Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-08-24
INDIAN MASSACRES.
The Nlassacre at Fort Phil :Kearney Ten
Years Ago.


Years Ago.
Old Fort Phil Kearney, in the Platte
valley, is invested with tragic interest
that overshadowed everything OF late
wears but Clusters death in the West
1t is but ten years since the massacre
near this old fort occurred, wherein be-
tween eighty and ninety persons, among
whom were the gallant Fetterman and
Brown and Lieut.. Grummond, fell fight
ing the Sioux. Old Fort Kearney was
established year before the massacre
by Col. 81. B. Darlington, then In COM
mand of one of the old infantry regl-
ments before the army reduction. He
started from Leavenworth, and Reno
and Kearney were built as defenders OF
the old Boseman trail. Kearney was
located about sixty miles beyond Reno
and about ninety miles to the south and
east of old Fort @. F. Smith. The In
dams that year-1866-were very trou-
blesome. The Sioux, then under the
leadership of Red Cloud, who has since
become and remained friendly, had re-
peatedly menaced the post. With all
their wiles and strategy the Indians had
that season been unable TO induce
Colonel Darlington to hazard a general
engagement. Numerous skirmishes had
taken place, the Sioux never appearing
in any great numbers. On the day of
the massacre they had attacked the
wood train. The assailing force was not
apparently larger than thirty or forty
warriors. These were driven off by the
troops, and Captain Fetterman, after
routing them, followed the fleeing Sioux
over the bluffs and out of sight OF the
post. This was what the Indians ex-
pected and desired. They seemed to
retreat before Fetterman, and that Off
Ger, suspecting nothing of the trap that
had been set for him and his troops,
pressed them to point where the saw
ages could hold him.
Once in the neighborhood of Indian
hill they rushed in between him and the
fort. He saw the plan for the first time.
His men, who numbered nearly ninety
then, having been re-enforced by Lieu
tenant Grummond with twenty-eight
cavalrymen, found their chances OF es-
cape few. Fetterman tried to force a
passage through the Indians, who num-
bered about {, 1000, back over the bluffs
and to the post, but found it impossible.
The doomed men found their ammuni-
tion giving out. All hope was gone.
They gathered around their comman-
der and fought to kill, not to survive.
The Indians waited until every ounce
of lead and powder was expended. See-
ing their white foe virtually disarmed,
they rushed in and butchered the brave
fellows who remained. From the posi-
ton occupied by the bodies of Fetter-
man and Brown it was concluded that,
seeing hope die and horrible death by
torture awaiting them should they be
taken alive, they reserved one bullet
each, and had shot one another the mo-
ment the Sioux were congratuiatlng
themselves on their capture. The
bodies were found next day BY strong
detachment sent out to reconnoiter, for
such was the effect of the slaughter on
the garrison that none dared to venture
to the field and learn the fate OF the gal
liant Fetterman and his brave band. The
Sioux had left the remains on the field
after denuding them of their clothing
and scalping and mutilating their re-
mains. The dead were conveyed to the
fort and buried with military honors In
sight of the stockade.