The New York herald., 1877-10-30
A Dashing Lieutenant'S Experience in
Chief JOseph's Trenches.
Stoicism of the Nez Perces-Devitry Of
the Cheyennes.
COPPER-HUED CHIV AIRY
Aflcr-GOsSip Of the Battle FieId-PoOr Aale's
Love Charm.
CAMr OF TUE SITTING BULL COMMISSION, I
NQKTH.Ry MnxrANA Oct ll- MidniRht.

In desolae spot tho Plains discovered its escort
OF three companies OF the Second cavalry, which
rived and Joined It this evening These companies,
commanded by Captain Tyler, were engaged in the
recent battle with and victory Joseph and his
Nez Perces, under General Miles Among tho COM
manders OF companies is Lieutenant Lowell a. Jerome,
son OF Lawrence Jerome, OF New York city, who dis
tinguishcd himself in the action in u which
has been partially described you His distinguish
Ing feat during the battle, that entities him to the
highest credit officer, the saving Of the
Seventh cavalry from absolute annihilauon. While
the Indians after Captain Hales dcath wore pouring
deadly hurricane OF lead upon the Seventh's batta
Ton Lieutenant Jerome. coming up the opposite
side OF the cut, bank ravnc, assaed tho savagcs
win = deadly fnsillade which continued for two
thrce minutes, drove them into their pits aud allowed
the remnants oil the Seventh cavalry to withdraw
THE YOUNG HERo's APPEARANCE.
Lieutenant Jerome. like his brother officers, pre-
scnts highly unmtary but o very war-worn ap-
pearance He Is the most dashng and handsome of
them all. HIS costume nearly resembles that OF .
prairie scout, and would asonish tho denzens OF his
father's household aud the habitues OF the Union
Club. He wears velveteen coat, buckskin panta-
looms and heavy cavalry boots On mis- hoad is a bat
tered drab slouched hat with black ribbon He gave
THIS evening, In the presence of ono or two OF his
brother ocers an account Of the battle and
In IT, which in essential respects had been
anticipated by tho stories OF the SCOUTS.
But neither the nor any one else
with whom have conversed gave the twang, the
peculiar flavor to tho narrative which tho young lieu
tenant himself gave It, and which he must have do
rived the knack Of giving to any story from his inim.
table sire.
MAJOR HALE's CHARM.
IL was this young man, you will recollect, who,
titer Joseph camc into Miles' camp and made his
drSt O surrender ordered or rather
permitted, by the General 20 the stronghold OF
Tho Sez Pcrces and reconnoitre. Indeed Lieutenant
Jerome suggested Josephs presence and the tenn
porary truce which then occurred good oppor-
tunity to recover the bodies OF Captain Hale and Lieu
tenant Biddle. both OF whom killed during tho
charge OF the Seventh cavalry the opening OF the
light Says Lieutenant Jeromo:-
"rhe story about Hale's saying, My Godi
going 10 be killed SO early In the morning is prob
ably Gction. What did occur was this When the
command halted just after tn. that tho Eez
Perces village was in sight received from the
scout, aud while tho scout was riding back to tho
rear during the halt to inform General Miles, Hale,
who was spelling for fight. but who evidently
nervous and troubled, took out charm given to
him by q lady, which he wore around HIS
neck and sald:-Jerome, II l should get
killed this morning want you TO see tEat
this gets back-mentoning the lady's name. ban
tered him moment about It. Then he took 1t In his
hand and threw It with gesture against his heart,
laughed in his peculiar manner and exclaimed -
There, nothing Is going to harm me now.' That was
one OF the reasons, continued jerome, why wanted
to SO down and recover Halc's body"
asked Lieutenant jerome II he recovered the
charm? He answered that he did, and went on with
his account.
ENTERING JosEpH's CAMP.
lie proceeded into Joseph's camp confident that he
would be well received there knowing personally, as
he did, go many Of the Ncz Perces warriors IL was
not until he had fairly entered II he perceived he
was prisoner since Miles had determined to hold
Joseph tho indians determined TO hold Jerome They
oid not, however treat him the like an enemy.
In the most laughing way thoy insisted on his staying
with them They allowed him to wander through
their camp and examine their strange Notifications
ana places Of conceament AT last" said he, .they
put me INTO pit where there were about fifteen Of
them. Tho weather bitterly cold and was glad
sheltered had pair OF blankets that night and
slept little"
Here asked the gallant young Lieutenant to 60 on
with his story IN his way.
yERoME's CAPTIVITY PREVENTS MiLRs FROM WITH
DRAWING.
"well," he said, "what | did while was in tho
for Miles to put in his shells, and ~ see how their
rifle pits arranged, and whether It would ros-
sble for TO take them by assault had the whole
thing in my mind by the next day, when expected
TO leave. On that day received message from
Niles carly IN the forenoon Miles evidently wanted
to keepJosepb, but wanted me to escape. | believe
that II ! mad not gone into that camp under the
Generals ordcr he, being deprived OF the inlorma-
tion which gave hlm afterward would have with
drawn-holding Joseph has prsuner-with his iorce
TO the cover OF the distant woods anu there IN
pnrhn nl IA paalI vhp fncf na
all OF were, lest Sitting Bull should come to the
Nez Perces' assistance | can testify that the Nez
pcrces really expected that sitting Bull would aid
them, though OF course don't know how we'll their
hope was grounded While | their camp
several warriors spoke OF this matter.
FIXING THE TRUCE.
"For long after reached their camp tho whito
Nag noatcd over both cncampmcnts But suddenly,
while was sitting in the pit spokesof bullet
singing overhead 1t was followed by others. These
shots were from our own men, aud was alarmed and
dseusIed. In the first place. didn't want TO be killed
BY friend; In tho instant It struck that the
Indians suspected treachery. That they did suspect
I, found soon aiterward. couple OF Warriors who
had been especially friendly to me- took me Of
tha, pit into another one, warning that tho other
Indians were talking about my orkod tongue and OF
the proprIe,y OF xing mo then and there.
THE PRISONERS
during the day General Niles decided to surrender
Joseph. so he was brought down under cover OF a
white nag 10 space halt way between the Nez Perces
post and our own. The General himself
wont with Joseph and was accompanied by
ono oil his stan officers There were three Indians
along with me- suppose that interesting po-
siton. With the suspicion oil treachery both Sides
thirteen Of our men lay in their trenches scarcely
forty rods OF, with tho rides held at dead rest ON
Joseph aud my thrcc Indian guards More than
twenty Indians had an equally sight over their
Winchestcrs and Henry's straight at General Miles
mud mo- have since learned that Niles stan officer
held a cooked revolver In his bosom ready to lx
Joseph If / should be harmed. Tho transfer passed
without trouble, and was restored TO the command
OF my company"
INDIAN sTocisM.
swhiIe I was In their pits," says Lieutenant
Jerome, s'thc Indians behaved AZ Indians
behave before. Some OF their dead were brought IN,
.c,at n, sLo