Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-23

COIIlIIldllu VI Oh WCAO "APCo
out to a man by Sioux and
Cheyennes near Fort Phil Kear-
ney, Wyoming, a few days be-
fore Christmas, 1866, was up to
that time the worst disaster
that had befallen American
soldiers in the Indian wars, and
the only tragedy of the kind
that overshadowed it in later
years was the Custer defeat.
AS a result of the victory of
the Sioux and Cheyenne war
riors over Fetterman, Red
Cloud, a sub-chief, became the
Sioux nations leading war
chief, AS the spring of 1867
passed, he determined to clear
the fine hunting grounds of the
Powder river section of white
invaders by capturing Fort
Phil Kearney and .exterminat-
ing the white soldiers. Early
in the summer he assembled
and trained 5000 warriors, the
flower of the Sioux, who were
armed largely with Winchester
rifles, Spencer repeating car
bines and army muskets cap
tured from Fetterman's men.
Fort Phil Kearney had been
in a state of siege before, but
now it was more closely invest
ed than ever. There was no re-
taxing in the aggressiveness
and watchfulness of the In
dams and the garrison was con-
stantly prepared for battle. At
tacks of all kinds were made
with increasing frequency. The
letters in those days from SOL
diers which reached their
friends in the east described
their perilous situation and Of
ten contained the statement,
"This may be my last letter."
Travel on the trail was aban-
doned.
AS his preparations for a decisive
campaign drew to a close. Red Cloud
decided upon a direct attack upon the
fort itself. He was tired of skirmishing,
of attacks on the stock herds. attack
,no a tro,pc orl that WIN IF H.
rilla fighting. He determined to ex-
terminate the white soldiers in one
sudden and overwhelming attack. 1t
appeared a comparatively easy task
with the great number of well armed
warriors he had available, and his con-
fidence was further increased by the
fact that he was able to assemble his
braves in the positions selected under
the cover of frequent skirmishes, which
made scouting by the soldiers practical
ly impossible.
While he was preparing to strike,
the post quartermaster contracted with
civilians for wood for the fort. agreeing |
to furnish a guard for the wood cutters
camp. The contractors sent their
wagons out July 81, and Captain James
Powell, commanding G company,
Twenty-seventh Infantry, was detailed
to act as guard.
Arriving at the wood camp with his
company, Powell found the contractors
had formed their men into two parties.
One had headquarters on a treeless,
level plain. where the mules were
grazed. The other camp was a mile
away in the timber. Powell sent 10
men to guard the wood camp, and
detailed IA to escort the wood trains.
With the remaining 26 men and his
lieutenant, John c. Jenness, he estab-
lished headquarters or the prairie at
the mule herders' camp.
Prepares Wagon-Box Corral
The wood contractors were using
wagons furnished by the quartermaster.
and as only the running gears were
useful in hauling. the wagon-boxes were
left at Powell's camp on the open plain.
Powell arranged them end-to-end in an
oval, making a corral for defensive
purposes at the highest point nearby.
The spaces between the wagon boxes
were filled with logs, sacks of grain
and other materials. All supplies were
placed in this corral, as Powell ex-
pected an attack very soon. His men
were equipped with new Springfield
breech-lOading rifles, which were IN
known to the Sioux and furnished them
with a surprise later.
While Powell was completing his
preparations cody and without con
fusion, the hills round about his little
fort were filling with hosts of painted
and mounted warriors, numbering. it
was later admitted by Red Cloud, be-
tween 5000 and 1000. Besides Red
Cloud there were present all the great
war chiefs Of the Sioux and Cheyennes.
Sure of Victory
They were so sure Of a sudden and
crushing victory over the whites that,
to THAR custom, they allowed |
their women and children to follow
the fighting men to the battlefield to
help in the work of mutilation and tor
lure that always came after an Indian
success in battle. and to carry away
the plumber. The squaws, with their ,
children, were massed on the farthest
hills surrounding the little fort. TO
the drama that was to take
place in the lower ground beneath
them.
1t was early on the morning of Au-
gust 2 that the fight began. AS the
first streaks of dawn tinted the sky ,
some 200 Indians, in the face of OBJ ,
defense by the herders, STAN !,
peded and ran off the mule herd. ;
Iii Fnn h.o-.n Gil .