Pueblo County CO Archives History - Books .....Chapter 1 - At The Branching Of The Trail 1917
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Book Title: Pathbreakers And Pioneers Of The Pueblo Region

CHAPTER I.
AT THE BRANCHING OF THE TRAIL.

    Were it possible to turn back the wheels of time a brief space of sixty
years the view presented to us by the upper Arkansas would be strange indeed.
Where now rumbles the locomotive there would be seen the wagon train wending its
weary way westward to some point in Colorado or New Mexico or even to far away
California. Where now chugs the automobile upon a graveled road, then the
buffalo and antelope had their paths or the Indian his trail. Instead of groves
and green fields there would be presented to the eye of the traveler an endless
expanse of prairie, broken only by bluffs and arroyos. Here in this garden spot
of the West the Indian and the bison were in undisputed control with only the
appearance of an occasional trapper or freighter to remind both that their reign
in this vast western empire was about to be contested.

    It was in this valley that many of the stirring events which came to typify
western life, were enacted. It would be impossible to go back to the time when
the Arkansas valley was not used as a trail. The first introduction to this
locality occurred probably in the 16th century at which time the Spaniards made
intermittent attempts to secure a foothold in this region. 
It was not until the year 1740, however, that they succeeded in establishing
anything of a permanent nature in the Arkansas valley. During the years
1740-1750 they maintained a trading post on the Huerfano river, not far from its
mouth. Ruins of houses, remains of irrigation ditches, both of Spanish origin,
have been found for a distance of thirty or forty miles below Pueblo. This seems
to indicate that the Spaniards had made serious attempts to settle this region.
It is extremely unlikely, however, that any permanent settlement could have been
maintained here at this early date, owing to the exposed condition of this
region to marauding bands of Indians.

    The French became a source of much trouble to the Spaniards in their
attempts to control the Arkansas valley. Upon at least two occasions Spanish
expeditions were sent out from New Mexico into this region to drive out these
French invaders.

    In the year 1714, it was reported to the Spanish authorities in New Mexico
that French settlers from the region of the Mississippi had traversed the
Arkansas, or Napesta, as it was then called, to its source. Fearing that
attempts would be made by the French to secure a foothold in this region an
expedition of one hundred five Spaniards with thirty warriors of one of the
Pueblo tribes, set forth from Santa Fe to punish these invaders. From a
description of their route, it is probable that this expedition entered the
Arkansas valley by way of the Sangre de Cristo Pass. This being the case the
expedition very likely passed over the present site of Pueblo. They continued
their journey as far north as the present site of Colorado Springs and may have
crossed the divide into the valley of the Platte. Although the Spaniards came
into contact with some Apache Indians who bore fresh gunshot wounds inflicted by
the French, no other trace of them could be found.

    Again in the year of 1720 a military force of about two hundred men
accompanied by 1,200 or 1,300 colonists set out for the north. Although their
destination has always been in doubt, they probably followed the same route
taken by the former expedition as far as the Arkansas. Turning east their course
led down the river where they were led into a trap by the Indians, the entire
body of soldiers and colonists being massacred, a priest alone, by the name of
Father Juan Pino, being allowed to live.

    After this disaster no further attempt was made by the Spaniards to keep the
French out of this region. The French continued their activities in the Arkansas
valley until their final downfall in America, which occurred in the year 1763.

    According to General Amos Stoddard, who represented the Government of the
United States in the transfer of the northern part of the Louisiana Purchase to
this country, and who, some years later, wrote a book entitled "Sketches of
Louisiana," some French traders came up the Arkansas with a quantity of
merchandise and erected a trading post not far from the base of the Rockies.
This occurred before the year 1762. The Spaniards deeming this an invasion of
their territory, arrested these traders, seized their goods and demanded the
punishment of the adventurers. The prisoners were eventually liberated and their
goods restored on the ground that the trading post in question was within the
boundaries of Louisiana. A further description of this French trading post
indicates that it was located on the present site of Pueblo, on the east bank of
the Fountain river.

    If the assumption is true as to the location of this French trading post,
Pueblo becomes the location of the first building of permanent nature, not only
in Colorado, but also in the entire Rocky Mountain region north of the Spanish
settlements in New Mexico.

