The Bozeman courier., 1927-06-24
The Lost Command; the Narrowing
Adventures of Col. Cole and His
Men on Their PO1Uder RiUer Trek

through the Pawnee reservation in
Nebraska, it plunged into the wilderness.
when it was absolutely lost sight of.
No word of its fate reached Washing
ton or Col. Conner awaiting 1t on the
Yellowstone. The general belief was that
a massacre had taken place somewhere
along the route, which had wiped out
the whole division. Naturally, this con-
viction made the settlers south Of the
Yellowstone apprehensive Of raid by
the victorious Indians.
At length, the allotted date for. the
union of the forces having passed with
no news from Col. Cole and his detach-
ment Col. Connor sent hundred Paw
/ nee scouts, under the command OF MAI.
North to search for the lost ones. In the
meantime Col. Connor's position was not
enviable. He was in the midst OF the
| enemY'S country with but a small body
of troops. If the Indians had succeeded
| in killing 1000 western men, who were
somewhat familiar with that KIND OF
warfare, they could easily overcome his
700, who had not volunteered for this serv-
ice of the plains and who probably re-
sented being forced to fight Indians.
| Back the Pawnee scouts went along
the route Cole must have followed, and
after several days searching, came upon
his trail. Once found, it could not be
lost, but the scouts continued their adj
vance cautiously lest they share the fate
that had overtaken those sought. Then
as they were riding along, eagerly scan
ming the country on all sides Tor any
sign of Col. Coles men, or the foe that
) might be at hand, they came on the
carcasSeS Of horses lying about In Ght
: sage brush. Farther on were more, anC
+ still more until 900 were counted. No
was this ALL Two hundred wagons haC
been burned and many saddles. At frs
r the sight of these seemed to confirm th'
= massacre theory. But where were th
S bodies Of the slain men? 1t was in
= conceivable that 1000 stalwart frontiers
v men could have been spirited away with
e out lifting a hand in self defense; an
o it was no easier to account for the dea
o horses on the supposition that there ha
It been a massacre. The possession c
l. horses meant wealth to the Indians. Som
e of those in the coulees or on the MI
;e sides might have been slain in battl
n but the remainder would have been car
tured and driven away to increase tn
&c herds Of the captors. Again. IndlaT
- priced all bits of iron they could nm
oI The tires, ETC., Of the wagons RENAME
= untouched where they had fallen fro
: the burned wood. 1t was evident tt
!, finding of the dead horses, the burne
- wagons and saddles did not solve I'll
in mystery Of the lost command.
Of Major North determined to continI
of the search until he could give a defini
report to Conner of what had caused tt
II disappearance OF Coles division. On
nj more ne and his 100 scouts pushed o
n and were finally rewarded by the di
Of covery of Col. Cole and his men,
Sc wearing their scalps, and showing no i
,er dications Of having been in battle.
ed Some time in September Col. Col
it command reached the Powder rtN
he country. 1t was cold for that season
ey the year, and a severe storm of sleet 81
ting in proved fatal to the horses. T
nd men survived to discover that they W.
RS, not only horseless, but afoot in a regi
1t unfamiliar to any Of them. I do I
for know whether Col. Cole had ever be
ng an Indian fighter, or was skilled in WI