The Indian Wars Grow Long And Bitter

KIDDER MASSACRE The most prominent affair in point of losses to the regiment during the year 1867 was the massacre of Second Lieutenant Lyman S. Kidder and ten men of Troop M. While en route to join Troop F at Fort Laramie, this officer was sent with ten men and a guide to carry dispatches to Colonel Custer, who was operating between the Platte and the Smoky Hill Rivers. On July 22, the party was surrounded by a large body of Indians near Beaver Creek, Kansas, and all the detachment killed. Colonel Custer decided to look for Lieutenant Kidder’s party, and, leaving the forks of the Republican River, turned south, and soon found a broad trail in the uplands. First, coming upon a dead horse, they traveled along a ravine for a short distance, where they discovered a dead soldier and his horse. Turning to the left and crossing a valley, they found where Lieutenant Kidder’s party had camped for the night. Following the trail into the tall grass of the bottom land, one mile from the river, they found the massacred soldiers, the bodies having been scalped, burned, and pierced with arrows. Colonel Custer buried the men on the spot. Lieutenant Kidder’s father came there in February, 1868, and rescued his son’s body for burial at another location. BOZEMAN TRAIL ABANDONED That all was not serious work on the frontier is illustrated by the following item in the Daily Rocky Mountain News of Denver, Colorado, October 10, 1867: “Company D, of the Second U. S. Cavalry, was encamped south of the city last night. Several of the boys got so tight that they became loose in their language and actions, and forgetting to answer at roll-call, a squad was sent into town to hunt them up. The squad returning with their uproarious companions in charge, is what occasioned the noise and confusion on F street last night, just after the close of the theater. The company left for Fort Laramie this morning.” The regiment went into winter quarters in 1867 at posts as follows: Headquarters, Band, Cos. B, C, L – Fort McPherson, Nebraska. Cos. A, F – Fort Laramie, Wyoming. Co. D – Fort Phil Kearney. Cos. E, H, I, K – Fort Russell, Wyoming. Co. G – Fort Sanders, Wyoming. Co. M – Fort Sedgwick, Colorado. The Indian Peace Commission had been constantly endeavoring to settle difficulties with the Indians since the outbreak in the Powder River country in 1865. Because of the violent opposition of the Sioux to the Bozeman Trail, the Commission finally agreed to abandon this route for certain concessions for the extension of the United Pacific Railroad through Wyoming. General Grant finally gave the order on March 2, 1868, for the breaking up of Forts C. F. Smith, Phil Kearney, and Reno. The Sioux attributed the action of the government to fear and immediately began raids to the line of the railroad and south into Colorado. Some of them reached the camps of the Arapahoes on Beaver Creek, and the Cheyenne camps on Pawnee Fork near Fort Larned, and made them believe they could compel the government to abandon the line of the Smoky Hill. There soon started a number of fierce attacks by these tribes upon settlers of Kansas and Colorado. A detachment from Companies B and C under Captain Spaulding left Fort McPherson, Nebraska, April 22, 1868, on a scout to the forks of the Big Medicine to protect citizens in that vicinity from Indian depredations. They returned April 24, after a skirmish in which at least one Indian was wounded. Five companies of the regiment were kept almost constantly in the field during the summer and fall on account of the outbreak of the Cheyennes. Companies H and L left Fort Russell and McPherson in September and formed part of the command of Lieutenant Colonel Bradley which went to the relief of Colonel Forsyth’s scouts, who had held out for eight days against a vastly superior number of savages on Beecher’s Island. REGIMENT CHANGES HANDS Major Alfred Pleasanton resigned from the service on January 1, 1868, after attaining fame as an outstanding cavalry leader in the Civil War. Being commissioned a second lieutenant of the Second Dragoons in 1845 he distinguished himself in the Mexican war and later became a major general in the War between the States. The regimental commander, Colonel Thomas J. Wood, who was the fourth to command the organization, was retired June 9 with rank of major general. Lieutenant Colonel Innis N. Palmer was promoted to be colonel of the regiment. 1869 Scouting parties were sent out often during the year 1869, many which were during the severest kind of weather. One of the largest of these was made up of Companies C, G, I, and L, under Captain Henry E. Noyes from Fort McPherson, Nebraska, in February. It was reported that Pawnee-Killer’s band was south of North Platte Station, on the Republican. The command left the post February 11, and returned February 23, after two weeks of marching in the worst kind of weather. As personal equipment the men took along an overcoat, poncho, two blankets, sixty rounds of carbine and five rounds of pistol ammunition, a hobble and lariat for each animal, and no tentage. On account of the cold weather nineteen animals were abandoned and eighty-one men frost bitten. In the spring of 1869, Companies F, G, H, and L under Lieutenant Colonel Albert G. Brackett were ordered to change station to Fort Ellis, Montana, in the Department of Dakota. After a long march by rail and overland the command arrived at the new