    Although the Spanish inhabited this region for several decades and the
French explored it during their supremacy on this continent, yet neither of
these nations left any mark of their presence in the way of mission or trading
post or settlement of any kind. With the transfer of this region north of the
Arkansas to the hands of the Spanish in 1762, the French abandoned the Arkansas
valley entirely and the Spanish seem to have done nothing in the way of
exploring it during the thirty-eight years in which its legal title rested in
that nation.

    In the year 1803, in a manner unprecedented in American history, that almost
limitless region lying between the Mississippi and the crest of the Rockies, and
north of the Arkansas fell into the hands of the United States. Scarcely had the
vast domain come into our possession than plans were made for sending a
government expedition into the interior, for purposes of exploration. In 1804
Lewis and Clark, both of the army, were sent into the Northwest and two years
later Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike was sent up the Arkansas.

    This expedition of Pike's, which was to give the nation the first
semi-authentic report of the southern part of our new acquisition, left St.
Louis on July 11, 1806. His little command consisting of twenty-three men,
departed with apparently no intention of remaining away until the opening of
winter, as their clothing was wholly inadequate for extended exposure to cold
weather; but scant preparation had been made for an extended journey, even in
warm weather. Neither had the leader of the party provided himself with such
geographical data as an explorer could easily have obtained concerning the
region to be explored. But, in spite of this, as well as of Pike's inability to
chart his own route with any degree of accuracy, the report of the expedition,
inadequate though it was, gave to the nation its first real knowledge of the
Arkansas valley.

    We are interested for the present only in that part of Pike's expedition
which took him through the Pueblo region. When this little band entered the
upper Arkansas valley there was not a human habitation throughout its entire
extent and he encountered no human being in this region except the Indian. True
he came upon traces of Spaniards, but they had been sent into the valley for the
purpose of preventing Pike from exploring this region. It should be remembered
that at this time, Spain and the United States were at the point of war with
each other, hence Pike was obliged to move with the utmost caution to prevent
falling into the hands of the military expedition which had been sent out to
apprehend him. In fact he did finally wander into Spanish territory and permit
himself to be captured by the Spanish authorities.

    Pike crossed what was for the first time designated as "The Great American
Desert," and entered Colorado by what was later known as the Santa Fe trail. He
describes his first view of the Rocky Mountains as follows: "About two o'clock
in the afternoon I thought I could distinguish a mountain to our right which
appeared like a small blue cloud; viewed it with a spyglass and was still more
confirmed in my conjecture, yet only communicated it to Dr. Robinson, who was in
front of me, but in half an hour they appeared in full view before us. When our
party arrived on the hill, they, with one accord, gave three cheers for the
Mexican Mountains."

    Thus did Pike, for the first time, look upon that massive mountain which was
ever afterwards to be the monument commemorating to succeeding generations the
heroism of this courageous man and his band of faithful followers who struggled,
half clad, through snow and ice as they explored the head-waters of the Arkansas.

    On November the 21st Pike and his party entered the present boundaries of
Pueblo County, and camped a short distance below the mouth of the Huerfano
river. At this point he discovered the camp of a body of Spanish troops and also
the tracks of two men who had ascended the river the day before. This discovery
caused him to take every precaution to prevent being surprised and captured.

    Pike's introduction to Pueblo County was anything but pleasant. In the
vicinity of Avondale he encountered a band of Pawnee Indians. The adventure is
described in Pike's own words: "November 22. Marched at our usual hour and with
rather more caution than usual. After having marched about five miles on the
prairie, we descended into the bottoms, when Barony cried out: 'Voila un
Savage!' We observed a number running from the woods toward us; we advanced to
them, and on turning my head to the left, I observed several running on the hill
as it were to surround us, one with a stand of colors. This caused a momentary
halt; but perceiving those in front reaching out their hands, without arms, we
again advanced; they met us with open arms, crowding around us to touch and
embrace us. They appeared so anxious I dismounted from my horse; in a moment a
fellow had mounted him and was off. I then observed that Baroney and the doctor
were in the same predicament. After some time tranquility was so far restored,
they having returned our horses all safe, as to make us learn they were a war
party from the Grand Pawnees, who had been in search of the Tetans (Comanches);
but not finding them were now on their return. An unsuccessful war party on
their way home are always ready to embrace an opportunity of gratifying their
disappointed vengeance on the first person whom they met."

