The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1907-07-25
DID NOT FIRE A SHOT
Why Thousands of Indians Melt.
ed Away Before Forty Men.
A STORY OF PIONEER DAYS.
Captain Mecabe Knew the Sioux Bet.
er Than They Knew Themselves, and
the Indians Knew the Captains Men


Were Dead Shots and Scalp Takers.
In the pioneer days TO reach Mon.
tana from Cheyenne. In Wyoming. re-
quired roundabout journey that In.
volved n 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 .
trail through the Gallatin valley along
the course OF the Gunpowder river.
reaching around the base of the noun.
tains in n curvilinear form, which
avoided the heights OF the Rockies. To
protect this route from marauding In
dians three forts We're built-Reno,
Phil Kearny and c. +. Smith.
In 1S6G the murderous Sioux from
the Yellowstone valley pursued a san
culinary course up through the Gallatin
valley and into Montana. 1t was
marked by rapine and plunder They
besieged Fort Reno and killed many
of its garrison. They environed Fort
Phil Kearny and wiped from the face
of the earth every human being whose
walls IL failed to protect. Then they
surrounded Fort G. +. Smith. where
200 soldiers found themselves sur
rounded by more than 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 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 gov.
ernor OF Montana. He was seated on
the porch of his residence in Bozemsn
when Hancock's message was handed
to him. To visitor be said:
what in the name OF heaven can I
do? Fort C. II. Smith is $50 miles
away. The country between here and
there is filed with Sioux Indians. Our
militia force consists Of exactly 427
men. Not n man of them could reach
Fort c. +. Smith alive. I am absolute
~ powerless. However 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 dispatch and say
ing: Colonel. we can't do anything for
those poor devils in Fort c. +. Smith.
Am I not rightf"
NO" said Colonel Howie quietly.
and with the gentle voice OF a woman.
There is no trouble about that gov
ernor. We can arrange that matter
and still leave the Montana frontier
protected I win need some picked
men and good leader for them. I
think Captain McCabe is best fitted for
this undertaking l Will find him."
McCabe was another gentle voiced
man, with blue eyes. He didn't make
much noise. He acted He said to
the governor: "Oh. yes; 1t is easy
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 looked at 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 in the name
or heaven do you expect TO raise tho
siege of Fort @. r. Smith with forty
men when you know that it 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. 1T is easy enough. The Indians
know us and know that we know
them better thnn they know them
selves. You folks from the east have
an idea that what you call Indian
atrocities are simply unmeaning exhi.
bitfons OF brutality: that scalp1nE. for
Instance. is AMPLY q form OF torture.
In that you are mistaken. The Indian
believes that no man can 60 to tho
happy hunting grcund-heaven we call
it-who has been deprived Of bis hair
Their motive In sealping a victim Is TO
carry out fiendish hatred to fits utmost
by preventing him from having a hap
py hereafter. Therefore to deprive an
Indian Of bis scalp is 70 rob him OF his
hope OF happy hereafter. My men
never kill an Indian without scalping
him. snd the Indians know that. The
forty men / will select for this expedi-
ton are unerring In their aim with
the rife. 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 deprived eternally OF
a chance OF ever reaching the happy
hunting ground. Ny forty men will
walk from here to Fort G. r. Smith
without firing a shot"
Incredible" said Governor Smith.
True" said Captain McCabe.
What was the result?
Forty men walked the $50 miles from
Bozeman 70 Fort c. r. Smith. Indians
watched them on every side BY days
their progress was signaied by circling
columns Of smoke and by night BY IRE
from mountain tops. But not a shot
was fred. When they got within sight
Of Fort c. r. Smith the thousand M
whooping Sioux who held the garrison
in siege fed. and the forty frontiers
men from BozeDan marched In and
escorted the 200 soldiers back to the
territorial capital without the loss Of
life- Not shot had been fired Not
hod