Incidents on the Santa Fe Trail
By Colonel Henry Inman in 1897
Wagon Mound, a distinctive geological formation located approximately 40 miles west of Point of Rocks, New Mexico, owes its name to its striking resemblance to a covered wagon, a common sight along the historic Santa Fe Trail. This rocky mesa stands as a silent sentinel, witnessing the passage of countless travelers and the unfolding of numerous dramatic events. The area stretching from Point of Rocks to Wagon Mound became notorious for several intense confrontations between travelers and Native American tribes, rivaling in both frequency and ferocity only the battles around Pawnee Rock, the Walnut Creek crossing, Pawnee Fork, and Cow Creek.
One particularly compelling tale from the Wagon Mound region revolves around the extraordinary courage and resourcefulness of John L. Hatcher. Sometime around 1858, Hatcher, a prominent trader and merchant from New Mexico, found himself in a life-threatening situation that tested his mettle and solidified his reputation as a formidable Indian fighter. Hatcher’s name was well-known and often feared among the various Native American groups inhabiting New Mexico and those who frequented the Santa Fe Trail, a vital artery of commerce and migration in the American West.
Hatcher’s journey began in Taos, New Mexico, where he resided. He departed with a caravan laden with valuable furs and pelts, destined for Westport Landing, Missouri, a bustling port on the Missouri River. From Westport Landing, the furs would be shipped to St. Louis, the primary fur market in the western territories. His caravan was relatively small, consisting of roughly 15 wagons and an equal number of men, including Hatcher himself. Although a deceptive calm had settled over the region, with Indians purportedly at peace, Hatcher remained wary. He understood that even during periods of apparent tranquility, young, unproven warriors, eager to prove themselves and unrestrained by the authority of older chiefs, frequently engaged in raids and skirmishes along the Santa Fe Trail and near settlements.
As Hatcher’s train approached the vicinity of **Incidents on the Santa Fe Trail** near Wagon Mound, a formidable force of approximately 300 Indians emerged suddenly from over a nearby hill. The warriors were adorned in elaborate feather headdresses and painted in striking patterns, a display of their power and intent. Surprisingly, as they approached the caravan, they signaled peace, a gesture Hatcher cautiously accepted, though his inherent distrust of their motives remained. Following established custom, he invited the leading figures of the group to partake in refreshments, spreading a blanket on the ground and offering them sugar, a coveted commodity.
The warriors eagerly accepted the treat, reveling in the sweetness and the apparent hospitality. However, Hatcher’s experience with Native American customs and his understanding of their character led him to believe that their intentions were far from benign. He suspected that their true aim was to plunder the caravan and inflict harm upon him and his men. These warriors were identified as Comanche, a powerful and often feared tribe known for their skill in horsemanship and warfare. Leading the band was a renowned Comanche chief, accompanied by several sub-chiefs. Some accounts suggest it was Old Wolf, an elder whose raids into Texas had earned him a terrifying reputation among the Mexican population along the border.
While the Comanche chiefs enjoyed their sugary repast, Hatcher acted swiftly and decisively. He began to arrange his wagons into a defensive corral, a circular formation designed to provide protection against attack. Despite his preparations, Hatcher later confessed to his companions that he held little hope for their survival. Facing odds of more than twenty to one – a mere 15 or 16 men against over 300 seasoned Comanche warriors – and confined within a small corral, their situation seemed hopeless. Only a daring and audacious act, he reasoned, might offer them a slim chance of survival. This event is one of the most memorable **Incidents on the Santa Fe Trail**.
Once the chiefs had finished their meal, Hatcher addressed Old Wolf, requesting that he send his young warriors away, over the hill and out of sight. At this point, everyone was sitting close to one of the wagons, with Old Wolf leaning against a wheel on his blanket, and Hatcher sitting to his right. Hatcher’s insistence that the young warriors leave prompted Old Wolf and the other chiefs to rise to their feet. In a sudden and unexpected move, Hatcher seized Old Wolf by his scalp lock with his left hand. Simultaneously, he drew his butcher knife from its sheath with his right hand and positioned it menacingly at the chief’s throat. The entire action occurred in a flash, leaving everyone present stunned and motionless.
The scene was extraordinary: a small, determined man standing firm, surrounded by some of the most fearsome warriors of the Comanche nation. The Indians were speechless, unsure how to react. Hatcher, maintaining his grip on Old Wolf’s hair and pressing the knife against his throat, issued a firm ultimatum: “Send your young men over the hill at once, or I’ll kill you right where you are!”
