The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-01-04
VAUGHN BRAVED
WRATH OF SIOUX
MONTANA PIONEER MEMBER OF
M'KNIGHT EXPEDITION
TO ALDER GULCH
of $50 Men and 100 Wagons
Kept Under Army Discipline Dur
ing Progress Through Territory of
sitting Bull; Many Massacred on
Same Route Following Year.

Cd1
In the rush in the early sixties t,
reach Alder gulch from the heater
immigrant track that led through
southern Wyoming there were man,
Dolder spirits who we're eager to ruI
the risk of Indian ambush in new
paths through the wilderness in the
nope thereby of shortening theil
Journey by a few weeks or even &
few days. At the same time thai
john Bozeman, after whom the city
OF Bozeman is named, was at Fort
Laramie trying to organize a train
70 take a cutoff route east of the
Big Horn mountains, a trader 1T this
post by the name of Mcknight was
organizing a caravan to go north
westward through the Wind River
country west of the Big Horn noun
talns, thereby penetrating the heart
OF the wild region where Red Cloud
and Sitting Bull reigned over 10000
or $4,000 Sioux.
Mcknight was confident that his
route offered great advantages over
all others and he issued a call for
300 determined men to join him with
loo wagons
Vaughn Among First to Respond
Among the first to respond to this
appeal was Robert Vaughn, who died
a few years ago at Great Falls.
Vaughn spoke for himself and four
others. Out of the scores that passed
through Laramie that day bound for
the new gold diggings, 20 Joined the
Mcknight train. This company of
close to 100 men pulled out about a
quarter of a mile in the direction
they were to travel and established
camp.
This camp was a kind of 'refin-
cry" said Mr.. Vaughn, in recounting
his experience. Here one and all
might consider the perils and priva-
lions likely to be encountered. The
~faint-hearted one took the safer
route by way Of the South Pass. How
ever, in a few days we had $50 men
and more than 100 wagons. We were
aware that we were going to travel
through several hundred miles of un-
trodden wilderness infested by Sioux,
SO it was necessary for us to be well
armed and organized. Before start
ing we took a vote and selected a
captain and two lieutenants, and a
committee of three to examine every
one and see if he was prepared with
guns and sufficient ammunition, and
his outfit was substantial enough
to make the trip.
"a paper was drawn In which was
Inserted a provision that we were to
fopI NV nnI IAfan1 onoh 1kLo- -
all hazards; to this we all signed our
names. We realized that it was a
perilous undertaking, but we pressed
onward. We depended a great deal
IN our guide. He was reared in Can
ida and had been in the employ of
he Hudson's Bay company. His
act and courage, on more than one
occasion, resulted in the avoidance
# trouble with hostile Indians.
roll was called every evening.
Zach man had to be on guard for
our consecutive hours during the
light. To form the camp the first
gagOn had to make a circle until it
aced the hindmost one, and each one
ollowed, forming thus a stockade,
be horses being driven past the in
hind wheel of the wagon in
ront; after u~nhitching, the tongue
1as thrown over the wheel and rest
on the axle. At night all the
orses and tents were on the inside
nd the sentinels were on the out
de.
Indians Taken Unawares
When the Sioux came to our
amp they would go from one tent
!, another in a sullen manner with
contemplate look as though they
ere going to massacre every one of
8. Probably the reason they did
OF was that we had taken them un- a
besides we were as good as
equal number of soldiers If it had
,me to fighting. BY the year fol- :
wing they were better prepared for
ley had obtained guns and ammu- {
Ition from the traders. Then they
He'd many immigrants. The sue s
year travel through that :
art of the Sioux country was entire I
discontinued, and Fort Phil Kear-
~ was established. A few months :
ter occurred the Fetterman fight,
hen Fetterman and his command of :
were wiped out by the Sioux. And '
ese savages kept up their murder :
deeds until the Sioux war of
G
1T was against the rules Of our
mp for any one to kindle a fire :
ter dark. The object was to pre- :
MT the Indians from locating US at
ght. We were Obliged to camp
an abundance of water could
obtained. A small spring would =
t meet u requirements, for we N
d nearly 800 horses. 1t was hard
r US to secure game of any kind
T the Indians kept driving it away .
we went, and it was not prudent :
r US to venture far from the course 3
were pursuing to look for any.
"One day at dinner time I climbed :