Arizona republican., 1910-02-20
INDIANS KNEW THEM:
Story of the Relief of Fort C. E. Smith
 With a Small Force of Men.

"In the pioneer days, to reach Mon
 tana from Cheyenne. Wyoming" said
 B. S. Warren of Helena, required roundabout journey that involved double crossing of the Rocky Noun tains, with a change of base at Salt
 Lake City. The United States govern
 ment 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 mountains in
 curvilinear form. which avoided the
 heights of the Rockies.
 "To protect this route from maraud-
 ing Indians three forts were built
 Reno. Phil aearny and C. F. Smith.
 These were gaIrisoned by United States
 troops In 1863 the murderous Sioux
 from the Yellowstone valley pursued
 d sangunary course up through the
 Galatin valley and into Montana. It
 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 it failed to protect. Then
 they surrounded Fort c. F. smith.
 where 200 Union soldiers found them
 selves enclrcled by more than 1000
 death seeking Indians. Escape seemed
 impossible. A courier got word or tnis
 condition of affairs to General Han
 cock. who was then stationeds at St.
 Paul. and he sent message to the
 governor of Montana, at Bozeman. call ing upon him to relieve the besiegcd
 garrison. The governor of that ter ritory then was Green Clay Smith. He was perpleXcd as to what to do. as Fort smith was 250 miles away and the country between Bozeman and the fort filled with Sioux Indians He sent for Colonel Howie. At that time Col onel Neil Howie was United states Marshal for Montana and q typical frontiersman. To him Governor Smith handed General Hancock's dispatch.
 doubting if there were any use in try ing to relieve the garrison.
 Colonel Howie thought differently and selected Captain MaCabe as Spe- ing best fitted for this undertaking MaCabe was a gentle voiced man with blue eyes and made little noise He acted. He told the governor he need e1 lOrtN or tne pest HIGH llt ttuiu lect. Governor Smith looked a- him in amazement MaCabe said that each Of these forty men could shoot sixteen shots in sixteen seconds and that ev- cry ball meant dead Indian and every dead Indian meant scalp and every scalp mean a warrior deprived etern- ally of a chance of everS reaching the happy hunting ground. Indians believe that no man can go to the happy hunt ing ground who has been deprived of his hair.
 Those Indians know us. and we know them still better said Captain McCabe. and my men-forty of them will walk to Fort Smith without firing shot Indians watched them on ev cry side. By days their progress was signalled by circling columns of smoke and at night by fire from-the mountain | tops Not a shot was fired. Wher they got within sight of Fort Smith the L. 000 whoopng Sioux who held the gar rison in siege fled and the forty iron tiersmen from Bozenan marched in and escorted the 200 Union soldiers back to the territorial capital without the loss of life. Not shot had been fired. Not a scalp had been lifted. - Washington Herald.