Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-09-11
Did NOT FIRE A SHOT
Why Thousands of Indians Melt
ed Away Before Forty Men.
A STORY OF PIONEER DAYS.
Captain Mecsbe Knew the Sioux Bet
or Than They Knew Themselves, and
the Indians Knew the Captains Men
Were Dead Shots and ScsIp Takers.

qulred n roundabout journey that in
volved 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 moun-
tains I'm curvIliuear form. which
avoided the heights OF the Rockies. To
protect this route from maraudIng In.
dians three forts were bullt-Reno.
Phil Kearny and c. +. Smith.
In lS6G the murderous Sioux from
the Yellowstone valley pursued a san.
culinary course up through the Gallatin
valley and into Montana. IL was
marked by rapine and plumber. They
besieged Fort Reno and killed many
OF Its garrison. They cnvironed Fort
Phil Kearny and wiped from the face
OF the earth every human being whose
walls II failed TO protect Then they
surrounded Fort c. +. Smith. where
200 soldiers found themselves sur.
rounded 10y more than Thousand
death seeking Indians ESCAPE seemed
iNSNilits "A NOElleE HOi worn OF tllS
condition OF affairs TO General Han
cock. who was then stationed Mt st.
Paul. and he sent aSneSsengcr TO the
governor OF Montana NJ Bozeman
The chief executive Of the territory
OF Montana at that time was Green
Clay Smith He had been n member
OF congress from Kentucky. but Pres
ident Lincoln made him territorial go,--
ernor OF Montana. He was seated on
the porch OF his residence I'm Bozeman
when Hancock's message was handed
TO him. To a visitor he said:
What In the name Of heaven can
do? Fort c. +. Smith is $50 miles
away. The country between here and
there Is filed with Sioux Indians. Our
militia force consists of exactly I27
men. Not n man Of them could reach
Fort c. +. Smith alive. am absolute
ly powerless. However. I will send
for Colonel HOWE"
At that time Colonel Neil HOWE was
United States marshal for the territory
of Montana.
IL was to this man that Governor
Smith addressed himself. handing him
General IIancock's dispatch and say
ing: Colonel. we can't do anything for
those poor devils In Fort c. +. Smith.
Am ! not rightf"
NO" said Colonel Howie quietly.
and with the gentle voice OF n woman.
There is no trouble about that gov
ernor. We can arrange that matter
and still leave the Montana frontier
protected. | Will need some picked
men and n good leader for them.
think Captain McCabe is best fitted for
this undertaking. I will find HIM"
McCabe was another gentle voiced
man. with blue eyes. He didn't make
much noise. He acted. He said 10
the governor: "Oh. yes; II is easy
enough. But I'll need forty OF the best
men l can select You can keep the
rest OF your volunteer force here"
Governor Smith looked ut him in
amazement. So did the visitor from
the fort. They both thought he was
either insane or a braggart. Governor
Smith said TO him. How I'm the name
OF heaven 90 you expect To raise the
Siege OF Fort c. f. Smith with forty
men when YOU know that II is sur
rounded by more than 1000 blood
thirsty Indians and that the country
between here and there Is covered with
thousands more OF murderous Sioux"
said McCabe quietly: why. gov
ernor. IL 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 or brutality; that scalping. for
instance, is simply Il form OF torture.
In that you are mistaken. The Indian
believes that no man can go 10 the
happy hunting ground-heaven we call
it-who has been deprived OF his hair.
Their motive In scalping victim is TO
carry OCT tiendiSh hatred To its utmost
by pre- onting him from having hap.
by hereafter. Therefore to deprive an
Indian of his scalp is TO rob him Of his
hope OF a happy hereafter My men
never kill an Indian without scaling
him, and the Indians know that The
forty men I will select for this expedi-
ton are unerring In their aim with
the rife. They can shoot sixteen shots
In sixteen seconds. anA every ball
means 4 dead Indian. and every dead
AaA't4.&st .A-N~t.N u IL. sNN every SCIlp
means warrior deprived cternally OF
chance OF ever reaching the happy
hunting ground. My forty men will
walk from here 10 Fo-t c. F. Smith
without firing = -ho.."
"IrcrcIiblc." sold Governor Smith.
True" said Captain NcCabe
What was the ~ce' e?
Forty men wakCl the $50 miles from
BoZeman 10 Fort c. +. Smith. Indians
watched them on every side. BY days
their progress was signaled by circling
columns Of smoke and by night by fire
from mountain tops. But not n shot
was fired. When they got within sight
OF Fort c. f. Smith the thousand
whooping Sioux who held the garrison
I'm siege fed. and the forty frontiers
men from BoZeman marched in and
escorted the 200 soldiers back to the
territorial capital without the loss OF a
life. Not shot had been fred. Not
a scalp had been lifted.
QIIXIMN M n EfnnI rN