Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-11
INDIAN FIGHT ON THE YELLOW
STONE.
DepredatiOns on Twenty-Five
lard Creek.
HOrrid MutilatiOn Of Two White
Men.
The Indians Punished i'm q Four
Hours Fight.

J0otVAuay, az hiilO"iJ hO"ui u"l
tiers in this city, from Major r. S
LaMotte, commanding at For
Ellis, Montana Territory, giving
report of Indian depredations, AM
Of a fight with the Nez Perees trib
ON Shields river, known as Twenty
five Yard creek, in which the Indi
ans were severely punished. TIL
Major recommends that measure
be taken to keep the Neg Perces il
their reservations and prohibit then
from coming into the Crows reser
vations to hunt buffalo, as has beer
their custom for some years past
These Indians have already created
more or less trouble, while passing
to and from Washington Territory
and it is feared they will create dis
content among the Crows, and per-
haps persuade them to join in acts
of hostility towards the whites
The Nez Perces were urging on the
Crows to join them and the Sioux
in a war against the whites.
The report of Capt W. ". Cliff.
of the 18th infantry, dated at Fort
Ellis, NJ. T., March IA, 1869, is in
closed in Major LaMotte's letter,
giving an account Of Indian bar
barities, and of a severe fight on
Shields river, from which we have
been permitted to make the follow
ing abstract:
Capt. Cliff reports that on the
morning of the 18th of March he
proceeded to Shields river, com
monty called twenty-five Yard
creek" in pursuit of hostile Indi-
ans reported to be in that vicinity.
About 9 O'clock in the morning he
found the bodies of two men, named
John McDaniels and Frank Leon
ard, about half a mile east OF
Shields river and six miles north
of Yellowstone. They were stripped
and mutiIated in the most horrible
manner. The bodies were pierced
with spears and arrows, and the
heads were literally cut to pieces
with an axe. They gave them
such burial as their time and IA
cilities afforded.
The command then made an IN
successful march for two others,
Harris Noel and Samuel Moore,
who were of the same party and
reported missing. 1t is possible
that they were taken prisoners, as
boot tracks were discovered on the
trail taken by the Indians. Capt.
Cliff had sent small party up the
river in search Of Mr.. Macadow's
cattle (82 In number), which the
unfortunate men had been herding.
1t was found that the cattle had
been driven to the north of Crazy
Girls mountain, in the direction OF
Muscle Shell river.
At about l o'clock A. NJ, and be
fore the detachment sent up the
river had returned, Capt. Cliff dis
covered a party of Indians coming
from the south side of Sheep Noun,
tain and others from between Sheep
and Crazy Girls Mountain. He
then took a position on rising
ground to the west of the river tC
await the return of the detachment
sent above and also to ascertain
something Of the strength of the
Indians. He could see them in large
numbers on all sides of Sheep
Mountain. Those in advance came
down the river (the water was very
shallow, and endeavored by every
means to induce the command t
cross. Seeing that they were in
force and far better mounted thar
himself, Capt. Cliff declined thei
invitation. Out of thirty-five horse
in his command only four or fiv,
could be of the slightest use in fol
lowing them. The Indians lost n,
time in crossing, and the fight com
menced at once. The ground wa
broken into ravines,. lodges an,
small knobs on all sides, which af
forded them cover. Consequently
the Captain changed his position
several times, and thus obliged tn
Indians to expose themselves il
moving from point to point. Tn
fight was kept up in this manner fo
four hours, when the Indians with
drew. Most of our horses were noI
so broken down that the comman
was unable to follow. In the el
gagement the Indians had four me
and two horses killed. Our loss wa
only one horse, caused by thrown
his rider and running through th
lines. The Indians were mounte
on fine American horses, and j
their dress and actions resemble
the Sioux or Nez Perces more tina
any other tribes in that section (
the country. No other Indians /;
brave and well armed were know
In the morning Capt. Cliff, wit
his command, camped on the Ie
lowstone. During the night
heavy storm came on, and the me
being without food or forage, We
reluctantly obliged to return. III
force consisted of thirty four INK
and about ten citizen volunteer
Their conduct, with few exec
tons, throughout the action, was
good as could be expected from m,
unused to riding, and who had ]
drill or knowledge of Indian wa
fare. Lieut.. W. L.. Warren did I
ficient service. Four Of the ci
zens were also conspicuous for Coz
ness and bravery.
The writer states that he Is mo
than ever impressed with the op
ion that it would be sound poll
a for the government to furnish Sc
$ viceable animals, and also to e1
= ploy the troops serving in our L
- dian country otherwise than asco
g moa laborers.-H. Louis Rep
9 Hcaa, March 8.
. Two duels have recently taken pl
in Frsnce-on at Paris, between