The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-13
A STORY OF JOHN PHILLIPS

Washington. February 1.--Tho court OF
claims here. the committee on claims and the
committee ON war claims arc always prolific
OF good stories. ! came across one today.
and AS the people of Texas arc fond of fair
play and justice, also of the romantic aud
brave deeds Of honest. bravo mon, | Will
relate the story of brave John Phillips. who.
in 1865, rescued the garrison of Phil kcarncy,
and whose widow. Hattie A. Phillips. asks
a settlement OF claims against the govern
ment amounting TO S5.7S5.
In all the annals of heroism in the
iaco OF unusual dangers and difficulties on
the American frontier or In tho world, there
are few that can exceed in ealIantry, in he
roisni, in devotion, In if-sacrifico and pa
triotsm the ride made by John Phillips from
Fort Phil kearny in December. 1865, 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 tho lives of the people garrisoned
thero-men, women and children-by starting
endorsements 10 their relief On the 2lst
day of December 1866 Fort Phil Kcarny,
commanded by Colonel Henry u. Darlington,
under tho shadow Of the Big Horn Mount
aims, over 900 miles from the nearest telc-
graph line was the extreme outpost In that
part of the Northwest The savage Sioux,
under Red Cloud, had been lowering Ia the
vicinity of the post for some time. and had
been last seen in large numbers on Tongue
river, northeast OF the fort
ON the 2lst of December tho Indians made
AN attack upon the wood train few miles
north of the fort. detachment of troops
under the command OF Brevct Lieutenant Col
onci Fatterman, including two other officers
and seVenty-eight men, and number OF
civilians, made a dash from the tort tor the
purpose of protecting the wood train. When
some four miles from the fort they were
surrounded by the Indians in overwhelming
numbers. ana every man OF the detachment
was killed. Tho heroism of their struggle for
life can never be told, but the terrible slaugh-
ter which has since been confessed BY tho
Indians OF their braves and the fnct that
the troops were only killed after their am
munition was exhausted speaks eloquently
of the horrible and bloody nature of Tie en-
counter. The triumphant and bloodthirsty
Sioux, commanded by Red Cloud and out
numbering the garrison by twenty to one. had
then surrounded and entirely invested the
fort An attack WAS hourly expected. II was
understood that IL the Indians We're success
full in taking the fort it. meant death for
the garrison and a worse fate for the women
and children who begged piteously to be
placed IN the powder house and blown up
in case of a successful attack by the Indians.
Al this iuncture. when brave men felt that
the only possible hope for the garrison was
in taking news of their beleaguerment to
the nearest outside post, and not soldier
could be found who would brave the attempt
to break through the savages md ride to the
nearest outpost, a distance OF 22b miles, John
Phillips, scout and hunter volunteered to
take dispatches to Fort Laramie. Placing a
few biscuits In his pockets. tying on his sad
die a small quantity of feed for his horse he
left the post at midnight oil the night sue
oeeding the massacre and reached Fort Lar
annie with the dispatches five days later The
country across which he rode was absolutely
uninhaStcd by white men. and the ground
was covered with snow from three TO five feet
IN depth: he had no food for himself or his
horse other thnn the mcager amount he took
with him, and IL was necessary for him to
travel entirely by night for fear OF hostile
Indians Tho weather was exceedingly cold.
the thermometer reaching 20 degrees below
zero. When he delivered the dispatches AZ
Fort Laramie hardy frontiersman as he WINS,
he fell in dead faint, Immediately on re-
ceipt OF the dispatches troops were forwarded
from Fort Laramie and the garrison at Fort
Phil kearny was relieved For this most ra-
markable act OF heroism John Phillips has
never IN any way been pnid by the general
government. the only payment made him he |
ing the sum of $500. which was paid him for |
various scouting services.
IN the years Immediately following his
hciolj ride. John Phillips was employed n.i
various capacities and ensaged in business in |
connection with government posts. and he |
MAS continually hunted and harassed by the |
SeuN. who always looked upon him as the |
man who had wrested from their grasp the |
garrison at Fort Phil kearnny. At one time |
HI was lassoed by tho Indians IN an attempt |
To capture him for the purpose or torture. At |
o'hci times his cattle were shot down, I'M |
doht teddy through pure wantonness ON the |
part OF these indian marauders In 1872 John |
fnilirs was engaged In hauling wood for the |
government at Fort Fetterman. whap a band |
of lrd'ans, supposed TO he ogaliala Sioux and
,hts cnnes. drove on and killed n consider |
ahlo amount of stock belonRng to him. The |
sioux Chief. Red Cloud. acknowledged this
gel relation, but insisted that tho Indians he
loisen TO another band than his, This claim |
n nf alntst anal
evidence OF army officers, Indian agents. spe-
etal examiners and others. and the court of |
slains s sas,S and entered Judgment for the
TN obo,s ioprsaaiion Esurrsd John Phili ips
ywas not y fnlly nayralised citizen of tha
not paid. As the court roul6 not tnhe into
account the gallant anil marliorious service
sake is decision only on the rndine Of isrt
the tlah has navcr hesn recognized Sunss, |
quon,l, John Phillips became a fully natu-
y raiixed citizen OF the United States. Broken
" hehhL by the Exposure aud strain of his
LOVE era periious ride. he died IN the pr,me OF
NE, leaving widow aud cflli in straitsned
John rbii,ins sn nasse = no question that
tions other than those at Fort I,etterman.
Mm.m Was PASSED upon by the court OF
.ia,,ns, anu ina, The Indians held a grudrc
as.,rst him for his action In saving the For
fhil kearney garrison.
ING committee M claims has carefully con.
nv, ,,1e'su ,n,s ease. has reported 4 back with
''s Hmehdment ana recommends that n IN
pasH me COMMITTEES believes that the name
!, Sonn Phllips should he written amone
I, nos o,, neron men ihe tales Of whose heroism
awake warfare on our frontier: also that ms
so,ernmeni does iardy Justice 10 MS msmor.
2 anpsw,ns ms Claim. Y slmrly reimburses
~ Nlvpw icr property actually lost with
,s.y slisht rercgnition for ths gsllant sns
lsroic services rendered. ca 49,"