NW Okie's Journey
In this week's "OkieLegacy Ezine" we explore the Run of 1889 in Indian Territory. The boundaries of Oklahoma proper was bounded on the north by the Cherokee outlet, on the south by the Canadian river.
The North Fork of the Canadian and the Red Fork of the Arkansas or the Cimarron River flowed from west to east, one through the northern central and the other through the southern central part of the Territory. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Road extended through the Territory from north to south, and several other roads were approaching completion, or would be built in the near future. The present district of Oklahoma would form the center of the new Territory of Oklahoma.
The First Clash
A bloody affray between boomers and deputy marshals was the first clash. As reported in a Chicago newspaper 21 April 1889, a dispatch from Purcell, Indian Territory, regarding the reported conflict between Deputy Marshals and boomers, said thirty boomers were taken prisoners, seven being wounded. One Deputy Marshal was slightly hurt. For several days men on horseback and in wagons had been fording the South Canadian north of Purcell, and disappearing in the timber to the eastward.
Men who came in from hunting trips reported having seen large bodies of boomers moving in a northeasterly direction, and a hunter who arrived the night before declared that he had found a man plowing in a secluded valley about twenty miles from Purcell.
The morning before at sunrise thirteen prairie schooners, well manned, crossed the Santa Fe tracks below the city and forded the river. The drivers urged their animals with whip and clubs' nd the train was across and out of sight before many of the residents of Purcell were stirring. A citizen saw them and acquainted others who had staked out claims and hoped to occupy them soon after noon Monday next. The story soon gained general circulation, and before noon a meeting was held. The feeling against the trespassers ran high, and inside of thirty minutes a half-dozen fiery speeches had been made. It was finally decided that the Chief Deputy Marshal be called upon to try to expel the raiders.
It was in the afternoon the Chief Deputy, accompanied by thirteen assistants, rode down to the river and took the same ford. They discovered four wagons about three hundred feet from the trail and five men seated around a fire eating their dinner. These were unceremoniously ordered to hitch up. The enterprising boomers were thoroughly scared, and in less than fifteen minutes were on the back trail in charge one of the deputies, who was ordered to escort them across the river, and then picket the fording place until his comrades returned. The latter deployed as skirmishers and advanced slowly several miles. Suddenly a shot was heard on the left, and a bullet clipped a leaf above the head of one of the party. A minute later a volley ran out in front, and the pony ridden by one of the deputies sank to the ground with a bullet int he head.
The chief of the deputies called out for his men to "charge." Each had unslung his Winchester, and all surged forward. They fired into the thicket and shouted like madmen. There was no response for several minutes' and the men began to think they had dispersed the assailants. They soon discovered their mistake. A man popped up from behind a log and fired at them, and this was the signal of another fusillade form his friends. He retreated down a ravine just in time to escape the fire of the deputies, who continued to advance and pump their repeaters. Half way down the ravine the deputies discovered a rough barricade of logs and burst across the entrance, and simultaneously a voice exclaimed: "Now give it to them, boys."
A sheet of flame poured from the face of the barricades d another shower of bullets sped toward the officers. They had been sufficiently warned, and but one of their number was hit and his would was not serious.
The Chief Deputy ordered a retreat, and gathered his en about him for a council f war. It was evident that the barricade was quite heavily manned, and that a director assault would prove disastrous. Therefor, it was denied to divid the party and attack the flanks of the enemy. This movement brought the deputies directly above the barricade.
At a given signal they began shooting from the top of the ravine right into he midst of the boomers, who were utterly unable to defend themselves from such an attack.
Ten minutes of rapid firing ensued and then a cry for quarter went up from the barricade, "We surrender," shouted a man who the firing ceased. The blood pouring from a wound in his forehead attested that he knew he had enough.
A hasty advance to the fort was made, and the officers were in charge thirty prisoners, seven of whom were seriously wounded. As but one of the Marshal was wounded, and his injury was trifling, the charge of murder couldn't be brought against the men. They may be tried for resisting arrest, but the belief was that they would rereleased after Oklahoma was opened.
~ "Buckle-up, Buttercup!"
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