The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1876-07-28
INDIAN WARS.
Previous Defeats of United States
Troops by Savages.

In its magnitude this is the most crush
ing defeat that the American army has
sustained at the hands Of sayages since the
United States became nation, if there be
excepted st. Clair's disaster. This took
place November 4, 1891, when the Miamis,
led by 1Iishekonequoh, better known as
Little Turtle, utterly routed the American
army under General st. Clair, who lost 80
officers and 593 men. One of the few oc-
casions on which Washington, himself
versed in Indian warfare, and remember
ing the fate of the regulars. under Brad
dock, lost his self-control was when he
received the news of this calamity. The
news was brought to him by special mes
senger while he was at dinner with COM
pany. He went out to speak with the
messenger, returned to his seat, went
through the dinner with perfect composure
and Immediately attended Mrs. Washing
toms drawing room, speaking courteously
with every lady. When the company had
gone and Mrs. Washington had retired,
leaving the President and his Secretary,
Mr.. Sears, alone, Washington broke out
again and again in terrible explosions of
wrath. EYES," he exclaimed, "here on
this very spot l took leave of him I wished
him success and honor. you have your
instructions from the Secretary of War;
said I. Il had strict eye to them, and
will add but one word-Beware of a sur
prise You know how the Indians fight
US. I repeat it-Beware Of surprise. ,
He went off with that, my last warning,
thrown in his ears. And yet, to suffer that
army to be cut to pieces, hacked, butchered,
tomahawked by a surprise-the very thing
I had guarded him against. o, God O,
God! (throwing up his hands and shaking
with emotion) he's worse than murderer.
How can he answer to his country? The
blood Of the slain is upon him, the curse of
widows and orphans, the curse of heavenw
The war of 1912 witnessed no serious
defeat, the massacres Of Chicago and De-
troit having been wrought on defenseless
prisoners. In 1885 came the Seminole war.
General Thompson, the Commissioner,
when the Indians refused to emigrate,
denying that they had signed the treaty of
Fort Gibson understandingly, put Osceola
in irons and provoked war. On the 28th
Of December Osceola killed Thompson, a
lieutenant and several others at Fort King,
and the Same day, in the Wahoo swamp,
fell on Major Dade and body of 10 reg
ulars and destroyed them completely in
deed, the bodies were not found for long
time. Thus began war which cost the
United States /, ,466 lives and ten million
dollars.
The next great Indian war was provoked
by the massacre of some five hundred In
dians, principally women and children,
November %, 1854, at Fort Lyon, by Col.
Chivington, after they had been induced
to go into camp in the vicinity of the
troops. The Indians had vengeance for this
in December, 1866. The government had
been constructing new road to Montana,
which the Indians claimed would drive the
game out of their best hunting grounds
accordingly they opposed its making and
use vigorously. From July 26 to December
81 they attacked every train that passed
over the road, and fifty one times appeared
in hostile array before Fort Phil Kearney
and killed five officers, ninety-one men and
fifty eight citizens. December 6 they at
tackled a wood train two miles from the
Fort Colonel Fettermen, with fifty men,
sailed out and rescued it. This gave the
Indians the hint, and ON the 21st they
planned a similar attack, preparing an
ambush. Colonel Fetterman, Captain |
Brown and Lieutenant Grummond were
sent out ith ninety-one men, when the |
Indians, 5000 strong, fell ON them and
destroyed them. Sixty.seven corpses were
'ound in space thirty-five feet in diam
,ter. Colonel Fetterman and Captain
Brown blew out each others brains to
svoid being taken alive.--N. r World.