Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-08-24
Views and Reviews
Letters Recall the Hero of For
Qotten Indian Outbreak

Among the other interesting letters turned
up in my back correspondence flies upon which
drew recently for this column, I find
these two that may stir some OF my
readers to lively memories of the past
1t is a request for verification of certain facts
relating to his army life on the plains, coming
from Maj. Gen. William H. Carter, who with
the explanation that he was arranging his
papers with view to narrating his half cen.
fury of army life, says:
I'm the winter of 1884 l was out in
charge OF wagon train from Cheyenne to
old Fort Fetterman on the Platte, and Lieu
tenant Robinson of the 18th infantry was
out from Fort Laramie with another train
when the Sioux broke out. Lieutenant Rob-
inson and one of his corporals were killed.
his brought about an expedition into the
Indian country, which resulted in the estab-
llshment of posts at Spotted Tail and Red
Cloud agencies. the latter still existing as
Fort Robinson, Neb.
,o- During the spring or early summer of
1874, while in camp at Red Cloud agency,
half breed named Toussaint Kenseler re-
Joined the Indians, having escaped from the
jail at Cheyenne, where he was being held
tor murder He was shot and recaptured by
small party comprising Lieut. Emmett
Crawford, Sd cavalry, subsequently killed
in Mexico) and Lieut.. P. Henry Ray (re-
Gently deceased as brigadier general in the
army and several enlisted men,. This re-
suited in an attack on the command while
kenseer was held as prisoner in camp.
i find the official records of the War
department. are practically silent on many
OF the things which now are of interest.
Doubtless they appeared in some detail in
The Omaha Bee, the first item during Janu-
airy or February 1874, and the second along
about May or June. 1874. If the information
q. - -:
1t may be possible to locate these occur
rences. If you can do 80, and will let me
have extra copies of the paper covering them,
1t Will be very great personal favor If
they can be located, and only the office
files are left, l will get one of my Omaha
friends to call and copy such part as would
be useful to me-"
A subsequent letter explains more in de-
tail this exciting incident of Indian warfare:
Honolulu H. T., June 5, 1o15-My Dear
Mr.. Rosewater: Thank you, very much, for
your letter. The particular items that wish
to obtain information about comprise the fol-
lowing:
About June, ia, half-breed Indian who
had been convicted of murder escaped from
Jail in Cheyenne was recaptured at Red Cloud
Agency by Lieut. Emmett Crawford and Lieut.
Patrick Ray. The Indian was brought to the
the camp being called Fort Robinson, which
subsequently developed into Fort Robinson,
Neb, at the same site. My recollection of
the name of this Indian was "Toussaint
Kentsler." I have recently seen a statement
by an officer who did not belong to that gar
rison, but who was in that part of the coun-
try, giving the name of the man as "Antoine
Janise.' A short time after the capture of
this man, and while he was in the guard
house, think on the very night of his in
generation, the Indians attacked our camp
and were driven off, but while the attack was
going on they cut out the beef herd from the
corral and got away with it. 1t was subse-
quently recaptured by Lieutenant Crawford,
Third cavalry This i. according TO nv
recollection running back over a period of
more than 90 years. This Crawford is the
one who also about that time pursued de-
serters and recaptured IL of them who had
left camp avowing they would fight before
they would surrender
Crawford was afterward, as you probably
remember, killed by Mexicans in Mexico
after pursuing Geronimo's band across the
line.
If you can have the data concerning this
copied for me it will be very greatly ap-
preciated. Very sincerely,
WILLIAM H. CARTER.
When I asked him about it, the outbreak
was distinctly remembered by E. S. Kicker,
who was here several weeks gathering material
for his history of the Indians. Mr.. Kicker said
he knew both "Toussant" and Crawford per-
sonally. Lieutenant Ray will be recalled as
having later been stationed in Omaha and mar
ried here, winning successive promotions
through the Indian, Spanish and Philippine
wars.