The morning call., 1891-08-09
A DECEMBER TRAGEDY,
The Terrible Attack By Sioux Indians on
United States Soldiers.

This was the scene on that dark Deem
Der day in 1S66-a day which made nation
shudder as it read the news FROM the from
tier: Here on the rising ground was Fort
Phil kearny-a rude post against which the
hostile Sioux had hurled themselves many
times. quarter of a mile beyond was
ridge, with bushes scattered here and there.
This ridge sloped down to a bit of valley.
and beyond the valley was a second ridge.
This ran away into thicket and forest and
here the Indians found cover aud laid plans
against the fort. The fuel for the post had
to be cut and hauled from this forest, dis
tant at least three miles, and for weeks and
weeks strong guard had TO be sent with
the wagons.
This was the scene three or four years
ago, when | stood on the highest ground
and looked into the valley and over the
ridges. The wheat was ripening all along
the hillsides and upon the ridges, and down
in the valleys the sheep and horses and
cows were grazing on rich green grass.
There were Hills of corn in place of bushes,
field of oats, where the red men lay in am
bush that day.
THE wood train has been attacked, STRIP
SO reported the officer of the day to
Colonel Darlington, commandant at the
post, and moment later an alarm was
sounded. 1t was early forenoon, and the
WOOD train and its guard had not been gone
an hour. They had scarcely crossed the
second ridge when the Indians attacked,
and the sound of firing came back to the
fort sharp and clear.
There was something pitiful in the move
ment immediately made to go to tue rescue.
When all had been assembled, less than
eighty men could be spared to march ont,
and some of these were volunteer civilians.
The garrison as it stood was not strong
enough to beat off vigorous attack, and
vet the wood train must De rcScupd.
There were those who lived to tell the
world how brave Colonel Fetterman pleaded
with his superior officer to be allowed the
privilege of leading the detachment, and
OF how officers dropped out Of line to kiss
their wives and children as the gates swung
open. Men looked about with white faces
and compressed lips and nodded good-by to
those they were leaving behind, and every
living soul left in the fort stood at the gate
and watched the little band as it marched
swiftly over the first ridge and was lost to
sight.
The wood train had made good fight of
1t, but the Indians had not planned to close
IN at Cnce. They wanted the firing to be
heard and they wanted troops to be sent out.
The ambush was already prepared. Down
where the lambs frisk about in the summer
sun SHINE were the wagons at bay. Here
where the wheat is turning golden were two
hundred redskins hidden in the thiekets.
Over there by the oat-feld was another
band. Down through this valley, then lined
with brush, came Fetterman and his gallant
men, cheering and firing and seeing only
half hundred Indians lodging about.
They reached the train, but it was only to
be suddenly surrounded by circle of FIRE.
Those al the fort heard crash after crash
oil musketry, but in ten minutes all was
over. scout sent out brought back dire
full news. Now the post was stripped of its
last man to send but another detachment,
| but it was met and driven back Ii was not
| until the next day that the living reached
| the dead. There they lay on less than an
| acre Of ground-oyer there where the black