The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-07-13
The Indian War.


Dispatches from Lewiston, via Port
land, gives details of the encounters
with the Indians on the Sd, 4th and 9th
inst, near Cottonwood.
On Tuesday Colonel Whipple sent out
Forest aud Baird scouting for Indians
in the direction of General Towards
camp on Salmon river. They had not
gone far when they met three or four
Indians, and ran them back toward the
camp. Whipple ordered his command
to be in readiness TO move, and meai-
time Lieut.. Rains, with Foster and
eleven men, were sent in advance to
reconnoiter. Rains and his men rode
over the first rise this side OF Cottonwood
and down into n side ravinc where the
road crossed before the ascent of Craig's
Mountain, and were attacked before
Whipple could get TO him after he heard
the firing. Rains and his whole party
were killed, including Foster
Whipple's command came forward
and formed in line of battle on the east
side of the ravinc, and the Indians on
the west side. all in open ground, about
1000 yards apart. and with only the
ravine between them. Here they re-
manned menacing each other about two
hours, until darkness came. Whipple
retired TO his camp, the Indians passed
over 10 point on the Cottonwood trails
10 Craig's crossing. and no more was
done that night.
The next morning Whipplc, with his
men. started this way TO imect Colonel
Perry, who was expected with n supply
train from Lapwai, They met Colonel
Perry with his train near board house
and escorted him to camp on Cotton
wood creek. Baird and his men arrived
from Mount Idaho soon after, and about
8 O'Clock in the afternoon rifle pits were
manned and two Cuttings were placed
in position. The Indians made several
attempts 70 storm the rifle pits, but
were kept at distance. About g
O'Clock the firing ceased for the night.
On the morning of the 9th two cour-
iers arrived from Gen. Howard and
were chased into camp by the Indians
Soon after the Indians moved their
camp with about 1000 head OF stock
across the prairie in the direction of the
Cottonwood. No movement was made
to intercept them. Soon after Capt
Randall and 16 volunteers from Mount
Idaho appeared. About $50 Indians
intercepted them at the junction of the
Elk City trial with the stage rode. Al
this crisis, they being seen from Perry's
position on the hill at their rifle pits
the Colonel was urged to go with the
troops to their rescue, to which he re-
piled that it was no use; they were
gone, and he would not order his mel
to the rescue. Captain Randall and hal
16 men made charge, broke through the
Indians lines, dismounted and returned
the fire. In the charge Captain Ran
dali was MORALLY wounded, Benjamin
Evans killed, and three other wounded
They fought there for nearly an hour
and kept the Indians at bay.
In about half all hour after 1t wa!
known that the Indians had the volun
teers in tight place Colonel Perry gave
orders for fifty men to go to their relief
II was quickly obeyed, and they were
relieved in about at hour. After tn,
charge no pursuit Of the Indians wa
ordered, but retreat was made t
, camp, and no pursuit has been made
since.
Upto the time of Morrill's leaving OIL
the night of the 9th the volunteers So,
that they knew they killed several In
dians and wounded many others, q
they saw the Indians packing of thei
dead and wounded. On the same nigh
McC with the volunteer force ar
rived at Cottonwood from Howard
command. On the 9th detachment o
seventy-five men under McConville wa
sent rs an escort to the wagons carrying
the killed and wounded to Mt. Idaho.