[1] In the first winter of 1865, the Lakota Sioux and the Cheyenne were raiding in the Colorado Eastern Plains when they attacked American Ranch, about thirteen miles up the South Platte River.

On the morning of January 14, two ranch hands named Gus Hall and Big Steve were crossing the South Platte to cut wood when around 100 natives on horseback appeared.

A skirmish began and Big Steve was killed, Hall was shot in the ankle and was forced to defend a part of the sand bluffs by the river.

Though wounded twice in the foot and across his chest, Hall managed to survive the cold journey and eventually relayed his account of the event to the United States Army who arrived at Wisconsin Ranch soon after.

Hall later said that Bill Morris intended to poison the whiskey with strychnine because he suspected an attack and knew the Cheyenne and Lakota would drink his alcohol.