| Show j j j j j 5 I December 25 1866 Marked the End of An Heroic Ride and It Halted a Gay I Christmas Ball at Old Fort Laramie i p r r t A r y tK v t t F r I 1 Barracks and ami officers' officers quarters at Fort Laramie Bedlam where the Christmas ball on December 25 1866 was dramatically interrupted by the arrival of John Phillips with his message of oC disaster at Fort Phil Kearney Kearne is the two-story two frame structure at the extreme left in the picture By ELMO ELl SCOTT V WATSON ATSON Rele Released by Western Newspaper Union night 1866 at historic Fort Laramie on the theold theold theold C CHRISTMAS old Oregon Trail A Christmas ball was in progress in the two-story two frame building where all the social activities of the post were held Bedlam they called it because it was where the unmarried officers were quartered In sharp contrast to the cheery scene inside the warmth the music and the soft light of candles and lamps was lamps was the darkness out out- side made more desolate by bythe bythe bythe n I the whistling wind and the biting biting biting bit bit- ing cold While the festivities were at their height across the snow- snow blanketed parade ground a horse staggered Its rider reeled in his saddle as he urged the weary beast for for- ward lard When at last he drew rein before the lighted building building building build build- ing and painfully dismounted dismount dismount- ed the horse dropped in its tracks A moment later a huge figure clad in a heavy buffalo overcoat leggings moccasins and fur cap lunged through the door of Bedlam and tottered out to the middle of the dance floor The music stopped with a crash and several several several sev sev- eral of the women screamed at the sight of the strange figure figure figure fig fig- ure which stood there swaying swaying swaying sway sway- ing from side to side like a great brown bear As several officers rushed forward forward forward for for- ward the man in the buffalo coat lifted his hand wearily pulled off his cap and gasped Fetterman and 80 men have been wiped out by the Sioux at Phil Kearney Carrington must have help at once Then he dropped in ill a dead faint at their feet This messenger of disaster was Phillips and his mile ride from Fort Phil Kearney to Fort Laramie in the dead of winter whiter and through a country swarming with hostile Indians was one of the most remarkable exploits in the annals of America Compared to it the historic rides of Paul Revere and Phil Sheridan sink into significance The reason for his heroic ride was the now-famous now Fetterman Massacre in in which the Sioux and on on the morning of December 21 1866 1866 killed a force of 76 6 soldiers and two civilians led by Capt W. W J. J Fetterman Capt F. F H. H Brown and G. G W. W Grummond That afternoon another detachment detachment detachment detach detach- ment went out from the fort and recovered their mutilated bodies Soon afterwards the weather changed the thermometer dropped to 25 degrees below zero and a blizzard came howling down upon the stricken grief-stricken garrison garrison garrison gar gar- rison who fully expected the Indians Indians Indians In In- to follow up their victory over Fetterman with an attack on the fort The blizzard piled snow against the stockade so rapidly that forces of men working in shifts of only 15 minutes because of the bitter cold were kept busy shoveling shoveling shoveling eling it away lest the drifts should become so high that the Indians could use them to climb over the walls In this crisis Carrington decided that the only hope of saving the remainder of his command was to secure reinforcements reinforcements reinforcements re re- re- re from Fort Laramie miles away the reinforcements reinforcements reinforcements reinforce reinforce- ments for which he had been vainly asking for several weeks But there was no telegraph line nearer than the station at Horseshoe Horseshoe Horseshoe Horse Horse- shoe Creek 40 miles from Laramie Laramie Laramie Lara Lara- mie mie and the only hope of getting a message through was by courier So the commander called for vol vol- But none of the soldiers were willing to take the risk Then John Phillips a civilian stepped forward Phillips the they called him because of his Portuguese parentage He would go he said Before leaving Phillips asked If he might see Mrs Grummond a bride of little more than a year and already a widow whom Mrs Carrington had taken into her home when the news was brought back to the fort that the lieutenant was among the slain of Fetterman's Fetterman's Fetter- Fetter mans man's command Several years later after the death of Mrs Carrington Carrington Carrington Car Car- rington Mrs Grummond became the second wife of Colonel Carrington Carrington Carrington Car Car- rington and in her book IC Army Life on the Plains she tells of that interview as follows A knock at my door brought me meto meto meto to my feet An orderly brave and faithful Semple announced that a man was waiting in the adjoining room wishing especially especial especial- ly to see Mrs Grummond There I was met by an entire stranger John Phillips by name a miner and frontiersman in the employ of the quartermaster clad in the dress of a scout who had something something something some some- thing to communicate So impressed impressed impressed