Wild West Podcast

Immersed in Front-line Fury: The Battle of Beecher's Island and the Bold Survival Journey to Fort Wallace

September 29, 2021 Michael King/Brad Smalley
Wild West Podcast
Immersed in Front-line Fury: The Battle of Beecher's Island and the Bold Survival Journey to Fort Wallace
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Prepare to immerse yourself in the gripping chronicles of the Battle of Beecher's Island as we follow the captivating journey of 17-year-old Czech emigrant and frontier scout, Sigmund Schlesinger. Experience the intensity of one of frontier history's most ferocious Indian battles, complete with sights, sounds, and raw emotions. Greg Heller, a retired Texas peace officer and founding member of the Kansas Alliance of Professional Historic Performers, graces us with his profound insights into the Texas cowboy and his experiences with the Ellsworth County Historical Society.

The episode doesn't stop at mere battles; we march forward to unravel the audacious tale of four men's survival journey back to Fort Wallace. Barefoot and walking backwards, they outwit their pursuers, providing a testament to the indomitable spirit of a frontier scout. We further delve into the intriguing culture of Native American tribes, highlighting the pivotal role of Dog Soldiers and the indispensable medicine man. This historical deep-dive promises a treasure trove of knowledge and a rollercoaster of emotions. Prepare for a history lesson you'll never forget.

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Speaker 1:

In remembrance of the September 16, 1868 battle between the four-size scouts and the Native American dog soldiers, wild West Podcast proudly presents the Schlesinger account of Beecher Island. Sigmund Schlesinger came to Philadelphia in 1865, a 17-years-old emigrant from Czechoslovakia, all alone, with no money but with dreams and hopes. Schlesinger initially found work in Philadelphia but with the Civil War over, returning veterans quickly replaced the new emigrant's jobs. The only thing for Sigmund to do was go west. He found work on the railroad as a standard hand. The work ended in western Kansas, not because the railroad was completed but because the Sioux Indians had taken to the warpath to stop the railroad and off again. He volunteered for the only job available. He volunteered, with more hoodspot than brains, as a frontier scout with the US Army. Sigmund did not know how to ride a horse or even shoot a gun. He quickly made friends with another scout on the same mission, a rugged frontiersman, a young man his age, jack Pete. Jack taught his quick-study friend the art of being a frontier scout. Together they rode into history. They rode into the most ferocious Indian battle in frontier history against chief Roman knows, the Battle of Beecher's Island, colorado.

Speaker 1:

Years later, rabbi Henry Cohen of Galveston, texas, inquired about Schlesinger's role. The general in charge wrote back. My dear Rabbi Cohen, in answer to your inquiry of December. Regarding Mr Sigmund Schlesinger, who served in my command on the Western frontier in 1867 and 1868, and who was with me in my fight with the Sioux Indians in the Erecari fork, I have a high admiration of his courage and splendid pluck and endurance of young Schlesinger on the occasion mentioned. He had never been in action prior to our fight with the Indians and throughout the whole engagement, which was one of the hardest, if not the very hardest, ever fought on the Western plains, he behaved with great courage, cool, persistence and a dogged determination that won my unstinted admiration, as well as that of his comrades, many of whom had seen service throughout the War of Rebellion on one side or the other. I can accord him no higher praise than that. He was the equal in many courage, steady and persistent devotion to duty and unswerving and tenacious pluck of any man in my command. It is a real pleasure to state this fact. I especially mention the pluck and endurance of this young man of Israel and speak of him as a worthy descendant of King David. I am, sir, with sincere respect, very truly yours, george A Forsythe General US Army. The following is an excerpt from Mr Sigmund Schlesinger. It contains an original account of Beecher's Island Defense from one of the participant's standpoint and is a unique document in our Western historical records.

Speaker 1:

For several days we had been following an Indian trail so broad that it looked like a wagon road. In those days our command, experienced in Indian warfare, told us that we must be on the track of an Indian village on the move with a large herd of horses. Evidently they knew that we were behind them and seemed to be in a hurry to get away. For we found camp utensils, tent poles etc. Which had been dropped and no time taken to pick them up. Among other things, we saw fresh antelope meat, quarters etc. And although our rations were nearly, if not, all gone, except some coffee and very little sowbelly, we did not dare eat the Indians' remnants.

