The New York herald., 1877-09-10

this tme he suffered terribly with hunger and thirst
soldiers and one oficer uheutenant Tbeler) killed
SPECTATORS OF THE FIGHT
citizen named Mr. Brice, with hts little GIRL amer
his mousse burned. &C., escaped 10 the brush close
TO the creek where they staid for three days. The
but piece Of bread which was SO hard that It re-
CURED to be soaked The poor child could
san ga, " 2 On inc aay Q, .ns Sas III The bread was all
position occupied by Mr.. Brce plain view OF
she Indian camp This unwilling aud silent umbre of
the battle plainly witnessed its commencement and
progress His position was not enviable one; with
his child crying Of hunger bullets whizzing all round
him and the dsTnonacs yeis OF the devils they
few past him, mounted or feet ponios presented a
picture which mparts sensation which can be iclt
but not described Here ne lay until the hostilcs
returned after the hRht, when soeing WhtcbIrd and
another chief passing cIose to the pushes he came
out and exposed his brcas toIling the Indians TO kill
allowed to take the chd 10 It's white friends Al first
the Indians made jump. so much taken by surprise
wcrc they, and on being informed how matters
they held consultations by loud ana
boiserous arguments. Finally Whiteoird told hm that
he could take the pale iacel pappoose 10 It's TRENDS
which was gladly complied with. Taking tho child
his shoulder Mr.. Brce TUNED his back on The Indians
expecting every moment shower OF bullets, but
Whitebird kept his word, and he was allowed 70 de-
part without moiestaton He reached Johnson ranch
ldesertcd een miles from lhat place. about evening,
where he found somc bread aud ham, with which hc
appeased his own and his chid's hunger He travelled
all night and reached Mount Idaho IN safety This has
been considered magnanmous act of whiebird.
JUNCTION OF H0wARD's COMMAND WITH PERgY's
On the 2ist OF Juno General Howard left Fort
Lapwai Indian Territory, Tor the front with COM
mand oil about three hundred soldiers, com posed of
companies and l. First cavalry, companies B, D. H
and Twenty first Infantry one company OF the Fourth
about three hundred and twenty-five men, includ,ng
scouts signal detachments &c This command
reached Cottonwood, on Camas Prairie, Juno "a, DIS
tant from Lapwai hity miles, eighteen miles IRON
Mount Idaho and about thirty miles from Whitebrd
Creek All the ranches along the line oil march
deserted and pilaged Here portion OF Pcrry's COM
maud IOlnct General Howard. Thew however
sent back again with orders 10 JON the command OF
Howard on the road next Day aud ali to proceed 10 tho
scene Of the massacre for the purpose OF buryng the
dead, moving, however, very cautiously and at all
times being prepared TO fight II necessary. This CON-
mand arrived At Johnson's ranch on tho 18th, Gu
camped Tor tho night, and on the morning OF the 18th
proceeded TO bury the dead, leaving one company Of
turned lato nigny being able only to bury about
twonty OF the dea.. The dead bodies lay lar apart
the command dare DOT scatter too much, as Indians
could be seen hovering around In squads Of tour or
nvc Ncxt day, the 25th, the whole command broke
camp, starod toward the battle ground ana completed
the sad task OF burying the dead The bodies lay
the field for ten days. presenting sckenng SIGHT fhe
command camped on tho night of the 9th on WhebIr
Greek, the identical camp previously occupied by tn
Indians. On tho 18th the scouts reported that the
hOstilcs were In PLAIN view across Salmon River, three
miles distant Orders were instantly gwen to follow
them, but ior want OF boats two days employed
In crossing the troops, pack trans, &c Here also
more troops Joined the command-tour companies OF
the Fourth artillery aud oil tho Twenty nlan
try-a6out ono hundred and twenty-five men, sxciu-
sive oil packers, &c., making total OF ABOUT hum
ureu anu 0ity mon, fOfCe BtrOng enough warrant
General Howard In dividng, sending two opthree cem.
panies Of cavalry and some o the scouts back ON
Camas Prairie on the same trail they had
General Howard, with tue balance Of the command
penetrated me wild, broken country beyond the
Salmon River. leaving, however, company OF in-
tautry TO guard the crossing.
The Indians permitted General Howard to cross tho
river without molcstaton, but showed themselves
every blum AS going further away from the ap
parent great haste Instead Of doing TINS they pro-
ceeded under cover OF high NILS to OF
the salmon River, about seven miles beoA where tue
troops crosset rccrosscd the river and made their way
back Camas Prairie again, depredaling they
went such as burning raucnos, killing settlers. driving
of stock OF all kinds and outraging women.
