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| Uncle (3G) Charles Franklin Decker |
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DESERET EVENING NEWS: SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 1901 (P. 2) concluded |
| Ephraim Hanks in a contract to carry the mail once a month from Salt Lake to Fort Laramie. In August of that year he went out with the mail, accompanied by Alford Higgins. Dr. Bernhisel was a passenger on his way to Congress. Stories were then rife of a renegade band of Crow Indians with Chief Big Robber at their head, and that they were going through plundering everything that they could, with safety. Uncle Charlie overtook Prof. Jones, who with seven men were making sketches of the country. The former proposed to the artist that they travel on together for mutual protection until they had passed through the dangerous part of the country. To this suggestion Prof. Jones cynically replied if Mr. Decker was afraid of the Indians he had better return to Salt Lake and send some one out who was not. The intrepid but discreet Uncle Charlie made a low whistle to himself and drove off. On approaching Deer Creek and Boxelder twenty-six Indians filed across the road. They made many demonstrations but your Uncle Charlie did not understand a word of the language which he later became skilful in. The Indians lassoed the mules and took the entire outfit down into a ravine, when the chief showed a slip of paper written by Mr. Vasquez, the partner of Colonel Bridger. The note stated that the Indians would be pacified with a few presents. Acting on the hint, supper was prepared and downed, |
and the redskins said all was peace. Those red gentlemen cried PEACE, PEACE! but there was no peace. As soon as Uncle Charlie and his assistant began to hitch up, some made a rush for the wagon, where Utah’s first congressman was holding up his hands and saying, “Please don’t, Mr. Indian,” the others made for the two young men and attempted to tear the clothes from their body. Alford Higgins though was a good slugger and as often as an Indian would come within reach he would land a blow on his head that would send him sprawling. This was kept up until about ten had been knocked down, and as each Indian went plowing his head into the ground his comrades would laugh heartily. At this juncture a squaw that was in the party went running down the hill giving the alarm that other white men were coming. Being thoroughly frightened the dusky marauders let the coach go on and they retired. But it was only Professor Jones and his party, and as soon as the Indians saw how many there were they returned and stripped them of all they had on, giving in return the meagre rags that had served them for clothing. On returning from Fort Laramie Uncle Charlie saw a forlorn figure standing by the side of the road, and investigation developed the fact that it was the former well-dressed Prof. Jones, now reduced to a |
greasy breech clout and a melancholy smile. Uncle Charlie picked him up and they came on in to Philomen Merrill’s camp of emigrants.
FRIEND OF KIT CARSON Uncle Charlie was a warm personal friend of the famous Kit Carson and many other celebrities of the early border life. They were together on the plains in 1853, when they had to fight a band of outraged Indians, on the Platte River. Smallpox had carried off a number of them, and their bodies had been placed in a blacksmith shop to protect them from the wolves while their friends went to get some cloth to bury them in. A Frenchman passing fired the house and the bodies were cremated. The Indian thought that Uncle Charlie did it, and were deeply incensed but Kit Carson and his friends came up in time to avert any bloodshed.As has been stated a volume could be written on the life of this remarkable man. In him was embodied the chivalry of the pioneer and scout. Like most men of his kind he was modest almost to diffidence and when the story turned upon himself he kept a silent tongue generally. He was held in high esteem by those who knew him and in his way has rendered invaluable service to his State and people. page 18 |
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