The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-08-09
The Joseph War.

"A correspondent Oh the Kew OrR,
Herald, under date of Kamiah, July
10th, says:
My letter of the 18th inst. closed with
the retreat of Joscph's command up the
mountains on the left side of the South
Fork Of the Clearwater. Our cavalry,
which had been dismounted and fighting
"boots and saddles" rs quickly rs posi-.
Bile, aud hurried TO take possession Of the
Indian camp. Here we found that the
Indians led been so demoralized that
they had left almost all their plunder
and Indian ictas behind them, meat ac-
tually cooking before the fires remaining
untouched. Our soldiers were all soon
engaged in pulling over the Coaches" and
loading themselves and horses with plum
der. Some Of the boys in blue now ap.
pcarcd dressed in the handsome buckskin
and bead-work shirts others had piles
of buffalo, bear, beaver, fox, cougar,
gar, deer and elk skins. Some confined
their plundering to little "hoodoos," or
Indian amulcts made of beads, furs and
feathers; others again went about de-
stroying their provisions and misccllane.
Gus artscles, such as saddles. clothing,
cooking utensils, canvas, diggers, axes,
DC. All Of us, more or less, took some
little souvenir Of the occasion.
That night our force slept III Joscph's
camp, and the next morning II dozen or
more fires along the river bank told the
story of lodges and contents being dc.
stroycd.
PURSUIT OF TIE INDIANS.
! Our little army then started over the
mOuntains-cavalry, infantry, artillery
and all-in pursuit of the runaways.
When about half way over the route we
camo to hill strongly fortified and
abandoned, which l have since learned
lad been occupied by tho volunteers and
abandoned by them because Of the In
dians stampeding their horses, which had
been pickcted in their centre on the sum-
nit of the hill. 1t seems the redskins
waited till night and then with fright
ful yelling from 800 sets of leather lungs
and the firing of their guns, made a feint
to charge the brcastworks, which so
frightened =, horses (as they knew it
would) that Iorty-iive Of them broke and
ran down the Hill, soino carrying o:Fs:oncs
rs large as barrels tied to their lariats.
The result WAS the Indians got the horses,
and the volunteers, thus deprived of
means OF rapid locomotion, set out on
foot back TO Grangeville the next day.
nous, over grassy, trceless hills, with very
some young colts, which joined us, negh-
ing for their lost mothers, and the "fool"
hens, species of grouse, which our men
knocked over with sticks and stones.
THE KAMIAH VALLEY.
Arriving on the summit of n high
mountain the beautiful little Kam;ah
Valley, rich in grain fields vegetables,
along the silver Clearwater, in patches of
green and yellow, lay stretched out be.
fore us. This valley is inhabited by the
most intelligent Indians in this part of
the country, under chief Ncz Perces,
James Dawyer. Most of them live in
neat little frame houses, and arc practical
farmers and, being dt,out Presbyterians
and having regularly ordained ministers
among their own number, yesterday (Sun-
day. was duly observed rs day of rest.
On bringing our field glasses into regui-
sition, from the mountain top referred TO-
we discovered that Joseph had crossed
all his stock to the other side of til,
river, aud, before we could reach him.
would be himself also in chat place Of
temporary safety. We, however, hasten
cd down the mountain, and, galloping
through the wide roads of the pretty lit
tie valley, soon reached the river.
UP WITH THE INDIANS.
The Indians had lost no time, and ON
our coming within range of their sharp
shooters found they had piled up stone
brcastworks from which they intended to
harass our crossing. Captain Wilkinson
soon got the Gatling gun in position, and
so peppercd the different points taken by
| thn indiana fbof al tt,o,,
actually retire, they became suddenly
impressed with desire to deal sparingly
with their ammunition. Captain Whip
pie, who had taken road with his COM
pany of cavalry far off to the left, along
the river bank, was surprised by being
fired into about forty times in quick sue
cession by some Indians ambuscaded be-
bind n rocky point which ran we'll out
into the river. Fortunately, not u mar
was hit, and, although many Of the sol
diers dism0unted and let their horses GO
oil finally joined us in safety. The onl,
man on our side who WAS hit in this day'
skirmish was an artillcryman, who re
ccived Il scalp wound from one of the In
dian sharpshooters. Moving q Iittl
back from the river we went into camr
where we have been for the past two day
reconnoitring, planning how to head Of
Joseph and listening to his oycrturcs O
peace.
OYERTUREs OF PEACE.
/ Yesterday James Reuben, son OF tn c
former chief of the Nez Pcrce Indians,
and one of General Towards most faith
ful guides, brought us word that Red
Heart and five Indians had come in and
given up their arms to James Lawyer,
and that Joseph wished to know on what
conditions he might surrender General
I Howard sent him word to first call in all
| his pickets and Corral" his stock aud
people, and then he would listen to what
he had TO say. Later in the day the full
force OF Indians were seen leaving and
climbing the mountains far on the other
side: of the river. Joseph sent word that
White Bird and other chiefs were dc.
termincd upon not surrcndering, rs thew
would all be hanged, and that he had to
go with them on this march toward the
buffalo country to keep up appearances.
but would surrender to-day. General
Toward tihoi, toid Joseph, through mis-
own messenger, that he must surrender
Internationally and be tried by mill
tary court. At this stage of the negotia.
tions the matter rests at the time of nv
writing, General Howard, placing little
faith in Josepn's professions, going on
| with his plans just as if joseph had never