Tag Archives: hostiles

Standing Watch

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At Fort Umcompahgre things were usually pretty quiet as far as attacks by hostiles of any type. Yet every once in awhile somebody would get a bee up their butt and decide to steal a horse or maybe catch one of the young women working in the gardens or going down to the river for water, hoping for a new wife. And every once in awhile things got a little serious and everybody had to pay attention.

War parties passing through usually didn’t bother attacking the fort what with all the sharpshooters keeping a squinty eye and taut trigger finger on those long reaching Sharps rifles. However those inside felt that a close watch was good insurance in keeping their hair so they set watches and kept an eagle eye on the surroundings.

Keeping vigilant on a long watch was difficult. Boredom and the heat was an easy way to suddenly find yourself with your chin on your chest, eyes tight shut. So no whiskey, no resting for even a moment, just keep your eyes open and moving, watch every shadow and flicker of movement in the brush. Keeping a bowl full of your best tobacca going helped keep you from nodding off until your relief came and spelled you.

Life went on at Fort Uncompahgre under the close attention of the watch keepers and things were kept on an open keel. Standing watch was just part of the usual activities of fort life.

The Scout

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It was a common practice during the Indian wars for the Army to hire scouts as they entered unfamiliar areas of the country where they might encounter hostiles. These had to be men that were completely familiar with the country and tribes that lived there. Mostly they were white men who had grown up in this country and knew it like the back of their hands. Some had actually lived with the various tribes and spoke their language. Occasionally the Army hired Indians from opposing tribes to scout for them but this was usually done for specific campaigns.

Scouts were tough men, they had to be in they were to survive in this harsh land. They were independent and didn’t suffer fools easily. Their lives and the lives of the men  they were scouting for depended on their ability to travel fast, locate the enemy without being seen and get back to the Army with the information. They were like the special forces of their day.

This man was attached as a scout to Brigadier General George Crook’s column of ten companies (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, I, L, and M) of the 3rd cavalry out of Ft. Fetterman in Wyoming territory and as such did not get to the area of the Little Bighorn until well after the battle was over. As we know now this very probably saved his life and the lives of those men who accompanied him.

It was hard dangerous times in the 1870’s and so were the men who served in the military then. But most at risk were the scouts as they did the most dangerous job of all. To head out alone and survive by their own wits and courage. Mistakes usually meant he didn’t come back, so he tried very hard not to make any. History relates there were not many old scouts. Those that made it to a ripe old age were exceptional men, and a little bit lucky.