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About The Sanders County Independent-Ledger (Thompson Falls, Mont.) 1918-1959 | View This Issue
The Sanders County Independent-Ledger (Thompson Falls, Mont.), 14 Nov. 1918, located at <http://montananewspapers.org/lccn/sn86075282/1918-11-14/ed-1/seq-3/>, image provided by MONTANA NEWSPAPERS, Montana Historical Society, Helena, Montana.
BANDER/3 00IINtY INDEPENDENT LEDGER EX -SLAVE KUM SITTING BULL'S SON DM KNI1FIE MEL; THE WAR THAT FOLLOWED WED OUT CUSTER MD CREATED MOLES CITY One of the picturesque figures of frontier history in Montana, Joha Andanion, who killed Little Sittiag Bull, son of the famous Sioux chief, in A battle with the Sioux during the Yellowstone ex- pedition of 1874, has left Boze- man atter a residence there of 46 years to enter a ° soldiers' house at Los Angeles. He is 86 years eld,„,but still active and vigorous. it was the killing of Sitting Bull's son, a promising young war chief, that embittered the heart ed the old warrior to such an extent that he vowed etepuil warfare against the whites And swore that he would clean the Yellowstone valley of white set- tlers. The warfare that he main- tained against the whites result- ed in the campaign that came to a climax with the wiping out of General Custer's command. This resulted in the establishment of Fort Keogh and the founding of Miles City. The campaigns of Terry, Miles, Gibbon and Crook against the Sioux followed, and ' with the defeat of Sitting Bull and Chief Joseph of the Nez Per- ces in 1877, Indian warfare in Montana was practically ended. The action of Anderson in kill- ing Little Sitting Bull, therefore, had far-reaching effects in the way of making history in Mon- tana and is worthy of a place in the state's annals. Had Picturesque Career John Anderson is a picturesque fig- ure and has had an interesting car- eer. He was born in slavery in the Cherokee nation, now Oklahoma, in 1832. His father was a full-blooded Cherokee and his mother a negreas. Slavery was not presumed to exist in that section, but in fact it flourished and many Indians and half-breeds were under the yoke. In the latter part of 1861 Ander- son escaped from his owner and join- ed the Union army. He fought through the Civil war and afterward served in a cavalry regiment for some time on campaigns in the southwest against the Indians. He left the army In 1872 and went to Bozeman. In 1374 he became a member of the Yellowstone expedition of that year, which had a thrilling journey of 600 miles through the Yellowstone country in search of gold. Another object of the expedition was to locate a wagon road at the head of navi- gation on the Yellowstone. It was also expected that the party would build a fort in the Yellowstone coun- try against the hostile Indians and make travel through it comparative- ly safe. The expedition consisted of about 160 men, with necessary wagons, horses and mules. During its travels of 600 miles it was gone three months and had four fights with the Sioux, had one man killed and two wounded, killed at least 60 Indians and wound- ed 100. Queer Story of Expedition The story of this expedition is a curious one. In the fall of 1873 one J. L. Vernon arrived in Bozeman, who was acting the discreditable part of guide to two deserters from the Stanley military expedition of that year. This man had been a. previous resident of Bozeman, where he had taught school for some time. He left Bozeman under a cloud, decamping with several hundred dollars that re- presented the children's profits of a school entertainment. He now re- turned with glowing accounts i of gold fields of fabulous richness discovered by him In the Yellowstone country. He said he was anxious to return and develop =these mines if a party of sufficient strength could be assemb- led to maintain itself against the hos- tile Sioux Indians in the country where the gold fields were said to be. Notwithstanding the disreputable character of the man there were peo- ple in Bozeman who were willing to back him in the venture, and several attempts were made to form parties to undertake the journey. It was no new idea that gold fields of great richness were locked up in this great region, awaiting the touch of the pick and shovel to produce wealth. As far back as 1863 a party of 15 men with the resolute James Stuart, brother of Granville Stuart, at their head, had resorted thither to search for gold. And now and then, in later years, a few wandering prospectors had washed the sands of several streams in the Yellowstone country, while keeping one eye look- ing for hostile reds. Indian parties, however, had thwarted every effort, and just enough gold dust was found to strengthen the cherished convic- tion in many an old prospector's heart that a new Eldorado was situ- ated in this great unknown wilder- ness of the Yellowstone valley. Expedition Organized Therefore, quite independent of the representations