The Republican journal., 1870-03-24
Correspondence of the N. Y. Sun.
KILLING PIEGANS.
Col. Bakers Bloody Raid.

BozEMAN, M. T., Feb. IS. OF late the
Montanians have been rejoicing over the dis
coveries of gold in Missoula county, the
northwestern portion OF the Territory. Fol
such fast people however rs this, even the
news of fabulous hidden riches coming to
light within their very borders soon becomes
uninteresting, and they long for other events
OF more startling character This desire
has been fully gratified by the brilliant recep-
ton given by Brev. Col E. M. Baker, of the
Second U. s. Cavalry, to two hundred cop
perish representatives of the Blood and
Piegan tribes of Indians
THE PIEGANs PART OF THE BLACK FOOT Ma
TIoN.
Of all the Indians within our borders. or
ON our confines it is well known that the
Hlackfoot nation is the most troublesome
This nation is composed of the tribes known
as the Bloods, Piegans, and Blackfeet. When
the term Blackfoot is used, it is generally un-
derstood as referring to the nation, and not
the particular tribe Of that name. They re-
celve annuities from the Government, and in
return run off with Uncle Sans horses and
shoot his soldiers. They obtain food from a
Citizen, and repay his act of kindness by rid
ing to their camp with his horses, and leav-
ing, perhaps, an arrow in his body. They
have almost every chance Of escaping with
their plunder and fear no detection,
They possess the boldness TO come to q
Post with their hands scarcely dry from some
white victims blood, and stoutly assert their
innocence of any act of cruelty towards, or
robbery of their white brothers and with as
gentle q voice as these red devils can assume,
they insist that they are Heap good Injun." "
THEIR RECENT oUTRAGEs.
For some time past they have been more
impudent in their encroachments than for
merly But a short time since they murder
ed in the presence of his family Malcolm
Clark, an old and much esteemed resident
OF the mountains; formerly an army officer,
and man possessed of high culture. His
family escaped the scalping knife, his daugh-
ter by jumping through the window and
sooretlng herself In the brush, and his two
sons by cutting their way through these in
oamate tends, though one was severely
wounded and barely escaped his father S
fate. Latterly the Indians took from a train
on the road between Helena and Fort Shaw,
all the mules belonging to it-sixty in num-
ber Other dcpredations and murders they
have committed-the facts of which are fresh
in the memory of our citizens. The details
of the same would tend to make my letter
too long, and besides | opne that what !
have given above, will lead The Suns readers
to form the same opinion of this Indian ma
toms hellish deeds, as if | had freely narrat-
ed all their evil doing for the past four years.
Gen. Alfred Sully, the Superintendent of
Indian affairs for Montana, called upon the
Blackfeet to deliver up to the owners all
stock stolen from them, and to the United
States authorities the murdercrs of Macolm
Clark. | do not know that they refused to
do this IN toto. but suffice it to state that they
did not comply with the demands of Gen
Sully The upshot of the matter was an or
der issued by the Gen DE Trobriand, com
manding the District of Montana directing
Col Baker, commandant of Fort Ellis, to
proceed with all the cavalry of his command
to Fort Shaw.
COL. BAKERS WINTER MARCH,
Early on the morning of the 9th of Janu.
ary four companies e. G. II. and T., of the
Second United States Cavalry, under COM
mand of Col Baker, passed through the
main sallyport of Fort Ellis, and took up
their line of march for Fort Shaw, distant
about two hundred miles. The command
exceeded two hundred strong, rank and file
They arrived at Fort Shaw on the 14th ult. -.
at midday, having made eight camps on the
march. The thermometer Indicated from %
to q degrees. Besides Il few frost-btten
fingers and toes, the soldiers suffered little
They remained at Fort Shaw four days, and
were Joined by Company A of the Thirteenth
Infantry, and seventy-siX mounted infantry
men, detailed from the different companies
OF the same regiment On the morning of
the 18th, they moved out in quest of the In
dians
The command was ot1icercd as follows:
Maj. f. Nj. Baker, Second U. S. Cavalry,
Brevet Colonel U. S. A, in command.
Capt. Ed. Ball, commanding Company II.
Second Cavalry
Bvt. Maj. l.. Thompson, commander Com
pany l. Second Cavalry.
Capt. S. H. Norton commanding Company
G. Second Cavalry.
Lieut.. e. C. Doane, commanding Com
pany F. Second Cavalry
Bvt. Lieut.. Col Geo. IIiobee. Thirteenth
Infantry, commanding mounted Infantry.
Capt. Il. A. Torrey, commanding Company
A. Thirteenth Infantry
This force numbered about three hundred
and eighty men. Company A. Thirteenth
Infantry acted as guard for the train, while
the mounted infantry accompanied the caval-
ry.
Before leaving Shaw ii was currently re-
ported that Il large number of Bloods and
Plegans were encamped on the Marias river.
Inc direction taken by the troops was a
northeasterly one. After proceeding about
fifty miles, Col. Baker very wisely left his
wagons with their guards, and pushed ahead
with all the rapidity possible. From now on
night marches were made, and the command
moved along silently, though by no means
slowly. The thermometer still indicated
severe weather, but the men, anticipating a
a brush with the Indians, were so excited
that if the mercury had been frozen they
would not have needed the cold.
TIE INDIANS DISCOVERED.
At daybreak on the 23d, a tepec, or cd ee
was discovered about ten miles from the Mar
las river The inmates, two ''braves" and
three squaws, of the Piegan tribe. were taken
prisoners. From them the intelligence was
CLEANED that a large band of their tribe was
encamped about ten miles distant on the Big
Bend of the Marias. This news was hailed
with satisfaction by the men, who now saw
an end to their dreary winter march through
a sterile waste and also felt sanguine that at
last they could meet their willy foes in body
and conquer them.
The word forward was given, spurs were
put in use, and away sped the gallant Baker
with his command following. Nearing the
river, large herd of ponies were discovered
plar(lpI nv Indians and I'd oe g.,