The Bozeman courier., 1926-09-17

ITOm Omdud anu
Fort Leavenworth in the late fifties,
it was the trooper who preceded
over the trailless plains, building
crude forts and provision stations
that a guardianship of these argo-
nauts might be maintained. When
the great task of building transcon-
tinental rail and telegraph lines was
undertaken, it was the American sol
dier who held back the threatening
hordes of hostiles. All this that civil
ization might work out its progress.
Although it is now an established
and recognized fact that many cost
" and tragic errors were made In the
conduct of frontier warfare, insofar
as military leadership was concerned,
il remains that the soldier, who was
in no sense responsible for the COM
mands emanating from eastern
Headquarters, Gin so many instances
totally ignorant OF frontier conditions
and Indian character), unflinchingly
executed these services regardless OF
the cost in hazard and hardship. He
was the settlers advance guard, to
whom was allotted the not-altogeth-
er-pleasant task of forcing the native
from his own soil in order that the
white race might expand and white
civilization supplant primitive me-
thods.
The Frontier Fort
AS far as eye can penetrate, and
losing itself in the blue haze of the
distant horizon, stretch the rolling
sagebrush plains. In one direction,
these, scorched and yellow, rise and
fall in endless monotOny, wholly void
of life save for the band of ever-alert
antelope reused from their peaceful
grazing and now fast disappearing
ever yonder rise. To the right, lift
ing abruptly from the narrow, rock
strewn trail, is a range Of rugged
foothills, sprinkled with gnarled and
stunted pines. To the left, bordere6
by a sparse growth of cottonwood
it's ragged, ravine-seamed banks
carving a snake-like course, the typ
ical Montana rivulet wends it's treach
erous way, soon to lose itself in the
mother of waters-the Missouri.
Within this little grove of cotton
woods, and close upon the stream
bank, enclosed in a crdde stockadt
of unhewn logs, nestle a cluster o
adobe buildings; and, from a tall
white staff, flutters in the stiff
plains breeze, The Flag-its bars anC
field of stars a harbinger of the ap
preaching white invasion.
Beyond, and from the crest of {
distant knoll, rise at repeated inter
walls, the small columns from the red
mans signal fire-the message of =;
native scout always alert to the ev
cry move of a force which his peopl
view with greatest apprehension
Here is the typical frontier militar,
post, recently builded by a smal
detachment of troopers.
Brigadier General George A. For
syth, in his contribution to eth
Builders of the Nation" describe
the early-day frontier military pos
in the following manner:
"The officers line or quarters is on
one side Of the parade ground, as the
enclosed space is named. 1t consists OF
row Of small cottages containing from
three to four rooms. On the opposite
side are the enlisted mems barracks, sew
eral long, low, One-stOried, solid looking
log or adobe buildings with porches in
front, and behind them are the mess
houses, similar in design but smaller. Ir
the center Of the parade ground, a some.
what imposing structure is known as the
post commanders house. On the third
side is the neat little administration
building containing the various admin
istrative offices, flanked by warehouses
in which are stored quartermaster anC
substinence stores. On the fourth is tn,
eOmbre-lOOking guardhOuse, small bu
strong. On the open space between th
guardhOuse and the end of the officers
row, and old field piece or two, rOttini
with rust and dust, point at the horizon
"a little distance off on the plateau
standing by itself, is the hospital; and
likewise apart, in an unobtFusive manner
is the traders or suffers store, which
until the establishment Of the canteer