made by Vernon, a strong desire existed to give the in- dicated region such an examination as would prove or disprove the stor- ies of gold, and in addition the peo- ple of Bozeman, dissatisfied with the circuitous route by which they were connected with the east, were desir- ous of reaching the western terminus of the Northern Pacific railroad by the more direct route presented by the Yellowstone. In the spring of 1879, therefore, the Yellowstone Wagon Road and Prospecting Expedi- tion was organized. Contributions for funds and material were liberally made and Governor Potts of Montana furnished arms and ammunitiell which the government had sent to Montana. February 18, 1874, the expedition started for the Yellowstone. The of- ficers elected were, captain, B. F. Ground; lieutenant, William Wright; adjutant, E. B. Way; signal officer, Hugh O'Donovan; secretary, B. P. Wickersham. There were 8180 10 councilmen, and John Anderson, the ex -slave halfbreed Indian, was one of the principal guides. The 150 men making up the party were accompanied by 22 wagons, 28 yoke of oxen, 'more than 200 horses and mules, a brass mountain howit- zer and a six -pound cannon, a smooth bore iron cannon and provisions for four months. There were 160 rounds of shell and canister for the guns and plenty of experienced artillerymen to serve them. Vernon Deserts the Party Vernon, who principally had been the means of the expedition, had started out ahead of the main party with 10 credulous gold seekers, but they grew afraid when they reached the edge of the Sioux country and wafted for the main force. Vernon had been outfitted on credit to •e value of several hundred dollars. He sold his goods to members of the Party, and pocketing the proceeds, fled to Fort Benton, accompanied by a single companion. At Fort Benton lie stole a skiff and started down the Missouri. He and his companion were last seen in the territory float- licg the river past old Fort Clagett in the stolen boat. The expedition kept to the north of the Yellowstone until they reached a point about two miles above the Great Porcupine, where they halted and prospected. By March 26 they ascended the bluffs bordering the Yellowstone valley with the intention of crossing the divide to the Rosebud river. On the bluffs they met a de- tachment of Sioux on the war path, but the whites outnumbered the reds and the latter fled. There were skirmishes with the Sioux during the next few days, and after passing the mouth of the Big Horn they fortified their camps each night. Reaching the Rosebud, they found the valley one vast Indian trail, with signii of a great Indian force not far off. On the higher ground skirt- ing the river rifle pits were dug. The Sioux attacked in force early in the morning. s There were at least 600 warriors, and their rifle fire was in- tense. The howitzer and light can- non were used with deadly effect, however, and many Indians were killed. It was estimated that the Sioux lost 60 in killed and wounded. Only one white man was badly wounded. The whites ended the fight by dispersing the Sioux by a charge In force. Little Sitting Bull Killed Two days later the expedition mov- ed up the Rosebud for about 40 miles, turning them and skirting the Wolf mountains, which lay to their left. April 11 they arrived at the first branch of the Little Big Horn at a point near the scene of the great Custer battle a couple of years later and here they had their second bat- tle with the Sioux. About 1,000 Sioux attacked the horse herd of the whites. Jack Bean showed the greatest bravery in lead- ing a charge that saved the horses, but during the fight Zagh Yates. a prospector, was shot through the heart and killed instantly. The Sioux then surrounded the whites and another fight began. The prospectors decided to charge a ridge 500 yards away where a strong party of Indians were gathered and could dominate the camp of the white men, while a portion of their force diverg- ed to the right to cut oft the retreat of the Sioux. ' The Indians on the ridge fled, and Little Sitting Bull, who was also known as the Brute chief, tried to check the panic of his warriors. His efforts were in vain, and alone he turned and faced his enemies. A shot grazed his neck and brought him to the ground. John Anderson, the ex -slave, whose great strength had enabled him to keep the lead during the charge, ran forward to scalp the Indian, but the chief arose to his feet. His warriors by this time had stopped and began a heavy rifle fire at the whites. With bullets spitting around him, Anderson hurled him- self on the Sioux chief and sent his knife through the Indian's heart. As the chief fell, Anderson gained the cover of the ridge, unharmed. Later the chief's scalp, war bonnet and war club were secured. ' More Bloody Fighting Sitting Bull, the famous Sioux medicine man, as leading the Sioux, and the killing and scalping of his son stirred him to a fury of ven- geance. He