The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-03-24
THE ANINDIAN MASSACRE

kaCCOullG ny OilC VI lnO IdIllClpdALS
BOHEMIAN, MONTANA TERR1ToRYl
February "a. )
The Editors Public Ledger, PHILADELPHIA.
On the 9th Of January we left Fort
Ellis. NJ. T., and proceeded to Fort
Shaw on the Sun River, where the ex-
petition was organized. Here we had to
remain several days, on account OF the
extreme coldness of the weather, the
thermometer showing from Is to 25 de
grees below zero during the daytime.
As soon as this moderated, we COM
menced the hunt after the Piegan tribe of
the Black feet Indians, who had been for
some time past the perpetrators of num-
erous murders and robberies in Northern
Montana.
We left Fort Shaw at daybreak on the
10th of January, and marched to the Sc
ton river, where we lay all day on the
Goth Our command consisted Of Com
panies I. @. I'll. & L., Second u. S.
Cavalary, and a detachment of 60
mounted men from the 18th Infantry,
At Fort Shaw Two companies Of the
l3th Infantry (dismounted). accompan-
led US as wagon guard The whole ex-
petition was-under the immediate COM
mand Of Brevet Colonel E. A. Baker,
Major Second u. S. Cayalary. Leaving
the Seton at dark on the evening Of the
10th, We marched to well concealed
camp Just below the dry fork Of the Mar
las, where We lay until dark on the even
ing of the Dist.
Here we left our wagon train and
guard, and taking only couple of blank
cts on our saddles and few pack mules
with rations, we commenced a bee line
march across the Bluffs for the point
where our guide, Joe Kip, expected to
find the Piegans camped. We marched
all night. and at early dawn concealed
ourselves in a pocket In the Bluffs, where
we were compelled to pass the whole OF
a miserably cold day without water or
57ood sufficient to cook coffee. At dark on
the evening of the ed, we once more re-
suned our journey. and at length reach
ed a mighty ravine, which, the guide in
formed us, had never been passed but by
two white men, This we readily beliey-
ed, for the difficulties it presented were
truly formidable. Here one of our men
had the misfortune to break his leg, but
rather tlan to be left in such a country
with only two companions, he summon
ed fortieude sufficient to ride his horse
twenty miles further, although he was in
terrible agony the whole distance.
II daybreak on the morning of the
23d we struck the MaTias River. about
60 miles south Of the British Possessions,
and came upon a Ieepee, occupied by
Gray W 0lf and his family, numbering in
all Is. who were made prisoners as quiet
" as possible From Grey Wolf we
forced the information that Black Eagle
and Big Horn, with the main camp of
the Piegans were at Big Bend, eight
miles down the river; and that Noun
tain chief, with few warriors, was
camDed few miles further down.
The command at once started at tull
gallon for Black Eagles camp, and
they had covered by O'Clock a, ~,
when 5hey burst like a hurricane upon
the camp, which they found to consist Of
50 lodges II on the north and q on the
south side Of the river The Indians
ATTEMPTED resistance, and fired few
shots, one Of them taking effect on a
soldier Of Co, L. ID Cavalary. killing
him instantly. This so Infatuated the
command that they at once put an end
10 resistance by charging right in among
the Teepees, ond shooting down every
ore they could find. The work of slaugh-
ter continued for about three hours,
when the troops could find no more
Indians to Kill, except a few squaws and
papooses these they made prisoners,
together with Wolf TAN, notorious
chief, whom they afterwards killed.
The whole herd, amounting to over
three hundred horses, was driven in, and
a guard put over it, while the remainder
of the command proceeded to Mountain
Chiefs camp, which they found to be ff-
teen miles distant Arrived there they
found that the camp mad been alarmed
in time, and not an Indian was to be
found. Evidence of their hasty depar
ture was ample the lodges just struck;
the pots full of meat still on the fires,
and robes and property of every descrp-
ton lying around There were only
seven Teepees in the camp, and not
iorty-four, as enormously stated IN
the first newspaper accounts of the affair.
The pack mules with ratiOns did not
arrive at this camp until nearly three
O'Clock next morning, and the troops
having been fasting for &c hours,
marching a distance Of between
20 and 50 miles ana fighting for some
time, lacked neither inclination nor abih
ty to do ample Justice to the frugal fare
which awaited them. The results Of the
expedition have been variously stated
by different newspapers, but the correct
result is as follows. l73 Indians counted
dead unon the field; 80 lodges destroyed
with ali their property over 800 horses
captured, among them some stolen stock.
Bic Horn, Red Horn, Heavy Runner,
Nolftal and Spotted Wolf, chiefs, were
all killed Black Eagle managed to es-
cape. bur we afterwards found out from
the B,Oods that he was wounded.
1t Is believed that many more Indians
were wounded, who crawled off IN the
brush to die, the count, as above given,
including only those who were found
deal in the camp. The squaws and the
children were given lodge and a few
necessaries, aud were left in the camp.
The loss Of the troops was one man kill
ed. On the morning of the oath We left
the scene of devastation and commenced
our homeward march. which we expedit-
ed as much as possible on account Of hav-
ing no ratsOns or forage. On the 25 we
came upon large Blood camp, which
however, was rapidly deserted on eur
approach half breed was dispatched
after the retreating Bloods and succeed
ed in inducing some of them to
return; these came loaded with Buffalo
meat as presents to the soldiers, and on
demand readily gave up what stolen
stock they had in their possession. On
the Goth we reached our wagon train,
and arrived on the 2Sth at Fort Shaw,
where we lay over for a day, and return
ed to Fort Ellis on the 9TH Of February,
after suffering for 81 days more hard
ships than we had supposed men could
possible endure. Wherever we passed
on our return we were greeted with
Il Il 4~ao1,. &c