The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-08-16

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g$RE1nss snoortS6 ON THE Fi;oNri;Irnl.
a l6tter from an ex-post chaplain to the
Nb% York Tribune, dated Footetille:
Wis, June s., says: II.
On the march Of our regiment from
Sioux City, Iowa, to Fort Sully. u. r. /,
We were overtaken by young frontiers.
man, whose parents live in the Northern
part of the Territory. He had been
with General Sibley's expedition, had
been recently discharged, and was now
on his way home. With us As could
have company and rations. He had his
horse. rifle, aud cavalry acooutrements
with him. After we had gone into camp,
one evening, and supper was over, the
boys gathered in groups, as usual, to en-
JOY chat. In tho group around our
frontiersman o discussion arose on the
respective power aud accuracy of their
pieces. This young man praised his
piece above all others for long range and
accuracy. just then one Of our men
saw what he thought was buffalo, or
deer. crossing butte, about milo of,
and challenged him to shoot at that.
But he said it was neither deer nor q
buffalo, but nm Indian. and he thought
he could hit him, or, ut any rate, he
could scare him. He drew bead and
fired; tho object was seen to spring up
IN the air, and some one exclaimed:
You hit him." Ho replied. very cooliy I:
Don't know; an Indian would jump
that way and then full if lie heard the
whizz of ball, just to prevent your
firing again" Some of our bows caught
his spirit, and said. sit was only an In.
dian, anyhow" but most OF them were
| shocked that man, who had never done
them any harm, should be shot at in so
cold -blooded manner. At roll call, one
OF our soldiers was missing. Another
OF the company said be fell out at a
stream, about two miles back, to catch a
fish for supper; another said ho was
down with Company K; 30 the inquiry
was passed over unanswered. The SER
geant, however, who shared the shelter
tent With tho young man who had shot
ut the Indian, wns restless all night, and
conld not sleep for thinking that per-
haps it was young P, the missing man,
thut was shot He watched for peep of
day, then woke the young man up, pro-
posing to go up the butte and see if lie
had hit TINT Indian. They went, nnd
when they drew near enough, to sce the
object on the ground distinctly, the from
tiersman, who wns ahead, threw up his
hands, and e1c'nimed: "AIy God, it's a
soldierl' It WAS our lost comrnde, a
quiet, peacenblo youth, of about nine
teen years OF age. The ball had passe i
right through Lis head.
The young man who shot him was put
under arrest, depositions taken, and,
when we reaclied tho river. was sent, by
the first down boat. under guard, to
Sioux City. Having been discharged,
he was civilian, aud we had to hand
him over to the civil authority. Had lie
been in the service. we conld have dealt
with him under martial law, He re-
mained there until the grand jury met,
when they decided they had no Jurisdic-
tion-no bill fonnd. Had he shot au
Indian. we oonld not hive done anything
with him, as an Indian is not citizen.
A trader, who has been several years in
the Iudinn country, told me If it had
been an Indian, our regiment would
have lost many "a scalp as penalty OF
the wlckcdness Of that ono mnu This
would have led to reprisals, and then
there would have been numerous ac
counts OF Indian outragos.
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