Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-05-14

curing the spanish
American war.
son who assembled the Yellowstone as
far as Tongue river and held a con-
ference with Grow Indians in 1925,
At all of the councils of Indian tribes
called at various times and places, army
forces were present to keep the peace
between warning tribes and to impress
the minds of the a~borigines with the
power of their White Father. Nego-
tiatOrs of treaties with the Indians
were usually accompanied by army es-
cOrtS.
When plans for the building Of
transcontinental railways we're being
considered, the army provided protec-
ton for the various surveying parties
as well as for scientific expeditions sent
out to study the resources OF the coun-
try. Between 1853 and 1860, for an
example, q military and scientific party,
headed by Col. w. F. Reynolds, spent
two years on a geological survey of the
Yellowstone survey.
Northern Pacific surveys over the
Yellowstone route were accompanied
by military escorts in the years 1871,
1872, and 1873. The last OF these was
the Stanley and Custer expedition of
1873 when 1900 soldiers guarded the
surveyors who completed the Northern
pegs Pillar from the east, the western
part Of the route having previously been
surveyed,
When it came to the actual construc-
ton of the railway, troops were used
in guarding the builders and protect
ing the property during the construc-
ton. This was notably true in the
building Of the Union Pacific through
southern Wyoming during the late six
ties through a territory infested with
hostile C%heyennes and other tribes.
When the Northern Pacific was built
through southern Montana, there was
less need for military protection. Some
troops were used, however. Temporary
camps along the route included one
near Billings which was commanded
by General Merritt.
In a Memorial day talk last year,
William A. Hough, state commander Of
the National Indian War Veterans,
called attention to the Indian war rec
ords of the period after the Civil war.
From the year 1865 to 1892, there
were II Indian wars and Is military
expeditions, in which battles were
fought. During those years, there
were 1923 battles fought with Indians,
exclusive of those fought by volunteers
or frontier bands. Little honor has
been paid to these heroes, the only
soldiers of the nation who never
raised the white flag of surrender, for
that meant death by torture. They
were the only men Of any army who re-
served a cartridge for themselves
rather than fall into the hands of q
savage enemy.
II was in the infantry and any com-
rade who was under General George
A. Crook, learned how to walk. I an
swered the call of my country to 60
out west and fight Indians and help
protect the pioneers Of civilization. ]
served the enlistment period of five
years and was honorably discharged
My pay was $13 a month of which this
prosperous nation kept out l2h cents
a month for the Soldiers. home al
Washington, D. c."
In his talk, Mr.. Hough called atten-
ton to the distinguished roster of vet
Grams OF the Indian wars. In fact
it is interesting to note to what a large
extent Indian warfare has furnished
the training for the great military COM
manders Of all American George
Washington to begin with obtained hi
early military experience and the pres
tige upon which his selection to leac
the Continental army was based, from
the French and Indian wars and many
Of the other Revolutionary leaders
were trained In the same school. In 9
political way, Andrew Jackson ant
William Henry Harrison gained much
Of their personal popularity through
their conduct in Indian wars. Al.
though 1t did not cut so much figure
in their careers, it is an interesting
coincidence that Abraham Lincoln anc
Jefferson Davis, the civilian chiefs o.
the North and South during the day.
Of the great division, had both taker
a minor part IN the Blackhawk war
OF the commanders Of the North
Grant and Sheridan had both servee
in the Indian conflicts in Oregon II
the 1fties and Sherman had seen som,
service on the western frontier. o.
the Confederate generals, Lee had beer
in command of troops protecting thu
Texas border from Indian raids within
less than a year Of the time when HI
withdrew from the Union army. Among
other Confederate generals who hat
seen notable service in the west, Alder
Sidney Johnson, who was killed during
his rout of the Union troops on tn.
first day of the battle of Shiloh, wa.
| in command nf tho av>aIitipn int