Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-04-24
UNNECESSARY BLOODSHED.
How a Company of Soldiers Was
Siam when There was no Oc-
casion for Fight.

|
Washington correspondent of the In
dianapolis Journal. 1T has refreshed
my memory of some terrible slaugh-
tiers, he continued. Some time du-
ring the month OF August, 1854, the
tide OF immigration into the Pacific
slope country was very great, and en-
| Draced those en- route to the gold fields
OF California and Utah. the latter set
| Ting at the base of the mountain for
the purpose OF founding Mormon col
| ony. A train OF the Mormon Cmigrants
| passed Fort Laramie on the old over
land road to the west One of their
oxen gave out and was left on the road
to die short distance below Fort
| Laramie. on the Platte river, Il large
! body OF Sioux Indians, composed of the
! Bentees and Ogalalas, were encamped.
An Indian from one OF the Missouri
valley tribes wandered from his band
across the country on visit to the
! tribes L have named and found the
| abandoned OK. The Indian was starry
ING, and finding the cast-Off animal
from the MOrmOns, he killed it and
took some of the flesh TO the camp of
! the Ogalalas. The Mormons who had
LETT the OK, learning that it had been
killed by the Sioux, ut once appealed to
| the officer in command 1T Fort Laramie
for compensation for the OK.
''At that time there was q law by
which the whites were paid for all
property lost by the Indian depreda-
| tons out of the annuities belonging to
the tribes who committed the damage.
! Lieut.. Grattan, then in command ct
| or MO ! H., y, 80
OF the Brules. and demanded the sur
render OF the young man who killed
the OK. The chief replied:
| 1.-The Indian does not belong to nv
| tribe, and by an agreement amongst US
| cannot deliver him to YOU. But rather
| than have any trouble with the soldiers
l will pay YOU rs many horses as YOU
| demand.
Lieut.. Grattan told the chief to re-
turn to his people and tell them that on
the following day he would come with
| his troops TO their camp, and if the In
dian was not delivered he would be
obliged TO take him by force. On the
! following day IN interpreter was dis
! patched IN advance to say that the
troops were coming, and that they
would demand the surrender of the In
| dian who killed the OK. Whilst the in
! terpreter was tn route to the chief,
bearing the message Of the commander,
he found whisky ut u station and be-
came intoxicated. He mounted his
horse and made toward the Indian
camp. As he entered the camp, reel
inc on his horse, he took from his
mouth two or three bullets, extended
them in his hand toward the chief, and
exclaimed:
We have como to give you these,
| shaking the bullets in the face of the
chief in a menacing manner.
The chief paid but little attention
II the interpreter, thinking the propo-
sition that he had already made was
ati>faciory. The lieutenant, however,
soon made his appearance with 3 COM
pany of tWenty-nine soldiers, armed
with musketS and provided with u how
| itzer. The troops were drawn up in
line before the Indian camp III = semi
circle. The chief was sent for. He
soon made his appearance, and the Of
ticer repeated his demand for the In
dian who had killed the OK OF the Nor
mon emigrants. The chief again, with
! SorrOWiuI s0ltmnity said:
"I cannot give you the man you de-
mand. He does not belong to my
camp. But YOU can have ali the horses
| you demand in payment for the OK
g No, sir, was the reply. And as
the Old chief turned his back to consult
with his tribe he was shot severely.
Both the infantry and the artillery
| opened fire OF the Indians, who, seeing
that fight was inevitable, made full
preparations to meet them. After the
first fire the soldiers began to fee, but
they were quickly surrounded by the
Indians, and, like the battle Of Their
| mopyl@, but one was lett to tell the
tale to his comrades. He survived on
| " few days, and died of his wounds.
''Ihus ended" said the fr0ntiersman,
| lone of the most uncalled for massa-
ores ever enacted and recorded IS '
matter of history" These facts were
obtained by most reputable gentle
man who was in the country at that
time, making scientific Investigations
for the Academy of Natural Sciences.
Did this end the trouble?' l in
CURED.
mo, indeed" he replied. in 1855
Gen. Harvey was ordered with troops to
| proceed to the Brule country and pun
ish the tribe. He found an encamp-
ment of Indians at Ash Hollow who
were in no way connected with the
Grattan massacre. He killed eighty
| three old men, women and children in
| cold blood
In December, 1866, another fright
Jul massacre occurred. known as the
| Fort Phil Kearney massacre. This fort
IS situated midway between the Platte
and Big Horn rivers, on the eastern
| slope Of the Rocky Mountains. The
light occurred in the dead of winter,
and ninety-one men and accompanying
| officers were killed. All that was ever
known of this sad affair was CLEANED
| from the Indians who were engaged in
| the battle. A few years after the Phil
Aearney slaughter the memorable in
vaslon OF the Black Hills country was
| made. 1t was rumored that the Black
Hills possessed marvellous riches in
| precious metals. A plan was agreed
| uOOn hero in MarIino+OY, nnfIuapn tho