Fetterman Monument

On July 3, 1908, Henry B. Carrington, Frances Grummond Carrington, and veterans of the Fort Phil Kearny garrison attended a memorial ceremony dedicating a monument to the battlefield dead. Colonel Carrington and others recounted the events of the December 21, 1866, battle and their experiences at the fort. Local stonemasons had constructed the monument during the previous two years, but its legend contains several inaccuracies and language reflecting the racial feelings of its time. Historical records show that two civilians were killed, not four, and current scholars question whether Red Cloud led or was even present at the battle, while Native American oral histories instead mention numerous other Sioux and Cheyenne leaders. The plaque's statement that there were no survivors clearly refers only to U.S. military casualties, since approximately 1,500 Sioux and Cheyenne survived. The monument honors those who died there, where members of two cultures fought for their nations.

Wyoming · United States