by Charles W. Bowman
Chapter VII
Events of 1865-1868
In 1865, Fort Lyon was garrisoned by Company G, Second
United States Cavalry, and two companies of volunteers, distinguished, from the
fact of their doubtful loyalty, as "Galvanized Yankees." Capt. David S. Gordon
was Post Commander. In the fall, the cavalry company was relieved by Company I,
Third Infantry, when Lieut. I.W. Hamilton became Post Commander. On the 1st of
November, Company G, of the Third, arrived at Fort Lyon, and Lieut. E.A. Belger
assumed command. The "Galvanized Yankees" left about the middle of November, for
Fort Leavenworth, where, with other detachments of the same class of troops,
from Garland and Union, they were mustered out.
In the fall of 1866, two companies of the Seventh Cavalry, then lately
organized, reached the fort, and Capt. G. Robeson (brother of Secretary Robeson)
assumed command. Robeson retained command till March, 1867, when he was relieved
by Capt. W.H. Penrose, Company I, Third Infantry, Brevet Brigadier General.
That spring, an unprecedented rain occurred, beginning about the 10th of May
and continuing daily for a month. No such flood had been known from the earliest
times. The Arkansas was out of its banks, and the water two feet deep on the
level in Fort Lyon. The troops were consequently obliged to evacuate the fort
and take refuge in tents on the adjoining bluffs. This abandonment proved to be
permanent. Capt. Kirk, the Quartermaster, proceeded with a force of mechanics
twenty-five miles westward to the site of the present Fort Lyon, about the 1st
of June, and began the improvements which afterward developed into Fort Lyon.
Thenceforth, the former post became Old Fort Lyon, which name it still retains.
Capt. Kirk had among his employes at this time, Holbrook, Chief Clerk; George
Hunter and Philip Lander, the McMurtrie brothers, Mark B. Price and Harry Floyd.
On the 11th of June the Post Commander moved his headquarters and command to the
site of the new Fort Lyon, where the troops went into camp.
The post traders at Fort Lyon from 1865 were Lyman Fields, till 1867, when he
sold out to A.E. Reynolds and B.D. Smith. Reynolds & Smith removed with the
troops to the new fort, and continued business only a few months. Two stores
were next opened, one by J.A. Thatcher & Co., the other by A.E. Reynolds. In
1869, one store was discontinued by order of the War Department. A.E. Reynolds &
Co. remained till 1870, when they were succeeded by S.G. Bridges. Bridges held
on till 1877, when he was superseded by George M. Brown, present incumbent.
About the time of the removal from Old Fort Lyon, Company G, of the
Thirty-seventh Infantry, was added to the command. The Indians continuing
hostile, it was necessary to run escorts with all the stage coaches, and
maintain guards at the stations. The infantry was accordingly distributed to the
various stage stations to the east as far as Dave Keener's, known as the
Baltimore ranch. During the month of June, three members of Company G,
Thirty-seventh, were surprised and killed at Pleasant Encampment. The stages
were frequently fired into and robbed, but no passengers killed. The method of
the Indians was to dash up, fire a volley and gallop away. Charles Bent, son of
Col. Bent, was head chief of the Southern Cheyennes, and was credited with
leading these forays. All trains of immigrants and freighters were required by
the military commander at Fort Riley to organize in parties of fifty wagons,
form a military organization and thoroughly arm and equip before proceeding, the
Government providing arms and ammunition.
The
year 1868 is memorable to all old settlers as the year the Indians were bad.
They not only harassed travelers and freighters along the routes of travel, but
killed and drove off stock of the settlers. E.R. Sizer, J.W. Prowers, William
Bent, Thomas Boggs, Kit Carson's estate, all lost stock, and had some herders
killed. Sizer's ranch was attacked two or three times, and his barn burned. The
soldiers were out as often as two or three times a week for the purpose of
guarding ranches or rescuing the inhabitants. In cases of extreme peril, the
settlers on the Lower Purgatoire gathered at Boggsville for defense, and in Nine
Mile Bottom, at the ranch of Urial Higbee. On the morning of September 8
(election day), an attack was made all along the creek. Thomas Kinsey, a Judge
of Election, was killed while on his way from Sizer's ranch to the voting-place,
Boggsville. Word was conveyed to the fort, and troops at once started out in
pursuit of the Indians, Gen. Penrose in command, accompanied by several
citizens. The Indians proved to be only a small party. They were pursued and
overtaken twenty-five miles south of the fort, and four of them killed, with a
loss of two soldiers. The remainder of the Indians escaped, taking with them a
lot of stock stolen form Boggsville.
A month later, or the next full moon, the Indians, two or three hundred
strong, made their appearance near Boggsville. Fortunately, the settlers had
been expecting them, and were able to make such formidable demonstrations, aided
by the troops, as caused the foe to withdraw without attacking. Nor did Gen.
Penrose dare pursue them, as it seemed evident, from their maneuvers, they
desired he should. They contented themselves by killing or driving away what
stock they found, and, turning aside from their usual southeasterly course into
the valley near Big Sandy, they found and attacked the train of George Pool, and
cut out and drove off a wagon containing Mrs. Flynn, a sister of Mrs. J.F.
Buttles. From this captivity Mrs. Flynn never escaped, but was killed by the
squaws the next winter during an attack on the Indians by Gen. Custer.
In the autumn of 1868, a mammoth expedition against the Indians was organized
at Fort Lyon, under Gen. Carr. Gen. Penrose moved out in advance, with the Tenth
Cavalry and parts of the Third and Fifth Infantry. Gen. Carr followed with the
Fifth Cavalry and one company of the Third Infantry, and overtook Penrose on the
Palo Duro, where he assumed command of the whole expedition. But it was
resultless, the grand army returning without striking a blow. Perhaps something
should be credited to its moral effect on the Indians, as there were no more
raids on the Purgatoire. Gen. Penrose reached Fort Lyon with his original
command February 16, 1869. The return of the troops was the signal for the
return of the settlers to their several ranches, and the resumption of travel
and freighting.
In 1867 and 1868, an organized band of stock-thieves, under the lead of
William Coe, operated between Colorado and New Mexico. Their principal
rendezvous was at a stone ranch and corral on the Dry Cimarron. They also had a
station at the Hoerner ranch, on the Purgatoire, twelve miles above Boggsville.
A number of murders were known to have been committed by them. A detective sent
out from Fort Lyon, among others, met death at their hands. In the spring of
1868, a flock of 3,000 sheep, stolen in New Mexico, was found in their
possession on Adobe Creek, which led to their arrest. A Sheriff from Trinidad,
assisted by troops and citizens, surrounded eight of the gang while they were
engaged at a game of cards at the Hoerner ranch, and, by shoving the muzzles of
nine or ten rifles in at the door, compelled an unconditional surrender. The
officer and posse proceeded next to a house above Higbee's and captured Coe. The
prisoners were sent to the fort for safe keeping, but, within two weeks, made
their escape. Six were re-captured, including the leader, and turned over to the
civil authorities at Pueblo. Shortly after this, Coe was taken from the jail at
Pueblo and privately hung by a committee of soldiers – it was believed at the
instigation of their superior officer. Certain it is, they were not court
martialed, nor was there any public demonstration of sorrow for the deceased.
