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Fort Philip Kearny D.T.
July 25th 1867.
Question |
When did you arrive at Ft. Philip Kearny. |
|
Answer |
On or about 12th July 1866, at the organization of
the Post. |
|
Question |
In what capacity have you acted at the Post since that
time. |
|
Answer |
As Chief Medical Officer of the Mountain District, and Post
Surgeon of the Post. |
|
Question |
From the time you arrived to the present time, have any
hostile Indians appeared in the vicinity of the Post; if so how
frequently and in what numbers. |
|
Answer |
Yes, about fifty times, and in parties from six to
fifty. |
|
Question |
Judging from what you have seen of these Indians, what was
their object in visiting the Post. |
|
Answer |
Stealing stock and killing small parties. |
|
Question |
Have any persons been wounded by these Indians and placed
under your Medical care. |
|
Answer |
There have been seven to my recollection that have been shot
by Indians and not immediately killed, three of whom afterwards
died. As a very general thing they succeeded in killing the
persons whom they attacked. |
|
Question |
In the cases that have fallen under your observation of
persons either killed or wounded by Indians, what weapons were
used by the Indians. |
|
Answer |
Firearms and arrows. |
|
Question |
In case of immediate death by Indians were the bodies of
those killed, mutilated. |
|
Answer |
Yes, very much in every instance, without exception. |
|
Question |
Did you see and examine the bodies of the persons belonging
to Col. Fettermans [sic] party, killed on the 21st
Dec. 1866, and also the bodies of Lieut. Bingham and Sgt. Bowers
killed on the 6th Dec. 1866. |
|
Answer |
I did. |
|
Question |
Please state with what weapons those persons were killed, and
the appearance of their bodies, whether they were mutilated and
if so how mutilated. |
|
Answer |
Lieut. Bingham was killed with arrows and a pistol ball in
the head, Sgt. Bowers was killed with a tomahawk driven into his
brain, and they were otherwise mutilated. From the appearance of all the persons in Col. Fettermans party I believe the majority of them were killed by clubs with which the Indians crushed their skulls and brains, after having fallen wounded. A few were disemboweled with knives which I believe was done after they were wounded. The brains of some of them were found lying beside their bodies, some of them were killed by arrows after they had fallen and were stripped, as their bodies contained a great number of arrows. One body had as high as sixty five arrows in it, which seemed to have been unmolested by removing clothing. Every man was stripped of all his clothing, with but few exceptions, [as?] when bloody stockings remained on their feet. Col. Fettermans body showed his thorax to have been cut crosswise with a knife, deep into the viscera; his throat and entire neck were cut to the cervical spine all around. I believe that mutilation caused his death. Capt. Browns body showed gashes inside of both thighs, to the bone, from his body to his knees, both ears had been cut off and his body otherwise horribly mutilated and a hole made in his left temple [ caused? ] by a small pistol ball; the latter most probably caused his death. Lieut. Grummonds body showed his head to have been crushed by a club; and his legs were slightly scorched by fire One body was found with a large stake driven into it, as high as the chest. One body was found with one arm cut off at the shoulder joint. One found with both hands and both feet cut off, one with the entire head crushed away, except the lower jaw. All the bodies were more or less mutilated, and presented in nearly every instance a horrible sight, never to be forgotten by those who saw them. |
|
Question |
Was there any evidence presented by these bodies of death
from torture. |
|
Answer |
No. In place of torture, by far the majority of men, in my
opinion, were fallen upon by the Indians and butchered after they
were wounded. |
|
Question |
Did you discover any other evidences of death produced by
pistol or gunshot wounds, than the case mentioned. |
|
Answer |
No. I do not remember having seen any other . |
|
Question |
What was the state of the weather at the time the bodies were
brought in. |
|
Answer |
There was snow on the ground, but the day was pleasant, and
it was quite cold in the evening of the day the first bodies were
brought in. The next day was cold, and the bodies that were
brought in were frozen. |
|
Question |
What disposition was made of the bodies. |
|
Answer |
I believe that the three Officers were buried separately, and
the soldiers in one common grave. |