The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-02-01
ON THE SEVENTH CAVALRY.
Their Course Upheld by Rev. d. r. Lowell,
Post Chaplain at F6rt Riley, kansas

Post Chaplain at Fort Riley, Kansas.
Since my arrival home and looking over a
batch OF Kansas City Times, which had ac
cumulated during my Absence l found in
the issue of that paper of date January D, a
Fort Riley press special, which just now is
worthy of reproduction. 1t is defense of
the Seventh cavalry and Light
Battery E, First artillery, for the
part these organizations played in
the Wounded Knee. and Mission
fights. The reason of the eminent divine
Rev Dr. Lowell, so vigorously upholding
them is now to all minds apparent The
suspension from command of the Seventh
cavalry's regimental commander, Colonel
Forsythe, coupled with various press ut
terances in the east, condemning his course.
The Colonel is yet under the ban, and
delegation has by now visited the scene of
the mission fight to measure the ground,
so that it can be determined as to whether
Forsythe exceeded his instructions.
The only organizations which met
the red men in battle array dur
ing the entire Sioux campaign now
J regarded as at close were; the Seventh
and Ninth cavalry and light battery r.,
| First artillery 1t was these commands
which faced death so bravely. The Sew
enth and the battery, when at home, are
stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, so the ap-
pended extract, from DIR. Lowell's sermon,
| delivered OF the 4th instant. is at this time
| as appropriate as then, and perhaps more
! so now, owing to the increased severity of
the far away eastern press, most of the
members of which know as much about an
Indian as giraffe does about pompkins.
FORT RILEY, KAN. Jan. An his sermon to-
| n DaNr CrrH11 n nI,a nTr OF
Fort Riley, Kan, spoke these ringing words in
defense OF the Seventh cavalry, lately engaged
at Wounded Knee:
sit has fallen 10 the men from Fort Riley first
to feel the keen edge of the sword OF the foe
drawn in this indian war. The Seventh cavalry
! and a detachment OF artillery have been called
upon to perform difficult and delicate duty
one full of peril to person and life as tie
| sequel has shown - a duty which If
oleseen might blanch the cheek of
! the bravest and make the strongest heart
quake-a duty that required the steadiest nerve,
the calmest judgment yet the quick st action.
I hey were placed in position OF gravest dan
ger and responsibility not only to themse YES
| but as well TO Others responsibility to thOuS-
| ands of defenseless families on the frontier; re-
sponsibllity to their comrades in arms: respon
sibility 10 the Whole country. With all these
they were called upon by the teaching OF the foe
| to act with the very greatest cierity and
| thorouglness. How cid they meet this emer-
gency. HiStt r. and all )norable men viii say
nobly, as heroes, like brave and wise men, as
| Iley were IN lllGb Iue emergency SO dS 10
call upon themselves the applause of all who
have hearts to appreciate noble deeds; 50 as to
merit and receive the thanks and warmest com
menuatiOn OF General SchOteld the commander
| of ali our army.
And yet some writer's for the public press in a
most cowardly and pusillanmous way, nave not
only attempted TO rob them OF their well earned
| LAT rcl5 but TO heap contempt and lnfdmy upon
| them. They have used the strongest and most
! bitter language to compass the dishonor of
| these noble men. They have held up before the
world aS the bloodiest OF butchers the most I'M
feeling and cruel of men, as henus unparalleled
by darkest barbarSm. Shame that such hero
| ism should be repaid with such Islander. Shame
that such patriotism, self sacrifice and suffer
ing should meet with such villa.nous denuncia-
ton. Sucn ingratitude, unfairness ana distor-
ton are even baSer and more ignoble than the
very crime charse1 upon our brave soldiers.
'tTheSe attacks are Observation-Disclosures be
cause so utterly unjust. The facts show that
tae troops acted with consunmate skill and
wisdom. The officers commanding these u ps
are gentlemen, humane and tender in their III
stincts, unusually refined and cultured. the
iartheSt removed from cruelty or inhumani6y.
Villainous, because unfeeling to the last de
gree. Only those present and having seen for
themselves can ever know how deeply these
cruel thrustS have gone into the hearts of those
suffering ones i'll the garrison. These brave
women. not less heroic than their nus
BANGS and suffering not less, with hearts al
ready broken, have been compelled to endure
the additional pain of seeing their honored bus
bands held up before the world as monsters
WHere Is Jne DoaSIeu CulValry oil the preSSt Has
the last instinct OF the gentleman departed
Villainous, because deceptive and misleading
to the public. Some reading, will believe anC
to that extent the fair name OF these men is
furnished and they are robbed of their reputa
ton earned by years of exposure and battle
and by the loss Of many noble lives. Villain
Gus, because it basely repays great patriotism
and valor with vile SANDER.
The Seventh cavalry viii survive all this
but there is a limit to silent endurance. These
calumMiators must be held up for the scorn OF
the noble and to be impaled by the just con
tempt of the people,
Many of these boys l know personally
and after my arrival in northwestern Ne
braska met and talked with many, and Il
the calm, conservative thinker 1t is very
apparent that no criminality should or car
attached to any of the military concerned
FRITZ.
January 26. 1891.