Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1913-06-19

worked troops engaged In the cam
paign o, sArrisorins TIE Sidely scat
tered posts south Of the Platte Scout
ins Details. although constantly In the
saddle. failed 10 prevea, continued In
ciaa depredstioas on exposed settle
Uents Stage routes were deserted
and the tolling wagons Of the freight
ers vanished from the trails. Reports
OF outrAgef were continuous. and II
became more and more evident that
the various tribes were At length
uniied in a desperate effort TO halt
the white advance. War parties broke
through the widee,rung lines OF
guard. and go; 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
ins on the Pawnee. again on the
Saline. followed by a wild ride down
the valley Of the Arkansas. Scattered
IN small bands, well mounted and
armed. no one could guess where the
neIt attack might occur Every day
brought its fresh report Of horror.
From north and south. east and west,
news OF outrages came into Shert-
dams headquarters at Fort Wallace.
Denver. at the base Of the noun
tains. was practically in state OF siege,
provisioned 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 we're frequent. but the Indians
were wary and resourcetul. and only
| once during the entire summer were
they brought into real decisive battle.
The last OF August. Major Forsythe.
temporarily commanding a company
of volunteer scouts. was suddenly
attacked by over a 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
well 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
nine miles" A few days later. acting
Governor Hall reported: The In
dians 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. II Is
impossible to drive them out md pro-
tect the families at the same time, for
they are better armed, mounted, dis
ciplined. and better offlcered than our
men. Each hour brings intelligence
OF fresh barbarities. and more exten-
sive robberies." This same month
Governor Crawford Of Kansas, tele-
graphed: Have Just received a dis
/ pdtCh lIOul eAdtfuk tuht IuulduS
attacked. captured, and burned train
at Pawnee Fork; killed. scalped, 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.
posure 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
were 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-
9u.e fronting the parade ground. In
October. orders TO march reached M
troop. Seventh Cavalry. At Fort Union.
and the ragged. bronsed troopers. who