Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-14

Tiers family, one that has notably dis
tlnguished itself in the civil and mill
tary annals of the nation, for the I'M
Gle OF Mrs. Miles was that General
Sherman whose march to the sea fur
nished the inspiration for the war song
Marching Through Georgia" Another
uncle no less famous Is ex-Secretary OF
War John Sherman Of Ohio, Mrs. Miles
father was Judge Sherman of Cleve-
land. She is sister OF Mrs. Don Cam
eron, wife of the ex-Pennsylvania sena-
tor. Mrs. Miles was a great favorte Of
the soldier uncle, and one of the de-
lights of her girlhood days was to hear
the bluff old soldier retail thrilling
stories Of the war.
1t was in 1868 at reception given by
the then Senator John Sherman that
she met her soldier lover. General
Miles was tall, handsome young fell
low. with all the honors of splend-
did war record. Miss Mary Sherman's
patriotic heart vastly approved of the
gallant young hero who so promptly
and plainly approved OF her.
Their marriage was celebrated in
handsome style at Cleveland. General
Sherman taking a conspicuous part In
the ceremony.
After the wedding the young officer,
who had decided to devote his future to
the fascinating life of soldier instead
or retiring to private life. was almost
Immediately ordered to military post
In the west. For years he was engaged
on the frontier In keeping Uncle Sans
indian charges in check. During this
time Mrs. Miles accompanied her hus-
band everywhere. There Is scarcely an
army post from Alaska to Arizona that
she has not visited, and she has en-
countered adventures enough to have
turned an average woman's hair gray
with terror. on the frontier the rest
less Indians We're constantly on the
verge of an uprising, the only thing
that held them in check being the fear
of Uncle Sans vengeance. When a
party of the government soldiers was
compelled TO 20 out upon scouting and
other expeditions, leaving the fort poor
~ garrisoned, there was always fear OF
an indian attack. In case of a surprise
and the capture of the fort by the In
dams all the officers notified those who
remained behind that rather than per-
init their wives to fall into the hands
of the Indians they were to kill them
when the last hope of help seemed gone.
or this desolate life Mrs. Miles herself
tells many a stirring story.
81 could have borne all the hardships,'
she said to a friend without even one
thought OF repining had 1t not been so
far from civilization. 1t was the hor-
rible loneliness and the unvarying rou-
tine that made it hardest. / always
turned to our bleak, bare quarters and
found occupation for my mind and fin
gers in identifying Its interior. After
we got settled I made them look COM
Portable and homelike.
II remember one cold, dreary winter
we had been preparing to spend very
merry Christmas when word reached
us that Indians were attacking the next
post and that the garrison's ammunt-
tion and strength had about given out.
General Miles at once gave orders to
our'men to prepare to go to the relief OF
the station. and next morning our sol.
diers filed out of the fort. Enough am
munition had been left behind and
enough soldiers to work the guns.
Then began desolation in earnest. We
knew 1t must be at least a month before
they returned. When night came and
We barricaded our doors. few of us clos
ed our eyes in sleep. fearing that the
treacherous Indians, hearing of our UNI
protected condition. would take adyan-
tage of 1t to make an attack.
We'll, our defenders had been gone
about three weeks when heavy storm
set in. 1t was the greatest snowstorm
had ever seen. For eight days 1t snow
ed without ceasing, and with the rising
OF the sun each day every man. woman