The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1867-05-04
WHOLE NO. 141.
The Murder OF Bozeman.
Gen. T. r. Heagher, Virginia City:

Gen. 4. II. Aedgher, Virginia City:
Sns-On the 10th inst, accompanied
by the late J. NJ. Bozeman, left here
for Forts G. f. Smith and Phil. Kearney.
After day or SO of arduous travel, we
reached the Yellowstone River and jour
neyed on in safety until the Goth inst,
when, in our noon camp ON the Yellow
stone, about seven miles this side of the
Bozeman Ferry, we perceived FIVE Indi-
ans approaching us, on foot, and leading
pony. When within, say 2J0 yards. /
suggested to Mr.. Bozeman that we should
open fire, to which he made no reply.
We stood with our rifles ready until the
enemy approached to within 100 yards,
at which time b. remarked, Those are
Crows, | know one of them. We win
let them come to us, and learn where
the Sioux and Blackfeet camps are, pro-
vided they know" The Indians mean
while walking towards us, with their
hands up, calling "Apsar-ake, (Crow.)
They shook hands with B., and proffered
the same politeness TO me. which | de-
clined by presenting my Henry at q en-,
and at the moment B. remarked, 81 am
| fooled-these are Blackfeet. We may,
however, get off without trouble L
then went to- our horses, Qeaving my
gun with b. and had saddled mine,
when | saw the chief quickly draw the
cover from his fusee, and as | called to
| b. to shoot, the Indian fired, the ball
| taking effect in BIS right breast, passing
completely through him. b. charged on
! the Indian, but did not fire, when an
| other shot taking effect in the LETT breast,
| brought poor b. To the ground, IL dead
man. At this instant, l received bull
| let through the upper edge of my left
shoulder. i run to b., picked up my
| gun, and spoke TO him, asking if he was
badly hurt. Poor fellow, his last words
| had been spoken some minutes before i
| reached the spot he was stone dead"
Finding the Indians pressing me, and
] my gun not working, l stepped back
slowly, trying To- fix il. in which | sue
ceeded, sitter retreating, say fifty PAGES.
! ! then opened fire. and the first shot
| brought one of the gentlemen to the sod.
J l then charged and the other two took
to their heels, joining the two that had
been saddling BIS animal and our pack
horse. Immediately after B. fall. Hav-
| ang an idea that when collected they
might make rush, ] returned to piece
of willow brush, say 400 yards from the
scene ot action, giving the lndlAns ehOJ
ortwo as fell back. remained in the
willows about an hour, when ! saw the
enemy cross the river, carrying their
dead comrade with them. On returning
to the camp to examine b., found, but
too surely, that the poor fellow was out
of all earthly trouble. The red men,
however, had been in too much of a
hurry TO scalp him, or even take his
watch-the latter | brought in. After
cutting pound or SO of meat, l started
on foot on the back track, swan the
Yellowstone Ga cool BATH walked thirty
miles, and came upon Mckenzie and
Reshaw's camp, very well satisfied to be
so far on the road home and in tolerable
safe quarters. The next day | arrived
at home with tolerably sore shoulder.
and pretty well tagged out. A party
started out yesterday Sunday to bring
in B. s remains.
From what can CLEAN in the way of
information, | am satisfied that there is
a large party of Blackfeet on the Vel
lowstone. whose sole object is plunder
and scalps. Yours, &c.
T. w. Cover.