The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-03-02
coast was that his hand had never been

boast was that his hand had never been
raised against white man, woman or
child. There were not "more than 100
of his Cheyenne warriors killed" There
were ten Indian men and twelve squaws
killed in the fight.
During the Indian war of 1868, Black
Kettle and his band kept out of the
way, camping by themselves away from
the hostIles, until fall found them on
| the Washita above Fort Cobb fifty or
sixty miles, and near the winter camps
of the hostiles. Wishing to get out of
their neighborhood, Black Kettle went
down to Fort Cobb and received from
General Hazen permission to move his
band down to the Fort to camp for the
winter, also giving him a letter guaran-
teeing him and his band protection. He
returned to his camp, which was the
furtherest west Of any on the Washita,
intending to move in a day or two. In
the meanwhile Sheridan and Custer
were engaged in vigorous campaign
against the Indians, and Clusters scouts
party of Indians, going in the direction
of the Washita, whether hunters,
scouts or warriors made no
difference. Clusters mounted regiment
started in rapid pursuit. 1t happened
that the party of Indians in following
down the Washita passed through Black
Kettles camp, and Clusters men in fol-
lowing the trail discovered what they
supposed to be camp of the hostiies
and surrounded them in the grey dawn
of the morning. As soon as Black Kettle
saw the soldiers coming he and his aged
wife mounted their ponies, unarmed,
bearing aloft a white flag and the letter
from General Hazen, and rode out to
meet them. They were promptly shot
off their horses and their white flag Of
peace stained red with their blood. The
Indians in the camp fled in all directions,
many of the women and children were
made prisoners, and their camp plum
dered and burned. While this was going
on Major Elliot with lieutenant and
twenty men dashed down the river in
pursuit Of the fleeing H.
dams. Soon they met host
of armed hostile warriors from the
camps down the river who aroused by
the noise of battle were rushing to repel
the invaders. They met Major Elliot's
party in the valley, and in less time than
it takes TO write it they We're all dead
rnoo1,incr pia,Iy [ot l,,'-
attacked Clusters command, drove him
out of the valley, captured a lot of his
teams and burned the wagons. Custer
retreated, not stopping to look for
Elliot's party who were not found for
some time afterwards; the prisoners,
women and children, were kept in the
rear to prevent the Indians firing on the
troops.
William Griffenstein was in Black
Kettles camp few days before the
battle, trading, ard found them perfect
ly peaceable and friendly. Afterwards
in explaining to General Sheridan that
he made mistake in striking a camp
of friendly Indians, the general
ordered him out of the territory, and
threatened to hang him it he returned. |
The next time they met was at the Occi- |
dental hotel in Wichita, and Mr. c. was
mayor Of the city, and entertained the
general in his official capacity. I met
Black Kettle at the mouth Of the Little |
Arkansas in 1866. He was mild, peace
able, pleasant, good man, past middle |
life. His death was little less than |
wanton murder. j. R. MEAD.