im im- im- im pressed was he by the gravity of the situation of the garrison that he extended his hand to me with tears in his eyes and in brief but pathetic language said I II am going to Laramie for help with as special messenger if it costs me my life I am going going go go- going ing for your sake Here is my myM lt M s f 6 A PHILLIPS wolf robe I brought it for you to keep and remember me by if you never see me again There was no price put upon John Phillips Phillips' services He asked no reward The only condition he imposed was that he be allowed allowed allowed al al- al- al lowed to choose l his s own horse That choice promptly conceded by its owner was a fine thoroughbred thorough thorough- bred belonging to the colonel At midnight Carrington himself unbarred a little side gate in the stockade and Phillips led his horse through it He carried only a few crackers for himself and a hatful of feed for his mount for forin forin forin in his race with death every ounce of weight would count As Ashe Ashe Ashe he swung into the saddle Carrington Carrington Carrington Car Car- rington reached out his hand and murmured God bless you and keep you on this journey Then as horse and rider faced the howling howl howl- ing blizzard the colonel the gate and and with heavy heart returned to his night all-night vigil in his quarters The most dangerous part of Phillips Phillips' journey was the stretch of country from Phil Kearney to Fort Reno for it was likely that the Indians would be watching for a courier from the beleaguered beleaguered beleaguered belea belea- fort and would try to cut him off But if there were Phillips Phillips Phillips Phil Phil- lips outwitted them for he steered clear of the trail riding riding rid rid- ing parallel to it but at some distance distance distance dis dis- dis- dis tance away By doing this he lessened the chances of discovery discovery discovery ery but he increased the peril of losing his way or dropping into some deep ravine partly tilled filled with drifting snow which covered the ground from three to five feet By some miracle of good luck he pursued his journey in safety during the night When morning came he rode into h thicket and lay there all day for he dared not risk traveling while it was light and being discovered by some keen-eyed keen Indian scout That night he reached Fort Reno commanded commanded commanded com com- by Col H. H W. W Vessels Wes Vies sels of the Eighteenth infantry who had recently taken charge of that post After a hasty meal and a brief rest at Reno Phillips set out on the longest part of the journey but presumably least dangerous so so far as Indian attack was con con- But before he reached Horseshoe Creek telegraph station station station sta sta- sta- sta tion he was pursued by a band of Indians mounted on ponies Thanks to the speed of Colonel Carrington's thoroughbred however however however how how- ever Phillips was able to outdistance outdistance outdistance tance them and gain a high hill where he prepared to make a last stand But the savages had no stomach stomach stomach ach for charging up the hill and did not attack All through the night the courier stood at bay there keeping a constant out look-out against attack and ready to mount and ride for his life if essary At the first streak of dawn he made a run for it and reached Horseshoe Creek station a short time before it was attacked attacked attacked at at- tacked and burned by the Indians There he gave the telegraph operator operator operator op op- op- op dispatches one dispatches one to the commander at Fort Laramie and andone andone andone one to the department commander command command- er at Omaha which Omaha which Vessels had entrusted to him at R Reno no But according to Mrs Carrington's Carrington's Carrington's tons ton's book the operator at Horseshoe Creek station was unwilling unwilling unwilling un un- un- un willing to risk so long a dispatch as that of Colonel Carrington so Phillips pressed on with his dispatch dispatch dispatch dis dis- dis- dis patch reaching Fort Laramie at 11 o'clock with icicles hanging from his clothing and both beard and hair matted with snow and ice He delivered the dispatch and relieved of that responsibility ity he fell fell exhausted and unconscious When he was revived he learned that the message from the tele- tele graph i station at Horseshoe Creek had reached Laramie at two o'clock that afternoon and preparations preparations preparations prep prep- were already under way to send reinforcements to Phil Kearney I T t sad 1 L it u was wua d a t Christmas V mas day cay at that post for it was devoted to the burial of the victims of the disaster disaster disaster dis dis- dis- dis aster on December 21 and in the days that followed there was the present ever-present fear that the Indians might attack and that Carrington's II tons ton's decimated garrison might not be able to repulse the savage assault Would the attack come before reinforcements from Laramie Laramie Laramie Lara Lara- mie arrived that arrived that is if indeed reinforcements were on the way For there was no way of knowing whether or not Phillips Phillips Phil Phil- lips had reached his goal That he might not have was a specter which haunted the minds of every everyman everyman man man woman and child in Phil