Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1877-08-23

cleaning. hear the men jubbering, dogs
barking, and babies crying. Presently the
fires: died down gradually. and bostwlck
said. :. They have no idea Of our presence;
after awhile you will see fires replenlshed II
we still remain undiscovered Sure enough
IN the course of an hour the squaws started
I'M the fires again, and all was quiet except
the occasional %wlinneying of horses. nun
dreds of which were grazing near the com
m ,an and took no alarm from their pres
ence. General Gibbon then, it being near
daybreak on Thursday, moved his com
mand down to the willows skirting the
creek and they were all or nearly all i'll po-
sition within 100 yards Of the teepees when
the. fight opened. The line deployed as
skirmishers was formed parallel to the In
dian camp which lazy ina bend OF the stream
and contained 80 lodges. The orders. We're,
swhen the first gun is fired charge the the
camp with the whole line" The gun was
soon fired. It is. a question of doubt with
the officers we, have interviewed who, fired
the first shot. 1t is certain. however, that
an Indian started for, the herd. about days
break. on, horseback and came upon the left
Of the line under, Bradley, who had the vol
u~nteers.. Either he or they fired, and the
battle was. opened. He was killed. = In a
moment the whole line charged, was brok-
en- up somewhat by the willows and stream,
but was in the camp. in two Or three, min
utes, tearing open teepeess and blazing away,
ut every Indian seen. 1t was the most com-
plete surprise possible, and to this and the
tremendous execution, Of the first few min
utes is attributable the fact that the COM
msand was not annihilated. How many In
dams were killed in the next ten minutes is
not now and perhaps never may be known:
It is probable, however, that over one, hun-'
dred were killed i'll the next few minutes.
Some of the Indians dashed into the will
lows and among others the one who met
and shot Lieutenant Bradley probably the
first man killed. Hurlburt, Of Il Co., shot
this Indian dead as Bradley fell. s'Ehe otllu'
ers broke;to the rear which 'was'epe,i prai.
RE but: Fan for the tanks ana got under,
cover of the willows and trees from which
they did fatal execution. Capt. Logan was
soon after shot through the head and tell
dead Instantly, The Indians rallied quickly
and a heavy fire was. opened all around,
squaws. bucks, old men and children, all ia
king a hand. The soldiers tried to burn the
camp, but most Of. the iteepees were canvass
and damp, with dew Or frost. and ignited
poorly and only about 20 We're , burned.
Here in the willows and the camp, back and
forward, routing the squads Of Indians from
cover Of willows. trees and creek beds, only
to find them renew the. fire from other
points, the. battle ragged for two hours, many
a good man went down in the fray, but
double their number Of Indians bit the dust.
Veterans of many campaigns tell lis it was
the hardest contested field. they were ever
OH. t'fa'' '''ef. '''z ''+"'f" st@''t -
During this time the howitzer,, which had
been brought up within a short distance of
the fight, was intercepted by 8" or 60 war
riors who enveloped the piece and the, Ave
men With it. Three shots were fired. Both
Sergeants were shot and the corporal killed,
anil the wounded horses fell on the driver.
Two men with the piece deserted their CON-
rades and field. After firing the three shots
the Sergeantse upset the gum: threw away
the friction primers and ran for cover, they
and the driver finally getting to the COM.
mand. tEH t....-4' "t. -@#f.~[1 t.8h io1
On hearing the. gun discharged twice and
then silence ensuing, the command knew
the piece was captured and supposed the
train was captured also, but Hugh Kirken-
dali and his Is or 20 men were equal to the