Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-10-02
REAOvAL OF rIlE CAvALaY FROM
FORT ELLlA.

1t Ia again announced that the small ca,
AIRY force. comprising now but three con
I'inies. is to Be removed form Fort ELI
and sent to Fort Custer. The order, "
are informed, hns already been issued. an
Captain McAdans' company. which con
tains larger number Of horses thai
any Of the others ut Ellis, Is already ,,ntle
ilarching orders, in coMpliance will
the last official act of GeM raj Brisbin. pre-
'iolis to his departure to the States. las
week. So far AS there being any militrr,
Necessity for this action, We frankly con
Tess that we can see none whatever: ant
were the military authorities questioned il
regard TO the subject. We doubt if a 200,
and substantial reason could be given. Of
even plausible excuse offered in jusiitic:,
40 OF the order. AT no other post on til.
frontier is a small cavalry force more need,
Ell or beneficial than at Ellis.
1t has been frequently shown and dem.
onstiafed. both by arguments and actual
occurrences. that Fort Ellis is sort Of Gen.
trail or pivotal point from which small
cavalry force can be. and frequently has
been. operated advantageously in several
directions, during the existence of Indian
troubles. The main object for which the
post was established. viz: to afford protec-
ton to the exposed and almost detenseless
settlers of the Gallain and upper Yellow
stone valleys. is as real and urgent to-day
AS II was ten years ego, and that notwitI-
standing the fact that the lower Yellow
stone has since been opened for settlement.
and that its hardy pioneers need military
protection as well as ourselves. Yet, there
are no dangers which threaten Custer coun-
~, from the north or south. that do not
equally threaten Gallatin, while from the
west and southwest, in case OF renewed
Indian hostilities on the part of the Neg
Perces or Bannscks. Gallatin county, in all
probability, would be the principal theater
VI operations, and her citizens would have
to stand the br,lnt OF the battle. The Crow
lnfians. OF course, are at peace and. osten- !
sibly, ut least. on friendly terms with the |
whites. but experience has taught us that
protested friendship and goodwill on the
part ct In lians are no guarantees Of con-
timed 60 I'd behavior. An event as unfOre-
seen rs 1t may I've unintentiOnal is liable at
any moment to occur. sufficient to arouse
the tribe to spirit of retaliation and a deter
animation at once to enter the ..war path"
Cnder any of these. by no means improb-
able. circumstances. especially ifihe s. hole
some restraint and fear Of the cavalry force
were II mored. We should be at the merry
OF the Indians. as we were during the first
few years Immediately succeeding the first
settlement Of the county. Infantry are alb
soiutely useless for the purpose Of pnrsu-
ing or chastising hostile bands of Indians. |.
They can do good service in garrison duty,
pitched battles. and protecting government !.
property. but they cannot protect the lives
ar property Of settlers against the raiding
bands OF redskins, mounted on their flying q
steeJs. s.
No county in the Territory to-day offers .
greater temptations in the way of valuable y
booty TO raiding bands of Indians. than y
Gallatin. In no other county. perhaps. =.
could rs much damage be done in given ="
time. Large numbers of valuable horses =
and cattle are running at large all over the !,
codnty, anu expensive houaes and other -
meet the eye on every hand. =,
Yet Outside Of Bozenlan the settlers are -
too remote from each other to successfully '. y.
protect themselves or their property in ~ ~
case OF Indian raids. This must necessar- ~
ly be the condition Of things until the 81
Northern Pacific or some other railroad 10
penetrates the county. And yet We are to ~
x LETT without any adequate protection to p.'
III the varied interests which the military VI
'ost and the small cavalry force stationed w
'ere have served SO largely to foster and CAV
'uild up. s!1
Another thing worthy of mention is the "a
net that Fort Ellis, rs it has been garri- "o'
oncd', has given quite an impetus TO tar,.- M, NJ
~ operations and other industries. The +"
xistehce of one has become "a sort OF ne ~, ~
rssity to the other; and while the pres w..
nee OF the cavalry has stimulated agric,,- ,,.'
iral interests. the government has bern ~
benefited by being able to ~.
-, -, nm, ,,.,,..u nv, 'e' sci,
considered Il somewhat economical, or q
zen selfish view to take of the situation, wi
:, o,bor ,b;rrs ,,,;no ,,,.,,.., 3. = wer
,,,by ,,r ,,,ns;,,o,.,;., +. and
ere is no more urgent necessity for the w..
ii Cavalry at Fort Custer than at Fort w. ~
lis then the difference in the cost of sub a..
sting 1t is no small item, being nearly. if 49,.
II quite. fifty per cent in favor of the lat ..,
:. AT Ellis the contract price of oats is =: ."".
~ per 100 pounds: Hour. Sl.S7; hay. 49,,
O.O to $l2.O0 per ton. At Custer the -,
,r ,.,,;,,, ,,... he Is
en- market, should have cost about $500 =,
J 100. but by some Kind of bad manage "e !" !.
mt. We ARE informed. will cost about a. :"
20; and hay Is also much higher than 100. ...
Fl. Ellis. These considerations should e'
tainly have some weight with the War p'oo
y. .,,s,,..,.. h,......s head
,,,, ,,,.,..... - go '".'0 "'e "'"- tfos
,,,.,,,.. ,fo,;,;..., .'',.:s 'e q" WIN fair
icf may I've considered paramount to
rights and interests Of Gallatin county. .a:1.~
tainly, II appears as though We have no 49, =.
lend In court" willing to work for us D."
bout n valuable consideration. We do -
say that. that consideration Il a con. - !.
'eti succession Of Congressional hOnorx, 80 -.
II looks somewhat rs though We xre
lined to have this cavalry c,stlgei swung s.....,
r our heals biennially. for the p,,r- =. ~.
Z Of lettering the electors Of Galla,in r,,..
nty from going back on their p rpeta- {.
,.n.,. ~ ,.o..a..... e "o 'o"'"'"', hard I
49, 49, .'.. So -. A.
,,.,. ..a.,.; ~ ""a ~. VIC shows
-, "a. ;. ' w., - ','' must
~, ,,,, 49,. e.a..,., s',',,.. ~ D'.' ."o md m
No. u..;,.,;. ...''.',., ~. '""s On.
. - Io ,o,,,, .''.. :. ~ ~ El,ntc
,.,.o,., -, - -. .v the pr
ee TO sny portion Of the Territory I've 49,,
. ..,,, 49,, s..-..... Mr.. E
Io.. ~. Ga. ~. l. -, .'". ."H a' juicy :
y. .. "' ~ ~" '.''''' Gu" pltiins,