms, but no trouble from Indians. While traveling on the Arkansas, near Mann’s Fort, about 10 o’clock on Sunday morning, while the boys were generally washing and dressing, there was discovered about 2 or 3 miles distant on the opposite side of the River on a high rise of ground, something supposed to be a herd of Buffalo, but on a close examination with a glass they were found to be a large body of Indians ri ding to and fro, apparently in great excitement and haste; in a short time took up the line of march for our camp at full speed. The alarm was sounded and in a few minutes the stock was all corrolled, alt being picketed near camp,and the boys paraded on the bank of the river opposite to where the Indians had already arrived. Seeing our determination to oppose their crossing, they sent forward a flag of truce, when a parley ensued. We then returned to our camp and the Indians were then suffered to cross, when a brisk trade was struck up of Lassoes and moccasins, for trinkets of different kinds which the boys had with them. This has been the dubbed the Battle of the Black Raven, on account of a raven’s nest in a large cotton wood near by.— Their intention was plunder no doubt, as they were hovering round our camp, by spells for the next two or three days, since which we have not seen any, although we have been traveling through an Indian country all the time, and some of the most warlike kinds, especially the Butaws, which range the very country we have traveled east of the mountains. I have just heard the same tribe that visited us had attacked a small train and took such things as they wanted, powder, lead, sugar, coffee, ice. We have had generally a good supply of fresh meat since we left Independence; scarcely a day passed but what we had deer or antelope in camp ; when we came in the Vinity of the little Arkan sas we were in the range of the Buffalo, and it appeared that the whole plain for two or three hundred miles was one complete drove, and it was a common thing for the company to take four or five a day,and some days as high as ten or twelve, and frequently as many calves, which was some of the finest we all ever ate. Since leav ing the range of Buffaloes we have had plenty of Deer and Antelope; while passing along the foot of the mountains, large quantities of Pheasants were killed, which were about the size of the prairie hen, but far better; also a plenty of the hare and rabbit, many of which were killed daily. Since we came to the Moree creek where the Bent’s fort and the old Santa Fe road meet, there has been no game, and there is none generally through the mountains. We are now encamped at Galistes, about 20 miles south of Santa Fe, where we have been for the last week, but will leave here for the Gila on day after tomorrow. I have just retired from Santa Fe where I have been for the last two days. It at present has something the appearance of Inde pendence in the spring. There are a great many emigrants fixing there for California; some have come out by the regular traveled route, many by Fort Smith, on the Arkansas. There is a compa ny from New York camped near us, whose wagons have given out, and are now preparing to pack; there th en are several others about Santa Fe in the same They take almost every directio from here to California. Some go by the way of the old Span ish trail, some direct to the Mormon settlement on the Salt Lake, some by the way of Puebla on the Arkansas, by Fort Laramie to the South pass.— We met on the route one fresh company 300 men and another of 50, who had come by Fort Smith and Santa Fe. Those who are now leaving take the Gila route.. Some eight or ten companies have left, amounting to three or four hundred wagons; there are three or four companies to leave next week. Col. Collier, collector of the Port of San Fran cisco is at Santa Fe and will leave,for California in a few days, and will probably go out with us. Cc. LUDLUM.
Newspaper Details
Sangamo Journal
Springfield, Illinois, US
Tue, Sep 18, 1849
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
CO, USA 31 Dec 2025
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