Wyllys Lyman of VermontFirst Lieutenant and Adjutant, 10th Vermont
Infantry, 15 Agust 1862Major, 24 February 1865Honorably mustered out of the Volunteer Service,
28 June 1865Captain, 40th United States Infantry, 28 July
1866Transferred to 25th United States Infantry,
20 April 1869Breveted Major 2 March 1867 for Gallant and
Meritorious service in the Battle of Opeluan, VirginiaBreverted Lieutenant Colonel 27 February 1890
for Gallant and Meritorious service in action with hostile Indians on the
Upper Washita River, Texas, 9, 10 and 11 September 1874Retired with the rank of Major, 4 July 1892Died 1 February 1900
LYMAN'S WAGON TRAIN

The five-day siege of Captain Wyllys Lyman's
wagontrain, sometimes known as the battle of the Upper Washita, was the
longest and one of the most publicized engagements of the Red River War.
During Colonel Nelson A. Miles's first thrust
against recalcitrant Cheyenne, Comanche, and Kiowabands in late August
1874, Miles overstretched his supply lines despite warnings from the department
headquarters, and provisions began to run dangerously low. He sent a military
escort under Lyman back with thirty-six empty supply wagons.

Lyman met the train from Camp Supply at Commission
Creek, in what is now Ellis County, Oklahoma, and, after transferring the
supplies to his own wagons, started back with 104 men to rejoin Miles.
On the way the train encountered Lieutenant Frank
D. Baldwin and three scouts carrying dispatches to Camp Supply. The
four men had with them a white Kiowa captive named Tehan,qv whom they had
taken prisoner while skirting Lone Wolf's camp. Thinking that Miles would
be interested in questioning Tehan, Baldwin left him with Lyman's wagons
before continuing.

Lyman was aware of the potential danger from
Indians in the vicinity. On September 9