The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-11-04


dian depredations on exposed settle.
ments. Stage routes were deserted.
and the toilng wagons Of the freight
ers vanished from the trails. Reports
of outrages were continuous, and 1t
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, we'll 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.
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 frontier. Skin
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 a 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
nine miles" A few days later, acting
Governor Hall reported: 1.-THE In.
dams have again attacked our settle
ments in strong force, obtaining pos
nf ntry IN wit IN
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 ouI
men. Each hour brings intelligence
of fresh barbarities, and more exten
sive robberies." This same montl
Governor Crawford, of Kansas, tele
graphed: "Have just received a dis
patch from Hays, stating that Indians
attacked, captured, and burned a trair
: at Pawnee Fork; killed, scalped, anC
1 burned sixteen men; also attacked an
!, other train at Cimarron Crossing
t which was defended until ammunitioi
3 was exhausted, when the men abpn
3 doned the train, saving what stool
they could. Similar attacks are of al
: most daily occurrence"
South of the Cimarron all was desc
lation, and war ragged unchecked iron
!, the Platte to the Pecos. Sheridan dc
termined upon a winter campaign, a,
;, though he understood well the suffer
ings entailed upon the troops by e,
D posture on the open plains at that sef
/ son. Yet he knew the habits of II
dams; that they would expect immr
nifty from attack and would gather 1
q villages, subject to surprise. II,
therefore, decided that the resul
8 would justify the necessary hardship
Y involved. To this end smaller post
were abandoned, and the widely see
r tered soldiers ordered to centra
points In preparation for the conten
Ie plated movement. Devere had bee
II deserted earlier and Major McDonal
had marched his men to Dodge, wher
le Molly awaited his coming Retaine
" there on garrison duty, the two occ,
pied one-story, yellow stone stru'
ture fronting the parade ground. ]
N October, orders to march reached IN
10 troop, Seventh Cavalry, at Fort Uniol
"a and the ragged, bronzed troopers, VIII
ar all summer long had been scouting tn
nj New Mexican plains, turned the
v horses heads to the northeast in hop
az fulness of action. With them up III
ar deserted Santa Fe trail, past burne
N stations and wrecks Of wagon train
al rode Sergeant Hamlin, silent and eff
nj cient, the old Confederate haversaC
o fastened to his saddle, and his min
an in spite of all effort, recurring co
~ stantly to the girl who had gone
20 Dodge early in the summer, Was 81
" still there? If so, how would she gre
70 him now after these months Of a
al sence? The little cavalry colum
na dust.covered and weary, seemed fat
he ly to creep along, as day by day he I
of viewed every word, every glanC
.e. which had passed between them; al
at night under the stars he lay wi