The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-08-21
STORY OF A PILE OF ROCKS.
Fatal Imprudence of q Young Army Oficei
Ernxnorinr,rod In Indian Ei1hfinr-

Fatal Imprudence of O Young Army OHicei
inexperienced in Indian Fighting.
tThere is a pile Of rocks probably 81
feet in length about nine miles from
Fort Laramie, in Wyoming, which mark
the last resting place of a detachment
of cavalry" said a retired army Officer
the other day. "In passing it many
times I have always experienced pc
culiar sensation, for the poor fellow
who lie buried there came to their deatt
through the overzealous ideas of
young West Point officer, inexperienced
in Indian fighting. You know 1t was
only the other day that young officer
in western Colorado came in conflict
with some game wardens while en-.
gagged in running the Uintah Utes back
to their reservation in Utah. Caution
comes with age as much in the army as
in civil life.
"Tt was in 1853 that old Fort Laramie
held garrison of two companies-en-
tirely too small for the post in those
lively days, when the Cheyennes and
Arapahoes, Sioux and Pawnees were
rowing around the country at war
among themselves and occasionally
pitching into the whites who were
crossing the plains. It was the year
when Brigham Young with his band of
Mormons was travelling out to Salt
Lake from Nauvoo, Ill. They camped
one night about nine miles from Fort
Laramie, near where band Of Indians
had established their village during the
hunting season. The next day they
marched into the fort and reported that
the Indians had killed one Of their COWS.
The commandant at the post promptly
sent a young lieutenant out for an in
spection, giving him 80 cavalrymen.
"It was the lieutenant's first commits
sion for active duty, and he felt the
great Importance of the mission. He
determined to discover who killed that
COW or perish in the attempt. Entering
the Indian village, he rode at the head
of his detachment up to the chiefs
tepee and began his investigation.
Turkey Feather, the chief, declared that
no COW had been killed. The lieutenant
insisted that the Mormons were one
COW short, and demanded that the guilty
Indian be brought out. Several SUBJ
chiefs were called up, and they likewise
disclaimed any knowledge of the COW.
''The young lieutenant insisted upon
having scapegoat delivered over to
him, and, pulling out his watch, he
dramatically announced to Turkey
Feather that he would give him just
five minutes in which to deliver up the
guilty Indian, at the expiration Of
which time he would fire upon the vii
lage. This made Turkey Feather indig-
nant, and he retired to his tent in dis
gust. Without thinking of the conse-
quences, the young lieutenant, having
given his word, felt himself bound to
carry it out, and, accordingly, when
the five minutes were up, he gave the
order to fire. The Indians greatly out
numbered the little detachment, and in
their anger it was the work Of a few
minutes to lay low every man in that
small band, including the young lieu
tenant
During the night succeeding this
massacre one surviving wounded SOL
der picked himself up and managed to
make his way to the camp, nine miles
distant, where the story was told. The
commandant at the post at first was in
clined to flee from the country with his
limited force, believing that the Indians
would surround the garrison in the
morning to obtain revenge. While the
commandant was planning a way of
escape an Irishman named McGrath ap-
preached the captain and roundly swore
that he had never run from an Indian
in his life, and he did not propose to do
it at this time. His display of grit had
such an effect on the captain that he
decided to stay and give the Indians
warm reception should they approach
the post. The entire garrison went on
picket duty that night, the women TAX
ing arms also and going out to the
picket line. About noon the next day,
the Indians not appearing, the captain
sent trooper toward the scene Of the
massacre to learn what the Indians were
doing. The trooper cautiously made
his way to the scene, only to discover
that the Indians, frightened ut what
they had done, had packed up and dis
appeared over the plains. The victims
OF this unfortunate massacre were
buried where they fell, and that mound
of rocks, visible to this day, was erected
over their common graves" IN. Y. Sun.