The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-06
HEROIC JERSEY MAN..
A Claim at Washington Which
Has a Most Interest,"
ing History.

The Newark Sunday CALI, has this in
teresting story from its Washington corr
respondent
a story OF heroism Of the Newark man,
hardly paralleled in a thrilling annals of a
frontier, Is told in a claim now before
Congress. 1t is for the relief of Hattie
a. Phillips, widow of John Phillips whose
death was FASTENED by an act of excep-
tienal gailantry, in December, 1866, nearly
thirty Years ago, ard who never received
any special compensation for his SER
vices. For years before his death Phillips
was a citizen of Newark, where he now
has relatives. The evidence in favor Of
the claim is very strong, one OF the affi-
davits being that of Colonel Henry B.
Darlington, of the regular army.
In the dead of winter, with the deep
snow on the ground and the thermometer
20 degrees below zero al times, and with
no food beyond what be carried in his
saddle bag, Phillips made a ride of 225
miles through a country inhabited by hos
tile Indians and started reinforcements to
a frontier post which in a few days would
have fallen into the hands of the saw
ages.
In 1856 Fort Phil Kearny in Dakota Terri
tory, commanded by Colonel Darlington,
was the extreme outpost in that part of
the Northwest. The Sioux, under Red
Cloud, who had been lowering in the
vicinity Of the post, became warlike and
attacked a wood train a few miles north
of the fort. A detachment Of troops, con-
slsting of some eighty men, with a few
civilians. made a dash from the fort for
the purpose of protecting the wood train,
but were surrounded by the Indians in
overwhelming numbers, and after a terri
BILE struggle We're massacred in a body.
The blood thirsty Sioux then besieged
the garrison, which they outnumbered
twenty 10 one, and a severe trial OF en-
| durance began. Sc fearful was the pros
pect that men and children begged 10 be
placed in the powder house and blown up
as soon as the attacking party should be
plainly victorious.
scout and hunter, volunteered to take dis
patches to Fort Laramie, 2o miles away.
He was Obliged 10 travel by night ana
hide by day, to subsist on the few bis
cults and feed his horse on the scanty sup
ply of oats he could carry attached TO MS
saddle. Those who had left the tort Just
before him, and a party Of scouts who
followed shortly afterward, never lived to
tell the tale.
But Philips p%loughed his way through 4gga
soldiers at Laramie, who FASTENED to the
relief of their besieged comrades.
The Sioux were so enraged at being
thus outgeneraled that they i-naugurated
a campaign of annoyance ard deyiltryI
against Philips, which never ceased till
he died. At one time they lassoed him
with a view to kill him by torture, but
ne escaped. Repeatedly they killed mis-
live stock and committed other Wanton
and vengeful depredations, of which the
proof is so clear, including their own ad-
missions tina the Cour of Claims gave
Judgment against them for S2.2l0. His
death was traceable to the perfls and sex-
pcsures and to mis- later prosecutions by
the Indians.
One of the junior officers of Colonel Car
rington's command al Fort Kearny was
Lieutenant Grummond, whose widow in
time married Colonel Darlington She is
as enthusiastic in her efforts as her hus-
band to procure from Congress for the
widow of Philips the value of the prop
erty of which the Indians robbed him, be-
cause he had performed this heroic feat
against them. In her affidavit she says
that during that terrible night when an
attack in Overwhelming numbers was
momentarily expected, john Phillips called
to express his sympathy, and, overcome
by the imminent danger of all concerned,
he saidz.If the general wishes | will
go as messenger if it costs me my life
He gave me his wolf robe to remember
him by if we never heard from him
again. His whole bearing was manly.
brave and unselfish, and beyond an
r~nas ~ ~