, 1854-11-04
An Indian Battle.

1HE MASSACRE AT FORT LARANIE-FULL PAR
TIcULARs-LIEUr. GRArTAN, TwENTY-oNE
SOLDIERS AND THE UNITED STATES INTER.
PREFER KnLED-THE sAvAGEs REFUSE TO
ALLOW THEIR BODIES TO BE DURIED-$50,- :
900 OF THE AMERICAN FUR coMPANY's
GOODS APPROPRIATED by THE INDIANS.
From the St. Louis Democrat Sept 10.
We have received through the medium
Of Mr.. LEROY lott, one of the Sioux inter
prefers, who came as an express messenger
from the scene of the disaster the full par
ticulars Of the late massacre Of United
States troops at Fort Laramie, which pre-
sent the outrage in even more glaring col
ors than could have been anticipated from
the brief notice We have already published
They are briefly as follows:
A Mormon emigrant who was travelling
the road, left, it seems, lame COW which
was unable to travel; and an old Sioux In
dian, belonging to the band of Minnecon-
gus, found it upon the roadside and killed
it. The Mormon stopped with bis wagons
at Fort Laramie, and so soon as he learned
that it had been killed, be made complaint
to theoficer at the Fort, and demanded
redress. The officer in command, Lieut..
Fleming, when the story was told him, at
once sent for the head chief Of the Sioux
Matte-i-o-wan (the Bear), and demanded
that the Minnecongus Indian should be de-
lvered up. Matte-i-o-wan informed him
that If he would send file Of soldiers, he
would endeavor to have the Indian surren-
dered. Lieut.. Fleming then ordered out
Lieut.. Grattan with twenty-five men, and
the United States interpreter, Auguste Lu-
clan, to accompany the Sioux chief to the
Minnecongus village, which was situated
some nino miles below the fort, near Bur
deau's House." The Lieut. with bis COM
mand, marched down, taking with him two
six Founders, aud planted them in the Wa
zha-zie camp, where the Indian in question
was lodged. Matte-io-wan then went into
the village and demanded the Indian, but
the chiefs would not listen to him. They
told him that they would pay for the COW,
or they would replace it, or would leave
the matter to be settled by the agent when
he came, but that they would rather be
killed themselves than give up the Indian.
Matte-io-wan returned, made his statement
TO Lieut.. Grattan, told him if he waited
the Indian he would have to so and kill
him, as he was unable TO get him, and theu
retUrned TO the Sioux camp.
Lieut.. Grattan had replied that il there
was any killing to be done he would attend
to that matter, and accordingly immediate
ly ranged his pieces of artillery, and com
menced firing upon the village. Three or
four muskets were also fired at the same
time, but the only result was to knock the
top of Of one Of the lodges, and wound
Matte-i-o-wan and his brother, who were
standing ip front-the former with three
balls, the latter with one. So soon as the
troops fired, the Indians returned it, and
poured upon them a shower Of arrows. The
FIRST discharge killed Lieut. Grattan, who
was standing by the side of the cannon
As soon as he fell, his command at once
lost heart, and attempted to fy-leaving
their cannon, arms, and everything else.-
The Sioux then charged upon the flying
soldiers, and shot. and tomahawked every
man Of them save one, who made his escape
by leaping down ravine, and thus getting
out Of sight.
Tho interpreter, who was with the party,
Auguste Lucien, who had married Sioux
sqaw, jumped upon his horse and attempted
to make his escape. He succeeded in get
ting rid Of his immediate pdrsuers, and in
making a circle around the camp, but in.
stead Of striking for the prairie he very
foolshly attempted to run through the
Brulic camp. which was directly between
him and the fort, and which was already
alarmed blythe firing. The result was that
an Indian ran out and shot his horse with
bis rife, and then came upon him with bis
tomahawk. Lucian cried out to him moi
to kill him, as he was Sioux by marriage
but the only reply the Indian made was tc
bury his hatchet in his head. The soldier
who escaped down the rayine was found by
Sioux named Black Heart, and owed hii
life to his assistance in getting back to tho
fOrt dnrinn tlo n;orb,