The Terrible 1871 Wickenburg Stagecoach Attack. OUT ON THE TRAIL.

hey gang we are in Wickenburg Arizona right now at Happy Trails power sports rentals of Arizona and this is the Beast that we're going to be renting today it's a Polaris Razor actually have a couple of these in our Wisconsin place maybe I'll have to get one for out here but for today we're going to be renting from Sean who is the owner here and great people I've got to tell you just great people here he was kind enough to just Reserve this thing for me for the whole day if I want he's I mean just fantastic people here and the whole the whole crew I tried to get a work with the people where I live and carefree a place called time to ride AZ guy named Josh completely blew me off talk about snobs don't go there I wouldn't recommend it anyway we're here we're gonna go for a we're going to actually head out about six miles that away on 60. and then we're going to head into the mountains probably about six miles a curvy we're going to get into a wash I tried to get my truck my Ram truck in there I couldn't that's why I'm renting this and this is the story about the Wickenburg Stagecoach Massacre happened in the 1800s quite a story complete Wipeout of the stagecoach except for there was one Survivor who told the story so we're going to get into it so we'll pick it up on the trail and I want to thank Shannon Hendricks for this story who suggested the Oatman story also if you remember that was another good one so all right I'll see you out on the trail [Music] all right guys guys we got a GPS heading on where we're going and it's a good thing I've got this uh there's a lot of washes we're gonna have to go through so I'll show you a little bit of it coming up as we get farther in all right gang we are out here we made it we made it down the dusty trail the dusty wash I should say and the vehicle did pretty good pretty good so we're about I'm gonna say about a 10 minute walk according to the GPS away from where the site is that away so I thought we would park it here and walk the last part of it together instead of driving right up on it and we can Discover it together and on the way I can tell you the story this is such a beautiful area look at this so calm serene wild and Untamed and we should try to put ourselves back in the day 1871 it was the morning of November 5th there was a stagecoach a stagecoach coming out of Wickenburg here called the Concord he left town around seven in the morning and it headed west through the washes these washes outside of town Final Destination San Bernardino California can you imagine guys going on a stagecoach through this country bouncing along all the way to San Bernardino we would be complaining right now getting in our car on the highway oh that's so so many so many hour drive well I guess it would be an adventure could be fun right beautiful country beautiful weather most of the time there were seven passengers the passengers included members of the wheeler Expedition along with others from Prescott Arizona now the wheeler survey was carried out from 1872 to 1879 this was one of the four great surveys conducted by the US Government after the Civil War primarily to document the geology and natural resources of the American West here so we'll talk about the people now there were three guys associated with the wheeler Expedition that were on that mission directly the workers if you will starting with the Cartographer Peter M Hamill and then we have a surveyor William salmon on that team the three-man team and there was a journalist from Boston his name was Frederick Wadsworth Loring very interesting guy he was on quite an adventure 22 years old he was a Harvard graduate he had already imagined at 22 years old he had already a novel that was published a book of poetry also he was working as a correspondent for Appleton's Journal at the time and he was he was here to cover the wheeler expedition's progress there was a civilian Army paymaster named William Krueger and the three from Prescott was or were Charles S Adams Frederick show home and a lady of the night a woman named a lady of the soil doves I should say Molly Shepherd and the state driver his name was John Dutch Lance l-a-n-c-e now it was about an hour after they left from Wickenburg here about we're about six or seven miles outside of town and they They Came Upon This wash this wash that we've been driving in and up ahead here in fact I'm going to bring you over to the wash this is the wash because we're at the base of a hill and that's where The Higher Ground the Ambush attackers were let's go over here and take a look at the wash now this is where they were driving and it's quite Sandy it's not sand and gravel I can tell you that it's very uh you know I think I'd have a hard time with my Ram truck because everything sinks down so I'm trying to imagine the stagecoach Wheels the horses and maybe it was firmer back then because it wasn't maybe this is getting Ground Up by all the traffic from the four-wheelers but if you look at this this is kind of the natural Road of the time and I'm sure I'm pretty sure this is the same wash that they were traveling from that direction so imagine coming from that direction and you are headed that way and right about just about up ahead here to the left if you look up there and I'm going to parallel to the left here come back here if you see this