Jackson County, Missouri - Chapter 7: The Santa Fe Trade, 1881

Originated and Started from Old Franklin, Howard County - Began at Independence in i8^i - About the Year 1837 the Trade Sprung Up at Westport - Names of Firms at Independence Engaged jn the Trade - Starting Out of a Caravan - Hostile Indians - The Earliest Traders - Lost on the Plains and Dying of Thirst - Council Grove - Surgical Operation in the Desert - Santa Fe - Revolt of the Indians in 16S0 - New Mexico in 1840 - Names and Distances of Camping Places Between Independence and Santa Fe.

The Santa Fe trade first began at Old Franklin, a little town on the Missouri River, in Howard county, and continued from this point till the year 1831, when it sprung up at Independence. The town of Independence being a hundred miles further west, and near the great bend of the Missouri River, it was thought to be a more favorable place for fitting out caravans for Mexico, since also the route could be made from Franklin to Independence much better by water than land. At Independence the bulk of the trade continued till about the years 1838-40, when it began at Wesport, and subsequently at Westport Landing (now Kansas City). Some of the men who early engaged in the Santa Fe trade were Nathan Simons, Philip Thompson, Robert Isaacs, Edward Samuel, Josiah Gregg, and many others.

Some of the persons engaged in the trade at Independence were Col. Samuel C. Owens, one of the principal wholesale dealers connected with the Mexican trade. He was a general merchant, having a general store on the southwest corner of the square. Many of his goods were bought in Philadelphia, brought to Pittsburgh over the Alleghany Mountains, then shipped by boat down the Ohio River to Cairo, then up the Mississippi to St. Louis, thence up the Missouri River to Independence Landing.

Henry Speares was a merchant trader, and accompanied the caravans to their destination in New Mexico. He continued for a long time in this occupation ; afterward went to New York City, and finally failed and committed suicide on account of losses met on the Black Friday crash in Wall street. He was a German Jew. There were others engaged in the same trade, and some of them quite extensively. The two landings for boats that brought merchandize to Independence were at Wayne City, and the other Owen's Landing. The trade became so extensive that the United States government established here a custom house office, so that goods kept in original packages could be subjected to a rebate.

The large trade necessarily created a demand for wagons, and their manufacture was commenced at Independence. Frank Simpson, John W. Modie, Robert Weston, and later Hiram Young, a free negro, who still lives in Independence, were engaged in the wagon manufacture.

Early in the trade, goods were carried on pack mules. The packs consisted of two parts fastened together by means of straps passing over the back of the mule. A train consisted of from ten to 150 pack animals, and usually about five or six pack horses to each man, sometimes as high as fifteen to a man. These caravans would travel fifteen, twenty or twenty-five miles a day, and in some cases as many as thirty milgs in a day.

The train of traders usually started out of camp early in the morning, sometimes before sunrise, and made a long halt for dinner, encamping again for night before dark and getting everything prepared to prevent a surprise by the Indians. The stopping places were suited to the conditions of grass and water, sometimes a long and weary distance would be necessary before they could reach an advantageous camping ground. In some cases when extremely hot, they would travel in the night and take longer halts at noon. In a hostile country where danger was apprehended from Indians, guards would be posted as soon as a halt was made, and always by night as well as by day the rifle was within reach.

The introduction of wagons for these expeditions was made in the year 1824 by a company of traders, about eighty in number. A portion of this company employed pack mules. There .were some twenty-five wheeled vehicles, of which some were road wagons, two carts, the whole conveying about $25,000 to $30,- 000 worth of property. Colonel Marmaduke, afterward a State official in high position, was one of the party. This first expedition, transporting their merchandise on wheels, made the journey with little difficulty, probably less than could have been reasonably expected from its being the first attempt. It should be remarked here that probably no where else on the American continent can be found a route of 8co miles in extent more easily traversed by wagons than the one between Independence and Santa Fe.

When this trade began, small companies of traders could cross the plains with little trouble anticipated from the Indians, but soon the hostile red man so often imposed upon by the white, sought every opportunity to rob aud even kill when it could be done without too much exposure to himself The traders were in a great measure blamable for the treacherous conduct of the Indians. They would cheat and often kill in cold blood every Indian who came near the camp when he was friendly and intended good rather than harm.

