The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-11-07
CHIEF JOSEPH'S SURRENDER.
Details OF the Desperate Two Days. Fight
Preceding the CAPITALIZATION OF Chief
Joseph's Band Of NeZ Perces Indians.

Ia vi ~
Preceding tho Capitulation OF Chief
Joseph's Band of M Perces Indians.
The Nez Perces hostiles, under the
command of Chief Joseph, have surren-
dered Internationally to the United
States forces under General Miles at
Snake creek, near the Bear Paw noun
tains, Montana. The surrender was
made after q desperate battle lasting
over two days. The camp contained $50
men, women and children, of which 100
were fighting warriors. The Indians be-
trayed none of the brutality usually
manifested to wounded prisoners in their
hands prior to the surrender, and, while
fighting stubbornly as long as they
could, acted in a surprisingly civilized
manner. The following is q graphic
description of the battle 30 successfully
waged by General Miles, and that of the
surrender, forwarded by the New York
Herald correspondent in the field:
At dawn two of the numerous scouts
which General Miles always keeps in
front of him on marches through the
Indian country, reported the position OF
the Nez Perces and their herd. The
general urged everything forward. The
cavalry, his w infantry mounted on
Indian ponies, the pack train and all
moved briskly on. His approach lay
across the open, looking toward a hill.
The herd of Indian horses, guarded by
the youngest boys of the tribe, first
came in view. A single dash of the Sc
cond cavalry secured 700 ponies, almost
before the warriors. concealed beyond
the herders. knew of the proximity of
the troops. The Indian boys in charge
of the herd broke away with the rest of
the horses in a wild gallop to the right.
They we're followed by all the three
companies of the Second cavalry, which
we're ordered by General Miles not only
to capture as many animals as possible,
but to work around to the rear OF
Joseph's encampment.
Then the general directed the opening
charge upon the Indians themselves.
Mounted on his horse, which he rode
from first to last Of the battle, he guided
the engagement. Hetlooked the leader
that he was-rougn, tough and ready.
Weighing nearly two hundred pounds,
he sat on his charger like a centaur, his
brown mustacheF and side whiskers,
slightly mixed with gray, adorned fea-
lures that are heavy but pleasing, and
we're overshadowed by a broad-brimmed,
slouched drab hat. A wide blue ribbon
encircled it's crown, with blue streamers
behind. He wore q red blanket, frontier
shirt and a black necktie, it's ends float
ing wei his shoulders outside the shirt
O buckskin coat, short at the hips and
carelessly buttoned the light blue
trousers of a private soldier, with stripes
down the seams, and coarse boots COM
pleted his attire. This bronzed general
Of the frontier trotted forward to the
head of the Seventh cavalry troop at
nine o'clock, and shouted "Charge
them |" ..t~.
Their way seemed clear, but suddenly
their horses halted in the midst of q
gallop. At the edge of q steep, bank
overlooking the ravine, at the bottom OF
which stood the lodges" of the Nez
Perces, the officers of the three CON-
pianies called to their men to dis
mount. They flung their brides and
lariats to the winds, and plucking their
rifles from their saddle pommels dis
charged them at the lodges below.
Their volley was met by a fierce return.
Major Hale's voice then sounded {:
"Charge, boysl" The major at the
same instant received his first wound,
but like the others he leaped over the
edge of the embankment down among
the tepees. AS he alighted on his feet a
bullet pierced him MORALLY in the throat.
He stopped, staggered and, raising his
right hand to his head, again shouted
feebly "yCharge them !" BE fell for
ward upon bis face, dead. His leuten-
mt, Biddle, MORALLY hurt at almost the
same moment, reeled backward and fell
across his body. Thus these two heroes
persisted in the midst of wild outcries
from their comrades, who were firing
into and Backing the Nez Perces' lodges.
For q few minutes there was a wild ex.
hibition OF hardihood.. Lieutenant Eek
erson, raising himself from the gully af-
ter his leap, called out to his men :
ssFire wherever you see q head!" Then,
filing his pipe with tobacco, he said
aside ""This is a fine camp, where you
cannot find fire to get a light to smoke
Meantime the bullets were sing
and Captain Godfrey and Captain
af~fectionately known as Mick
Moylan, were wounded. The firing
from the Indians on their first recovery
after the retreat is described as terrific.
General Miles speaks Of it as the most
desperate discharge of magazine guns he
had ever heard. The men of the Seventh
were cut~down like straws. Many~of
them fell far beyond thelodges and were
left dying and wounded when their COM
rades we're forced to fall back. SO criti-
cal during q few moments was the posi-
ton of the three companies of the
Seventh hat they were probably only
saved from wholesale slaughter by.a de-
of the Fifth infantry, whose
commanders name neither of the scouts
who bring these tidings recalls. He is
said to have brought his men up to the
verge of the bank on their ponies, to
have dismounted them in line and to
have ordered q most effective volley from
all their pieces at the Indians, just be-
fore they leaped, with q swelling cry,
into the bottom. Then, coolly reloading
their rifles, they received a volley from
the Nez Perces. Their commander
yelled to the cavalry to come back, and
in the next instant his men gave the In
O. salute which caused them to re-
treat precipitately to their holes. The
Indians fighting thereafter from their
entertainments fired more warily at their
foes, for General Miles having killed
thirty of them and discovered
their position, made an immediate sur
round of their encampment. He posted
his companies of infantry and cavalry so
to command them on all sides and
them to stick to their burrows.
The squaws and children we're secluded
in the deepest pits, ont Of sight and
range of the soldiers. -->'-'.- 3
A Wonderful Echo.
Our last visit in Milan, writes a cor
respondent, was to the Villa Simonetti,
a huge old palace in a plantation about
two miles beyond the city gates, now let
out as a tenement house, and swarming
with washerwomen and their broods.
You climb toilsomely into the fourth
story, and are ushered into q small room
facing an angle Of the lofty flat walls
surrounded the courtyard on three