Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1913-05-09
CHAPTER xiii.
Back at Fort Dodge.

| war-summer on the plains had
brought many changes to the hard
worked troops engaged in the cam
paign or garrisoning the widely scat
tered posts south of the Platte. Scout
ing details, although constantly in the
saddle, failed to prevent continued In
dian depredations on exposed settle
ments. Stage routes were deserted,
and the toiling wagons of the freight
ers vanished from the trails. Reports
of outrages were continuous, and it
became more and more evident that
the various tribes were at length
united in a desperate effort to halt
the white advance. War parties broke
through the wide-strung lines of
guard, and got safely away again,
leaving behind death and destruction.
Only occasionally did these Indian
raiders and the pursuing troops come
into actual contact. The former came
and went in swift forays. now appear
ing on the Pawnee, again on the
Saline, followed by wild ride down
the valley of the Arkansas. Scattered
in small bands, well mounted and
armed, no one could guess where the
next attack might occur Every day
brought its fresh report of horror.
From north and south, east and west,
news of outrages came into Sheri-
dams headquarters at Fort Wallace.
Denver, at the base of the noun
tains, was practically in state of siege,
proyisioned only by wagon trains sent
through under strong guard; the
fringe of settlement along the water
ways was deserted, men and women
| fleeing to the nearest government
posts for protection and food. The
troops, few in number and widely
scattered in small detachments, many
being utilized as scouts and guards,
were unequal to the gigantic task Of
| protecting SO wide a frontier. Skir-
mishes were frequent, but the Indians
were wary and resourceful, and only
once during the entire summer were
| they brought into real decisive battle
The last of August, Major Forsythe,
temporarily commanding company
of volunteer scouts, was suddenly
attacked by over thousand war
riors under command of Roman Nose.
A four days fight resulted, with heavy
loss on both sides, the Indians being
driven from the field by the oppor-
tune arrival OF fresh troops.
The general condition of affairs is
we'll shown by the reports reaching
Fort Wallace in September. Governor
Hunt wrote from Denver Just re-
turned Fearful condition of things
here. Nine persons murdered by
Indians yesterday, within radius of
Line miles" A few days later, acting
! Governor Hall reported: "The In
| dams have again attacked our settle
ments in strong force, obtaining pos
session of the country to within
| twelve miles of Denver. They are
more bold, fierce, and desperate in
their assaults than ever before. 1t Is
impossible to drive them out and pro-
tect the families at the same time, for
they are better armed, mounted, dis
ciplined, and better Differed than our
men. Each hour brings intelligence
of fresh barbarities. and more extern
sive robberies." This same month
| Governor Crawford, of Kansas, tele-
graphed: Have just received dis
patch from Hays, stating that Indians
attacked, captured, and burned train
at Pawnee Fork; killed, sca1ped, and
burned sixteen men; also attacked an
other train at Cimarron Crossing,
which was defended until ammunition
was exhausted. when the men aban-
doned the train, saving what stock
| they could. Similar attacks are of al
most daily occurrence"
South of the Cimarron all was desc
! lation, and war ragged unchecked from
| the Platte to the Pecos. Sheridan de-
| termined upon winter campaign, al
| though he understood well the suffer
! ings entailed upon the troops by ex-
| posture on the open plains at that sea-
son. Yet he knew the habits OF In
dians; that they would expect immu-
nifty from attack and would gather in
villages, subject to surprise. He,
therefore, decided that the result
would justify the necessary hardships
| involved To this end smaller posts
we're abandoned, and the widely scat
tered soldiers ordered to central
points in preparation for the contem-
plated movement. Devere had been
deserted earlier, and Major Mcdonald
had marched his men to Dodge, where
Molly awaited his coming. Retained
there on garrison duty, the two occu.
pied a one-story, yellow stone struc-
ture fronting the parade ground. In
October, orders to march reached M
troop, Seventh Cavalry, at Fort Union,
and the ragged, bronzed troopers, who
all summer long had been scouting the
New Mexican plains. turned their
horses heads to the northeast in hope
fulness of action With them up the
deserted Santa Fe trail, past burned