station July 1. It remained here 15 years, where it became known as the “Montana Battalion.” While Company D was on a scouting expedition on the Popo Agie River, Wyoming, September 14, a group of hostile Indians made their appearance near the camp. Lieutenant Stambaugh and twenty-eight men went in pursuit. After following the trail for fourteen miles they met about two hundred Sioux. The fight continued for three hours, when the Indians withdrew, leaving two killed and ten wounded. The troop had two men wounded, and eight horses killed and four wounded. During this fight great coolness was displayed by the men, probably avoiding serious disaster. The Fifth Cavalry was campaigning during the year 1869 along the Republican River. After several expeditions in pursuit of the Cheyennes, part of the regiment was reorganized and Companies C, D, and M, Second Cavalry, were sent out with that regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Duncan, Fifth Cavalry. On September 26, they struck a village of fifty-six lodges and captured it with all of its contents, then followed the remaining Indians for two hundred miles. This fight broke up the depredations of the Cheyennes in this area for the year. Indian Wars Medal of Honor Name Date and Location Citation Pvt. CANFIELD, Heth; 15 May 1870, Little Blue, NE. Gallantry in action. Story: See Sergeant Leonard below for the story. Issued 22 Jun 1870 Name Date and Location Citation Pvt. HIMMELSBACK, Michael; 15 May 1870, Little Blue, NE. Gallantry in action. Story: See Sergeant Leonard below for the story. Issued 22 Jun 1870 Name Date and Location Citation Pvt. HUBBARD, Thomas; 15 May 1870, Little Blue, NE. Gallantry in action. Story See Sergeant Leonard below for the story. Issued 22 Jun 1870 Name Date and Location Citation Pvt. THOMPSON, George W.; 15 May 1870, Little Blue, NE. Gallantry in action. Story: See Sergeant Leonard below for the story. Issued 22 Jun 1870 Name Date and Location Citation Sgt. LEONARD, Patrick; 15 May 1870, Little Blue, NE. Gallantry in action. Story: Sergeant Leonard, with four men, Privates Canfield, Himmelsback, Hubbard, and Thompson, of the same company, while searching for stolen stock on the Republican, met and were charged by a band of about 50 Indians, who succeeded in wounding Hubbard and two of the horses. Sergeant Leonard promptly dismounted his men, shot the wounded horses, formed with their bodies a circular breastwork, behind which he prepared to resist to the last. The enemy almost instantly attacked the position, but were repulsed with a loss of 3 killed and 2 wounded. The Indians withdrew to a ravine, while the soldiers strengthened the work with sod cut with their pocket knives, and distributed their ammunition, some of which was on a wounded horse 100 yards away. As the defense would only hold 3, Thompson and Hubbard volunteered to remain upon the outside. The attack was repeated again and again, with additional loss to the enemy, when discouraged the Indians abandoned the field. Sergeant Leonard and men went to a settler’s cabin, took from there 2 women and 2 children, escorted them to the lower settlements, gave the alarm, reaching his own camp, after great fatigue, about midnight. Issued 22 Jun 1870 Name Date and Location Citation Pvt. PHILLIPS, Samuel D.; 7 May 1877, Little Muddy Creek, MT. Gallantry in action. Issued 8 Aug 1877 Name Date and Location Citation Cpl. GARLAND, Harry; 7 May 1877, Little Muddy Creek, MT. 29 Aug 1877, Camas Meadows, ID. Gallantry in action with hostile Sioux, at Little Muddy Creek, MT; having been wounded in the hip so as to be unable to stand, at Camas Meadows, ID., he still continued to direct the men under his charge until the enemy withdrew. Issued 28 Feb 1878 Name Date and Location Citation Farrier JONES, William H.; 7 May 1877, Little Muddy Creek, MT. 20 Aug 1877, Camas Meadows, ID. Gallantry in the attack against hostile Sioux Indians on 7 May 1877 at Muddy Creek, MT., and in the engagement with Nez Perces Indians at Camas Meadows, ID., on 20 Aug 1877 in which he sustained a painful knee wound. Issued 28 Feb 1878 Name Date and Location Citation 1Sgt. WILKENS, Henry; 7 May 1877, Little Muddy Creek, MT. 20 Aug 1877, Camas Meadows, ID. Bravery in actions with Indians. Issued 28 Feb 1878 Name Date and Location Citation Pvt. LEONARD, William; 7 May 1877, Little Muddy Creek, MT. Bravery in action. Issued 8 Aug 1877 Name Date and Location Citation Pvt. CLARK, Wilfred; 9 Aug 1877, Big Hole, MT. 20 Aug 1877, Camas Meadows, ID. Conspicuous gallantry, especial skill as sharpshooter. Issued 28 Feb 1878 Name Date and Location Citation Lt. McCLERLAND, Edward J.; 30 Sept 1877, Bear Paw Mountain, MT. Gallantly attacked a band of hostiles and conducted the combat with excellent skill and boldness. Issued 27 Nov 1894 Name Date and Location Citation Sgt. GLOVER, T.B.; 10 Apr 1879, Mizpah Creek, MT. 10 Feb 1880, Pumpkin Creek, MT. While in charge of small scouting parties, fought, charged, surrounded, and captured war parties of Sioux Indians. Issued 20 Nov 1897 Name Date and Location Citation Lt. BRETT, Lloyd M.; 1 Apr 1880, O’Fallons Creek, MT. Fearless exposure and dashing bravery in cutting off the Indians’ pony herd, thereby greatly crippling the hostiles. Issued 7 Feb 1895 Name Date and Location Citation Cpt. HUGGINS, Eli L.; 1 Apr 1880 O’Fallons Creek, MT. Surprised the Indians in their strong position and fought them until dark with great boldness. Issued 27 Nov 1894