The Call to Organize the Militia
With the shadow of the Indian War and Custer’s defeat looming, the paper calls for a organized militia to protect the Puget Sound region.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Some time since, in answer to requests relating to organizing troops for the Indian War against the Sioux, we took preliminary steps and made inquiries in regard to arms and supplies so that should the government need service, the men could be raised at short notice. Since the destruction of Custer and his band, there has been a dearth of news from the Sioux country. There are plenty of Indians there; the only question is one of personal leadership and ability to carry on the contest. Besides the regular army, in the event of a foreign war, the Sound region is the most exposed portion of the American frontier. There is nothing like a regular military organization here, while there should be at least a regiment of militia, equipped and drilled so they could be assembled for home police and protection against disaster. As we first suggested the matter, we are willing to take an active part in the organization of a company of militia at this place, and request all residents ready to take part to hand in their names during this month.
“In the event of a foreign war, the Sound region is the most exposed of any portion of the whole American frontier for the attack of either naval or land forces.”
This reflects the acute anxiety of 1870s Washington settlers who viewed the Pacific Northwest frontier as vulnerable to both domestic uprisings and potential foreign naval attacks, a stark contrast to modern regional security concerns.
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