Speaker 1:

The night of September 16th, before the attack next morning, scout Culver, who was killed next day, pointed out to a few of us some torchlights upon the hills that were being swung like signals. I knew that something would be doing soon, but like a novice, I was as if on the anxious seat, under a strain of anticipation, expecting something strange and dangerous. The next thing that I now recall was that I was awakened just before daylight by a single cry Indians so loud and menacing that when I jumped up from the ground I was bewildered and felt as if I wanted to ward off a blow coming from I knew not where, for it was still quite dark. That cry I will never forget. Soon I perceived a commotion among our horses and mules. The Indians about a dozen tried to stampede them. I could see in the dawning light the outlines of a white horse in the distance and from the noise I realized that they were driving off our stock before them. Later in the daylight we could gratinize some of our ponies on the neighboring hill in the possession of the Indians.

Speaker 1:

As soon as we crossed from the north bank of the river to the island, just before the attack, we tied our horses and pack mules to shrubs as best we could. During the day, a mule with a partial pack on his back got loose and wandered around the vicinity of my pit. He had several arrows sticking in his body and seemed wounded otherwise, which caused him to rear and pitch to such an extent that Jim Lane, my neighbor, and I decided to kill him. After shooting him. He fell and lay between us and served us the double purpose of food and a barricade. My horse was securely tethered to the underbrush on the island and later that day I saw the poor beast rearing and plunging in a death struggle, having been shot and killed like the rest of our horses and mules. He also furnished me with several meals during the siege, even after he began to putrefy. There was little to choose between horse and mule meat under such circumstances. Both were abominable.

Speaker 1:

When they broke that Tuesday, the 17th of September 1868, we saw our pickets riding toward camp as fast as their horses could carry them, excitedly yelling Indians, indians. As I looked up the valley toward the west, I beheld the grandest, wildest sight such as few mortals are permitted to see and live to tell about. Many hundreds of Indians in full-war paraphernalia, riding their splendid war ponies, rushed toward us en masse. Some were galloping in one direction, others cantering in another, their lances topped with many-colored streamers, the fantastic Indian costumes lending an awful charm to the whole. About this time, those among us who had any had boiled some coffee and were preparing to cross over to the island.

Speaker 1:

I will frankly admit that I was awed and scared. I felt as if I wanted to run somewhere. But every avenue of escape was blocked. Look where I might. I perceived nothing but danger, which increased my agitation. So I naturally turned to Colonel Forsythe as a protector. As a young chick aspiring the hawk in the air fledders toward the mother wing Under such conditions of strain, some things engraved themselves vividly upon your mind, while others are entirely forgotten. I remember that distinctly, as in my trepidation I instinctively kept close to the Colonel. I was reassured by his remarkable self-possession and coolness. While stirring everyone to activity round us, he consulted with Lieutenant Beecher and the guide Sharp Grover, giving directions here, advice there, until most of the command had crossed. Then he crossed himself and posted the men, telling them where to take up their different positions.

Speaker 1:

Meantime the Indians were coming closer. I was just behind the Colonel when the first shot from the enemy came, flying seemingly over our heads. I heard him say smilingly thank you. But immediately afterward he ordered every one of us to lie flat upon the ground while he, still directing, kept on his feet, walking around among us leading his horse. The shots began coming thicker and many of us yelled to him to lie down. Also, how long after this, I do not know, but I heard the Colonel cry out that he was shot and I saw him clutch his leg and get down in a sitting position. I was lying alongside of Lou McLaughlin. Some tall weeds obscured my vision so I asked Lou to crouch lower and I rolled over to him to the other side and was there, kept busy with my carbine, for the Indians were on to us. They were circling round while the others were shooting.

Speaker 1:

Very soon I heard Lou growl and mutter. I looked at him and saw that he was hit. A bullet coming from the direction where I was lying, struck his gun sight and glanced into his breast. He told me what had happened, but I could give him no attention for there seemed lots of work to do before us. But later, after the repulse of the attack, I looked at Lou and was surprised to see him lying in a wallow In his pain. He had torn up the grass and dug his hands into the sand. In answer to my question whether he was hurt bad, he told me not bad and advised me to dig into the sand and make a hole as it would be a protection. I'm not sure at this time, but I'm now under the impression that I told Colonel Forsythe of this, and from that time on we began to dig with our hands, or whatever we could use, and kick with our heels and toes in the sand, and some of us soon had holes dug deep enough to protect the chest at least.

