The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-03

stranger, and knows nothing OF the battle
that took place Dec. 21, 1855, and the re
moval of the bodies of the massacred sol
diers to distant national cemetery (Cus-
ter Battlefeld), has destroyed the last
mark of the conflict. Such Is warfare on
the plains, and the fate of the heroes of
Indian fights seems to be plunge into OBJ
Gvion.
The massacre, which was one of the most
heartrending in all border annals, was per
petrated by the bloody Sioux under Red
Leaf, subordinate chief to Red Cloud.
The troops were commanded by Lieut..
Col W. j. Fetterman, Eighteenth United
States infantry. Not white man escaped,
and the story of the fight could only be
CLEANED from the signs found on the spot
after it was over.
Like the Little Big Horn massacre, where
Custer fell, the Fort Phil Kearny massa-
ere took place in valley, out of sight of
any chance spectators. The cause Of the
collision was the old story of the white
mans encrOachments and savage ven
geance. The massacre occurred Just at the
close of the civil war, when the nations
strength had been taxed to the utmost
and the Indians had been left pretty much
to themselves, to become insolent and pow
erful. Civilization was pushing on across
Montana and Wyoming, making high
ways through the haunts Of the black
bear, the antelope and the buffalo, which
Red Clouds bands claimed as their hunt
ing grounds. The government held that
the territory belonged to the friendly
Crows, and when Red Cloud ordered the
settlers and the troops to leave OF take the
consequences several forts were built 10
protect a route through central Dakota
and southern Montana. Fort Phil Kear-
ny, at the crossing Of Piney creek, in Da-
kota, was one of these. The posts were far
apart, and had no relation to one another
for the purposes of defense in case of
heavy attack. The garrison of Fort Phil
Rearny was about 400 strong, and con-
sisted of five companies of the Eighteenth
infantry and one of the Second cavalry.
Col. Henry B. Darlington, of the Eight
eenth, commanded the district and had his
headquarters at Fort Phil Kearny, where
Col Fetterman was second in command
Skirmishing and fighting had been going
on for months in the whole region and the
posts were virtually in a state of seige. 1t
was with difficulty that supply trains
could be piloted through to the forts. The
only dependence of the troops upon the
surrounding country was Tor wood for fuel
and for building purposes, and at Fort
Phil heaTny this had to be hauled about
four miles. On the morning of Decembc-
q the wood train, while on the way to the
timber lot, was halted by a band of savages
and went into position for defense The
pickets, who occupied elevated places
around the fort, soon signaled danger and
the garrison was at once in a state of
alarm. Col. Carrington and others had
families at the fort, and some little ones
who were playing outside of the stockade
read the terrible news told by the signal
flag and ran in to their mothers crying out, |
Indians! lndians!" Every soldiers heart
thrilled anew with the resolution TO stand |
between the helpless ones looking to them |
for protection and the cruel red men whose |
hearts knew no mercy for age or sex.
The garrison was already weakened by |
skirmishing parties that were outside and |
by a guard which was with the wood train. |
Col CarrinEton ordered another detach- |
ment to prepare to move out and rescue the |
train, and a5'the same time gave instruc- |
tions for tho remaining troops of the gar |
rison TO defend the fort in case of general |
attack The detschIaont consisted Of one |
company OF the Eighteenth infantry, for |
merry commanded by Fetterman; Capt. F. |
H Browns company Of the Second cavalry,
and Some small details OF other available |
troops. The soldiers, officers and men
numbered seventy nine. While the prepa-