was elected to the territorial legislature in 1878, and in 1880 was
elected a member of the city council of Helena and was honored with
the presidency of that body. He was elected a member of the house of
representatives of the state of Montana in 1888. He has also held the
office of president of the Helena board of trade. He was president of
the Pioneer Society of Montana, and delivered a very able address at
the annual meeting of the society in 1890.
Mr. Holter’s success in life is due to his own efforts. He has carved
out a liberal competency for himself and family from the rugged forces
of nature, and the struggle has left the impress of vigorous resolution
and tenacity of purpose upon his character. His judgment has been
called into requisition on many occasions of public importance, and he
has always been foremost in every effort for the advancement of the
public weal. He is a man of quiet and unassuming demeanor, recognizing
his old-time friends wherever he meets them--whether poor or rich, it
makes no difference to him. As a far-seeing man of business affairs, he
stands almost without a peer.
Mr. Holter was born June 29, 1831, at Moss, on the eastern shore
of Christiana Fjord, Norway. He came to the United States in 1854.
His wife was a native of Modum, Norway. They have five sons and one
daughter.
And “now” A. M. Holter dwells in one of the finest mansions in the
state and is surrounded by one of the most cultured families in the
city of Helena.
I could name scores of others that came to the territory in the early
days, who endured all kinds of perils and hardship, besides being in
danger of being killed by Indians or highwaymen, and who never flinched
from “putting their shoulder to the wheel” from that time to this.
Always engaged in enterprises that were of benefit to the people as
well as to themselves and to the general progress of the country.
It is because of my familiarity with the subject of this sketch that I
selected Mr. Holter as an example to give the people of today an idea
of the work of the pioneers in the early days of this state.
ROBERT VAUGHN.
October 25, 1899.
THE INDIAN.
Before going any further I will endeavor to give a brief sketch of the
Indians and their behavior in Montana from the time I came into the
country in 1864 to the present time.
The Indian is a born warrior. When an infant pappoose, his first toy
is a bow and arrow. About twenty-five years ago I was in a Piegan
camp just after they had killed an Indian of the Crow tribe, who had
been stealing some of their horses. After mutilating the body beyond
description, the pappooses had the hands that were cut off at the
wrist; they were having great play over them, romping and throwing
the dead Indian’s hands at each other. By such means they cultivated
the savage, warlike disposition in the young Indian minds from the
beginning. Until lately, if they could not have the whites to fight,
they would be at war with some other tribe. They always had their
war paint prepared and their hatchets sharpened, so they could go on
the warpath whenever the evil spirit moved them. They were naturally
treacherous, savage and cruel to those they were not at peace with, be
it the whites or their own race, it made no difference. I do not know
of any better testimony to show the Indian in his element than the
illustration given by Ross Cox, an English gentleman, who, in 1813,
came to what is now called Montana, by the way of Columbia. He was at
the head of a fur trading company, and was a man of responsibility.
He says: “We spent a comparatively happy Christmas, and by the side
of a blazing fire in a warm room forgot the sufferings we endured in
our dreary progress through the woods. There was, however, in the
midst of our festivities a great drawback to the pleasure we should
otherwise have enjoyed. I allude to the unfortunate Blackfeet who had
been captured by the Flatheads. Having been informed that they were
about putting one of their prisoners to death, I went to their camp to
witness the spectacle. The man was tied to a tree, after which they
heated an old barrel of a gun until it became red hot, with which they
burned him on the legs, thighs, neck, cheek and stomach. They then
commenced cutting the flesh from about the nails, which they pulled
out, and next separated the fingers from the hand, joint by joint.
During the performance of these cruelties, the wretched captive never
winced, and instead of suing for mercy he added fresh stimulus to
their barbarous ingenuity by the most irritating reproaches, part of
which our interpreter translated as follows: ‘My heart is strong; you
do not hurt me; you can’t hurt me; you are fools; you do not know how
to torture; try it again; I don’t feel any pain yet; we torture your
relations a great deal better, because we make them cry out loud like
little children; you are not brave; you have small hearts, and you are
always afraid to fight.’
