Barton County KS Archives History - Books .....An Indian Battle 1912
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com July 24, 2005, 3:38 pm

Book Title: Biographical History Of Barton County

AN INDIAN BATTLE
By A. J. Hoisington

ONE of the best known old timers tells of an Indian battle that was fought by
the Pawnees and Arapahoes on ground that is now included within the borders of
Barton County, long before it was organized. The story as told by Mr. Hoisington
is as follows :

   "One of the numerous battles between bands of Plains tribes, within the
memory of and known to white men occurring within the limits of Barton County
was one fought in July, 1849, on sections eleven, one and two, in northeast
Buffalo township and on sections thirty-four, thirty-five and thirty-six in
southeast Eureka township, between a band of Arapahoes and Pawnees.

   "As related by a writer of the old Santa Fe Trail the story of the battle as
told to him by the Arapahoes was substantially as follows:

  "The Arapahoes had traveled down the Walnut from the far west on a hunting
expedition and were in camp on the south or west side of the creek, opposite
Shaw's house on section eleven over night. The next morning a part of the bucks
were left to guard the squaws and pappooses, and the remainder started in a
northeasterly direction for the Cheyenne Bottoms. Gaining the highlands, a band
of Pawnees suddenly came into view. The Arapahoes dispatched a messenger to
their camp for re-enforcements and to have the camp prepared for attack. In the
meantime the Pawnees dashed forward while the Arapahoes made for the high point
on section twelve. The former evidently supposed the latter's force was all in
sight and hastened onward. In the meantime the Arapahoes re-enforced were
rapidly coming into view from the creek timber. The Pawnees apparently hoped to
attack their enemy and route those who had retreated behind the hill before the
others could arrive. The Pawnees divided their band and deployed around the hill
to attack the enemy from both east and west. The first onset was terrific.
Several warriors on both sides were killed or disabled. The re-enforcing party
soon arrived and the Pawnees retreated to the north side of the hill where they
hoped to make a stand and allow the Arapahoes to attack them in turn as they had
done the former a few minutes before. But the Pawnees were so closely pursued
that with great difficulty they placed themselves in a position for the attack.
Each band maneuvered for position, but the Pawnees were outclassed and sorely
pushed. Thinking they had the fleetest ponies they attempted—knowing where their
enemies' camp was located— to turn their western flank and make a dash for the
camp. In this way they were partly successful but were crowded so far north and
west they were not able to make a bee line for the camp. Besides the Arapahoes
knowing their design crowded towards their own camp attacking all the while. The
Pawnees were getting very much the worst of the deal and were forced to scatter
and make for the timber in the upper bend of the creek. So hard pushed were they
that no two of them reached the timber at the same time. The ones nearest the
camp were a mile or more west. At a safe distance from the timber the pursuing
Arapohoes made for their camp which of course by this time was in motion down
the creek on the south side. Fearing a renewal of the attack, and probably with
re-enforcements besides the Arapahoes moved southward to the Arkansas river
where they camped unmolested for several days. Evidently the Pawnees had no
other force of warriors in reach or the desire for revenge would have caused
another attack. The Arapahoes claimed afterwards that they took the scalps of
the Pawnees and that the Pawnees got 'heap little scalp.' The Arapahoes claimed
their own band had altogether about 100 warriors besides squaws and pappooses
and the Pawnees had about sixty. Many other engagements of this kind some of
them having hundreds engaged occurred in what is now Barton County. Scarcely an
acre of ground in the county but that has at some time been the scene of battle
between warring tribes of Indians.


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