Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-02-15

buildings OF bne prairie post
when Pickering lights far up
stream announced the coming of a
steamboat. Instantly the fort was
aroused. Guards were posted along the
bank, the officer of the day took his
stand at the landing. and the doughty
commandment himself issued forth from
his log quarters to await Developments.
Was 1t the Only Chance? And was
she loaded with returning miners, as
they had heard she would be? It took
only the confused murmur OF many
voices, raised both in song and in
curses. to answer the latter question.
When, through the dusk, he was able
to read the name on her bow and to
hear the captains picturesque and ex-
pressive oaths as he ordered the. an
Choir down, the officer on the bank
hailed her.
push off, sir, and anchor farther
down." he ordered.
This the captain, in even more orig
inal language, refused to do. The off
GERS on shore had met him before, on
his way up, him and his supply Of
whisky, and they knew that only vto-
lence would work
you'll slip her mornings, sir, or
your hawser will be cut and your boat
set adriftl"
Reluctantly and to the accompani-
ment of insults from the miners aboard,
the Only Chance proceeded short
distance downstream and the army OF
ficers returned to their victuals. But
the guards remained through the night
and until the boat had pulled away
next morning.
Frontier hospitality? Rather grim
necessity Had the boat been coming
upstream, enroute to Montana and
bearing mail, supplies and passengers,
she would have been received with
open arms. But bound from the gold
fields, loaded with what the command
ant at this fort referred to as "bois-
ferrous, undisciplined characters" her
officers willing to sell whisky TO the
soldiers or to connive at their deser-
ton, her coming was another story.
There had been trouble between SOL
dters and miners on several other oc-
casions one fracas resulting In court
martial, and once the troops had been
called out to quel a mutiny on the
boat. Most of the captains co-operated !
with the military authorities for mu- |
tual protection but when they did not, |
stern measures had to be taken.
1t was all any commander could do
to keep soldiers at frontier fort dur
ing the winter, especially when, as in .
this case, winter quarters we're not COM
p1SIcQ d1lQ Oack-pIGdkAllB WOtk III 1c1O
weather, followed by months OF snow
bound inaction, lay ahead. Even those
whose enliStments expired ran the risk
Of freezing on the empty pratrteS or OF
heavy ice In the river in spring in Or
der to get back as soon as possible to
civilization. Usually paid for six or sew
en- months in the fall, with no place
10 spend the money. numerous soldiers
tried to get aboard the last boats down,
d fk4n taNn rxFF M nv &rsl
accepting additional passengers, rem
dered every assistance. Once the boats
had disappeared downstream, usually
In September, but sometimes late into
October, there was no more commune
cation with the outside world until
April or May Sometimes mail would be
brought by courier or dog team from
other posts, several hundred miles dis
amt, but it could not be depended
upon.
The post where the Only Chance had
been so rudely received was Fort Stew !
snson, one Of new line Of forts built I
n I866-67 between the interior of Da-
kota and the Montana line at Buford; :
It was not far from the Lewis and
Clark winter quarters of 1804-05. In
command that fall of 1867 was General 1
Regis de Trobriand, one Of the most
If least known, officers to l
'S% 9N Al sAAC WCoS bAAC AAAlAcAA Wal L.
period. His diary. written in French
md never completely translated for Y
he general public, contains many 9
totes on river traffic not obtainable
elsewhere. II
Beforehand. scion Of noble French r
amily, had resigned his commission b
after the revolution of 1880, refusing T.
o serve under Louis Philippe in Amer o
ca, he became a citizen, married an b
American girl, and served with distinc- Il
ion throughout the Civil war. 1t is C.
aid that no other Frenchman save le
ever held so high a rank in
he United States army. Retiring to t.
Paris TO complete his history Of the Il
Potomac campaigns, still a standard 81
york, Beforehand was surprised to CT
earn that he had been retained as o.
olonel of the 31st Infantry, with head "
quarters In Dakota. He arrived at Stew p
nson on the Deer Lodge" in the late p
ummer of 1867, remained there until Of
1859, when he was transferred to Mon
ana. He conducted notable campaign al
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