Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-12

- - .iioI Aiey Are the Bones of
soldiers Killed at the Battle of White
Stone Hills in 1866.
st. Paul Pioneer Press.-Ahout ,
'ear ago the discovery of the skeletons
OF q number Of men and horses in Da-
.sota, near Glendale, excited great en-
'riosity in the public mind. and brought
out numerous communications to the
neWspapers-notably the Pioneer Press
from those who were ready with a
theory or an explanation. It was a
nlne-days' wonder, So many letters
were writtel, and expressing such diff.
ferent views, that it seemed as if moth
ing would be left from the hot contro-
except the bare bones which gave
rise to it. Two theories. however.
seemed more plausible thin the others
which We're otfered-one that they were
The skeletons of the mel killed in the
battle OF White Stone Hills, and the
other that they were the remains of a
party OF deserters who left Fort Rice.
on he Missouri river, in 1866, and were
'overtaken and massacred by the Indi-
ans. To determine this Question, and
more especially for the reason that if
these We're United States soldiers their
remains We're entitled to decent sepul-
cure, Gen. Ferry directed an investiya-
lion to be made last spring by Capt.
Bennett, of the seventeenth infantry,
chen in command of TT. Sisseton, Dako-
ga. So far as could be done by CORE
spondence, the inquiry was pursued by
capt. Bennett, but Il change Of station
to Fort lotten early in the summer
made it necessary for him to turn the
matter over to his successor, Lieut.. II.
7. Rltzlns, of the twenty-ifth infantry,
Who has just submitted q report of the
result of his investigation. During the
first week of the present month Lieut..
Rit2ius visited Ellendale in company
with Frank Drew. who first found the
skeletons; and j. 9. Luce, formerly of
the sixth Iowa cavalry, and who took
part in the battle Of White Stone Hills,
spent three days in a careful eNamina-
ton OF the Vicinage. From Mr.. Drew
it was learned that eleven skulls We're
found by him, apparently all OF white
men. and those, with other human
bones, were scattered over about d mile
o. territory. Besides these there We're
4 great quantity OF BONES Of horses, in
cludiug over one hundred horse skulls,
very many Of which We're those Of
American horses. Horses hoofs, with
iron shoes upon them, We're also found,
together with a lot Of partly burned
Indian tepee poles.
y number OF musket balls, Of the Old
Misunderstanding pattern, were picked
up, and scattered over the field lay
many tin dishes, cups and pals, all per-
forated with holes made by some sharp
Instrument. These. with spurs, Indian
pipes. brass cavalry ornaments, knives
and forks. such as were used bysoldierS
during the war, and a revolver of the
old phttern tor paper cartridge, were
originally discovered either by the
members Of Lieut.. RltZin,' party. or by
the hundreds of relic hunter who have
visited the place. TWO places We're
found looking like graves, and although
after opening them no bones were dis
covered. il was evident that they We're
graves, as the loose dirt extended down
nearly six feet. Mir. Luce, who be-
ionged to the sixth Iowa cavalry, and
was present at the battle of White
Stone Hills, states that on Sept. 8, 1868,
Gen. Sally and his force, consisting OF
the siXrl Iowa and second Nebraska
volunteer cavalry. came upon q large
camp OF Indians. about 5000 III number,
and an engagement followed, commenc-
ing about sunset that day. 1t resulted
in the defeat Of the Indians and the de-
Strurtipn of the whole Indian camp.
His regiment remained on the lleldtWo.
DAYS after the fight, and he personally
helped bury the bodies Of twenty-three
men who we're killed, and atterW%rd a
great many tcpee poles, b1iialo iooeS
and . lot Of canvas were piled on 'he
,rraye and burned in order to nllsleai
tLa Indians rs to the place OF burial.
me idea WAS that alter the Soi'ieF'
we're gone tie Indians would return
ana take up the dead and mNtl'&'s
them. and the report atterwald pre-
yailpd that they had done So = I1H-
warp lr. Luce says, belonged to the
INDIANS. From all the evidence nc
,yas abIe to collect, and from persona
]n5s@r%ati0n, Lieut.. hItziNs siys5 u d.
%;s nninion that the place IS the DS.5Iis-
HID tnr White stone ~llllls, Where ogll'
nm, Jpfpaled the Indians in 300, anu
rne SLrl atons are those OF Soi4iviS ",'o
w r. f;Ig@d il the battle. IL Seems
F3rdlg credible that the bones OF Gi'GSs
@ltiIaat men. whose bodies WerG rn Di,l1,
$50. ''t''l, alG Inutlated by SAVAGE ll'at,',.o
M he distant frontier, should q SI" ay
81 yyals uIJerWalu, ~ MN .njmmnni-
niyiiizad men il a christian to,a'ii Wan