Vicksburg weekly herald., 1877-07-13
A Desperate Indian Fight.

A Desperate Indian Fight.
/ MINERS EEPULsiNG A BAND or SIOUX IN
DIASs IN THE BIG HORN COUNTRY
ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN BRAVES
KILLED.
Black Hills C3ani.p@, J-Ee 9,;a
One OF tie mott ,Anguinsgy agLi,
with Indians, 20 ia: as the nCmber OF
white men engaged III it is concerned
that we have any record CT, took place
on Friday last, near the South Fork 0.
the Little Missouri. The facts, as we
CLEANED them from one OF tie partici.
pants who reached Gayyi.e last even.
ing, and Is now stopping with his
former partner, are as follows About
two weeks ago party OF ninety-eight
men and two ladies, made up Of par
ties from Deadwoo6, GayvilIe and
other adjoining camps hereabouts,
started FOR the Big Horn country with
riding and pack animals. One week
ago yesterday Friday, in the AFTER
noon, when nearing tie jrakes O. the
South Fork o.. the Little Missouri, they
discovered iArge band OF Indians dis.
mounted, they having their ponies
otl a couple Of niles rom where they
were seen. The miners, Anticipating
an attack, imu cdiale!y too. their shov-
ol., each man throwing Up breastwogk
from which he could lghtio better ad-
vantage. At ; pm. the Indians in
large numbers cOUEenctd the attack
by ,rvers. tciGts upon the miners, re.
serving their main charge until about
) p m. Friday. By this time the miners
were thoroughly organized, each one
unpackod lis animal, TIE Indians
charged on the miners Gu foCt, at one
time approaching within two hundred
/ wards OF the eutrencted miGera. The
latter poured round after rou.d OF imur.
derous fire into the Indians from be-
hind their breast-worS. For a time
the tight was extreme. = ct, he In
dians displaying more than their usaa.
daring and discretion, but the Wgl..di-
rec,ed and effective fire from the
wel.armcd miners was .ncessant and
death.deal!ng for seyera, GcuTs. when
the Indians withdrew
After the fight It was discovered itat
fourteen Of the miners were S!.led, g.
Of them, with one exception, Uging shot
in the head. Eighteen OF the miners
animals were killed or wounded su!H.
ciently 10 render them useless. One
hundred and sixteen Indian bodies ar
on the battlefield a. trophy Of the
unerring marl;sm lpship o: the miners.
/ Ten Indian horses that were or from
the large herd, and closer 10 tie miners,
were picked oil By the long range rifles
of the miners. The only portion o. the
miners bodies that were exposed were
their heads, as they hred from behind
their temporary earth breastworIs
On Saturday morning after redistri-
button Of the packs OF the animals kill
ed, the party proceeded on their Jour
ncy. As they are desirouS o; keeping
the affair quiet, so as not TO discourage
the several large parties now organiz-
ing here for the Big Horn country, the
fight has been kept from the public,
Our informant was three days making
the return trip to Gayville.
This hght will have the effect Of de-
monstrating TO the Indians that while
they may with impunity and without
much fear attack the immigrants and
United States lroops, they miss their
calculation when they attack party Of
old prospectors and frontiersmen. 1t
is our candid opinion that the parties
here who are now about starting for
the Big Horn counlry can pursue their
journey unmOle-'et. ~ the Indians are
quick to discover the difference Ge.
tween attacking 0; OF men who have
had experience in that kind of warfare
aud those who know nothing about
their tactics aud are liable TO become
demOralized.