The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-08-25
GIBBONS BIG HOLE FIGHT.
ONE OF THE LIvELIEsT ASSAULTS ON
AN INDIAN CAMP ON RECORD.

HOW THE BOYS SURPRISED THE INDIANS
AND HOW THE INDIANS AsToNIsHED
THE BoYs-THRILLING INCIDENTS OF
A BIG BUsHwHACKIAG FIGHT.
From the Chicago Times.
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 13.-Gibbon's
command came up within six miles of
the Indian camp on the 7th. ., On the
8th Lieut.. Bradley ana his party man
aged to get near enough to the camp to
observe the Indians, and in the middle
of the night this force passed within q
mile or so of the Indian camp, where
Gen. Gibbon and the main body Joined
them. A short while aftet one of the
Lieutenants crawled down and recon-
nUitred the Indian position. The CEN
| trail camp was located across a bend on
the north fork of the Big Hole river.
The lodges numbered eighty-nine. The
stream was thickly fringed with will
lows, and the lodges were pitched on
the south side. Gibbon came up on the
north side. His force was formed upon
a high bar, one hundred yards from the
Indian camp, where they remained un-
til daybreak. just as daylight had
fairly appeared single Indian on
horseback started to bring in the herd
of ponies, numbering seven or eight
hundred. He did not suspect the pre-
sence of the whites, but rode so close to
Bradley's command that the Lieutenant
saw they would be discovered, and it
was no time to take chances so they
opened fire on the Indian, killing him
and his horse. After firing they in
stantly started for the Indian camp.
Arriving at the willows that lined the
stream an Indian rose up and fired at
Lieut.. Bradley, killing him upon the
spot. The Indian was Immediately
Tiddled with bGllets. Before arriving
at the willows Gibbon had cautioned
bradley about entering the brush, and
his men bad called out to him "HOld,
Lieutenant, don't 60 in there !" but the
fearless soldier led on. The soldiers
charged across the stream and into the
Indian camp before the Indians had
time to escape from their lodges. The
ATTACK was complete success, but
these shots had aroused the Indians,
WHO were sleeping on their arms and
watchful. Still, the suddenness of the
attack surprised them. The Indians
rushed out in the widest confusion, the
men with guns, boys with knives, and
squaws with pistols, all lighting desper
atey. The Indians were well armed
and had plenty of ammunition.
Among the lodges desperate hand-to
hand fighting was carried on for az
hour and half. By this time the In
dians had recovered fIOm their surprise
They outnumbered the soldiers largely
and now began to light with despera
tOn. They fell back into the brusl
and TO high points commanding thu
, camp, and kept up CALLING fire on thu
/ command, who then endeavOred to burr
/ the camp. The canvas lodges wer,
| burned, but the skin lodges could not bI
fired, and the grass aud the brush wa
{ too green to take fire. Continued occu
= patton of the camp was useless. Unde
direction of GlbbOn the men moved to
ward wooded pOin5, about half mill
p. of, near the canon from which TIN
= troops had come down. The Indians
. seeing the movement, endeavOred to in
/. tercept the command, but the cool
. headed General ordered them to fgh
\ their way. His horse was killed, ant
t he was shot thrOu !! b the calf OF the leg
= But all the men got in, and, covering
= themselves as well as possible, bush
S whacking fight commenced. The In
:, dians took their usual tactics, and th
!, sharpshOotiDg was lively aud fierce.
5 GiObon expected his hOwitzer to joi
e him here, but the fight had Degu
T earlier than expected, and the hOwitLt
a moved too far down the mountain sid,
!, The Indians discovered it, and a part
!. OF them charged the little squad Of 81
10 men who had charge Of the gun. I'll