if you see there's a slight rise it looks like it goes up a hundred feet maybe a little more this big hill and right where this slope comes down you can see it's sloping right in the center of the screen coming down to the right that is where the Ambush happened as a skate you can see that the wash over there converges with the base of that Hill that's where we're going and if you look up there right up there say where those little those little trees are there if you can see that is where a whole bunch of Yavapai natives were called Indians at the time and they were up there waiting for the stage to come and when the stage came they started shooting and the first thing they did is they shot the first two horses and they started shooting the three guys that were up on the Buckboard there and it was they were sitting ducks they really did not have a chance the driver Dutch Lance Frederick Lauren was up there he was inside most time but he wanted to get some fresh air and there was another guy up there and they of course were hit first shot down almost instantly killed well they didn't die right away and that's when the attackers closed in the gunfire continued and the coach was hit over and over and over now William Krueger and Molly Shepherd Were Somehow they got away now we're going to talk about this I have a letter that he sent Krueger sent I think to the one of the army commanders and documenting and we're I'm going to tell you his testimony it's unbelievable but somehow he crawled away with the play dead along with Molly Molly was pretty shot up and they probably crawled anywhere in this area to this area that we're standing right here as they made their escape and of course Wickenburg it's back that way so that's the way they had to go so it was quite a bloody scene here one of the passengers was scalped and sadly I will say Molly did get back but she would die of her injuries shortly after getting back she was conscious she had said just before she died they said that she said that hey these were Mexican Bandits they were dressed as Indians to throw off investigators and in fact there was a Mexican gang that was working here but I think it was pretty much confirmed that it was Yavapai they were wearing soldiers pants and all kinds of weird stuff and there was some Revenge stuff going there's big Revenge stuff going on so let's get back on the dusty trail here keep walking foreign so peaceful here so there was an investigation U.S army General George crook who was very famous he was in charge of the territory at this time and he had a very famous career that's a whole separate story Nelson miles would replace him but the attack here was generally blamed on the Yavapai Warriors who were sometimes mistakenly called Apache mojave's from the nearby date Creek reservation same as the oldman's same as the Oatman skies and the oatmans that was down by Yuma not close to here relatively speaking so it was believed that it was the date Creek tribe that came here or the band and they wouldn't stop there the following marched some of these same people tried to assassinate George crook General crook so General crook had uh finally had enough of all this so he sent out an expeditionary Force of cavalry and they trailed the perpetrators and they caught up with them at Burrow Creek and there was a standoff a big fight and about 40 of the natives were killed it was really all of this that ultimately led to the forcible relocation to the San Carlos Apache reservation so why was the stagecoach attacked in the first place nothing much was taken even the surviving animals were left here that's not typical maybe it was the Mexicans but I think it was the Yavapai payback mission seven months before there were 144 Apache who were killed in the camp Grant Massacre outside of Tucson so it may have been from that patchy may have participated who knows anyway all kinds of conspiracy theories you know we always have those people Molly Molly did it it was all Molly and Krueger and they they did it and it's all manufactured and they took the money and they were spotted in San Francisco and they got married and you know anything to sell a book so you're going to hear a lot of stuff but as I always say guys the stuff these stories are sometimes 50 percent accurate you you get them as much documentation as you can and then you you piece it together and maybe it's 80 percent right you don't know you just read to you this letter from William Krueger to a new actualist to a newspaper man and it was December 9 1871. and I think the newspaper was in New York it says listen to this dear sir I am pleased to be able to give you an account of the death of my friend Laureen who is well known to me and whose ultimate untimely death is deeply regretted by me he left Fort Whipple near Prescott Arizona on Saturday November 4th in the best of health and spirit and I was with him to be sure the stage was rather crowded but being all such good temper we had a real nice time Lauren being the most Lively of us all anticipated a speedy return to his his friend in the East well he retained his inside seat until we reached Wittenberg it was Sunday morning November 5th 1871 when after leaving there he preferred to have an outside seat to which I most decidedly objected but he insisted he insisted on being outside for a short time now I had two revolvers and he had none in fact