Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-09-19

70 the long and dangerous journey OF
the immigrants, who in prairie
schooners drawn by oxen and mules,
made their tedious way through a
country beset by hostile Indians, camp
ing every night and sleeping upon
their arms
In 1868 an emigrant train, under a
guard of soldiers, made its way from
st. Cloud, MINI. to Fort Benton. and
1t consumed 81 days in making this
journey, which today can be covered
IN luxurious pullman train in a day
and two nights.
This was the second expedition
headed by Capt. James L. Fisk, assist
ant quartermaster, United States army,
1t being then known as the North
Overland expedition, for the protection
OF immigrants, from st. Cloud, Mimi.
via Forts Abercrombie and Benton. to
the Rocky mountains, Idaho and be-
yond.
Story of Expedition
The story of this expedition is told
in Captain Fisk's report to Gen. l..
Thomas, adjutant general, U. S. A,
Washington, d. c., under date of Jan.
%, 1868, which report opens as follows:
In accordance with instructions
from the secretary of war, proceeded
in May last to st. Paul, to organize
an escort for emigrants from Fort
Abercrombie to Fort Benton, and the
mountainous country beyond.
Il selected st. Cloud as the rem
devious for the emigrant train consid-
ering that place. in view of the Sioux
troubles, to be the most safe and con-
venient place for assembling. Appoint
ed June Is as the date of departure
from ST. Cloud, and accordingly on
that day started the train, arriving
at Fort Ripley on the evening of the
18th OF June. Remained at Fort Ripley
until the 25th of June waiting for
emigrants that I had heard were on
the road From Colonel Rogers, COM
manding the post, procured some ad-
ditional transportation, commissary
stores, etc, requisite and also r.
Pass Massacre Sites
Captain Fisk broke camp June Is
and started westward with his train
and the story Of his successful travel
through the Indian country to Mon
tana is told in the form of daily log
from which brief extracts are taken
as follows:
July 8-We passed Otter Trail City
at noon and found the city entirely
deserted on account of the Indian
massacre of last year. A few Chippewa
Indians were prowling around.
July ll-Traveled over a beautiful
rolling prairie to Dayton. Here We saw
further results of the Sioux massacre.
The place was deserted and had been
burned. The bodies of Mr.. Smith and
others, murdered by the Sioux, are
buried here. The scene was most mel
ancholy. A dismantled mill, broken
wagons, farm implements and scat
tered ashes. were all that remained
of the once thriving settlement.
Scouts Ride Ahead
July l4-(After passing Fort Aber-
rombie)-Remained in camp all day.
In the evening assembled the guard
and emigrantS and addressed them as
to the order of march. The wagons
were to be kept closed up, the van and
rear guards in their places, and the
flankers out two or three miles on
either side. The scouts were to ride
10 or IS miles ahead of the train each
day. 1 also cautioned them as to vigil
lance each night. We should form a
corral in the evening on camping; the
tents pitched outside the wagons; the
cattle secured inside the corral, and
the horses picketed outside and near
the tents. I also stated there would
be a password after dark, without
which no one would be allowed to
leave or enter camp. The guards would
have their arms loaded, and would
fire on any person not answering the
challenge All lights and fires were to
be put out at taps and every man
was to sleep with loaded arms beside
him. I advised the emigrants to help
one another on the march, and abide
by the rules for the safety and COM
fort of the whole party. The bugle, the
drum and the flag were our means of
signals and calls, used in communicate
ing with scouts, flankers and train
guards, and for rallying. halting,
marching and corraling.
Visit Hunters Camp
July live halted at noon on a
branch of Maple river. Near here the
first buffalo was killed by our Sioux
interpreter. In the afternoon we saw
several small herds of buffalo and five
bulls were killed by members of the
train. A herd of antelope also passed
us at some distance off.
July 25-Two of our scouts today
saw six Sioux, five men and a squaw.
We learned subsequently that there
were 20 or 30 Sioux lodges to the
south of us yesterday. but the In
dams moved camp last night, learning
of our approach.
July 28-Our scouts discovered a
large camp of Red river hunters, two
or three miles to the south of our
track. determined to visit the camp