Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-11-17
CHAPTER vi.

CHAPTER vi.
NJ. II. r. EXPEDITION TO THE YELLOW
STONE.
~ N July 2, 1854, congress passed
an act granting right of way
through the Indian country to
~ the Northern Pacific Railroad
company, entitled IAN Act
Granting Lands TO Aid in the Construction
of a Railroad and Telegraph Line from
Lake Superior to Puget Sound OH the
Pacific Coast by the Northern Route"
At Fort Rice in 1871 we first heard of the
prospect of building the Northern Pacific
through this wild region. The scheme
was at first regarded AS the widest folly
by every officer on the frontier, but orders
came from department headquarters at
st. Paul to fit out an expedition at the fort
to accompany the engineers of the pro-
posed railroad to the Yellowstone. In &C
cordance with these orders troops began
to concentrate at the fort, and an immense
canvas city soon covered the plain at the
rear of the fort.
Cavalry. infantry, artillery and Indian
scouts were all encamped here, and their
daily drill and military evolutions formed
each day an interesting spectacle. Inside
the fort there was a constant round of
festivity; for each lady kept open
house for the officers ofthe new command.
Dinner parties and hops were given
nightly, and best of all it was possible to
ride horseback without imperiling ones
head covering. The presence of so many
troops, especially the cavalry, gave us all a
feeling of security that we had never
known before.
On Sept. 6, 1871, the engineering party ar.
rived overland from Fort Abercrombie.
They were Gen. Thomas L.. Rosser, chief
engineer, accompanied by Messrs. Meigs
and Eastman, and several surveyors.
On the morning of Sept. 9, 1871, at 9
O'Clock, the expedition left the fort and
wound out over the hills, the regimental
band escorting the column to the foot of
the hills. The military escort consisted OF
500 men, a detachment of artillery with
two Gat!ing guns. fifty mounted Indian
scouts, under command OF Lieut.. Turnock,
and a train of 100 wagons, the who'll under
command of Gen. Whistler, 22d Infantry.
A strong force, and yet, we who babe them
farewell with heavy hearts, and who well
knew how to estimate the number and
oloodthirstiness of the Sioux, felt that the
chances of that gay and gallant band re-
turning to us unframed was very slight
indeed.
A.. few days after the expedition left
Fort Rice, there reached the fort on one of
the steamboats, from Sioux City, an elderly
Catholic priest, who had come to join the
expedition. But the steamer was delayed
and the column had been gone for three
days, when it reached the fort, yet that
b~rave-hearted man d%isregarding the ex-
postulations of the officers of the fort, Sc
renely set out alone to overtake them. He
had a top buggy and single horse. No men
could be spared from those left at the fort
to accompany him as escort, nor did he ask
for any. AS l watched him disappearing
among the hills in the distance. his little
buggy a mere black speck, moving slowly
along the trail left by the troops, and
thought of the dangers which he we'll
knew were before him, and into which he
was so calmly going, 1 realized fully the
strength of that devotion to duty, and dis
regard Of self, that characterized the
early martyrs of that church, Because Of
the Indian custom of following the line of
march of troops passing through their
country there was no chance of his getting
through unseen by some OF the hordes of
Sioux, who were incensed to madness by
the passage of troops through their coun-
try, and would wreak dire vengeance
upon the first straggler who fell into their
hands. We all felt that he was going to
his death. But his cross and the sacred
vestments that he wore, were to him pass
ports of safety, and he reached the COM
mand unframed. Great indeed was the
amazement of the troops, when that little
vehicle was seen approaching-a frail lit
tie ark, that had safely braved the Turk.
ing dangers of the billowy prairie.
The garrison, being greatly weakened
by the absence of so many of the troops,
was nov in danger from the hordes of
Sioux, who hung about the hills, at safe
SuHSuOt ulSC8uce, anu Illuc paSScu dLA'
iously, but no attack in force was made.
The first courier from the expedition ar
zived on Oct. IA, 1871, and on Oct. Is, 1871,
all the companies returned and went into
camp outside the fort, except Co. D of the
18th, under Capt. Clarke, and the engineer
ing party who marched on down the Little
Heart river to its mouth in order to ascer-
tein the advantages afforded by the diff
ferent points of crossing. On the after
noon of the 18th the engineers and Co. d
arrived and were met and escorted into the
fort by the post band. The engineers re.
ported that the expedition had been agreat
success; that the route surveyed from the
mouth of the Little Heart river to the Vel
Aowstone was practicable, and the railroad
would be built.
A hop was given that night in honor of
the engineers and officers and next day
they all departed, the engineers going to
st. Paul, and the outside troops to their re-
spective stations At Forts WadswOrth,
Sully and Randall.