The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-05
Montana State NeWs.

the primary mortal. He cultivated this
unnatural "wildness'' and let his hair
grow long until 1t 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 enjoy
ment. He was an extraordinarily pow
erful man but the story recently pub
lished to the effect that he could run
down a jack rabbit is a Munchausen-
like fable.
Pettengill came from New England
and is said to have been of Mayfiower
extraction. He located in Wisconsin
when that state was a territory There
the gentleman who gave the Madi-
sonian the data for this article first
heard of him. Subsequently they be-
came acquainted. In this man, who is
prominent citizen of Madison coun-
ty. Pettengill had the utmost conf
dence. Pettengill 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 chafed under military
despotism. and ran away TO a cavalry
of agony with the buck and gag and in
the guard house. He was very proud
of his discharge, guarding II zealously.
and a short time before his death gave
II to his friend for safe keeping. 1t
reads as follows:
ITO whom 1t may concern: Know We
that George Pettengill was private
of Captain Samuel Jackson's company
"a" goth regiment, Wisconsin Infantry
volunteers. who was enrolled on the
14th day of June. 1862. to serve three
years, or during the war, Is hereby
discharged from the service of the
United States this 14th day of July,
1866. at Galveston, Texas, in accord
ance with General order No. GA and
General Arder No. "a.
said George Pettengill was born IN
the state of New Hampshire, is 80 years
of age, six feet one inch high, dark
complexion, dark eyes, dark hair, and
by occupation, when enrolled, farmer.
"Gdven at Gaieston, this 14th day of
~. L. Baker, First Lieutenant
Twenty third Wisconsin Infantry. vol
unteers.
IS. p. jackson. Captain A, Twentieth
Wisconsin Infantry, volunteers.
Endorsement: The within named
man was wounded in the left shoulder
in the battle of Pine Grove, Ark. Dec.
IL, loOzB was tIlStdScu SaPbdAN Va
Van Buren,. Ark; at the siege of Span
ish Fort, Ala, April, 1861
After the war he came to Montana.
wisconsin had grown too tame for
him. He took up a ranch near Twin
Bridges and lived in a burrowed out
hole for years. On one occasion he
came to Virginia on business. That
was in the early days, when Sam Word
was captain of a volunteer company
which had been raised to protect Vir-
ginia against the Indians. Pettengill
was then hooking his worst, tall. pow
erful, with a beard and hair reaching
to his waist, and the fire dn his black
eye had not been softened by his her
mft life. The inhabitants left him Sc
verely alone. Captain Samuel saw him
and received such a shock that he was
with difficulty restrained from declar-
ing the town under martial law.
Pettengill lived a wild, lonely life In
the Dewey's Flat country. The seasons
seemed TO have no effect upon him. He
slept out in the open air, winter and
summer. On one occasion ne is said to
have killed a mountain lion with a
club. He was one of the few men of
which such an achievement was posi-
BILE.
These fools think there is something
mysterious about me-" he Is credited
with saying, laughdngly. after he had
disposed of a quartz lead for 81, 1000.
The lead turned out to be of no ac-
count. Pettengill was certainly a mys-
tery