Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-10-07
TEN YEARS TRIAL
The Story Of a Soldiers Struggle
BY Brigadier General Charles King
Copyright 1901 by Charles King
CHAPTER N.-lContinued.l

tLltNt ISSQ1tilS nclt III PpccSSSAoh ~
Omaha, Council Bluffs and Sioux City
and that little battalion was on its
way to the relief of Brentwood, and
still the starving and imprisoned live
stock baaed, beloved and squealed
for food and water. Still passenger
traffic was at stand. The division
superintendent and his assistants were
powerless. Though they manned en-
gines, threw switches and "braked"
ears, the rails were soaped, the boilers
foamed and their engines were killed
under their very noses, all without VIC
lence of either word or deed. The
strikers liked their division chief and
hated to be at odds with him now. So
long as only railway hands We're per-
mitted about the yards or stock trains
there had been no wanton destruction
Of property, bat TO such scenes ever
flock the blackguard element of the
community, and the news that troops
were coming proved an excuse for des-
perate deeds. That night the wintry
sky above the Red Water reflected the
glare of neeie of fame. Cars, grain
sheds and an elevator went up in
smoke. There was q barbecue where
one section of cattle train could not
be rescued and run out in time. All
this, telegraphed to Chicago and the
officials scattered over the length of
the road, called for strenuous action.
The wires hummed with appeals and
orders. and q calm, placid man, dark,
brown eyed man, who looked the sol
der in spite of civilian dress, drove in
/ to Brentwood at dawn the following
day, sent certain kilograms to eastern
4 points and one to old Fort Pawnee, far
away to the south, got q light breakfast
/ and another buggy ut the hotel and
! drove out to the yards. When he re-
| turned, an hour before noon, the eyes of
many citizens followed him in eager
curiosity. The first Of the regulars
was here. At 9 o'clock the news was
4 whispered about the streets that big
I force of strikers had gone down to the
narrows of the valley where the Red
] Water, turning from the rectitude of
| it's ways, dashed and foamed between
| rocky bluffs and heights and the rival
| lines. Seattle and Big Horn, twisted
| and turned for some 20 miles not 400
! yards apart. A troop train had left the
river bent on forcing way to Brent
wood. and in desperation the strike
leaders had determined to topple it in
to the stream.
1t was but few minutes after
4 when, through the Western Union, the
stranger received the following dis
patch:
Major Melville, U. S.. A., Brentwood:
Nathan reports serious obstacles Strikers op
posing movement OF train every mile He ha
only 100 men, Four companies state militia gs
out by NJ. V. at and may get first to Rec
| Water gorge Tie two commands should act il
concert. Crook.
The major replaced the dispatch II
its envelope, slowed the packet in al
inner pocket and walked slowly from
the office into the slanting sunshin,
without. The street was filed will
men sauntering up and down or gath
cred in knots at the corners. 1t was :
still, wintry afternoon, though but lit
tie snow as yet had fallen east of TIL,
mountains. Melville noted that al
eyes were on him, but not in open hos
tility. Whatever the hands might hav
in store for the officials of the road o
for trainloads of troops, their rance
took no shape against single man, ar
parently, even actually, unarmed. Mel
vile carried neither flask nor pistol
He was rejecting on the miscarriag
of the plans for the concentration O
troops so far as Brentwood was con
chance Nathan had been chosen t
command the detachment ordere
tbither from the south. 1t was odd t
think of light artillery men being S
employed at any time, but these wer
the economical days. Companies, bal
teries and troops" could rarely music
more than 80 men for duty. Pawnee'
garrison had been split up and sent
, three or four important points, anG
being senior in date Of commission
the two cavalry captains sent with i
Nathan had been given the lead, an
Nathan looked anything but blissfr
when "Old Cat" ordered him of
Leave enough men to care for you
barra cks, stables and gun Sheds" sal
he, draw 80 carbines from the cava
!. ry. let your men leave their sabers an
go with carbine and revolver, the
| you'll be uniform with the troopers.
Cat" thought that when soldier wa
: uniform with a trooper he couldn't b
better off; Nathan thought he couldn
t be worse. Next to an Indian Natha
, hated mob. Two hours from I'll
+ time the orders reached him the con
{ mand was ready to 60 but not so N;
j than. Two days from the time the
= started they We're still two days marc
from Brentwood. and their train nj
no detention whatever until it got we
into northern Nebraska Then it We
: found so easy TO induce the command
g ing officer TO believe that the track we
all torn UP just ahead or that striker
!. had blown up or burned down bridge
that sympathiZers with the wageworl
ers kept up the practice at every st;
ton, and Nathan was sending dispatc
after dispatch to Omaha the tidings {
a which, when it all came to be invest
: gated, proved utterly untrue, as II