The Benton record. [volume] (Benton, M.T. [Mont.]) 1875-1879, 1877-09-28

VOl. Ill.
manmuvres, and outwits the sagacious and
conscientious Howard?
Joseph is no ordinary savage. His gen
eralship is as superior to the vulgar STRAIT
egy Of Sitting Bull as Marlborough's was
superior to Jack Cade'g. A few months
ago he appeared in the region around Mt
| Idaho. No one seemed to know his history
no one pretended to be acquainted with his
personality. He suddenly sprang int,
existence, as it were, and astonished the
nation by the brillancy of his operations.
Fierce and relentless in his hostility to the
whites, rapid and tireless in his movements.
vigorous and far sighted in his plans,
brave and terrible in battle, he has sue
cessfully defed the army Of the United
States ever since he took the field.
Who, then, is Joseph? It is true that
there has figured tor many years among
the reservation tribes of Oregon and Idaho
chieftain known by that name, poor.
5piritless creature who has always been
content to receive with due humility the
rations and the injustice dealt out by the
Government. That Joseph, however, is
no more capable of military leadership
than an agency sheep. He is undoubted-
ly at this moment sitting with his squaws
in some dilapidated wigwam, while the
mysterious and formidable warrior who
has borrowed his name is making it ter
ror to the whites. This brings us to the
next chapter
The Commissioner of Chicago news
paper, detailed by his chief to follow the
campaign Of the Nez Perces and write it
up regardless of paper, pencils, or tel
egraphic bills, arrived at the scene of ac-
Jlon about two months ago. The scene OF
nacton, perhaps we should say, for the
Commissioner soon found that Gen. How
ard, being himself occupied much of the
time in the composition Of dispatches to
headquarters and explanatory letters to the
press of the Pacific coast, gave the most
enterprising correspondents nothing to
chronicle.
Disguised with the Christian hero's
sluggishness, and mindful of the interests
Of his employers, the Commissioner
proceeded to carry on an independent
camnaiqn AGAINST the enemy Rniae ->f :
bold and warlike disposition, and having
fortunately equipped himself before leav-
ing Chicago, not only with note books and
pencils and other purely professional i'm
plements. but also with five revolvers, a
bowie knife, two breechloadirg repeating
rifles, slung shot, and battle axe which
he borrowed out of museum of antiquit-
les, the Commissioner performed prodigies
of valor. Single handed he attacked
lodge Of hostiles on the South Clearwater,
slaughtermg not less than eighty-f five war
riors, and massacnng their squaws and
papooses. Near Cottonwood creek he
encountered large body Of savages early
one morning and forthwith fell upon them,
making dreadful havoc with his battle axe,
and pausing only to jot down the names Of
the dead and wounded. AT sundown he
stood alone upon the cory field, surround
ed by the countless corpses of his painted
victims. Having stopped moment to
secure few scalps as trophies, he gallop-
ed 30l miles to the nearest telegraph Of
fee, and before he had slept he had put
upon the wires the fullest and most vivid
description Of d battle ever sent to any
American newspaper. These and many
other exploits of the gallant Commissioner
we're exclusively recorded in the columns
# the journal which he 50 faithfully serv-
d.
It is highly probable that the Commis-
ioner, without waiting for Howard and
he troops, would himself have solved the
ndian problem by despatching to the hap !
y hunting grounds the entire copper-color- ,
d population Of the Northwest, had he not
act with reverse. Our account is based )
pom his personal narrative. |
A trivial circumstance sometimes deter
lines the course Of history. The Com- !
lissioner paused in the midst Of the car '
age Of one his most terrific battles to
.fresh himself from flask which he car
ed in his coat-tail pocket. Having first !
aved a handkerchief to indicate that q
lere should be q brief suspension of hos J
lities, he felt that he was safe; for even 4
wages respect truce. All, he little knew i
e faithlessness Of the Sahaptin tribes i
epositing his weapons on the ground and a
piping his head back until his nose threat