The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-05-19
JOHN PHILLIPS, HERO.
How He Saved a Beleagured Frontier
Garrison.
In 1866 The Sioux, Under Their Great War
Chief Red Cloud, Would Have Massa-
cred The Brave Defenders if John Phillips
Had Not Sent Relief.

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Had Not Sent Relief.
A bill, couched in the dry, formal
words of legislative proposition, was
recently introduced in Congress for
the purpose of giving a pension to the
widow of John Phillips. That may
not interest you. But back of that
bill is the story of as brave, courage
Gus deed as ever made glorious the
record of American manhood.
1t was John Phillips who rode from
Fort Phil Kearny to Fort Laramie in
December, 1866, and saved the latter
garrison from massacre.
On the twenty-iirst day Of Decem-
Der, 1866, Fort Phil kearny, COM
manded by Col. H. B. Darlington.
located under the shadow of the Big
Horn Mountain and over 200 miles
from the nearest telegraph line, was
the extreme outpost in that part of
the Northwest. The savage Sioux
under Red Cloud had been lowering
in the vicinity of the post for some
time and had been seen in large num-
bers on Tongue River, northwest of
the fort.
The Indians made attacks on the
wood train few miles north of the
fort. A detachment of troops under
command of Brevet-Lieut Col. Fetter-
man, including two other officers ard
several men and number of civilians,
made dash from the fort for the
purpose of protecting the wood train.
When some four miles from the fort
they were surrounded by the Indians
in overwhelming numbers and cvey
man Of the detachment was killed.
Years afterward the Indians said
that the troops were only killed after
their ammunition was exhausted.
The triumphant and boodthirsly
Sioux were commanded by Red Cloud
and outnumbered the garrison by
twenty to one. They surrounded the
fort and an attack was hourly expect
ed.
1t was well understood by the gar-
rison that if the Indians were success
ful in taking the fort it meant death
for each and every one. Realizing
the terribly fate that awaited them
the women and children begged pte-
ousy to be placed in the powder
house and blown up in case of sue.
cessful attack from the Indians.
At this juncture, when brave men
felt that the only possible hope for the
garrison was in sending news of their
Enlargement to the nearest outside
post, and not a soldier could be found
who would brave the attempt to
break through the savages and ride to
the nearest outpost, distance of 225
miles, John Phillips, a hardy scout
and hunter, volunteered to take des-
patches to Fort Laramie. Placing
few biscuits in his pocket, tying on
his saddle small quantity of feed for
his mount, he quietly left the post at
midnight on the night succeeding the
massacre, and by hard riding, and es-
Gaping many perils on the way he
succeeded in reaching Fort Laramie
five days later. The country across
which he rode was absolutely unln-
habited by white men, and the ground
was covered with snow from three to
five feet in depth.
His sufferings will never be told.
The weather was exceedingly cold,
the thermometer reaching twenty de-
grees below zero. When Phillips de-
livered his dispatches at Fort Laramie
hardy, brave frontiersman as he was,
he fell in a dead faint. Immediately
upon receipt of these dispatches
troops were forwarded from Fort
Laramie, and the garrison at Fort
Phil Kearney was relieved. For this
remarkable act of gallantry and en-
durance, which will forever place John
Phillips name in the gallery of heroic
men, he was never in any way paid
by the general Government.
In the years Immediately following
this heroic ride, John Phillips was en-
ployed in various capacities at Gov
eminent posts. The Sioux had sworn
that they would be revenged upon
him. He was continually hunted and
harassed by them because he had res
cused from their grasp the garrison at
Fort Phil Kearney. He was now
broken in health by the exposure and
strain of his long and perilous ride.
One night, feeling that his end was
near, he called to his bedside his wife
and child. Taking the hand of each,
he pulled them nearer to him, They
heard him family whisper 81 did
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