The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-08-12
THE BATTLE OF BIG HOLE
Gen. Gibbons Command and
the Nez Perces
Engage in the Most Desperate Fight
on Record.
Gen. Gibbon Holds the Ground The indian
The Supplies.

ASAS SAO AaooS
following account of a fight with
the Indians on the 9th instant, at Big
Hole, Montana, was received from
Gen. Gibbon this morning: "We had
a hard fight with the Nez Perces to-
day, killing a number Of them and los
ing a number of officers and men. We
need a doctor and everything. Send us
such relief as you can.
1--WE are near the mouth of the Big
Hole pass, with a large number Of
wounded, and in want of everything
food, clothing, medicines and medical
attendance, Send us assistance at
once.
"we had a hard fight and took the
village, but were finally driven back
with heavy loss. Capt. Logan and
Lieut.. Bradley are killed; Gen. Gibbon
and Lieuts. Coolridge, English and
Weodniff are wounded !; English seri-
ously, the others slightly. The troops
are e~ntrenched and the Indianss are
leaving"
When the messenger left, Gen. Glib
bon said: 81 want an escort sufficient
to protect the wagons which are coming
III 10 ItlltNc I'D. LOdu thC NaBoho 90
light as possible. The Indians have
cut me off from my supplies"
W. II. Edwards has just arrived from
Big Hole and gives IN account Of a
terrible battle between Gibbons COM
mand and the Nez Perces, on the Hig
Hole river, on August 9th: Gibbons
command, consisting of 1872 men-17
| officers, 1873 regulars and 32 citizen vol.
,tntnaro arncaa1 nNTar from RnlQ' Hole
to near the Big Hole on Wednesday.
Starting at II o'clock on the same
night, they moved down all the troops
with the exception of a few who were
left to guard the transportation a few
miles above), close to the Indian camp,
which was made on the Big Hole about
three miles below where the Bitter
Root and Bannoek trail crosses. AT
daylight this morning the fight opened
by the volunteers firing or and killing
an Indian who was going after horses.
A charge was then made on the camp,
and hard fighting occurred for the next
two hours, during which time a large
number of men and Indians were
killed. The soldiers then charged or
the lodges but were repulsed in the
attempt. The Indians then attempted
to cut them off from a high wooded
point, but the soldiers charged and,
driving the Indian advance from it,
held it, and at once fortified. The
fighting continued here all day, and
was still progressing fitfully when the
courier left at IL O'Clock. The fighting
was desperate on both sides, the full
force of the Indians being engaged il
the fight.
The messenger says that after the,
failed to capture the lodges, the Indians
moved their camp off in the direction
of Bannock. All their horses being
captured, the messenger had to CONF
| to- E,ornh ~r,ot, ~r"-a- -'-t-. lilo -
Another messenger was sent to Gen
Howard, who should have reached
there to-day.
The howitzer had been left six miles
behind and was ordered to be moved
up at daylight. During the fight they
heard it discharged twice and then II
was silent. A band of Indians soor
after appeared with "A large band OF
horses, and it is believed all the horses
Of the command, the gun, their sup
plies, reserve ammunition, etc., were
captured.
Gen. Gibbons thought when the
courier left there that he still had 100
effective men, and believed the Indians
had nearly all withdrawn from his
front.
The messenger says he thinks 10C
Indians were killed and nearly half the
command, including the citizens, were
killed or wounded.
Dr.. Mitchell will leave to-day with
an escort. General Gibbon particu.
larly asked for ambulance wagons tc
CONF under escort, and every available
wagon will be forwarded from here
and Butte.
1t is of the hardest Indian fights
on record, and Gibbons command
made Il most gallant and desperate
fight against overwhelming numbers.
A number of wagons are now in readi.
ness loaded with everything necessary,
and are about to start out with a large
escort of armed volunteers.