Colonel Carrington Returns to Sheridan on July 4, 1908, to Dedicate Fetterman Monument

0n July 3, 1908, 114 Years ago, Colonel Henry Carrington and others who were survivors of the Indian Wars at Fort Phil Kearny, came back to Sheridan. They dedicated the Fetterman Fight monument on July 3, 1908, 42 years after the battle occurred on December 21, 1866.

In The Semi-Weekly Enterprise, June 19, 1908, there is this announcement about the upcoming celebration.

At first, it was thought that his old adversary, Red Cloud, would attend as well, as per this story in the Sheridan Enterprise, on Tuesday, June 16, 1908. Sioux Warrior May Come; Red Cloud Invited to Participate in Carrington Reunion and Fourth of July Celebration in Sheridan. Interest in the coming Carrington reunion and Fourth of July celebration in Sheridan is heightened by the announcement today that Red Cloud, the old Sioux warrior, who led the hostile savages against the United States troops in Wyoming 42 years ago, and who occupied relatively the same position for the reds as did General H. B. Carrington, then a colonel in the regular army, for the government forces, will probably come here and participate with his former foe in the festivities of a great occasion. Members of the committee appointed by the Sheridan Chamber of Commerce to arrange for the reunion and oration learned a couple of days ago that Red Cloud, who is now fully 90 years of age, but still enjoying good health, was at Pine Ridge agency, South Dakota, where the remnant of the once powerful Sioux tribe is located. An invitation was accordingly dispatched with all haste to Red Cloud to visit Sheridan the first of next month, and it is understood that he will be here if he can arrange in that comparatively short time to make the trip. The aged Indian chief had almost completely dropped out of sight, few probably being aware that he was still alive. According to the most reliable information obtainable, Red Cloud has been living at the Pine Ridge agency for the past. 25 years leading a peaceful, quiet life with some of the Indians who fought with him through many bloody wars. In the event that Red Cloud comes to this city for the Carrington reunion, he will be suitably entertained and given as good as time as he feels like having. It may be interesting when he comes to compare notes with General Carrington.

In the Semi Weekly Enterprise Friday, July 3, 1908 Survivors Of Massacre Visit Sheridan After Lapse Of 42 Years; General H. B. Carringion, Accompanied by his Wife, Arrives. Reunion of Old Soldiers – Big Celebration Tomorrow

For the first time in 42 years General H. B. Carrington today is going over the ground a few miles south of Sheridan, formerly occupied by Fort Phil Kearney, the scene of many bloody encounters with savage hostiles. He is accompanied by several of the men who fought under him and with him survived the massacre near that historic fort, December 21, 1866, when Colonel Fetterman and Captain Brown and 80 men of their command were killed by the hordes of Sioux under the leadership of Red Cloud.

In the party with General Carrington, which includes members of the committee appointed by the Sheridan Chamber of Commerce to arrange for the Carrington reunion and Fourth of July celebration here, are William Murphy of Spokane, Company A, Second battalion; John Trown of Rosalia, Wash., Company H, Second battalion; S. S. Paters of Omaha, Company F, First battalion, and Samuel Gibson of Omaha, Company H, Second battlion, of whom were attached to General Carrington’s command in Wyoming during the Indian wars of the late sixties.

The general is accompanied by his wife, as is Mr. Trown, who with others of the old Indian fighters, traveled hundreds of miles to be present at the reunion in this city. The people from Piney, residing a short distance from the scene of the massacre, joined the party from Sheridan this morning with a brass band and assisted in making the visit of General Carrington as pleasant as possible. Brief exercises were held, at which General Carrington spoke. Only one feature has so far been lacking in the extensive arrangements of local citizens for the big celebration, and that is the absence of Red Cloud, the old Sioux chief, to whom a very cordial invitation had been extended to be present and participate with General Carrington in this reunion. While the Indian warrior is past 90 years of age and totally blind, it was at first though he could make the trip from Pine Ridge Agency, S. D., where he has lived for many years, but it was finally decided that he was too old and feeble to stand the long ride.

