Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-10-09
MILES FINDS JOSEPH.
But General Howard is Miles
Away.
A Hard Fought Battle-Thirty Een
Killed and FOrty-Thres Wounded
on Our side

CHICAGO, October s.-The following
dispatch from General Miles was re-.
ceived by me here at eleven o'clock this
evening:
H,DoUARTERs DIsr. OF FHE Y~ELLOwsroNE.l
CAAP NEAR THE BEAR-PEw MOUNTAINS, !
October 5, 1877. }
General A. H. Terry, Commanding Depart.
ment of Dakota:
GENERAL-This command moved rap.
idly TO Snake creek, striking the fresh
trail of the hostile Nez Perces coming
out of Bear-Paw mountains at seven
o'clock OF the 30th, and surprised the
camp at eight o'clock, capturing the
larger part Of their herd, about 600
hsrses, mules and ponies. The engage.
ment was quite severe. Inclosed is a
list Of our killed and wounded. The In.
dams lost seventeen killed, including
Looking.Gla and Joseph's brother, and
three other chiefs, and forty wounded.
Joseph gave me his solemn pledge yes
terday that he would surrender, but did
not, and they are evidently waiting for
aid from other Indians. They say that
the Sioux are coming to their aid. They
are closely invested in some deep ravines
and kept under fire. To take them by
assault would cost many lives. |
may wear them out, aud eventually
compel them to give up. They fight
with more determination than any La.
dams | have ever met. | believe there
are many escaped villains in the village,
who expect to be hung when caught. |
believe there is connection between the
camp and Sitting Bull, and l have used
every exertion to prevent a junction. |
am expecting the companies with Stur-
gis, and will then ende -vor to send the
Second cavalry comp mics to Benton. |
presume you do not want them with.
drawn when surrounding the Nez
Perces camp. Intend send my wound.
ed to the the Missouri and captured
stock TO the Yellowstone. l would r.
sp ct,ully sugy t that information be
sent to the British authoriti to prevent
any portion Of the Nez Perc, ! tribe from
crossing the line, or u d.. I'm them
should they t Ike re uge on English soil.
Can supplie7 be sent up Milk river no ID
for the Second C .valry2 Please send me
any information or orders that should
govern my movements.
Very respectfully, your obi servant,
MELON A. MILES,
Col. Fifth infantry, Brevet MsjorU S. a.
commanding,
The list of killed foots up one captain,
one lieutenant, seven sergeants, one cor.
poral and thirteen privates; total, thirty.
Wounded-0ne captain, two ~lieuten.
ants, live sergeants, two corporals and
thirty-one privates, including trumpeter,
ETC.; total, forty-one, besides two Indians
wounded.
Il learn from the scout Buckram, who
brought General Miles the dispatch, that
the battle took place on Snake creek,
about eight miles above the mouth. He
thinks that General Miles force consisted
OF three companies Of the Second cav.
airy, three of the Seventh cavalry and
eight of the Fifth infantry. he also
thinks that none of the officers reported
wounded are fatally injured. General
Sturges, whose arrival General Miles ex.
peeted, must have with him seven com.
psnies Of his regiment. The three COM
panies Of the Second cavalry with Gen.
eral Miles were originally Intended as an
escort to the commission to meet Sitting
Bull