The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1891-11-19
.COMANCHE.-
History 81 She Only survivor of the Gus
ter Ma..acre.-A Hero of Many
Indian BattIes.

Old "COMANCHE.''
History "f the Only survivor of the Gus
ter Mas.aere.-A Hero of Many
Indian battles.
Colonel Henry Inman, formerly Of
this city, who IL now engaged in
writing "a history of the santa Fe
Trail. is the author of the following
account of the famous war horse,
"Comanche." II appeared in the
CdpitaL of last week Thursday. Ii
will be read with interest by Col.
Inman's friends, many Of whom
had slight acquaintance with the
subject.
"Comanche," the celebrated old
war horse of the famous Seventh
United States cavalry, died Satur-
day ai ripe age. He was stationed
at TT. Riley. Kansas, with troop al, /"
IN which he has always been attach
ed since his advent into the service.
The Seventh was the late lamented
General Clusters regiment. and pos
sesse- most enviable record.
The history of "Comanche" is a
remarkable one, and worthy a place
beside the renowned animals record
ell i'm the worlds chronicles OF
notable wars. "Comanche" Is one
Of the original "mount" OF the
Seventh cavalry, when the regiment
was organized I'm 1866 at Fit. Riley,
under the act Of congress authorizing
al increase In that arm of the ser
vice.
Upon the disposition of the several
troops composing the regiment, to
the various military posts in the
then district Of the upper Arkansas,
by General Alfred Sully its com
mander, troop 81 whose captain
was the gallant Colonel Miles Keogh,
was assigned to Fort Wallace, in re-
mote western Kansas, on the great
central plains.
"Comanehe" joined the troop in
the fail of 1866, and has been present
in nearly every battle and skirmish
with the Indians, since that date, In
which the regiment has participated.
His fearless owner Colonel Keogh,
rode him i'm that awful fight of the
Little Big Horn" where Custer
and his brave followers went down
to death in their last charge, with
coiors flying and trumpeters sound
ing the "Forwardw That was the
only time the intrepid regiment ever
dropped its guidons, and where, with
flashing sabras, overwhelmed by
brute force, il rushed on to- snnihila
ton.
"Comanchen has been wounded
many times. In the terrible I'M
equal battle of the Little Big Horn"
or "Rosebud," as il is generally
called, he was the only animal to es-
cape the awful slaughter that befell
IA. else animate on our side in the
hopeless struggle with death,
His fist serious encounter with
tiie savages of the intracontinent
region, Was i'm the autumn of 1868. Ii
was Immediately preceding the
organization Of the celebrated "Win-
ter Campaign" against the allied
tribes of the Whole central plains, In
which General Sheridan command
ed in I,ersoE. His lieutenants were
all famous Indian fighters; General
Alfred Suliy, the hero of the Sioux
war of 1854, General Custer, General
Carr, OF the Fifth cavalry, and many
others of less rank, but of equal re-
putation. General Sully, who wss
second To General Sheridan, COM
manded tire district Of the upper
Arkansas, with headquarters at Fit.
Harker (now the town of X anopolis, }
on the Smoky Hill. The Indians
had been making frequent raids
along the Kansas and Nebraska
border during the summer, murder
ing the settlers and committing the
most outrageous and nameless depre-
dations, so General Sully determined
upon a hurried expedition against
them. Accordingly, with eight
companies OF the Seventh cavalry
and five companies of infantry, he
concentrated at Fit. Dodge, on the
Arkansas, intending to punish the
kiowas, Arapahoes and Cheyennes
which tribes at that time We're the
principal pirates and bandits of the
Great Plains. Early in September
Of the year 1868, General Suliy with
his command left Fit. Dodge, and
after he had crossed the Arkansas,
twelve miles below the fort, march
ed in general southeasteriy direc-
tion toward the Canadian. On the
evening of the fifth day he arrived
at the sand hills" OF the Beaver
aud Wolf rivers, where the following
morning while the command was
marching through that relatively
barren region, il was attacked by
about 800 of the allied savages. under
the leadership of the dreaded "Sa
lan-ta," the famous war chief of the
kiowas. A running fight was kept
UP with the determined warriors
during the entire day, in which two
oil the troopers were killed and one
wounded. The Indians, meanw lille,
through the media of their "fun
nersS (messeHgers), communicated
with their caInps aud were gradually
augmenting; new aecessions con-
stantiy arriving from every direc-
ton, until the savages soou muster
ed over 2,000well armed and fearless
warriors. OutmsrshaIled by superior
numbers, the general was compelled
to retreat toward the Arkansas. The
march was of necessity very slow.
For four days and nights the Indians
lowered around the fianks Of the
column. annoying the troops in 3
terrible manner; they were pestifer-
Gus TO such degree that the COM
mand could act emily on the defensive.
aud by the time IL arrived at the
crossing of the North Fork of the