Wagons Ho The Early YearsChapter 16
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July 6, 1845
We made fifteen miles today and camped on Swamp Creek. There was some marshy ground not too far from where we camped, but we didn't see any swamp. The camp was a good one and our animals got their fill.
The Reverend Green was driving his own wagon today, so there wasn't any riding up and down, talking to the wagon drivers as they drove. I did hear that he had held a prayer meeting while we were eating supper. Not many people showed up from what I heard.
Lettie had been a little withdrawn for the last couple of days, but she seemed to be coming out of it now. Millie whispered to me while they were making supper that she'd sleep with Abby tonight and that I should make Lettie feel loved. I think I did.
July 7, 1845
Gil and I needed to go hunting, so we went this morning. We both had a thrill as we both killed an antelope. This was a first for both of us. I'd seen several of them before, but was never close enough to take a shot.
We camped on the Goose River after traveling for sixteen miles. Just after supper, a light rain started to fall, so most everyone turned in early. My family was starting to get excited. We knew we were three quarters of the way to our goal or more. We talked for quite some time before we fell asleep.
It must have been nearly midnight when we were awakened by gunshots and screams. Guns were still going off when I was dressed and climbing out of the wagon. I told Millie and Lettie to load the single shot pistol and the shotgun we had and to protect Abby. For once they listened to me.
I ran toward the sound of the shots, but they had stopped by the time I got there. Several men were gathered around three bodies. One was a white man. His name was Jason Galbraith. I knew him and had talked with him on many occasions. He had been a quiet man of around twenty. I knew he was married, but I had only seen his wife a couple of times and had never talked to her.
The other two bodies belonged to Indians. Ab said they were from the Nez Perce tribe. Several people were trying to talk at once, but Caleb finally shut them up. He pointed at Ben Crank and said, "You first."
"Me and Jason were on night watch. We was settin under one of the wagons, talkin, when we heard a commotion among the horses. We went to see what was fashing them and we saw five or six Indians trying to steal them. Jason raised his rifle and shot that one. The other one there shot Jason with an arrow and I shot him with my pistol. The other ones ran away."
"Did anyone see which way they went?" Ab asked.
Ben pointed off to the north and said, "That way."
Caleb had been kneeling over Jason. Now, he stood up and said, "It looks like he's done for."
"God damned Indians," Ben said. "I think we should shoot ever one of them."
"If it had been a white man that shot another white man, do you think we should shoot all white folks?" Caleb asked.
"It ain't the same," Ben said. "Ever one knows that Indians are a bunch of lying, cheating, thieving heathens. Just ask Reverend Green."
"Everybody doesn't know any such thing," Caleb said. "My son-in-law is half Indian. He's one of the finest young men I've ever met."
Ben turned around and glared at me. "He should be shot just like the rest of them. Reverend Green says this wagon train won't be safe until we kill ever one of them."
"Ben, if I hear any more talk like that, you won't be on this wagon train any more," Ab said.
"I shoulda known you'd take up for them, Ab. Thank God this trip is almost over." Ben whirled and walked away.
I had to tell my wives about what had happened when I got back to the wagon. Both of them were upset when I told them what Ben had said about Indians. It took us a long while to get to sleep.
July 8, 1845
Before I left on scout I told John what Ben had said about killing Indians. He said he'd be very careful and keep a close watch on Tess. I took Millie, Lettie, and Abby with me.
We were in better traveling country now, but we were also in an area where there was very little grass. I finally found a dry branch that had plenty of good water in pools and good grass. We made twenty-two miles for the day.
Nothing happened that day or evening, for which I was thankful. We went to bed early and our sleep was undisturbed.
July 9, 1845
Today looked like it was going to be another good day for travel. The camp we chose was seventeen miles out from our last one. We didn't make it there that day though.
We headed back to meet up with the train after we had marked the campsite. It was well after noon when we got back to them and they were still stopped for nooning. We knew something had to be wrong, so we broke into a gallop.
I didn't see Ab so we rode on back toward our wagon. There was a group of people at pap's wagon, so we reined in. Mom was lying on the ground beside our wagon and Pris and Tess were kneeling beside her. I was off of Sin in an instant and ran over to her.
"I'm okay, Son," she said before I could even ask.
"What happened?" I asked of anyone who could give me an answer.
"Someone shot mom," Tess said and then she sobbed. "I'm going to kill them, Jase. Don't try to stop me."
"Who did it?" I asked, a cold ball was in my stomach.
"We don't know yet, Jase," Pris said. "We were all cooking our noon meal when someone shot your mom in the shoulder. Ab and I cleaned it up."
"Where were Ben Crank and the Reverend Green when this happened?"
"I know that's who you suspect, but we don't know for sure who it was, Jase," Ab said. "We're going to find out though."
"Damned straight I'm going to find out," I said as I got to my feet.
Ab stepped in front of me and said, "Don't do it, Jase."
"Get out of my way, Ab. Someone's going to die over this."
"Yeah, but we don't want it to be you, Jase," Caleb said as he stepped beside Ab. "We're going to find out who did this and then it'll be taken care of, proper like."
