The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-09-06

Indian chief who trapped Fetterman
| Now dying from old age.
1888 &%&% 49, ~ - - 80 ~ ~ y
Phil Kearny, which was the first out
post of civilization in that part of the
West, and where General Darlington
was practically besieged for two years
| by the great chief, Red Cloud, who is
now near death from old age on a
Dakota reservation. Fort Phil Kearny
was established on the old BoZeman
trail, over which many pioneers were
pushing their way westward in the
COS. Travel over this trail was very
dangerous, and hardly a wagon train
passed through the hunting grounds of
the Sioux without being attacked. When
the fort was established Red Cloud and
his warlike braves were furious and
renewed their attacks on the white men
with redoubled vigor. General CARING
ton himself superintendent the build
ing of the fort. He made a strong
stOekade, which surrounded the build
ings and parade ground and constitut-
ed an impregnable defence. Red Cloud
was too, crafty to try to assault the
fort, out he laid constant siege to it,
and nobody dared venture beyond the
stockade without heavy guard of SOL
diers. In the first six months after the
establishment of the fort the Indians
killed 154 persons, including citizens
and soldiers. There were fifty-one de-
monstrations near the fort. and every
train that passed on the trail was at
tackled
Captain Fetterman's Boast.
The Indians particularly delighted
in making life a burden to the wood
cutters. Near the fort was a hill
called Sullivant Hill, on which a sentry
stood all day long, watching for signals
from the wood cutters. If an unusual
fy large force of Indians attacked them,
the wood cutters would signal for more
help and an additional detachment
would be sent from the fort On De-
eember 81, 1856, the lookout signalled
that the wood train had been corralled
and was attacked in force about a mile
and half from the fort. a relief
party of forty-nine men from the 18th
Infantry and twenty-seven troopers
from the End Cavalry was ordered out. |
Captain w. j. Fetterman, who had
little experience in Indian fighting, |
but who was brave if somewhat |
impetuous officer, asked to be put in |
charge of the relief party. General |
Darlington acceded to his request and |
gave him positive instructions to re-
ieve the wood train and drive back |
the Indians, but on no account to pur-
sue the Indians beyond Lodge Trail /
Ridge, long, high ridge near the fort,
from Sullivant Hill. With
captain Fetterman S party went two
civilians. Wheatley and Fisher, both
armed with new breech-loading, rapid
firing rifles, which they were eager to
ny in Indian warfare.
Fetterman had made the boast that
With eighty men he could ride through
he whole Sioux nation. He now had
ight-three men, and the sequel proved
low little he knew of the Sioux AS
lighters when he made his boast. The
indians who were attacking the wood
utters were soon appraised of Fetter-
mans approach and Immediately with
rev, allowing the wood train to break
oral and go on its way unmOlested.
he Indians seemed to realize that the /
IAN in command of the soldiers was ,
OF an experienced fighter. They kept I
nst out of range and tainted the
6ldiers and made insulting motions, j
nd, in short, tried by every means !
D keep the command following them {
n this they succeeded. Fetterman !
-as so eager to punish the redskins I
hat he forgot his orders and pursued
ne Sioux across Lodge Trail Ridge. c
nee over this ridge he was in the e
over of the Sioux. Red Cloud had h
osted hundreds of Indians in ambush. {
General Darlington soon found that :
,mething was wrong. He had dis :
atched a surgeon with an escort of
'ur men to join Fetterman's party, 7
ut the doctor soon returned with the p