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Man Behind Cuyama Valley Indian Massacre (12 pages)
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Page: of 12
Huey. A LaeeeOurn. NI ANUS VOLUME12/NO0. 3 T y E .
PAGE 32
ans in his travels with John C.
Frémont. According to historian
Andrew Rolle in his book, John
C. Frémont: Character as Destiny,
Godey personally scalped and
killed Paiute Indians while on
Frémont’s 4th expedition.
The incident occurred after
Frémont and his men had recovered at Sutter’s fort from
their grueling midwinter crossing of the Sierra Nevada. Setting out again in late March,
they were traveling along the
Mojave desert. There, along
the river, horse thieves were
marauding, often killing any
person or party that came
along. After Frémont’s party
came upon two Mexicans who
were the lone survivors of a
horse-stealing Paiute raid on
their caravan, Kit Carson and
Alex Godey decided to take revenge and track the killers. Arriving at a remote Paiute village, they found the Indians
roasting the haunches of a
horse and began firing on the
Indian encampment. Godey
and Carson shot and scalped
two Paiutes, then captured 15
of the stolen horses. Coming
back into camp driving the
horses, scalps hooked to the top
of Godey’s rifle, both frontiersmen won great favor with Frémont. In fact, one of Frémont’s
most treasured pictures is of
this incident. Indeed, Frémont
was so overcome with admiration for Godey and Carson that
he described it as being, as Harrington points out, “among the
boldest and — disinterested
which the annals of Western
adventure, so full of daring
deeds, can present.”
Frémont was right about the
courage of the two adventurers; and to punish the IndiOn the Frémont’s fourth expedition, the Pathfinder sent Godey and Kit Carson after Paiutes who had ans See ie duets
killed some Mexican traders and driven off their horses. This sketch made from an old woodcut shows regarded them as sia di
the two returning with the horses and Godey with the two Indians’ scalps dangling from his rifle. robbers and murderers of in: nocent travellers; while the
tion of our hero. Says Frémont: “Godey difficult situations was of incalculable Indians, doubtless, considered their atwas ... of medium height, with black value.” tack on the Mexican caravan, and the
eyes and silky curling black hair which It was on the way eastward from Calikilling of its members, as a means of
was his pride. In all situations he had that fornia that Godey exhibited a sample of keeping unwanted settlers out of their
care of his person which good looks enhis bravery, and incidentally revealed his country; settlers whose aim was to wrest
courage. ... In courage and professional talents as a scalper of Indians. the Indian’s homeland, and with it-beie.
skill he was a formidable rival to Carson, living, from his grasp.
and constantly ... was among the best Though Godey denied ever killing a
and most efficient of the party, and in man, it is known that he killed many Indi— Not everyone on the expeditigg ¢