"Listen to them, Son," mom said.
Millie and Lettie came over on either side of me and put an arm around me. Abby slid in between me and Ab and threw her arms around my hips.
I couldn't help it. I started to cry. I know it wasn't manly. I know it wasn't how my Indian ancestors would have reacted. I allowed my wives to lead me over to our wagon and I sat against a wagon wheel and silently let out my grief.
Abby climbed on my lap and put her arms around my neck. I buried my face against her shoulder and allowed my grief to run its course.
After I had calmed some, Millie whispered, "I told John to keep an eye on Tess. She might start shooting people and not stop until she gets tired of loading."
"That's good thinking, Honey. Could you check on mom please?"
Millie said she would and she took off toward mom and pap's wagon. "Does anyone know where pap is?" I asked Lettie.
"I'll find out," Lettie said.
That left just me and Abby. "Papa, it's not right to kill people, is it?"
"No, Sweetheart. It isn't right. Caleb and Ab are right. We'll find out who did it, then I'll let Ab take care of what needs to be done."
"Thank you, Papa. I don't want to lose you," she said as she gave me a big hug.
Millie and Lettie came back together. They were smiling, so I knew mom was going to be alright. "My mom is taking care of your mom," Millie said. "The bullet went through the meaty part just under the arm. No bones were hit and the bullet went all the way through."
"Your mom told Sally what to put into a poultice so that it won't become infected. She also had Sally brewing some kind of tea that will ease her pain," Lettie said.
"Did you find out where pap is?" I asked.
Both of my wives started giggling. "Your pap is tied up in his wagon. He about went crazy from what John and Ab were telling us. Maybe you should go and talk with him after a while. He wants to kill half the wagon train," Lettie said.
"I can't say as I blame him. I promised Abby we're going to find out who did this and then I'm going to let Caleb and Ab handle it. Abby says she don't want to lose me."
By supper time, pap had calmed down to the point they could untie him. Mom had talked to him and I'm sure that helped a lot. We ended up not going any farther that day.
The place they had stopped for our nooning was on Rock Creek. There was good water, but the grass was poor. I knew our animals would be hungry tomorrow.
Ab, Caleb, Pris, and Sally came by after supper. Sally said that mom was sleeping and that pap was watching over her. "I'd pity anyone besides family that tried to get close to her," Sally said with a laugh.
"Jase, we've talked to a lot of people today," Caleb said. "We think we know who did this, but we're not absolutely sure, so we're not going to tell you yet. No one actually saw the shot fired, but one man and one woman saw someone walking in that direction with a pistol in their hand just before it happened."
"Seeing someone walking that way with a pistol in their hand is enough for me, Caleb," I said.
"It would be for us too, Jase," Ab said. "Unfortunately, the man says it was one guy. The woman says it could have been that guy, but it could have been another guy."
"Okay," I said. "I can see where you'd want to be sure. How are you going to find out?"
"Tomorrow, we're going to talk to some other people and find out where both of these men were when the shooting happened," Caleb said. "Until then, just let it ride, Jase."
"I can do that, Caleb. My lovely wives and daughter have talked some sense into me. Until you find out, I'm going to be extra careful to protect me and my family though. I won't go out looking for anyone, but if someone shows up here with a gun in their hand, God help them because you can't."
Caleb and Ab both nodded. I'm sure both of them were thinking the same thing.
Shortly after they left, someone else came to our camp. I was a little surprised when a pretty young woman came up to me and asked if she could talk to us for a while.
"I'm Emma Galbraith," she said. "I was wondering if I could talk with you all for a few minutes."
"Have a seat, Emma," Millie said. "We were all sorry to hear about your husband."
"I have to admit, it's hit me kind of hard. Jason and I were very close and very happily married. We had only been married about six months before we left for Oregon."
"I knew Jason," I said. "At first, I think we started talking with each other because our names were the same. Then I realized he was a really nice guy."
Emma smiled and said, "He really was a nice guy. He thought a lot of you, too. I heard what Ben Crank said and I wanted to apologize for that. Ben and Jason were best friends. I know Ben can be a little hot headed, but I don't think he was the one who shot your mom."
"Well, we don't know who did it, yet," Millie said, "but, we will find out."
"Emma," Lettie said. "My first husband was killed by an Indian too. It doesn't bother me that it was an Indian that killed my husband and that Jase is half Indian. How do you feel about it?"
"I'm half Indian myself," Emma said. "If I disliked Jase because he's half Indian, I'd have to dislike myself as well."
"Does Ben know you have Indian blood?" I asked.
Emma shook her head and said, "I guess I've never been as straight forward as you guys have been. I'm not ashamed of my Indian blood, but so many people look down on you if they know, that I've just never mentioned it."
"In the area we grew up in, it was never an issue," I said. "I guess most people around there knew that Mom is a Cherokee, but no one ever made a big deal about it. I guess that's why me and Tess are a little more open."
"I'd like to meet your sister," Emma said. "I've seen her around, but I've never talked to her."
"Abby, would you go over and bang on the side of Tess' wagon? Tell her to get out of bed. There's someone here we'd like for her to meet."
Alessandra
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