Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-07-16
The Indian War.

rom General Howard, from headquarters De
partmeDt Columbia, Camp Williams, left bank
south fork Clearwater, near month oil the Cot
tonwood, |. t., July IL, via WallA WalIa, July
IA: "By making forced march struck the
enemy at p. m. yesterday, about 800 strong,
10 deep canon near the mouth of the Cotton.
wood, near the south fork Of the Clearwater
Opened fire at ouce with howiZcr and sue,
coced in starting the Indians from their posi-
ton, passing around transverse canon tof
mile aud half ! began the battle in good
earnest, and disnounIng formed in raylnes and
behind rocks, barbados we'll prepared. For
seven hours every charge we made gained on
them. Still, at night. olir position was not q
very good one, rs The enemy lay contiguous 10
my COMMUNICATIONS, and [ was short OF ralions.
THIS morning, by determined effort, we regain.
ed our spring Of wafer from some sharpshootcrS.
This afternoon [ gave cur lines to the care OF
Captain Perry, commanding cavalry, aud Capt.
Miles battalion Of Infantry. drew out Capt.
hlers battalion Of artillery, acting aS infantry.
j ust 81 We were ready to chnnlehcc Offensive
work, Captain Jackson and Il pack tram APP
peared on the right beyond the Indians I'naI'
lion Miller pushed ont in sklrms'l order, met
the train and escorted it successfully. They
had hardly formed the junction with rs whcn
The artillery battalion, already beyond the
enemy's flank, made rapid movement, taking
Calling guns and howitZ,ra along. The indians
made desperate effort 10 flank Miller, but
failed and then gave way. Everything was
then pushed in pursuit. We shclcd them rap.
idly from high blulls as they escaped from the
left bank OF the river, and followed lhoni eseap:
ing 10 every direction Is lar as the river, ami
are now across and going into camp at 800 p.
m. The losses OF the Indians appear 10 be )
killed and quite n large number wounded. We
have Captain Bancroft and Lieutenant " illIams
wounded, and eleven enlisted men killed an!i
doncd in great haste, leaving much plumber.
The Indians fought as we'll as any troops ever
saw, and 80 did ours, rot ooc man failing in
duty. I now believe that [ am in fine conli
ton. Just as soon as Green appears from Boise
| will make thorough work with these Indians.
They are making Tor the Snake country, and
| for concentration at Noun, Idaho. The troops
have never done harder or more rapid cam.
paiguing or none better fighting than these.
A Portland press dispatch special just rccaiV.
cd from an eye witness OF the light on the South
| Fork Of the Clearwater, gives the following Gc-
| tails Lieutenant Fletcher and n. y. Chapman,
guide, found Chief Joseph after long and ar
duous search, with his full force clmrcd in an
almost inaccessible dc(Ic between two high
| mountains near the river. Our command NUN
bercd 400, and Joseph had 800 brave and de-
| termined warriors. Fighting was carried on
| very carefully OF both sides. The Indians
| fought 10 rccumbeut positions, and kept up
steady fire from behind rocks, trees and every
advantageous rise in the ground, like sklrmlsh.
crs and sharpshooters We were forced to ap
| Sfoach the rough, open table land and receive
CALLING fire. There vas dcsultory firing from
rifle pits all day. A squaw, who fell into our
hands, says that seven Indians were killed out
right and the number wounded was very large.
She says the Chief wanted to fight and die at
| the river, but the women prevailed upon him
| 10 retreat. Captain Bancroft, Of the Fourth
| Artillery, was wounded badly in the left side;
Lieutenant Williams is wounded in the arm
and leg. Both will recover. Both sides fought
! with great determination.
On the 10th instant Joseph and his band
SURPRISED and inhumanly killed party OF 81
| Cinnamon who were coming down the Clear
water 10 canoes for mere pastimc and rccrea
| ton, except one who managed TO eludc them
and escape. These arc the first Cinnamon who
/ have been molcsted by tho indians OF late, and
many OF them are frightened out Of their senses
and are leaving for tho upper Country. In 4
letter dated July IL, Leland, Of Lewiston, says
tho enemy s operations have been about seventy
five or one hundred miles in The rear Of Gen.
| Towards movements; that The maElsuVrrs 81
the latter arc entirely too SLOW and that Joseph
! is smart enough TO take advantage Of them anil
| flank him all the time. The general impress
sion here il that the hundred flathead Indians
| that Gen. Howard had reports OF as going to
| ioiu Joseph's band we're kamai reservation Ia
dams The Indian Government OF Montana
| says that the flathcads are going east, 90 their
| annual buffalo hunt. towards the Yellowstone,
instead of coming this way.
SAN Francisco, )nly lG. -Gencral Howard
reports that on the 18th inst the troops rur.
sued the indians, who made Tor kamaia, keep
were wounded Vim. BurlinE died Yesterday.
SITTING Bulls SKINNER RETREAT. The
War Department has received through mill
tary channels the report oil Lieut.. Ii. II. Day,
of the 9Th infantry communicating information
recently given him by Capt. Freechrt OF the
Canadian Mounted Police, concerning Sitting
Bull and the varions bands Of hostile Indians
which have crossed the boundary line into
British territory. Capt lreechet stated that
Major Walsh met Sitting Bull early III May
near the head of lrenchman's creek. Sitting
Bull said to Mai. w. that he icaired to remain
with the Canadians during the summer; that he
would do nothing against the law if the major
would Instruct him as 10 the law; that he
came there because he was tired of fighting,
and that if he could not make Il living in Can
ada ho would return 10 the United States.
Spotted Eagle, Rain,in-lhe Face, Medicine
Bear, and number Of other chiefs were pres.
ent at this talk, together with about 200 lodges
Of their people. They were told by Major
Walsh and also by Captain l'rcechet that
they would be allowed powder and ball for
hunting purposes only; and that should
any of their pooplo cross to tho American
side and commit any depreciation The chiefs
would be held responsible and punished,
but that so long as they behaved them
selves they could remain there with Lhc
Canada Indians. Captain Frccchct informed
Lieutenant Day that the Canada Indians are
all opposed to having these hostile Sioux on their
cida oF tho limo y fhou arc at Uar UiIh them