Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1896-03-17

from Cheyenne. in Wyoming, required
a 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 the Gallatin
valley along the course of the Gunpowder
river, reaching around the base of the
mountains. in cnrvilinear form, which
avoided the heights of the Rockies. To
protect this route from marauding In
dians three forts were built-Reno, Phil
Kearny and G. 4. Smith. These were
garrisoned by United States troops.
In 1865 the murderous Sioux from the
Yellowstone valley pursued sanguinary
course mp through the Gallatin valley
and into Montana 1t was marked by
rapine and plumber. They besieged Fort
Reno and killed many of its garrison,
including a brother of A. K. Mcclure.
They environed Fort Phil Kearny, and
wiped from the face of the earth every
human being whose walls it failed TO
protect. Then they surrounded Fort G.
f. Smith where 900 Union soldiers
found themselves surrounded by more
than / 900 death seeking Indians. Is
cape seemed impossible. A courier got
word of this condition of affairs to Gen
eral Hancock, who was then stationed
at 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, 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 Bohemian when Han
cocks message was handed to him. To
a visitor from the east, who was seated
by his side and who is authority for
this narrative, he said:
"What III the name of heaven can |
do? Fort G. +. Smith is $50 miles
away. The country between here and
there is filled with Sioux Indians. Our
militia force consists of exactly 427
men. Not man of them could reach
Fort G. +. Smith alive am absolutely
powerless. However, / will send for
Colonel Howie "
At that time Colonel Neil HOWE 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 Hancock $ dispatch and saying
Colonel, we can't do anything fol-
those poor devils in Fort g. +. Smith.
We haven't enough men, and those we
have couldn't get there Am ! not
right?"
emo" said Colonel HOWE quietly,
without any exhibition of excitement
and with the gentle voice of 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 good
leader for them. / think Captain Nc.
Cabe Is best fitted for this undertaking.
will 90 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: ooh, yes it is easy enough.
But I'll need 40 of the best men l car
select. You can keep the rest of you
volunteer force here.
Governor Smith looked at him il
amazement. So did the visitor from tht
fort. They both thought he was either
insane or braggart. Governor Smith
said to him, How in the name of heav
en- do you expect to raise the siege o.
| Fort c. f. Smith with 40 men wher
you know that it is surrounded by more
than / 900 bloodthirsty Indians, ant
that the country between here and there
| is covered with thousands more of muir
! derous Sioux"
Said McCabe quietly: "Why, govern
ior, it is easy enough. The Indians know
us. and know that we know them better
than they know themselves. You folk
from the east have an idea that wha
Won call Indian atrocities are simply I'm
meaning exhibitions of brutality; tina
scalping, for instance, is simply form
Of torture. In that you are mistaken
The Indian believes that no man can q
to the happy hunting ground-heaveI
we call it-who has been deprived of hi
hair. Their motive in scalping victim il
to carry out fiendish hatred to its utmos
by preventing him from having happ.
hereafter. Therefore to deprive an In
dian of his scalp is TO rob him of hi
hope of happy hereafter. My men new
er kill an Indian without scalping him
and the Indians know that. The 40 mel
/ will select for this expedition are I'M
erring in their aim with the rife. The.
can shoot l6 shots in is seconds, ant
every ball means dead Indian, and ey
] cry dead Indian means a-scalp, and ev
ery scalp means warrior deprived eter
nally of a chance of ever reaching tn
happy hunting ground. Ny 40 men vii
walk from here to Fort Q. +. Smitl
without firing a shot. =
sIncredible, F" sai0 Governor Smith.
"True, said Captain McCabe.
What was the result:
Forty men walked the 900 miles from
Bozeman to Fort G. I. Smith. Indian
watched them ON every side. By day
their progress was signaled by circlini
columns Of smoke and by night by fir
from mountain tops. But not shot wa
fred. When they got within sight Q
Fort c. +. smith, the 1000 whoopini
Sioux who held the garrison in sieg
fed. and the 30 frontiersmen from BOze
| -. ....,.<l,o,l -, and oeecrfod the 90