The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-08-02
GheGRteltfgenter:
INDIAN nOSTIl.ITIES.
Description OF Gen. Towards
Battle on Cottonwood Creek.

hulIle OH SOLlOnHOON SFceks
Correspondence San Franchise Chronicle.
On THE BATTLE FIELD, AT THE MOuTH
OF COTTONWOOD CREEK, July 19.-Hear.
ing that Joseph and his baud werO in the
Eeighborhood OF the south fork Of the
Clearwater river, Gen. Howard, with his
force Of 400 men, made two rapid march
es from Grange City in this direction.
When within a few miles OF the volun.
teer camp, Lieut.. Fletcher Of Gen. How.
ards staff and Adjt. Chapman, son OF Col.
Chapman, Of Portland, we'll known and
courageous frontiersman, discovered,
while scouting of the main trail, large
band Of cattle in little hollow near the
conau euce Of the south fork OF the Clear.
water river and Cottonwood creek. Gen.
Howard was Immediately apprised, and
with all possible speed hurried noun.
tain howitzer and company Of infantry to
high point overlooking the camp, pre-.
pared to lombard them in their hiding.
place should Indians be with the stock,
A few shots were fired from the gun in
the direction Of the Indian lodges, when
suddenly red-blanketed horsemen were
seen scamperipg over the hills in every
direction, Ike Cplng up an unearthly jell-
ing and herding their stock together,
which waa afterwards driven by the old
Indian squaws, and children into the
hills to the rear Of their camp. Finding
that the shots fell short OF their mark,
Gen. Howard moved couple Of how.
itzers to a hill about mile to the south,
hut, by the time the guns were mounted,
most OF the stock was beyond range. The
gunners had scarcely begun operations
when they were surprised by rattling
fire IRON knoll on their LETT, across a
thickly.timbered gulch, which the Indi.
ans had taken possession OF while our
attention was being occupied by their
stock.
The troops were all ordered to the
south hill, aud the engagement then be.
gan in earnest. This was little after
O'clock, and We had opposed TO US about
800 strongIy.entrenched warriors. Gen.
Howard bad the pack train driven to the
centre OF the table-lsnd on which we were
with the horses, and then dIsmounting the
cavalry with the infantry circled them Id
single rank around. AS quickly as the
Indians saw that they were discovered,
and that our attention was being tTans.
ierred from the stock to them, some eight
or ten OF them rode out from the little
canon and along the entire line OF our
left, yelling in contempt and provoking
from our boys a shower Of shot. Their
object was evidently to divert us further
from the escaping stock and sharpshOot-
ers across the cannon; in this, however,
they were Disappointed, az our troops
could not be decoyed from their posts.
Shortly after this about twenty-five In.
dlans issued from the same canon, riding
lar around our left. Suspectiug that
they had seen a pack.train which was en-
route for us, Capt. Wilkinson hurried
couple OF companies-one OF cavalry and
one OF artillery-down the road, and Just
in time to save the entire train, with the
exception Of one mule which was loaded
with balls for the howitzers,-which are
pretty much Of an elephant on their
hands. Two packers are missing and
supposed 10 have been killed in the
struggle.
Although we outnumbered the Indians
by hundred men, we fought at n great
disadvantage. The redskins were in Il
fortified canon, shooting from the brow
Of u hill, through the grass and from be-
hind trees and rocks, while our men we're
obliged to approach them along an open
and treeless prsire, AT times a redSkin
would show his head or iumpup and down
throwing his arms about wildly, andlLhen
pitch himself like dead man fiat upon
the grass, and these were the only chances
onr men had 10 fire. Two charges were
made on the Indians, when they were
driven back from the position they had
steadily occupied under very hot fire.
During the early part OF tho Fight all
Indian with telescope rifle was picking
of our men at long range with unpleNs-
ant rapidity evidently mistaking me for
an officer by the way his shots fell around
mel, when one OF Lieut.. Humphreys
men drew bead" on the rascal, and
Lieut.. Humphrey is now in possession Of
the deadly weapon. About twenty Indi-
ans rode along the bank Of the river, and.
dismounting, attempted to capture a
point overlooking the river, but CANAAN
Miles and his men cut them of and can
tured all their horses and trappinSs.
Desultory shooting was kept up, with in
tervalS OF sharp firing, for seven hours.
A. telcgraphed you, we lost but eight
men killed and twenty-five wounded,
which, considering the amount OF shoot.
ing done, was, | think, very few. Wish.
ing to enjoy all the experiences Of SOL
dier, | took rifle and crept out TO the
front line Of pickett, prepared to take
notes and scalps. My solicitude in the
former direction was nearly nipped in
the bud, for the moment | inquisitively
popped up my head, whirr and thud Of
bullets in my proximity and very per-
eemPtory order to "Lie down, you id
iool, taught ne that hugging mother
earth with my teeth in the dirt was
tue only attitude to assume while
IN that vicinity. l had two shots
81 OBJECTS ! took for Indians, but
whether hit them or not 10 . prob
lem | have not attempted to solve. Being