When Indians Attack

Indian attacks, the nightmare of the travelers, began to occur sporadically on the trail.  For many

women the fear alone was excruciating enough.

Maggie Hall remembered in her journal:

"The boys would go fishing, go hunting.  When it was discovered the mothers let up a wail, knew the Indians would kill them, so the Pas would get out guns and off they would go to find the boys.  Tried to kick the boys to camp.  First chance those boys would go off again.  But those night alarms, when someone would call 'Indians'.  The guard came running in who had seen the Indians hide behind a bush or heard an arrow.  Then in a moment men were loading guns, women crying.  A call for volunteers would go out and they would circle around.  But that scare in the night...it made women nervous and sick. "

Many similar journals have stories such as Maggie's...the men were the guards, the women were those who prayed for their men, children and camp's safety.  Most of the time it was just a false alarm, at times a peace pipe was shared with the two leaders but regardless it was no doubt a difficult thing to wait and remain quiet as the women were expected to do!

Next time...Nancy Hunt's Story

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Today in Pioneer History:  On February 11. 1805, Sacagawea, the Shoshone Indian interpreter and guide to the Lewis and Clark expedition, gives birth to her first child, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau.

More Stuff of Myths and Legends

Rumors being far worse than reality did keep the pioneer cautious through an untamed land. People's own interpretations of the dangers influenced the number and scope of the stories.  And yes, local news was hungry for news to fill their pages and often overstated or just wrote unfounded reports.  Meantime men would drill and women would sew in fear.

Some extreme cases of Indian fear caused women traveling with children to wear a locket that contained cyanide for her and her children to take in the event they were captured by Indians.

The mere approach of an Indian would cause settlers to flee to the woods or barn for days or weeks at a time which lead to the term "Fortin' Up"...

Fortin' Up would send settlers to the strongest house in a settlement when an Indian attack was believed imminent.  During a full moon (Comanche Moon) it was believed that Indians attacked settlers.  The flimsiest of evidence was enough to send the entire community "Fortin' Up".

Women would lace their liquor supply with morphine in case troublesome Indians came while they were home alone. Some even hid in hollow logs placed in the yards. Both men and women spent an overwhelming amount of time, energy and resources "Fortin' up"  for nothing...


Next time...Boys will be boys...