The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-24
KANSAS INDIAN FIGHTS.
Vivid Description of Some of the
Later Ones.

In the eighth volume of the Kansas
State Historical society series to be is
sued about July will be an account of
Black Kettles last raid, in 1868, by Hill
l.. Wilson.
Mr.. Wilson was post trader at Fort
Hays for many years and knows from
the news of the time about the raid. Mr..
wilson's description of the capture of
Black Kettle is as follows:
The Sioux have gone on the war
path, but Black Kettle will not follow
their trail. All other Indians may take
the war trail, but Black Kettle will for
ever keep friendship with his white
brothers,
ments with affirmative mods and grunts.
and we all shook hands with Black Ket-
tie, and congratulated him on his
speech, which made him look very
proud and very happy. The success of
the function was made complete by the
major who directed the commanding
officer, Lieutenant David @. Rousseau.
Fifth United States infantry, to issue to
them ten sides of bacon and ten sacks
of -four, with a liberal allowance of
beans, coffee, salt etc. They were as
delighted as Stoics ever can be,.and that
night, August 7, 1868, they had a royal
gorge In the morning they were gone.
Three days later their hands were red
with the blood of their white brothers."
On leaving Fort Hays the Indians
moved eastward, and camped that night
on the Saline river, north of where Rus
sell now stands. The second night out
they camped on the Saline. near the
mouth of Spillman creek, in Lincoln
county, and on the next day began their
murderous work They ran off the
stock, burned the cabins, and killed or
carried away every settler they found
upon Spillman creek. Then, crossing
valley, and camped near the Great
Spirit spring, Waconda. From thence
they moved eastward, and upon reach
ing the settlements continued their
work of murder and devastation. Fiji
teen persons were killed in this raid and
five women made captives. Then, cross
Ing the divide into the Republican val
ley, they went westward with their
prisoners and plumber.
Immediately the military establish
ment became active in ar effort to pro-
tect the frontier from further incursions.
Troops were dispatched from Fort
Harker, the present sit of Kanopolis,
then the headquarters of the military
district of the upper Arkansas, to patrol
the border. The state of Kansas was
called upon for regiment of cavalry
and the Nineteenth Kansas was organ
lied and equipped in response thereto;
the governor of the state. Samuel j.
Crawford, resigning his office to take
command of it.
In addition to these troops. on Aug
ust "A Major George A. Forsythe,
DTeNet cOlO1el united states army, was
directed by General Sheridan. at Fort
Harker. to employ nifty first-class
frontiersmen for six months" to be
used as scouts against hostile Indians.
Lieut.. F. H Beecher,s Third United
States infantry. was assigned to duty
with Forsytne as subordinate officer.
Within two days thirty men were en-
rolled; on the 10Th they moved by rail
to Fort Hays, where the remainder
were enlisted and on the 29th the COM
man6 inf ha Tod
States service. and reported to General
Sheridan for duty armed, mounted, and
equipped for the field. DIR. ]. H. Moores
of Hays City, was assigned to duty
with the scouts as acting assistant sur
geon.
Under orders from General Sheridan,
who mad now established the head
quarters of the department of the Mis-
souri, at Fort Hays. F'orsythe marched
his troops in a northwesterly direction,
crossing the Saline and south fork of
the Solomon to the Beaver. and from
there proceeded to Fort Wallace, where
he arrived September s.
Rehttlng his command here, Forsythe
moved eastward thirteen miles to
Sheridan. then the end of the track of
the Kansas division of the Union Pa
cific railway. where a-band of Indians
had attacked some freighters. killed
two of them. and burned their outfits
Taking the trail of these Indians For
sythe followed it westward to the
Arickaree fork of the Republican
river. Although no Indians had yet
been sighted, the trail had widened
into broad. well-beaten road. and
gave ample notice that the scouts were
pressing close upon a very large body
of them So much was F'orsythe inn
pressed that he deemed it prudent to
go into camp and rest and Craze his
horses, in anticipation of the impend-
ing struggle. They were not kept long
in suspense. AT daylight next morning,
September II, the Indians began the
attack by attempting to stampede the
herd, which was frustrated. Realizing
now the peril of his situation, For
sythe quickly moved his men onto a
small island in the dry bed of the
river. which afforded the advantages
of some shelter and water. The prompt
execution of this movement alone
saved the command from utter annihi-
latioz-
The Indians came in swarms over
the adjacent bluffs and from the ra-
vine, and within few minutes a thou
sand painted warriors had completely
encompassed the island. They were nu-
der the command of Roman Nose. a