The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1895-11-30
he WAS A STRANGE
INDIVIDUAL,
The Wild Man Of Deweys
Flat.
Said to Have Been Of MaynoweF Elk.
traetlon-His Career in the Army
Killed a Mountain Lion with u Club
--a0me Of His Peculiarities.

the wild man Of Deweys Flat, who gave
up the ghost a Silver Star a short
time ago. Pettengill was a wonder
fully strange man, mysterious as the
Egyptian sphinx because that was one
of his specialties and right in his line
of business. He was wild" to those
whose acquaintance he did not desire
to cultivate. To his friends, who were
very scarce. he vas not unlike the Or
binary mortal. He cultivated this un-
natural ''wildness'' and let his hair
grow long until it hung down his bare
back like the matted tail Of a wild
mustang. His matted hair and beard
together with his theatrical wild look
made him an awful object to meet alone
in the mountains. Hunters have been
known to run from him like frightened
deer, great to his enjoyment. He was
an extraordinary powerful man but the
story recently published to the effect
| that he could run down a jack rabbit is
a munchausenlike fable.
Pettengill came from New England
and is said to have been of Maytlower
extraction. He located in Wisconsin
when that state was a territory. There
the gentleman who gave the MADI-
soN1AH the data for this article first
heard of him. Subsequently they be-
came acquainted. In this man
who is a prominent citizen of Madison
county, Pettengill had the utmost con-
tidence. P~ettengill lived a wild life in
Wisconsin,, spending most of his time
with the Indians. When the war broke
out he enlisted In the Goth Wisconsin
Infantry. Because OF his peculiarities
every soldier in the regiment soon
knew him. He chaffed under military
despotism, and ran away to a cavalry
regiment and as a result spent hours Of
agony with the buck and gag and in
the guard house. He was very proud
OF his discharge, guarding it ~zealously.
aud a short time before his death gave
it to his friend for safe keeping. 1t
reads as follows:
To whom it may concern: Know We
that George Pettengill was a private
of Captain Samuel JacksOn's Company
"A.'' o0th Regiment. Wisconsin lnfan-
try Volunteers. who was enrolled on
the 18th day of June. 1862, to serve
three years. Or during the war, is here
! by discharged from the service Of the
Ir.4,I N4.4,r 4Lic II+h dow of I11y
1866. at Galveston Texas, in accordance
with General Order No. 81 and General
Order No. "a.
Said George Pettengill was born in
the state of New Hampshire, is 33 years
of age, six feet IL inch high, dark
complexion. dark eyes, dark hair. anC
by occupation. when enrolled, a farmer
Given at Galeston. this l4th day oI
July, 1865. j. L. BAKER.
5. +. jackson. lst.. Lieut.. 23rd,
Captain "A WIS. Inf. Vol
10Th Wis. Inf. Vols.
Endorsement: The within named
man was wounded i'll the left shoulder
in battle of Pine Grove. Ark. Dee. y
lSG-: was engaged III capture OF Val
buren,. Alk.: at seigc Of Spanish Fort
Ala, April. 1850.
After the war lie came to MOntana
Wisconsin had grown too tame Tor INN
lie took up It ranch Z IWln Lll0ge
and lived III Il burroWcu-Out hole 10
yeurs. On one occasion he culue t.
Nlruinia on business. That was In tn
early days when sam Word was Cap
tain of Ii volunteer company hlch ha'
been raised to protect Virginia agalns
the Indians. tettengi!l was then o o
ING his worst, tall, powerful. vat
beard and hair reaching 10 his waist
-, and the fire in his black eye had no
been softened by his hermit life. Ih
inhabitants left him severely alone
Captain Samuel saw him and receive
such a shock that he was with dill
Guilty restrained from declaring tn
town under martial law.
Pettengill lived a wild. lonely life
d the Deweys Flat country. The season
seemed to have NO effect upon MIN. II
slept out in the open air, winter an
summer. On one occasion he is said t
have killed a mountain lion with
o The L. S.. Govt Reports