Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-05-02
Yellowstone Kelly Soldier With Union Army Civil War at 49,
Killed Two Sioux Warriors Who Arnbuhed Him ON Lonely Road

One OF tne most notable OF the
western plainsmen OF the Indian fight
and one OF the last great scouts and
guides OF that period was Yellow
stone" Kelly. or Maj. Luther S. Kelly,
as his name appears on the records
Of the war department.
Yellowstone" Kelly was the perfect
type Of plainsman. combining the pic
turesque appearance Of the early day
trapper and hunter with the reserved
manner and quality Of cool daring
that marked the best type of frontiers
man: He began his adventurous career
at the age of IA. when, despite his
youth he contrlved to enlist in the
Union army and fought through the
last year of the war, marching with
his regiment in the grand parade in
washington in 1865. After that his
battalion was ordered to Minnesota,
and in 1866 relieved the garrison of
Minnesota volunteers at Fort Wads-
worth, Dakota. He then was honorably
discharged from the service, and after
visiting the Hudson's Bay post, Fort
Garry, on the Red River OF the North
he rode alone through the wilderness
TO the Missouri river, encountering
numerous adventures. One OF these was
a meeting with Sitting Bull, who then
was becoming OF prominence among
the Sioux as medicine man.
Victim Of JOkers
Arriving at Fort Buford on the Mis-
souri,. situated on the present North
Dakota-Montana boundary line, his
appearance caused something OF
sensation, for although he was now II,
Kelly appeared much younger. In fact
he could not make the post trader
believe that he was older than IA or
Is years. The trappers at the post spent
q good deal of their time playing prac-
teal jokes on him, all of which he
took in good part. He was quiet and
mistaken for timid boy who was very
much out of place in wild country
where danger lurked ON every side.
The Sioux nation, flushed with its
success in Riding the country sur
rounding Fort Phil Kearney Wyo,
from whites and forcing the abandon
arrogant and extremely hostile to
whites. The country about Fort Buford
was infested with these Indians, who
made war on every occasion on the
American trapperS and traders along
the river, as well as upon their heredi-
Arickarees. So dangerous was the pas
sage Of the trail between Fort Buford
and the next army post down the river
Fort Stevenson, that mail between the
forts had to be accompanied always
by an escort Of cavalry.
Kelly Carries Mall
One day, not long after Kely's ar
rival at the fort, the mail carriers
from down the river had become con-
siderably overdue and the post COM
mander gave them up as lost. There
was important mail to be carried to
Fort Stevenson, but every soldier at
the post was needed for other duties
and there was none to spare for guard
ing the mail. 1t was then that Kelly.
looking pauetically youthful, went to
the officer in charge and volunteered
to carry the mail TO Stevenson alone.
A group standing nearby heard the
offer and a shout of laughter went
up. Kelly was refused permission. He
announced calmly that he was going
to make the journey in any event, and
was SO persistent that the post COM
mander finally decided to let him start
to see what he could do. They there
fore furnished him with a pony, and
with the mail In sack he set out
at dusk OF a winter evening from the
walls of the post.
Crossing the Missouri river on the
ice he reached winter camp Of the
friendly Mandan Indians at midnight.
tarrying there for few minutes only.
Then he set out down the river again.
Two days later he dismounted from
his pony at the gate Of Durfee g.
Peck's trading post. 200 miles from
TUIG pulolu Ills dpptdIdllCt IlleIC
caused real sensation, for not white
man in the post would have ventured
forth on the river trail alone that
winter. for so hostile were the Sioux
that the fort. itself, was constantly
being menaced by an attack of the
Indians in force. The following eve
ming. however. Kelly set forth once
more and at daybreak reached Fort
Stevenson, where he presented the
mail and dispatches to Col. Philip
Regis de Trobriand, of Civil war fame.
Within two hours he started on his
return trip to Fort Buford.
Kills Two Indians
Fifty miles above Fort Berthold he
camped with a famous Arickaree chief,
Bloody Knife, who received him hos
pitably, but the next morning what
the garrison at Fort Stevenson had
foreseen happened. Kelly, turning
point in the trail suddenly, came face
to-face with two mounted Sioux war
riors. One fired point-blank at him
with his rifle and wounded Kelly's
horse The other let fly with arrows
and wounded the boy in the knee
Kelly, however. was equal to the oc-
casion. Throwing himself from his
horse he shot almost as his feet
touched the ground, killing one warrior
at the first fire. The other jumped