Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-08-28
DID NOT fire 4 SHOT
Why Thousands Of Indians Melt
ed Away Before Forty Men.
A STORY OF PIONEER DAYS.
Captain Mccabe Knew the Sioux Bet
N er Than They Knew Themselves, and
the Indians Knew the Captains Men
Were Dead Shots and Scalp Takers.

Were Dead Shots and Scalp Takers.
In the pioneer days to reach Mon
tana from Cheyenne, in Wyoming, re-
CURED a roundabout Journey that in
yolyed double crossing of the Rocky
mountains, with change Of base at
Salt Lake City. The United States
government brought about better
condition of travel by constructing a
trail through the Gallatin valley along
the course Of the Gunpowder river,
reaching around the base Of the noun
tains in q 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 g. r. Smith.
| In 1886 the nurderous Sioux from
the Yellowstone valley pursued san
culinary course up through the Gallatin
valley and into Montana. 1t was
| marked by rapine and plumber. They
besieged Fort Reno and killed many
OF It's garrison They enyironed 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. r. Smith, where
200 soldiers found themselves sur
rounded by more than a thousand
death seeking Indians. Escape seemed
impossible. "A courier got word of this
/ condition of affairs to General Han,
cock, who was then stationed at st.
] Paul. and he sent a messenger to the
governor Of Montana at Bohemian.
The chief executive Of the territory
Of Montana at that time was Green
Clay Smith. He had been member
Of congress from Kentucky. but Pres
ident Lincoln made him territorial gov
ernor Of Montana. He was seated on
the porch Of his residence in Bozeman
when Hancock's message was handed
to him. 70 visitor he said:
I EWhat Id the name Of heaven can I
do? Fort g. ID. Smith is $50 miles
/ away The country between here and
there is filled with Sioux Indians. Our
i militia force consists Of exactly 427
| men. Not man Of them could reach
Fort @. f.. Smith alive. am absolute
| " poWerless. However, ! will send
4 for Colonel Howie.'1 III s3s5 .${! s55
I, At that time Colonel Neil HOWE was
United States marshal for the territory
of Montana. 0
1t was to this man that Governor
Smith addressed himself, handing him
Il General Hancock's dispatch and say
Ing &C olonel, we can't do anything for
those poor devils in Fort C. #. Smith.
Am i not right y ~ 558
mo, = said Colonel HOWE quietly,
and with the gentle voice of q woman.
There is no trouble about that, gov
L ernor. We can arrange that matter
ana still leave the Montana frontier
projected. Will need some picked
men and a good leader for them. /
think Captain AfcCabe is best fitted for
this undertaking. I will find him" #
McCabs was another gentle voiced
man, with blue eyes. He didn't make
much noise. He acted. He said to
A the governor: "Oh, yes; 1t IS easy
4 enough. But I'll need forty Of the best
men I can select You can keep the
rest Of your volunteer force here"
Governor Smith locked at him in
amazement. So did the visitor from
the fort They both thought he was
either insane or a braggart Governor
i Smith said to him, How in the name
Il OF heaven do you expect to raise the
d siege of Fort c., f. Smith with forty
men when you know that it Is sur
rounded by more than 1000 blood
I thirsty Indians and that the country
between here and there lis covered with
thousands more OF murderous Sioux p
Said McCabe quietly: why, gov
Eernor, 1t is easy enough. The Indians
know us and know that we know
them better than they know them
selves. You folks from the east have
an idea that what you call Indian
atrocities are simply unmeaning exhi
billions oe@brutality; that scalping, for
Instance, Is simply q form Of torture.
i In that you are mistaken. The Indian
believes that no man can so to the
4 happy hunting ground heaven we call
i it-who has been deprived Of his hair.
4 Their motive I'd scalping victim is to-
carry out fiendish hatred to Its utmost
By preventing him from having q hap
lpy hereafter Therefore to deprive an
Indian of his scalp Is to rob him DE HIS
hope Of happy hereafter My men
never Kill an Indian without scaiping
Ihiin. and the Indians know that. The
forty men WIN select for this expedi-
lion are unerring M their aim with
the rife. They can shoot sixteen shots
lin sixteen seconds. and every ban
means q dead Indian, and every dead
Indian means a scalp, and every scalp
means d warrior deprived eternaIly &c
a chance Of ever reaching the happy
hunting ground My forty men WIN
walk from here TO Fort 6. #. Smith
without firing a shot. !,
sIncredib le" said Goyernor Smith.
aTrue, said Captain Mccabe.
what was the result?
Forty men walked the $50 miles srsYn
Bozeman To Fort 6. e. Smith. Indians
Watcied them on every side BY days
their progress was signaied BIZ circling