ATTACK ON A HAYING PARTY NEAR FORT FETTERMAN -- THE SAVAGES REPULSED -- A HERDER KILLED AND SCALPED.
New-York Times / October 9, 1876
CHEYENNE, Oct. 9. -- News from Fort Fetterman states that on the 6th inst., a haying party of twelve men and seven ox teams were attacked by a band of twenty or thirty Indians twenty-five miles from the above post. John Ottens, wagonmaster, was badly wounded and one horse was killed.
It appears that two of the party were out hunting about 8 o'clock, and hearing an Indian war song hastened to the train, which was immediately prepared for defense. Four of the men started to find the savages, which they did, and made a lively retreat hotly pursued by them to within fifty yards of the train, when the remaining eight men sent a volley into the Indians, who retreated to the shelter of the bluffs and commenced firing upon the train, which being at a disadvantage was compelled to move to a new position 200 yards distance.
The fight lasted nearly four hours. The number of Indians killed is unknown, but two were seen to fall. Mr. Powell, a contractor, states that the Indians showed great courage, and were strongly armed with Winchester and army rifles.
The telegraph line between Fort Fetterman and Cheyenne being cut about the time of the fight it is thought that it was the work of the same band. Ottens is doing well, but undoubtedly will lose his right arm.
A man named Rhode, who had been herding cattle near a ranche on the Horse Shoe River, forty miles north-west of Fort Laramie, was killed and scalped and his ears cut off by the Indians yesterday. His body was brought into Fort Laramie to-day.
