Indian raid on the Paria

Indian raid on the Paria

From 1864 to 1872 the far-flung communities of Southern Utah faced an ongoing threat from raiding Indian tribes. The earlier Walker War and the later Black Hawk War involved the tribes indigenous to Utah and were a push back on the loss of tribal homelands, competition for natural resources and wintering locations. By 1866 the Navajos had joined the fray.

The Navajos had been devastated by the Federal Government’s efforts to control them by forcing them onto reservations. They were deprived of their animal herds. Southern Utah with its large livestock industry represented a great opportunity to restock those herds. It had not taken much coxing by Black Hawk for them to become an ally.

By 1869 the Utah tribes had begun to see the writing on the wall and had come to the conclusion that their long-term survival involved arriving at an accommodation with the whites. As they wound down their opposition the Navajos ramped up their efforts. What had started out as a fight for identity and survival had evolved into raiding for raiding sake. As the two groups separated the Piutes became involved in opposing the Navajos.

In the militia records we find reports, such as the one we are presenting here, that paint a picture of the militia’s involvement in constant patrols as they tried to dissuade the Indians from raiding. This report is particularly interesting in that it involves a very small force, it makes mention of the Moquis tribe as being separate prom the Piutes, and it discusses the break in the alliance between the Piutes and the Navajos.

The report is written by James Andrus. James Andrus is one of the most prominent cavalry officers to serve in the Southern Utah Theater.  It is this same James Andrus who made the first reconnaissance of the Paria River drainage.  The area involved is the Pahreer/Paria River drainage. The Ute Trail crossed the Colorado River at the Ute Crossing located north of the present day Glen Canyon Dam. It came west until it struck the Paria River. If followed the Paria north through present day Cannovnville and Tropic then over the Bryce Rim, on to the Sevier River which it then followed north. If you wanted to keep an eye on the Indians sooner or later you would find them on the Ute Trail.

The report is dated Nov. 13^th1869 from the abandoned Fort Kanab. The patrol was looking for stolen cattle. 

“13 miles from here (Kanab) at the mouth of Scootempah Kanyon we came on the camp of John Smith and the Indians that went from Kanab.”

“We judge the number of stock taken at between 80-100 head”

‘I sent 7 men and the Indians to guard the Pahreer 4 miles below Shirts”. 

Peter Shirts’ ranch was about 5 miles below the old Paria town site.

“Started with six men for Kanab …… when we struck a fresh trail of about 12 head of horses and we thought but 2 Indians”

They had traveled east through a pass from Scootempah  further into the Buckskin Mountains.

“Rode all night and came on them near warm creek……There was 8 of them and 12 horses……..We fired on them and two fell instantly the rest dropped behind the ledge” ………We exchanges shots for about 15 minutes and then seeing we were in a very critical condition we drew back…..concluded that the horses were not worth our live….. From the sound of the bullets we think the Navajos were armed with Spencer rifles.”

In his 1866 reconnaissance of the Paria Andrus had noted that each of his men was armed with 2 pistols. The most common pistols of the era were the Colt Navy or Army six shot cap and ball pistols. The most common long gun was the single shot Sharps carbine. In this instance Andrus surmised that the Indians were armed with the 7 shot Spencer carbine.

Even with a single shot rifle in 15 minutes you can put a lot of rounds down range. What he is describing is a sharp battle with a lot of rounds being fired by both sides.

The end of the report discusses the condition of the Indians both enemy and ally.

“The Piutes think judging from the tracks……the Navajos have all left the country…….The Piutes take great interest in guarding the country….Brother Hamblin tells me that he understand that 3 Moquis Villages have gone over to the Navajos.”

The Moquis’ homeland was centered in San Juan County and eastward into Colorado. There is a strong evidence of their presents in the Escalante area.

Andrus noted that due to a lack of supplies the unit was forced to retreat back to Kanab to wait for resupply and further orders.

“My opinion is that the country is cheaper guarded by Indians than by white men…..They can pass over the country where white men cant….Our men and horses being very tired and our supplies exhausted we concluded to return her and await orders from you, James Andrus Col.”