Fort Philip Kearny D.T.
July 29th 1867.
| Question |
What is your age, occupation and residence. |
| Answer |
My age is 35 years. " Residence is Nebraska City. " Profession is Lawyer |
| Question |
When did you first arrive at Fort Philip Kearny D.T. |
| Answer |
Early in August 1866. |
| Question |
Have you been here continuously from that time to the present. |
| Answer |
I have not. I remained at Fort Philip Kearny until the
23rd of Jan. last; returned to Nebraska and came back
on the 3rd day of July inst. |
| Question |
During the six months before leaving Philip Kearny for Nebraska, where did you spend your time. |
| Answer |
In and about the immediate neiborhood [sic] of Fort Philip Kearny D.T. |
| Question |
During that time, were there any Indians who made their appearance about the Post and if so, were they friendly or hostile. |
| Answer |
Indians appeared every few days, hostile in every instance
except two. The exceptions were nine Cheyennes who came in at the
Post, in October, professing friendship and six of the same band
next day also professing to be friendly. My own opinion at that
time was and still is, that those Indians were hostile. |
| Question |
What seemed to be the object of the hostile Indians, in making their appearance about the garrison. |
| Answer |
They were after lives and property in every instance. |
| Question |
Did any of these hostile Indians manifest any disposition to come into the Post to trade or have a friendly talk. |
| Answer |
Never to my knowledge. On the other hand they were defiant,
and on the fight and always tried to draw the soldiers out from
the garrison. |
| Question |
How large were the parties that [there?] usually appeared. |
| Answer |
From ten to fifty, but when pursued were found to have large
and well appointed forces in immediate reserve. |
| Question |
State any instances that have come to your knowledge in which they have succeeded in running off stock. |
| Answer |
They frequently succeeded in running off Government and
citizen stock from the Post, and in one instance Sept.
13th they drove off 209 head of cattle from the hay
party on Peno Creek, about 25 miles from the Post. |
| Question |
Whose cattle were these and how strong was the party guarding them. |
| Answer |
Seventy one head of the cattle belonged to myself and Mr.
[Jos. or Jas.] Saunders, the rest belonged to Levi Carter. There
were about 100 citizens and an escort of perhaps 30 soldiers.
After a severe fight they killed one man and burnt up the mowing
machines, and a large quantity of hay, belonging to Carter and
Crary, who were the hay Contractors for the Government. |
| Question |
Is this the only stock that you have lost about Fort Philip Kearny by the Indians. |
| Answer |
No. They ran of[f] the remnant of Weston & Saunders stock
at different times, consisting of one mule, one cow and twelve
additional head of cattle. |
| Question |
Up to the 21st day of Dec. 1866, have you any means of ascertaining how many persons were killed by the Indians in the neiborhood [sic] of Fort Philip Kearny and on the road. |
| Answer |
In the neiborhood [sic] of fifty. From the time of the so
called Treaty at Fort Laramie D.T. on the 1st of July
1866., the Indians have been at war, and have lost no opportunity
of killing men who traveled the road, or went out from this Post
in small parties. |
| Question |
Were you at Fort Laramie at the time the Treaty of which you have spoken, was pending and concluded. And if so, state what you know of the Treaty and the conduct of the Indians immediately afterwards. |
| Answer |
I arrived at Fort Laramie while the Treaty was being
negotiated, and left for this place immediately after it was
concluded. The whole affair of the Treaty at the time was
regarded, by disinterested citizens as a disgusting farce and
disgraceful swindle. While Commissioners, were pretending to
treat with diverse vagabond Indians, for a road through the
Powder River country, Col. Carrington was advancing with a small,
poorly appointed military force to occupy the very country in
Question. It was generally understood that the treaty was purely
a matter of speculation; and it is currently reported that Col.
