Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-10-09

day after his return an Indian buck
and two squaws rode up to his place.
Devine met them at the door and
said: How"
How do you do Mr.. Devine." replied
the buck. Don't you remember me?
am Battana."
It was the Indian boy that Healey
had raised as a white man, returned
to the tepees of his forefathers. In an
swer to Devine's inquiries, Battana
simply said that he had tired Of the
white mans way of living and had re-
turned to his own people.
Marched IA Miles a Day
The army detachment with which
Devtne came into Montana afoot, he
used to say, made from IA to 20 miles
day over the trail, each man carry
ing a Springfield rifle with 20 rounds
of ammunition, besides a knapsack
containing a change of underclothing,
an extra pair of shoes, blankets and
other equipment in addition to cape
oYercoat. The soldiers were command
ed by General Gibbon.
Before coming to Montana, Gibbons
command, of which Devine was a
member. was stationed at Camp Doug
las, Utah. Before Gibbons arrival sew
eral soldiers had died at the camp. A
cemetery had been staked off for them
and suitable headstoneS erected. Cen
eral Gibbon wanted a cool place in
which to keep a supply Of milk. There
was no structure at the camp that an
swered the purpose and General Glib
bon had gravestones taken up and
constructed milk house Of them.
During one winter while Devine was
stationed at Fort Shaw the Indians had
been making trouble for freighters in
the vicinity of Cow Island below Fort
Benton and two companies were or
dered from the fort to run the In
dams out of the region. On the way
back blizzard came up. When the SOL
diers finally reached Fort Shaw, II
men had to submit to amputations
ranging from ears, fingers and toes TO
legs and arms. DR.. MARCEL. regimental
surgeon performed the amputations. 1
One Of the victims was Sergeant Dick /
inson, son of the then mayor Of Dublin, |
Ireland. He lost both legs, his right /
arm, an ear and three fingers on his
left hand.
All Of the men recovered. In the 1
spring while they were waiting to be /
taken to Washington, D. c., to be fit !
ted with artificial limbs. the cripples I
engaged in all kinds of athletic events {
on the Fort Shaw parade ground. One /
legged men running races were cheered /
from the sidelines by the armless and 4
legless.
Mr.. Devine used to say that the cold
est weather he had ever encountered /
in this country was right after his dis
charge from the army, when he and
several others started for Canada with +
a view of finding a site favorable to
starting in the dairy business. When
their wagons had reached a point
where Lethbridge, Alberta, now stands,
they were overtaken by storm. It was
so cold the men In the party didn't
dare leave the wagons to hunt game
for food. They had nothing to eat but /
crackers and even they were frozen
solid. The men had to thaw them
against their bodies before they could
eat them. Six of their horses were
frozen to death. One lone animal es-
capped
When the storm was over, Johnny
Manvflle, later sheriff at Deadwood.
Dakota, rode that horse into Fort
Whoop1p and brought back wagons to
haul the outfit in.
That experience turned them against
The dairy business. None Of them ever
vent into Il.
The sun River hosiery which De-
7sE1a r&1 for many years was the rally
ng point for the patrons Of the old
Fort Benton-Helena trail, and to It