Omaha daily bee., 1891-12-27
ABORDER TRAGEDY RECALLED.
Tw9lty-ifth Anniversary Of tn, Fort Phi :
K arney Massacre.
lINETY-rHREE MEN DECoYED TO DEATH.
Details of tie Awful slaughter Re
called by an Eye } ttncss-Mcl-
anrh ,iy Close o. Christ
mas Preparations.

Bright and cheering dawned that Decem-
Der morning twenty-five years ago, this "lst
of December, 1891, at the post of Fort PM
Kearnoy, snugly Located II at the FORKS OF the
Piueys, within the very shadows OF tho B!g
Horn mountains. The boys of the Second
battalion of the Eighteenth infantry, after
wards known as the Twenty-sevonth regi-
meut, aud the two attcnuated troops OF the
Second cavalry were contemplating the near
approach of Christmas and what a grand
good time they were to have on that day
~feasting on buffalo. elk, bear and wild DICK
gathered from the plains, mountains and Lake
DeSmet, hard by. y recent arrival OF com
missury supplies insured an abundance oil
delicacie5 from the states, and the prospect
of a relief from hard tack, salt horse, and
dessicated vegetables animated the whole
post with an anxious longing for tho coming
festival. Mrs. Clrrington, wife of the post
commandant, had enlisted all the ladies of the
post in the grand observance OF the day, ald
their kindly Offices had prepared many en-
joyable surprises for the devoted Command,
not alone in the prospect for u feast of sub
stantials, but OF a social nature.
Ga the 2lst the san rose clear and cloud
less, u balmy breeze was waited up from the
valley of the Piney, and ninglins with the
pin, and ced II fragrance of the mountain
WOODS diffusol the ~saqctity and DIOR
OF a spring day, ami for the nonce
DIspELI.ED THE THOUGHT OF WINTER.
The weary days of scouting were over for
tae winter. The preparations for winter
had been almost completed, leaving only the
gathering of wood from tae mountains to be
uone-a task that with all its labor was
fraught with a So Glcient spice of danger be-
cause of the Indians. To furnish all the neccs-
sary volunteers for the work, without the
tormalty of detail. guard duty was re-
duced to a minimum. and the ommald looked
into the winter with complacency. This
fateful morning Sergeant Barnes was in
charge of the detail that was to go after
wood, aud shortly after reveille the party
started with the wagons aud l. small cavalry
escort for the foothills OF the mountains, d
few miles to the southeast.
just east of the fort, and across Little
PIney, was a high, contcal shaped hiil that was
used as Il lookout. The picket OF duty there
had an excellent view OF the country several
miles east, south and north. Westward
across Big Piney, the view WAS in Il measure
obscured by IA high ridge, that increased in
altitude as 1t approached the mountains.
Northward the receding hll or ridge was in
a few miles lost in the broken prairie IN the
direction of Lake DeSmet
About 10 O'Clock the s~entErel on picket hill
startled the garrison by discharging his rule,
and giving tile we'll know signal of Indians.
The signal indicated that the wood train
was attacked by an unusually large party OF
Indians. The long roll was beaten ana the
buCles sounded 'boots and saddles" Then
there was a hurrying to aud fro in the post.
"FAIL, IN! PAIL IN"
was the command issued from every com
pany quarters and IN an almost inConceivable
space of time every company was in line and
marching toward the parade ground to await
orders. The field officers were hurrylng to the
assembly ground buckling on their belts, and
the scene was of the most wartikc aspect and
animation. A moment later q courier from
the wool train came gallopinE into Tho post.
and hurried TO the commanding officer with
the startling intelligence that the train had
been attacked by a big batch of Indians, and
unless succOr was sent them Immediately
the entire party would be massacred. The
courier had cut his way. out as the train was
surrounded, and an arrow shaft protruding
from his horses flank was u mute evidence of
his narrow escape. The Indians he reported
as coming from the west, back of the ridge
across Big Pinev. and he was satisfied that
there were hundreds more OF them in the
same vicinity.
"a HUNDRED MEN
are wanted to go to the relief of the wood
train was the word whispered along the
line of armed men. Tnero were nearly 700
in line, and this was constantly augmenting
Il u CNIlN lcoNShNo ihoh VIZ 1't'ANA ~ f'C''
from the kitchens, by men from the band,
and by civilians from the sutler store, and
qu~artermuster's corral. Every man in that
line volunteered to go. But only IA hundred
were wanted, so Colonel Darlington counted
of halt the line from the right, and ordered to
''side step to the right" Those on the 'unfor-
tunate left" pleaded that they might be sent,
and some of tho boys even offered to buy the
lucXier ones OF the right off, il they
would exchange places. Mo- said the com
mandlng officer, 1--WE may need you here just
as bad as out there
The right" was placed under the com
mand of Lieutenant Colonel l.. }. Fettorman,
with Captain and QuartermaSter "Baldy"
Brown second in command, and Lieutenant
Grummond as third officer. These three of
ficers were all of the Eighteenth infantry and
were the most popular officers in the post,
and each of them WAS as brave as a lion
and spelling for u brush with the In
dams. BY lO;ij O'Clock the command were
enroute to the rescue of the wood train. Five
citizens accompanied the party, the name OF
whom il is impossible TO recall from memory
after this lapse of years. Wheatley, now
ever, | think, was the name of one. Prior to
the departure from the stockade Colonel Car
riugton said to Colonel Fetterman:
81 WARN you
not to go beyond the ridge. After reaching
it follow along its crest, soithat at all times
YOU can be in full view Of tho post, or at least
of the lookout on Picket hill, and the slight
est signal from him and we will march the
remainder of the omman Immediately TO
your relief The three officers were mounted,
the remainder of the ommand being on foot.
cavalrymen and all. Ona or two of the citi-
zeEs were mounted, ii memory serves me
right, out not all of them, Captain Brown
rode Il calico pony, a fuyoritO of his, and
one, he claimed, could outrun any Indian
pony in existence.
The command took IA direct trail across the
Big Piney, and going a quick step" were
soon at the crest of tho ridge and wa
eagerly watched by the boys at the post.
The command had not fairly got heightened
out on the ridge, when 1t took a sharp turn
to the west and was soon lost to view beyond
the ridge. Two Of the officers remaining at
the post aScended Picket hill to got some
view of Fetterman's m with their
field glasses il possible.
NOTHING CoULD BE SEEN
and the conclusion was arrived at that the
party had seen u band OF Indians and were
hot after them, and that they would soon re-
appear on the ridge again, An hour. two
hours, sped by and still no sign of Fetter,
mans party, nor any noise 10 indicate that
they had come up with the Indians, OOser-
vers on Picket hill reported seeing small bands
oflndians moving from the locality where the
wood train was supposed TO be, TO the east
ward, and other parties comlug from the
northeast, and all seemed TO be heading fol-
the same point, q broken section Of country
northwest OF the post beyond the ridge. II
was now nearly ! O'CLOCK. Suddenly anC
startllngly
ANOLLEY or DISTANT MUsKETRY