Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-17

dian war between the Chey-
ennes and the white soldiers
that developed some of the
most desperate fighting in the
history of plains warfare. The
troops most conspicuous for
valor in this series of conflicts
were Sandy Forsyth's origi-
nal Rough Riders, who immor-
talized themselves in their ter
rifle fight on Beecher's island,
on the Arickaree Fork of the
Republican river in eastern Col
orado in the fall Of 1868.
The victory won by the Sioux
and Cheyennes in their two
year war on Fort Phil Kearney
in Wyoming, which resulted in
the abandonment of the fort,
greatly encouraged the reds,
who were furiously opposing
the advance Of the railroad to
Denver. In 1866 a council was
held at Fort Ellsworth at which
Roman Nose, head chief of the
Cheyennes, defied the whites
with the utmost insolence.
"Thfs is the first time" said
the warrior, who was a giant in
stature, "that l have ever
shaken the white mans hand
In friendship. If the railroad
is continued I shall be his en-
envy forever"
Roman Nose was a warrior
Of reputation. General Fry, in
his book, Army Sacrifice, de-
scribes him as follows:
"a veritable man Of war;
the shock of battle and scenes
of cruelty and carnage were as
Of the breath Of his nostrils.
About 80 years of age, stand
ing six feet and three inches,
he lowered giant-like above his
companions. A grand head
with strongly marked features;
lighted with a pair of black
eyes; a large mouth with thin
lips, through which cleaned
rows of strong teeth !; a Roman
nose with nostrils dilated like
those Of a thoroughbred horse,
first attracted attention, while
a broad chest, with symmetric-
al limbs on which the muscles
under the bronze of his skin
stood out like twisted wire,
were some of the points of this
splendid animal. Clad in buck
skin leggings and moccasins
deliberately embroidered with
beads and feathers, with a sin
gle eagle feather in his scalp
lock, and with that rarest Of
robes, a white buffalo, beauti-
fully tanned and soft as cash
mere, thrown over his naked
shoulders, he stood forth, the
war chief of the Cheyennes."
Cheyennes on War Path
The Cheyennes swept through
western Kansas like a devas-
tating storm. In one month
they cut off, killed or captured
"a settlers, including their
wives and children. They swept
the country bare. Again and
again the different gangs of
builders were wiped out, but
the railroad went on. General
Sheridan finally took the field
in person, as usual with an in
adequate force at his disposal.
One of his aides-de-camp was
a young cavalry officer named
George Alexander Forsyth,
commonly known to his friends
as Sandy" Forsyth. He had
entered the volunteer army in
1861 as a private of dragons
in a Chicago company. A mere
boy, he had come out a briga-
dier general. In the permanent
establishment he was a major
in the Ninth cavalry. Sheridan
knew him. He was one of the
two officers who made that
magnificent ride with the
great commander that saved
the day at Winchester, AMI it
was due to his suggestion that
Sheridan rode down the read
iusted lines before they made
the return advance which de-
cided the fate Of the battle.
During sll that mad gallop and
hard fighting young Forsyth
rode with the general.
Forsyth was a fighter
through and through land he
wanted to get into the. field in
command of some of the troops
operating directly on the In
dams in the campaign under