When the traders returned from Mexico their proceeds were usually partly in specie and partly in buffalo robes and furs ; and sometimes, although set upon by marauding Indian bands, they could easily persuade the savages to retire, if resolute, and this, too, without the killing of a man, for the Indians seldom jeopardizes the life of a brave unless in revenge or in open warfare. When the Americans appeared defenseless and afraid, the Indians became more bold and took such advantages as they could. A story is told of what happened to a party of half dozen traders in the year 1826 on the Cimarron River. The party were bringing through a herd of five hundred horses but had only four servicable guns between them, hence were virtually unprotected against the Indians.

A party of Indians, discovering their defenselessness, came in a friendly manner, talked a little while, and then went away. Soon, however, they returned, about t)iirty strong, all on foot. They said that they were tired of traveling on foot, and desired each a horse. The Americans, knowing the uselessness of refusing, quickly consented; but the Indians were not satisfied with one horse apiece, so they asked for two. This being granted also, they drove into the herd with a whoop, and ran them all off.

At another time an incident transpired on the banks of the same river - the Cimarron - which had a strong tendency to render the Indians more hostile. Two young men by the name of McNees and Monroe, were straggling from the main caravan, the Indians came upon them and shot them. They were buried according to the fashion on the plains, and just as they were returning to camp, another party of Indians came along on the opposite bank of the river. They evidently desired a friendly conference, of course, not having even heard of the outrage upon the two whites. Some of the traders desired to vent their revenge upon these Indians, caring not to inquire if they were concerned in the murder of their friends or not, but simply because they were Indians, fired upon them, and killed all except one, who returned to his tribe to relate the sad fate of his comrades. Such acts as these served to make the Indians hostile. The Indians became more and more desperate against the pale face, and lost no opportunity to wreak their vengeance. The same caravan mentioned above was attacked several times before they reached the United States, and many of their horses taken away. The traders realizing their danger, petitioned the Government for an armed escort, and accordingly, Major Riley, with three companies of infantry, was sent out to accompany the expedition as far as Choteau's Island, in the Arkansas River. The next day the Indians attacked the caravan, and killed one man. A courier was dispatched for Major Riley, who soon came up, and continued several days, till no danger from the "children of the desert" seemed to threaten. Captain Wharton was also in aid of the traders, with two companies of dragoons.

In 1843, large escorts were under convoy of Captain Cook. The exact origin of these expeditions to Mexico, or the very first, is not definitely known.

James Pursley, while trading with some Indians near the sources of the Platte River, heard of settlements in New Mexico, and in the year 1805, made his way to Santa Fe, where he remained till his death. James Pursley is said by Captain Pike to have been the first American who crossed the plains to Santa Fe. Other writers say that a merchant of Kaskaskia, named Morrison, had, in 1804, sent a French Creole, by the name of La Lande, to Santa Fe, who, also, on ac count of his kind treatment, never returned to the United States.

The first great impetus given to the traffic with New Mexico, and the Indians in the mountains southwest of here, was about the year 1812, after the glowing account of this new region by Captain Pike, on his return, had been published. Pike had been sent out by the Government, to explore the region.

The first expeditions, however, met with many disasters. One party was taken to Chihuahua, and thrown into prison, where they were kept for nine years. Another party suffered with almost starvation on the journey. A man by the name of Glenn, from Ohio, reached Santa Fe with his caravan in 182 1, by way of the upper Arkansas. In the year 182 1, Captain Becknell, of this State, went to Santa Fe by the far western route. Captain Becknell and his little party started from old Franklin with the purpose of trading with the Comanche Indians, but when they reached the Rocky Mountains, they fell in with a party of Mexican rangers, who had little difficulty in persuading them to accompany them to Santa Fe. Here they disposed of their few goods at a handsome profit.

Up to this time - 182 1 - New Mexico had received nearly all her goods and supplies irom the interior provinces, whither they had been transported from Vera Cruz; these goods were sold at exorbitant rates, common calicoes selling as high as two and three dollars a yard, and other articles in proportion. When Captain Becknell returned to the United States and gave a glowing description of the country many others at once embarked in the enterprise. Colonel Cooper with a few neighbors with pack animals, started in the month of May, 1822. They reached Taos in safety.

