Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-27
PASSING OF FORT SIDNEY
Historic Army Post Makes Way for the
Advance Of Civilization,
FRONTIER INDIAN SKlRMIsHES RECALLED
Railroads buy the Fort and RescrNn-
tion for Commercial Purposes, but
Graveyard IL Rescrvcd-Gen-
crnI stanton Reminisccnt.

| The passing Of old Fort Sidney in Chey-
enne county, western Nebraska, and the
auction sale of the reservation for CONNER
| cial purposes marks an epoch in the military
! history OF the west 1t calls to mind the
fact that this country no longer has a
! frontier, with its tragedy, romance and ad-
venture. 1t shows that encroaching civlliza-
| tion has obliterated an army post that for
many years withstood the savage attacks Of
Sitting Bull and his thousands OF painted
braves 1t brings to the veteran army Of
fcer such as General Stanton OF this city,
sad reflections not unlike the feelings of
| the aged farmer when he sells the old home
stead. 1t removes all the poetcal dash and
glamor of the border and supplants it with
the plow, the reaper, the hammer and the
saw. 'ss
| The telegraph wires last week told OF the
purchase Of this historic ground by railroads
and private individuals. The buildings at
the fort will be used for whatever purpose
will yield the most gain to the purchasers
and the land will go the same way. Fort
Sidney was essentially an Indian post and
as the red man has been conquered and
stripped OF his power the government sees
no further need of maintaining the fort.
Away Back In the sixties.
Fort Sidney was established in 1868, when
| the Union Pacific railroad was pushing
across the plains. Many times the Indians
attempted its destruction and failed. In the
! early days Fort Sidney was in what was
| known as the far west. The country sur
! rounding was inhabited by adventurers In
dans, buffalo, coyotes and prairie dogs. 1t
was intensely wild. Homeseekers travelling
across the plains in covered wagons were
frequently attacked by the redskins and the
man who ventrred info this ahnripinal do-
main literally took his life in his hand.
The Indians seemed to think if Fort Sid
ney fell the onward march of the whites
would be stopped, that the palefaces would
be so intimidated they would forever keep
away from that hunting ground. Therefore
to destroy the fort was the highest ambition
of every Indian, from chief down to squaw.
1t will only be a short while until the
surroundings will be so changed that the old
army officers would not recognize it, for
when railroads take charge OF property they
do not keep it as a souvenir or relic.
The value of land in western Nebraska is
gradually on the increase and the country
has practically recovered from the blighting
effects of the drouth suffered few years
ago New farmers are coming in and pros
perity is in evidence on every hand. These
things conspired to bring about the fall of
, uII oluuSS, anu lne DIdNe veterans WuO
once stood guard so faithfully could only
bow in submission.
The Old Graveyard
But there is one sacred spot about the old
fort that will be allowed to stand undisr
turbed 1t is the graveyard where lie buried
many a brave soldier and pioneer settler
who fell prey to the painted savage. The
government in making the sale reserved this
buryng ground and it will be preserved in
honor of the dead and as a relic CT the wild
days the frontier. In this little ceme-
terry are dozens of sunken graves, and the
trailing vines and, stunted shrubbery have
almost hidden from view the rudey scrawled
inscriptions on the headstonee that mark the
resting place of men whose names were cele-
brated in border song and story a quarter
of a century ago. While the government las
reserved this much of the ground that be-
longed to the fort, it will not be continued
as a cemetery, for no further burials will
be allowed there. 1t will simply stand as a
monument to frontier bravery a relic for
future generations to look upon. There is
not pretentious tombstone in the lot.
Some of the graves are entirely unmarked,
and rough stones or wooden slabs, decayed
and reclining, are the general rule.
Many stories are told of the officers and
scouts who from time to time were stationed
at Fort Sidney. Some of these narratives
would weave a tale more interesting than
fiction, and of all the old posts in the west
none has clustering about it more thrilling
memories. The building of the Union Pa
cific railroad through western Nebraska
brought to the vicinity of Fort Sidney
motley, transient population, and for short
time it was a stirring Dlace
General stanton Talks.
II have been to the old fort many times"
said General Stanton, "and some OF the
bravest soldiers I ever knew were stationed
there at different periods
THE report, however, that the late Gen
eral Guy Henry was once in command OF
Fort Sidney is a mistake. 1t is true that
Guy Henry came very nearly covering the
whole west in his operations, but he was
never stationed at Fort Sidney Among
those whom l remember there were Colonel
N. A, NJ. Dudley, Colonel Harry Egbert, |
killed in the Philippines, and Major Thorn !
berg, as well as several others equally
prominent in military circles.
These men were in command of portions |
of the Third cavalry and the Fourteenth |
and Twenty-first infantry regiments and
they rendered their country valuable service |
at time when it was much needed |
remember particularly well long and hard
march made by Major ThornbeTg and his |
men when they went from Fort Sidney to |
intercept the Cheyennes, who were moving |
north. 1t was a perilous undertaking and |
there was considerable skirmishng, but the !
brave boys accomplished their purpose and
returned to the fort in triumph. Nearly all |
OF the troops stationed at Fort Sidney in |
recent years are now in the Philippines.
Their fighting goes on just the same even !
though there is no further need of old !
Fort Sidney. They fight whether in Ne |
braska or Luzon, always unselish and |
patriotic The Twenty first infantry last
occupied tho fort, and it has not been in |
use to amount to anything within the last |
three years. AS matter of fact, in these |
days of civilization, there is no more need |
of an army post at, Fort Sidney than there .
Is in the heart OF Omaha But shall ever
cherish the memory Of the old post for the (
good II has done, and l like to think of the /
men who made it heir headquarters in
times OF peril"
There was a volume Of sentiment in the
voice of General Stanton as he talked Of
Fort Sidney, and as he recalled the days |
when, as paymaster in the army, he knew
every soldier in his department
i