The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-09-09
ALMOST A CUSTER MASSACRE

AAoNAV0A u VO1AAAt uAla1"A0Ath
Indian Treachcry w. White Mems Gre
duiity Even Gen. Carr Over reached
His Small Command BADLY Handled
Capt. Henlig and Seven Me Killed
Gen. Carr reaches Fort Apache by Fore
ed Marches followed by the Red Devils.
Notwithstanding signals were CIV
out quite generally some time
by the presses of the country,
c%autiOnlng the government and our
commanding officers to beware of
indian 'treachery and to be constantly
on their guard lest another massacre
like that Of the lamented Custer and
his command should ensue to startle
the country and make us more sick,
disheartened and discouraged than
ever before with the bitter fruits of
our Indian policy, we have II new
chapter of sufficiently startling pro.
portions to cause the public to ex-
claim, "what neXt!"
Gen. Carr left Fort Apache Aug.
20, with troops ID. and f., sixth caval-
ry, and u company Of Indian scouts.
numbering in all l05 men and 6 off.
GERS, for the purpose of arresting an
Apache "medicine man. who had
been using his potent powers to per-
suade the indians to u new outbreak.
He reached the indian camp Oh the
3Oth where he found 900 Indians, and
arrested the medicine man without
resistance. The command then pro-
ceeded a few miles from the main
Indian village, where they camped
and the pack-train unlOaded, with the
Indians arriving from every point,
but keeping along the range of the
bluffs some 300 feet off. Some Indian
scouts came into camp. Capt. Hen
Liz ordered them to leave. While
doing 80 the Indians
TURNED AND FIRED
and killed Capt. IIenlig instantly.
The fight then became general. The
troops formed skirmish lines, driving
the Indians back for u distance. The
herders were killed by the first vOlley,
and the herd stampeded. The fight
lasted until darkness. when the In
dams drew of toward their own
camp. 1t is impossible to tell how
many hOstiles were killed. Councils
were held and it was decided that it
was impossible to hold the position
against such u large force. There
was but One way out of the camp,
through Bad Canon. The herd was
rounded in and it was found that ID
troop had lost thirty.three horses.
and several badly shot. They hastily
GATHERED Up IL DEAD,
and found seven men and one officer,
Capt. Henlig, killed. They buried
them inside a tent of Cars, which,
with everything but the saddles, and
ammunition. were left upon the field
as a blind to cover the retreat. The
badly wounded soldiers were placed
OH horses, and ut Ii o'clock the com.
mand started in retreat for the post.
One of the wounded men died ut 1
o'clock next morning. The Indians
did not follow. Gen. Carr made "a
forced march, not stopping anywhere
until he reached the post ut 4 p. III.
OH the 3lst. The troops we're badly
used up with hunger and fatigue.
This is bad enough, while we hold
our breaths to hear whether Gen.
Carr, as later accounts tell us, is sur.
rounded by hostiles on the war path,
shut up in Fort Apache, is able to
hold his own till reinfOrcements on
their way, come to his rescue. How
would a new policy, cOmprehended
by the word determination, answer for
a new departure? We are heartily
sick of reading Indian atrocities.