decided to withdraw and strengthen his force, however, and to attack the party of whites later under more favorable circumstances. The day following the battle on the Little Big Horn, the prospectors mov- ed three miles to a camp on Grass Lodge Creek, where they were con- tinually under the observation of the Sioux scouts, sent out by Sitting Bull. The following morning. April 18, the expedition resumed the march in the usual order, the wagons being in two parallel lines with the pack horses between them. Eight men protect- ed the rear, the same number went ahead, and 16 men were placed on each flank. They were ascending the valley along the foot of the bluffs, when suddenly from every side they were charged by hundreds of mount- GRANVILLE STUART HEADED STOCKMEN ON WAR AGAONST RUSTLERS OF THE RANGE The author of the following article, Teddy Blue (E. C. Abbott) of Gilt Edge, Fergus county, is a son-hilaw,of the late Granville Stuart. Granville Stuart is kaolin to Montanans as one of the party that disootered gold In Montana in 1862, and as one of the best known among the pioneers of the state. His death at Missoula recently once more called attention to the place of historical importance that he holds. In the art- icle which follows, Teddy Blue, as he is best known to the old-time stockmen of Montana, calls attention to the tact that Granville Stuart was a big figure in the development of the cattle industry of the state. Teddy Blue came to Montana in 1879 up the Texas trail with a herd of long hors cattle from Texas, and he followed the range till the day of the cowpuncher passed. There is probably no MAD in the state who pos- sesses a more complete and accurate information concerning the days of the open cattle range in the state than he. Granville Stuart, From Photo Taken at the Age of 78 (By Teddy Blue.) I will try and write this article, not as a son-in-law of Granville Stuart, but just as a cowpuncher who worked on the range and knew him well as a cow man. Every history of Montana contains the story of Granville Stuart, but you never see anything written about his life on the range, which lasted 10 years, from about 1880 to 1890. This was one of the most important pe- riods of his Ilfe and has much his- torical interest in the state. In the spring of 1880. Granville Stuart took Tom Irvine, an old-time sheriff of Custer county, who now lives at Deer Lodge, as a guide, and they went out to find • geed cattle range. They went over the Big and Little Horn rivers, over to the Rose- bud, crossed the Yellowstone and the Musselshell rivers and kept going un- til they struck Ford's creek, four miles east of the Judith mountains and three miles below where Fort McGinniss was later built. There they located the 11-S ranch. Associated with Stuart were A. J. Davis of Butte and Samuel T. Hau- ser. Stuart had the pick of the state for a cattle range and he surely got the best. The ranch was beautifully located, with a natural hay meadow above and below it. The feed and water around there were unexcelled. 11,000 Head of Cattle That fall they drove in 6,000 head of cattle. The last herd of the bunch was in charge of Reece Anderson, and it did not me 100 the Judith until December. Anderson and his outfit got caught in a bad snow storm at Judith Gap and lost over 100 head on the bedground just north of Oks. That winter they built houses for the families, bunkhouses and the necessary corrals. The Indians in that country were still hostile, and Stuart started to build a regular fron- tier fort, with bastions on two corn- ers. However, the soldiers came in and built Fort McGinniss, so the fort at the ranch was never finished. It remained in the shape of an \L\ and was used for other purposes than In- dian fighting. The bunkhouses and stable were built about 60 feet apart, with a stockade at each end to make a corral for the horses. All the buildings had portholes for shooting through. The reason was that there was a camp of 1,200 Black - feet just above the ranch, and the Indians tried to steal horses nearly every night, and although buffalo were plentiful, the reds killed a lot of beef. In the spring, Stuart gathered up his men and had a council with the Indians. He told them that they must cross the Missouri river or he would get enough men together to ,wipe them out. Bluffed the Blackfoot It must be remembered that it took a lot of nerve to do this, for the Black feet were an extremely danger- ous foe and his ranch was in a wil- derness where there were very few white men. If a battle had taken place the Indians would have had a lot the best of it. However, his bluff made the Blackfeet quit. In June, 1881, Stuart moved his family and Reece Anderson's down from Helena to the ranch, and he made it his home till 1890. Miss Sal- ly Anderson and her mother still live in the old Stuart house. Miss An- derson owns the ranch. From the beginning of the range days in Montana, Granville