The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-12-01
FOUGHT THE
. INDIANS IN
! SNOWsT0RM
Mondays Blizzard Recalls How
Custer Crushed Power
Of Cheysn1es
Speelal ID the Daily Leader.

Chickasha. Okla. Dec Forty
three years ago occurred the battle OF
Washita the victory in Indian warfare
over the tribes OF Western Oklaho-
ma that ultimately resulted in a set
tlement OF all difficulties between the
Indians and the Federal government.
Although there were intermittent hos
Utilities in that region during the en-
Suing six years yet the Indians new
er again showed the same degree of
spirit and unity in their warlike dem
constructions after Clusters victory on
the Washita. This was the beginning
of the end of Indian wars in Western
Oklahoma
The Indians OF western Oklahoma
after their terrible slaughter of set
tiers in the valleys of the Saline and
Solomon valleys, had hastily retreat
cd TO their supposed security in the
wilderness of Western Oklahoma.
General Sheridan, who was in COM
Imand determined to persue and pun
ish the marauders and proposed to
carry on a campaign in the winter,
a policy which was without precedent
in the history of warfare on the
plains, and careful preparations were
made.
Horses Without Food
The Indian of the plains never
made war in the winter In all of
their movements they We're dependent
upon their horses These during the
winter and early spring had nothing
to eat except dry grass and the bark
of cotton wood ami willow trees. Con-
sequently the animals were too thin
xrfAu rAr hn ayartiDn. nf In1i. N
warfare until comparatively late III
season. II was this reason that tie
! Indians OF the plains made war only
late in the season and the troops
of the Federal army had made war
on the Indians only when the latter
were hostile This well established
precedent General Sheridan proposed
to disregard,
| Governor Crawford, Of Kansas, was
asked to furnish regiment Of volun-
teer cavalry, which was promptly
raised This with the Seventh iegi-
ment of tho u. s. cavalry composed
the force with which ii was planned
to overcome the hostile indians. Gen
George A. Custer who later was kill
ed in the fight at the Little Big Horn
was in command OF the Seventh. The
Kansas regiment was delayed by a
neayy snow storm. Genera: Custer
with his force pushed down the
Washta until ne found the camp OF
the Cheyennes on the Washita and
attacked it at daylight November q,
1868.
Distinguished Men Slain
Custer all but entangled his com
mand in the same kind Of a hopeless
predicament in which 1t was entrap-
ped in tae battle of the Little Big
Horn eight years later. Had he
struck the valley Of the Washita four
er i've miles lower it is probable that
the victory might have been impossi
BILE As it was his victory was rs
complete as il had been spectacular.
He captured the camp and returned
to Camp supply. The Washita valley !
was full of Indian camps for miles be
low-hostile KiOwas. Comanches and
Cneyennes
Among the brave men whose lie |
blood-reddened the snow in the var |
ley of the Washta river on that bleak |
November morning were Major. Joel |
f. Elliott and Capt. Louis McLane |
Hamilton. the latter the grandson OF |
Alexa7lde Hamilton. He was the
youngest officer Of rank in the United |
States army at the time of his death.
Clusters loss was comparatively |
small in numbers. The battle took
place short distance above the sire |
upon wnich the town of Cheyenne
Okla, now stands founded there 23
years after this important battle |
With the snow foot deep and the |
weather bitterly cold just before
break Of day Clusters squadrons were |
assigned positions surrounding the |
Cheyenne village. The herds of hors
es owned by the tribe were captureu
before the Indians dreamed of the |
presence Of the enemy. After the !
tight the lodges, lodge-poles and 9th
er property Of the Indians were piled
up and burned and some 500 horses |
and ponies. which were not needed |
for transportation of prisoners, were |
killed.
Black Kettle, the famous Cheyenne |
chief who had been a leader of his |
people for years. was killed during |
The battle The atrocities committed
in the Solomon valley were charge
TO his leadership. AZ the time OF his |
death Black Kettle was wearing !
silver medal which had been pre-
scented TO one of his ancestors by the
Indian eaee commission ci the
States government during the admin
istration OF President Washington.
He was one of the Indians who
pleaded eloquently against the eXten-
sion Of the iron road across the
plains He said that the railroad
would drive away the buffalo and
leave the red Children OF The Great
Father al WssllipstonS t1 stitIYe-