The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-09-25
Feared Attack on Fort.

The weather was bitter cold and It
was late In December, and there was
no telling when the Indians, encour-
aged by their success, would make a
determined assault on the fort. But
the next day General Darlington went
I'm person TO the scene Of that battle
with a force OF eighty men, after
leaving strict instructions as to sig
nails to be fred from the fort in case
of an attack. The women and chill.
dren had been placed in the maga-
zine, and an officer was left in charge
OF them pledged not to let the women
be taken alive If the general did not
return and the Indians captured the
fort.
General Darlington found bodies
strung along the road to the western
end Of the trail furtherest from the
fort. The two civilians who had ac-
compahied Fetterman were found
behind a couple Of rocks By the side
of one were found fifty shells, and
nearly as many at the side OF the
other, showing that they had made
n desperate fight. Wheatley had no
less than 105 arrows i'm him.
Lieutenant Grummond was found
some distance from the others be.
hind a pile OF rock. with every evi.
dence OF n terrible struggle having
taken place on the scene. The bodies
OF the remaining soldiers, which were
stripped of clothing, were taken back
to the fort.
The weather was almost insuffer-
able, and men and women were
forced to clothe themselves in furs
made from skins of wolves. AS soon
rs possible relief was sent to the
fort.
General Darlington was relieved
OF command pending investigation.
but eventually he was absolved from
blame, as It was proved that he had
given Fetterman distinct orders not
to venture into the trap which Red
Cloud had sprung SO successfully.
General Darlington was deeply In.
terested in going over the scene OF
his early experiences. It was planned
to have him meet his old foeman,
Red Cloud. probably the greatest
chief the Sioux ever knew, but the
old warrior was too feeble to be
there.
Just before the abandonment OF
Fort Phil Kearny Red Cloud received
ample punishment for the Fettermau
slaughter. Captain James Powell,
who had been detailed TO guard the
timber cutters at the fort, repulsed
Red Closd and his warriors In what
was known as the wagon Box
fight" n short distance from the fort.
Red Cloud had assembled about g..
600 warriors, and determined 10
make n direct assault on the fort.
AS preliminary move he intended
TO annihilate Powell and his wood
guards. No less than 500 Indians
made an attack on the wood train,
but Powell promptly corralled the
wagons, and behind this fortifcation
he and his thirty-one men defended
themselves.
Unknown 10 the Indians the sol.
diers were armed with new rife
OF the rapid-flre type. There were
plenty OF these guns. and o1e from
tiersman, crack shot. had eight
loaded weapons at his elbow. lie
kept these eight guns busy for three
hours. The frsi charge was re-.
pulsed. the Indians falling in great
numbers. Four times the Indians
charged. only To be moved down By
the bad medicine guns" Final
ly Red Cloud made a last charge. but
IL was only for the purpose OF get.
ting the bodies OF those who had
fallen. Red Cloud himself after.
ward said he lost 1900 followers in
that fight. The defeat dishearterfed
the Sioux and caused Red Cloud to
lose the prestige he had gained In his
dafaaf ~ Eotk~s~sU vet