General and Mrs. Canington left their home in Hyde Park, Boston, last Saturday, arriving in Omaha on Monday, where they remained for a day. In that city they met a number of old military friends. From Omaha they were accompanied to Sheridan by S. S. Peters and Samuel Gibson, both of whom were in the general’s command at Fort Phil Kearney. The party arrived here Wednesday, evening on 41, which was four hours late. George W Perry, secretary of the chamber of commerce, and other local citizens met them at the depot and escorted them to the Sheridan Inn. The general was given an automobile ride in the evening, and is being shown about the city and suburbs

Reviews the Troops. Yesterday afternoon General Carrington and party were taken to Fort Mackenzie where at 11 o’clock he reviewed the troops on dress parade. A salute of 11 guns, due to his rank as Brigadier General, was fired. General Carrington expressed himself as much please with the showing made. The general was accompanied to the fort by Messrs .Brown, Peters, Murphy and Gibson, who are among the survivors of the Fetterman massacre; J. D. Helvey, William Frackelton, Geo. W. Perry and Harvey McKinley of this city, who furnished automobiles for the trip; Mrs. Carrington, Mrs. John Trown of Rosalia, Wash.; C. B. Holmes; Alf. Diefenderfer. Colonel C. Z. A. Zandier, Mrs W. Denio, Mrs. George W. Perry and Mrs. C. E. Stevenson.

Goes to Piney. In order that General Carrington, who is 81 years of age, might not become too greatly fatigued in the numerous events of which he is the central figure, arrangements were perfected for him to make part of the trip to Massacre Hill yesterday afternoon. Accordingly he left in the company with Judge T. J. Poster and others, and they stopped overnight at Gier’s ranch, Judge Foster homesteaded the land on which Fort Kearny formerly stood.

And it the July 7, 1908, Enterprise, there is a follow up on the event. Gen. Carrington Central Figure at Reunion and Fourth of July Celebration in Sheridan. Peters and Gibson were also survivors of Fetterman massacre at Plney and they leave for home today. General H B Carrington was the central figure in the Fourth of July celebration and reunion of survivors of the Fetterman massacre, held in Sheridan last Friday and Saturday. Among others who shared with him the honors of the occasion were S S Peters and Samuel Gibson, who fought with General Carrington in Wyoming 42 years ago.

They accompanied the old soldier here from Omaha, where they reside. Peters and Gibson left this afternoon for the Nebraska metropolis. General and Mrs. Carrlngton will remain In the city for a few days. A reception was tendered for the General and his wife at the Kirby Opera House last evening, the affair being largely attended.

The hall was handsomely decorated for the occasion with bunting and flags supplied by the ladies of Sheridan, and General and Mrs. Carrington received the local citizens under a beautifully arranged canopy of American flag, while the Sheridan Band orchestra discoursed sweet strains of music.

The reception was followed by musical numbers, the program Including a solo by Mrs. Diefenderfer and a solo by Mrs. Livingston; duet, Rev. Long and Mrs. Lever; piano solo, Mrs. Decker; “Sound, Bugle Sound; Apollo quartet. This song was composed by General Carrington. The affair was concluded by dancing, and a number of ladies furnished punch for the dry ones.

There had been speculation as to what would happen if Red Cloud did attend the festivities, and what a great inspiration for a photograph or a painting.

From The Sheridan Post, June 16, 1908 Meeting Of The Chieftains. What historical significance the meeting of Gen. Henry B. Carrington and Chief Red Cloud will bear, when this event occurs on Massacre Hill, in the shadow of the Fetterman monument, on July 3rd. The artist who catches the inspiration of the scene and paints the picture may hang it in the state’s historical gallery as the one great picture of the northwest. This will be the first meeting of these opposing leaders in forty-two years. When they met last it was in battle for possession of the beautiful valleys and fertile uplands of the country we now occupy in peace with our herds and our agriculture. They were younger men then, now they have approach the sunset of their lives.

General Carrington is four score years and five and Chief Red Cloud is four score and ten years. Their lives’ battles have been fought and they await the summons of the Great Master, to render an accounting of their work on earth.

General Carrington is as stately and military in bearing as when he left this then wilderness and made that fearful journey from old Phil Kearny to Fort Laramie through the deep snow and bitter blasts of that terrible winter.

Chief Red Cloud is reported to be as cross and proud as he was forty ago, when he drove the white man from his hunting grounds. He is partially blind, but mentally is brighter than one would expert him to be at his great age. What a flood of memories will past through the minds of these two chieftains when they clasp hands upon the field where Fetterman and Drummond fell. What a panorama of trials and hardships and brutal battles and savage butchery will pass before their mind’s eye as they stand uncovered upon the sacred ground. The one attended by the shattered remnants of the army of occupation, the other alone, his braves scattered and gone, conquered and banished from the land of their fathers. It will be a scene worthy the brush of a master. A distinctive picture of the west that was and Is no longer. It is the closing scene In the drama of civilization, where the old touches the new.

Red Cloud passed away on the Pine Ridge Agency on Dec. 10, 1909, at age 87, a little over a year after the celebration.

Although the Indian battles have passed now into history, we remember how a big a part the forts, the army and the Native American’s played in Sheridan’s and Wyoming’s history. And remembering an old general who came back to Sheridan to the scene of his command in 1866.