Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1867-11-19
Desperate Fight with Grizzly Bear.

A correspondent of the Helena
Montana Gazette, VIZ ting from
Camp Green Clay Smith, near the
Yellowstone, gives the following &C.
count of bear fight
ssOrderlv Sergeant s. r. Stroke,
of Company L, Captain Campbell,
formerly ofMonroe, Wisconsin,, hav-
ing been in Montana something less
than a year, thought he must needs
signalize his mountain life by dis
patching, single-handed, a huge
grizzly, Accordingly, on the 9Th
| inst. went out hunting-being about
fifty miles from this camp, on the
eastern branch Of the Powder-the
opportunity was embraced to do So
Leisurely proceeding on his way, his
tranquility of mind was suddenly dis
turbed by looking up. and seeing
bear lust ahead of him. Their eyes
met simultaneously, Bruins veng-
fully glaring. The Sergeant halted,
and cooking his piece, the bear came
right on, as if understanding the ma
neuvre, ae would show how con-
temptuously he regarded it. But
the Sergeant, equally defiant, and
prudent, perhaps, lost sight OF IN
that novel ambition which a majority
of those recently from the east have
to kill a grizzly while in the mount
ains-levelled his rifle and fired, just
as the bear reared on his hind legs to
close With him. His bullet struck
close to. if it did not penetrate, his
heart. The bear fell. Regaining bis
feet with fierce, terrible grow, ne
wheeled and endeavored to escape
Calling TO his companion, who was
probably one hundred and fifty yards
in the rear, TO come quickly to him;
upon his arrival they pursued the an
imal together. When within twen>
ty yards, the Serg ant having reload
ed, again fired, and thinks he shot
the bear well up on the shoulder, and
about midway to the body; his COM
panion Immediately succeeded with
his bullet, planting good ounce Of
read in the huge beasts shoulders.
Bruin now turned upon and pur-
sued his foes. They stood thor
ground and when Sergeant Stroke
had reloaded the bear was within ten
feet OF him, coming with undated
speed. He levelled when he imag-
ined he could feel the monsters hot
breath in his face. The trigger is
pulled-thc percussion proves faulty;
with the uudischarged gun In his
hand powerful blow OF the infuriat
ed grizzly carries away the greater
part of his scalp. Before reaching
tho ground the bear has caught in his
mouth his left hand, and the teeth of
his jaws met among it's cords ard
sinews. The sergeant sinks to the
ground beneath tho shaggy giant,
whose hold on his hand is still relax
ed when his companion reaches the
spot and sends bullet into the
beasts head. Stunned but still hav-
ing murderous vitality, the bear rolls
over on his back, and his red tongue
again protrudes from his mouth to
once more close on the sergeant
Quick as thought the sergeant thrust
his right hand down the animals
throat and fiercely grasped his tongue
his companion has reloaded his piece,
and put third bullet in the bears
head. Again the bear withdrew his
worries, and catching in his mouth
the sergeant's gun commenced vigor-
ously chewing off the stock. Now,
his feet, the sergeant fired
two shots from his revolver. These
ended the contest with The death of
the bear. The sergeant returned to
camp in indescribable agony, and,
though suffering with great pain, he
scars of this desperate encounter. He
says be has killed the bar, and don't
want nothin' more to do with the
,ritter."