Stuart took a very prominent place in the cattle business. The first time I saw him was at Miles City in April, 1884. He was talking to Theodore Roose- velt at a meeting to organize the Montana Livestock association, and it was at this meeting that it was de- cided to clean up the range of rust- lers. Now, the rustlers of that day were a different class of men to the sneak thieves of today. They went in arm- ed bands and took what they wanted by force. They defied arrest, and if it came to a show -down, it was fight or quit. There were so many of the outlaws operating in eastern Montana that it came to a point where the cattle Men had to do something about it. There was too big a percentage of stock stolen from the cattle outfits. It was then that Granville Stuart showed the stuff he was made of. When it was decided to make war on the rustlers, it was he who led the way. Not a few stockmen found It convenient to go out of the terri- tory on a trip. Others sat in their offices and said \go.\ Stuart took his 50-95 express rifle and said \come.\ He led the way and never asked a man to go ahead of him. That gained him the respect of the cowpunchers. Some Unpublished History The story of the war of the stock- men against the rustlers has never been published yet and will not be until Granville Stuart's memoirs are printed. There were plenty of peo- ple who accused the cattle men who participated in the campaign against the rustlers of all kinds of things. Some of the rustlers who were hang- ed had friends who did not like the proceedings. This is always the case where men are forced to take the law into their own hands. Granville Stuart never denied any statement made concerning the mat- ter. Neither did he tell who were with him in the raids after the rust - Teddy Blue lers. Once in Malden I heard a wo- man accuse him of hanging 30 inno- cent men. He raised his hat to her and said: \Yes Madam, and I did it alone.\ Ile was one Of those brave, cool men of the west who never lost his head. He knew every turn and trick of frontier fighting. On the range he was the best man for the cowpuncher that I ever worked for. Ile always fed his men well, never asked them to do an unreasonable amount of work and took a great deal of interest in the men working for him. He was always willing to help a man out when in trouble. He was the most unselfish man I ever knew, always doing something for some one. An example of his unselfishness was told me by a Mr. Rehder, who was the father of Mrs. John B. Hitch of Lewistown. In the terrible winter of 1886-7, Rehder had a fine bunch of milk cows near Fort McGinniss and used to sell produce to the fort. He was out of hay and his herd was threatened with death by starvation. He went to Stuart and told him of his plight. He said he could buy no hay anywhere. The result was that while Granville Stuart's cattle were dying by thousands, Rehder got enough hay to bring his cows through. Rehder told me this himself. Honesty was Stuart's hobby. He would overlook everything a man did if he were honest. Would Help Cowboys Stuart believed in allowing cow- punchers to buy mavericks and own cattle on the range. At the Miles City meeting of the stock association in 1885 or 1886 he made quite a speech and tried very hard to get the members to agree to this. He said that 99 per cent of the cowboys were honest men and that action along this line would give them an interest in the range all the time. He believed it would do more to stop rustling than anything else. Ile was voted down, but I believe he was right. The few outfits that did allow their men to own cattle never had any cause for complaint. The action of the as- sociation in opposing Stuart was a bad move, as It made bad feeling among the boys. I can remember that at the spring roundup of 1886 I had saved a little money, and at the Buffalo Creek corral I bid on a maverick. Percy Kennett stopped me and said: \Ted you can't buy mavericks and work for the II -S, but Con Kohl's will sell you stock In the company if you want to buy it.\ Kennett was then super- intendent of the Pioneer Cattle com- pany. I told Granville Stuart about it and he said It was a mistake, but he could not help It. However. he got me to send 660 to the bank at Helena eliery two months. Ile al- ways took a great Interest in anyone who showed a desire to better them- selves. A couple of other cowpun- chers who worked for him for sev- eral years and who will agree that he was the friend of the cowpuncher are Will and Perk Burnett. He kept open house always and everybody was welcome. In 1881 h19 built a school ed Indians,. who burst upon them in swarm's that made the landscape look black. The wagon train of the whites was hurriedly formed in a corral, while the.cannoneers seized their ar- tillery and rushed the weapons - for- ward to the top of a ridge in front. Two hundred Indians charged the advance guard, but the deadly fire of the whites