Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-04-05

out, but presently it came sliding down
the incline, and then / saw that it was
a small raft. The structure was so
light and flimsy that the wonder was
how it held together. 1t was just such
a raft as a couple of sailors could
knock together in half an hours time,
and in the center of it, with his back
braced against a water keg, which was
firmly dashed in place. was a nan. He
was not a common sailor. but a mate or
captain. He had a flashing about his
waist. but his hands and legs We're
free.
And now the raft came sliding down
the ave like a sled on a snow covered
hill. and 1 looked the man square in the
eyes. He was about middle age, and
there could be no mistake as to his
vocation. He took in our craft allow
n aloft at one glance. For three or
four seconds something like hope came
into his look, but then it vanished. He
realized that it was utterly out of our
power to aid him. Had there been L.
600 aboard our ship not one of them
could nave lifted a hand. He looked
into my eyes in dumb despair as he
caught a rope. even if there had been
one at hand to fling him. My eyes
may have expressed pity, but there was
nothing to bid him hope. 1t was all
over in 20 seconds-his coming and GO
ing-and then he disappeared astern.
u speed. He did not so much as
move a foot or lift a hand. but simply
cried for help with a l-ook-appealed to
us for a brief space-and then went
driving into hat trackless waste of
ocean over which we had sailed weeks
and weeks. seemingly the only thing
whence he came, but all knew where
he was going-to a sailors death!
This was the scene on that dark
December day in 1866, a day which
made a nation shudder as it read the
news from the frontier. Here on the
rising ground was Fort Phil Kearny,
a rude post against which the hostile
Sioux a hurled themselves many
a ridge with bushes scattered here
and there. This ridge sloped down to
a bit of valley. and beyond the valley
was a SECOND ridge. This ran away
into ~thickets.a forest and here the
Indians found cover and laid plans
had to be cut n hauled from the for
est, distant at least three miles, and
for weeks and weeks a strong guard
had to be sent with the wagons.
This was the scene three or four
years ago when I stood on the high
est ground and looked over the valley
over the ridges. The wheat was ripen-
ing all along the hillsides and upon
the ridges and down in the valley.
The sheep and horses and COWS were
grazing on rich, green grass. There
We're hills of corn in place Of bushes.
a field of oats where the red men lay
in ambush that day.
""The wood train has been attacked
sir!"
So reported the officer of the day to
Colonel Darlington, commander of the
post, and a moment later an alarm
was sounded. 1t was early forenoon
and the wood train and it's guard had
scarcely crossed the second ridge
when the Indians attacked and the
sound of firing came back to the fort
sharp and clear.
There was something pitiful in the
movement Immediately made to go to
the rescue. When all had been as
semoled, less than so men could be
were civilians. The garri-
SON as it stood was not strong enough
to beat Off a vigorous attack, and yet
the wood train must be rescued.
There We're those who lived to tell
the world how brave Colonel Fetter-
maj pleaded with his superior to be
allowed the privilege OF leading the
~ -" Z" " ~ y
dropped out of line to kiss their wives
and children as the gates swung open.
Men looked about them with white
faces and compressed lips. and nodded
goodby to those they were leaving
behind. and every living soul left be-
hind at the fort stood at the gate and
watched he little band as it marched
swiftly over the first ridge and was
lost to sight.
The wood train had made a good
fight of it, but the Indians had not
planned to close in at once. They
wanted the firing to be heard, as that
meant troops would be sent out. The
ambush was already prepared. Down
where the lambs frisk about in the
summer sunshine We're the wagons
at bay. Here where the wheat is turn
ing golden were 200 red skins hidden
in the t%hickets, over there by the oat
field was another band. Down through
this valley, then ined with bush, came
Fetterman and his gallant men, cheer
ing and firing and seeing only half a
hundred Indians lodging about. They
reached the train, but it was only to
be suddenly surrounded by a circle
of fire.
Those al the fort heard crash after
crash Of musketry, but in 10 minutes
it was all over. A scout sent out
brought back h direful news. Now
the post was stripped Of its last man
to send out another detachment. but
not until the next day that the living
reached the dead. There they lay on
less than an acre Of ground-oyer
there where the blackberry bushes
grow rank and the locks are monu-
ments to mark he tragedy. Officers
and privates-the veteran the recruit.
. There were no wounded. Not a soul
had broken fhrn1lph and ocoorol An