The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1871-06-28
; Careless Shooting on The Frontier.

A letter from an ex-post c!.apl.in
to. the New York T,ibune, dated
Footcv'lIc, Wis, June S, says:
On The march Of our reg aiment from
Sioux City, Iowa, TO Fort Sully, d.
!. we were ovcrtakcn by young
fiontieTsmaD, whore parents live in
the thern part of tho Territory.
Ale had been with Gen. Siblc,'s ex-
petition, had been recently discharg-
ed and was now on his way home,
With us lie could have company aud
rations. He had his horse, rifle, and
cavalry accoutremcnts with him.
After we had gone into camp one
evening, and supper was over, the
boys gathered in groups, as usual, to
enjoy chat. In the group around
our frontiersman discussion arose on
the respective power and accuracy
of their pieces. This young man
praised his pieoe above all others for
long range and accuracy. Just then
one of our men saw what he thought
was Buffalo, or deer, crossing q
butte, about mile off, and challenged
him.to shoot at that, But he said
it was neither deer nor buffalo.
but an Indian, and he thought he
could hit him, or at any rate he
could scare him. He drew a bead and
fred the object wae seen to spring
up III the air, aud some one exclaimed,
"You hit him" lie replied, very
coolly: "Don't know an Indian
would jump that way and then fall
down it ho heard the whiz of ball,
just to prevent your firing again"
Some of our boys caught his spir-
it,and said "itwas only an Indian. any.
how" but most Of them were shocked
that man, who never done thou any
harm should bc shot at in SO cold.
bloodcd manner. At roll call one
OF our soldiers were missing. An
other OF the company said he fell out
at a stream about two miles hack to
catch fish for super; another said he
was down with Company X, 20 the in
dry was passed over unanswered, ri Q
sergeant, however, who shared tie
shelter tent with the young man who
had shot at the Indian, was restless
all night, and could not sleep for
thinking that perhaps it was young
T., tho missing man, that was shot. He
watched for peep of day, then woko Q
tho young man to go up the butte and
sec If he had hit that Indian. They
went, aud when they drew near
enough to soc the object on the ground
distinctly, the frontiersman, who was
ahead, threw up his hands and ex-
claimed, "Hy God, it's soldier %
1t was the lost comrade, quiet,
pesoeable youth of about nineteen
years OF age. Tho hall had passed
right through his head.
The young man who shot him was
put under arrest, dispositions taken,
aid when We reached the river was
s:ut, by the first down boat, under
guard, to Sioux City. Having been
ais!ehargcd, he wasa civilian, and we
had to hand him over to the civil au.
thority. Had he been in the service,
We could have dealt with him under
martial law. lie remained there un.
til the grand jury met, when thew
decided they had no Jurisdiction
no bill found. Had he shot an In.
dlan we could not have done any
thing With him, as ali Indian is not a
citizen. y trader who has been for
several years in the Indian country,
told me If it had been au Iudian, our
regiment would have lost many scalp
as the penalty Of the wickcduess OF
that one man. This would have led
to Ieprisals, and then there would
nave been numerous accounts of "In
dian outrascs."