Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1877-08-16
THE LoLo F1Asco.

.g.:A' THE 10 10 FIAsCO.
The following, in answer to a letter writ
ten by our travelling correspondent from
Deer Lodge, is a plain, brief statement OF
the 10 10 affair: .. .r
DEAR S11R-Ihave just received yours OF
July 3lst from Deer Lodge, asking infornla-
ton in regard to the late ffasco on the 10
Lo trail, and stating that. many OF the re-
turned Deer Lodge volunteers were lou in
their expressions of disgust and Indignation
because the Bitter hooters allowed the Nez
Perez Indians to pass through in peace
and calling us towards, etc, because twe;did
not fight. Did not fight! Whodid} tight?
Did the Deer, Lodgels fight? Did the Mis-
s~oulians fight? Did Captain Rawn and the
regulars fight? Did anybody tight?; No,
Then, why single out the volunteers from
this valley as, the object oftheir especial dis
gust. .~~...t.~ 1a,4t iuaaU t.lif a0I ".'..
The volunteers from all sections Went in
to the Lo Lo Canyon and placed themselves
under the orders OF Capt. Rawn ofIthet Reg
rlars, ready, willing and anxious to- fight.
Especially was this, the case. with the citi-
zensI of this valley, who believed that,
should the Indians or a part Of them escape,
capture, that they would pass through Bit
ter Root, killing, pillaging and burning ev-
erything before Them. .4ttott u1ni aaam Ii
4 Of the ninety needle guns to- this valley,
se%venty-ninei were at the 'front.' on Lo Lo,
besides a number of guns of other patterns,
and | know OF u full dozen of our boys who
get them at the front. Could Bitter Root
have turned out. better?: But whyldid we
not fight? During the whole of the, time We
were in I4o Lo, and particularly. SO while the
Indians were passing us on Saturdays strict
We're given s not totire the first shot
not to fire without orders" YhEee,o of the
captains of the Bitter Root companies asked.
permission to take their men alldopppsathe
flank movement of the Indiuns, but werere-
fused adt .~f95f-nl> yl:,t5v If1 10 tIna 3xea I
F. TheiIndians went up the ridge Shalt mile
in front ct the ba%rricadeim plain sight and,
came down two miles in our REALS w 1. ,Mere
held in camp for an hour and a half after the
1917
Indians had passed, around, and detained q
full half hour Oh the way DOWN. so, that
when we were finally allowed to- reach the
mouth of Lo4 Lo canyon,t w found that
those 300 we'll armed hostiles We're, going up
the yalley-were between us and ourillomes
and families, and bad two hours the start !.
On that Saturday afternoon there were
huddled together in Fort Owen A263 women
and children, protected BY two needle. guns,
two Henry rifles and a dozen muskets and
shot guns, in the hands Of as many men.
The fort of Corvallis and .Skalkalo II, We're e
equally as well, filled ana as poorly pro pro-
tected. Is 1t any wonder our first thought
was for our families, towards Whom the III
dams were travclilig5- The citizens Of Bit.
ter Root did not Wait for "a any 'l more 10 L. orders,
but sped after the Indians Us fast As 4 horse
flesh could carry them. Lieut.. Stevens
with three or four others Of his Missoula
company came With us. The balance of
them and the reghlrrss turned down the riy-.
or towards Missoula. We unexpectedlv
struck the Indians Id camp on open pc ground srl
about sunset; and after our sur experience 81
the day, having been prevented iron, fight
my them, when our Numbers equaled theirs,
ano Wl'h the advantage Of position we were