The other Indians hesitated to intervene, recognizing Hatcher’s reputation for ruthlessness. They knew he was capable of carrying out his threat and that any attempt to rescue their chief could result in his immediate death. Old Wolf, defiant at first, shook his head in refusal. Hatcher, growing increasingly agitated, repeated his demand with greater force: “Send your young men over the hill, I tell you!” Again, Old Wolf refused. Hatcher, giving him one final chance, declared, “Send your young men over the hill, I tell you, or I’ll scalp you alive as you are!” The chief remained stubborn, shaking his head once more.
Hatcher, true to his word, began to make a slow incision on Old Wolf’s scalp, demonstrating his resolve to carry out his threat. As the chief felt the blood trickling down his forehead, his resistance began to crumble. He finally relented and ordered his second-in-command to send the young warriors away, out of sight. The order was quickly relayed to the astonished warriors, who promptly mounted their horses and rode away over the hill, leaving only a handful of chiefs with Old Wolf and Hatcher. The tales of **Incidents on the Santa Fe Trail** are often filled with such daring encounters.
Hatcher, maintaining his firm grip on the chief’s head, immediately instructed his men to throw the robes out of the wagons and seek cover inside. His men obeyed promptly. Once they were all safely under the protection of the wagon sheets, Hatcher released Old Wolf’s hair and, with a final kick, ordered him and his remaining companions to leave. The Comanche chiefs departed and did not return.
While the history of the Santa Fe Trail is often marked by conflict and danger, it also contains moments of levity and humor. Although these incidents were undoubtedly serious for those involved, their more comical aspects became apparent later. One such episode occurred in the late summer of 1866, when a band of Apache raiders approached Fort Union, New Mexico. After careful reconnaissance of the area and the fort’s livestock herding practices, they concealed themselves in the Turkey Mountains, which overlooked the reservation. For several days, they patiently observed, waiting for the opportune moment to launch a raid and drive off the herd.
Choosing a time when the guard was lax and inattentive, they crept under the cover of a hill in broad daylight, mounted their horses, and charged out with terrifying yells, scattering the animals grazing peacefully near the fort. The sudden assault threw the livestock into a panic, causing them to stampede towards the mountains, closely pursued by the Apache warriors.
The surprised soldiers scrambled to prevent the loss of their animals, engaging in a running gunfight with the raiders. Despite their efforts, the Apache proved too strong, and the soldiers were forced to abandon the chase. Among the herders was a young bugler, known for his bravery and relentless efforts to turn the animals back towards the fort. However, his efforts were in vain, as the herd continued its flight, with the Indians close behind, celebrating their triumph with loud shouts and taunting gestures directed at the pursuing soldiers. These **Incidents on the Santa Fe Trail** highlight the constant threat faced by soldiers and civilians alike.
During the chaotic pursuit, an elderly Apache chief rode up behind the young bugler. Instead of killing the boy, as he easily could have done, the chief, for reasons unknown, seemed to be overcome with a sense of amusement. He simply knocked the bugler’s hat off his head with the flat of his hand and, in a gesture of encouragement, stroked his hair, as if to say, “You are a brave boy.” He then rode off without causing him any harm.
Another humorous incident occurred in August 1867, when Colonel Henry Inman, the author of this account, traveled in the overland coach from Fort Larned, Kansas, to Fort Union, New Mexico. Accompanied by one of his clerks, Inman found himself in a precarious situation when he discovered that their stage driver was heavily intoxicated. The journey was through a dangerous section of the Santa Fe Trail, where Indian attacks were a constant threat.
Recognizing the danger, Inman ordered the driver to stop. The driver, in a state of drunken joviality, readily complied. Inman suggested that he lie down inside the coach to sleep off his intoxication, to which the driver readily agreed. Inman and his clerk then took control of the coach, with Inman taking the reins and his clerk wielding an old trace-chain to urge the mules onward. They were acutely aware of their vulnerability, knowing that they would have to defend themselves against any potential attacks with only two men.
Suddenly, they spotted an elderly Indian sitting on the bank of the Arkansas River, armed with a long lance and bow and arrows. Although they did not fear him directly, Inman suspected that he might be a scout, assessing the coach’s strength and relaying information to a larger raiding party hidden nearby. As they approached, the Indian rose and signaled his desire to speak. However, Inman and his clerk were unwilling to engage in conversation and urged the mules forward, putting as much distance as possible between themselves and the potential threat. Fortunately, it turned out to be a false alarm, and the old warrior had no intention of harming them. They arrived at Fort Lyon without further incident, and the driver, now sobered, requested that Inman keep his indiscretion a secret, which he, of course, did.
