The National tribune., 1910-02-10
OUTWITTING THE DANITES.
An Adventure on the Western Plains
Before the Days Of the Railroad.

Editor National Tribune: What I am
about to relate is a real experience
while in the army out West in the early
l'60s. At the time of this happening, in
the Summer of 1864, our regiment. the
| 11th Ohio Cav, was stationed at Fort
Laramie, d. T. 1t belonged to the Sew
enth Corps, Army of the Transmissis-
sippi We were sent to the frontier to
protect the emigrants and stage lines
against the depredations of the In
dians.
In the Summer of 1864 the redskins
were on the warpath, especially the
Sioux, Cheyennes and Arapahoes. They
kept us pretty busy for many months.
The previous Winter our company
(E) was ordered up the road, or along
the old California and Oregon trail,
along which there were several posts,
where our company was to be distrib-
uted in squads. Our first squad was
left at Horseshoe post The morning
we left there it was so degrees below
zero. Our next post was at Deer Creek.
I will not tell of our awful suffering
from the intense cold going from
Horseshoe to Elk River Creek, but we
finally did arrive more dead than alive
at Deer Creek a few days later. We
left that place for Platt Bridge, and
after leaving there we arrived at Sweet
Water post, near Independence Rock.
Our next post was at Three Crossings,
where they left Is men and myself
the remainder of the company going on
to South Pass, which was our last post.
At that early day there were no rail-
roads in that country, and the emf
grants going to California and other
Western States passed along our route.
The Mormons passed us going to Salt
Lake and coming East after new con-
verts. Those who resided at Salt Lake
at that time and whom the Mormons
did not want to leave We're murdered
when they attempted to escape. Old
Brigham Young would send his Dan
ties, or Destroying Angels, as they were
called, and murder them, then try to
make it appear that the Indians did it.
1t was while we We're stationed at
Three Crossings that an incident oc-
curred that 1 wish to relate. An old
Danish gentleman and his daughter and
another young lady wanted to leave
Salt Lake City to go East. The daugh-
ter was a very fine singer, and was
singing in the Salt Lake Theater at the
time. They were, of course, Mormons.
Gen. O'Connor was then stationed at
Salt Lake, and he told the old gentle
man to proceed to the States, and he
would furnish escorts for them to Fort
Laramie, where they would be out of
danger.
them down to South Pass, and then our
men brought them down to us at Three
Crossings. From there detail went
with them to Sweet Water post, a dis
tance of $50 miles. The Indians were
pretty ugly thru the country we had to
go, but the most we feared were the
Danites.
We could at times during the day
see the Danites following us on the
foothills, and when we camped for the
night we were careful to put out
good guard and picket.
We finally got thru to Sweet Water
post without a fight with the Indians
or the Destroying Angels, but it was
only prevented by our vigilance.
AS we sat around the lonely camp
fire at night, many miles from any
habitation, the young lady sang for us
SO sweetly that we sat with bowed
heads. thinking of our homes in the
States.
I don't know whether they got to the
States safely, but they were unmolested
as long as we were with them.
If any of my old comrades on that
detail will write l will gladly answer.
have the names and addresses of
Serg't w. B. Sager, Privates James
Lynch, VIM. Smith, VIM. Huston and
Thornton Dugan.-George w. McGil-
len, Co. E, 18th Ohio Cav, Elizabeth,
Ind