The Nenana daily news. (Nenana, Alaska) 1918-1921, 1919-05-22
POWDER RIVER,
LET Err BUCK!'
IS GID WARCRY

HELENA, Mont.-'Powder River.
Let 'er Buck" battle-cry of the
91st, Wild West division, composed
of Montana, Washington, Oregon,
and California troops, is the old
warcry of the Montana cowboy
Before it rang on the Argonne, it
had been heard for more than fifty
years from the Rio Grande to the
Canadian line, in many hard
fought battle.
To grasp the significance of the
cry, one must master bit Of
geography. The Powder river rises
in Northern Wyoming and crosses
the Montana line near Graham, in
the newly-created Powder River
county, TO pass through that coun-
ty, Custer and Prairie, in which it
flows into the Yellowstone river,
between Blatchford and kamm.
Powder river, a mile wide and an
inch deep" was the battle-cry OF
the puncher-and abbreviated, as
above, it became the battle-cry of
the Montana soldier in the great
war. In the days when the West
was the West and the puncher
reigned supreme, cowboys were mi
gratory. There were few who did
not know the Powder river. 1t is
the cowman's ideal of stream.
1t is nowhere a mile wide. of
course, except in food, and it is
everywhere more than an inch deep
though it does sometimes threat
en- to dry up altogether, in torri5
seasons. But it is sluggish, wide
and shallow. Here cattle may wa
ter in it without peril. Swift, deep
rivers mean loss of stock and con-
sequent worry to punchers.
1t was, moreover, a landmark
or water mark, perhaps it should
be called. Flowing through the
great stretch of plateau prairie in
Northern Wyoming and Southern
Montana, it could be seen from any
low butte, for long distance The
weary puncher who had lost his
way after long day in the sad
die, after strays. would lope up a
hill and locate himself by its wa
tiers
Whatever the cause, the cowmen
as class knew and loved the Pow
der river. Those were rough days.
skirmishes and pitched battles be-
tween COW outfits were common.
Gradually, the Montana puncher
began to adopt Powder River, Let
'er Buck as his cry.
The cry entered politics The
eastern, the Cow counties began
to use the cry at political meet
ings and rallies. Then came the
Spanish war, and Montana sent a
due percentage of punchers into
Roosevelt's Rough Riders.
j When the Second Montana was
organized, the eastern counties
piled in. They made Powder Riv-
err the battle-cry of the unit with
unanimous consent They saw SOM
service in the 'McDonal Rebellion y
/ in Butte. in 1914. Later they went
Ito the Mexican border, where Per
}shing observed them and saw that
they were good
Then, the Great War. The Sec
+ ond, one of the first regiments
called, became the 163rd United
States infantry. Powder River. q
Mile Wide and an Inch Deep, Let
/ 'er Buck" was painted on their
regimental band. Ii was the official
warcry.
! As unit, the 163rd never en-
tered a battle. When it reached
France, Pershing distributed the
men among the FIRST and Second
divisions to fill the gaps in the reg.
ular regiments
From Cantigny to Sedan. mer
of the outfit fought, and Powder
River" was heard in every battle.
1t was the drafted men that gave
the cry to the 91st division. They
took it to Camp Lewis with them
and there the cry caught the fancy
of the California, Oregon and
Washington men, with whom they
were brigaded, and was adopted
with enthusiasm.
The Germans heard the cry OF
the Argonne and in Belgium, and
the 91st came back with a reputa-
ton second to none.