The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-08-17
DIRE DISASTER.
Gen. Gibbon Attacks the Nez
Peroes Indians.
After q Bloody Battle His Forces
are Repulsed with Ter
rible Loss.
Desperate Fighting on Both Sides
Full Particulars of the Affair.

A desperate fight took place at Big
Hole pass, in Western Montana, on the
9th of August, between Gen. Gibbons
force of regulars and militia and Chief
Joseph's band of Nez Perces Indians, in
which the former, after desperate and
bloody series of charges, was driven back,
leaving half his force ON the field. Gen.
Gibbons command numbered 1873 regu-
lars, thirty-two volunteers, and seventeen
officers. They have been for some time
pressing the Nez Perces, and following
them in the hope of an engagement,
but came upon them Unexpectedly, and at
time when the troops were not prepared
for general battle. At daylight the fight
opened, and in short time all the soldiers
and all the Indians were hotly engaged
desperate battle. The troops massed
and moved in fine order upon the en-
campment, where they were met by the
savages, who poured q merciless fire in
to their ranks. Wherever the soldiers
directed their attack the Indians were
ready for them, and they were driven
back with terrible slaughter, leaving the
ground strewn with dead soldiers. The
Indians lost many of their ponies, and
it is claimed that several of their
chiefs were killed. In one of
the most desperate charges of
the day Capt. Logan was killed. Lieut..
Bradley fell early in the fight. Gen.
Gibbon, Capt. Williams, and Lieuts.
Coolidge, English, and Woodruff were
wounded. Throughout the engage
ment the Indians were vindictive and de-
termined upon the humiliation of the
troops. They outnumbered the troops
four to one, and, though decisive advan-
tages were gained by Gibbon in the
early stages of the fight, it was plain at
last that retreat was necessary to save
the troops from complete demolition.
A scout who has arrived at Helena.
Montana, with dispatches from Gen.
Gibbon, says the volunteers opened the
ball by firing Upon an Indian who was
going for water The regulars moved
up, and, forming in open line, dashed
upon the Indian camp, supported by
the volunteers acting as reserves.
They reached the village, when
they staggered back under a
pitiless fire from the redskins,
and retreated a short distance. They
were not followed, and this, with an APP
parent confusion among the Indians,
encouraged them to renew the charge,
which they did, rushing into the en-
campment and driving the savages before
them.
1t was here that numbers began to tell,
and deadly fire from three sides forced
the troops through the village and back
nearly half a mile, where they found
shelter behind the rocks, and reformed
for another effort. ....a
As they pressed forward again, they
found that they had not only foe to
confront, but foemen on each side, hid
den among the rocks and taking cool aim
at the men as they passed. Pushing for
ward they reached the outskirts of the
village, but encountered such terrible
shower of bullets that they wavered and
then broke and made their way back as
best they could, harassed all the way by
flank fire among the rocks.
1t was in this last charge that Gen.
Gibbon was wounded. Finding that
another attack would wreck even the
remnant of his force, he intrenched him.
self, paying attention to the wants of his
wounded.
The courier estimates the number of
killed at twenty-five, and the wounded
at from thirty-five to forty. The loss
among the Indians was much heavier,
and that they suffered severely is proven
by their refusal to follow the retreating
troops.
Had the howitzer come up, there is
but little doubt that the result would
have been different. 1t was heard to
fire twice, and since then it has not been
heard from, and it is supposed to have
been captured by the Indians.
Gen. Gibbons losses are Killed
Capt. Logan, Lieuts Bradley and Bost-
wick, seventeen men, and citizens
Gibbon, Capt. Williams,
Lieuts. Coolidge, Woodruff and English,
the latter seriously, besides thirty-six
men and four citizens. The Indians
suffered severely, as forty dead Indians
were counted on about one-half the bat
tle-field. LA |
Gen. Howard telegraphs that he had |
reached Gen. Gibbon Aug. II, that the
Iatter's command was in the best spirits,
that the last of the Indians had left, and |
that he would continue the pursuit as
soon as Col. Sanford's four companies OF
cavalry came up.