The New York herald., 1877-07-05
A DESPERATE INDIAN FIGHT.
MINERS REFUSING A BAND OF SIOUX IN THE
BIG HORN CoUNTRY-oNE HUNDRED AND
SIXTEEN BRAVES KILLED.

MINERS REFUSING BAND OF SIOUX IN THE
BIG HORN coUNTRY-oNE HUNDRED AND
SIXTEEN BRAVES KILLED.
From tho Black Hills Champion Juno 25
One OF the most sanguinary lights with Indians. 50
far the number OF white men engaged in 1t is con.
cerned, that have any record Of took place on
Friday last near the south fork OF Little Missouri
Tho iacts as we cleaned them from OF the parti-
cipants who reached Gayvile last evcning and Is
stopping with his former partner, are as folows:-
About two weeks ago party OF ninety men and
two ladies mado up OF parttess from Deadwood. Gay
Vile and other adjacent camps hereaboa,s started for
the Big Horn country, with riding and pack animals
One week ago yesterday friday In tho afternoon,
when nearing the brakes OF tho south FORK Of tho
Little Missouri, they discovered large band Of
Indians dismountcd, the latter having their ponies
on couple Of miles from where they wero seen. The
miners, anticipating an attack Immediately took their
. shovels, each man throwing up breastwork from
which lie could light to better advantage At three
r. NJ the Indians In large numbers commenced the at
tack by several icints upon tho uers reservng their
main charge until about hvc p. NJ. Friday. BY this
tlme the miners were thoroughly organized each one
uupack,ng his animal The Indians charged the
miners on foot at one time approaching within 200
yards oil the entrenched miners. The latter poured
round alter round OF murderous nre into the Indians
from behind their breagtwork. For time the fight
was extremely hot tina Indians displaying more tnnn
their usual daring discretion, but the weldrectcd
and effective nrc from the well armed miners was IN.
cessant and death dealing for several hours when the
Indians Withdrew.
Alter the fight 1t discovered that fourteen OF the
miners we're Killed, all OF hcm with one exception,
being shot the head. Eighteen OF the miners ANIMALS
were Killed or wounded sufficiently to render them
less One hundred and sixteen Indian bodies lay on
the battlefield rs trophy OF the unerrng narksnan.
ship Of the miners len Indian horses tlat wsrc OF
IRON the larger herd and closer 10 the mincrs were
picked of by the long range rifles OF tue miners The
only portion Of the miners bodies that were exposed
were their heads they fred from behind their tenn
porary earth On Saturday morning, alter
redistribution OF the packs OF the animals killed. the
party proceeded their journey. As they
are desirous Of keeping the affair quiet as not to
discourage the several largo parties now organizing
here Big Horn country, the tight has been kept
from the pubic. Our informant was three days
making The return trip to Gayvilo
This lght will haze the effect ol demonstrating to the
Indians that, while they may with mpuny aud with
out much lear attack immigrants and United States
troops they miss their calculation when they attack u
parry OF old prospcctors and !rontcrsmen II Is our
candid opinion that the parties here who are now
about starting for the Big Horn country pursue
their journey unmocsed as the Indians arc quick 10
discover difference between attacking lot OF men
who have had experience In that kind OF warfare and
those who know nothing about their tactics and are
liablo 10 become dcmoralizcd. ''r ' "f-"- ---