Speaker 1:

Time seemed out of our calculations. I heard someone call what time is it? An answer came three o'clock. I had thought it was about ten am. We had nothing to eat or drink all day and, strange to say, I was not hungry, which may have been the reason why I thought it was early. Still. Word was passed that Lieutenant Beecher and Scouts Wilson and Culver were killed, colonel Forsythe wounded again also, dr Moore shot in the head and others hurt whose names I do not now remember. We fought steadily all day.

Speaker 1:

After dark the Indians withdrew. Then nature began to assert itself. I got hungry. There was nothing to eat in the camp that I knew of, except in wild plums that I had gathered the day before, which were in my saddlebags, still on the body of my horse. I got out of my hole, creeping on hands and knees toward where I knew the poor animal lay. As I felt my way in the darkness, I touched something cold and, upon examination found that it was Wilson's dead hand. He lay where he fell. It was a most horrible feeling. The shivers ran up and down my back, but I got to my horse at least and tugging, I finally secured the bag in my plums. I found in it also a piece of bacon the size of two fingers which I reserved for a last emergency and was still in possession of that rusty piece of fat when relief came. On my way back to my hole I passed one where Dr Moore's lay, wounded, moaning piteously. I put a plum in his mouth and I saw it between his teeth next morning he died on the night of the 19th.

Speaker 1:

All our wounded were very cheerful and to look at Colonel Forsythe and talk to him. As he lay there helpless, no outsider would have suspected that he was crippled. We used to gather round him in his bed to hold conversation, not like men in a desperate situation but like neighbors talking over a common cause. Colonel Forsythe was the right man in command of such a heterogeneous company. Like the least among us, he attended to his own horse when in camp and many times I had seen him gather buffalo chips to supply the mess fuel While he was our commander. In practice, he was our friend and as such we respected him, followed and obeyed him.

Speaker 1:

On about the fifth day, as the Indians began leaving us, we began to walk about and look around. About fifteen or twenty feet from my pit I noticed a few of our men calling to the rest of us. I ran to the place and there, against the edge of the island, I saw three dead Indians. Their friends evidently could not reach them to carry them off, which explained to us the persistent fighting in this direction. When I got there, the Indians were being stripped of their equipment, scalps, etc. One of them was shot in the head and his hair was clotted with blood. I took hold of one of his braids and applied my knife to the skin above the ear to secure the scalp, but my hand coming in contact with the blood, I dropped the hair and discussed. Old Jim Lane saw my hesitation and, taking up the braid, said to me my boy, does it make you sick? Then, inserting the point of the knife under the skin, he cut around, took up the other braid and jerked the scalp from the head.

Speaker 1:

I had been about three years in that country and four years in America and life on the plains under such hardships as I had undergone hardens the sensibility. Yet I was not quite ripe for such a cutting affray, even with a dead Indian. After this we were not molested, but devoted our time to looking around for something to eat. Besides the rotten horse and mule meat which we boiled several times in water and powder not to get it soft but to boil out the stench as much as possible, we found some cactus fruit and killed a coyote of which the brains and a rib were my portion. Aside from this, we had nothing but horse and mule during the siege, which soon tolled on our bowels. But in spite of all this I do not remember a despondent man in our crowd.

Speaker 1:

One morning, being the ninth since we were attacked, I was laying outside of my pit, having done some guard duty during the night I was half-dosing and dreaming of home and a good meal. I felt so homesick and so hungry when I heard someone call attention to something moving on the hill, I was all attention at once. Soon I heard again. I think that's Dr Fitzgerald's greyhound. Whoever it might be, we would welcome. We would even have been pleased to have the Indians attack us again in hopes of killing one of their horses for fresh meat.

Speaker 1:

But it was soon evident that help was coming. And when I fully realized this fact, and feeble as I was, I jumped up and joined in a lunatic's dance that was in progress all around us. Those on the hill must have seen us, for there was a rush of horsemen down the hill toward us, followed by one or two ambulance wagons. They were as eager to reach us as we were to greet them. And as I ran uphill, I noticed a soldier on a white horse coming full tilt. The momentum carried him past me, but in passing I grabbed his saddlebag and was taken off my feet. But it would have taken more than one horse to drag me from my hold. I suspected some eatables in there and as soon as he could stop without dismounting, he assisted me to open that bag. With both hands I dived in and with each hand I clutched some heart-tack, but only one hand could reach my mouth, my other in the grip of one of our men who ravenously snatched the tacks. We ate, cried, laughed and ate all in a breath.

