White Massacre
Encyclopedia
The White Massacre was an engagement between American
settlers and a band of hostile Utes
and Jicarilla Apache
s that occurred in northeastern New Mexico
on October 28, 1849. In October, 1849, James White, a merchant who plied his trade between Independence
, Missouri
and Santa Fe
, New Mexico, was traveling west with a wagon train led by a well known wagon master Francois X. Aubrey. When the wagon train camped at a place where it was deemed that the dangerous part of the trip was passed, White, "a veteran of the trail" along with his wife Ann and baby daughter and "negro servant" a German named Lawberger, and several others decided to separate from the train and advance to Santa Fe alone. After a few days of traveling by themselves, they paused at a well known landmark called the "Point of Rocks" , between Rock Creek and the Whetstone Branch. Neither of the two locations can be located on a modern New Mexico map, but the Whetstone can be found on an 1876 map of New Mexico.
garrison near Taos
. From there Captain William Grier and the 1st Cavalry were dispatched to try and rescue Mrs. White and to chastise the hostiles. They were accompanied by two experienced guides, Antoine Leroux
and Robert Fisher. Along the way they stopped at Reyado
where Kit Carson
joined them, eventually leading them to the spot where the killings had occurred. From there the party pursued the natives "for ten or twelve days, the most difficult trail I even followed."
Finally the trackers came upon the unsuspecting natives on the banks of the Canadian River
near Tucumcari Butte
. Catching them unawares, Carson, who was in the lead, moved towards the camp, motioning the others to follow. In his autobiography Carson describes what followed; "I was in advance, starting for their camp, calling for the men to follow. The comdg. officer called a halt, none of them would follow me. I was informed that Leroux, the principle guide, told the officer in command, to halt, that the Indians wanted to have a parley. The Jicarillas started packing their goods for flight and a shot was fired that struck Captain Grier, causing no serious injury. (Due to the fact that Grier had a pair of heavy gauntlets tucked in his jacket) The captain ordered a charge, but the delay allowed all but one of the Indians to escape. In about 200 yards, pursuing the Indians, the body of Mrs. White was found, perfectly warm, had not been killed more than five minutes - shot through the heart by an arrow.... I am certain that if the Indians had been charged immediately on our arrival she would have been saved." Ann White's daughter and servant were never found.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
settlers and a band of hostile Utes
Ute Tribe
The Ute are an American Indian people now living primarily in Utah and Colorado. There are three Ute tribal reservations: Uintah-Ouray in northeastern Utah ; Southern Ute in Colorado ; and Ute Mountain which primarily lies in Colorado, but extends to Utah and New Mexico . The name of the state of...
and Jicarilla Apache
Jicarilla Apache
Jicarilla Apache refers to the members of the Jicarilla Apache Nation currently living in New Mexico and speaking a Southern Athabaskan language...
s that occurred in northeastern New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
on October 28, 1849. In October, 1849, James White, a merchant who plied his trade between Independence
Independence, Missouri
Independence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
and Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
, New Mexico, was traveling west with a wagon train led by a well known wagon master Francois X. Aubrey. When the wagon train camped at a place where it was deemed that the dangerous part of the trip was passed, White, "a veteran of the trail" along with his wife Ann and baby daughter and "negro servant" a German named Lawberger, and several others decided to separate from the train and advance to Santa Fe alone. After a few days of traveling by themselves, they paused at a well known landmark called the "Point of Rocks" , between Rock Creek and the Whetstone Branch. Neither of the two locations can be located on a modern New Mexico map, but the Whetstone can be found on an 1876 map of New Mexico.
Massacre
On October 27 the group was approached by a band of Jicarillas and Utes, who, according to the natives' later told story, asked for "presents." They were driven away from the camp, but returned again to ask, their request receiving the same response. The third time they returned they do so by attacking the settlers. All except Ann White and her child and servant were killed. Part of the group of hostiles left with their prisoners while the others hid around what was left of the wagons. Shortly a group of Mexicans came upon the scene. As they began to pick through what was left of the wagon train the Apaches and Utes attacked them, killing or driving them away, but leaving a wounded Mexican boy. He was eventually discovered by a group of Americans who first raised the alarm about the massacre. Soldiers arrived at the site and buried the dead, who had, in an unusual turn, not been scalped. When Aubry heard of the murders he offered a $1,000 reward for the return of Mrs. White. .Aftermath
Word eventually reached the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
garrison near Taos
Taos, New Mexico
Taos is a town in Taos County in the north-central region of New Mexico, incorporated in 1934. As of the 2000 census, its population was 4,700. Other nearby communities include Ranchos de Taos, Cañon, Taos Canyon, Ranchitos, and El Prado. The town is close to Taos Pueblo, the Native American...
. From there Captain William Grier and the 1st Cavalry were dispatched to try and rescue Mrs. White and to chastise the hostiles. They were accompanied by two experienced guides, Antoine Leroux
Antoine Leroux
Joaquin Antoine Leroux, aka Watkins Leroux,was a celebrated 19th century mountain man and trail guide based in New Mexico. Leroux was a member of the convention that organized New Mexico Territory.-Biography:...
and Robert Fisher. Along the way they stopped at Reyado
Rayado, New Mexico
Rayado or Reyado was the first permanent settlement in Colfax County, New Mexico, United States and an important stop on the Santa Fe Trail.- Overview :...
where Kit Carson
Kit Carson
Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson was an American frontiersman and Indian fighter. Carson left home in rural present-day Missouri at age 16 and became a Mountain man and trapper in the West. Carson explored the west to California, and north through the Rocky Mountains. He lived among and married...
joined them, eventually leading them to the spot where the killings had occurred. From there the party pursued the natives "for ten or twelve days, the most difficult trail I even followed."
Finally the trackers came upon the unsuspecting natives on the banks of the Canadian River
Canadian River
The Canadian River is the longest tributary of the Arkansas River. It is about long, starting in Colorado and traveling through New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and most of Oklahoma....
near Tucumcari Butte
Tucumcari Mountain
Tucumcari Mountain, once referred to as Tucumcari Peak or Mesa Tucumcari, is a mesa situated just outside of Tucumcari, New Mexico....
. Catching them unawares, Carson, who was in the lead, moved towards the camp, motioning the others to follow. In his autobiography Carson describes what followed; "I was in advance, starting for their camp, calling for the men to follow. The comdg. officer called a halt, none of them would follow me. I was informed that Leroux, the principle guide, told the officer in command, to halt, that the Indians wanted to have a parley. The Jicarillas started packing their goods for flight and a shot was fired that struck Captain Grier, causing no serious injury. (Due to the fact that Grier had a pair of heavy gauntlets tucked in his jacket) The captain ordered a charge, but the delay allowed all but one of the Indians to escape. In about 200 yards, pursuing the Indians, the body of Mrs. White was found, perfectly warm, had not been killed more than five minutes - shot through the heart by an arrow.... I am certain that if the Indians had been charged immediately on our arrival she would have been saved." Ann White's daughter and servant were never found.