Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1913-05-09
CHAPTER ].
Al Unpleasant Situation

An Unpleasant Situation.
When, late in May. 1868, Major
Daniel Mcdonald, Sixth Infantry, was
first assigned to command the new
three company post established south
west of Fort Dodge, designed TO pro-
tect the newly discovered Cimarron
trail leading to Santa Fe across he
desert, and, purely by courtesy, Of
Totally termed Fort Devere, he nat
ura1ly considered it perfectly safe to
invite his only daughter to join him
there for her summer vacation. In
deed, at that time, there was APP
parently no valid reaso why he
should deny himself this pleasure.
Except for certain vague rumors re-
garding uneasiness among the Sioux
warriors north OF the Platte. the yari-
30 unusual trouble to military authori-
ties, although, OF course, there was
nc time In the history OF that country
utterly devoid of peril from young
raiders, usually aided and allotted by
outcast whites. However, the Santa
Fe route, by this date, had become a
well-traveled trail, protected by scat
tered posts along It's entire route. fire.
Quently %patrolled by troops, and mere
sly considered dangerous for small par
ties, south of the Cimarron. where row
ing Comanches in bad humor might
be encountered.
Fully assured al to this by officers
met at Fort Ripley. Mcdonald, who
had before served west of the
Mississippi, wrote his daughter a long
letter, describing In careful detail the
route. set an exact date for her de-
parture, and then, satisfied all was
well arranged, set forth with his
small command on the long march
overland. He had not seen his daugh-
ter for over two years. as during her
vacation time (she was attending
6unnycrest school, on the Hudson),
she made her home with an aunt in
Connecticut. This year the aunt was
In Europe, not expecting to return un-
tn fall. and the father had hopefully
counted on having the girl with him
once again IA Kentucky. Then came
his sudden, unexpected transfer west,
and the nnal decision to have her join
him there. Why not? II she remain
ed the same high-spirited army girl,
she would thoroughly enjoy the I'M
usual experience Of q few months Of
real frontier life. and the only hard
ship Involved would be the long stage
hide from Ripley. This. however. was
altogether prairie travel, monotonous
enough surely, but without special
danger, and he could doubtless ar
range ~ meet her himself at Kansas
City. sotENeend ,one Of his officers for
that i G9fbose,
the situation in May. but
" the middle Of June conditions had
greatly changed throughout all the
bread plains country. The spirit Of
savaee war had spread rapidly from
the Platte to the Rio Pecos. and
scarcely ! Wild tribe remained disaf-
fected.s A-apahoe. Cheyenne. Pawnee.
Comanche, and Apache alike espoused
the cause Of the Sioux. and their
young warriors. breaking away from
the control OF older chiefs. became
ugly and warlike. Devere. isolated a.
1t was from the main route Of travel
(tho Santa Fe stages still following
the more northern trail), heard mere
" rumOrs OF the prevailing condition
through tarrying hunters. and posi-
bly, an occasional army courier. yet
loon realized the gravity OF the situ-
alton because OF the almost total
cessation Of travel by way Of the
sCimarron and the growing insolence
OF the surrounding Comanches. De-
tails from the small garrison were,
under urgent orders from headquar-
ters q Fort Wallace. kept constantly
scouting = far south az the fork Of
tAe Red river. and then west to the