Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-05-03
Letter from Fort Fetterman.


) this post to repair the telegraph
line toward the east They fol-
lowed the line to Horseshoe, foriy-fv'
miles, and were on their return, when
about midday ofthe llth inst, they were
surprised by large party of Indians,
supposed, from their dress, to have been
Sioux, who are beginning to infest this
region, with hostile intent.
Sergeant Ray and private Emory were
several rods away along the telegraph
line, as the Indians rushed upon them,
and we're prevented from reaching the
wagons, in which were FIVE of their COM
panions, supposed to have been asleep,
as they were some minutes prior to the
attack.
The two were mounted, but the sur
prise was so complete that the Indians
advanced within pistol-shot before they
attempted to escape. At first it was
doubtful whether they we're friendly or
hostile Indians; but the doubt was soon dis
PEELED, for as Ray and Emory turned to
escape, the savages fred on them. EN-
DRY received two pistol balls in the back,
each passing through the body and lodg-
ing near together in the groin. Another
ehot entered the left temple, ascending
into the brain.
He fell to the ground Immediately.
The Indians took his mule, stripped him
of his clothing, except the shirt, and
scalped almost the entire head He re-
ceived deep knife wound on the right
cheek, and slit was cut down the breast,
ten inches in length, which laid open the
flesh, in a horrible gaping wound, down
to the bone.
This last is said by some to be brave
mark" given to the credit of the dead;
while others affirm, and think correctly,
that it is designed to indicate, in re-
vengeful way, the number of braves
lost by the victors, the cuts correspond
ing in number with their dead list.
Sergeant Ray continued his fight, fol-
lowing the valleys for. protection, with
the Indians ID close p1fsuit He was
mounted on an active old horse 1.-THE once
famous race horse George Atchson) but
one that had been everybody's property
at the post, and had eaten nothing but
"post hay" until he was sadly run
down, but must do duty, of course, while
there remained so much as a tail of him.
1t was found afterward that Sergeant
Ray got seven or eight miles from the
scene of the attack before the savages
overlook him. Judging from indications
discovered at that point where the last
scene of the bloody tragedy was enacted,
he had ridden his animal down the spur
of steep hill into deep, narrow valley,
the poor faded beast still making from
fifteen to eighteen feet at each leap-but
stumbling over a stone at the foot Of the
ACTIVITY, he fell forward on his breast,
dismounting his rider.
Here the chase had evidently ended.
The tracks of two ponies, under rapid
speed, were found leading around the
hill, intersecting the trail of the Ser
geant' horse at this point. They led away
in another direction, the three eni-
mails together, and evidently on
moderate walk. There lay Rays saddle,
stripped of its leather and mountings,
but no traces of blood, nor signs of
conflict were discovered there. The Ser.
geant, however, has not been heard OF
since. BE may have been taken away to
the sayages' camp, and tortured to death
there, which is the special delight Of
these Sioux, or be may still be alive,
prisoner in their hands. lie was armed
with O revolver, while the rest of the
party had Spencer carbines. His horse
was found dead, shot through with poison
| ed arrows, about one mile from where
the saddle lay.
Two other members Of tho party we're
at o considerable distance frem the
wagons when the attack was made, hunt
ing for game In the woods. Fortunately
they discovered the savages before being
themselves seen, and, being cut of from
their party, fed toward this post, follow
ing the valleys for cover, and reaching
this place, worn and weary, about day
light next morning. The distance to
"La Bounty" where the bloody affair
occurred, is eighteen miles, but the boys
hs6, no doBbt, travelled three times that
distance in getting here.
That same day q small squad Of infsn-
try, with the usual regulation encum-
branee Of baggage wagons. went out in
"pnrsuit" OF the Indians, hoping to
chsstise them, and to recover the stolen
teams and the bodies Of the slain. The
party returned, unsuccessful In their
main object, though they found the
bodies Of Emory and those killed at the
wagons. Sergeant Ray was not found,
dead or alive, and no traces Of him
escape, as above stated.
0n the third day another party was
despatched as before, composed in large
part Of friendly Arspahoes. headed BY The
educated interpreter, Friday" This
party also returned without any further
information concerning the lost man, or
Of the whereabouts Of the hostile ssvages.
These Indians are getting very bold.
About eleven o'clock am. yesterday, a
small party Of them, on a raid for booty,
crossed the Platte river less than q mile
fron the fort. The day being cloudy
and dark, they captured and made of
With two loose mules and took one pris-
oneF, 3 friendly AFApaho, vh0ss lodge
(cslled "tepee" was on the river bank,
where be and q few others OF his tribe
dvelt temporarily, the men bunting and
the squsws dressing skins aud making
moceasins for barter with the whites.