Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-06-27
THE INDIAN WAR
Further Of Captain Perry's De.
feat by the Redskins-About
Thirty Killed.
Preparations Making for Gran d
P0noshlmea OF tho Vnru int

WASHINGTON, June 20.-Thc fol-
lowing dispatch is received from the
commissioner of Indian Agairs,
Idaho:
MOUNT IDAHO, June l6. 8 Pm
News, tonight, via Florence, from
Salmon River, states the killed so far
as known are Dick Devine, Henry
Eifers, Robert Bland, Henry Strow.
bridge, Henry Mann, c. Ii. Brown,
Jack Manuel, Samuel Benedict,
James Baker, Pat Price, Victor Guilds,
Joseph Guilds; mortally wounded,
VIM. Gro. No women or children
killed on Salmon River.
James Chamberlain and child were
killed at the same time as Morton's
wife, and another child wounded.
Troops arrived here tonight. The
Indians have left this afternoon, at
tempting to cross Salmon river. They
will probably 60 towards Willow
Valley and commit depredations.
They have q large band of horses be-
longing to people here, and will
doubtless be pursued by the settlers.
LATER, June II, ga. M.-The COM
manding officer at Fort Lapwai, Col.
Perry, with his command and some
volunteers. engaged the Indians at
White Bird, about daylight. They
were fighting about three hours and
were repulsed with heavy loss of
men and horses. Some of the men
who have returned estimate the loss
in killed and wounded at sixty men.
Since writing the above Colonel
Perry has come in safe, but we hear
that Captain Weller and Captain
Trimble are both missing and are
supposed to be killed. The people
here have a good fort and have no
fear of the town.
LATER, l8th.-We have before us
General Howard's dispatch to Col.
Wood, dated June 18th, at IL a. m.,
giving the number of Col. Perry's
command who had been killed. The
number of killed and wounded is 27,
including Captain Weller.
A letter from Father Cataldo, a
Catholic priest, reports the Indians
on Hangmans Creek quiet at present,
although many Nez Perces and Pa
lonses are there. This morning, the
steamer Almok arrived at Lewiston
with seventy-five more soldiers who
proceeded to the garrison at Lapwai
and are to leave this evening for the
scene of action. Volunteer have
come from Columbia county and
more are on the way. Settlers in
Paradise Valley are stockaded and
have sent to Lewiston for arms and
ammunition. Genessee Valley set
tiers are all here with their families.
We feel we are in no imminent dan
ger here at present.
The Secretary of War, this morn
ing, received this telegram from Gov
ernor Brayman
BOISE CITy, Idahoe, June l9.
A disastrous Indian war has begun.
There is no Territorial law creating
militia and only twenty regulars are
here. want authority to organize,
mount and provision volunteers at
Government expense. Immediate
action is necessary.
(Signed) NJ. BRAYMAN,
Governor of Idaho.
To this the Secretary replied that
he had no authority to authorize him
to organize, mount and provision
volunteers at Government expense.
but that General Howard had been
fully instructed and clothed with all
authority the Department can confer,
and that he might furnish arms and
ammunition as provided by law.
General Sherman sent the follow.
ing telegram to General Mellow /:
"iour several dispatches of the 10Th
received, and trust that the first re-
port of the disaster to the two COM
panies under Col. Perry will prove
Incorrect, and that the combination
among disaffected Indians is not as
extensive as reported. Still we must
meet danger and overcome it, be il
what 1t may. General Howard is on
the spot, and can soon ascertain the
exact truth. You can first support
him BY all troops available, and call
for reinforcements only after you
have used all subject to your com.
mAnd. The aggregate number Of In.
dian scouts for your division is ont
hundred and eighty. Surely you car
let Howard have even a hundred b,
ordering Kautz to discharge a cor
responding number.
'(SiQned) w. SHERMAN. (Saneral