“Then, addressing one in particular, he said: ‘It was by my arrow you
lost your eye,’ upon which the Flathead darted at him and with a knife
scooped out one of his eyes, at the same time cutting the bridge of his
nose almost in two. This did not stop him; with the remaining eye he
looked sternly at another and said: ‘I killed your brother and scalped
your old fool of a father.’ The warrior to whom this was addressed
instantly sprung at him and separated the scalp from his head. He was
then about plunging a knife in his heart, until he was told by the
chief to desist. The raw skull, bloody socket and mutilated nose now
presented a horrible appearance, but by no means changed his tone of
defiance.
“‘It was I,’ said he to the chief, ‘that made your wife a prisoner last
fall; we put out her eyes; we tore out her tongue; we treated her
like a dog. Forty of our young warriors’--the chief became incensed
the moment his wife’s name was mentioned; he seized his gun, and,
before the last sentence was ended, a ball from it passed through the
brave fellow’s heart, terminating his frightful sufferings. Shocking,
however, as this dreadful exhibition was, it was far exceeded by the
atrocious cruelties practiced on the female prisoners. We remonstrated
against the exercise of such horrible cruelties. They replied by saying
the Blackfeet treated their prisoners in the same manner; that it was
the course adopted by all red warriors, and that they could not think
of giving up the gratification of their revenge to the foolish and
womanish feelings of white men.
“Shortly after this we observed a young female led forth, apparently
not more than fourteen or fifteen years of age, surrounded by some
old women, who were conducting her to one end of the village, whither
they were followed by a number of young men. Having learned the
infamous intention of her conquerors, and feeling interested for the
unfortunate victim, we renewed our remonstrance, but received nearly
the same answer as before. Finding them still inflexible, and wishing
to adopt every means in our power consistent with safety, in the cause
of humanity, we ordered our interpreter to acquaint them that, highly
as we valued their friendship and much as we esteemed their furs, we
would quit their country forever unless they discontinued their unmanly
and disgraceful cruelties to their prisoners. This had the desired
effect, and the miserable captive was led back to her sorrowing group
of friends. Our interference was nearly rendered ineffectual by the
furious old priestesses who had been conducting her to the sacrifice.
They told the young warriors they were cowards, fools, and had not the
hearts of fleas, and called on them in the names of their mothers,
sisters and wives to follow the steps of their forefathers and have
their revenge on the dogs of Blackfeet. They began to waver, but we
affected not to understand what the old women had been saying. We
told them that this act of self-denial on their part was peculiarly
grateful to the white men, and by it they would secure our permanent
residence among them, and in return for their furs we would furnish
them with guns and ammunition sufficient to repel the attacks of their
old enemies, and preserve their relations from being made prisoners.
This decided the doubtful and the chief promised faithfully that no
more tortures should be inflicted on the prisoners, which I believe was
rigidly adhered to, at least during the winter of 1813.”
Those tribes Mr. Cox speaks of are still in existence in Montana, and
“now” the most civilized in the state. It is a marvel what civilization
has accomplished since “then.” Some of the young Indians that attended
the Cascade county fair last fall at this place, with the excellent
exhibit from the Fort Shaw Indian school (of which a reference will be
made in another letter), belong to the same tribes.
We will go back to but thirty-one years ago, and see what the Indians
were then. I will not attempt to follow their warpath, for it is too
long; besides, we would be continually delayed by arriving at the
innumerable bloody spots where one or more of the brave pioneers fell
at the hands of the redskins. To give an account of all these unmarked
graves would make volumes. The story of the massacre at Fort Phil
Kearney saddened the hearts of every frontiersman, but aroused their
feelings and made them more desperate against the Indians than ever
when they learned that eighty-one people were killed; not one escaped
the scalping knife in the hands of the redskins.
