The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-10
THE INDIANS.
The Last BattIe-COntest on the MusseIshell
Rivera Fierce Engagement-Savage War
fire by the Whites.

Rivera Fierce Engagement-SavaGe War
fare by the Whites.
On the eighth day of May the town of
Musselshell was attacked by party of one
hundred and fifty Santee Sioux, armed with
guns and revolvers, on foot The first inti-
nation had of their presence was the firing
upon and driving in of a small party who
were out bringing in frewood. On the first
alarm being given, all sprang for their arms,
and, leaving ten men inside the stockade to
cover a retreat, if necessary, the remainder
of the party, about sixty in number, sailed
forth, determined to give the Indians battle
on the open ground, after their own
fashion. This was at seven o'clock
in the morning, and although the settlers
were outnumbered more than two to one and
the Indians well armed, they determined to
wipe the red devils out or leave their scalps to
adom the wakiups of the ''nOble" red men,
Hostilties first commenced about 200 yards
back of the stockade, and extended from
thence to the Musselshell river. A small
party, led on by German named jacob
Leader, made charge upon ''coolie' occu-
pied by about sixty warriors, under command
of a half-breed Sioux. Before they had pro-
ceeded far, however, the man Leader received
a bullet in the head, which killed him in
stantly and another man of the party Green
wood by name, was shot through the shoul-
ders, a terrible wound, which brought him to
the ground. Learning lesson from this, to
proceed more cautiously against their foes,
parties were Immediately despatched to flank
| the ''cOoie, which was accomplished Then,
| from all sides, the settlers poured in their
| leaden hail with fearful accuracy and telling
effect, killing and wounding the copper
| colored devils by the dozen, and soon causing
| those 40 could to scatter precipitately and
| in the utmost confusion into the willows,
| some jumping into the stream (MusselshelD
and endeavoring to escape to the other side
the settlers, meanwhile, giving them theit
| compliments with their Henry and Spence
rifles, shooting them in the water and while
they were creeping through the willows
| Thus without intermission, the firing wIi
| kept up until after ! o'clock p. M. BY this
| time the Indians that remained unhurt gave
up the fight and left the settlers victors of the
| battle.
Thirteen dead Indians were picked up where
the battle ragged the fiercest, but in all, ac3orl
| ingto the information cleaned from the plrtie
| above-named, and others who participated in
| the fight, over thirty sayages were killed and
| wounded. The engagement is described az
one of the most exciting and hotly contested
on both sides that has ever occurred on the
Missouri river. Some of the same party
| of woodchoppers who were attacked near Milk
river last fall, of which party several were
killed and some scalped alive, were engaged
in this fight, and, it is scarcely necessary to
add, visited fearful retribution on their
former foes. One of their number, who saw
the scalp of his partner torn from his head
while yet living, retaliated by performing the
same operation with the greatest delicacy for
one of his red prisoners IAN eye for an eye,
and tooth for a tooth" Since this
occurrence no Indians of any tribe have
come within sight Of the town. careful
watch is constantly kept, however, and
should they again attack the settlers, short
work will be made with them The inhabit-
ants declare their ability to defend them
selves against thousand Indians, if they have
timely warning On a long bench at the
steamboat landing at Musselshell are now
arranged in complete and imposing order the
''Trophies of the Battle of Musselshell, on the
8th of May, 1869" First in order were ten
skulls, boiled and dressed clean, by the ''dis-
secting surgeon" resident of the place, with
various sarcastic inscriptions. Next to the
skulls three bottles contain picked Indian
ears, which present quite 'sousy' appear
ance. Above suspended on poles, are nu-
merous scalps, war bonnets, coo-sticks, medi-
cine poles hatchets, knives, bows and arrows,
and various other trophies-the whole form
ing a very curious and horrible museum. 49,
MOHtdHd Post