Speaker 1:

As soon as possible we put our dead in the ground. Those that died at one end of the island were cared for by those in that vicinity and others in their vicinity, so that one part of the island was not aware of the location of the corpses. Of the other part, at least I did not know where the bodies lay of those killed on the eastern end of the island. So one time, as I walked around among the pits I noticed something red and round sticking out of the sand, like a half-buried red berry. I kicked it, but by doing so it was not dislodged. I kicked again, but to no result. I then looked closer and discovered that it was the nose of a dead man. I called others to my assistance and we fixed matters so that no discretion was possible again.

Speaker 1:

Our mortally wounded were made as comfortable as possible before they died. I assisted as such ministrations given to Lieutenant Beecher. We removed his boots, coat etc. And of course these things were not replaced on the body after he was dead but lay around unnoticed. My shoes were quite badly worn, especially after having been used for digging in the sand. So when relief came and we were preparing to leave the island, I put on his shoes, which were just about my size, and wore them even after I got back to New York City, leaving my old shoes and their stead on the island, now one of our sittings, around Colonel Forsythe and his pit.

Speaker 1:

The incident of killing the coyote was discussed and plans were suggested for the killing of more of them, along with others. I also suggested a scheme, but it was ridiculed and I soon retired to my pit, which was near enough to the colonels so that I could hear what was said there. One of the men remaining was saying uncomplimentary things about me, while the colonel silenced him, telling him that I was but a boy unused to such things and that under the circumstances I was doing better than some of the older men. Colonel Forsythe is unconscious of the fact that I am very grateful to him for his kindness to that strange boy among those strangers, and I still hope someday that I may have the opportunity to show my appreciation.

Speaker 1:

Jack Stillwell and I were the only boys in the company and naturally gravitated toward each other. We were friends as soon as we met and shums before. We knew each other's names. When the colonel asked for volunteers to go to Fort Wallace for help, jack was among the first to announce himself. I wanted to go with him, but the colonel gave no heed to my request. Even Jack discouraged me, for he knew I was too inexperienced. After Colonel Carpenter came, to our relief, jack was not with him, which made me and others feel very uneasy.

Speaker 1:

The day after Colonel Carpenter's arrival we saw the mounted sentinel that had been posted by Colonel Carpenter on a high eminence in the hills about three miles from the island, signaling that the body of men was approaching, which created a flutter of excitement. But there was a strong sensation of security, mingled with a sense of dependence upon our black rescuers permeating our emaciated party after being cooped up, so to say, for so long a period in dread and suspense. At least that was my sensation. I remember watching that vedette, horse and rider turning around and around, being the only moving object in that dim distance, indicating to the anxious watchers that either friend or foe was in the vicinity. As he showed no inclination to leave his post, it was soon evident he had no fear of the approaching column and that friends were coming.

Speaker 1:

Not long after, a few horsemen were seen coming around the bend of the riverbed, and among them was my friend Jack Stillwell. Nearly all of us ran to meet the party. Soon Jack jumped from his horse and in his joy to see so many of us alive again. He permitted his tears flow freely down his good, honest cheeks. I kept up correspondence with him all these years past. Last year he died. He was a big-hearted, jovial fellow, brave to a fault.

Speaker 3:

Well, brad, it is that time, and the part of our show, when we introduce our special guest. Who do we have on board today?

Speaker 1:

We have got Greg Heller today to interview. Greg is a retired Texas peace officer with 26 years of service. After moving home to Kansas, greg started researching the Texas cowboy. During this time, greg became a founding member of the Kansas Alliance of Professional Historic Performers, which sent him across a five-state region telling stories of the Texas cowboy. About seven years ago, greg was offered a job with the Ellsworth County Historical Society. Working at the Fort Harker Guardhouse Museum, he started studying Fort Harker and its role in the American Indian Wars, as well as the Indian Wars themselves. Greg started the Fort Harker Facebook page. While at Fort Harker, greg worked with other historians in organizing the Grand Reunion of Forsythe Scouts, which, on August 25, 2018, at Fort Harker, celebrated the 150th anniversary of the formation of Forsythe Scouts in the Battle of Beecher Island.

Speaker 3:

Well, it's about that time. Let's give him a call. Greg Heller, we'd like to welcome you to Wild West Podcast and thank you so much for joining us today. We hear a lot of great things about you, brad. Just read portions of your bio and it's very, very impressive. Brad and I are working on a story about Beecher Island.