About that time Fort Buford was attacked by the Indians, but they were
repulsed. The savages returned with a strong reinforcement, renewed
the attack, and, after losing over three hundred of their number,
succeeded in capturing the post and putting to death Colonel Rankin and
his entire command. Colonel Rankin shot his wife himself rather than
have her suffer the cruelty of the savages.
Also the Blackfeet, in the northern part of the territory, disregarded
all treaties that they had heretofore agreed upon, and began their
murderous depredations by killing freighters, prospectors and
immigrants who were then coming into the country in great numbers.
Thomas Francis Meagher, who had been a general in the Civil War, was
secretary of Montana, and, at this time, was governor pro tempore in
the absence of Governor Sidney Edgerton. General Meagher called for six
hundred volunteer cavalry. There was no time to lose; it would take
too long to have communication from Washington, for it was 1,700 miles
to the nearest railway station, and about as many miles of red tape to
go through. So everybody rallied; some gave money, others horses and
saddles; the most difficulty was to equip the men, it was no trouble to
get volunteers. When there were two in a cabin together, one joined the
volunteers while the other one stayed at home and divided the profits,
be it working for wages or otherwise. General Meagher was in command of
the volunteers, and while in the service was drowned in the Missouri
river at Fort Benton by falling off the steamer G. A. Thompson. His
body was never found, although every effort was made to find the
remains.
It was at Fredericksburg, I think, that General Meagher and his gallant
Irish brigade made the daring charge. Leading his men he said, “Come on
boys, let us have more dead Irishmen nearer the mouth of them cannon
than anybody else.” The death of the general was a great loss to the
territory, for all such men were in demand in Montana then.
A proclamation was issued by Governor Smith, dated July 3, 1867. The
proclamation is thus given:
“Helena, M. T., July 3, 1867.--Whereas, it has pleased Almighty God to
take from us by accident our esteemed friend, Secretary (late acting
governor) Thomas Francis Meagher, who was drowned at Fort Benton on the
night of the 1st inst., by falling from the steamer G. A. Thompson;
“Now, therefore, I, Green Clay Smith, governor of the Territory of
Montana, do direct that the headquarters of the military, which were
established under his directions and authority in the various districts
of the territory, be draped in mourning for thirty days.
“I further request that the offices of the federal officers of the
territory be likewise draped in mourning for the same length of time.
“It is but due to the memory of our deceased friend and fellow officer
that we should hold him in fond remembrance.
“He was a man of high social qualities, great urbanity, a high order
of intellect, a brave soldier, a true gentleman and an honor to his
territory and government.”
The year 1867 Fort Shaw was established by the Thirteenth Infantry,
with Colonel Andrews in command. This checked the Indians for a while;
but it was only for a short time before they were back to their
old tricks, murdering people and stealing their stock. In 1869 the
following indictment which was drawn by W. F. Wheeler, then the United
States Marshal of the Territory of Montana, will show to what desperate
resorts the people were driven to. As this instrument of writing was
drawn by an officer of the government and signed by twelve citizens
under oath we must accept it as a truthful statement of the conditions
existing then:
“The Grand Jury of the United States for the Third Judicial District of
Montana, have examined a number of witnesses, and from the evidence
presented to them find that the people of this district have suffered
within the last few months great loss of life and property from
predatory bands of Indians. We have been furnished the names of nine
or ten citizens who have been murdered in cold blood by them. Over
three hundred head of stock have been stolen within two months past,
and we believe that within six months fully one thousand horses have
been stolen, and a number of valuable citizens sacrificed, whose names
we could not learn. The Piegans, Bloods and Blackfeet, who all talk
in the same language and constitute the Blackfeet nation, have moved
their women and children north of Montana, and in that country have
procured ammunition and improved arms. This is a declaration of war on
the whites of Montana, and some measure should be taken to meet the
emergency. The civil authorities have not the means, and the people are
not able to bear the expense of pursuing and punishing these robbers
and murderers, who destroy our property and lives, and come and go like
the wind. Ours is a contest between civilization and barbarism, and we
must risk our lives and sacrifice our hard-earned property to defend
them, unless the general government gives us the means of defense. To
this we are entitled, as we have left homes of comfort in the East
to plant civilization in the wilderness. It is in evidence that the
‘Pend d’Oreilles,’ who make periodical journeys from their homes to
the valleys of the Judith and Yellowstone on hunting expeditions, and
through some of the settled portions of our territory, are guilty of
horse-stealing if not of murder. Their passage through our settled
valleys should be prohibited by the authorities. The River Crows
murdered two white men near Fort Benton about the 20th of July last and
took their horses to their camp.
