The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-05-17

BUTTE PIONEER
CAME WEST IN II
JESS b. PRUDEN, RESIDENT OF BUTTE.
HELPED TO BURY CUSTER'S DEAD;
IN INDIAN ATTACK

| Ed ~ nOIk1 DA&AD
IN INDIAN ATTACK
Jesse b. Pruden of Butte has been .
resident of Montana since 1877, and has
had a variety of interesting early day
experiences, which are reminiscent OF
the major episodes Of Montana's his
tory. Pruden came west In the lato
summer of 1877 with the Maxwell
party, so named after his stepfather.
A. j. Maxwen. In addition to Jess
Pruden and Maxwell, the party in
Guided Pruden's mother, his sister and
George d. Boutan and Matt Elgin: The
Maxwell party set out from Vermillion
county, Illinois, and first went to LID
erty county, Kansas, hen it was de-
cided to 60 to the far west.
When the Maxwell party, accompanied
by two other wagons OF Travellers, reacn-
ed Colorado, they were informed OF h1gn
water, which made travel to their original
destination, Puget sound, a grave RISK.
The course was altered and Montana BE-
came the goal.
At Fort Steele, Wyo., a number Of
others gathered on their way to Mon
tana, but owing to the Nez PIERCE Indian
troubles, did not venture on their way.
The Maxwell party also tarried there, pre-
ferring to wait until a detachment OF
soldiers should leave to garrison Fort
Custer. While at Fort Steele, Maxwell
purchased 20 cattle as a start for bis
proposed Montana cattle ranch on the
Little Missouri.
Enroute to Fort Custer the troopers
stopped at the battle-ground on the Lit
the Big Horn to inter some of the ex-
posed bones OF the soldier dead of Gen.
eral Clusters command. Pruden assist
ed with the task and remembers IN par
ticular the skeletons Of a soldier and
his mount o a fourth OF a mile from
the battle-ground.
From Fort Custer the Maxwell party
went to Miles City after resting several
weeks to give Maxwell time to recover
from a gun wound that crippled one OF
his feet. It Miles City they were Joined
Of the Little Missouri, where the pro-
posed cattle ranch was to be. The cattle
having stood their trip well, gave promise
Of a good beginning.
Pruden, then Just is years old, was
interested in everything that went on
to provision the party in addition to
herding the cattle. On the way Max
well, who had. q long telescope which
Pruden remembers well as q
"spy glass;" rode ahead. A camp OF Sioux
Indians vas seen through the telescope
and the party, as a precaution, made
camp on the bend Of a creek believed 70
have been named Pennel creek, about
eight miles from the mouth Of OFallon
creek.
There it was decided to make a stand
If necessary, ince there was q low.
fiat table at the ben which afforded
a sheltered place. On one side was PEN
mel creek and 800 yards away was b
rising hill or bank. The fiat was covered
with sagebrush and q stand OF cotton
wood trees. An enclosure was made with
logs and brush so as to form q breastWork
and the horses were taken within. Tho
cattle were turned loose on the fiat.
As was expected, h Indians located
I the camp n the first night they prowl-
ed, occasionally coming close to the en-
cause the Indians did not know tho
strength Of the defenders, who were arm
ed with repeating rifles, no combined
attack Was made.
The second night Matt Elgin, then In
lis teens and later to become a promin-
horse to ride to Fort Keogh for assistance.
Though he was followed most Of the way.
he made good his escape.
While Elgin was away the cattle were
all killed, either by he Indians or be-
cause they were caught between h fir
but on the fourth day brought troopers
under Colonel Baker to within eight
miles Of the encampment, when they
heard the Indians had dispersed.
Christmas day. 1877. the Maxwell party
left their shelter after having been be-
oCAScu AOr 4OuT udyS. oW1IS 10 Iue kO61
OF the 20 cattle, h cattle ranch was
never established. The Indians paid with
their lives for the attack. as was later
learned, while none Of the whites were
killed.
Pruden's next experience was when he
hired OF as a packer at Fort Keogh un-
der Colonel Bake i'll the latter part of
February, 1873. He was with the troop
ers that spring in the Cheyenne CAM
paign, n was with the command Of
Gen. Nelson A.. Miles when, in the spring
CT 1879, he was on duty against the Sioux,
who had escaped into Canada and were
frequently coming across the boundary.
In 1878 Maxwell procured a sub-con-
tract to carry the mails between the sta
tons Of Little Missouri and Redwater.
He hired Pruden as post rider in the
fall of 1879 n spring Of 1880. Pruden
took the mail to one station on one day
and returned the next. A fast saddle
and a revolver were the two friendly as
sets in getting the mail through.
From 1880 to 1888 Pruden hunted
buffaloes for their meat and hides. Hides
had a market value Of several dollars
each and a good hunter with fair luck
could make good wages. The winter OF
1880 and 1881 found Pruden and party
In the Sand creek country Of eastern
Montana. The succeeding year he was
on Beaver creek near Ekalaka and he
next hunted buffaloes on Grand river
near the Montana and North Dakota
boundary.
In 8 8 Jess Pruden went to Helena
and took up work in the building line.
Since then he has lived in Missoula,
'Rutte and other Montana cities.