The Forrest City times., 1896-06-26
STORY OF A PILE OF ROCKS.
lsstal Imprudence of Young Army OmceR Inexperienced in Indian Fighting.


 ltatal Imprudence of a Young Army OficeP Inexperienced in Indian Fighting. ''There is pile of rocks probably 50 feet in length about nine miles from Fort Laramie, in Wyoming.which marks the last resting place of detachment of cavalry" said a retired army officer the other day. 'In passing it many times l have always experienced pe- culiar sensation, for the poor fellows who lie buried there came to their death | through the overzealous ideas of l young West Point officer, inexperienced i i'll Indian fighting. You know it was only the other day that young officer in western Colorado came in conflict 1 with some game wardens while en- gagged in running the Untah Utes back to their reservation in Utah. Caution comes with age as much in the army as in civil life.
 "It was in 1853 that old Fort Laramie held garrison of two companies-en- tirely too small for the post in those 1 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, III. They camped one night about nine miles from Fort l Laramie. near where a band of Indians l 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 gent young lieutenant out for an in- spection, giving him 30 cavalrymen.
 ''lt was the lieutenants first commis- 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 sub chiefs were called mp, and they likewise disclaimed any Knowledge of the COW.
 "The young lieutenant insisted upon having a 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 os which time he would fire upon the vil- lage. This made Turk y 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 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 dier 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 talk | ing arms also and going out to the 1 picket line. About noon the next day, the Indians not appearing, the captain sent a 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 at 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. ."-N. |. Sun. -----------
 And Desert for Dessert.
 "No," answered the Dirt-eating In- dian, 'I cannot say that we live poorly. Of course we don't get anything but