Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-08-15
SQUAW SCALPs.
Murder Of Fifty Pawnee Squaws by the
SiOux-A Bloody Battle In
Consequence.
Brutal Massacre and Desperate Fight
One Hundred and Eighty
Lives Lost.
From the 81. Louis Globe.l

From the st. Louis Globe-l
KEARNEY JUSCTION, NEB., August
I0.-The following particulars of the
fight between the Pawnee and Sioux
tribes have been received: The battle
occurred about twelve miles above
Frenehman's Fork, in the Republican
valley. The Pawnees had prepared that
day for buffalo-hunt. The Sioux being
aware of this, stripped their ponies and
distributed them around on the adjoin-
ing hills, to lead the Pawnees to believe
them to be buffalo, and also draw
small herd toward the camp, whereupon
the Pawnee warriors started out for the
buffalo, and the Sioux Immediately at
tackled the camp, where there were but
few squaWs and warriors. They sue
ceeded in killing about fifty squaws be-
fore the return of the warriors, and a
desperate fight commenced. The Paw
nees being stung TO frenzy at
the loss of their squaws, fought
like demons, but being greatly
at disadvantage in numbers and arms,
were soon compelled to beat retreat.
They fed to the river and crossed, and
the Sioux gave up the chase. The Sioux
numbered about seven hundred and fifty
and the Pawnees only about two hun
dred and fifty. The Pawnees lost every
thing they had, including the robes and
meat of about four hundred buffaloes.
They also lost about one hundred war
riors and one hundred and fifty ponies.
The Sioux were what is known as the
| Whistler band, under a chief named
Snow Flake, the successor of old
Whistler. A young gentleman named
Platt, from Baltimore, who went out on
] h.,
tured and afterward released. The SOL
diers from Fort MCPHERSON arrived soon
after the fight, and drove the Sioux
back to their reservation. The surviv-
ing Pawnees have arrived at Elm Creek
Station in a pitable condition. The
Omaha Republican of Saturday saws:
'FGnofficial information was received
here yesterday concerning a reported
fight on Tuesday last between a large
party of Sioux the particular tribe is
not KNOWN and a smaller party of Paw
nees, one hundred and twenty miles
southwest of Elm creek, between the
Republican and BlackWood creeks. Con-
ductor Norton, who arrived here from
the west yesterday, reports that he found
several Pawnees at Elm Creek, who
wanted him to bring them down to
Columbus, which is twenty-five miles
from the reservation. Silver creek is six
mills from the reservation, but the
Loupe is between the station and the In
dians' homes. Several Indians went
down on the train ahead of Conductor
Norton's passenger train. Mr.. Norton
refused transportation to the Pawnees,
whereat they felt very soTowful. They
reported that while they were hunting
buffalo in the Republican valley last
Tuesday, party of about eight hun
dred Sioux, well armed and all strong
braves, attacked them and put them to
flight. The Pawnee party numbered
about three hundred persons. Twenty
five Pawnee warriors were killed, and
seventy-five women and children were
massacred. A large number of ponies
were stolen. The massacre was reported
to be of the regular Indian type, cruel
in the extreme. The papooses were
taken up by the feet, and their brains
were dashed out against the first hard
substance that was found. The fight
lasted all day, and was very stubbornly
contested on both sides. Overpowered
by numbers, and weak from the loss of
their best braves, the Pawnees fled in the
night and escaped, leaving their guns and
everything superfiuous in flight upon
the battlefield. When the train reached
Columbus the Pawnees were seen there,
who had arrived on the freight train
from the battle-ground, and they told
the same story as those at Elm Greek.
Railroad mel who saw the Sioux party
cross the railroad at Pine Bluff several
days ago, say that they were we'll
armed, splendidly- mounted, and were a
formidable body of men to look upon.
Nothing official concerning this Indian
battle had been received at military
headquarters up to last evening. Our
special reporter visited General Ruggles
at his residence, and there learned that
ten days ago the Sioux stole several
horses from the Pawnees, and the latter
gave chlse and showed fight. The bat
rle is supposed to be the result OF that
skirmish.