no arms whatsoever he rejected my offer of a revolver Laurie did saying at the time my dear Krueger we are now comparatively safe I have traveled with Lieutenant wheeler for nearly eight months and have never seen an Indian well we rolled out about 11 A.M when the Fatal attack was made the first warning I had was the warning Cry of the driver who shouted Apaches Apaches at the same moment the Indians who lay concealed fired the first volley killing poor Loring the driver and the other outside passenger Mr Adams they killed also the lead horse and wounded the other lead horse the horses were frightened very much so and then they ran forward about 20 yards when they came to a sudden stop at the same time Loring fell off the stage and so did the other passenger and in that same moment the Indians fired the second volley from three sides now both sides of the stage and the rear not more than four or five yards away killing Mr show home one of the inside passengers wounding then Miss Shepherd myself and Mr salmon it was not looking good the latter one was mortally wounded that would be Mr salmon and he fell out of the stage he crawled away but he was finally captured by the Indian Scout and otherwise mutilated the only one not then wounded was Mr Hammett of Lieutenant Wheeler's party but he and myself commenced immediate firing we shot it each one of us fired six shots no more ammunition I paused firing the Indians then disappeared behind the bushes they retreated for what a terrible spectacle it was to see six dead bodies in plain sight Lauren was laying right under my eyes not yet dead but suffering apparently terribly he was shot through the left temple and his right eye and his lungs he suffered for about four minutes but I was positive that he died before I made my Escape knowing that it would be useless to attempt to attempt to escape until the Indians would come back and plunder the stage I remained perfectly quiet having the having ascertained that Miss Shepherd was yet alive but badly wounded she succeeded in getting a loaded revolver from one of the killed passengers which she gave to me I then told her to keep cool and to be ready to run as soon as I would be giving the signal well in about six minutes a terrible suspense I saw the Indian slowly creeping back they were coming back towards the stage I counted and saw plainly 15 Indians all dressed in blue soldiers trousers when they came within five yards of the stage I jumped up yelled and fired at them the woman at the same time she also yelled and we succeeded in driving them off for the time being before I left the stage I cried out as loud as I possibly could if anyone was yet alive but only Mr Adams answered and he was mortally wounded he could not even move his hand or feet I had to leave him to his fate he was afterward found with his throat cut and otherwise mutilated the Indians afterward followed me for about five miles and I had a running fight with them until I fell in with the Buckboard I had to carry the Wounded Woman for over two miles on my left arm I myself received a shot through the right armpit coming out on the shoulder and two shots in my back the woman also had three shots one to her was dangerous how I could escape with my life and be able to save the life of Miss Shepherd is more than I can account for that I left my mark with the Indians there is no doubt because two of the Indians died from gunshot wounds at Camp date Creek reservation but the commanding officer there refused to have the thing investigated for fear he would find sufficient evidence that they were his pets that is Camp Day Creek Indians no he wouldn't turn them in there is no doubt whatever that the outrage was committed by them the date Creek Indians those so-called Friendly Indians who Uncle Sam feeds now after the news reached Wickenburg we were brought to Wickenburg after 16 hours of terrible suffering and agony I stopped at the place of the attack closed the eyes of all my poor my poor traveling companions Lauren poor boy he was not mutilated but looked calm and peaceful accepting his fearful wound through the head he wore soldiers clothing his hat is in my possession now if you wish you can have it Lauren and four of his companions in fate were decently buried the next day Monday November 8 1877 and very nice coffins I saw them buried the other man who got scalped was buried on the road Mr Sexton of the Vulture Mine At Wickenburg he attended the funeral rest assured that our friend Lauren had a decent funeral peace be with his ashes I forwarded everything belonging to Lauren to Lieutenant wheeler accepting his hat as I said you can have it there are four bullet holes through the same I know I lost everything but my life the Indians got to a certain knowledge about twenty five thousand dollars nine thousand dollars belonging to me and Miss Shepherd the commanding officer Captain O'Byrne 25 infantry not only allowed the Indians to go unpunished but also refused me Miss Shepherd and two surviving cripples shelter yes sir he ordered us off the reservation and I wish to Heaven you would publish this piece of inhumanity in your New Year's paper please show this letter to Mr Lauren Boston Massachusetts who wrote to me on the same day you did I am sir very truly yours William Krueger Chief clerk to Captain C.W Foster ASM United States Army Aaron Berg Arizona territory well we are at