The commencement of caravans bound for Santa Fe and other forts along the Santa Fe Trail was dictated by the availability of grazing for the animals, typically around the middle of May. However, years ago, an official in the quartermaster’s department in Washington, D.C., unfamiliar with frontier conditions, criticized the officer in charge at Fort Leavenworth for the perceived delay in dispatching freight caravans. The official insisted that the caravans depart by the middle of April, a month earlier than usual, and personally oversaw the matter. He awarded contracts accordingly and triumphantly reported to headquarters that he had revolutionized the army’s transportation system. However, upon visiting Salt Creek in early May, he was astonished to find the caravans still encamped, having “started” as agreed, but unable to proceed due to the lack of adequate forage.
As previously mentioned, countless stories of stagecoach adventures along the Santa Fe Trail exist, enough to fill an entire volume. One such tale involves John Chisholm, a renowned rancher who had amassed a vast number of cattle. Chisholm had fulfilled a large contract to supply beef to an Indian agency in Arizona and, after receiving payment, wisely sent most of the money to Santa Fe before embarking on his journey back east. Arriving in Santa Fe, he set out for the Missouri River with $1,000 and some smaller denominations for expenses along the way.
On the first night out of Santa Fe, the stagecoach was stopped by a group of bandits who had been watching Chisholm’s movements. Realizing the situation immediately, Chisholm managed to conceal a roll of money down one of his trouser legs before the robbers ordered him to hand over his valuables. He invited them to search him, claiming he had little money. The thieves found his watch and then searched him more thoroughly. Fortunately, they missed the money hidden in his leg and discovered only a two-dollar bill in his vest. When Chisholm explained that it was all he had for food, one of the robbers gave him a silver dollar, remarking that while someone who traveled with so little money deserved to starve, he would give him the dollar to show that he was dealing with gentlemen! These stories are testaments to the kinds of **Incidents on the Santa Fe Trail**.
Another story from the Santa Fe Trail illustrates the importance of tobacco to the average soldier. In November 1865, a detachment of soldiers from Fort Larned, Kansas, was ordered to Fort Lyon, Colorado, on a scouting expedition. The Indians had been particularly active in raiding freight caravans along the trail. The soldiers’ tobacco supply soon dwindled, and with no settlements between the two forts, there was no opportunity to replenish it.
One night, while encamped on the Arkansas River, the last remaining piece of tobacco, about half a plug, was lost, causing widespread dismay. Hours were spent searching for the missing treasure. The following day, the march was delayed as the soldiers continued their desperate search. Finally, they resumed their journey, disconsolate and craving their tobacco. Upon arriving at Fort Lyon, they learned that the sutler was also out of tobacco, compounding their misery.
The soldiers began their return journey even more despondent, chewing on dry leaves, grass, and twigs as substitutes. Reaching the spot where they had lost the tobacco, they decided to camp there for the night and conduct a more thorough search. Just before dark, their efforts paid off when one of the men found it. The discovery sparked a frenzy, with soldiers scrambling for even the smallest nibble. Enormous prices were offered for a single chew, starting at one dollar for a sliver and rising to ten dollars by the time the last morsel was gone. These are the kinds of stories that make up the **Incidents on the Santa Fe Trail**.
*By Colonel Henry Inman, 1897. Compiled and edited by Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated January 2025.*
*About the Author:* Excerpted from the book *The Old Santa Fe Trail* by Colonel Henry Inman, 1897. Note: The text is not verbatim, as minor edits have been made throughout the tale. Henry Inman was well known as an officer in the U.S. Army and an author dealing with subjects of the Western plains. During the Civil War, Inman was a Lieutenant Colonel, and afterward, he won distinction as a magazine writer. He wrote several books, including his Old Santa Fe Trail, Great Salt Lake Trail, The Ranch on the Ox-hide, and other similar books dealing with the subjects he knew so well. Colonel Inman left several unfinished manuscripts at his death in Topeka, Kansas, on November 13, 1899.
**Also See:**
* Early Traders on the Santa Fe Trail
* Santa Fe Trail Slideshow
* Santa Fe Trail – Highway to the Southwest
* Pathways To the West