The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-01-25
A MOUND OF ROCKS.
Il MARKS THE LAST RESTING PLACE
OF A squad OF cAvALRYMEN.

Fatal Inprodcnce of II Young Army on
Ger Inexperienced In Indian Fighting.
| "A Search For @ Missing Cow Cost the
Lives of Thirty-one Soldiers.
"There is q pile of rocks probably so
feet III length about nine miles from
Fort Laramie, in Wyoming, which
marks the last resting place of detaoh-
ment Of cavalry" said retired army
; officer tho other day. SIN passing it
many times have always experienced
q peculiar sensation, for the poor follows
who lie buried there came to their death
through the overzealous ideas of a
young West Point officer inexperienced
in Indian fighting. You know it was
only the other day that young officer
III western Colorado came in conflict
with some game wardons while engaged
i'll running the Uintah Utes back to their
reservation in Utah. Caution comes
vintage as much III the army as i'll civil
life
"It was i'll 1868 that old Fort Lara
mic held II garrison of two companies
entirely too small for the post in those
lively days, when tho Cheyenncs and
Arapahoes, Sioux and Pawnees were
rowing around the country ut war among
themselves and occasionally pitching
into the whites who were crossing tho
plains. 1t was the year when Brigham
Young with his band Of Mormons was
travelling ont to Salt Lake from Nauvoo,
ills. They cainped one night about nine
miles from Fort Laramie, near where q
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 fheir cows. Tho commandunt at tho
post promptly sent young lieutenant
out for an inspection, giving him 80
cayalIymen.
1t was the ieutenant's first commits
sion for active duty, and ho felt the
great Importance OF tho mission. He do
termincd 10 discover who killed that
COW or perish in tho attempt. Entering
the Indian village. he rode mt tho head
OF his detachment up 10 tho chiefs tepee
and began his investigation. Turkey
Feather, tho chief, declared that no cow
had been killed. The lieutenant insisted
that the Morrons were ono COW short
and demanded that tho guilty Indian DO
brought out. Several subchiefs were
called up, and they likewise disclaimcd
any knowledge of the COW
Tho young lieutenant insisted upon
having scapcgoat delivered over to
him, and Pulling out his watch ho dra-
matically announced to Turkey Feather
chat he would give him just five min
,ltes il which TO deliver up tho guilty
indian, ut tho expiration OF which timo
10 would flro upon the village This
.iado Turkey Feather indignant, and ho
retired TO his tent in disgust. without
thinking of tho consequences the young
lieutenant, having given his word. felt
himself bound TO carry 1t out, and &C
GordinSly when tho five minutes were
up ho gave the order TO fro. The H.
c,ians greatly Outnumbared the little de-
tachment, ahd III their aHgl was the
work # :. few minutes to lay low every
man III that small band, including tho
young lieutenant
During the night succeeding this
massacre ono surviving wounded soldier
picked himself up and managed to make
ms way 10 tho camp, nino miles dis
tant, where the story was told. The
oommandant at the post at first was in
ciincd to flee from the country with his
limited force, believing that the Indians
would surround tho garrison in the
morning to obtain revenge. While the
communicate was planning way Of es-
cape al Irish private named McGrath
approached the captain and roundly
Gworo that 10 had never run from an
Indian in his life, and To did not pro-
pose to do it at this time His display
Of grit had such an effect OF the captain
that he decided to stay and give tho In
dams warm reception should they APP
proach tho post. The entire garrison
went on picket duty that night, the
| women taking arms also and going out
| to the picket line About noon the next
day, the Indians not appearing, the cap
tain sent Il trooper toward the scene of
! the massacre to Learn what tho Indians
wero doing. Tho trooper cautiously
natlo his way to the scene, only ts dis
cover that tho Indians, frightened at
what they had done, had packed up and
| disappeared over the plains. The VIC
tins of this unfortunate massacre were
buried where they fell. and that mound
of rocks, visible TO this day, was erected
! over their common grave Denver
| Cor. New York Sun.
Ono Woman Appreciates Good Stories.