The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-07-02
FORT PHIL KEARMY STOOD SIEGE BY INDIAN HORDES TWO YEARS.
WHIPPING OUT OF FETTERAN fSvAGON BOX"
the slope leading up to the miniature
fortress, and all around it.
Red Cloud Is Beaten.

| lOllISSSy anu oil dIOuuQ IL.
Red Cloud Is Beaten.
Red Cloud and his warriors were
greatly puzzled, as well as terribly en-
ragged at this repulse. To them 1t
was incomprehensible, but they had
not yet learned the lesson of the kill
ing qualities of the then new breech-
loading Sprfngfields.
An attack on foot by the whole
force of Indians was decided upon, so
stripping themselves of everything ex-
lcepting their arms and ammunition,
100 of the reds stole out of the woods
and surrounded the corral; then,
from every direction through small
ravines and grass to points in a circle
just out of range of rifle fire from
the corral, where they waited orders.
At signal they stealthily advanced
| within long range and suddenly
opened terrific fire concentrated on
the wagons. Their bullets were
turned by the boiler iron. The lit
tie garrison within lay waiting, grim,
silent and expectant.
| All at once the adjacent hills
seemed covered by Indians, and more
than 1900 warriors, under the lead
ership of Red Clouds nephew, began
a steady advance in a vast semi-cir-
Gle, prepared to rush in and over
whe1m the defenders as soon as their
own skirmishers should draw the fire
of the whites and silence it. The In
dian skirmishers redoubled their fire;
then, singing their war song, dashed
forward. But the instant they came
within short range, every portion of
the little corral belched rifle fire and
bullets poured into the advancing
hordes.
In vain the desperate and crazed
Indians tried to swarm up to annihf-
late the wagons and their defenders.
Once in a desperate and united rush
they came within a few feet of the
corral, but so deadly was the fire
and so appalling the slaughter that
almost as one man, they broke and
fled out of range.
For three long hours various sub
chiefs led new assaults, only to re-
treat before the whitening fire from
the wagons, until it became whis-
pered about among the chiefs that
there was some "bad medicine"
against them. Finally, worn out by
repeated charges, shattered, baffled
and beaten, the red warriors fled to
the hills.
Rescue Their Dead.
Red Cloud and some of the older
chiefs, watching from the hillside
nearby, realized that they were beat
en- An order was given for another
attack to shield the WORK of recover
ing the bodies of the slain, and for
several hours this work went on until !.
most of the dead, excepting those just
around the corral, had been dragged
back toward the hills.
While they were still at work the
sound of a field piece was heard
and the bursting of shell among
the savages told the little band in the
corral that help was at hand. Soon
Major Smith and 100 men with a
mountain howitzer from the fort, re-
ieved them amid ringing cheers
rom the garrison and the rescuers.
The losses of Captain Powell's
.orce were only Lieutenant Jenness
ind two enlisted men killed, and two
men wounded Red Cloud had loss
If killed and wounded of 1,137, &C
,ording to a number of Sioux chiefs
Who took part in the battle, and who
rave their side of the story later.
rhe Sioux chiefs had paid dearly for
he victory over Colonel Fetterman
md his men.
A few weeks later Fort Phil Kear-
~ was abandoned and burned; left
'n1y to the keeping of the little city
# dead who slept peacefully beneath
PLOT Hill, nearby.