Fort Phil Kearny’s Full Moon Fort

This year’s Full Moon Fort event at Fort Phil Kearny, held on Friday and Saturday, was a little different from the previous years, instead of walking around the fort grounds to various stations, there were bleachers for guests, and the Fetterman Fight and Captain Fetterman were the subjects this year’s event.

Site Superintendent Shari Shada gave a brief introduction to the evening.

Patti Wilson, member of the Kearny’s Frontier Regulars, welcomed the crowd inside the stockade.

She said sometimes he was cast as an insubordinate villain, or a damned if I do, damned if I don’t officer. She added that it is really nice weather this year, as opposed to last year. “So, sit back, get cozy, and let Captain Fetterman himself tell his story.”

He joined the regular army in 1861, just after the guns of Fort Summer were fired. He was 28 years old, and given the rank of first Lt. He was assigned to the U.S. 18th Infantry Regiment. Most everyone was convinced the war would last no more than 90 days, and were not prepared for the four long years that it would drag on.

The 18th Infantry was commanded by Col. Henry B. Carrington and the fought in several engagements during the war, and it was part of the Army of the Ohio.

After the Civil War, many soldiers and officers were sent west to help protect travelers along the Bozeman Trail, and settlers wanting to come west. One of these was officers was Fetterman.

He talked about daily life at the fort, and the fact that there were women and children at the fort to keep safe. Two women came on stage gossiping about captain Ten Eyck, who brought with him a black servant woman. They said she was selling pies to the enlisted men using stolen supplies.

Fetterman talked about the Indians around the fort, the Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho, as well as the Crow camp near the fort.

There were some scenes with the soldiers and Fetterman talked about every day life at the fort. Then came the fateful day in December, 1866.

Fetterman and his entire command were wiped out. When the relief party got to the battlefield, all they saw were the stripped, mutilated bodies of their comrades. Including Fetterman, their leader.

One scene was of Frances Grummond grieving her fallen husband, Lt. Grummond, after the battle.

The regulars fired a salute to the fallen, and taps was played to honor the memory of those long dead.

The weather was mild and the full moon kept watch over the fort during the event.