Carrington was unable to get his expected supplies of ammunition
from Fort Laramie, but the same was furnished to the Indians, at
the time of the Treaty, and employed by them afterwards against
the Whites in this country, in perpetuating the most terrible
butcheries and culminating in the Fort Phil Kearny massacre of
Dec. 21st. Passing along the road from Bridgers Ferry to this place immediately after the Treaty, the road was strewn, all along the line, with new made graves, and other fresh and bloody tokens of Indian hostilities. At the Laramie Treaty, "Red Cloud" and other prominent Chiefs of the Sioux, retired, and took no part in it; and these are the Chiefs who have been prominent in heading the war parties in this country. |
| Question |
In your opinion what was the cause, that led to the Indian War now existing in the Powder River country. |
| Answer |
Very many causes led to this result. Some of the more
immediate causes are as follow. 1st On account of attempting to take possession of a country by an inadequate military force, without having obtained consent of the Indians who occupied it. 2nd The Indians in this country are very numerous, very wild, well armed, mounted and appointed; and their constant and repeated successes, against the weak and poorly appointed Government force in the country, has tended to strengthen, encourage and embolden them; has enabled their Chiefs to unite and consolidate the various tribes to the present very formidable force, embracing, as I believe more than six thousand warriors. Also the Indians naturally resist the opening up of a great National highway to Virginia City, through a fine country abounding in game, upon which they rely for their subsistence. 3rd The Indians have been cut off and driven back from every quarter, and this Powder River country alone remains to them intact. It is the last and perhaps the finest Indian country extant. The Indians are well aware that the country besides posessing [sic] almost unlimited resources, such as they require for their sustenance and support, is also a country rich in agricultural and mineral resources. They know that while coal and iron are abundant, that the more precious minerals exist in paying quantities, in some parts of the country; and they have always been jealous of the Whites getting a foothold in the country on that account. They are no fools. They see the results in other mining territories; and know perfectly well that a knowledge of these mineral resources would only result in an absorption of the country by the Whites. Lastly-Stupid and criminal management of our Indian Affairs by the U.S. Government. The Government, as represented by the Officials of the Indian Bureau, has never seemed to have any clear understanding of the Indian problem. Instead of preparing the way for the inevitable advance of civilization over this country, they have, as far as my observation has gone, been absorbed in some scheme of personal [s]peculation. And when this management has resulted in bringing on an Indian war, the War Department has failed to appreciate its extent and magnitude; has sent a military force to this country so small, inadequate, and insufficient in numbers, arms and supplies, that instead of conquering a peace, it has aggravated and augmented the troubles. |
| Question |
Upon what do you base your opinion as to the causes that have led to the war in this country. |
| Answer |
Upon actual observation, gained by a residence in Nebraska
and upon the frontier during the last ten years. |
| Question |
During that time have you had an opportunity of observing Indian character. |
| Answer |
I have, more or less, during all that time, by coming in
contact with the Otoes, Pawnees, Omahas, Sioux, Cheyennes,
Arrapahoes [sic] and other Indians. |
| Question |
Is travel, through this country, more or less dangerous than it was one year ago. |
| Answer |
Traveling is more dangerous, as is evident from the fact,
that there was considerable emigrant travel over this road to
Montana last year, whereas this year there is none. |
| Question |
Where were you in December last. |
| Answer |
At Fort Phil Kearny D.T. |
| Question |
Did you see the Indians when they appeared on the 6th of Dec. |
| Answer |
I saw a few scattering Indians, as they appeared around the Post. |
| Question |
State whether you went out over the hills on the 21st day of Dec. what time you left the garrison, how far you went from the Post, and how many Indians you saw on that day. |
| Answer |
About 12 M. of that day, myself in company with several
citizens viz: Fitch Kinney, Mr. Welch, Mr. Blodgett and others
hearing heavy firing over the hills started with the intention of
joining Col. Fettermans party if possible, and at the Piney Creek
we fell in with Capt. Ten Eycks party. We marched on the double
quick most of the way until we came to the hill which overlooks
the valley of Peno Creek, about four miles from the Post, where I
had a good view of the Indians; whom I then estimated and still
think were 150 in the immediate vicinity of the greatest number
of dead bodies; a quarter of a mile in their rear, apparently
drawn up in line of battle on horseback, about 500, and thence
down the valley of Peno Creek upon the ridge and in the ravines
on both sides and upon the bluffs to the left, appeared a compact
body of Indians, as also as far as we could see down the Peno
valley. I have never estimated the number, but believe it to be
much greater than is generally supposed. |
| Question |
How long was it after heavy firing was heard, in the direction that Col. Fettermans party took, until you left the Post. |
| Answer |
Upwards of thirty minutes. |
| Question |
How long did the firing continue after you left the Post. |
| Answer |
We heard the heaviest volleys as we were crossing Big Piney
Creek, within three quarters of a mile of the Post; and we heard
a few faint volleys after crossing the Creek and occasional shots
as we were going up the road. Just as we got on the crest of the
hill, I thought I heard groans and screams; and after we got on
the crest we saw and heard several shots fired around where the
greatest number of dead bodies were found. |
| Question |
Did you suppose that these last shots were fired by Col. Fettermans party or by the Indians. |
| Answer |
I am certain now, that they were fired by the Indians; but it was the supposition of Capt. Ten Eyck at the time, that it was Fettermans party who fired the shots. |
| Question |
How far were you, at the time of this last firing, from the Indians who were then around the mass of dead bodies. |
| Answer |
We were above them, and from 800 to 1000 yards distant. |
| Question |
How long after you occupied that position, before the Indians who were about the dead bodies, left. |
| Answer |
They did not leave until Capt. Ten Eyck advanced, probably
twenty minutes after we came into full view. They did not fall
back very much until the Qr.[Msrs.?] wagons appeared which were
sent out from the Post; and they probably took the wagons to be
artillery. |
| Question |
Did you encounter any Indians on your way from the Post. |
| Answer |
Not exactly encountered any, but passed near some of their
pickets, which we supposed at the time to be white men. We saw
two loose Indian ponies which we captured. I think these horses
were left for a decoy, with the intention of destroying our party
at that place, as it was well chosen for the purpose; which in my
opinion was only prevented by the timely appearance of the Qr.
Masters wagons and men appearing in our rear, and which as I
stated were believed to contain artillery, by the Indians. |