Arizona citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Pima County, A.T. [i.e. Ariz.]) 1870-1880, 1876-08-05

AUGUST 5, 1876.
Previous Defeats of United States
Troops by Sayages-
From the New York World

From the New York World
In its magnitude this is the mos
crushing defeat that the American
larmv has sustained at the hands Of
isavages since the United States became
a nation, if there be excepted St Glars
disaster. This took place November
IA. 1891, when the Miamis, led by Mis-
ihekonequoh, better known as Little
Turtle, utterly routed the American
Iarmy under General St CLAIR, who lost
1879 officers and SOB men. One of the
few occasions on which Washington,
himself versed in Indian warfare, and
remembering the fate of the regulars
under BraddOck, lost his self-cOntrol
was when he received the news of this
calamity. The news was brought TO
him by special messenger. Yes"
he exclaimed, here on this very spot
| | took leave of him; | wished him
success and honor. You have your
instructions from she Secretary of
War said |. Il had strict eye to-
them, and will add but one word
Beware of a surprise! You know how
the Indians fight US. repeat it-Be-
ware of Il surprise He went off with
that, my last warning thrown in his
ears. And yet, to suffer that army toI
be cut to pieces, hacked, butchered,
tomahawked by surprise-the very
thing l had guarded him against OIL
God! 0, God! throwing up his hands
and shaking with emotion) he's worse
than a 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 heaven!"
The war of 1872 witnessed no serious
defeat, the massacres of Chicago and
Detroit having been wrought on de
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
undersIandingly, put Osceola in irons
and provoked a war On the 2Sth 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 regulars and destroyed them
completely; indeed, the bodies were
not found for long time. Thus be
gan war which cost the United States
1866 lives and 100000.
The next great Indian war was pro
vOked by the massacre of some five
hundred Indians, principally women
and childsen, November %, 1864, at
Fort Lyod, by Colonel Chivington, af
er they had been induced to 20 into
amp in the vicinity of the troops.
The Indians had vengeance for this in
December, 1866. The government had
leen constructing a new road to Men
ana, which the Indians claimed would
lrive the game out of their best hunt
ng grounds; accordingly they opposed
Is making and use vigorously. From
July 26 to December u they attacked T
very train that passed over the road.
md tifty-One times appeared in hostile ,
.rray before Fort Phil Kearney and f.
killed five officers, ninety-one men and t
iily-eight citizens. December 6 they
stacked wOod-train two miles from +
he fort. Colonel Fetternan. with fifty i
men, sailed ON and rescued il. This I
ave the Indians the hint, and on the
LIST they planued similar attack, pre- !
,aring an ambush. Colonel Fetter
lan, Captain Brown and Lieutenant
frummOnd were sent out with ninety l.
ne men, when the Indians, 5000 strong, =
ell on them and destroyed them. !
lXty-seven cOrpses were found in a
pace thirty-five feet in diameter. Col C
mel Fetterman and Captain Brown
lew out each others brains to avoid L
eing taken alive. Z