The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-03-04

roundabout journey that involved a
double crossing Of the Rocky mountains.
with a change Of base at Salt Lake City.
The United States government brought
about a better condition of travel by
constructing trail through tho Gallatin
valley along the course Of the Gunpowder
river, reaching around the base of the
mountains in curvilinear form. which
avoided the heights of the Rockies. To
| protect this route from marauding In
dams three forts were built---Reno. Phil
Kearny and Q. +. Smith. These were
garrisoned by United States troops
In 1866 the murderous Sioux from the
Yellowstone valley pursued sanguinary
course mp through the Gallatin valley
and into Montana. II was marked by
rapine and plumber. They besieged Fort
Reno and killed many of its garrison,
including brother Of A. X. Mcclure.
They environed Fort Phil Kearny, and
wiped from the face Of the earth every
human beigg whose walls il failed to
protect Then they surrounded Fort c.
r. Smith. where 200 Union soldiers
kOulu kliCluctAftc Nv tnOIt
than 1000 death seeking Indians. Es-
cape seemed impossible. A courier got
word Of this condition Of affairs TO Gen.
eral Hancock, who was then stationed
st St Paul. and he sent messenger TO
the governor Of Montana at Bozeman,
calling upon him TO relieve the besieged
garrison. The chief executive Of the ter
ritory Of Montana at that time was
Green Clay Smith. who, by the way, re-
Gently died in Washington, a Baptist
clergyman. He had been a member Of
congress from Kentucky, but President
Lincoln made him territorial governor
Of Montana He was seated ON the porch |
Of his residence in Bozeman when Han
COCK message was handed to him. To
visitor from the east, who was seated |
by his side, and who is authority for |
this narrative. he said:
what in the name Of heaven can / |
dor Fort G. +. Smith is $50 miles |
away. The country between here and |
there is filed with Sioux Indians. Our
militia force consists of exactly 427 /
men. Not man Of them could reach
Fort @. +. Smith alive. am absolutely
powerless However, I will sand for
Colonel Howie
At that time Colonel Neil Howie was
United States marshal for the territory
Of Montana He was typical frontiers
man.
1t was to this man that Governor
Smith addressed himself. handing him
General Hapcock's dispatch and saying
Colonel. we can't do anything for
those poor devils in Fort G. F. Smith.
We haven't enough men, and those we
have couldn't get there. Am I not
right
mo" said Colonel Howie quietly,
without any exhibition of excitement
and with the gentle voice Of a woman.
There is no trouble about that, govern
or. We can arrange that matter and still
leave the Montana frontier protected. /
will need some picked men and a good
leader for them. / think Captain Mo.
Cabe is best fitted for this undertaking.
will 60 out and find him."
McCabe was another gentle voiced
man with blue eyes. He didn't make
much noise. He acted He said to the
governor: "Oh, yes; it is easy enough
But I'll need 40 Of the best men can |
elect. You can keep the rest of your
volunteer force here"
Governor Smith looked at him in
So did the visitor from the
ort They both thought he was either
insane or braggart. Governor Smith |
aid to him, How in the name of heav.
n do You expect to raise the siege Of | 1
Fort G. +. Smith with 40 men when | :
ou know that il is surrounded by more
han 1000 bloodthirsty Indians, and
hat the country between here and there
3 covered with thousands more Of uur.
erous Sioux" $
Said McCabe quietly: "Wby, govern. b
r. 1t is easy enough. The Indians know {
e. and know that we know them better
han they know themselves. You folks
rom the east have an idea that what
on call Indian atrocities are simply un.
,eaning exhibitions Of brutality; that "
,alping, for instance. is simply form 81
torture. In that you are mistaken. 5
he Indian believes that no man can 20 :,
the happy hunting ground-heaven ).
o call it-who has been deprived of his
air. Their motive in scalping victim is U
carry out fiendish hatred to its utmost
preventing him from having q happy
ereafter. Therefore to deprive an In u
Ian OF his scalp is TO rob him Of his CT
ope Of happy hereafter. My men new. A
kill an Indian without scalring him, m
I'D the Indians know that. The 40 men
will select for this expedition are un-
ring in their aim with the rife. They
IN shoot 10 shots In 16 seconds, and W
'ery ball means dead Indian, and ev. in
y dead Indian means a scalp, and ev- n
y scalp means a warrior deprived eter-
lily Of chance Of ever reaching the
'ppy hunting ground. My 40 men will
ak from here to Fort G. F. Smith
ithout firing a shot. - ="
Incredible" said Governor Smith. CT
True, said Captain McCabe. III
What was the result? m
Forty men walked the $50 miles from
ozeman 10 Fort C. 4. Smith. Indians
atchsd them on every side. By DAYS :,
cir progress was signaled by circling ~
lumns of smoke and by night by fro on
om mountain tops. But not shot was pt
ed. When they got within sight of
mt G. +. Smith, the 1000 wbooping u
oux who held the garrison in siege ,,e
d, and the 20 frontiersmen from Boze- or
an marched in and escorted the 200 ii
mon soldiers back to the territorial
pital without the loss Of life. Not q