The massacre in the canyon

After stopping at the Massacre Canyon Monument Visitor's Center last Wednesday, I came back to the office and pulled out a copy of "Nebraska Pioneers." Years before, I had read an eye witness account in the book of the massacre of the Pawnee by the Sioux, and I wanted to refresh my memory about the details of the story.

This particular copy of "Nebraska Pioneers" occupies a prominent place in the publisher's office. It was signed by the author, F.G. Stilgebouer, and personally presented to the Gazette's founder, Harry Strunk, in 1944. It has been passed from publisher to publisher until the present day.

The book is packed with a treasure trove of historical information about this area, including the chapter about The Battle of Massacre Canyon. The account was taken from the writings of J.W. Williamson, a trail agent who was with the Pawnee when they were attacked by the Sioux.

This is an appropriate time of the year to retell the story, as it was in early July of 1873 when the Pawnee began the trek that ended so tragically.

Williamson told about the journey's beginning: "On the second day of July, 1873, the Pawnees, to the number of 700 left Genoa for the hunting grounds. Of this number 350 were men and the balance women and children. Most of the men were armed with bows and arrows, old fashioned muzzle loading rifles; a few had seven shot Spencer carbines, and some carried Colt's powder and ball revolvers. All were mounted and carried with them 800 extra ponies to pack home the meats and hides."

They were in pursuit of buffalo. There were none in Nance County, where Genoa was located, so the Pawnee were headed to Plum Creek (now Lexington) and points to the south and west.

Even before the terribly bloody massacre -- which took place Aug. 5, 1873 -- the Pawnee had some skirmishes. Near what is now the town of Lowell, Williamson wrote that the Indians were taunted by drinking, gun-toting cowboys. Later, the Pawnees did some taunting of their own, with young braves riding around a settlers' sod house as fast as their ponies would carry them. Williamson intervened, but not before the young Pawnee had scared the pioneeer lady to her wit's end.

From Plum Creek on, the Pawnee had success killing buffalo and collecting the meats and hides. But the tragic day was drawing near. On the fourth day of August in 1973, the Pawnee were camped on the north bank of the Republican. Three white men came into the camp and warned the Pawnee that a large band of Sioux were camped 25 miles to the northwest, waiting for an opportunity to attack the Pawnee.

But, despite Williamson's plea to take the warnings seriously, Sky Chief of the Pawnees ignored the threat, calling the white men liars. He said the men wanted to scare the Pawnee away from the hunting grounds so they could kill buffalo for hides.

The chief's decision was a deadly mistake. The next morning, the Pawnee broke camp and started north, up the divide between the Republican and Frenchman rivers.

After proceeding less than a mile, they saw the Sioux coming. The war chant of the Pawnee arose through the ranks, but their voices were soon quieted. A band of 350 Pawnee hurled themselves at the Sioux warriors, who numbered between 1,200 and 1,500.

"Just imagine, dear reader," Williamson wrote, "six or seven hundred Indians; men, women and children and as many ponies, all huddled together and going for dear life down this canyon, with over a thousand bloodthirsty savages shooting down on them."

It was in the retreat down the canyon that the greatest loss of life occurred among the squaws and children, the Sioux riding down each side and firing down on them.

The bugles of the 3rd Cavalry from Fort McPherson, who were camped nearby, ended the massacre, but not before many Pawnee perished.

A census taken at the reservation in Genoa concluded that 20 men, 39 women and 10 children had been killed.

There were 12 wounded and several children missing after 11 prisoners had been returned. Possibly as few as 6 Sioux died.