Fetterman’s Fight
(Crown of Heroic Sonnets)

Oh what a tale of bluster going bad!
Lakota dubbed, “One hundred in the Hand.”
is battle that a Captain Fetterman had.
The prequel to George Custer’s famous stand.

It happened late in eighteen sixty six,
quite near the Fort along the Bozeman Trail
named after Philip Kearney’s politics
(since often martial heroes' names prevail).

Where seven hundred soldiers guard the path
that wagon trains all take to Oregon,
a flippant quip left tragic aftermath
‘bout native strength the troops would come upon.

The Captain, veteran of the Civil War,
distinguished battle vet, twice brevetted
for gallantry, had confidence galore.
His fatal words would soon be edited.

Had Fetterman just listened, once deployed,
it would have been so easy to avoid.

It would have been so easy to avoid.
But Fetterman considered he’s a better man
than cautious Colonel keeping him annoyed
since when this new assignment first began. 

However, this all started years before
with treaties signed to settle native claims.
Nine tribes agreed to passage safe restore
for settlers traveling over tribal plains.

The Laramie Treaty signed what should be done
Horse Creek was where all the tribes had come
September First of Eighteen Fifty One
gave fifty thousand as an annual sum.

The tribes were promised their sacred Black Hills
and other traditional tribal lands,
but agents often withheld dollar bills,
gold miners ignored the treaty’s commands

Illegal settlers would build towns and farms,
No wonder warriors taking up their arms.

No wonder warriors taking up their arms 
With endless invaders wherever you go,
To make matters worse were endless alarms
that many were killing off their buffalos. 

Chief Red Cloud questioned loud this awful threat
Lakota Council hears his outraged speech.
“Did White Father, their leader, soon forget
the promises signed papers witnessed preach?”

“A pathway to pass through our hunting grounds
so iron horses can go to the sea,
our sacred grounds were to stay out-of-bounds
so wagon trains can travel hostile free.”

“And they were not to tarry long with us,
but now build forts and settle on our soil. 
To kill the buffalo is treasonous!
From evil deeds our people must recoil.”

“This surely is not what we bargained for.
So listen my Dakotas, I’m for war.”

So listen my Dakotas, I’m for war.”
With those bold words began the war’s attacks 
of Bozeman Trail forts warriors most abhor
supporting Red Cloud’s rhetorical climax.

Foremost Fort Kearney, target of their rage,
where Colonel Covington was in command
as cautious leader, not one to engage.
Subordinates soon didn’t understand.

He’d send patrols supporting the woodcutters
with orders to avoid passing the ridge
because was out of sight of trouble spotters
upon the rampart’s observation bridge.

There’d been some sorties and small skirmishes.
Reports said native camps were pitched nearby.
Then several warriors made war-like flourishes.
Smoke signals sent up warnings in the sky.

While in the fort repressed emotions ran,
and here began the tale of Fetterman.

And here began the tale of Fetterman,
that fearless leader of a mounted group,
with eighty one within his caravan
prepared for battle honors to recoup. 

When dozen woodcutters now under siege,
he volunteered to lend required relief.
The Colonel ordered loud a cautious adage,
“Relieve, do not pursue.“ His message brief.

Here Fetterman set forth his fatal quote.
“Just give me eighty men and I’ll ride through
the whole Sioux Nation,” Papers later note.
Then flourished a salute in smart adieu. 

With that the sentinels opened the gate
while flashing colors galloped through in haste.
So heedless warnings, went unto their fates.
A useless tragedy of human waste.

Brave soldiers sent to fight a deadly dual,
were unaware their leader was a fool. 

Were unaware their leader was a fool,
who took them straight into a well-laid trap,
Where lessons learned can be so very cruel,
with overwhelming odds the handicap. 

For Red Cloud had about one thousand men
all well concealed in woods beyond the ridge.
As decoys, Tribes selected only ten,
with Crazy House’s courage as their edge.

The plan, to have the decoys be exposed,
to taunt the soldiers into giving chase.
beyond the ridge where they would be enclosed
and overcome by numbers that they’d face. 

Now, woodcutters were working in the pines
to gather wood for cooking and for warmth,
accompanied by troops as their life-lines,
became besieged by warriors from the North.

A crisis upon which the plan was hung,
and soon the trap was ready to be sprung.

And soon the trap was ready to be sprung
on Fetterman whose bravery and contempt
would bring his eighty one to fight among
those very foes he thought he could preempt.

While Covington gave orders of restraint
the Captains mood was having none of that.
When Crazy Horse appeared without constraint,
he took the bait and raced into combat.

Where there he ate his words in total shock
as death surrounded him on every side
confronting him with bow and tomahawk.
Soon every person with the Captain died. 

Reports said six died from their bullet wounds,
the rest succumbed to ancient injuries.
Their bodies mutilated and festooned 
about, proclaiming battle victories. 

The worst Great Plains disaster Army had.
Oh, what a tale of bluster going bad.