Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1877-08-16


bullets. Before arriving at the willow
|Gibbon cautioned Bradley to be carefi
about entering the brush. and his me
had called out to him, Hold on, Lieut.
don't 60 in there!' but the fearless sol
dier led on. The soldiers charged acros
the stream and into the camp before til
Indians had time to escape from thei
lodges. The attack was complete sue
|cess, but these shots had aroused the In
: dams. who were sleeping upon their arm
and watchful. Still, the suddcnncss O
the attack surprised them. They rushet
out in the wild confusion, the men will
gums. boys with knives and squaws will
pistols, Gil fighting desperately. They
were well armed and had plenty of ammu
milton. Arriving at the lodges, desper-
ate hand to hand fight was carried on fol
an hour and half. The Indians fcl
back into the bushes and on high points
commanding the camp, and kept up
CALLING fire upon the soldiers who were
endeavoring to burn the lodges. The
canvas lodges were burned. but those
uade of skins could not be fired, and the
grass and brush were too green to take fire.
A further occupation of the camp was
useless, and under the direction of Gibbon
they moyed to . wooded point about half
q mile off, near the canon from which the
troops had come down. The Indians
seeing the movement, endeavored to In
tercept the command, but the cool headed
General ordered them to fight their way
through. His horse was killed, and lie
was shot through the calf of the leg
while getting into position. All the men
got under cover as far as they were able
and then bushwhacking fight began.
l he Indians took to their usual tactics,
and the sharpshooting was lively and
fierce. Gibbcn expected his howitzer to-
join him here, but the fight commenced
sooner than was expected, and it was
moved TOO far down the mountain side.
The Indians discovered the little squad of
six men in charge of the gun and attacked
them. The soldiers gave them the benefit
of the howitzer's contents and loaded
again. After the second shot was fired
the Sergeant threw the gun from the
and died beside his dismounted|
piece. The other Sergeant was wounded
but with his four men succeeded in escap.
ing to the command. White Bird was
plainly heard and seen endeavoring to
animate bis Warriors aud make them
charge upon tie command, but in vain.
dc could not bring them to it. Gibbon g
command to his men was not to EXPOSE
themselves and to save their ammunition
The sharpshoo:ing was excellent. When.
'ver an Indian exposed himself he got II,
md they retorted in skillful style. The
indians ctrcled all around Gibbons posi-.
ion, and posted their sharpshooters in
he woods above him, and at every a, ALA
lie point to pick off his men, Thew ,
would raise their fiercest war CRY and .
dvance upon the fortified whites until >
within range of their rifles, when thew
would halt. Gen. Gibbon, seeing bandI
t Indians going in the direction of his
upply train. feared that it might be cap !.
ared, but Kirkendall, who had charge OIL l
;, fortified and made such a formidable {
how with his little squad that the band !
Indians who went back on the trail
AIRED not attack him, aud they were too
luch occupied with Gibbon to spare
'rger number. The fight KEEP. up until J,
ark, the Indians in the meantime moving II
leir lodges and gathering up their
'ounded and such of their dead as were b
OF covered by Gibbons rifles, and when e
'ght came on the scene, leaving q few b
ragglers to keep up the rear, they re. n
'eated in southwesterly direction. ii
General Gibbon osed his rifle like the II
ut, and men and officers fought shoulder g.
shoulder, giving each other warning of tt
adams aiming at them and shooting In ii
|ans Nho were aiming at their comrades fl
oldieTs and citizens were mixed together. te
ergeant Wilson does not remember to c
I'VE heard any command save that of the d
ave, cool-headed Gen. Gibbon, which OF
as: "Boys. don't waste your ammuni- B
'n." The Indisns used every device to I
'aw the soldiers fire and use up their II
nmunltion. A half-breed boy in Glib.
ms camp heard q chief call to his men %
charge, that the white mans ammuni.
On was almost gone. As an incident of B
e fight man raised an Indian blanket |di
Oh In the air, when q dozen bullets In
ruck the ground and brush around bin. er
quietly remarked: boys, id if this th
good place to fly . kite" CO
They were brave band with q gallant ht
adcr that charged and defeated the In m
ans ct Big Hole Pass. They were only III
handful OF men, and were odtnumbered m
least two to one. but Gibbon had been
dered to strike, and it was Q fierce and q
ling blow he struck the Indians such Iov
blow - they never before received. tn
neral Glbbon had marched his infantry In
er two hundred miles from Fort shaw th
d left everything behind. He now sent ~
{ for aid for the wounded. General B,
'wayd VA notified end rapidly pushsd 'pr
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