The morning times., 1896-05-28

story of heroisn hardly paralleled
in the thrilling annals of the 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
hastened 10y an act of exceptional gallantry
in December, 1866, nearly thirty years
ago, and who never received any special
compensa ton for his services. The evi-
dence in favor OF the claim is very strong,
one of the affldavits being that Of Col.
Henry b. Darlington OF the regular Army.
In the dead of winter, with the deep snow
on the ground ana the thermometer twenty
below Zeroattimes, and with hnofoodbeyond
what lie carried III his saddle-bag, Phillips
made a ride OF 225 miles through country
inhabited only by hostile Indians and started
reinforcements TO a frontier post, which in
a few days would have fallen into the hands
of the savages.
In 1866. Fort Philip kearney in Dakota
Territory, commanded by Col. Darlington,
was the extreme outpost III tnaG part ui
the northwest The Sioux under Red Cloud,
who had been lowering in the vicinity of
the post became warlike, and attacked j
wood-train a few miles north OF the fort. A
detachment OF troops, consisting of some
eighty men, with few civilians, made
dash from the fort for the purpose of
protecting the wood-train. were surrounded
by the Indians in overwhelming numbers,
and after terrible struggle were mas
sacred in a body.
The blood-thirsty Sioux then besieged
the garrison, which they outnumbereG
twenty to one, and a severe trial OF en-
durance began. So fearful was the pros
pect that the men and children begged
to be placed in the powder-house aEd
blown up as soon as the attacking party
should be plainly victorious.
At this junction Phillips, who was a
scout and hunter, volunteered to take
dispatches to Fort Laramie, go miles
away. He was obliged to travel by night
and hide by day, to subsist an the few
biscuits and feed his horse on the scanty
supply of oats he could carry attached TO
the saddle. Those who had left the fort
just before him, and party OF scouts
who started soon afterwards, never lived
to tell the tale.
But Phillips pIoughed his way through
the snow, and carried the news To the
soldiers at Laramie, who hastened TO the
relief OF their besicged comrades
The Sioux were so enraged at being thus
outgencraled that they opened a cam
paign of annoyance and deviltry against
Phillips, which never ceased till he died.
At one time they lassoed him with view
to killing him by torture. Repeatedly they.
killed his live stock and committed oUTe
wanton and vengeful depredations, OF
which the proof was SO clear, including
their own admissions, that the court OF
claims gave judgment against them for
$2,2lo. His death was traceable to his
perils and exposures, and to his later per
secutions by the Indians.
One OF the junior Officers in Col. Caring
toms command at Fort 2 hilip Kearney was
Lieut.. Grummond, whose widow in time
married Col. Darlington. She is as en-
| thusiastic as her husband in her efforts to
procure from Congress for the widow of
Phillips the value of the property of which
the Indians robbed him because he haG
performed his heroic feat against them.
| In her affidavit, she says among other
things: During that terrible night when
| an attack in overw hclming numbers was
| constantly expected, John Phillips called to
| express his sympathy for me, and, over
come by the imminent danger OF all con-
| cerned, lie said: If the general wishes,
! viii go as messenger, if it costs me my
| life.' He gave me his wolf robe TO re-
member him by If We never heard from
! him again. His whole bearing was manly
brave and unselfish, and beyond all praise
Phillips was a British subject at the
| time fhis famous ride, but afterward
became citizen of the United States.