New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-08-13
reach him. The Indians have disappeared, IN what
direction has not yet been learned.
HOW THE INDIANS ESCAPED.


THE VOLUNTEERS.
lFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TIN TRIBUNE
FORr ELLIS, NJ. T., Aug Word comes that the
Idaho hosties have escaped and are making for the
Big Hole. sparsely-setted section, with the aVoWed
intention Of seeking the buffalo country by way OF
Henry's Lake. LISA fertile region, almost unknown
TO the Whites and Astounding III game, andl known
to the Indians as The Sheep-eaters Country" The
region however, is one If terrible roughness-mdeed
almost inaccessible with horses and offers little en-
couragement 10 bands with animals TO feed Up to
July %, the settlers here had supposed Capt.
Rawn, who was iutrenohed in Lo-Lo Pass, would,
aided by the volunteers. capture the Indians adj
vancing from Idaho, when it was teegraphed
that he had had "a talk with White Bird
and Looking Glass and had arranged for another the
xt day" and that "the troops well entrenched
and would hold the trail" all here imagined the
trouble over. But kilograms announcing I'VE have
Joseph" were only sent be followed by dispatches
admitting the coming Indians to be "Nez ferces
who left Missouri last Spring and had doubtless
fought with Looking Glass in Idaho" And then
comes a telegram front the Governor, given to the
Territorial press, which states: Joseph ana MS
band passed Captain Rawn's entertainments late III
the afternoon of the 2Sth, ana although they passed.
within gun-shOt not "a gun was fired at theIi' ms
message was followed by one from Judge Knowles
Associate Justice, asserting: They are about 4oo
strong. well armed, but short of ammunition" Now
the question arises: Why did they escaped Noiun-
toers had been hockng in, guns and cartridges had
been sent over and the Governor had issued the fO
lowing proclamation:
IL THE FIELD. MI,soUA, July &c;
Whereas. Montana Territory is invaded by hostile IN
dams rom Idaho and there being less man liY I.".Gu
States soldiers 90 oppose said Indians, 10y virtue OF 'he
authority vested ID as Governor ana COnhihdcI-lh
cuIcf OF the Montana Militia, / command thaj Tie or
gained volunteer militia OF Mi,sOula and Deer Lodge
Counties, report forthwith TO the Conmandti-hl-tm'l
at Mls,oua ig temporary duI! win lhe HH''Vu ''''
forces serving against tle lnd ans III western Non
ttna. SAID companies VIII be armed ana EQUIPPED .Oi
service III 'Le he'd lHe nhdei sl.htu j. MltnoS
Ity 20 bud lie United safes or the Territory OF Montana
Tor supplies furnished volunteer COMPANIES Whlc se''
mg IN the fed Dut Will use every effort III ~ puNcI ~
secure pay nen Tor supplies, &C. Iron" lhe i.lIt'i3i 90
ANA receipt Tor supplies furnished witness my n"I"
Governor and Command. r-inclnef, Montana Mlii'.a
JAS. IL. MILLS, Secretary and Adiu,antGenera.
TIE vOLhrEEEs CoNAkDLN.
Whyg Well Tie independent, Democratic jour
nal published at Helena discovers the reason
Mcdowell ordered RaWn. with an inadequate force,
to capture the ho,tllcs, bat because OF the mel
fcieucy, imbecinty and cOwaIdlce OF Howard and
his ,uboIdmates, Rawn was not supported from the
vest There it is! But here comes an explanation
bv telegram when has some reason ia 1t, VIZ: " On
Saturday Lookiug-Glass and 800 Indians, few
squaws and some horses passed out of Lo-Lo Fork
the settlers had been in the Indians camp and were
assured they would pass peaceabiy through the
country. The citizens, therefore, did not care to
fight. Rawn declined to open fire with his small
command, and no pursuit was made At any rate,
they escaped, whoever they are, and are OF again.
wherever they may be bound. A body of 800 men
are following them into the Big Hole country, and
some fighting may yet result
So far as Joseph is concerned, a san Francisco
dispatch places him upon the Clearwater preparing
himself to whip Howard, while q letter from Old
Beayerhead station says the supposed advance OF
Joseph's band is upon the Franklin and Montana
stage road and that he is eudcayOrng to escape by
way of Ilenry's Lake. wonder if any but Indian
warfare is surrounded by 30 many difficulties, ana
haInpcred by many contradictory reports and
rumOrs
Gen. Gibbou has not been heard from or Of for
week, but the Flatheads cooperating with the
Missoula troops and Charles is sending warriors TO
Rawn. The success OF Howard has resulted not
only ill., evidently driving the Idaho hostlles upon
Montana, but in the depletion Of the posts here that
Western Montana may be protected. Forty men
under Capt. G. l.. Browning and Lieut.. G.. II.
Wright 9Th Infantry, have been ordered TO Mis-
soula This contingent includes the small remnant Of
the I'd Cavalry left here upon the departure OF the
Montana column to JOIN Gen. Miles AT Tongue River.
To mount these men, even the horses in private use,
broken down aud superannuated, had to be taken,
and Forts Benton and Shaw and Camp Baker have
as veil been called upon to supply their quota.
What Is the RESULT Volunteers refused the
Territory and this exposed section is left open to ill.,
cursions of any hostile band wise enough TO take adj
vantage of the opportunity offered.
Gen. Mcdowell, it appears, does not like the youn-
teer and outside Of any late unpleasant experience
he NAV have had, and seems to have had in Idaho.
can haidly blame him. The frontier volunteer,
well as the general frontier public, over-rates the
volunteer and undertakes the soldier. The former
is impatient of, and will seldom submit to mill
tary control; the latter insists upon the formers
secondary position. Too many cooks spoil the broth,
and the military authorities rightly demand the rc-
sponsibility belonging to and expected oil them. aud
predict disaster from divided command. The state
of feeling existing upon the frontier upon this sub
iect is strange 1t is constantly demanding (aud
nerdiugl troops, but never willing to do troops
Justice The sun IS not more regular ia It's rising
and setting than the pioneer" III declaring " sold
iers can't fight Indians" while the assertion that
zone citizen can effect more against Indians
than can ten soldiers" has had 50 much Icit-
GRAFTON that it has passed into n pToyerD
of almost general acceptance. 1t should, how
ever be remembered that, as "A rule, the two
bodies fight Indians in an entirely different
yov The hostile Indian is always at di,ad-
vantage when upon the offensive other things
beiug equal; and his bravery only finds its level
when he outnumbers his foe. The citizen, as rule,
i acting upon the defensve-he is defending him
self his cabin his team or his train. There he has
the advantage But upon che other hand the soldier
seeks the savagcs. is upon the offensive, rshing