scattered them. The fire of the Indians was terrific from every point, but their aim was ex- tremely poor and only slight injuries to a few of the whites resulted. One horse was killed and several wound - H. J, Happy led half a dozen pick- ed rifle shots in a charge against a ravine where 100 Sioux were group- , ed, and so fierce was the dash of the frontidsmen that the battle force succeeded in scattering the reds, kill- ing and wounding several of them. Sitting Bull later said he had never seen such brave fighters as the whites led by Happy. While this diversion was in pro- gress, a large party of the prospectors saddled their horses and rode out to attack the Sioux who were nearest, while the cannons and howitzer pour- ed a deadly fire into the timber near- by where Sioux were concealed. The Indians were withdrawn by their leader and aid battle ended. Feat of Reed and Bowles After clearing the vicinity of their foes the expedition moved on, grad- ually bearing to the right on a re- turn to Bozeman. At Rock Creek the expedition disbanded. Beyond creat- ing an interesting chapter in border history the expedition accomplished none of the objects for which it set out. This was partly because 'he feed that spring was very short and ale stock could not be properly sus- tained and partly because little pros- pecting could be done with the Sioux constantly harrassing the party. There is one more incident in con- nection with this expedition that de- serves a place in its history, and that is the feat performed by two well known frontiersmen, Major Reed and Jim Bowles, who were later so well known through their establishment of Reed's Fort, a considerable Indian trading post, at the present site of Lewistown. It was the first settle- ment on the Judith river. After the Bozeman expedition fair- ly entered the Sioux country the people left at home ceased to hear from them, and as weeks passed by a deal of anxiety was aroused as to their fate. One courier was sent after them, but he lacked the nerve to go forward, and returned without tidings. Finally Reed and Bowles undertook to follow them, engaging to find the missing party, alive or dead. They took the trail and fol- lowed it steadily in all its windings from camp to camp. They passed the scenes of the various battles, found the Indian dead and the bodies of slain horses and were often forced to hide in the brush from watchful foes. Once they came suddenly on a large camp of Sioux and escaped only after a desperate ride. They never faltered or thought of turning back. They finally overtook the ex- pedition just before it disbanded. It was a daring ride and their escape from death amid the perils of the Sioux -infested country is one of the marvels that abound in Montana his- tory. house and gave it to the district. Mrs. Stuart, his second wife, who survives him, was one of the first teachers there. He was a very public-spirited man and was a very kind husband and father. His first wife, Arbonnie, died in 1888. Mr. Stuart was married again in 1890. At the time of his death be was survived by three of his children. These are Charles Stuart, Sam Stuart and Mrs. E. C. Abbott of Gilt Edge. lie was survived also by eight grand- children and three great-grandchil- dren. Mrs. Granville Stuart. who also survives him and who lives at Mis- soula, was of the greatest help to her husband in helping him to write his history of Montana and his mem- oirs, and it was due to her loving care that he lived the last few years of his life. Granville Stuart has packed his horse and gone over the big divide to hunt a new range. So long, Old Timer—here's hoping you find one as good as the old Ford Creek place, where there's plenty of water, gram and shelter. Gilt Edge, October 26, 1918. The cost to the United States el conducting the war has fallen con- siderably below the estimates made five months ago. I Great Falls Brick & Tile Cs. GREAT VALLE. MONTANA Manor...torero of 1.11OBT. BUFF AND DARK TAUB BRICK. FIRE nevelt, BUILDING TILE, 1101.1.0W BLOCKS. ries PROOFING. DRAIN TILE °Mee: PG lot National Bonk Buildtallf VIIIIMUI111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111mie Wo Ihry All Issues of Liberty Bonds YOUR , BANKER IN OUR REVERENCE ri I f . ye. ... ea...oiled throne. fore e. of rirenallitanol. to , = II your bonds, take them to your hanker and soak his ito draw a Gehl draft on so with bond. attaciwi. or ° oend the bond. 1(, no youoielf Ny regiolered mall. We will remit on day received at the hest market price. Telephone. wire. or writ* for quotatloa• as Liteort1 = bonds. or any tierurIty quotation. Irving Whitehouse Company tz.K.1:7,ToN I — E Davenpert Rotel Building . \r '',...e .. .....W- .. :.$.1:1 4 4'f'f'• s\. E .. —.....--- - . E ) Depart mbel.t .. , MM. $1041%%\ ;IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIM11111111111IIIIIIIIIIIIIMMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMMIIIMIIMIIIIIMMIlle. 1
