The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1936-07-03
By d. J. O'MALLEY MN KID

By d. ]. O'MALLEY MN KID
Early in the summer of 1877 Col.
A. G. Bracket of the Second u. s.
Cavalry at Fort Sanders, Wyo, re-
ceived orders from the wal depart
ment at Washington to transfer
his regiment from Wyoming to
Montana. Orders were sent by him
to the various forts and camps in
Wyoming that were garriSoned by
the Second for the troops to mob
ilize at Medicine Bow from which
point the march would begin early
in September.
The first troops to arrive at Medicine
Bow were troops A, B, u and E, along
with the regimental band from Fort
Sanders. In a few days other troops
came in from Fort Fred Steele, Camp
Stanebaugh, Fort Laramie and other
stations and by Aug. 26 the entire
regiment with the exception of two
troops that were already serving !
Montana at Fort Ellis, were at Medi-
march into the Indian country. There
were a great many children in the camp,
many OF the officers and enlisted men
being married and their families were
travelling with them to the new coun-
try. To the children the camp was a
scene Of never-ending interest.
Immediately after breakfast Sept. 2
a trumpeter sounded the call to break
camp, and everyone sprang into action:
and tied; camp property was put into
shape and loaded.
About 9 o'clock the trumpet sound
ed assembly and the different troops
fell into position. Then came the call
Mount" and they were in the saddle
and the march started.
I cannot recall the different places
at which w camped, but the first sign
Of habitation was Fort Fetterman on
ated on a high hill close to the river
and commanded a view of the sur
rounding country. Here the command
met its first trouble. The Platte is a
treacherouS stream full of quicksand
and holes. We were nearly all day
fording it.
Two teams were drowned, as was one
of the soldiers who became entangled /
the chains and harness of the drowning
mules.
Va stayed in camp all the next day
and the drowned soldier was buried
at the fort. The two wagons were re-
covered from the river and put in
shape again. One six-mule team was
obtained from the quartermaster at
at the fort. After leaving Fetterman,
orders were issued that only n move
a day would be made and camp was
usually made around 2,P. M.
AS soon as a place was found suitable
for a camp the picket guard was
placed, two or three soldiers in a place,
on the highest ground within. within a mile nile
afternoon about four days out from
Fetterman, all stock had been
brought in; cavalry horses were tied
to the company picket line; mules were
tied at their wagons. Numerous chill
dren were playing in front Of the tents
trunnpeter at the guard tent sound that
significant call, Boots and Saddles"
Instantly the camp wa a scene of ex-
citement. The soldiers Sprang from
their tents to their horses. The women
and children were hurried to the cen
ter of the camp where the heavy wag-
ons were always parked in a hollow
sembly sounded; a troop surrounded
the square where the women and chill
dren were and the rest formed in line
and advanced toward where the picket
had reported a body of horsemen. We
could see the troop halt and then two
troops advanced in a skirmish line.
The skirmish line had gotten about
of troops when up on a little ridge
where the picket had been stationed
who gave the alarms, rode a bunch of
Is horsemen. One of our guard said,
loud enough so some of heard him,
There they come all right" and then
added quickly. Say, they've got q
guidon. It's soldiers" and 1t was: 1t
try from Fetterman who had been sent
after us with some orders for the
colonel of our command. The orders
had been delayed and had not reached
Fetterman until three days after we
departed.
Before the command reached Wind
river, signs of Indians were noticed and
but no live Indians put in their ap-
pearance. once three dead bodies were
found on scaffolds built in the branches
of cottonwoodS. On investigation 1t was
found they were Sioux and had not been
dead long. Double pickets were put out
and double guards placed at night.
About eight miles from WING river
IDENTIFY had been made by a large band
Of Indians, who appeared to be trav-
cling in the same direction we were.
The command was ordered into camp
as soon as we reached water and a
troop of cavalry Il think it was e
troop was sent to follow the trail and
report any signs OF dlan Ihey 1oit
lO"cu UllC U1o14 " " AAAAASo "AASA
swung to the northwest. They found
no Indians except a dead n in a tree.
The scout with the troop said he
thought the trail "a at least three
days old. We found out after we reached
Fort Keogh that a bunch Of about 400
Sioux had made that trail and had
been engaged by troops from Fort Ellis
and captured.
The next camp of any note that I
remember was at old Fort Phil Kearny
on the Piney. This fort had been ha-
raised by Red Cloud and his fighting
Sioux about 1867 until it was aban-
doned by the government and the TROOPS
were barely out of sight of the fort
when the Indians had every building
burning. It wa at or near Kearny that
Colonel Fetterman and his command
were killed by the Sioux in 1867.
We camped just below the old fort.
The charred remnants of a good many
of the old buildings could be plainly
seen. The fort was built of logs, and