One of Col. Forsyth's scouts and in the Battle of Beecher Island in eastern Colorado in September of 1868.

On May 30, 1869 three of his children were shot, two killed and one critically wounded by Indians along the Spillman Creek in Lincoln County, Kansas. His wife, Susannah (Zigler) Daily-Alderdice and infant daughter, Alice were taken captive. Several days later, Alice was killed. In September 1869, Susannah was killed at the Battle of Summit Springs, Colorado, by one of Tall Bull's squaws, during a rescue attempt. For more information see Jeff Broome's "Dog Soldier Justice"

**********************************
PIONEER SCOUT WAS BURIED SUNDAY AT CONWAY SPRINGS

Thomas H. Alderdice, Early Settler of Sumner County, Succumbs at age of 84 years

Thomas H. Alderdice, aged 84 years, over 30 years a resident of Sumner county and one of the three survivors of the battle of Arickaree, passed quietly out of this earth Friday night of last week at his home in Conway Springs after an illness which kept him bedfast for about six months. Mr. Alderdice's death was due to an illness incident to old age. Funeral services were held Sunday at the Brethren Church in Conway Springs, the Reverend A. B. Kirk in charge.

The life of Mr. Alderdice was a colorful one, that of a pioneer, the soldier and the scout. He was a government scout under the command of Colonel George A. Forsyth at Beecher Island in September, 1868, when a company of 51 men, one of which was Mr. Alderdice, were surrounded by several hundred Indians and who after much suffering and subsisting on horse and mule meat for nine days, were rescued. Mr. Alderdice's first family was massacred at Spillman Creek in 1869.

But two survivors can now tell of the historical engagement in which Mr. Alderdice took part. One of them is Thomas Murphy of Corbin, who attended his funeral. The other is Sigmund Schlesinger of Cleveland, Ohio. Howard Morton, the fourth survivor, died in Palo Alto, California about two weeks ago.

Mr. Alderdice is survived by the widow; two daughters, Mrs. Maude Sease of Argonia, Kansas, Mrs. Nellie Phillippi of Milan, Kansas; and five sons, William, Frank, Harry, John and Homer, all of Conway Springs.