The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1885-07-09
Montana to Kansas,

ON THE MARCH. VETERANS OF THE CIVIL
WAR. HOW TO BECOME AN ARMY OFFICER.
DOWN THE MISSOURI. MONTANA TOWNS,
ETC.
The following general order No. A head
quarters of the army was published April 9th,
1885,
stations, the movements to begin not later than
June l, 1885:
The 18th regiment of infantry with the Goth
regiment of infantry.
BY order of Lieutenant General Sheridan:
R. G. DUNN. Adjutant General"
April 9th followed orders No. 3, headquar-
tiers division of the Missouri, General Schotied
in command, assigning the companies Of the
18th and 10th to their new stations and arrang-
ing all details of the movement. BY this order
the eight companies of the 18th stationed at
Fort Assinniboine and the two companies sta
toned al Fort Maginnis NJ. T., Were to march
to Coal Banks and Rocky Point and there meet
the Goth. Upon the arrival of the 10th, the
18th were to proceed by water transportation
to Bismarck, d. T., and thence by rail to Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas.
On the arrival of the 18th at Fort Leaven-
worth companies ''E'' and ''F'' were to take
post thereat; companies GA" .'B" and 'D"
(my company were to proceed to Fort Hays.
Kansas, and take post; companies sc" and
"ls to Fort Gibson, l. T.: and companies SC y
al" and "k' to Fort Reno, [. T.
THE MARCH TO COAL BANKS.
In accordance with the foregoing orders the
eight companies of the 18th at Fort Assinnbonc
left that post May 3lst to march to Coal Banks
Oh the Missouri, distance of IL miles. Three
days were to be used in making the distance ;
camps to be established at the Box Elder and
Sandy rivers,-the only places on the way
where water was to be found. Early in the
morning of May 3lst the battalion was ASSEM-
bled and the march began the regimental band
at the head Of the column playing lively airs as
the troops marched out of the post which had
been their home since 1879. Officers and men
We're dressed in fatigue uniform and every
effort was made to secure the greatest comfort
possible. soon the order 'ROut Step-march''
was given, arms We're Immediately carried
in positions to suit the individual soldier, pipes
We're got out and songs and conversation be-
gan. Nothing was required except that each
man should keep his place in ranks and his
proper distance.
The officers Of the regiment are principally
old veterans Of the war; men who entered the
volunteers in 81 and in many cases held much
higher rank then than they do now in the
regular organization. These men when mus
tered out of the volunteers at the close of the
war We're assigned to the regular army as re-
officers, ali the captains, anG seven out of
twelve Of the lst Leutenants The remaining
officers are mostly West Point graduates, with
a few civilian appointces, and occasionally a
man appointed from the ranks.
There are at present three ways Of becoming
an officer in the U. S. army 1st, and the prin-
cipal way, by graduating at West Point; 2nd .
by civil appointment-these appointments are
made by the President subject to the approval
of an army board who examine the applicant
3rd, BY appointment from the ranks-these
appointments are also made by the President
on the recommendation of the soldiers rcgi-
mental commander, and are also subject to the
"ptiONt'i VI an my III tuilNttu men
are i'll large part foreigners; the life l.. not
independent enough to attract many American
young men, AS an example. take the nation
ality of the non-commissioned officers of my
company. The LIST Sergeant known in the Old
tactics as Orderly Sergeant) was born in Eng
land; OF the four Sergeants one was born in
Germany, one in the United States. one In
L., 4 4
Corporals two were born in Ireland and tw o
in the United States.
The first days march was very hard; the day
WIS warm and the men We're not used to the
work. 1t may seem very easy to many
to march distance of fifteen or twenty
miles; but it is an entirely different matter
from walking the same distance. In addition
to the weight of their arms and accoutrement-
the men in this case had to contend with cloud
of sitting dust which made it almost impossible
to breathe
The country across which the march is made
is entirely fiat destitute of wood and nearly
destitute of water The little streams which
have their sources in the mountains and fur
nish the water supply, are on an average twenty
miles apart. Five years ago the country
abounded in buffalo. but to-day not one is left,
so great have been the ravage> Of hunters.
The only game remaining are prairie chickens
and occasionally a small herd of antelope. The
buffalo are replaced by cattle which is the only
thing that the territory can raise.
AT last, by noon on the third day, the water
of the mighty Missouri appears in sight and the
march is over. Coal Banks is about an aver
age Montana town; that is to say, there are
about three buildings, the principal one being u
stage ranch. 1t is forty miles below Fort Ben
ton, the head of navigation, and seventy five
miles below the great falls of the Missouri.
The first thing to be done is to establish a camp
for use while awaiting the Goth; and busy
scene is presented for Il few hours in accom-
pli>hing this work. The two river boats arriy-
ed the same day that we reached the Missouri,
and the work of unloading and loading j. ut
once begun
DOWN THE MISSOURI
June 3rd the work of transfer is completed
the bells ring all aboard: the band stationed ON
the hurricane deck of one of the boats plays
the boats swing from the shore and are
steaming rapidly down the Missouri. assisted
much by its very rapid current. The river, at
this point. is ON an average about three hum
bred yards wide and in the channel from five
to twelve feet deep. The shores are steep and
almost barren of vegetation; only An occasional
clump of stunted cottonwood indicating that
The boats used in navigating this river are
all sternwheeler>, flat bottomed. draw from
three TO four feet of water and have tonnage
of from three to four hundred tons. For miles
and miles we steam on, in and out the many
curves of the Big Muddy, and not SIN of an
inhabitant or Il living creature. Finally we
come to our first town and first sign of life
Clagett = which is another average Montana
town. There are two or three buildings, no
matter which. and about the usual surround
ings. A few years ago business was booming
in this place. 1t was a fur traders station.
Those We're the days when ii buffalo skin could
be bought of the noble Red men for two pounds
of sugar, handful of beads, or a drink of poor
whiskey. Sent to St. Louis or St. Paul the
buffalo skin brought six on seven dollars. With
such profits was it any wonder that the town
doomed? Now that the buffalo are gone, the
business is reduced to selling whskcy to the
few cowboys who invest the place. AT night
the boats are tied up to the banks not daring to
run for fear of the sand bars which obstruct
navigation. Next day we come to Rocky Point
which is more than an average Montana town.
In fact it is celebrated for its saloons and its in
habitants. By actual count, there are Six build
ings here, five of which have large signs bear
ing the word Saloon"
We stopped at this place for few hours to
take on wood and the remaining two companies
of our regiment The soldiers who had permits
sion to go ashore at once made rush for the sa-