The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-30

MLieut. Cssey. one OF the officers who LETT
| KeoRh on that occasion, was by
one of his indian scouts near flhe ihuSe'
Casey was fe originator OF the idea 10 solve
the Indian problem by making SOLDIERS OF
the Indian. He organized two troops
! ~ Indian s,ldiers at Keogh. The scheme
was not successful and was dropped so9I
after Casefs death. The Indians could
not be mad to understand discipline ana
could not be educated TO living in houses
One of The interesting stories oil heosn
grew out q the experience Of a young
Lieutenant named Marshall, who was as
! signed TO the command OF one OF the indian
troops Manhall came to keogh fresh rom
West Point The Indian had all the eon-
tempt for tie tenderioot, that maot me
hard for the Lasterner in those days.
When Marhall left the post WIZ ms IN
dians for q two weeks r~rac.!ce march
the older officers expected d good story
when he returned. They got the story;
but the indians told it. not Marshall ana
they did not regard it as humorous.
junction, Non, opposite the, mouth OF
the Big Horn River, was q hard then;
I Marshall cauDed near it one night posted
his %sentries aid went to sleep IN MS tent
TIL indian secured some hairtrigger
whiskey from junction, hiled themselves
with IL and decided to have some fun with
he tenderfoo, Lieutenant. As a prelim-
mary lest they sent a dozen bullets from
their carbines through the officers tent
Marshall came out in a hurry, as they lad
expected, but the events That iollo"eo
we're somewhat unexpected.
Marshall was not large, but he was wei
knit and athletic. He had a calm gray
eve and a prominent chin, two outward
indications the Indians had not taken lpto
their calculations. IL
IL took the officer only an instant to dls-
cover that some OF his soldiers "ere LIN
hIt he did not realize that the entire COM
mand was intoxicated. He directed d
sergeant near him to arrest the rioters.
The sergeant's answer was a "ar"hooP
and a rush at the Lieutenant. u,o
A savage blown the face with NlaTeIalls
we're never able to agree on Just what
hSnpened after that, but they remembered
that Marshall took the Sergeant's carbine
by the barrel and mingled with them,
After he had worked through MS troop
The member OF it that were not down
, Iii broken heads we're falling over one
another in their anxiety to ~surrendero OF
Aasinp through the darkness. There was
never a doubt after that as 10 VINO was
boss Of Marshalls troop, and when ne
returned to Keogh with his lndlans they
we're so thoroughly under control that they
would come and eat out oil MS manu. az oue
Of the old timers put IT,.
Gen. Miles was the victim OF a joke near
Keogh' according TO the diary OF n OF
his old trumpeters, kept in 1877.
IL WAS necessary 10 move WV
across the river on one Of the expeditions.
Tho river was bank full as a result OF the
June rise. common to this region. The
General essayed the passage OF the river
ON A raft, which got stuck in midstream
and was left in this u%ndignified position
ahout four hours. The old trumpeter's
memoirs insist this was a joke, but do not
reveal who was responsible Tor sending the
Generals raft on the sandbar.
Ten years ago the abandonment OF Fort
Kanph would have been resisted vigorously
on he ground that residents Of the region
naeded the protection ofthe soldiers against
The Indians. As a matter Of fact, Indians
have killed a few sheep herders near keogh
within the last ten years, but these analrs
can no longer be dignified as .uprisinRs.
They are simply murders following thefts.
and the residents Of Custer county appre-
ciate that the civil authorities are able
10 handle the Indians now.
The Indians have decreased from thou
sands to a few hundreds. Some OF them
are farmers others are working as day
laborcrs and teamsteTb on the new railroad
being built through the valley. None OF
them need be viewed with alarm.
Still. the older citizens, many OF whom
took part in the Indian fighting OF the
Yellowstone, Tongue, Rosebud, Powder
and Big Horn rivers with the army officers
who have left their names In the country,
view the passing Of keogh with regret.
IL was worth while, II only for It's memories,
as President Roosevelt said OF the Civi
war.