180
THE WEST SHORE.
COL JAMES W. FORSYTH.
Colonel James W. Forsyth, Seventh United States cavalry, who has
been so prominently brought before the public in connection with the late
Sioux ghost or mcssiah craze outbreak, culminating in the Wounded Knee, or
Mission, fight, was appointed to the military academy in 1851 from Ohio,
graduating in 1 856, and was assigned as second lieutenant in the Ninth
United Slates infantry (Colonel Wright's old regiment, which was then sta
tioned on the Pacific coast, with headquarters at Vancouver), and participated
in the Indian wars in which the Ninth infantry took such a prominent part.
Serving with the Ninth until May 14, 1861, he was transferred to the Eigh
teenth infantry as captain. At the commencement of the rebellion Colonel
Forsyth was placed on staff duty in organizing troops for the field. In April,
1864, he was assistant adjutant general, with rank of major. The nineteenth
of April, 1864, he was appointed lieutenant colonel and inspector general in
the volunteer service. May 19, 1865, he was appointed brigadier general of
volunteers. His war record is full of honorable service to his country, having
served upon the staff of that gallant officer, General Philip Sheridan, in his
most noted campaigns. Colonel Forsyth was honorably mustered out of the
volunteer service January 1$, 1866, and assigned as major of the Tenth United
States cavalry in 1866, lieutenant colonel First United States cavalry April 4,
1878, and colonel of the Seventh United States cavalry July, 1886. Colonel
Forsyth took command of the First United States cavalry, with headquarters
at Fort Walla Walla, Washington, September, 1877. In 1878 the liannack
Indians, under Iiuflalo Horn and Egan, left the Fort Hall reservation, in
Idaho, and went on the warpath. No uprising in the northwest had a more
threatening outlook than this one, for it was well known that the Malheurs, as
well as the Umatillas, were very restless, and, if the liannacks were success-
UII.ONKI. JAMKS W. FORSYTH.
ful, the latter tribes would join them, in which event the rich agricultural dis
tricts of Eastern Oregon and Washington would be scourged for time by a
well armed band of hmtiles, numbering several hundred warriors. General
Howard telegraphed to Colonel Forsyth to place all available troops in the
field and interceit them, which order was so well carried out by Colonel For
syth that it was not long before (he liannacks were in the center of three
battalions of the First cavalry. Captain llernard, with two troops, was in
the rear, and coming upon them in camp on Willow creek, Oregon, gave
them a terrible defeat, killing Huffalo Horn and destroying their camp. The
Indians lied in dismay toward the Malheur, but were intercepted again and
lied north toward the Umatilla reservation, when they were again met on
Mutter creek, Oregon, by Captain Parncll's battalion of the First cavalry,
and suffered another defeat. The hosliles now made every effort to reach the
Umatilla reservation, as Eg.in was assured by a renegade Umatilla chief, who
was with the hosliles, tlial they would gel fresh ponies there and be joined by
the Umatillas, In fact, this was their only line of march, as Captain lloutell
was in the Grand Konde valley, llernard in their rear and Parnrll on their
left, and their only luiie was to seek aid from the Um.1lill.1s, and in case of
defeat scalier among the Indians of the reservation in the hope of escaping
arrest. Agent Comoyer, of the Umatillas, had informed Homily and other
chiefs of the Umatillas thai they must not leave the reservation or lend aid to
the liannacks 1 if they did they would be punished. General Howard, with
K troop, First cavalry, and a battalion of the Twelfth infantry, arrived at
the reservation the second day after the hostile 1 Colonel Forsyth, with a
battalion of the First cavalry, came towards the reservation by way of Van
yckle canyon. The liannacks were completely surrounded, and in the battle
that followed at the reservation Fgan was killed and the liannacks completely
scattered, Colonel Forsyth followed the hostile through the John Day
country and succeeded in capturing and vanning the remaining hosliles, thus
terminating what at first threatened to be the most serious Indian war of the
northwest.
Colonel Forsyth was in command of the Seventh United States cavalry
during the late Sioux trouble, and it was the fortune of his command to have
to deal with the worst element of the affected Indians. The investigation
into the conduct of Colonel Forsyth, beginning with his being relieved from
command by General Miles on the charge of failure to take proper precautions
to prevent surprise and incapacity as shown by a faulty disposition of his
force, and ending with a complete exoneration by General Schofield and Sec
retary Proctor and his restoration to his command, are matters of general
public knowledge. It was officially determined that Colonel Forsyth handled
his men in a skillful manner, and that under the most trying circumstances
possible they so conducted themselves as to demonstrate that the state of
discipline in his regiment was remarkably good. Colonel Forsyth comes out
of this investigation with a national reputation that may win for him the star
of a brigadier general soon to be bestowed upon someone by the president.
See advertising columns for particulars of prizes for puzzles and answers.
No. 30. MALTESE CROSS.
J 3
o t 4
t
I
t
8 5
t
7 6
2 to 3 At this (Obs.). 4 to 5 Draws back. 7 to 6 A short poem.
9 to 8 A tedder. 1 to 3 Advancement. 1 to 3 An adept. 1 to 4 A
tenant. 1 to 5 Overwhelms. 1 to 6 To construct upon. 1 to 7 Exam
ines. 1 to 8 To saunter. 1 to 9 Due. The initial letters of the diagonals
spell the name of a martyred president.
Fort Wayne, Indiana. Fairplay.
No. 31. ENIGMA.
My whole lady loves 10 do,
Whenever she my last ailcndj.
Without my head I'm worn by you,
And on your eyes my head depends.
Ikheud me twice, curtail, and though so small
You'll find I ever am the head of all.
Then, If niv last 10 this you'll add.
I'll show rrlalioni, good or tiud.
Si. Paul, Minnesota. p.
No. 3. I)IAMOI) CROSS WORD.
I In Portland.
1 A tattered garment (Scotch).
3 Humiliated by practical jokes.
4 llewildered.
J Something that perplexes.
6 Expunged.
7 Damp with condensed .moisture.
8 Imperfect participle of an irregular verb.
9 In mountain.
East Portland, Oregon. C. D. M.