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FIRST-HAND DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS SURROUNDING THE "FETTERMAN MASSACRE"

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Militaria Start Price:1,000.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
FIRST-HAND DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS SURROUNDING THE  FETTERMAN MASSACRE
Historic content partial A.L.S., 6pp. 8vo., "Fort Phillip Kearney", Dec. 29, 1866 - written six days after Col. William Fetterman and his command were ambushed and wiped-out near Fort Kearney by a superior force of Cheyenne and Sioux - which included Crazy Horse - under the leadership of Red Cloud. The letter, describing the events of the "Fetterman Massacre", was written by Thomas H. Mallory, an established silver and gold prospector and miner. Mallory first describes the fort's location and the strength of its garrison. He continues: "...it will be impossible for this place...to be taken by the Indians, should they make the attempt, as many here believe they will...On the 21st inst. one of the most horrible massacres...took place four miles from this place...The Indians had been throwing themselves in sight along this ridge nearly every day...some of the most daring venturing within a few hundred yards of the Fort. They had once been driven off and followed up by about 75 cavalry men...one Lieutenant and a Sargeant was killed...after making a feint attack upon the wood train...approached nearer the Fort and seemed more anxious to have a fight. Col. Fetterman with a command of 79 started out to drive them off, or, as the soldiers said who volunteered to have some fun, under orders from the Col. commanding the Port not to go beyond the ridge out of sight...Contrary to those orders the command crossed the ridge and soon the regular discharges of small arms was heard...The firing was kept up for about an hour then all was still...nothing but Indians were in sight and they were just finishing their hellish work of scalping and mutillating the bodies...Not one of the 81 men who went out was left alive. The Indians to the supposed number of 3,000 were still in sight but showed no signs of fight...they always pack their dead away with them...large reinforcements now expected...The sad spectacle which they presented when brought in was soul-sickening in the extreme...They had been stripped of every particle of clothing, scalped...ears cut off, skulls broken in...some had from forty to sixty arrows sticking in them besides being shot several times...Early in the morning a party of 10 Indians dashed into a herd of cattle...and drove off 120 head...a running fight was kept up for about three miles...the Indians numbering about 300 routed...This is the only fight this year in which Indians are known to have got the worst of it...".Last page is missing, however a fully signed postscript is present. Pinholes at top, some scattered stains and light wear and toning at folds, overall very good.