Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1877-08-02

Looking Glass and White Bird are IN the
Bitter Root valley on their way to the buff
falo country. Captain Rawn, of the Us.
army, with a small force Of regulars ana
volunteers. were entrenched in the 10 10
CANYON, but permitted the lostiles to pass
without resistance. 1t seems, from the dis
patches. that Joseph fanked Capt. Rawn's
position, gaining an advantage which com
PEELED him to accept the savage warriors
terms, which were that he would pass
through the settlements of Montana II not
molested, There are many instances when
discretion is the better part of valor, and II
may be that it was better not to make the
attack. What direction the Indians would
90 from the 10 To is not definitely known.
Gov. Potts, prompt in the emergency,
was at Missoula doing all that he could to
organize the people for defense. lie issued
a proclamation on the 26th, calling upon the
counties of Deer Lodge and Missoula tor
volunteers, Secretary Mills, at Deer Lodge,
is doing all in his power to equip and tor
ward men. Nearly every man who can
raise a gun in these two counties is in arms
and hurrying to the scene of action. 1t is
thought the Indians will attempt to escape
by the trail at the head of the Big Hole.
Whether they will keep their pledge and not
modest the settlers of our valleys and their
property we are unable to say, and whether
the new force of volunteers called into ac-
ton by the Governor will be willing to make
the same terms with them that Capt. Rawn
did will depend very much upon circum-
, stances. Secretary Mills, at last adyices,
was gathering all the forces possible on the
Big Hole for the purpose Of giving battle.
we do not doubt the ability of the volun-
teers to capture Joseph and his entire army
of braves, but under the circumstances we
believe that Coy. Potts would be perfectly
justified in allowing him a peaceable transit
provided he would not mplest the settle
ments,
Anticipating such M emergency as the
present, and knowing that the regular army
In the Territory was wholly Insufficient,
the Governor telegraphed to the War De-
partment for authority to call out volunteers,
and had it been granted he would have been
ready and able to capture the h~ostiles, but
as it Is the men in the field are poorly armed
and wholly unorganiZed. But it is due to
the brave boys to say that they are outfitted
at their own expense, and mover were men
more prompt to rally at the call for assist,
apce. But their mission is to- defend the
homes and property of Montana, and not to
administer chastisement for crimes previous
ly perpetrated. The manner in which the
Government has treated Montana is criminal
in the extreme, and justly warrants US in
making q child's bargain with the retrea,ins
hostiles, Yet it is evident that Joseph
should be captured. Once in the tho land
of the buffalo he will form u junction with
the hostile Sioux, and return upon our east
crn frontier with redoubled fury.
This is an hour of critical suspense, ano
all depends upon the orderof oar Executive
If he gives. the command to- detain the In
dians, the Big Hole will be the scene OF tn,
bloodiest hattie of the war,
WE have held our columns open up to
very late hour in order to. furnish our read
ers with the very latos from the front, GOV
Potts has issued Il proclamation, calling 70
800 volunteers. But the very latest ipdi
Gates tina t he waivers in his determination
and telegraphs to Capt. Fuller to suspen,
operations until the War Department. i
heard from,
1t is quite probable. that the War Depart
ganizing volunteers, lest the Indians nigh