The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-05-02
BY Martha Edgerto,1 P1assnann
Daughter of Governor Edgerton

mination of the Leavenworth cam
paign, had grown very bold. At times
the inmates of this post were virtual
ly prisoners, being unable to leave it
protection for any purpose whatever
On nearing the fort, Glass saw two
squaws in its neighborhood, whom he
recognized as Aricaras. He attempt
ed to hide, but too late, for the
squaws had caught sight of him, and
notified the warriors. For the sec.
ond time he was in imminent danger
/ of death, when two Mandans rode
out from their village and rescued
| him. Later the news arrived that all
those on the boat he had left were
massacred.
Undeterred by fear of the Indians,
he continued his journey up the
river, leaving the fort that night.
For thirty-eight days, through a
country beset by manifold perils, this
lone man pursued his way to Fort
Henry, where he was received as one
risen from the dead; the stories of
the companions who abandoned him
having been accepted as true.
Glass was disappointed on hearing
that those he sought had gone to
FORT Atkinson. Still intent on his
purpose of revenge, he gladly agreed
to carry message to that fort, leav-
ing Henry's fort, accompanied by
four men, on the 18th of February,
1924.
Going east into the Powder river
valley, they followed it to its source
and from there into the Platte val
ley. In bull boats which they made,
they rowed down the Platte. On
coming out of the foothills, they saw
a band of Aricaras camped on the
river bank. 1t was the same band
whose chief, Grey Eyes, had been
killed by the Leavenworth forces.
The Indians, claiming to be friendly,
induced the white men to go ashore.
Glass was inclined to believe they
were sincere, as he had been on the
best of terms with the late chief,
having hunted with him, and accept
ed his hospitality The new chief
welcomed him with a great show of
and invited the party to his
lodge.
The whites were thrown complete
ly off their guard. But child's
scream causing Glass to look around
he saw the squaws were carrying off
their belongings. He and his COM
panions understood what this meant,
and at once took flight. Two of the
was concealed behind a rock, but the
latter through his knowledge of In
dams, managed to elude their search
and turned northeastward where
Fort Kiowa was located The In
dams had taken all he possessed with
the exception of his knife and flint. |
In an article published by the Mis-
souri, Intelligencer, Glass says of how
his affected him: Although I had |
ost my rifle and all my plumber,
'elt quite rich when found my knife
Ind steel in my shot pouch. These
little fixens make a man feel right |
,eart when he is three or four hun
lred miles away from anybody or
inywhere-a alone among the
(panthers) and the wild var
nints.''
At that season the buffalo calves
we're very young and plentiful, and
hese furnished the lone traveller
With plenty of cooked food, thanks
o the flint he carried and knew from
ong experience how to use. He was
fifteen days in reaching Fort Kiowa,
where he took a boat for Fort At
,inson.
Here he found his enemies, the eld-
n of whom had Joined the army,
nd the younger, who was little more
han a boy, Glass willingly forgave,
elieving that he had not been free
gent The elder, as a soldier, was
ffectua1ly protected, and Glass re-
ounced his 1ong-cherished plan of
engeance. fgss go
On hearing his story, the COM
landing officer more than recon-
ensed him for what property he had
1st, and he was able again to be-
ONE q trapper.
Chittenden states that the for
earance of Glass may have arisen
rom his realization of the position
l which the two men were placed.
hey hal remained with him five
avs, exposed TO attack from wander
lg bands of Indians; they saw no /,
in his condition, and
ere convinced that he would sure
die; why, then, should they run
ny more risk? This was the way
ley looked at it. To be sure they
eed not have robbed Glass of his y
fleets, and they could have i'm