The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-03-12
Famous Corps
Ends Its Work

existed among the Indians against the
color Of the uniform worn by the men
Of the Rifles, for many Indians said,
river wearing dark clothes? Our Old
brothers who formerly lived there
(meaning II. MS Sixth regiment)
wore red coats, adding we know that
the soldiers of our great mother wear
red coats and are our friends"
And in this way, to impress the In
dams of the plains, was adopted the
uniform that has given distinctive
identity TO this famous corps.
From the Red river the new force
made its first long patrol. Through
what was then known as tie Great
American desert it struggled for 800
miles, establishing posts, and finally
Wintering at Fort Mcleod, in the foot
hills of the Rockies. From there its
activities spread. until now on Hud-
son bay, Coronation gulf, the frozen
Arctic and the deSOlate Yukon are
posts from which patrols keep watch.
by horse, INC and dog train they
carry the authority of the law to the
Eskimo of the arctic, the WhalerS of
HerSchell island and the gold seeker
of the Rockies. In the last fifty years
they have brought the wild Indian into
treaty" have made the cattle rustler
or whisky runner only a name, and in
the Klondike rush that Seething min
ing camp of Dawson was as safe as
an eastern hamlet. During the regime
OF the riders of the plains Canada's
western domain passed from q country
of tribal conflict through the railway
stage, when our first great transcon-
tinental was thrown across the prairie
without provoking strife with the orig
inal owners of the country, to the pc
Rod Of peaceful settlement and the up
building Of modern cities, and in these
varied stages the famous force adapt
ed itself TO the conditions without loss
in effectiveness or of the sincere re-
gard of the complex population.
Won the Indian.
In dealing with the Indian tribes the
Royal Northwest Mounted police did
invaluable service. They won not only
the confidence of Indians in Canada.
but also of the fierce Sioux who sought
refuge in Canada after the Custer
massacre. They made treaties and
kept them.
When Pie-a-Pot, Il warlike Cree
chief, came south with his band and
held up the construction Of the Cana
dian Pacific, a sergeant and constable
Of the police arrived, entered the hos
tile camp. arrested the old chief sur
rounded by his braves, and landed him
I'm Jail. He was q good Indian after
wards, keeping his treaty during the
halfbreed outbreak in 1885.
The most famous international case
was that Of Sitting Bull, the noted
Sioux chief. who in 1915 had wiped out
the command Of the brilliant, impetu-
Gus Custer. Chiefs White Eagle, Little
Knife. Black Moon. and finally the no
torious Sitting Bun. crossed the line.
Including their families nearly 1000
fierce Sioux were in Canadian terri
tory, and to see that they did not use
Canada rs a base against the United
States or inflame our own Indians
there were in that area only 200 police.
Inspector Walsh rode alone into Sit
ting Bulls camp and read the riot act
to him. Surrounded by his braves the
fierce Sioux threatened the inspector,
who placed his revolver at the Chiefs
head and told him plainly that If there
was trouble there might be a new in
spectOr in the police but there GER