Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-08-12
THE MONTANA WAR.
Another Terrible Blunder.
General Gibbons Command Nearly
Annihilated.
Joseph Again Victorious.
THETRooPs LOSE EVERYTHING
LOUD CALLS FOR RELIEF.
Full Particulars of n Hardest In
dian Fight ON Record.

HELENA, August IL.
The following was received this
morning:
Bio HOLE, August Q.
To GOVERNOR PoTTs: We had a
hard fight with the Nez Perces. killing
a number and losing a number of Of
ficers and men. We need a doctor
and everything. Send us such relief
as you can.
(Signed,) JOHN GIBBoN,
Colonel Commanding.
BIG HORN, August 9.
To GOVERNOR PoTTs: We are here
near the mouth of the Big Hole Pass,
with a large number of wounded, and
in want of everything, food, clothing,
medicine and medical attendance.
send us assistance at once.
(Sigued,) JOHN GIDEON,
Colonel United States Army.
To Governor Potts: We had a hard
fight and took the village, but were
finally driven back with heavy loss.
Capain Logan and Lieutenant Brad
ley are killed. General Gibbon aud
Lieutenants Colidge, English and
Woodruff are wounded, English seri-
ously. The others slightly. The
troops are entrenched aud the
Indians were leaving. When the
messenger left, General Gibbon said:
q want an escort sufficient
to protect the wagons which are
going in 10 relieve us. Load the
wagons as light as possible. The Ia
dams cut me off from my supplies.
DEER LODGE, August liz A. W..
Edwards has just arrived from Big
Hole, bringing accounts of q terrible
battle between Gibbons command and
the Nez Perces, on Big Hole river, on
August 9. Gibbons command, consi It.
ing of 1872 men, II officers, 133 regulars
and 81 citizen volunteers crossed over
from Ross Hole to hear the Big Hole
on Wednesday. Starting at IL o'clock
on the same night, they moved down
all the troops with the exception of a
few LEFT to guard the transportation, a
few miles above, close to the Indian
camp which was made on Big Hole,
about three miles below where the
Bitterroot and Bannock trail crosses.
At daylight this morning the fight
opened by the volunteers firing on and
killing an Indian who was going after
horses. The charge was then made on
the camp, and hard fighting occurred
for the next two hours, during which
time large numbers of men and Indi
ans were killed. The soldiers then
charged on the lodges, but were re-
pulsed in the attempt. The Indians
then attempted to cut them off from a
wooded point, but the soldiers charged
and, driving the Indian alliance from
it, held it and at once fortified il.
This fighting continued here all day,
and was still progressing fitfully when
the carrier left at IL O'Clock. The
lighting was desperate on both sides,
the full force OF the Indians being in
the fight. Captain Hogan and Lieu
Bradley were killed. General
Gibbou, Captain Williams, Lieuten-
ants Coolidge, English and Woodruff
were wounded, General Gibbon only
slightly. Bradley was the first man
killed. The messenger says, that after
they failed to C capture the lodges the
Indians moved their camp Off in the
direction of Bannock. All their horses
being captured the messenger had 10
come to French Gulcb, nearly 90
miles, on foot. Another messenger
was sent To Howard, who should have
reached there to-day. The howilzer
had been left SIX miles behind, and
was ordered to be moved up at
daylight. During the fight they
heard it discharged twice and
then it was silent. A band of In
dams soon after appeared with a large
band OF horses, and it is believed all
the horses OF the command, their sup
plies, gun reserve, ammunition, etc.,
were captured. Gen. Gibbon thought
when the courier LETT there he still had
a hundred effective men and believed
the Indians had nearly all withdrawn
from his front. The messenger says
he thinks 100 Indians were killed, and
nearly half the command, including
citizens, were killed or wounded. Gen.
Gibbon has sent for medicine, sur
geons' supplies, etc. DIR. Mitchell will
leave to-day with an cor Gen. Glib
bon particularly asks for ambulance
wagons to come under escort, and
every available wagon will 90 forward
from here and Butte. 1t is one of
the hardest Indian fights on record,
and Gibbons command made a most
gallant and desperate fight against
overwhelming numbers.
DEER LODGE, August lilo A. NJ.
We have got all the men we want
here to escort the wagons. We are
rushing up the wagons, stores and ice.
Eighty out of one hundred are killed
or wounded.
nass " faSa