    There were about sixty warriors in all, some with fire arms and the
remainder with bows and arrows. A circle was arranged and the pipe was brought
forth. Pike ordered presents distributed, consisting of knives, fire-steels and
flints. The Indians demanded kettles, blankets and ammunition but were refused
by Pike. It was some time before the Indians consented to smoke the peace-pipe,
but according to Pike the party was "presented with a kettle of water and drank,
smoked and ate together."   The presents were distributed but some of the
Indians contemptuously threw them away. The little band was soon encircled by
the Indians who began stealing their tomahawks, blankets and other articles of
value. When the chief was appealed to his only reply was that "they were
pitiful." Becoming desperate, Pike ordered his men to place themselves in
position to give battle and at the same time informed the Indians that he would
kill the first one that touched his baggage, whereupon the savages filed away,
having stolen a tomahawk, a broad-axe, five canteens and sundry other smaller
articles.

    On November 23, 1806, the expedition arrived at the present site of Pueblo.
The complete entry in Pike's diary for this day is as follows: "Marched at 10
o'clock; at one o'clock came to the third fork, (St. Charles) on the south side
and encamped at night at the point of the grand forks, (confluence of Fountain
with the Arkansas). As the river appeared to be dividing itself into many small
branches, and of course must be nearing its extreme source, I concluded to put
the party in a defensible situation and ascend the north fork, (Fountain river),
to the high point of the blue mountain, (Pike's Peak), which we conceived would
be one day's march; in order to be enabled, from its pinacle to lay down the
various branches and positions of the country. Killed five buffalo."

    The next morning, November 24th, very early in the morning, Pike caused
fourteen logs to be cut and with them erected a breastwork five feet high on
three sides and the other thrown against the river. The fact is worthy of our
attention that this crude breastwork here on the banks of the Arkansas was the
first habitation in the present limits of Colorado to be erected and occupied by
Americans. No trace of this temporary fort has ever been found, but since it was
so near the bank of the river it is quite probable that the floods of summer
washed away the logs and obliterated all other evidences of it.

    Pike left a part of his command at the fort and with two or three others
took a little side trip up the Fountain river with the intention of scaling
Pike's Peak. In true tenderfoot style he departed at one o'clock in the
afternoon intending to camp near the base of the peak that evening. Much to his
surprise, after marching all afternoon and the entire day following, was he able
to camp only at the base of what he supposed was the great peak. But again he
was deceived for, after he had spent two days more struggling up the mountain
side through snow waist deep, and going without food or baggage during this
entire time, he found to his chagrin that he had reached the summit, not of the
great peak, but of a smaller one, probably Cheyenne mountain, and that the
summit of Pike's Peak appeared some fifteen or sixteen miles away. Pike declared
that, "It was as high again as what he had ascended and it would have taken a
whole day's march to arrive at its base, when I believe that no human being
could ascend to its pinnacle. This, with the condition of my soldiers, who had
light overalls on and no stockings, and were in every way ill provided to endure
the inclemency of the region, determined us to return." The party arrived back
at the camp on the Arkansas on the afternoon of November 29, and the next day
abandoned the breastwork, the entire force moving up the Arkansas in the midst
of a severe snow storm.

    Following Pike's expedition very little is known of the Arkansas valley for
nearly twenty years when Jacob Fowler made his famous journey to the present
site of Pueblo, an account of which will appear in the next chapter.

    Following the report of Pike's expedition the attention of traders was drawn
to the Arkansas valley as a possible route to Taos and Santa Fe. In 1812 a party
of traders composed of twelve men under the leadership of Robert McKnight, James
Baird and Samuel Chambers, set out for Santa Fe by way of the Arkansas valley
and the Sangre de Cristo pass. Again in the year 1815 August Chouteau and Julius
De Munn traversed the Arkansas river route to the Spanish settlements by way of
Taos. Chouteau established a camp at the mouth of the Huerfano river near the
present town of Boone. His party spent the entire winter hunting and trapping on
the head waters of the Arkansas. After accumulating a large quantity of furs and
just on the eve of Chouteau's departure for St. Louis, the entire party was
arrested and taken to Santa Fe.

