Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-10-29
JOHN PHILLIPS, HERO
HOW BE SAVED A BELEAouREp
FRONTIER GARRISON.

Chief Red Cloud. Would Have Mss-
sacred the Brave Defenders II John nm
lips Had Net sent Relief
A bill, couched In the dry, formal
words of a legislative proposition. was
recently introduced in Congress for the
purpose OF giving pension TO the wid-
ow OF John Phillips. That may not In
terest you. But back OF that bill is the
story OF as brave. courageous a 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-hrst day OF December
1866, Fort Phil Kearny, commanded by
Col H. B. Darlington, located under
the shadow OF the Big Horn Mountain
and over 200 miles from the nearest tel
egraph 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 numbers on Tongue River,
northwest of the fort.
The Indians made attacks en- 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 and
several men and a number OF civilians,
made dash from the fort for the pur-
pose OF protecting the wood train.
When some four miles from the fort
they were surrounded by the Indians
in overwhelming numbers and every
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 bloodthirsty
Sioux were commanded by Red Cloud
and outnumbered the garrison by 20
to 1. They surrounded the fort and an
attack was hourly expected.
1t was well understood by the garri-
son that If the Indians were successful
in taking the fort it meant death for
each and every one. Realizing the ter
riDle fate that awaited them the wo-
men and children begged piteously to
be placed in the powder house and
blown up in case or a successful 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
beleaguerment 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, hardy scout and hunt
er, volunteered to take dispatches to
Fort Laramie. Placing a few biscuits
In his pocket, tying on his saddle a
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 escaping many per
lis on the way he succeeded In reaching
Fort Laramie i've days later. The
country across which he rode was alb
solutely uninhabited 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 90 degrees be-
low zero. When Phillips delivered his
dispatches az Fort Laramie. hardy.
brave frontiersman as he was, he fell
In a dead faint. Immediately upon re-
ceipt OF these dispatches troops were
forwarded from Fort Laramie. and the
garrison at Fort Phil Kearny was re-
lieved. For this remarkable act of GAL
lantry and endurance, which win for
ever place John Phillips's name in the
gallery of heroic men, he was never in
any way paid by the general Govern
ment
In the years Immediately following
this heroic ride, John Phillips was en-
ployed in various capacities at Govern
ment posts. The Sioux had sworn that
they would be revenged upon him. He
was continually hunted and harassed
by them because he had rescued from
their grasp the garrison at Fort PIN
Kearny. 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 near
er to him. They heard him family
whisper: Il did the best could" and
he was dead