The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-10-18
CHAPTER I.
An Unpleasant Situation.

erst assigned to command the new
three company post established SOUTH
vest of Fort Dodge, designed to pro-
rect the newly discovered Cimarron
troi, leading to Santa Fe across the
desert, and, purely by courtesy, Of
fcially termed Fort Devere, he nat
urally considered 1t perfectly safe to
invite his only daughter to join him
there for her summer vacation. In
deed at that time, there was ap-
narently no valid reason why he
should deny himself this pleasure.
Except for certain vague rumors re-
4 o,rding uneasiness among the Sioux
aarriors north of the Platte, the vari-
ous tribes of the pl; ms were causing
no unusual trouble t. military authori-
ties although, Of course, there was
no time in the histt y of that country
utterly devoid Of peril from young
raiders. usually aided and abetted by
outcast whites. However, the Santa
Fe route by this date, had become
well.trsveled trail, protected by scat
tered posts along its entire route, fire.
ouently patrolled by troops, and mere
" considered dangerous for small par.
ties. south Of the Cimarron, where row
81 ing Comanches in bad humor might
be encountered.
Fully assured as to this by officers
met at Fort Ripley, Mcdonald, who
had never before served west or the
Mississippi, wrote his daughter long
II 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 (sho was attending
Sunnycrest school, on the Hudson),
she made her homo with an aunt In
Connecticut. This vear the aunt was
in Europe not expecting to return un-
til fall, and the father had hopefully
counted on having the girl with him
once arain in Kentucky. Then came
his sue len, unexpected transfer west,
and the final decision to have her join
him there. Why not? II she remain
ed the same hlgh-spirited army girl,
5: she would thorou~ 10y enjoy the I'M
38 usual experience 90 y few months OF
real frontier life, G the only hard
ship involved would be the long stage
ride from Ripley. 7 his, however, was
altogether prairie travel, monotonous
enough surely, but without special
danger and he could doubtless ar
range to meet her himself at Kansas
City, or send one Of his officers for
that purpose.
This was the situation in May, but
by the middle of June conditions had
greatly changed throughout all the
broad plains country. The spirit or
savage war had spread rapidly from
the Platte to the Rio Pecos, and
scarcely wild tribe remained disaf-
fected. Arapahoe, 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 az
It was from the main route Of travel
(the Santa Fe stages still following
the more northern traiD, heard mere
ly rumors of the prevailing condition
through tarrying hunters, and posi-
bly, an occasional army courier, ye
soon realized the gravity Of the stu
vi alton because OF the almost tota
cessation OF travel by way Of thu
E Cimarron and the growing insolenc'
k of the surrounding Comanches. DE
tails from the small garrison were
K18 under urgent orders from headquar
<{ tiers at Fort Wallace, kept constantly
a scouting as far south as the fork o
@ the Red river, and then west to tn
~ mountains. Squads from the singl
cavalry company guarded the fey
caravans venturing still to cross tn
r. Cimarron desert, or bore dlspatche
to Fort Dodge. Thus the few soldier
remaining on duty at the home ST.
ton became slowly aware that thl
outburst of savagery was no longer
mere tribal affair. Outrages were r,
ported from the Solomon, the Repul
hcan, the Arkansas valleys. A settl
ment was raided on Smoky Forh
stages we're attacked near the Cache
ana one burned wagon train We
ambushed In the Ration pass, and onl
ESCAPED after desperate fighting. A
together the situation appeared g
tremely serious and summer promise
- war in earnest.
mcdonald was rather slow to q
preciate the real facts. His know
edge OF Indian tactics was exceedln
w small and the utter isolation of h
post kept him ignorant. At first |
was convinced that It was merely
local disturbance and would end
suddenly as begun. Then, VIII,
real.zation finally came. It was
reaoy TOO late to stop the girl. 81
h,H would be already on her long journe
what could he do? What immedia
s,Rp' could he hope to take for h
1H protection? Ordinarily he would n
H Na'e hesitated, but now decisi
& W.. Aot SO easily made OF Ids CO
80 p,"hi scarcely thirty men remain
VM a. -f. ia, q mere infantry arard