Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1867-02-23

Sut udU q ldotS1Ol uiuclC-T=SuS pfdlStQ i1lIll,
By this effort of kindness on her part,
mutual kindness took the place of mutual
discomfort, The hour of flute playing
was succeeded by the hour of serious
meditation on the divine commands, and
of humble prayer before the throne of
grace. Their tastes and pursuits gradu-
ally became assimilated. ft.aa
. A timely concession saved Martha
from misery, and a timely reformation
saved Harry from the wretched life and
the miserable death ofa vagabond and a
drunkard -. : -. Es.-..5..=..3. ,sf
The Great Indian Butchery near Fort
kearney. ''s...'3l'.i,i. -. -.
From a private letter written BY a
young man of company G, 27th q. S.
infantry, now stationed at Fort Kear-
ney, we are permitted to make some ex
tracts in relation to the Indian massacre
which occurred on the 2tst oflast Decem-
Der. He says:
ssOn the morning Of December 2lst
about halfpast eight O'clock, firing in
the direction Of our wood train, enroute
to the pinery for timber, was heard and
the picket ON lookout hill Immediately
signalled Indians in that direction. Co.
q, I'd q. S. Cav, and about forty-fve
infantry, under Breyet Lieut.. Col. Fet-
terman, accompanied by Lieut.. G. w.
Grummond and Capt. T. FL. Brown, with
orders to go to the aid of the wood train,
and if they thought they could take it
to the pinery and return in safety, to do
so, were Immediately got ready. Mean
while, Indians appeared on the hills across
the pinery fork, about mile distant, al
though scattered and in small quantities.
The l2 FOUNDER was got into position to
give them shell or two, and Col. Fet-
terman's party started out the northwest
gate. The Indians had begun to slight
outn from the bushes along the banks of
Pinery Fork, as a shell or two went over
their heads in the direction of their COM
rades on the hills. The firing by this
time had ceased in the direction of the
wood train, and Col Fetterman had gone
down into the valley of Pinery Fork,
(which runs only about 400 yards from
the north corner Of the stockade) to
where the Indians were getting out of
the bushes, and who had not been seen
until one or two shells from the II poun-
der had begun to make them think it
was not exactly safe around there, they
had evidently been lying in ambush there
since sometime before daylight. There
were, l should Judge, about $50 in num-
ber, and they were running UP ravines
and from one place to another, to keep
out Of sight. When Col. Fetterman got
down into the valley, he threw out a
skirmish line as he advanced towards
the creek; the Indians were retreating
in northerly direction towards Peno
Greek Valley, where Lieut. Bingham and
sergeant Bowers were killed on the 9Th.
A small party of men joined Col Fetter-
mans party in the Pinery Fork bottom,
consisting of about three soldiers and
three or four children, who went out on
their own hook. s@ .s,- -s-s-, T
Col. Fetterman's Party kept on and
finally disappeared over the hills toward
the Peno Greek Valley, and shortly after
heavy firing was heard in that direction.
1t was by this time almost eleven O'Clock
A. NJ and everything in the garrison
pursued its regular routine of garrison
duty. About half past eleven A. NJ, a
messenger arrived from the scene of ac-
tion and requested more assistance and
men were soon gathered to the number
of about forty-fye, under charge of Capt
Ten Eyck, to go to their assistance. The
messenger reported the Indians charging
on our men in great numbers. | was anx-
ious TO go, and could not get gun
handy without going down to the com
pany after my own, and | knew | would
not have time enough for that so con-
eluded not to go, but an intimate friend
of mine went, and get the following
statement from him. He is, / think. a
very good judge = - l5s
ii.'sHe says they proceeded in haste to
the field, and upon arriving at the edge
of Peno Greek Valley, they discovered
further down and in the valley, what ap-
peared old cottonwood limbs stripped of
their bark. The valley was one moving
body of Indians, yelling around and cut
ting capers as far down the valley as the
eye could reach. My friend estimated
them at from three to five thousand, and
he has seen armies in every position, and
I think he has made careful estimate.
They proceeded along the edge of the
valley to see if they could find any trace
of Col. Fetterman's party, but not dar-
ing to go down into the bottom of the
valley for they knew it. would be folly,
| for they would be Immediately surround
ed by the Indians if they should. They
continued along the edge Of the valley
until they got to point opposite to
where the apparent cottonwood trees
were lying, Capt. TenEyck sent twenty
men to. 90 down and examine the rub
bish, and 10. and behold, they. were the
dead bodies of Col Fetterman and par
Ity, and not one was found to have the
least particle of life left When Capt
| TenEyck left the post, an ambulance and
three army wagons, with hay in the bot.
tom to bring in the wounded and take
out three thousand rounds of amunltlon
i were sent out directly, after Capt. len
Eyck's party had left. Afterit had beer
discovered that none of Col. Fetterman'f
i men had left the vale, the wagons anc
ambulances were driven down, and al
] the men except few that were left on {
4 high point to keep lookout, went out
| to load up the. bodies. The Indians hac
retreated down the. valley and did no
seem anxions to renew the combat bu
very slowly kept falling back, leaving
4 about thirty-6ve dead on the field. Be