The weekly Butte record. [volume] (Oroville [Calif.]) 1866-1887, 1867-01-12

THE WIND RIVER PARTY-FIGHT WITH THE In
DrANs-NAMEs OF THE KILLED.-The Mountain
eer of December 7th says:-Mr. William Strickland
one of the party with JEFF. Standifer, the Wind
river prospecting expedition, furnishes Us with
detailed statement of their difficulty with the In
dians and the loss of men killed. As many of the
party are well known in this community, this short
sketch of their venture may be of interest to our
readers Mr.. Strickland says that when the party
reached the Wind river mountains. they numbered
sixty-eieht men. About the lst of September, as
they approached the head waters of the Big Bow
river, Bruce Smith, with a party of eleven men,
left he main body to prospect, and agreed to JOIN
them on the head waters of the Big Bow. The
main party proceeded their way and came to
stream they supposed to be the Big Bow. but they
afterward ascertained it one of the branches Of
the main stream. There they camped and waited
for Bruce Smith and his party to join them. In the
mean time Smith and his party had passed around
the head of this branch and struck the main stream
and camped. One of the party had gone out alone
in search Of the main party, or to see if he could
find their trail. On his return, as he approached
his camp he discovered that they had been attacked
by Indians, and the fight still going on. He
was not in position to determine definitely the
result but he thought the whites had scattered and
taken to the brush, and the Indians were pursuing
and hunting down the fusitives; and it is supposed
all the ten persisted, as hare been found or
heard of 81 nee The of those lost are: Bruce
Smith, Edward Riley painter, formerly residents
of this county) David Conklin. William Strong,
George Ackleson and man called Pike--the names
of the three Others not remembered.
The survivor then made his way back and joined
the main party who Immediately started to search
for and relieve their comrades. While still in search
of the lost men. on the Big Bow river. they were
attacked by about three hundred Indians, on the
10th of September. The Indians came upon the
camp about daylight; the boys seeing fight was
inevitable made the best selection they could of the
ground and waited their attack. jeff. Standfer,
with twenty men. stood guard over the horses, and
the balance of the party, thirty-seven men, in two
squa ds under the lead of I.sh Humason, brother
of Judge lIuniasou Of this place. and Mr.. Benield,
made the fight. The Indians commenced the fight
about ten O'clock A. NJ, which lasted about two
hours. In this fight Col. Rice and William Smith
were killed; Bostwick, Harry Ackleson and John
T'Nault severely wounded; and several Others were
slightly wounded. Mr.. Strickland says nine Indians
were known to be killed and many wounded. The
whites were generally armed with Henry and Wes-
son rifles and did good execution. \ number of
their horses were killed and wounded in the en-
gagement The party finding themselves too weak
to maintain their ground, struck out of that coun-
try to Green river and when informant left
were about fitting ont to 60 to Arizona or Mexico.