Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-16
UNCALLED-FOR BLOODsHED.

How Company of Soldiers was Slain
when there was No Occasion for a
Fight.
''The Mexican and Indian war pension
bill recalls to my mind some scenes of
bloody warfare with the red DEVILS" said
a frOntiersman to the Washington cores
pendent of the Indianapolis Journal. ut
has refreshed my memory OF some terri
BILE slaughters." he continued. ''SOme
time during the month of August, 1854,
the tide of immigration into the Pacific
slope country was very great, and en-
braced those en- route to the gold fields of
California and Utah, the latter settling at
the base of the mountain for the purpose
Of founding a Mormon colony. A train
of Mormon emigrants passed Fort Lara
ME on the old overland road to the west.
One of their oxen gave out and was left
on the road to die. A short distance be-
low Fort Laramie, on the Platte river,
large body Of Sioux Indians, composed of
the Bentees and Ogalalas, were encamped.
An Indian from one of the Missouri val
ley tribes wandered from his band across
the country on visit to the tribes | have
named and found the abandoned OK. The
Indian was starving, 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 left
the OK, learning that 1t had been killed by
the Sioux, at once appealed to the officer
in command at Fort Laramie for cOmpen-
satiOn for the OK.
eat that time there was law by which
the whites were paid for all property lost
by Indian depredatiOns out of the annUi-
ties belonging to the tribes who committed
the damage. Lieut.. Grafton, then in COM
mand at Fort Laramie, sent for the Bear,
chief Of the Brules, and demanded the
surrender of the young buck who had
killed the OK. The chief replied:
"'The Indian does not belong to my
band, and by an understanding amongst
us l can not deliver him to you. But,
rather than have trouble with the soldiers,
l will pay you as many horses as you de-
mand.'
''Lieut Grafton told the chief to return
to his people and tell them that on the fol-
lowing day he would come with his troops
to their camp, and if the Indian was not
delivered he would be obliged to take him
by force. On the following day an inter-
prefer was dispatched in advance to say
| that the troops were coming, and that they
| would demand the surrender of the Indian
| who killed the OK. Whilst the interpreter
was en- route to the chief, bearing the
| message of the commander, he found
whisky at a station and became intOXica-
! ted. lie m9untRd his horse and made TO-
WdrU Lhe indian camp. AS he entered the
| camp, reeling on his horse, he took from
his mouth two or three bullets, extended
them IN his hand toward the chief, and
| exclaimed:
awe have come TO give YOU these
| shaking the bullets in the face of the
| chief in a menacing manner.
/ "The chief paid but little attention 70
| the interpreter, thinking the proposition
] III He'u oii Uouy IudUS " the CUumaffttCI
! was satisfactory. The Lieutenant. how
! ever, soon made his appearance with a
| company OF twenty-nine soldiers, armed
with muskets and provided with hOwit-
! ger. The troops were drawn up in line
before the Indian camp in Il semi-circle.
/ The chief was sent for. He soon made his
| appearance, and the officer repeated his
demand for the Indian who had slain the
| OK 0t the Mormon emigr2nts. The chief
again, with sorrOwful sOlemnity, said:
- can not give you the man YOU de-
mand. lie does not belong to my camp.
! But you can have all the horses you de-
mand in payment for the OK
mo, Sir was the reply. And as the
old chief turned his back to consult his
tribe he was shot severely. Both the in
tantry and the artillery opened fire on the
Indians, who, seeing that the soldiers
were full Of tire-water and that a fight
was inevitable, made full preparations to
meet them. After the first vOlley the sol
| dIers began to flee, but they were quickly
surrounded by the Indians, and, like the
battle of Thermopyl9, but one was left to
tell the tale of his comrades. He survived
only few days, and died of his wounds.
THUS ended said the frOntiersman,
'one OF the most uncalled-for massacres
ever enacted and recorded as a matter of
history These facts were obtained by a
most reputable gentleman who was in the
country at that time, making scientific
Investigations for the Academy Of Natu-
raj Scipupa