Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-01-29

Keogh to lend q hand It was com
manded by Capt. E. L. Higgins.
Higgins inquired Of Locke how many
rations there were on hand. Locke re-
ported one days issue for the men and
none for the stock. The captain or
dered the rations issued. and each man
got four hardtack crackers, one table
spoonful of coffee and one Of sugar.
The following morning the troops
started off ahead, leaving guard Of
II men for the pack train, six from
each troop, In addition 70 the pack
train personnel and a guide. The first
camp of the combined troops was made
where the fleeing Indians had camped
short time before. The troops had
thrown out hunters during the day
and had plenty of buffalo meat on
hand when the night camp was made.
On April ! the soldiers followed the
trail all day with the pack train, max
ing the best speed possible In the rear.
At 3 In the afternoon while Locke and
his companions were watering their
stock at a stream, the guide reported
that q man on horseback was APP
proching at a gallop. 1t proved to be
the surgeon with the outfit bringing
a message from Captain Higgins or
dertng Locke and the u men IN the
pack train guard 70 join the troops
with all possible speed. as the troops
had the Indians surrounded. When
Locke and his IL men started, there
was a kick from the packers, but they
were all armed with rifles so Locke
went on anyhow, leaving the guide
with them, as the surgeon could take
them TO the troops
The guide, however, joined the de-
tachment before 1t had gotten three
miles away and the packers were left
to follow the trail as best they could
Darkness overlook Locke and his de-
tachment before they reached the
troops and they decided to camp. They
tied their horses 10 a fallen tree in
creek bottom and then stood guard
around them to keep the buffaloes
which were roaming the valley, from
stampeding them.
The doctor In the meantime told
them Of the fight the troops had had
with the Indians. Sgt. Joe johnson
had been killed. Locke recorded in his
diary afterwards that johnson had
been g-e ntca O months furlough. and
mad IL in his pocket at that time, along
with $500 with which he had planned
to go east to visit with a sister. But
when the call came 10 follow the In
dams he couldn't resist the temptation
to 60 along with his comrades.
Locke and his detachment started
again at daybreak. They hadn't con-
tacted the main command at time
when Locke thought they should have,
so he had the bugler with them blow
first call and then fire q shot. They
were answered from a dry coulee q
half mile distant where they found
the soldiers, who told them they had
recovered 96 of the 100 ponies stolen
and had taken five Of the Piegans
prisoners. The main body of Piegans
were surrounded in a dry wash, and
the commanding officer had sent to
Fort Keogh for field guns with which
to shell them out. Locke was ordered
to take the body Of the dead sergeant
and the prisoners 70 Fort KeOgh. The
body of the sergeant was wrapped in
q tent and packed in an aparejo. He
mounted the Indian prisoners on mules
using apareios for saddles and with a
soldier holding the bride. After q few
miles the sharp edges Of the aparejos
became so painful the. Indians begged
to be permitted to walk and were al
lowed to do so.
The party Travelled parallel with
OFallon creek until they reached the
Yellowstone river, where they met
Capt. w. p. Clark of the Second cav
airy with the field pieces from Fort
Keogh. Locke and his party continued
on to Fort Keogh where they delivered
the body and the prisoners over to the
post authorities. That night they took
In the sights at Miles City.
The funeral Of Sergeant Johnson
took place Apr2 8 at Fort Keogh. The
entire garrison, all Of the members Of
the detachment from Fort Custer and
most Of the residents Of Miles City
attended and the funeral procession
was q mile long, in IL being Gen. Mel
son A. Miles, commander at Fort Keogh
at that time, and all Of the other Of
Ulcers Of the cantonment.
The field guns from Fort Keogh sub
duced the Piegans who surrendered
without further fighting, the Crows
got almost all OF their stolen horses
back and everybody was happy-ex-
cepting perhaps, John Mcguire.