The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1909-10-23
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Sitting Bull had 5000 fighting men
with him when he the Seventh cavalry under the
"Yelowhaired Chief" who rode valley of death
with less than three hundred following troopers It is
the custom of the whites to speak every battle
the reds in which the pale face loss severe as
massacre The Custer affair was a massacre. but it
of the few fights in which the whites were
defeated which rightly could be called
Red Clouds name is suggestive of the warrior and
In the that he made its significance ter
ribe. With his braves he swept the settlements
gave battle to the sodiery rarely giving heed to the
odds that might be against him.
Red Cloud a Sioux of the pure blood. There
always Of the tribe who said that Sitting Bull
had trace Of white in him. and to the fullblood this
the equivalent Of dlscredtng him with "streak Of
yellow" But this was only the Indian of looking
at 1t and Sitting Bull probably showed towards
face to foe, matter what be the opinion Of
him as painsman general.
In his old age Red Cloud is said be object of
pity, but it different story in the earlier days,
when his arm strong and his heart vengeful.
Almost Immediately after the civil war Red Cloud met
in battle the edtred heroes of that conflict and they
found in him foe worthy of their skill and steel.
Mineral wealth had been discovered in Montana and
the prospectors settlers made
for the government to begin the erection of military
posts along the trail leading the prares to the
mines On the trail to the Powder river was built Fort
Phil Kearney. While the troops ordered to the new
post the march overland scout came riding
in to the column he had death at his heels COL
Fetterman in command, and after hurried talk
with the the two rode forward leaving the column
halt. officer and scout skirted patch of timber
which the view unbroken for miles To the front
and about 600 yards distant they solitary Sioux
warrior standing the plain with his spear thrust into
the ground at his sde while from the end of the
handle futtered bit of colored CLOTH 1t needed
but little frontier knowledge to make Interpretation of
that signal easy 1t the Sioux sign of warming that
there must trespassing the lands over which
they held dominion.
Warning Is spurned.
Red Cloud the chief, had ordered the warrior to
display what at notice and a menace. and
later he took terrible vengeance because his warning
had been spurned.
Col Fetterman rode back to his command, knowing
well what the signal of the planted meant but,
soldier like fully determined to disregard its conveyed
threat He pushed ahead with his men. throwing out
scouts to feel the way The Indian sentinel had van
shed but left his with its pennant Of cloth
to stand as a forbddng sign. Not another Sioux was
the march to the post but the scouts knew
that Red Cloud far of and was bidng his time
few hours after the occupation of the fort detail
of soldiers was out with small wagon train to cut
and to bring in needed timber. Two hours later
courier pode In and had barely time to tell his story
Before he into Inconsistencies from the pain OF
Dis wounds timber detail was surrounded by Sioux
Snd was in imminent danger of death.
In the fort were many women and children, the
wives and sons and daughters of the officers and en-
listed men Col Fetterman knew that he must leave
strong guard for the protection of the post for the
attack on timber party might be but diversion TO
draw away the and taking but so men with
him. the commanding officer rode out to the rescue OF
the surrounded soldiers Not one man OF the gallant
band rode back.
That Fetterman and his men exacted heavy price
for their lives goes without saying but how many OF
savage followers OF Red Cloud fell on that day no
man ever will man ever know unless the cheI
In the hour OF dotage may day babble the tale
To the memory of Fetterman fort bearing his name
In the wilderness but even the remembrance OF the
memorial IL now passing News OF the killing OF
the troops had gone the aid Of their fellows only
TO die sent the nearest garrison by courier VINO
made his way through the hostile country with peril
besetfng every hoof stroke the path He euded hed
Cloud only by matching cunning against cunning ana
the white craft won over the red