Speaker 1:

Actually, this is the second story on Beecher Island We've come back to Beecher Island quite often during the run of this podcast. So again, it's great to have an outside voice. That's not ours too.

Speaker 3:

Well, and our first story we told was about Houdou Brown meeting up with Jack Stilwell on the saloon in Hayes, getting recruited, right before he goes out to the Battle of the Washi-Taw with Custer and then ends up picking up all the dead bodies afterwards. Then we did another story. What was the second one? Oh, the actual story of Beecher Island. And now we're going to do the slashing.

Speaker 1:

Talked about Chauncey Whitney.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, whitney, but now we're getting ready to do another story called the Slesinger account, which is the actual diary of the Battle of the Beecher Island. Can you tell us a little bit about what role did Fort Wallace play in the Battle of Beecher Island?

Speaker 2:

Well, actually Fort Wallace had a couple of different roles, of course. The first 30 scouts were signed on here at Fort Harker. They then went to Hayes where another 20 were signed up, along with Dr Moore's. Then they went to Fort Wallace where they were met up with the foresight second in command within Fred Beecher, and that is where Fort Wallace got the information that the end of the track town was Sheridan. They were just been attacked by about 25 Braves and so they left. Wallace went to that location and picked up the trail of these 25, and tracked them up into the northeast part of Colorado and they camped on the Ericary and in the morning of 17th they were attacked by 750 Cheyenne and the rescue force, the 10th Calvary, was out of Fort Wallace. So Wallace had a dual role, not only supplying the center beecher and resupplying the scouts at that location, but also they were very important in the rescue of foresight and the scout at Beecher Island.

Speaker 3:

You know there's a story that goes behind. That that's still well and another French man I don't know what his name was they actually went back to the fort. Can you tell us a little bit about that trip and what that might have been like?

Speaker 2:

That was quite an experience. There's no way. All I got to say is those some mighty stout men still on Trudeau's left to try to get back to Fort Wallace for help. Of course they were surrounded by Indians. They walked out to the night, they walked backwards, basically for part of the ways to kind of confuse the Indians, and they also had taken their boots off so they were barefoot, and partway there they saw Indians coming so they had to hide, and part of the hiding, the way they hid, was they crawled into a buffalo carcass and hid and then worked their way back to the fort.

Speaker 2:

Well, at the same time they were doing that, Chauncey, Whitney and another scout tried to get out. They were repelled back by the Indians and so they later Donovan and Piley, were sent out and amazingly, Donovan, Piley, Trudeau and Stilwell all made it to the ball at about the same time. So it was quite a hard trip and all I could say is these guys were amazing. I believe it was Trudeau, I believe couldn't hardly walk by the time he got there. He wasn't able to go out with the rescue party and tried to find because he was so in such bad shape physically.

Speaker 3:

Well, tell me, there's a part in that story where they're in that carcass and supposedly a rattlesnake comes out, Rattlesnake, yeah. And they dispatch the rattlesnake with the Chauncey tobacco between the eyes. Is that right?

Speaker 2:

You know, I don't know if that's true, and I would, of course, you know. Back then you always had to make a story sound better. But yeah, the story says that while they were there, a rattlesnake crawled into the carcass with them and well, they didn't spit at him, had a child of the back on, spit at him and just make one away.

Speaker 3:

Well, you know, the humor of the myths, along with the history, is really inspiring a lot of times, because I agree with you sometimes they stretch those stories out but because of the stretch it makes it a lot more interesting for people.

Speaker 1:

That's one of those things. If it wasn't true, it should have been yeah exactly.

Speaker 2:

It makes a better story. That's right, I don't know. I think it was a pretty good story even without the rattlesnake.

Speaker 3:

There you go, so let's talk a little bit about why the Battle of Beecher Island was a significant event in history.

Speaker 2:

Battle of Beecher Island. Number one was the number one publicized engagement between the Native Americans and the US government and it held that position all the way until June 25th of 1976 when Customers used them and they brought to number two, where it actually still stays today. It's actually still talked about. It was also one of the very first major type engagements, full engagements with the Native Americans, that the military had Several skirmishes and little battles here and there throughout the plains Indian wars, but that was actually one of the very first major type battles between the two factions.

