Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-09-05
A N GOES OVER TRAIL
OF SAWYER EXPEDITION I'M 1865

,ITION I'M
and that night Colonel Satvyer offered |
a liberal reward to any on4 who would
volunteer to locate him and bring re-
Inducements. Three men With rations
stealthily stole away thai night on
this perilous undertaking. There was
no change OF position Of xhe Indians
or our wagon train the thru day. The |
weather. had turned colder and a Sc
we're storm ensued. The Indians be-
gan leaving their camps in large num-
bers and retreated to the cAnyon. The
stock waded around the enclosure in
mud up to their knees aid almost
every man in the outfit was benumbed
With cold. The night of thel third day,
one OF the drivers was restless while !
trying to sleep and he bectme much
annoyed at a steer which Nkept rub
bling its side against his Wagon. He
gave 1t q punch with q stick hnd start 4
ed it on a frightened run. lin return
this steer startled others am in a few
minutes all the animals had Joined in
h movement which by this time was
a regular stampede. The darkness was
intense and the noise of thevbellowing
animals sickened ones he'd rt. They
broke through the wagons 1hnd went
their way. Every man in the train had
been sleeping on their arms that night
and so all were up at the yhrst COM
motion. 1t was the general Impression
that The Indians had stoleh into the
camp and a purposely ttampeded
the animals. Confusion r{igned su-
preme for some time and dgIrk figures |
We're seen everywhere scurrSing back
and forth through h cold and
clammy mud. Finally the kword was |
passed around explaining the cause
Of the commotion. Nobody followed
the animals. We didn't knpw where
they had gone and we di~dn'tNcare. We
We're all detected in spiritsD because
Of the cold and inclemerk weather |
and because we seemed doomed to de- |
%struction by the superior force Of our |
enemy.
indians Come Asaik.
"The next morning we fourkl our cat
tie quietly grazing in the timber near
the camp vacated by the Indians. They
had fed before the storm and had
sought a retreat in the Tongue river
canyon. We built big fires. warmed
ourselves, dried our clothing and then
started westward again with our wag-
ons. What was our dismay on getting
several miles out, to see the pesky var
mits again riding down on as. We
prepared for a defense, but on their
closer approach we discerned their
white flags waving above their heads.
ly let the chiefs of the tribe enter our
camp without molestation. They want I
ed peace and in talking OF the affair |
they explained their motive in attack |
Ing us. They thought We We're soldiers.
and as he biuecoats were known to be
In the neighborhood against them. they
concluded we were but a party to the
detachment. Upon learning we were
an emigrant outfit they decided to
cease warfare upon US. While the
seven chiefs were parleying in the
camp. other Indians would stalk brave
Nv 3nfn Damn parrpAofinD q uynwd x,,lth /
their chiefs. They tried to deceive us
and the move was a fine piece of STRAIT
egy on their part. At time they
did succeed In placing "a armed men
inside u corral and the other 800
had planned to annihilate us with one
blow, but couldn't succeed In getting |
the proper number OF men into our /
camp at one time.
Dispose the Leader.
Considerable objection had been
made to Sawyer and much grumbling
In his treatment of h Indians. He
was warned repeatedly not to let the |
savages enter the camp, but he only
ignored these protestations. Finally an
Indignation meeting was held Of every
body in the camp. and with a majority
vote of about so to S. Sawyer was de-
posed. This is them utiny OF the Saw
yer expedition referred to by COutant's |
history OF Wyoming. BY a similar vote, !
the fate of the eve Indian chiefs held |
as hostages in our camp was decided
and they were released, together with
other Indians who had remained both
day and night. They were all told to
get out and stay away. Some Of the
boys could hardly refrain from shoot !
ing them down for their attempted
vailed upon to allow the red devils their
freedom without further trouble.
While In this camp the bodies Of
Captain Cole. Dilliner and Merrill were (
buried IN n grave. The ext captain
OF the expedition used diplomacy in the
the remembrances OF their tragic death (
would have caused q revolt against the
Indians In camp. To direct attention
from b burial party. q fiddler held the
attention OF . party in one wagon.
singers In another, etc.
They Go Back.
"A q successor to Colonel SAWYER
we selected one OF our number, a
brave and fearless leader, and he fol-
lowed out the wishes Of the majority. |
We had been in camp for 10 days
and It was the concensus Of opinion
mainders of the trip and return to Fort
Conner. 100 miles back. Colonel Saw
yer was appealed to, but he was deter.
minded to push ahead. We knew well
o. our muttny against him and we tried
to induce him In another plan, to de-
stroy all but Is wagons, as the re-
mainder were only superfuous and
burdensome. Seven lives had already
been lost on the trip and It was de-
clared the train could not proceed fur
ther In such a country filled with hos
tile Indians without adequate protec-
ton. With the wagons reduced to Is
b remaining drivers could act as
guards. Sawyer would not counsel