“In none of these cases of murder and theft have the Indians been
pursued and punished. Our population is necessarily scattered along
the valleys, or isolated in mining camps and gulches, and hence is
exposed to sudden attacks from the Indians. We make this statement,
which is substantiated by truthful evidence, and respectfully request
that it may be sent to such officers of the general government as are
entrusted with the care of the Indians, and our protection by military
force, trusting that they take the necessary steps to give us full
protection, or, if the means in their hands are not adequate, that
they will represent our exposed and dangerous position to the heads of
the government at Washington, who have authority to punish or prevent
Indian outrages.
“Grand Jury Rooms, Helena, M. T., Oct. 9, 1869.
“Signed: G. W. Tubbs, foreman; D. W. Buck, A. A. Green, James P.
Mabbett, John H. Curtis, Moses Morris, Benjamin Stickney, Jr., E.
S. Mansfield, William Simms, D. M. Gillette, E. L. Baker, Felix
Poznainsky, L. Behm, W. F. Richardson, Hugh Glenn.”
It was the winter following that Colonel Baker destroyed the Piegan
camp on the Marias river, an account of which I have already given. To
the different tribes, peace commissioners were sent by the government
to have council with the Indians. They were wise men from the East.
They meant well, but they did not know their business. The first thing
they did was to listen to the Indians telling their cunning stories,
and the conclusion they came to was that the poor red man had been
imposed upon and a kind of treaty was made by giving the Indians nearly
everything they asked for. From this time on the Indians were getting
“heap rich.” As General Sheridan once said: “If a white man steals we
put him in prison; if an Indian steals we give him a blanket; if a
white man kills we hang him; if an Indian kills we give him a horse to
put the blanket on.” And what he said was true. For between the Indian
commissioners and the traders it was not very long before nearly
every Indian had a gun, plenty of ammunition and new blankets. Again,
in 1876, the Indians became so arrogant that they defied the United
States government, and the great Sioux war commenced. And a year later
Chief Joseph, with his desperate band of Nez Perces, passed through
the country terrorizing the small settlements and causing death and
destruction as he went.
ROBERT VAUGHN.
Nov. 9, 1898.
THE SIOUX WAR.
In this series of letters I will give a brief history of the war in
Montana between the United States troops and the Indians from 1876 to
the death of Sitting Bull in 1890. Several battles were fought in the
Rosebud and Big Horn country, and near where myself and comrades camped
over night twelve years before the Sioux war commenced. It was no
wonder that McKnight, our guide, wanted “five hundred good, resolute,
determined men” to go with him in 1864, and through this same nest of
savages, as we did them. Here where the never-forgotten battles, where
the gallant General Custer, with his five companies of cavalry were
killed, not one was left to tell how it happened. By the way the dead
lay on the field it was evident that they fought bravely. And now the
government has erected on this bloody spot a substantial monument in
memory of Custer and his brave men. Not wishing to trust altogether
to my own memory--to give the facts and as briefly as possible--I
will give a few extracts from Joaquin Miller’s “History of Montana,”
including official reports, together with what I know and have learned
from eye witnesses:
The Indians that were on the warpath had been reported as numbering
about twenty thousand. Sitting Bull could not be persuaded to stay on
the reservation, neither could he see what right the government had
to interfere, for he claimed that that country belonged to him and
his people, and that he had the right to go wherever he pleased and
to do as he pleased, and his men were continually robbing and killing
white people; their murders and robberies were so frequent that at
last the government took extreme measures and put a stop to their
depredations. Sitting Bull had his forces on the tributaries of the
Big Horn river, in what is now Custer county, Mont. General Crook was
coming from Fort Fetterman, Wyo., leaving March 1, 1876, with a force
of seven hundred men and officers, sixty wagons and four hundred pack
mules. It was not long before he was skirmishing with the Indians, and
the Sioux war commenced. On March 17th, near the mouth of Little Powder
river, a desperate battle occurred lasting five hours, in which an
Indian village was destroyed with much supplies and munitions of war.
