Walker and Walkara

One story of this historical period tells of how the Snake Indians captured and planned to kill 2 Ute women, one with an infant still nursing.  Captain Walker purchased them and returned them to the Ute tribe.  Turns out they were the wife and daughter of the Walkara, a prominent chief who was to become the most famous and feared Indian leader of the Southwest.  The Utes were the best light cavalry west of the Sioux and had a genuine talent for guerrilla tactics.

Walkara was known to the rest of the Ute nation as the "Desert Napoleon" or the "Sagebrush Captain Kidd".  He rode against white and Indians for personal gain and glory, specializing in horse stealing and raiding other Indian and Mexican camps for women and children.  (Hmm - now the Snake incident makes more sense!)

Walkara's greatest exploit was a massive raid into the outskirts of Los Angeles where he stole 3000 horses, a rustling record.  Walkara had a Bedouin sense of humor, frequently demonstrating his high regard for Joseph Walker and as a result Joe traveled freely and peacefully throughout Ute territory. Only Joe Walker :)


Next time...What makes a good wife?

Horse Thieves!

Prior to Captain Joe Walker and Joe Meek's arrival at Fort Crockett, a Sioux war party had raided the area and driven off 150 horses.  Unable to catch the rustlers, the men decided to invade a peaceful Snake camp and steal their horses instead.  40 horses were stolen in all.

Walker was furious about the theft and organized a posse of 30 men to go after the white rustlers. Included in Walker's posse?  Carson, Meek, Craig, and part of his California veterans who had left to go home but hadn't made it that far. 

They caught the rustlers on the Green River and captured the stolen horses, returning them to the Snake without bloodshed.

Next time...Walkara

Allied with the Indian Tribes

For a brief time before the settlers and soldiers arrived (12 years), the remaining mountain men lived well.  The elite group included Jim Bridger, Kit Carson, Crazy Bill Williams, William Bent and Joe Walker.  They were scattered over a huge unsettled area from the central plains and upper Missouri to the Sonoran Desert and the Sierras.  They had one thing in common - they each had a special relationship with one or two of the important Indian nations.  The only white who remained and did well were established good businessmen and bartered with the Indians for pelts.

Their tribes included:

Bent and Carson --- Cheyenne and Arapaho
Bridger --- Shoshoni
Beckworth --- Crow
Williams --- Ute
Walker --- Snake

Next time...a Special Exception

Moving On

In November 1832,  Walker and Bonneville reunited but only for a few days.  With rations short, Walker took 20 fresh men and traveled south to Blackfoot River near the junction of the Snake River in southern Idaho where they waited out the heavy snows.

In the spring, Walker traveled south again for the spring hunt around Bear River Lake in Shoshoni territory.  Shoshoni were also called "Snake Indians"  The Shoshoni were constantly at war with the Blackfoot Indians.

Walker went on to develop close ties with the Snake Indians and it is believed that he married the Chief's daughter.

Next time...Final Count