    William Becknell conducted the first successful expedition to Santa Fe over
what became the Santa Fe trail, and to him belongs the honor of being called the
father of this most famous of western highways. Becknell left the Missouri river
with a company of some seventy men for the purpose of "trading for horses and
mules and catching wild animals of every description." His route was up the
Arkansas to the present site of Pueblo and crossing the river near the present
Santa Fe Avenue the trail extended south and west past the present location of
Lake Minnequa in the southern edge of the city, and thence in the direction of
the Greenhorn range. Crossing the range at the Sangre de Cristo pass the trail
entered the Rio Grande valley and led from thence to Taos and Santa Fe.

    It is usually stated in sketches of the Pueblo region, that Stephen A. Long
visited the present site of Pueblo in the year 1819. In fact Long himself
believed that he was at the point where Pike had erected his log fort several
years before, but a careful reading of Long's diary is conclusive proof that,
while he believed that he was descending the Fountain river, he was in fact
descended Turkey creek and was many miles from the present site of Pueblo.

    About the year 1823 John McKnight ascended the Arkansas and erected a small
trading post near the present site of Pueblo. The most that is known of McKnight
is that a short time after his trading post was erected he was found dead near
it, having been slain by a band of Comanche Indians. The Bent brothers, Charles,
William, Robert and George, of St. Louis were the first to make a serious
attempt to establish themselves permanently for trade in the Arkansas valley.
Others had traversed this region, hoping to reap financial reward by a brief
sojourn here but Bent brothers were the first to see the advantages of the
Arkansas valley for purposes of trade. Their keenness of discernment forsook
them, however, when it came to selecting the exact location for a trading post.
In 1826 they built a trading post on Adobe creek in the Hard-scrabble region, a
few miles above Pueblo. Ceran St. Vrain, a young man of French parentage, was
associated with them in this enterprise. Finding that they had gone too far west
to be in the main line of travel, they abandoned their fort in 1828 and
established themselves near the mouth of the Las Animas river. Again they made
the mistake of passing by the mouth of the Fountain river which, as subsequent
events proved, was the only logical location for a trading post.

    In 1830 a French trader by the name of Maurice Le Doux, erected a trading
post above Pueblo, near the one abandoned by Bent brothers two years before. Le
Doux was soon surrounded by a group of Mexicans who engaged in farming on the
Hardscrabble. Two years later two fur traders, Blackwell and Gantt entered this
region and erected a trading post about six miles below the present site of
Pueblo on the north bank of the Arkansas. How long they remained at this place
is not known, but the location of their trading post is made certain by means of
an old government map.

    About this time a few Mexicans settled on the Greenhorn and Huerfano rivers,
but did not seem to prosper in their farming efforts and soon disappeared. Bent
brothers returned to a point near their former post on Adobe creek in 1840, but
abandoned it in 1846.

    By the year 1840 the trails of southern Colorado had become well
established. As has already been pointed out, the main trail which connected
this region with the Mississippi and Missouri river regions, entered the present
boundaries of Colorado, by way of the Arkansas valley, proceeded directly to the
mouth of the Fountain and from thence extended southwest to Taos and later to
Santa Fe, by way of the Sangre de Cristo pass and the Rio Grande valley. One
important branch of this trail extended up the Arkansas to the present site of
Canon City where it turned northward and entered South Park. Another branch of
even more importance extended north from the present site of Pueblo up the
Fountain river, crossing the divide into the region of the Platte river.

    This branching of the trail in three directions at the mouth of the
Fountain, making easy communication with all parts of the Rocky Mountain region,
is of special significance in studying the causes underlying the later
development of Pueblo. The courses of these trails were in general the same as
the courses of the railroads in later years.

    Although the Santa Fe trail originally passed through the present site of
Pueblo, as the trade with Santa Fe assumed larger proportions a more direct
route was demanded. At this time a cut-off was established up the valley of the
Las Animas river from Bent's fort and across the mountains by way of Raton Pass.
Another branch was also established, leaving the main trail at Fort Larned,
Kas., and traversing the valley of the Cimmaron river.