A month later, Captain Becknell started a second time, having thirty men and about $5,000 worth of goods. He was desirious of avoiding the circuitous route which had been previously taken, accordingly, when he reached the place called "The Catches," he took a straight course toward Santa Fe, not anticipating the fearful trials he was destined to meet with on the arid and pathless desert. He hoped to be able within a reasonable length of time to reach Cimarron River.

supply being exhausted, the suffering of man and beast was intense. On they pressed, expecting soon to obtain relief from the terrible thirst which parched their throats. The blood of slain dogs was drunken, they cut off the ears of some of their mules to obtain blood to quench their thirst, but it seemed to madden and exasperate them. They separated in squads and followed the "mirage" or " false ponds," as these alluring pictures are called, all to no purpose. They knew a horrible death was near at hand, and not knowing that they were upon the very banks of the Cimarron, resolved to retrace their steps and meet almost certain death before they should again reach the Arkansas. They were not equal to the journey, and would certainly have perished on those verdureless plains had not a stray buffalo come within range of one of their rifles, his stomach distended with water recently quaffed from the river just beyond. One of the party afterward relating the circumstance to a friend, said: "No cooling draught from a limpid mountain spring was ever half so sweet and refreshing to my lips as that obtained from the stomach of that slaughtered buffalo." Knowing from the condition of the buffalo that water in abundance must be close at hand, they pressed on, and immediately came to the Cimarron River, where man and beast partook of God's beverage to man. The party finally reached Santa Fe by way of Taos without further serious difficulty. Since that time many other traders have crossed the same country, but being better acquainted with the distances and topography of the country, have provided against the possibilities of the scarcity of water.

When an expedition was being fitted out many things were almost indispens able, such as provisions, proper clothing, training the animals, etc. The ordinary supplies for each man were about fifty pounds of flour, the same of bacon, ten pounds of coffee, twenty pounds of sugar and some salt, these are considered indispensable in the line of provisions, while sometimes, crackers, beans and other articles of food are found in the train. A supply of fresh meat can nearly always be obtained from the buffalo, and the traveler is excited with joy when he can for the first time see this king of the plains. The most common substantial clothing is provided for the men, some with linsey or leather hunting clothes, others with jeans, and still others with flannel suits.

Oxen were first used in 1829, by Major Riley, and after that about one-half the animals in a train were oxen, and it was found that they could make the trip in about the same time as mules. The tenderness of the feet of oxen, to some extent, render them less valuable than mules, though the hoof of the mule sometimes became dry, hard and slippery, so much so that he could not haul a heavy load without shoes of iron or steel. The horses, mules, oxen and provisions being provided for the journey, the next thing was to load the merchandise. So expert had some of the wagoners become in loading, that they could stow away a vast amount of goods in a small amount of space, and so pack the articles together that they could not jostle or move from the exact position in which they had been placed, through the whole journey of 800 miles, the goods would be found to have sustained less injury than in going a mile in a common farmer's wagon over an ordinary turn-pike road. When the loads are all arranged, the men and animals in their places, the grand caravan leaves Independence with as much joy and light-heartedness as a party going to a Fourth of July celebration; but how changed when they have experienced all the hardships of the plains. Generally, a thorough organization was not effected till out on the journey some distance from Independence. This point was sometimes at the place called Council Grove, which is about one hundred and fifty miles from Independence. Council Grove consists of a long strip of forest trees about half a mile in width, extending for many miles along the bank of a creek of the same name, and includes such trees as the oak, walnut, ash, elm, hickory, and other varieties. There is a legend or story told of this Council Grove worthy of mention, and that is ; " Here the Pawnee, Arapaho, Comanche, Leloup and Eutaw Indians all of whom were at war with each other, meet once a year and smoke the pipe of peace."

When the different parties reached this place they would camp till all arrived and then effect an organization and appoint their officers to aid in mutual defense against the hostile Indians. Sometimes the merchandise of the whole caravan was valued from $200,000 to $300,000, and ponsisted of over a hundred wagons and two hundred men effective for service. After the organization had been effected, the company was divided into eight watches, each watch standing onefourth of every alternate night, though when the company is small the numberof watches is reduced, and each man had more of this disagreeable duty to perform. No man able to bear arms in the caravan is exempt from night-watch duty, not even to procure a substitute. The captain seeing all preparations complete, sounded the familiar note of "catch up!" Then all was commotion and bustle till each teamster, one after another, responded " All's set. " Again from the captain came the word, " Stretch out !" " Fall in !" and the long line of wagons was on their way across the plains. The command of "catch up," is joyously received by the caravansers after the weary delay of preparation. Let us follow a caravan across the plains. We are now far beyond Council Grove and entering the Arkansas valley at a point 270 miles out from Independence. Cries of "The Indians!" strike great terror into the minds of the novices, and every wolf yell, every bellowing of the ox, and every snort of the horse seems to indicate that the animals are snuffing the crouching savages approaching the camp.