Crook’s losses were four men killed and many wounded. One hundred and
twenty-five tepees were burned and several Indians killed. Part of his
letter to the Secretary of War touching on this matter is as follows:
“Fort Reno, March 22d.
“General Reynolds, with part of the command, was pushed forward on
a trail leading to the village of Crazy Horse, near the mouth of
Little Powder river. This he attacked and destroyed on the 17th
inst., finding it a perfect magazine of ammunition, war material
and general supplies. I am satisfied that if Sitting Bull is on
this side of the Yellowstone he is camping at the mouth of Powder
river.
“GEORGE CROOK,
“Brigadier General.”
After this battle Crook returned to Fort Fetterman and remained
there until May. Then he came back, and on June 15th he was near
to the place where he had his battle in March. By this time Terry
and Custer had come from Fort Lincoln, Dakota, and General Gibbon
was on his way from Fort Shaw, Montana. The total forces were three
thousand men and officers. It can be seen that the best part of the
United States army, in charge of four as good generals as ever wore
uniforms, were now heading for Sitting Bull’s camps on the Rosebud
and Big Horn rivers. What settlers there were in Montana then were
few and far between. There was no railroad nearer than Corinne, Utah.
Some apprehension was felt that the soldiers might cause the Indians
to scatter, and that small settlements on the borders would be in
danger of being massacred; consequently they all armed and fortified
themselves the best they could in case such should happen. At this time
in the Sun river valley there were about thirty settlers, including
several families. Besides the Sioux war east of us, the Piegans and
Blackfeet were north of us; they, too, were acting very ugly by
stealing stock and not infrequently killing some one.
[Illustration: GENERAL GEORGE CROOK, U. S. A.]
In addition to the perils and dangers that were already confronting
the settlers of Northern Montana, many of the chiefs of the northern
tribes and of the Sioux were meeting in council at Cypress mountain,
just north of us. The council was called by the Sioux with the object
in view of inducing the Blackfeet, Bloods and Piegans to declare war
against the whites. But fortunately the Piegan chief, Little Plume,
refused to sign the proclamation, thus causing the breaking up of the
council, and probably saving the lives of many settlers.
During this critical time, the Sun river settlers organized a
protective association for protection to ourselves and property, for
nearly all the soldiers that were at Fort Shaw had gone to fight the
Sioux in the eastern part of the territory. Two men were detailed to
go on the outskirts of the settlement once every day, and, if hostile
Indians were seen, they were to go through the settlement as fast as
their horses could carry them, at the same time firing their guns for a
signal; the women and children were to be taken to the village at the
Crossing.
Again on the 17th of June General Crook had a desperate battle with
Sitting Bull on the tributary of the Rosebud and whipped the Indians
badly. After the battle he went back to his base of supplies, for he
needed more rations and ammunition in order to follow up the enemy.
Near this battle ground and but one week later is where Custer fell.
Terry, Custer and Gibbon, at the time of this battle, were about eighty
miles down the Rosebud. Not knowing of Crook’s battle, they had a
consultation and were determined to advance up the Rosebud at once.
Sitting Bull, with all his force, was directly between them and Crook.