Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-07-11
BY WILCHEY

Almost unnOticed, there passed at
the Sawtelle soldiers home near
Los Angeles, about 20 years ago,
hero Of the old west, a man as
modest as he was brave, who in
the winning Of the west from the
Indian tribes laid his life on his
country's altar as nObly As did
those who held the pass at Their
mopylae.
While the Greek soldiers were i'm
mortalized the Americans achievement
Is almost unknown even among the
people of Montana, where he calmly
went forth to die. If need be, that
others might live. This Montana hero,
a raw Irish lad who had not yet at
tanned his majority, saved his COM
rades, detachment of soldiers, from
humiliation by war party of Sioux
Indians. In so doing he underwent
experiences that called for almost
superhuman exertions. He was without
sleep for 60 hours, travelling hard all
night and fighting Indian war parties
by day. One man against hundred
he was able to stand off his attackers,
with heavy loss TO them, until he found
a chance to make his escape through
the smoke OF the fire they had built
to roast him
Unerring Marksman
Again he held his own against
band of so Indians, or more, so bent
on his destruction that they rushed
his ambuscade again and again, losing
heavily IN each rush, until finally they
were beaten off by the indomitable
grit and unerring craftsmanship of
the lone soldier
Worn out and bleeding freely from
weakening wound, he kept doggedly
on until, his goal almost attained, he
fell senSeleSs in his tracks within sight
OF the fort, where succor for his COM
rades lay. Nelson Story Sr. found him
and carried him into the fort, dis
covered the dispatches, and transmit
ted them to the commanding officer. A
detachment was rushed to the aid of
the besieged soldiers and the lives of
40 men and officers we're saved by
the courage and unfaltering determine
ton OF the young soldier.
This hero of the old west bore the
name OF Dennis Driscoll He was born
in Liverpool of Irish parents and came
to the United States, lad of 10, in
1866, and Immediately enlisted in COM
pany K. 9th United States infantry
He was sent to the west. his company
being assigned to Fort Phil kearney
The Irish lad had scarcely become
accustomed to the routine of garrison
life when Fetterman's command was
masSacred Just outside the fort. Fetter-
man, according to the statement of
General Darlington, was daredevil
who in his zeal to punish the Indians
for an attack on a wood train was
drawn into an ambush and killed, his
detachment being wiped out in 81
minutes
Driscoll was not included in Fetter
mans detachment but was of the num-
Der sent out by General Darlington
under Capt. Ten Eyck to rescue Fet-
terman Ten Eyck, who was rushed out
from the fort when the firing on
Fetterman commenced, went to the
nearest high hill to locate the F'etter-
man command. the firing having
ceased before he had scarcely left the
fort gates. He sent back word to Cen
eral Darlington, according to the
latter's published statement that 1.-The
valley was full of Indians, challeng-
ing him to come down but he could
see nothing of Fetterman," to which
Darlington made answer, Il send you
40 men and 10000 rounds OF ammuni-
ton. Join Fetterman at all hazards"
Brings Back Bodies
Ten Eyck obeyed the command of
the general to the letter. He pressed
on with his small handful of men into
tho yrjIst pf tho horde Of Indian war
riors and brought back 40 dead bodies
of the Fetterman command. 1t was
thus that the young Irish lad, Driscoll,
received his first baptism of fire in
Indian warfare and learned that fight
ing savages was deadly work in which
the initiative of the individual soldier
was quite as important as the leader
ship of the commanding officer.
It was six months later that Dris-
coll wrote his name high on the roll