The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1865-06-17
Letter from Last Chance.
HELENA, Edgerton Co.. June {. ls6

Ed. PosT The great excitement in our
midst concerning the Indian difficulties,
and about what ought and should be our
cuty In the premises, has been a subject
on which mueh has been said, and we trust
not little has been and will be effected By
the patriotism and humanity of our cisi-
zens, and that Immediately.
The first news of the murders at Ophir
was obtained from letter written by j. III.
Lotus, of Ophir City, to Capt. Rawlins, a
certified copy of which was brought to this
place, and posted for public perusal at Oil
yer d Co.'s Express Office, Sunday Nav
18th, stating that the Indians had attacked
party at Ophir, among whom were Capt.
Burris, Frank Angevine, John Alley. two
men by the name Of King, and several 9TH
ers, killing them all and scalping most of
them. Also that some one hundred Rloods
were in the vicinity. and were supposed to
De the perpetrators of the outrage. Mr.L.
had secured the bodies of the unfortunate
men and buried them. They are thought
to have been cutting timber, as their re-
mains were found by Mr.. l.. some tw o miles
from Ophir, at the. mouth of the Marias
river. A telling of righteous indignation
was expressed by every one, and many
times were the sentiments of war and re-
yenge heard from the lips of the people as
they turned away after reading the letter.
A meeting of our citizens was held the
same evening, to see what action they would
take in the matter. A large crowd gath
cred. Judge Bond presided and made a
war speech said he was decidedly in favor
of taking immediate action at this time,
and that it would be desirable for the Gov
ernor to declare martial law throughout the
Territory for thirty days, and that all the
able bodied men should 60 out and fight
these disturbers of our peace. Remarks
were made by Judge Parrot and Col. Bagg,
all full of spirit to act as the occasion and
our own safety at once required, Col. B.
reading resolutions, which were adopted
by the meeting, petitioning the Governor
TO commission men to raise companies to
go out ut once and fight these Indians to
the death. j. &. Sanders, Esq, was cho-
sen committee to present these resolu-
tions to the Governor, and the meeting ad-
journed.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday many
rumors were afoat, of prospectors being
found dead in the mountains, between here
and the Sun river; that the freight and
passenger trains which left here last week
were corralled on this side of Sun river, on
account of Indians, who were in large num-
bers on the other side Of the river. Other
wagons in considerable numbers have left
here, and it is thought that when all the
teams get together, the force will be large
enoug b to make its way through to the
steamboat LANDING.
Thursday morning, Inspector General
Rogers received authority from the Gov
ernor to proceed at once to organize force
of five hundred men, to quell these distur-
Dances, and in the evening of the same day
a large meeting was held in front of the In
ternatienal Hotel, and addressed bv the
Rev. Mr.. Mclaughlin, Inspector Gen eral
Rogers, r. B. Parrott, C. G. Farmer, and
q. W. Toole, who all urged the duty of en-
listment and the necessity of vigorous
prosecution of the war.
The Inspector General urged each man
to volunteer for this good cause, and to in
fuence as many as possible to do likewise,
and report at his Office their success in the
effort on the morning of June Sd, at which
time and place the organization of the
troops would be completed:
Monday evening, June 5th, Col. A. j.
Vaughn and others addressed gathering
on the corner of Main and Bridge streets.
Col. V. having had much to do with Indians
in time past, his opinions were especially
desired, as being those of one on whom we
can rely; and, as he had just arrived from
Fort Benton, he could accurately inform US
of the condition Of affairs. His remarks
were in favor of immediate action, as neces-
sorry, and even indispensable, at this time.
By the speakers, the subjects of wages,
jumping of claims while the owners were
away at the fight, and the self-appropria-
tion of the Indians poneys, were discussed,
and it was advocated that miners wages
would be due to those who will respond to
this call for troops, and that jumpers of
volunteers claims should be jumped off as
soon as the rightful owners returned, and
that 'sto the victors belong the spoils.'' The
necessity of sending some troops, on the
morrow, on to the line was strongly urged.
The endeavor, at first, will be to estab-
lish posts along the route from here to Fort
Benton, to keep the road safe for travel by
the immigration and freight trains, and az
to assume offensive operations, as
they may be able and the necessities of the
case require. -.z.'r rs.
To-day, twenty-seven men have been
equipped and started on tomorrow and
the following days, additional numbers will |
20 forward as rapidly as horses, etc., can
be provided. 80
On Wednesday morning last, at seven
md half O'Clock, as Mr.. Horace Buskirk.
one of the employees at the steam saw mill |
of Sanders, Rockwell & Co., was endeavor.
ing to take away slab which had just been |
sawed of, the slab was caught by the saw,
precipitating Mr. B. forward on
% the saw, his left leg hitting the teeth of
he saw, and being very badly cut below
he knee, while he himself was thrown into
he saw-pit by the side of the saw. Med
cal attendance was at once procured, and
he was conveyed to his home, which was
ortunately near at hand. On examination,
me OF the leg bones was found to be sawed |
n two; but further than the rough tearing
II the hesh ia number of places below the
'nee, no other serious injury was sus-
aimed. The bone was at once set, the
nangled flesh replaced, and the doctors
i've undOubted homes of hrs roooyarv |