b'SLAYING OF WAUBA YUMA, TOP HUALAPAI CHIEFBy Bill Roberts Reprinted from The TravelerT HE ONCE PEACEFUL HUALAPAI who greeted travelers warmly in the early 1860s after Fort Mohave was established were sent on the warpath by two major events, a mistaken attack on them at Rattlesnake Canyon north of Chino Valley and the slaying of their chief, Wauba Yuma. HUALAPAI INDIAN MOTHERSHACKBURY, ARIZONA, 1900At Rattlesnake Canyon, a band of peaceful Hualapaicamp at gunpoint. Sam said he had spotted him in were in winter camp. The Hualapai were unawarethe brush not too far from the train and turned him that a band of Navajos had attacked two companiesover to Miller. of California Volunteers some 35 miles north of the little Chino earlier, killing a horse herder andSam recognized the tall Indian as Wauba Yuma, making off with a string of horses. One of the officershead chief of the Hualapai, but did not let on that he of the California column posted a sign in the area ofknew who the man was. He offered him something the attack to warn travelers of the danger of possibleto eat and talked with him in sign language as the Indian raids. two men ate. According to Miller later, he noticed Wauba Yuma was taking in his surroundings BAD START FOR NEW GOVERNMENT studiously while he ate, studying the train, its A party of officials for the new territorialpeople, and the animals with sharp interest. Miller government of Arizona was approaching Rattlesnakesaid he became convinced that Wauba Yuma had a Canyon and its Army escort saw the signs. Spottingnumber of warriors hidden in the brush outside of the peaceful Hualapai camped in the canyon thecamp and planned to go back and report what he officers immediately attacked the camp, killing morehad learned of the train to facilitate an attack on than 20 Hualapai.Miller, his crew, and his passengers. Miller did not confront Wauba Yuma with his suspicions. Instead, Unfortunately, the signs had been ordered takenhe merely let the chief finish his meal and get up down a short time earlier for fear they would causeto leave. As Wauba Yuma walked away and neared others on the trail to mistake the Hualapai winterthe brush that surrounded Beale Springs, Miller camp for a band of hostiles. The order was ignoredshot him in the back, killing him. Miller felt he had and the feared mistake happened, with deadlymanaged to save his train.results. It is estimated by some that this incident caused the deaths of more than 100 white settlers asWILLIAM H. HARDY FIVE YEARS OF HOSTILITIESthe firebrands among the Hualapai retaliated duringSince Wauba Yuma had signed the contract with the next several years. That 1863 slaughter changedthe toll road company and Hardy a year earlier, the the Hualapai attitudes about whites travelingCOLD BLOODED KILLING conditions of the Hualapai had deteriorated badly. through their territory. Still, the Hualapai underIn 1866, Hardys contract with the Hualapai wasAn influx of white settlers and miners had severly their head chief, Wauba Yuma, for the most partbut a year old when he hired Sam Miller, a memberdepleted their game and sources of food. They were tried to maintain peaceful relations with of the Walker party who was one of the Prescottstarving and many firebrands in the tribe had begun white officials. areas earliest pioneers and a well-known freighterto raid settlers and wagon trains to get their animals and Indian fighter, to haul freight and passengersfor food.In 1865, Wauba Yuma, along with chiefs Hitchiefrom Hardyville to Prescott. Hardyville was the Hitchie and Cherum, signed a contract with theuppermost steamboat landing on the Colorado andThe Army and the Indian Agent had tried to help, Mohave & Prescott Toll Road Company in exchangefreight carried north from Yuma was hauled byappealing to Washington for provisions and blankets for merchandise and money. The contract allowedwagons from Hardyville to Prescott and the Verdefor the Hualapai. Washington stalled. The Army for a toll road to be built through their territory fromValley and as far north as Salt Lake City.came up with some supplies for the Hualapai, but Fort Mohave to Prescott. The fort, established inthese fell far short of need. White mens diseases 1859 on the Colorado River, was a major supply postShortly after contracting to haul for Hardy, Milleralso were spreading among the tribe. The Hualapai for infant Prescott. A year earlier, William H. Hardywas piloting a wagon train from Hardy Landingnumbers were dwindling rapidly. While Miller had established a road from San Bernardino to hisup across the Black Mountain range and throughmight have avoided conflict with the Hualapai by Colorado River crossing and ferry to Hardyville onUnion Pass to Beale Springs. He had noticed Indiansgiving Wauba Yuma some needed foodstuffs, he was the Arizona side about where the Davis Dam stands.on the mountain ridges all day tracking the train.concerned about his passengers and crew and hoped Hardy then built a toll road from Hardyville After making camp at Beale Springs, one of Millersby killing Wauba Yuma to avoid a large scale attack.to Prescott. scouts, Sam Brassler, brought a big Hualapai intocontinued on page 18ArizonaRealCountry.com April 2023 17'