the massacre site we are here this massacre site has been kept up by a local Club here out of Wickenburg and the graves and monuments that we're going to look at here are kept up by them which is fantastic they say that the bodies were buried where they fell but as you can see from the testimony not so maybe there's one here nobody knows they were brought back to Wickenburg buried then they were disinterred then they were reinterred that there's no records no good records of most they even say they came back and buried some are all or one of them back here no records so that's going to be lost to the sands of time unless somebody wants to do a ground penetrating radar which is not necessary it's really well let's take it's really about just the memorial to this event [Applause] so interesting let's take a look at what we have so the first thing we have here it's a small grouping of monuments and this appears just to be a what was maybe a cross hard to say foreign but again you stand here this is right at the base of the Hill and as you can see what I just walked off it's not the wash the washes is right there so that's only about 20 30 yards and as it goes to the left it converges with this all of this here so you can you know you just try to imagine right here in the stagecoach looking up this hill with these all these attackers coming down with rifles wow that must have been horrible it's another Monument unmarked cast iron Cross or crucifix it's really just a cross and candle holder with money that's what you do you bring money or Stones that's a sign of respect it's nice that it's still there I saw a little sign over here I walk past this okay so this says this just says the November 5th 1871 at 10 A.M yeah the Concord style Stagecoach four horses eight miles per hour and they were on a route this is the special routes I see some signs down there see another sign here let's zigzag [Applause] so these are more signs or just tell what happened three horses wounded fourth died 26 rounds were fired into the coach 26 bullet holes I'm guessing right about here this is where the coach well right down here in the wash I mean the wash is not going to change that much it's not going to relocate what's this here bottle of liquor okay this says William George salmon wounded jumped out ran then saving Molly Shepard and William Krueger oh so that's interesting William George salmon that wasn't mentioned in his note and then they what was mentioned is they scalped salmon scalping him chin to nap and otherwise mutilating that sign's gone hmm all right let's go back up to this sign and then there's some more markers we can look at so this is kind of a little just telling what happened 35 Indians armed with repeating rifles oh you wouldn't stand a chance here they left moccasin tracks they were sewn to the upper part of the Rawhide straps giving a clear track as to who was the tribe yeah in this case I I think they're probably right I think probably right Peter Hamill was unhurt suggesting he met his attackers head on before being killed scalped mutilated and there you see Frederick Lauren Charles Adams driver all of that Adams received two wounds to the back Lauren received Winston's head we know that Lance they got him in the head upper torso unable to flee they lay here they lay here all to be mutilated so again it's hard to say each of these I'm sure that some of these right here are really the spots they they probably when they move the bodies put some a pile of rocks here [Applause] so you are looking at the actual ground where it happened a lot of signs here a lot of science let's see what's this one says this is the after the Escape look at all these ants boy if you were to if you were to fall down and lay here these ants would just Eat You Alive guys let me tell you don't stand still too long you hear what's that one can't read that sign it's and then we have this lonely I'm guessing that these two right here this is it we're on ground zero where these two big pile of rocks are this is this is where they fell right here not the original wood but it could be I doubt it oh there it is guys just imagine being all alone here there's no way anyone's going to help you well like I said poor Molly Shepherd no picture no grave she has lost to the sands of time very brave woman there's a lot of information which I'm going to put here that that tells about where the bodies were interred and what little that I can find on it but like I said there's not much there's not much on this so I'll put in the description box below if you want to read and there's a ray of Hope like I was hinting at the beginning for Molly they say she was actually spotted in San Francisco with Krueger spending all the money I don't believe that you know to sell a book again but hey maybe what do you guys think I think Molly made it anyway thanks for coming on this exciting trip I am going to get back in the machine and get back and just enjoy the enjoy the ride and the scenery this is a wonderful place to visit I recommend if anyone wants to come out here to check it out so with that I will conclude the story [Music] be safe oh [Music] foreign [Music] [Laughter] [Music] foreign [Music] [Music]

Channel: Faces of the Forgotten

Views: 183,035

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Id: xdgA681bG-c

Length: 37min 56sec (2276 seconds)

Published: Mon Jun 05 2023