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

forced marches, succeeded in overtaking and
striking them a heavy blow. The advance
seems to have been we'll planned, the attack
being made at daylight, completely srrpris-
ing the Indians. The battle, was fierce and
bloody, and the losses severe for the mum
bers engaged. The soldiers made a gallant
charge. capturing the Indian lodges, but,
overwhelmed by superior odds. were COM
oelled to fall back to a stronger position.
The battle lasted all day long, the Indians
making a determined resistance, and with
drawing under cover of the night. They
are no doubt severely crippled, having LOST
many killed ..and being much encumbered
with wounded, and can certainly be over
taken and captured if Towards army is in
condition to follow up the advantage gained.
General Gibbon deserves the thanks OF the
,,eople for the determined manner in which
he pursued and fought the Indians. Brave,
;mpelled by duty to obey his country, he
led his little army fearlessly through noun
tain gorge and canyon, over rocky ranges,
and on to the attack upon over double their
uumber of the best disciplined and equipped
warriors on the continent. The soldiers and
officers under him, true to the government
they served, though they knew the odds
were against them, never faltered but fought
like brave men long and well, and many
surrendered up their lives rather than turn
from the field. The whole country owes
homage to its martyred soldiers. But these
were men of the regular army, men who
had adopted a soldiers occupation from
choice. ...,.i,.t,. ...a..rtr ..f5rg ~a.t it
But what shall we say of the little hand
full Of volunteers who engaged in the fight?
Their loss in killed was on-sixth, while
that of the regulars was one-ninth, .whichis
evidence that they led the front. They
fought, not because it was their occupations
for they We're free and independent citizens
to whom protection was due from the gov
eminent, but in defense of the homes and
iiresides of Montana. TO avenge the blood of
their butchered, ~leighbors in Idaho, and to
repel q merciless and ~insolent foe that the
scenes OF Idaho might not be repeated in
our valleys. 1t was all hour of need, and
they were too noble to falter. The five vol
unteers who fell on the bloody battle field
of the Big Hole We're worth more to Mon
tana than all the [Nezi Perez nation, yet no
.culogies can compensate for their lives, nor
comfort the bereaved ones at home, whose
only consolation is that they tell in defense
Of those dear to them, and We're too daring
and brave to ALLOW u band of red-handed
murdcrers to 90 u%nwhipped Of justice.
1t is a stigma upon our government that
so few, because they were patrioticand will
ing, should be made to dc. battle against
such odds, There are i thousand men in
Montana who would have been upon the
scene Of action had the government author
lied it, men who would have. asked nothing
but commissary stores while IN the, field.
But as it is the volunteers, 300 in number,
were necessarily disbanded-all efforts Oh
the part of the Governor to obtain authority
having iailed-and The Indians are still at
large aud the lives and property Of our citi-
zens stlll In danger. j
Now that the threatening war cloud thai
has hung over the Bitter Root for the past
two months has passed away, aud quiet
again restored, the farmers should set their
heads together for the Improvement Of the
markets of the valley, .Although.the grassr
hoppers destroyed considerable of their
crops in the spring, and some suffered severe
loss by the grain becoming too ripe during
The Indian excitement, there will be a!large
amount ior sale. The new roads out of the
valley spoken OF last spring should not be
neglected.. If tile people Will unite in their