Kearney during the next week New Years Year's day came and passed And still no word from Laramie Then chronicles Frances Fran Fran- ces C C. C Carrington One day there was a a sudden a-sudden almost a tumultuous hurrying out of quarters with excitement and bustle as intense as if we were called to arms against an advancing foe First the Pilot Hill picket and then the sent sentry before headquarters and the lookout lookout lookout look look- out on the headquarters tower announced the unmistakable a ap p of troops five miles distant dis dis- tant The bugle call and the long roll were never more gladly echoed in hearts Our spontaneous e ous cry was Open wide the gates and admit our deliverers deliverers' t tWe We hardly had patience to don protective pro pro- pro outer garments is because of the glow of our quickened blood and our common outbreak of jo joy iov Y was simply At last At last We are saved We are saved I Phillips was saved saved for us It for career career career ca ca- The story of the subsequent reer of Phillips is an too familiar story of the proverbial proverbial proverbial pro pro- ingratitude of republics toward men who have served followed followed fol fol- fol- fol In the that followed them well years lowed his heroic ride he was employed employed employed em em- in various capacities around the frontier posts In Wyoming But he was continually continual continual- ly hunted and harassed by the Sioux who looked upon him as the man who had prevented their following up their victory over Fetterman by destroying the whole garrison at Fort Phil Kear Kear- ney They drove off or killed his cattle and when he tried to get compensation from the tho government government government govern govern- ment for his losses the Court of Claims gave him hima a judgment forthe forthe for forthe the sum of 2210 Then it was discovered that Phillips born of Portuguese parents parents parents par par- on the Pacific coast wasn wasn't t ta a naturalized citizen of the United States at the time of the Indian depredations on his property So the claim was not allowed Later Later Latr Lat Lat- er r he became a naturalized citizen citizen citizen citi citi- zen but still the claim was not paid Broken in health by the ex ex- exposure exposure exposure and strain of his perilous ride and his treatment at the hands of the revengeful Indians Phillips died in Cheyenne November November November Novem Novem- ber 18 1883 at the age of 51 leaving a widow and a child in straightened circumstances It was not until 33 years later that the government took official recognition of his heroic ride In 1899 Senator F F. F E E. E Warren and Congressman F. F W. W Mondell of Wyoming aided by affidavits provided provided provided pro pro- vided by Carrington now a brig brig- general adier-general and Mrs Carrington ton his second wife succeeded in obtaining the sum of for Mrs Ph Phillips in partial recognition tion of her husbands husband's services in 1866 and his losses at the hands of the Indians r o A I t E 1 s 1 Monument to Phillips Phillip near the site of Fort Phil Kel Kearney cy Among the tributes that have been paid to Phillips is this poem written by Griff Grill Crawford and printed in the Kansas Kans Kans- as City Times on March 3 3 1929 IM I'M RIDIN FOR LARAMIE Im I'm go goin In to Laramie down Laramie down the divide A headin for Laramie Laramie to ride The trail as I find It and gaugin the breath That blows from the Big Horn a a with death Im I'm hopin for luck when Im I'm makin It through The brakes that are the clan of the Sioux They're out there in the coulees I know But its it's death If I stay stay and and a chance if I go So heres here's a goody bye to the at my side sIde sIde- Im I'm try In for Laramie down Laramie down the divide Im I'm for lor Laramie No one can tell The cunnin that lurks in the minions of hell That t wait walt just beyond where the spent bullets fall Nor measure the storm that Is king over all With its cold blUn bitin sting stine and the drifts deep And the wild wind that comes down with a sweep Im I'm know knowin in the trail will be long lone at the best best best- Im I'm knowin the risk and Im I'm the test test test- And hopin and that guide Me straight Into Laramie down down the dl di vide Im I'm for Laramie Laramie crawlin crawlin It through The scalp scalp raisin ring and ring and Im I'm the SIoux Im I'm a bit but bit but Im I'm warmer Inside In In- side side side- And soon Ill I'll be out where Ill I'll chance It and ride The wind has a sting stine and the go goin In la fa rough But Im I'm out out and and away away and and my broncho is tough The trail may be long but its it's worth It to Know I am the miles mUes and Im I'm buckle the snow For help help- help and nd Im I'm grinnin for lor r makin It through That circle ol of death death and and 1 Im I'm m the SIoux Im I'm m ridin for tor Lara Laramie le I Somehow the creep 01 Ot cold In nm my veins Wants to to sleep put me And the hours and the days and the weeks and the ye years And the that knell sounds like a In my e ears ears- rs- rs And the eyelids that's froze to sorta seem my cheeks Like a phantom of at f nIght Ight or the hell he of a dream lm Im I'm I know but Im I'm out out- ridin It From Kearney to about about- Laramie Yin Id I'd grin If I x could for lor Im |
