Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-08-02
DID NOT FIRE A SHOT.
WHY Thousands Of Indians Melted
Away Before Forty Men.

OID NSl TINE ~
Why Thousands Of Indians Melted
Away Before Forty Men.
In the pioneer days to reach Mon
tana from Cheyenne, in Wyoming, re-
uuired g roundabout journey that in
yolved a double crossing Of the Rocky
mountains, with a 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 curvilinear form, which
avoided the heights of the Rockies.
To protect this route from marauding
Indians three forts were built-Reno,
Phil Kearny and c. F. Smith.
In 1866 the murderous Sioux from
the Yellowstone valley pursued SAN
culinary course up through the Gala
tin valley and into Montana 1t was
marked by rapine and plunder. They
be1ieged Fort Reno and killed many
of It's garrison. They environed Fort
Phil Kearny and wiped from the face
Of the earth every human being whose
walls 1t failed to protect. Then they
surrounded Fort C. F. Smith, where
200 soldiers found themselves sur
rounded by more than a thousand
death seeking Indians. Escape SEEM
ed impossible. A courier got word OF
this condition of affairs to General
Hancock, who was'then stationed at
st. Paul, and he sent a messenger to
the governor of Montana at Bozeman.
The chief executive of the territory
of Montana at that time was Green
Clay Smith. He had been a member
of congress from Kentucky, but Pres
ident Lincoln made him territorial
governor of Iontana. He was seated
on the porch Of his residence in Boze-
man when Hancock's message was
handed to him. To visitor he said
What in the name Of heaven can
1 do? Fort C. F. Smith is $50 miles
away. The country between here and
there Is filled with Sioux Indians. Our
militia force consists Of exactly AT
men. Not man Of whom could reach
Fort c. F. Smith alive. / am absolute
ly powerless. However, I will send
for Colonel Howie."
At that time Colonel Neil Howie
was United States marshal for the
territory of Montana.
1t was to this man that Governor
Smith addressed himself, handing him
General Hancock's letter and saying:
Colonel, we can't do anything for
those poor devils in Fort c. F. Smith.
Am I not right?"
NO" said Colonel Howie quietly,
and with the gentle voice Of woman.
There Is no trouble about that,
governor. We can arrange that mat
ter and still leave the Montana from
tier protected. 1 will need some pick
ed men and a good leader for them.
I think Captain McCaDe is best fitted
for this undertaking. I will find him"
McCabe was another gentle voiced
much noise. He acted. He said to
the governor: "Oh, yes: 1t is easy
enough. But I'll need forty Of the
best men 1 can select. You can keep
the rest of your volunteer force here"
Governor Smith looked at him In
amazement. So did the visitor from
the fort. They both thought he was
either insane or braggart. Governor
Smith said to him, How in the name
of heaven do you expect to raise the
siege of Fort C. F. Smith with forty
men when you know it is surrounded
by more than 1000 blood-thirsty In
dians and that the country between
here and there is covered with thou
sands more of murderous Sioux?"
Said McCabe quietly: why, COVER
nor, it is easy enough. The Indians
know us and know that we know them
much better than they know them
selves You folks from the east have
an idea that what you call Indian
atrocities are simply unmeaning exhi-
bitions of brutality; that scalping, for
instance, is simply a form Of torture.
In that you are mistaken. The Indian
believes that no man can go to the
happy hunting ground-heaven we
call it-who has been deprived Of
his hair Their motive in scalping a
victim is to carry out fiendish hatred
to it's utmost by preventing him from
!, ~ FTharafnra
to deprive an Indian of his scalp is to
rob him of his hope Of a happy here
after. My men never kill an Indian
without scalping him, and the Indians
know that. The forty men I will Sc
lect for this expedition are unerring in
their aim with the rifle. They can
shoot sixteen shots in sixteen seconds,
and every ball means a dead Indian,
and every dead Indian means a scalp,
and every scalp means a warrior de-
prived eternally of a chance Of ever
reaching the happy hunting ground.
My forty men will walk from here to
Fort F. c. Smith without frin!; a
shot"
Incredible" said Governor Smith.
True" said Captain McCabe.
What was the result?
Forty men walked the $50 miles
from Bozeman to Fort G. F. Smith.
BY days their progress was signaled
by circling columns of smoke and by
night by fire from mountain tops. But
not a shot was fired. When they got
within sight Of Fort c. F. Smith the
thousand whooping Sioux who held
the garrison in siege fled and the for
ty frontiersmen from Bozeman march
ed in and escorted the 200 soldiers
back to the territorial capital without
| the loss of life. Not shot had been
fired. Not a scalp had been lifted
| Exchange.
Shoes and Spectacles for Animals.
In Bohemia when geese are to be
driven long distances to market they
are shod for the journey. The method
of shoeing is as simple as it is effect
i've. The geese are made to walk re-
peatedly over patches of tar mixed