The banks of the Arkansas are very low, bordered with a narrow strip of timber of stunted trees. In some places, however, we find no trees on the banks of the Arkansas, and one would come to the stream without suspecting from the usual indications that a river was at his feet. Most of the trees in this vicinity are cottonwood, though occasionally we see hackberry. After leaving Council Grove, or the Neosho River, vegetation grows less and less, till Missouri's verdant growth of trees and grasses is entirely lost in the almost barren plains. The route is now up the course of the Arkansas for twenty miles before reaching Walnut Creek. In the summer of 1826 a surgical operation was performed at this point which is worthy of note. A Mr. Broadus, in attempting to draw his rifle from a wagon, muzzle foremost, discharged its contents into his arm. The bone being dreadfully shattered, the unfortunate man was advised to submit to an amputation at once, otherwise, it being in the month of August and exceedingly warm, mortification would soon ensue. But Mr. Broadus obstinately refused to consent to this course till death began to stare him in the face. By this time, however, the whole arm had become gangrened, some spots having already appeared above the place where the operation should have been performed. The invalid's case was,* therefore, considered perfectly hopeless, and he was given up by all comrades, who thought of little else than to consign' him to the grave. But being unwilling to resign himself to the fate which appeared frowning over him without a last effort, he obtained the consent of two or three of the party, who undertook to amputate his arm merely to gratify the wishes of the dying man, for in such a light they viewed him. Their only " case of instruments" consisted of a handsaw, a butcher's knife and a large iron bolt. The teeth of the saw being too coarse, they scon filed a finer set on the back. The knife having been whetted keen, and the iron bolt laid upon the fire, they commenced the operation, and in less time than it takes to tell it, the arm was opened round to the bone, which was in almost an instant sawed off, and with the sizzling hot iron the whole stump was so effectually seared as to close the arteries completely. Bandages were then applied, and the company proceeded on their journey. The arm commenced healing rapidly, and in a few weeks the patient was sound and well, and perhaps may be living to-day, though this happened fifty-five years ago, to bear witness

After leaving Walnut Creek the caravan usually passed the Pawnee Rock, about fifteen miles distant from the customary camping ground on the Walnut.

It is called Pawnee Rock because early in the nineteenth century the Pawnees had bloody battles with some other tribes at this point. The plains in the vicinity of the Pawnee Rock teemed with buffalo in the early days of Santa Fe expeditions, and the land was peculiarly adapted to the pleasures of the chase. Rattle snakes were very numerous and there being no stick or stone with which to destroy the dangerous reptile, the pistols, rifles and whips of the wagoners were brought into effective use.

The route was up the course of the Arkansas River for more than a hundred miles before they attempted to cross the arid plains before reaching the Cimarron River.

The distance across this trackless and treeless ocean plain is over fifty miles, not a thing to mark the direction, and the compass was their only guide. Before crossing the casks were always ordered filled with water, about five gallons to each wagon. After reaching the Cimarron several days' travel is occupied along its course toward the higher plains, then to the Canadian River and along the region of rocks, the wagons by this time showing signs of wear; tires loosening and spokes falling out. Before reaching the principal mountains the trader journeys passed the Point of Rocks, a spur projecting from the north, and from beneath whose ledges issues a large cooling crystal spring. At this point there is always a halt. This is more than a hundred and fifty miles from Santa Fe and the course is for that distance in sight of the snow capped mountains. This region is frequented by terrible thunder and hail storms. Sometimes the lightning would kill horses, mules and oxen from the train, and the hail fall in immense size and thick showers.

