Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-10-30

WOMAN CAPTIVE WHO ESCAPED
CROWS CARRIED WARNING
OF ATTACK
Travelled for Five Days and Nights
without Clothing, Weapons or Food
to Take News Of Danger 70 Mai
Alexander CuIbertsOn.

Fort Mckenzie, American Fur
Company trading post built In
1852 on the Marias river, six miles
from the Missouri, was saved from
destruction by the Grow indians
in the summer of 1898. hv a warn-
ing carried to Mai Alexander Cut
bertSon, then in command Of the
post, by q Blood Indian sauaw.
VINO, escaping from q band OF
CrOWS who had taken her captive.
Travelled for five days and nights,
practically naked and without food
or weapons, to reach the post.
When the Crows did come, gilbert
them.
The Blood squaw, with her brother
several days before arrived at Fort
Mckenzie and told Culbertson that
they were on their way into the Crow
country to steal horses Culbertson
undertook to dissuade them from their
mission and was finally successful
The four Indians set out to return TO
their own country but had gone only
few miles on their way when they
encountered more than a score of
crows VINO tired upon them, killing
Two OF the warriors and wounding the
third, the Indian Woman's brother.
Though wounded, the remaining
Blood warrior welded his gun as a
club, knocked Crow from his horse.
leaped upon it, seized a lance from
another of his enemies and made his
escape: He reached the fort in safety.
HIS sister was taken away by the
Crows.
Several days later Major Culbertson.
while sitting IN front Of the fort one
evening saw a furtive figure in the
bushes across the river. He crossed in
a boat and found it was the Blood
squaW who had been taken captive by
the Crows. She wore no clothing ex-
cept for few punches of sage brush
ued about her person. Her feet were
lacerated and bleeding from her DAYS
OF travel over prickly pear infested
prairie and rock strewn trails. She was
weak from exposure and starvation. /
she told CulbertSon that after the |
Crows had killed two of her COMPANIONS
and wounded her brother who escaned
hey had Travelled with her toward /
their own country, keeping her under
guard. As precaution against I
her escape, her clothing was taken /
rom her each night and she was made
10 sleep with Crow SquaW who seemed
never to close her eyes, being con-
antly on the alert. One stormy night,
loWeYer, she had managed to get away
ma did not hesitate to go, even though
ne was naked and had no food. It
lad TAKEN her five days to reach the
ort
She told Culbertson that the Crows
we're planning to attack the fort. He
u once made ready for such a con-
urgency, He overhauled all of the
'oStS armament, including rifles and
Wo three-pound cannon, and laid in
II OF the food that he could obtain.
mere was q shortage of game in the
ountry at the time, however, so that
1e store Of extra provisions was small.
ne hunters dared not venture far
rom the fort because of the presence
the Crows in the vicinity.
The Crows appeared at the fort early
/ June. and although thew did not
tack it, laid seige to it. After four
avs the forts. food supply dwindled
nth the few dogs owned there were
llled and eaten. After that there was
othlng left but pieces of raw buffalo
ide. which were boiled hard until of
gluey consistency. Water was OBJ
alned by digging well within the
,ockaue. CulbertSon, anxious to avoid /.
osIllIles with the Crows If possible,
ao not yet fired upon them. But now
e was faced with a mutiny upon the .
art OF his hungry men.
So he informed Rotten Belly, the
hief Of the Crows, that if they did
OF leave by noon of that day he would
pen the gates Of the fort and hurl
lunderbolts among them. That didn't
are Rotten Belly. At noon the Crows
ere still there. So one of the cannon
as loaded and fired, the ball striking
ght in the center Of the Grow camp.
Inat oid the business. There was
reat confusion in the Crow camp and
/ few minutes tepees were being !
auled down, horses being brought IN /
nd within short time the whole Crow /
and disappeared. Members of the
row tribe afterwards told Culbertson
lat the band had not intended to In
ire the men in the fort, but wanted
destroy it because the white men
lere had been supplying their enc
lies. the Blackfeet, with ammunition,
hich enabled them to send into the
eld war parties with which the Crows
'uld not cope.