The Montana post., 1865-08-12
Of Platte sr,dse Fight.
We ars'indebted to the "Vedette,'' of the 4th
inst, for the following Indian items

~
inst; for the following Indian items
s1 SwEErwArER, July Sd. =
| 1 have just returned from the Platte Bridge. Th
line was cut for about Ave miles west of the Platt
| Bridge, and about half of the wire taken of or de
stroyed. Williamson, the Platte Bridge Operator
says twenty mine poles are cut down. 1 think th'
line can be put In working order by to-morrow-to
night, If there is wire enough there to repair it.
Fighting commenced on the 25th. The Indians
numbering about fifty, attempted to take the hero
from the post, but were repulsed by the Kansa:
troops, charging them and killing about four, includ
ing one of their head chiefs-a Cheyenne. On the
10th, the Indians made their appearance III large
numbers-estimated at from 500 to 1000. A wagon
train OF four wagons, with escort of 26 men
on their way from the Sweetwater to the Platte
consisting of the 1lth Kansas attacked by the
Indians four miles from the Platte, this day, in
plain view of the post.
Lieut.. Collins of the 11th G. C. w., was ordered
from the post with 20 men, to charge the Indians and
rescue the tran and in the second charge the Lieu
tenants horse became unmanageable and took him
into their midst, when he was killed and horribly
mutilated. In the first charge three men were killed
and eight wounded. In the second one man was
killed and one man wounded Of the the es cort
with the train only three escaped. The wagons were
set on fire and the bodies of the men burnt by the
Indians.
On the 29th, very heavy fighting in which the In
dians were worsted. The fighting to-day was Just
the river from the post. Total casualties on
Lieutenant and twenty-seven men killed. and nine
then wounded. No correct estimate can be made of
me Indian loss but 1t was much heavier than ours.
On the evening of the 9th, the Indians retired,
dividing, the larger portion going north with their
wounded, and the other part going south note
was found near Lieut.. Collinss body, written in fe-
male hand, which stated that the war party was
composed of Cheyennes, Commanches Arrapaboes
Sioux and Blackfeet, and that they intended to be-
siege the post for four days, and that the soldiers
had killed one of the leading Cheyenne chiefs This
note was supposed to have been dropped by some
prisoner In their hands. MowBERRY
Operator.
HOW 1T HAPPENED.
Much surprise was created at the time when the
news came that Capt. Brown, while out after Indi-
ans, had lost number of his horses, stampeded and
run OF by the saVages. We are permitted to pub
lsh the following interesting extract from private
letter, written by soldier of his command whereby
1t Is shown to have heen we supposed, that the
excellent otlcer named was in no manner blamable
but, with his men, we'll maintained the reputation of
our Western troops for bravery.
FoRT LARAMIE, June 24th. 1866
Since have been here we
have been treated to sample of the bravery of the
Eastern troops, and their good management on the
war path. About ten days ago company of Kan
sas troops and company Of Pawnee soldiers
started on their way to Fort kearney with three
Sioux prisoners and about $50 squaws and children
When they had got fortyfre miles below here, they
were attacked one morning about o'clock by a
party OF Sioux. The Captain and four men were
Killed. One of the prisoners shot while irving
to escape. The other two with the squaws and chill.
dren were re-captured by the sioux. It is reported
that the white soldiers did not fight particle but
crawled away under the wagons, and left what little
ghtlng there done for the Pawnee soldiers to do
The result of the battle if | can call it SOL was
one Captain, four white, and two Pawnee soldiers
Killed on our slde while their side, not one was
Killed with the exception of the prisoner.
ln consequence of the wire being down,a messenger
was started about clock p m, with the news to
Fort Laramie. He arrived here at O'Clock in the
afternoon, making the quickest time on record, (45
miles In eight hours As soon as we heard the news
we had our horses brought in, and were ready by I
clock, with three days ratons to start but owing
TO Dad luck we did not get off until eight O'Clock
the next morning. We now began to find ont what
kind of man Col. Moonlight was for trave veliny af
ter Indians. He kept in the saddle from fourteen
TO sixteen hours at time, and did not average over
two miles and half an hour Notwithstanding the
trail was nearly as broad Main street. The morn
ing OF the NTH day found us about hundred and
forty miles from the FORT without any grub and nar
Indian We started and Travelled about ten miles, |
when Moonlight halted TO rest in deep ravine the
banks OF which were about sixty feet high on either
de, and not more than ighty yards wide from the
op OF one bank to the other He ordered us to turn
I'll OF our horses loose, neglecting to put picket
guard out and stubbonly refused to do So although
japts Brown and Conrad earnestly entreated him To |
'ut one out, he having kept up to that time. n
guard 70 strong, every day. The consequence was
~ the time we had turned the horses loose and laid
loWn TO rest our greeted with the wells of
ne Indians from every side. You can bet your life
hat the California boys were not long in coming tn
line, and with yell, and firing as they went, made
rush up the hill at the painted devils who not being
Sea TO snch reception, scattered in all directions
while Moonlight and the rest of his gang with n |
e" exceptlons skulked under the trees and were as
auch astonlShed at our way Of fighting as the In
ians were. In about half an hour they had all got
ut OIL reach of danger with about dozen of them
lled, shot mostly at long range, while we had but
me man wounded In the head. As near as could be
judged, there were 500 Indians In the moan |
lme they had stampeded our horses, of which thew
ot seventy head, our two companies losing thirty
cad. The only order that Moonlight was heard to
I've during the fight was 81 Rally around me- men -
nd there he stood with pistol in each hand and his
louth wide open, the rest of his officers in lmlta
lon 1t was through the exertions of Capt's Conrad
nd Brown, and about eight of the men who had
aught their horses at the commencement that any
the horses were saved at all. With many curse
pom Moonlight we started on our way hack half
be company horse back and half on foot. with
OF mouthful of grub but some beef, which we
ad TO eat without salt; but next day we met ratons
ent TO US from the Fort, which brought us in all
he after being out eight days.
BLACK EDITGR's OPINIoN.-The Black
tepu6hcdn is newspaper in New Orleans.
dlted by colored man IA clergyman, J, who.
would seem from the following. does not
mink that the regeneration of his brethren
to be accomplished Ivy voting and tax
aging: - d
"Ihe coiored man and the white man cannot live