Speaker 3:

And during that battle, one of the chiefs Romanos he perished in the battle. Can you tell us a little bit about that? Now we have Chantsy Whitney being the actual person who pulled the trigger, but that really has to do a lot with the series that we're writing on the Trailsforged Treaties and Indian Wars, so that story's in there, because later on he gets killed by Billy Thompson and Elsworth.

Speaker 3:

So we had to bring him in some way, but he was there also at the Battle of Beecher Island. Anyway, the idea of a Romanos and that charge that he made, can you kind of describe what that looked like? All those soldiers hiding behind their horses and dug in dead horses?

Speaker 2:

As the story goes, romanos was the dog soldier's war leader and he had. He wore this great, big, long, extravagant headdress as part of his medicine. And another part of his medicine was that he not eat food. Prepared the white man, white like with metal utensils, and supposedly a couple of days prior to the actual battle, he was handed a piece of meat. He ate it and then found out that it had been picked up off the fire by a metal fork, compromising his medicine.

Speaker 2:

Not having time for a cleansing ceremony, they then attacked horse-hiking the scout. But the first charge, romanos kind of set back up on a hill and watched the person pack and this upset his warriors and so they came back and cast you know, your Romanos the great war leader, and you're sitting back on this hill like a woman. And so he jumps off his pony, strips down naked, pops back up and runs his warbond and leads the next charge and as they're making a pass by the scout, pass the scout to his shot in the back, they take him back to the camp where he died. So maybe there was something to his medicine, we don't know.

Speaker 3:

Well, the medicine man was very important back in those days anyway, right in the ceremonies, that whole, that whole culture, just understanding and knowing about it and the rituals they went through were very important to the war factions and dog soldiers. Let's talk a little bit about dog soldiers dog soldiers, because dog soldiers were their warriors, they were kind of the keepers of the camp. Can you tell us a little bit about them and what role they played and why they were different from the other parts of the tribe?

Speaker 2:

Well, each tribe, whether it's Cheyenne, rappo, pony or whatever, is divided into different societies and you have a warrior society. Well, the Cheyenne people, the dog soldiers, were the warrior society and they were the caretakers. They were the ones that, when the village is moving from one point to another, they're the ones following up behind, covering the back. They were the protectors of the village, and the Cheyenne dog soldiers themselves were, you know, some of most fiercest fighters out there, that they were there to protect the people of the village.

Speaker 1:

Well, greg, just as kind of a prelude to this next section, I was wondering if you could tell us a little bit about kind of your understanding of the relationship between the various frontier forts, such as it was like Harker, wallace, fort Hayes, lauren, adodge cooperation, or lack thereof, as the case may be.

Speaker 2:

Well, actually they worked pretty close together. They were stretched out along the various trails, Of course, harker, hayes and Wallace were along the Smoky Hill Trail, lauren, adodge, aubrey were along the Santa Fe Trail, and so they worked together, protecting each other. Let's take, oh, let's take, dodge City and let's go out about 60 miles, and they have a 60-mile radius around that. And then Larmard, fort Larmard, do you have a 60 to 70-mile radius around that? Well, those two radiuses overlap. So we're working with each other, protecting that area, supporting each other.

Speaker 2:

And Fort Harker well, they supported everybody because in 69, they finally became the main supply depot for all the frontier forts out the west. So there was quite a bit of they worked together a lot, part of the things that would happen. We would bring oh, let's just go to Fort Zara down on the Santa Fe Trail and freight's coming up to the trail to Fort Zara, they change wagons. We go down to Fort Harker, we pick up those wagons, we bring it up here and we put it on the train, and then we take a couple of them and train back down to Fort Zara. Or we've got an escort, a stage escort or a wagon train escort that we go to is going towards Fort Hayes, where we'll pick them up. So Fort Hayes will meet halfway and pick up the escort.

Speaker 2:

So all the frontier forts were working very, very close with each other. They had to survive, and here at Fort Harker we had the main hospital, all right, well, hey, I really appreciate you inviting me to come to this. I had a really good time. Of course, I always slow talking about history and sometimes I get talking too much. That's why, whenever I go to speak, my wife is sitting in the background. We're all in the same boat, yep we are.

Speaker 3:

OK well, thank you again and again, let's talk about coming out and visiting us sometime soon, OK, Sure sure Keep in touch and let me know, and it sounds like something fun.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, glad to do that.

Speaker 3:

Appreciate you, greg. Thank you All right, see you. See you All right guys Good job, thank you. Good job, ok, bye, take care Bravo.

Greg Heller Interview