The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-02-02
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hereby submit for your honorable con-
sideration the following memorial:

sideration the following memorial:
Whereas the soldiers who protected
our Frontier from 1866 to 1888 and
rendered such valuable service and en-
dured great hardships, many of them
serving the best years of their life, have
been, in our opinion, -nnjustly neglected
by this Government that they so brave
ly defended upon our Frontier, making
it possible for the present generation
TO develop the great resources of this
Western country; and
AS many of those who participated
in the struggle of protecting our fam
lilies and property have passed away
and the few that yet remain will also
cross the Great Divide to join their
comrades on fame's eternal camping
ground, we believe it to be the duty
of this Government to care for those
remaining and to see to it that none
lack the necessaries of life during the
few years they will be with US on earth.
Therefore, the 18th General Assembly
of the State of Colorado respectfully
: requests the passage of a bill giving
to the remainder of the soldiers who
served this Government of the United
States 80 days or more. in actual serv-
ice in the Indian wars from 1865 to
1888 the same pensionable status as
! the civil war or Spanish war veterans
are so justly receiving at the hands of
this Government.
The National Indian War Veterans
Organization is composed of soldiers
who served on the Western Frontier
from 1865 to 1888, who are asking rec
ognition from the Government for the
service that they rendered in the early
days.
1t will not be necessary for them to
furnish any written evidence to make
good their claim. BY referring to the
Na,. TlaT nlr~frt ant
find the names and dates of every SOL
der, when he enlisted and when he
was discharged, or where he was slain
in battle or cruelty murdered and way
laid by the savages. 1t will also show
the hundreds of battles that were
fought and the names of the thousands
of men who gave their lives in pro-
tecting the lives OF women and chill
dren.
Here will name a few of the bat
ties that were Tough. where the whole
army was annihilated: Take the Custer
massacre, Fetterman massacre, STRAIT
ton massacre, Thornberg massacre, and
hundreds OF other battles too numerous
to mention.
To be taken prisoner by the savages
you were doomed to die by the most
fiendish tortue. Cases were numerous
where their fingers and toes were cut
off and they were scalped while yet
aIlEe or burned 10 lhc Stake. Iney
were tortured in every imaginable way
as long as life lasted.
In those days the savages were al
ways on the warpath either in one
Territory or another, and as the army
was not sufficient to protect the entire
Frontier, it became necessary to rush
the troops under forced march from one
Territory to another, and many times
they were compelled to travel night and
day, thru storm and snow, thru those
desolate and uninhabited Frontier
countries often a hundred miles or
more without water ;or fuel. Many of
these soldiers spent, the best part of
their lives serving five, 10 and 20 years
in protecting our, Frontier under such
noted leaders, as Gems. Miles, Forsyth,
Crook, StuTgis, Merritt, Custer. McKen-
zie, Terry, Carr and many others too
numerous to mention.
These soldiers served for the pay of
s13 per month, and therefore were not
able to save anything for their old days
and are now gtoo OLD to earn a living
by manual Illabors- and many of them
are in actual need and destitute cir
cumStanceS.q x 10
l am asking this out of sympathy
for my comrades. who served with me.
knowing their condition and the hard
service rendered by them, and | believe
it matter of justice that this Govern
ment should take care of them for the
valuable service they rendered in pro-
tecting the great Western Empire and
help make it possible for it's millions
of Inhabitants to develop its unlimited
resources and to live there in peace
and prosperity.
On account of old age and hard serv-
ice rendered there are but few that
remain. and it will not be hardship
for this Government to take care of
them the few years that they Will re-
main with us.
We therefore ask that they be placed
upon the pension roll on an equal with
the soldiers of other wars. who are so
justly receiving pensions. For further
information address Henry Hegwer,
National Commander. l. w. w., P. o.
Box 4S4. Washington, D. c.