The cavalry, scouts anu seventeen OF the volunt
sent buck by General Howard 10 protect Camas Pra
rie las the General antic,I ated such move the
h0stiles actually made) struck the dcvls Cot.
tonw0od the volunteer iorcc beng scouting at the
time, almost surrounded before they were aware
otr. Their ncr0ic captain immeaiaely ordered halt
directing his men to dism0unt, this Spartan band
OF seventeen men, a told, stood of uvor two hundred
and htty Indians for nearly three hours, kiiiing
erai and woundng many more suffering loss them
selves 0i one KILLED aua three wounded. Lieut. enant
Wiimot, o the volunteers, deserves special
his her0tsm, determination, execution aud pluck
Thus bgnt occurred within PLAN view ot the cavalry
and Is charged that It's comnander, Captain Perry
would not come or send help Tor the releI OF tho vol
For this Captain Perry IS severely criticised,
with what justice remains 10 be determined BY court
oi INQUIRY.
airy commander sent Lieutenant Rams OF tho First
cavalry, with ton mcn-tne men to volunteer Tor the
duty, II possivle-to rccopnotre and zee where the
hostiIes were. Lieutenant Rains nai nearly all the
10 volunteer but he chose OF thus number ton of
what he called tho best men-men on whom he could
rely With this squad TO ieit Joseph and his band,
with what result Is already TOO we'll known to require
repetition. OF course he or his mon we're mover
moro seen alive.
BATTLE OF CLEARWATER.
After the hgnt with tbs volunteers the Joseph
Whilebird band proceeded IN The direction OF Mount
Idaho, passing close to that town and heading
Clearwater RIVER which they crossed and burning the
ranch at the crossing proceeded down that stream
about fifteen miles u canyon, where they fortified.
When General Howard found that joseph had
got he retraced steps with sl possible
Speed coming up with The Indians on the morning OF
tue 1lth OF July, previously making junction with
tho cavalry, &c, sent back by HIM to guard Camas
prarie. SO that General Howard had the whole force
that is rcgulars-with him at this light. The volun.
did put In appearance at ALL though they
were expected 10 be present and participate, and
actually other side OF tue within hearing
distance OF the battle
The canyon chosen BY the Indians Tor this fight Is
curious one. II IS at one place very deep from the
level OF the surrounding country, but gradually slopes
up Is only twenty five thirty feet deep and
well wooded Here also 1t numerous branches iut-
ting the only piece OF country from which an
attack could De made from that side OF the RIVER. On
the other side is the RIVER and high biuns.
When the troops advanced toward this canyon the
IndpDs raised fearful yell, or rather, succession of
yclls, at tho same time making determined attempt
TO flank tho command. Some OF them succeeded in
attacked the pack train, killing two oil the animals
and scattering their pa ks (aour, bacon bread &
IN all directions They were, however, hand .omoly
pulsed under the immediate direction of Colonel
Mason. The main body 0 the redskins occupied the
wooded portion OF the canyon, some Of them got
ting up on the trees, while others ran, or, rather,
swarmcd up the transverse dChcs branches oil the
canyon. In tins condition did tho baltic OF tho
1lIh and 18th OF July open.
To the infantry anu artillery is duo the success of
this baltle-Ihey fought best and suffered worst The
infantry and artillery were rushed into the open
ground under dca lly fire. aud when there they wcro
ordered to lie down, whiie the Indians picked them
of from the tops OF trees, aud had flank and some
times rear nro on them from the many branches of
canyon. lhe soldiers. returned tue hre but
not XIII all lndsn, except by chance with shell
aud grape and canister from tue Dowi,Zcrs Whie IN
this condition. with lew soldiers Killed ana several
wounded, the hero OF tho battle showed himself IN
the person OF Colonel Miller OF the Fourth ARTILLERY
II this olcer ordered and uctcd the FIR
charge, being himself foremost tho Inc. II Vas
this charge winch first broke the esprit de CORPS OF the
Indians and at the same time fused into the soldiers
courage and confidence Tho charge was made early
in tho day, PROBABLY about two nall past two T. NJ
about two hours after the battle commenced. Tho
words Colonel Miller used were these :--"Men get up
and go for them II we don't do something they viii
kill US a Az TINS every man IN that part the line
sprang to mis- fect, aud all made mpctuous Irrcsis
tole charge, driving tue Indians from their
the edge OF tho canyon down steep bluff into the
XoO und ca,V tno da md