The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-07-12
TIE KEARAEY MASSACRE.
Where Fstiermsa aad His Eighty Fell.

names of old Forts Reno, Phil.
Kearney, and C. F. Smith, the three
military stations hal kept the coun-
try clear from the Platte to the Gal
latin Valley Ten years have
wrought wonderful changes, and now
their record is as a watch in the
night. The year after the massacre
at old'Fort Phil Kearney this entire
territory was evacuated, the posts es-
tablished for the protection and en-
couragement of white trade and set
Element were destroyed, and the
forces are in the field again to do
over the work that was nulli6ed by
the treaty of '68 at Laramie.
OLD FORT PHIL KEARNEY
is invested with a tragic interest that
overshadowed everything of late
years but Clusters death in the West.
1t is but ten years since the massacre
near this old fort occurred, wherein
between eighty and ninety persons,
among whom were the gallant Fet-
terman and Brown and Lieutenant
Grummond, fell fighting the Sioux.
Old Fort Kearney was established a
year before the massacre by Colonel
II. B.. Darlington, then in command
of one of the old infantry regiments
before the army reduction. He start
ed from Leavenworth, and Reno and
Kearney were built as defenders of
the old Bozeman trail. Kearney was
located about sixty miles beyond
Reno and about ninety miles to the
south and east of old Fort G. F.
Smith. The Indians that year
l866-were very troublesome. The
Sioux, then under the leadership of
Red Cloud, who has since become
and remained friendly, had repeated
ly menaced the post. With all their
wiles and strategy the Indians had
that season been unable to induce
Colonel Darlington to hazard a gen
eral engagement. Numerous skirm-
ishers had taken place, the Sioux
never appearing in any great mum
bers.b On nil1rct
THE DAY OF THE MASSACRE
they had attacked the wood-train.
The assailing force was not appa-
rently larger than thirty or forty
warriors. These were driven off by
the troops, and Captain Fetterman
after routing them followed the Aee9
ing Sioux over the bluffs and out of
sight of the post. This was what the
Indians expected and desired. They
seemed to retreat before Fetterman,
and that officer, s~uspecting nothing
of the trap that had been set for him
and his troops, pressed them to a
point where the savages were able to
hold him. Once in the neighborhood
of Indian Hill they rushed in be-
tween him and the fort He saw the
plan for the first time. His men,
who numbered nearly ninety then,
having been reinforced by Lieutenant
Grummond with twenty eight cavalry
men, found their chances of escape
few. Fetterman tried to force a pas
sage through the Indians, who num-
bered about 5000, back over the
bluffs to the post, but found it i'm
possible. The doomed men found
their ammunition giving out. All
hope was gone. They gathered
around their commander and fought
to kill, not to survive. The Indians
waited until every ounce Of lead and
powder was expended. Seeing their
white foe virtually disarmed, they
rushed in and butchered the brave
fellows who remained. From the DO
sition occupied by the bodies of Fet-
terman and Brown it was concluded
that, seeing hope die and a horrible
death by torture awaiting them
should they be taken alive, they had
reserved one bullet each, and had
shot one. another the moment the
Sioux yer congratulating themselves
on their capture.
THE BODIES WERE FOUND NEXT DAY
by a 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 gallant Fet-
terman and his brave band. The
Sioux had left the remains on the
field after denuding them of their
clothing and scalping and mutilating
their remains. The dead were con-
yeyed to the fort and buried with
military honors in sight Of the stock
ade.
The battle ground is several miles
oyer the bluffs, and on the divide be-
tween the Piney and the headwaters
of rthe Brush or Pinos Creek. A
short distance farther on down the
trail is OH elevation called Indian
Hill, from the fact that the Sioux
rose up from behind it when they
saw Fetterman's retreat was cut off,
aud rushed in upon his little band
there were about 5000 Indians-and