The Goodland republic., 1899-09-22

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Gus Indian encounters as tragic as the
last stand Of Gen. Clusters took place
on the Arickaree fork Of the Republi-
can river, 60 miles northwest Of Good
land. The scene Of battle is just in
the corner Of ArapahOe county, Colo
Saturday and Sunday q reunion was
held on this battlefield, and four Of
the survivors OF the brave little party
that stood of the thousand savages
were there to renew aequsintances and
visit the spot where the party we're
prisoners for nine days with nothing
but horse meat for food.
This Is the first re- union held to com
memorate the notable fight, but it is
proposed to hold these celebrations an
nusIly in the future The reunion, al
though attended by only four OF the
survivors, was q success, oyer 400 PeO-
pie being present. Many relics Of the
the fight were found by the visitors.
Three Of the survivors who attended
the reunion were in GoOdland Monday
evening enroute to their homes. They
were: James J. Peate and Cal Smith of
Beverly, Kan, and Eli Zeigler Of Fort
Collins, Col The only other survivor
who attended the reunion was Fletcher
Violet, who lives in Nebraska. Henry
H. Tucker, also one OF the party, lives
at Minneapolis, Kan. An effort will be
made to have Col. Forsyth, Jack Still
well and as many others Of the party
Of 81 years ago that survive the fight to
attend the reunion next year.
In an interview published in the
Kansas City World a few years ago,
"Comanche Jack" StilweH relates his
account OF the fight and his tramp to
Fort Wallace for rreinfOrcements, which
is given below in full:
"It was along about September %,
1853 he said, "that Col. Sandy For
syth was ordered by Gen. Sheridan to
hire frOntiersmen and start out to over
haul war party Of Brule and ORallaIa
Sioux and Dog Soldier Cheyennes,
which had been raiding the country.
The only other soldiers in expedition
were Lieut.. Beecher, a nephew Of Henry
Ward Beecher, and DR.. Moore. The
rest Of the so men were ErOntiersmen.
It was not long after leaving Fort Wal
lace with our supplies that We struck
the trail Of the marauders. From the
tracks the Indians left behind them we
judged that there were about 1900 te-
pees in the outfit. The trail led across
the Republican river, and was quite
fresh It was evident that the Indians
were making slow progress, owing to
their great number and camp truck
We were thus enabled to cover as much
ground in one day as they were in two.
On the night Of the 10th We camped on
a fat and narrow sandbar near the
stream. Early next morning we were
attacked by 2 few Indians, who attemp-
ted to run off our stock. While we
we're saddling our horses q large party
began more vigorous fight upon US.
The snn was just rising when it was de-
cided that we should move upon a sand
bar which was an island in wet weather
and when the river was high.
There we're a few cottonwood trees
on the sandy strip. We quickly took
possession Of the upper end Of the isl
and, while the Indians swoOped down
upon the lower. The fight was now on.
Col. Forsyth detailed myself and five
other men to go to bushwhacking, and
capture, if possible, the position held
by the Indians. This we accomplished,
but the Indians had by this time stat
loned their sharpshoOters in the hOl-
lows near bysnd prevented US from re-
turning to the main body. The fight
had lasted an hour and half when we
received the raIief we had sent for.
at was about this time we discovered
that the Indians were wrangling as to
who should command them. At 10
o'clock old Roman Nose, chief of the
Dog Soldiers and the most celebrated
Indian fighters Of that day, assumed
command. He wore the same head
dress which had seen on his head in
previous fghts-a gaudy, barbarous
eontriYRnce, with a buffalo horn stand /
ing on end just above the forehead and
hanked on either side by a stuffed
bird When in command in battle,
Roman Nose carried a lance, which he
used to wave in directing the move
ments Of his troops.
Sitting squarely on his horse, with |
his festhered lance uplifted, Roman /
Nose Immediately ordered a charge, /
which he led in person. The Indians I
bore down on our center, and, break /
ing 1t, dashed almost half way to the !
main party Of our men, when q bullet I
struck Roman Nose behind and pierced /
his abdomen.
"Ihe old fellow fell nearly to the