Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-03-04
From the Helena Mont, Gazette. Fob. l.
An Indian Massacre.
Colonel Bakers Expedition against the In.
dians In M0ntana-One Hundred and Sew
enty.Three Warriors Murdered,


The expedition against the hostile In
dians set out from Fort Shaw on the
morning of Wednesday and made .
march Of sixty miles to the Teuton, near
where they camped oil day. Thursday
night they marched all night. and went
into camp ON the Marias on Friday.
Friday night, they again made long
march down the Marias, and on Satur-
day concealed themselves, and went to
camp All this time the weather was
feariully cold, the thermometer ranging
from 10 to 20 degrees below zero, and
the icy winds swept acre IS the exposed
and bleak plains with keenness and
penetration that defy description. A
pack train only had accompanied them
to the Marias. This was here abandoned
and the expedition proceeded in light
marching order, and in a condition for
fighting. Breaking from this, their last
hiding place, the command threaded
their way through the darkness on Sat-
urday night, and about dawn on Sunday
morning reached the tepee Of an Indian
called Grey Wolf" who was encamped
alone, with his family, in which there
We're two cases of small pox. Extort.
ing from Grey Wolf the intelligence that
Red Horn" and "Bear Chiefs camp
was eight miles further on in the Big
Bond of the Marias, the command start
ed on a gallop and passed over the inter-
vening distance with all the speed their
horses possessed. They came upon the
camp like a whirlwind, about seven
o'clock on Sunday morning, and COM
pletely surprised the sleeping Indians
Therewas only one Indian stirring,
and he, seeing the cavalry, as they
dashed across the creek, fred and killed
a soldier. This was the first shot fired,
and the next second the command were
in the camp, around every tepee, in front
of every lodge door, and opening fusi-
lade from their repeating rifles, which
our informant tells US, egualled the fir
ing Of an entire division Of the army Of
the Potomac. The awakened Indians
jumped to their feet with terrible yells;
but no sooner would one put his head
out of the lodge than he was riddled.
Some fired through the lodges, Others en-
deavored to escape by running. One
"buck was found alive afterward, in
his tepee, who had killed two of his
squaws with his knife and piled their
dead bodies over himself to hide him.
This is an act of stratagem, meanness,
and cowardice unexampled, even in In
dian history. 1t is unnecessary to say
that the-wretch did not live long after
he was found in this condition. Soon it
appeared that the warriors of the camp
we're thoroughly wiped out, and the
troops took view of the situation. The
camp consisted Of 81 lodges, with wealth
of buffalo robes, furs, meat, whiskey, and
everything that an Indian considers nee
essary to make him rich, that astonished
the troops. They found that they had
killed 173 Indians and had besides, be-
tween 130 and 140 captives, women and
children. These they had no use for;
and assigning them lodge for their
shelter, with such necessaries as they
needed, the troops burned the robes, furs,
peltries, meats, arms, lodges, and every
thing else.
While detachment remained at the
work of destruction, the main command
had resumed the march to attack the
Mountain Chiefs band, which they sup
posed was only three miles further, but
march ofsixteen miles scarcely brought
them to the camp. The Indians here
had received the alarm and had fed,
barely taking their ponies with them.
The lodges were struck, but nothing had
been moved. The pots were still burn
ing on the fire. There were forty-four
lodges inlthis camp, with "a similar wealth
Of Indian goods, proving that they were
the richest Indians in America. Every
thing was destroyed. The guides and
citizens were much disguised at its des.
iruction of bales Of buffalo robes and
rich furs; but the doctor announced
that they all had the small pox conta-
| gion in them, and that no amount of
money would compensate for the intro
duction into the settlements Of the states.
Everything was burned. Then the COM
mand made for the Blood camp. near
the agency. Here the small pox was
raging fearfully. The warriors had ske-
daddled, but Col. Baker sent half
breed after them, who induced them to
come back. They then came back to
their camp mighty good Indians. deliv-
cred up about dozen American horses
that they had in their possession, includ-
ing Broadwater's brown horse, and were
for peace all the time. They .hen
brought meat and all sorts of presents to
Tho a..lJ.o~, ho.rr IL, E~,k T. cJs.v