Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-02-13
MYSTERY OF The MOUNDS.
A Nebraska Frontier Tragedy Recall
Ry Recent discoveries.


BY Recent Discoveries.
John Spencer, who resides over
south. in Phillips county, Kansas,
WAS soldier in the United States
army twenty-five years ago. He
was in the city few days ago, about
she time of the excitement in regard to
the Indian mounds, and furnished us
with an interesting chapter IN regard to
now those mounds came to be deposited
in this secluded spot from whence they
have been SO lately resurreoted says the
Republican City Independent,
On the 10Th day OF August, 1864. q
body OF United States troops under the
command of Colonel Price, detailed to
punish the bands of Indians dspredatinR
upon the borders OF civilization, came in
contact with large body OF Indians
made up ot uittfs Crows. Sioux and
Wapellos. The Indians had come over
the crest OF the bluffs while the troops
were pursuing their way up the bottoms
of the Prairie Dog, gaudily bedecked in
their war paint and fresh from the scene
of Indian deviltry farther east. They
concluded to attack the blue coats. a
short conference of the red skins deter.
mined the policy, and ludisn fashion,
fight was begun at the base OF the
Prairie Dog bluffs, that was one of the
most violent of the series which char
acterizei the frontier warfare of those
dsys. The troops entrenched near
the Prairie Dog poured in q
the maneuyering redskins, when they
t.. 4
we're equipped largely with rihes, their
soldiers being not large. At the fall OF
night both forces drew off. The Indians
unwilling to further pursue and the
troops too badly shattered to do SO, but
upon the prairie sod. then fresh in its
OF 127 Indians and l6 soldiers Victims of
| the strife, and sacrifices to the hatred Of
| the races. The Indiens went into battle
Deer. at its CLOSE shere remained but
Wysndotte anda posse of braves to re-
treat under the cover OF darkness. Wild
eternal sleep on the prairie which had
| been their hunting and fishing grounds
Before moving on the next day, the
and 10 one large trench on the crest of
Mount Mownson, shey laid the forms Of
the Indians. to rest. In the valley not
| fer from the Prairie Dog, and side by
side, seventeen graves were dug and in
them, with thei. blankets for winding
ssheet, were tenderly deposited the
soldier boys who fell before the fatal
bullets of the redskins. The mounds
we're unmarked, but in the center of the
graves alarge stone was placed AMI upon
its surface was chiseled the day and date
OF the battle, the number OF buried in
this prairie cemetery and the name OF
the commander OF the troops. Mr.
| Spencer alleges that he was present and
assisted in the burial OF the Indians,
and upon the person of Wild Deer be
noticed gold watch and diamond
broach evidently the trophies OF some
Indian sortie upon the travellers of what
| ~ss then the great American desert
For nearly 25 years these mounds and
graves have remained unnoticed and
4 untouched, until the cariosity OF citizens
was excited and an exploration Of the
mounds has resulted in the discovery oil
q large amount OF Indian relics, while II
is evident that not one half of the de
post has been worked over. The mootei
question as to how and when thes,
mounds were made is now fully explain
ed. There is no longer mystery or even
doubt ss to the identity ofthe remains
and the search for relics will, we suppose
continue until not bone of the origins
l27 warriors is left unturuad in wha
should have been its fioal resting place