Across the Fence: Massacre on the Marias River

A dozen, dozen years ago in the Moon When the Snow Drifts into the Tepees (January) of 1870 on the 23rd day of that month it was 40 degrees below zero in northwestern Montana Territory. On that bitterly cold morning, the Piegan chief, Heavy Runner, and his band of Blackfeet families were in winter camp on the banks of the Marias River, about sixty miles due north of Fort Shaw.

Earlier in that month Major Eugene Baker had left Fort Ellis, near Bozeman, and began a march of nearly 150 miles to reach Fort Shaw. Baker commanded four companies of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry and marched under orders of Lie...