San Miguel was the first settlement of any note on the whole route, it was fifty miles southeast of Santa Fe consisting of mud-wall huts in the fertile valley of the Rio Pecos. Here the route made a grand turn to find a passway through a broken extremity of the spur of mountains and took a course to the northwest till Santa Fe was reached. The houses of Santa Fe were built of unburnt brick and presented a novel appearance to the American who saw them for the first time.

The stores generally contained in those days an assortment of goods and notions usually kept by western merchants; a variety of dry goods, silks, hardware, domestic cottons, both bleached and brown, etc. The demand for these goods was so great that at least one-half of the merchandise of the caravan was of that kind of stock.

Santa Fe was a very old town when this trade across the plains commenced ; it dates among the earliest settlements of America. It is related that soon after the conquest of Mexico by Hernon Cortez a small band of adventurers proceeded as far north as this point. Some fix the date of the first settlement in 1581-83.

In the year 1680 there occurred an uprising among the Indians in all northern Mexico, and the Spanish people who then lived in New Mexico and other provinces south, suffered the horrors of Indian warfare. The Indians had fixed upon the 13th of August, 1680, for the day in which to mercilessly butcher all the Spanish population except such females as they desired to save for wives So secretly did^they mature their plans that not even an Indian woman in all the country knew of the uprising, the men, only, being informed. But a few days before the war of extermination was to begin, two Indians informed the governor and he sent with all dispatch to collect all the Spanish population at Santa Fe, Taos, La Canada and other fortified towns. The Indians seeing that their plot had been discovered, commenced at once their work of murder. The villages were sacked, and the Spanish inhabitants that could be found were put to the sword, the priests were especially treated with barbarity. Some were compelled to go on all-fours through the streets of Pueblo while the savage monsters lashed them with whips and rods. The Indians finally either killed or drove out all the Mexicans from the vast territory extending from Santa Fe 300 or 400 miles south.

Santa Fe at that time as now was the capital of New Mexico and was the only town of importance in the whole region. It was sometimes called Santa Fe de San Francisco (Holy Faith of St. Francis). Like most of the towns at that time in Northern Mexico it occupied the site of an ancient pueblos or Indian village, whose race had been extinct for a great many years. It is situated fifteen miles east of the Rio del Norte, at the western base of a snow-clad mountain, upon a beautiful stream of rippling water which comes down from the icy cascades of the mountain peaks and joins the Rio del Norte some twenty miles southwest of the town. The population of the city itself at that time was then a little over 3,000 ; yet including several surrounding villages which were embraced in the corporate jurisdiction of Santa Fe, it amounted to about 6,000. Its height above the level of the sea is 7,000 feet ; and the highest peaks which are northeast of the town are 5,000 feet higher.

Santa Fe was very irregularly laid out, and most of the streets were httle better than common highways traversing scattered settlements which were interspersed with cofn fields nearly sufficient to supply the inhabitants with grain. The only attempt at anything like architectural compactness and precision consisted in four tiers of buildings whose fronts were f^haded with a fringe of portals or corridors of the rudest possible description. They stood around the public square and comprised the Palacio or Governor's house, the Custom House, the Barracks (with which was connected the fearful Calabozo), the Casa Consistorial of the Alcaldes, the Capilla de los Soldados or Military Chapel, besides several private residences, as well as most of the shops of the American traders. The population of New Mexico was then (1840-44) almost exclusively confined to towns and villages, the suburbs of which were generally farms. Even most of the individual ranchos and haciendas had grown into villages - a result almost indispensable for protection against the marauding savages of the surrounding wilderness. The principal of these settlements were located in the valley of the Rio del Norte, extending from nearly one hundred miles north to about one hundred and fifty south of Santa Fe. Wheat and corn could be raised in great crops in the valleys whose soil had been cultivated for two hundred years without any apparent diminution of the productiveness. The whole population of New Mexico in 1841, including mixed Creoles, Spaniards and Indians, was estimated to be about 70,000.

In New Mexico the arts and sciences had been so neglected, that it might be said that no progress had been made for a hundred years. Education was almost entirely neglected, no one pretended to study in the schools more than the simple accomplishment of learning to read and write. There were some who were educated abroad for the duties of priests, and some to manage the affairs of Government, but the common people, were ignorant of arithmetic, geography and all other branches usually taught in the public as well as private schools of the United States at that time.

Below will be found a table of distances from Independence to Santa Fe, together with the names of the principal camping places on the entire route.