The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-10-26
JOHN GORDON.
The Frefghter With n sCheekered
Career-His Bravery. af

~ ANGN n NutrktECu
Career-His Bravery.
-
John Gordon, who has been spoken
of in such high terms by Capt. Payne
and others who were besieged at Mill
creek, is no other person that Capt.
John Gordon who led the first party Of
miners into the Black Hills in 1874.
In the spring Of 1875 he guided anoth-
er party of miners into the Black Hills
country from Sioux City. Iowa, and
located on French creek, three miles
below Custer City. The threatening
attitude of the Sioux Indians at that
time led the party to build what is now
known as the Gordon stockade, the
first Of the kind eve constructed in
the Hills.
Shortly after this an order was issued
by the raj department ordering all
miners off the Sioux reservation, and
troops were dispatched from several
points into the Hills to enforce this
order, with instructions to arrest the
miners and confiscate their properey,
paroling such miners as would take an
oath not to again return to the reser-
walton while it was held as such by the
government.
Learning of the lei approach of the
troops, this party of miners made haste
to leave the Hills, and when near the
Niobrara river, ten miles of the reser-
walton Gordon claims) Capt. Mills, Of
the Third cavalry came down upon the
forty gold hunters, burned the entire
train and mining outfit of which Cor
don was in charge, leaving only enough
rations to last thenf back to Sioux City.
He placed John Gordon under arrest
for refusing to sign the parole.
This occurrence took place on thu
Doth of May, 1876 and Gordon wa
taken to Camp Sheridan and confined
in the guard house for several months
Finally on the Oath of July a writ o.
habeas corpus was granted and Gordor
vas taken to Omaha for q hearing
After many tedious delays he was re
leased from custody. He was left pen
niless, however by the heartIess ant
uncalled for act of Captain Mills, in
burning the train, in his eagerness to
display his authority and do homage te
the ''noble red man."
MI. Gordon did not give up the idea
Of going to the Hills with all the obsta
Giles which has been placed in his way
But again went into that country early
in the spring of '76 with a freight trair
for Horwick & Evans.
When the stampede took place for thu
Big Horn country in the winter Of "
Gordon was one of the foremost Of the
stampeders.
The failure Of this stampede, how
ever, brought Mr.. Gordon to Rawlins
Wyoming, where he engaged in govern
ment freighting to White River agency
with his brother Geo. Gordon, who VIA,
murdered by the Indians after he had
emptied 100 cartridges, as related in a
recent issue of the LEADER.
John Gordon's train was in thu
rear Of Major Thornburgh's command
when the fighting commenced. After
the troops were repulsed John unyoked
his lei Thirty yoke) while the bullets
were flying thick and fast about him, a
work he could get none of his employees
to attempt. His entire train with all
his cattle were destroyed. a total loss
of about $4,000 to Mr. Gordon.
AT night when Capt. Payne called
for volunteers to carry dispatches tc
Rawlins, Mr.. Gordon was the first
to respond. On his way to Rawlins
with the dispatches, MI. Gordon came
across Capt. Dodge with his colored
company and turned about and led the
command to Capt. Payne's besieged
force, where Gordon afterward did ex-
cellent work with his rifle.
Mr.. Gordon is personally known to
the writer, who a fully attest to bis
worth in a time of trouble, when q cool
head and a steady nerve are required.
His whole history is replete with such
deeds of bravery and daring as he has
just shown in the last few days Of SER
seavice to his fellow men.
Raised on the frontier, he has met
hardships and perils in all forms. In
the carly days he freighted from Chey-
enne to Spotted Tail agency and is