    Just when and under what circumstances the old Pueblo fort was established
is and perhaps always will be shrouded in mystery. The most reliable records
indicate that it was established in 1840 by George Simpson and two associates,
Barclay and Doyle, although the notorious James Beckwourth, whose veracity is as
doubtful as his parentage, claims to have established it himself in the year
1842. Some writers have confused Fort Pueblo with Fort El Puebla, situated five
miles west of Bent's Fort. The annals of this last named fort are brief, indeed.
It belonged to a company of American and Mexican trappers, who, wearied with the
dull routine life of Bent's Fort had withdrawn and established Fort El Puebla.
These men were engaged in raising grain, vegetables, horses and mules for the
various trading posts of the Arkansas valley. The description of this trading
post and its inhabitants sounds strangely similar to that of Fort Pueblo proper
-indeed, so much resemblance exists that it seems a fair assumption that the
inhabitants of Fort El Puebla being located too close to Bent's Fort were
obliged to change their location and at the close of the year 1839 or early in
1840 abandoned the site near Bent's Fort in favor of the more promising one at
the mouth of the Fountain*

    *See "History of the Fur Trade in the Far West," by H. M. Chittenden, for a
complete account of Fort El Puebla.


    Fort Pueblo was located on the west side of what is now Union Avenue a short
distance south of the Santa Fe depot. For many years after Pueblo had developed
into a city, the foundation of the old fort was plainly visible. The fort was
inhabited by a more or less roving group of trappers, consisting of both
Americans and Mexicans. A description of this historic building has been passed
down to us by one who saw it. Ruxton, a trader and trapper, who passed through
here in 1847, gives the following description of it: "It was a small square fort
of adobe with circular bastions at the corners, no part of the walls being more
than eight feet high, and around the inside of the yard or corral are built some
half dozen little rooms inhabited by as many Indian traders and mountain men.
They live entirely upon game, and the greater part of the year without even
bread, since but little maize is cultivated. As soon as their supply of meat is
exhausted, they start to the mountains with two or three pack animals and bring
them back in two or three days loaded with buffalo and venison. In the immediate
vicinity of the fort game is scarce, but is found in the mountain valleys,
particularly in the Bayou Salado," (South Park).

    Fitzpatrick, United States Indian agent, located at Bent's Fort, gives the
following description of "the Pueblo": "About seventy-five miles above this
place and immediately on the Arkansas river, there is a small settlement the
principal part of which is composed of old trappers and hunters; the male part
of it are mostly Americans, Missouri French, Canadians and Mexicans. They have a
tolerable supply of cattle, horses, mules, etc., and I am informed that they
raised a good crop of wheat, corn, beans, pumpkins and other vegetables. They
number about one hundred fifty souls, and of this number about sixty are men,
nearly all have wives and some have two  *  *  *  The American women are
Mormons, a party of Mormons having wintered there, and on their departure for
California, left behind them two families. These people are living in two
separate establishments near each other, one called Pueblo and the other
Hardscrabble. Both villages are fortified by a wall twelve feet high, composed
of adobe. These villages are becoming the resort of all idlers and loafers. They
are becoming the depots for the smuggling of liquors from New Mexico into this
country

    Fremont visited the Pueblo settlement in July, 1843, and again in 1848. He
described it as a "pueblo," composed of "mountaineers who have married Spanish
women in the Valley of the Taos." In the summer of 1846 Francis Parkman and
Quincy Adams Shaw visited Pueblo and gave a somewhat lengthy description of the
place.**

    The population of the little village rose and fell during succeeding years
because of the uncertainties attending the lives of the inhabitants. On
Christmas Day of the year 1854 the seventeen occupants were massacred by a band
of Ute Indians. A full account of this massacre will be found in a succeeding
chapter.

    It is of interest to note in closing this chapter, that of all the attempts
to establish trading posts in the upper Arkansas, by far the most of them were
in the Pueblo region, and that those that were not at the confluence of the
Fountain and the Arkansas, merely indicate an unconscious groping for the
strategic spot; that spot, as subsequent history proves, was at the "branching
of the trail."

**Oregon Trail, by Francis Parkman, Chapters 20 and 21. 


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

Pathbreakers and Pioneers of the Pueblo Region
Comprising
A History of Pueblo from the Earliest Times
By MILO LEE WHITTAKER
THE FRANKLIN PRESS COMPANY 
1917


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