Battle of Beecher Island

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Battle of Beecher Island
Part of the American Indian Wars

Beecher Island by Robert Lindneux, 1926
Date September 17–19, 1868
Location Yuma County, Colorado
Result U.S. victory
Combatants
United States of America Arapaho
Northern Cheyenne
Brulé and Oglala Sioux
Commanders
Major George A. Forsyth War Chief Roman Nose†
Strength
51 600–750 (estimated)
Casualties
5 killed, 27 wounded 75 killed, many wounded
Comanche Campaign
Beecher Island – Washita River –
Summit Springs – Palo Duro Canyon

The Battle of Beecher Island (September 17–September 19, 1868), also known as the Battle of Arikaree Fork, was an armed conflict between elements of the United States Army and several of the Plains Indian tribes. Beecher Island on the Arikaree River, Colorado was named for Lieutenant Fredrick H. Beecher (nephew of Henry Ward Beecher, a veteran of the Battle of Gettysburg), one of the key leaders of the engagement who was killed during the battle.

Contents

[edit] Background

Throughout 1868, in response to American colonization activities and attacks against them such as the Sand Creek Massacre, a band of Cheyenne Indians conducted raids against American settlements throughout the Great Plains of Kansas. In August of that year, General Philip Sheridan, in command of the Department of Missouri, was asked by acting Governor Frank Hall of Colorado for assistance. In response, Sheridan ordered Major George Alexander Forsyth, a Civil War veteran, to raise a company of scouts from the 9th Cavalry Regiment (known as the "Buffalo Soldiers") to seek out and engage the marauders. Forsyth hand-picked fifty men, all armed with Spencer repeating rifles. Forsyth's executive officer was Lieutenant Fredrick H. Beecher of the Third U.S. Infantry, also a decorated war hero. The expedition reached Fort Wallace the night of September 5 without finding any trace of Indians.

[edit] The engagement

[edit] September 10

A photographic reproduction of a drawing of the Beecher Island battle site.
A photographic reproduction of a drawing of the Beecher Island battle site.

Forsyth (elevated to the rank of Brevet Colonel) and his group departed Fort Wallace with orders to counter a raid on the Kansas Pacific railhead near Sheridan, Kansas some 13 miles east.

[edit] September 11–16

The scouts trailed the Indian raiding party from Sheridan into Colorado; signs indicated that the opposing force considerably outnumbered the soldiers, but the unit nonetheless pressed on. Around dusk on the 16th Forsyth and his men arrived in the vicinity of the "Dry Fork of the Republican River" (reported at the time as "Delaware Creek"—now the Arikaree River) and made camp on the south bank.

[edit] September 17–19

Come dawn on the 17th, Forsyth (sensing trouble) spotted the silhouette of a feathered head against the skyline. He fired his weapon, instantly killing the Indian warrior. Simultaneously, other Indians that had moved nearer to where the troops' horses were tied up attempted to stampede them, but the scouts immediately responded to the sound of Forsyth's gunshot and only the pack mules were lost. Roman Nose, war leader of the Cheyenne, had planned a dawn raid to overrun the camp of fifty U.S. soldiers, but the element of surprise was lost when a few eager warriors rushed the camp before the order to attack was given.

Forsyth gave orders to saddle the horses. Surmising that no escape route was open, he directed his men to take cover on a sand bar in the middle of the Arikaree. Wave after wave of Indians were repelled by the soldiers' superior firepower. Roman Nose and many other warriors fell, while four of the Army troops (including Beecher, Acting Surgeon J.H. Mooers, George W. Culver, and William Wilson) were also killed. 27 soldiers were wounded, including Colonel Forsyth who received a head wound, a broken leg, and a gunshot wound in the other thigh. During the first night Colonel Forsyth sent a few soldiers to go fetch assistance from Ft. Wallace, more than 60 miles away.

Defending the Island
One soldier and three horses have fallen, while others continue to wage the battle.
In the pits
An officer hands a wounded soldier water as another man drinks from a pool, while a third prepares to fire his rifle.
Chief Roman Nose
Roman Nose, on horseback, taunts the U.S. soldiers as a group of spectators on horseback cheer him on.
The Rescue
A soldier offers aid to his wounded comrade after the Battle of Beecher Island.

[edit] September 20–24

Forsyth and his men sustain themselves on muddy river water and spoiling horse meat.

[edit] September 25–27

Elements of the 10th Cavalry Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Carpenter arrive to relieve Forsyth's unit. The following day, a fifth scout dies of his wounds and is buried on the battlefield with the other four scouts. On the September 27 the "Forsyth Scouts" depart for Fort Wallace escorted by the 10th Cavalry.

[edit] Aftermath

The "Forsyth Scouts" arrived back at Fort Wallace on September 30. General George Custer later proclaimed that the Arickaree fight was "…the greatest battle on the plains." To the Cheyenne, the engagement would be remembered as "The Fight when Roman Nose was Killed." The location of the battle became a National Historic Site in 1976.

[edit] Historic designations

A map of the Republican River and its tributaries, with the location of Beecher Island highlighted in red.
A map of the Republican River and its tributaries, with the location of Beecher Island highlighted in red.
A Buffalo Soldier.
A Buffalo Soldier.


[edit] References

[edit] See also

[edit] Further reading

  • Dixon, David (1994). Hero of Beecher Island: The Life and Military Career of George A. Forsyth. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, NE. ISBN 0-8032-1700-5. 

[edit] External links

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