The evening times., 1899-12-23
4 SCOUTS HEROIC RIDE
The Widow Of John Phillips Asks
Congress for Relief.
story of a Wild Dash Through an
Indian Country by the Bearer of
Dispatches Announcing the Invest-
ment of Fort Phil kearney-Great
Massacre by Redskins Recalled.


One of the bills which It is understood
Will receive favorable action by this Con.
gress is that for the relief of Hattie A
Phillips, widow of John Phillips. wfo
made wild ride from Fort Phil Kearney
to Fort Laramie. in December 1866, and
which ride resulted in the deliverance OF
the garrison at the former post. bill
similar to that which, it is believed, will
be passed by Congress at this session, was
/ the F'fty-ff Congress and was passed
by the Senate. A bill for the re ief of
Mrs. Phillips was reported to the House
in the Fifty-fourth Congress.
House Report No. 1913. Fifty fourth
Congress. first session. recites that in l
the annals of heroism. in the face of I'M
usual dangers and difficulties. on the
| American frontier or in the world there
are few that exceed in gallantry and pa
trlotism the ride made by John Phillips,
| from Fort kearney to Fort Laramie carry
| ing dispatches which gave the first inte Ii
gence to the outside world of the terrible
massacre near the former post, and whi h
saved the lives OF the people garrisoned
| there-men. women. and chiidren-by
| starting re-enforcements to their relief
J The story of the gallant ride is that Fort
Phil kearney, commanded by Col. Henry
B. Darlington, under the shadow OF the
Big Horn Mountains. 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 bsen
lowering in the vicinity of the post for
some time. and had been last seen in
large numbers on Tongue River, northeast
of the fort.
Slaughter of Soldiers.
On December q the Indians made an at
tack upon the wood train a few miles north
of the fort A detachment of troops un-
der command OF Brevet Lieutenant Colonel
Fetterman, including two other officers and
seventy eight men, and number OF civil
iars, made a 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 over
whelming numbers. and every man of the
detachment was killed. The heroism OF
their struggle for life can never be tod,
but the terrible slaughter which has since
been confessed by the Indians of their
braves. and the fact that the troops were
only killed after their ammunition was ex-
Hdusltu, SptdhS tiOQutuliy oI tHe
and bloody nature of the encounter. The
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 If the Indians were
successful in taking the fort 1t meant
death for the garrison and worse fate for
the women and children, who begged pite-
ously 10 be placed in the powder house and
blown up in the case of a successful at
tack by the Indians.
A. this juncture. when brave men felt
that the only possible hope for the garrison
was in taking news of their beeaguerment
10 the nearest outside post, and not SOL
dier could be found who would brave the
attempt 10 break through the savages and
ride to the nearest outpost, distance of
DDS miles. John Phillips. scout and hunter,
volunteered 10 take dispatches 10 Fort Lar
annie Placing few biscuits in his poek-
cts. tying on his saddle small quantity of
feed for his horse. he left the post at mid
night on the night succeeding the massacre
and reached Fort Laramie with the des-
patches five days later. The country across
which he rode was absolutely uninhabited by
white men. and the ground was covered by
snow from three 10 five feet in depth: he
had no food for himself or his horse other
than the meagre amount he took with him.
and il was necessary for him 10 travel en-
tirely by night for fear of hostile Indians
The weather was exceedingly cold, the ther-
mometer reaching 20 degrees below zero.
When he delivered the dispatches at Fort
Laramie. hardy frontiersman as he was.
he fell in a dead faint. Immediately on
receipt of the dispatches troops were for
warded from Fort Laramie and the garri-
son at Fort Phil Kearney was relieved For
this act of heroism John Phillips has never
in any way been paid by the General Gov
eminent, the only payment made him be-
ing the sum of $500. which was paid him
for various scouting services.
Persccuted by the Sioux
In the years Immediately following his
ride. John Phillips was employed in various
capacities and engaged in business in con-
nection with Government posts, and he was
continually hunted and harassed by the |
Sioux, who always looked upon him as the |
man who had wrested from their grasp the |
garrison at Fort Phil Kearney At one time |
he was lassoed by the Indians. in an at |
tempt to capture him for the purpose of /
torture. At othar times his cattle were sho; |
down, undoubtedly through pure wanton- |
ness on the part Of these Indian maraud- |
ers In 1872 John Phillips was engaged in |
wood for the Government at Fort |
Fetterman. when a band of Indians. sup |
posed to be Ogallala Sioux and Cheyennes. |
drove off and killed a considerable amount |
of stock belonging TO him. The Sioux
chief. Red Cloud. acknowledged this depre-
dation, but insisted that the Indians be-
longed TO another band than his This
claim was passed upon by the Court Of
Claims. and the evidence was overwhelm>
ng, including the evidence of army officers,
Indian agents. special examiners, and 9TH
srs, and the Court Of Claims allowed and
entered judgment for the sum of s2.210.
1t transpired that at the time the depre-
iation occurred. John Phillips was not
ully naturalized citizen of the United
States, and therefore the claim was not
,aid. As the court could not take into ac-
,ount the gallant and meritorious services
o his country of this brave man, but could
make its decision only on the finding Of
act, the claim has never been recognized.
Phillips became a fully natu-
allied citizen of the United States. Broken
n health by the exposure and strain Of his
ong and perilous ride, he died in the prime
# life, leaving widow and child in strait
ned circumstances.