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Submitted by L. LaMar Adams
Born: 7/25/1810 Johnstown, Edwardsburh, Leeds and Grenville Ontario Canada
Died: 4/26/1886 Snowflake, Apache, Arizona Territory
A SAVAGE INDIAN STORY
From History of David Leonard Savage, my great grandfather (Larry LaMar Adams)
The following instance took place while the family lived at Cedar fort.
One evening while Johnson’s Army was at Camp Floyd a small company of soldiers were riding in the foothills of Cedar Fort when they came suddenly upon a few Indians while they were eating their evening meal. Unwisely they fired into their midst, killing one Indian. An Indian witnessed the act, he shot an arrow at the soldiers and ran for a horse. In twenty minutes, he was decked out in war paint and feathers and riding through Cedar Fort giving his terrifying war cries and soon the mountains rang with the death call of these desperate people. They were on the warpath, assembling their forces they hid in a ravine near Lehi. When the stagecoach passed the driver and all the passengers were massacred. At Cedar Fort anxious moments followed the men keeping a close watch for the Indians.
Finally, they were seen advancing to the attack. Wishing to avoid bloodshed, some men went to see them under a flag of truce but were rebuked by the redskins.
Then my grandfather who had heard of the trouble while in route with his freight had gone to see if he could help his friends and he said, “I am sure if I go out alone I can make peace.” Against protest, he gave his gun to his companions in sight the Indians and holding his arms high as the friendship signal went calmly forth to meet them.
There seemed to be no relenting on the part of the Indians. They met my grandfather with spears raised and arrows drawn. He spoke to them in their own language with coolness and great dignity. He told them the Mormons were their friends and had nothing to do with the ones who had offended them and that the Great Spirits would be displeased with them if they killed their white brothers. Finally spears were lowered and arrows sheathed and the Indians dispersed.
