The sun., 1898-03-27
Slaughter Of the Whites At Fort
Phil Kearny Recalled.
BILLS INTRODUCED IN SENATE
A Thrilling Incident in Indian War.
fare Which is Of lntrest to
the General Public ... One
of the Relatives Lives
Here.

prove OF interest all over Cne United
States and to the relatives OF the mas
sacred men residing in this State.
Senator Warren has introduced two
bills in the Senate, and secured favorable
reports upon both, which are OF interest
in Wyoming, as they recall one of the
most thrilling incidents OF the early his
tpry of the State, writes correspondent
Of the Omaha Bee.
'One OF the bills appropriates the sum
of 5000 to pay Hattie A. Phillips, widow
of John Phillips, as full compensation
for the services rendered by the said John
Phillips in bearing dispatches from the
commanding officer at Fort Phil kear-
ney to Fort Laramie, from December q
to December 26, 1866, after the massacre
of the United States soldiers under Col
Fetterman by the Sioux Indians and by
whose services the garrison at Fort Phil
kearney then surrounded by Sioux
Indians, was rescued and saved from an
Inhalation.
''The report from the Committee on
Claims recommends the passage Of the
bill, and says in part
''In all the annals of heroism, in the
face of unusual dangers on the. American
frontier or in the world, there are few
that can exceed in heroism, in devotion,
in self-sacriiice and patriotism the ride
made by John Phillips from Fort kear-
ney in December, 1866, to Fort Laramie,
carrying dispatches which gave the first
intelligence to the outside world of the
terrible massacre near the former post,
and which saved the lives Of the people
garrisoned there, men, women, and
children, by starting reinforcements to
their relief
"Fort Phil Kearney was then the ex-
trcme outpost in that part Of the North
west, and was over two hundred miles
from the nearest telegraph lire. On
December n, 1866, the Indians, under
Red Cloud, made an attack upon the
post wood train few miles north of the
post.
"a detachment OF troops under Colonel
Fetterman, including two other officers
and seventy-eight men and a number of
civilians, made dash from the fort for
the purpose OF protecting the wood
train.
"They We're surrounded by Indians in
overwhelming numbers and every man
of the detachment was killed Three
thousand Indians then surrounded the
post, and it was fully understood that if
they were successful it meant torture
and death for every member of the little
garrison.
"At this juncture not q soldier could be
found willing to carry a call for relief to
tho nearest outside post, distance of two
hundred and twenty-five miles, directly
through hostile country.
'John Pli|lips,a scout and hunter, vol
unteered to make the attempt. Placing q
few biscuits in his pockets and carrying a
small quantity of feed for his horse, he
left the post at midnight ofthe day of the
massacre and reached Fort Lamarie with
the dispatches five days later.
'Ihc country across which he rode was
absolutely uninhabitcd by white men,
and the ground was covered with snow
from three to five feet in depth he had
no food except the meagre amount he
took with him, and it was necessary for
him to travel entirely by night for fear O
hostile Indians.
"Thc weather was cold, the thermom
eter being 20 degrees below zero. Whcr
he reached Fort Lanarie, hardy frontiers
man that he was, he fell in faint ant
was seriously i'll for some time.
'Troups were sent immediately from
Fort lanarie and the garrison at For
Phil kearncy was relieved. For this re
markAbe act of heroism .Iuhn Phillips
was never paid in any way i, :. Gen
eraI Government
'ln 1872 marauding Indians dcstrpyc,
Phillips wagon train near Fort Fetter
man. AMI although he was given a jldg
mcnt in the Court Of Claims ipr$2 2iU ol
account Of thi, o~s he alnpl,nt has ncvcl
been paid because Of il technical error II
the proceedings.
In conclusion the report states: "Tl ,
name OF John Phillips should be writer
among those heroic men the tales @
whose lcrolsm devotion, and patriotism
illumlnr the story OF savage warfare on
our frontier.
''The Committee believes that IT,,
Government does tardy justice to hi
memory in allowing this claim |
simply rcimburses the widow for prop
erty actually lost, with a very slight re
cognition for the gallant and heroic ser
vice rendered."
The second bill introduced by Senate
Warren directs that the Secretary OF Wa
be authorized to mark the site OF til
Fort Phil kcarney massacre by erectIn
on said site monument of rOng
masonry and an historical tablet.
"The site Of the proposed monu
ment, oneiourth Of an acre in area, is t.
be donated by the State of Wyoming t
the United States. Five hundred dol
lars is appropriated by the terms Of tn
bill for erecting and providing the pre-
posed monument, and tablet.
SIN recommending the passage of tn
bill the Committee on Claims, throug
its Chairman, Senator Warren, quote
the report Of Colonel Henry b. Caring
ton, who was in command of Fort PHI
Kearney at the time of the massacre
showing that it was one Of the most tel
rible affairs in the history of the unenG
ing conflict with the Indians in the earl
settlement OF the West.
ain calling for reinforcements in hi
dispatches sent to Fort Laramie b
Courier John Phillips, Colonel Caring
ton said:
81 have had today fight unexarnpIc
in Indian warfare. Ny loss is ninety
four killed. have recovered forty.nin
bodies. Among the killed are Breve,
Colonel Fetterman, Captai
f. II. Brown, and Lieutenant Gran
mond.
"rhc Indians engaged were nearl
three thousand. | have every teamster o.