Tylers Rangers First Hand Account

Tylers Rangers

JACK MORROW'S RANCHE,
Sept. 5th, 1864.
MESSRS. EDITORS.

Another chance of letting you hear of our welfare, will probably occur to-morrow, and I know you and our friends among your readers would be far from pleased if we did not avail ourselves of every opportunity to let you know how we are getting along and what we are doing. When last I wrote you, we were camped at Beauvais Ranche, 30 miles below Julesburg, and just beginning to see some recent signs of Indians. From Beauvais' we sent out a party of twelve men to scout the North Platte. They were gone five days and had a very rough time of it. They reached the North Platte, about twenty miles below Ash Hollow, and struck the trail of thirty or forty Indians, who had passed the day before driving some horses. Our men followed fast and were gaining rapidly upon them when one of the men's horses fell with him, injuring him so seriously, that it was impossible to take him further. More than seventy miles away from their command, with the certainty that their stock of provisions would give out before they reached it, no game in the country, and a disabled comrade, who could with difficulty be got back to the command, they were reluctantly obliged to return. Just after starting back they were overtaken by the Indian Agent, coming from Ft. Laramie who assisted them and informed them that the Indians were friendly and had stolen five of his ponies, this being apparently the course adopted by friendly Indians when they get a chance. After being two days without food, a portion of them reached the deserted ranche at which we are now encamped, obtained something to eat and sent it back to those left with the injured man. The whole party reached camp the evening of Sept. 3d. Two days previous the Captain and fifteen men went out to find this party. We came upon their trail and returned down the North Platte, satisfied that they were safe or had returned across the sand hills to camp the same night. The scouting party followed the river down to the junction of the Platte's, and thus were two days later in joining us. This will give you some idea of the extent of our scouting, and the severity of the duties which our boys cheerfully perform in their desire to open this road for traffic, and to avenge the atrocities committed by the red-skins. The man (Lance) who was hurt is rapidly recovering. He received no injury except the shock and will be in the saddle again in a few days.

A force of 700 or 800 men started yesterday under Genl's Curtis and Mitchell, from Plum Creek, for the Republican. This will clear the road of Indians between Kearney and Cottonwood, and west of Cottonwood. The road is now perfectly safe and you may rely upon our keeping it so. If confidence could only be restored, there is no reason why mails and freight should not at once come through by the Omaha route. It appears to us that with proper representations this might be done. There are at present no trains on the road. There is one camped at Cottonwood, and that starts for Denver, to-day.

The result of the military movements commenced yesterday from Plum Creek, will be to drive Indians south on to the Arkansas River. Prabable [sic] the Ogalalas and Brule Sioux, will be driven north on to the Platte. These latter will find it a hard matter to cross this road without rubbing very hard against the Rangers. Whether we shall wait for them on the road, or go down canyon to meet them is known only to our Captain, who like a good military commander keeps his own counsel.

At Beauvais and again at O'Fallon's Bluffs we were aroused about daylight, by the sharp crack of a rifle. Some Indians had in either case attempted their old game of stampeding stock, so often successful with troops who pride themselves on a complete organization and severe discipline. In a few seconds the whole of the guard were on the picket line, and within two minutes every man in camp was ready to repel any attack that could be made. Captain Tyler had pushed out skirmishers under Lieut. Stilling and Sargeant [sic] Perkins to find out the force of the enemy. As usual the red-skins liked stealing better than fighting and at once took to their heels. Our men pursued, but it was sometime before there was light enough to follow a trail, and this gave them time to escape.

We are sorry that we can get no news of the other troops which we hear have been started from Denver. They ought to have been here now. They could make longer marches than we could, as it was unnecessary for them to send out scouting parties, our men having done this thoroughly. We hear rumors that they are stationed at different points between Julesburg and Denver. If this be so, no sound military reasons can have induced this extraordinary and absurd disposition. There is not and never has been, any danger west of Julesburg. If any departmental jealousy has induced this disposition, if any fear of permitting Colorado troops to come under the command of officers of another military district has led those who unfortunately have charge of our affairs, to take a course so opposed to the true interests of the Territory, it is time that the people of Colorado took steps to represent to the general Government, the absolute necessities of a change in the national officers, and of sending men to govern the Territory who will consider its true interests before party or personal considerations, and in whom the people have confidence.

We have this moment heard that Mayor Kinney has just left Julesburg, alone, on his road to join us. Bully for Kinney--it does one good, when one sees the scared faces of Ranchemen, some of whom are afraid to live, twenty together, in blockade houses--to see our mountain men ride alone 300 miles. This ride is a good commentary on the dangers of the road west of Julesburg. We shall send an escort to meet Kinney.

Captain Tyler went down yesterday to Cottonwood, to try and get a howitzer, with what success we do not yet know, but we are very much afraid that General's Red-tape, Routine and Inefficiency will be too much for him. The interests of the country are much less important considerations, than correct returns to the War Department. It would not do to assist the mountain men too much, lest they should do more than five times their number of soldiers have been able to do in protecting this road and fighting Indians. The military officers need not be afraid, the mountain boys have already in two weeks done more than they have in two years, in thoroughly scouting the country. They can fight as well as scout.

We can get no definite information about destroyed trains, and prefer not to send you mere rumors, which can only alarm. Very little machinery is injured--a large number of wagons are corralled at Kearney, and a great many have returned to the river. We hear that they are in great alarm at the river, lest the absence of the troops on the Indian expedition, should bring back the guerrillas.

Give our love to our lady friends--tell them we miss them more and more. Sacrifice yourself to the interests of your country, so far as to pay them all the attentions which they were accustomed to receive when we were at home, which our absence deprives us of, and believe me

Truly yours, DOODLES.

Source: Doodles, "From Tyler's Rangers," Daily Mining Journal, Black Hawk City, Gilpin County, Colorado, Tuesday, 27 September, 1864, page 1.