Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-08-07

RED RAvAelRs.
- .A41f&4 - Soldier.
Saw Along the Indian3 Track in Ore.
+ Ssaes vrs~, e
Portland Qasks.iAk =. y,
After depredab 81 nd around
STEMS mountains sl,d ruhnauS off $4O,-
coo worth of tn finest horses. on the
Pacific ooaak the hostilss were appar-
emily undecided which way to turn, SO
they travelled slowly along in the vicini-
~ Of Harvey valley, gathering up all
the hose stock and indulging ina glut-.
tenous carnival on the settlers fat
beeves, until first struck by Bernard on
Silver river or creek. This is fine
open country, abundantly covered with
bunch grass on the hills, with red-top
and rye grass on the creek bottoms.
The settlers, receiving warning in time,
barely escaped with their lives; their
houses were ransacked and everything
destroyed. Every little article in the
various houses the red tends could not
carry away was rendered utterly useless,
even to such little affairs as coffee mills
and milk-pans. The command, after
Towards arrival, started in hot pursuit.
The trail was fresh, and in many in
stances 80 closely were they pushed that
their fresh fires were still burning. A
night march by the cavalry took place
from the south fork of the John Day
river over country that has few parai-
lels fol, roughness in eastern Oregon. In
the darkness of night mountains were
climbed and descended that under 9TH
er circumstances would have been
deemed impossible, but the men, in
tent on overhauling and Furnishing the
depredators, made light of all obstacles
and pushed without, a word. of COM
plant. So closely were the cavalry, on
their track that, arriving on the noun
tains north of Murderer's creek, the
rear guard Of the enemy were seen in
hundreds covering the mountains on
the other side. just going over the sum-
nit. The horses of the soldiers being
worn down with over twenty-four hours
steady work, further pursuit was i'm
possible, and the command halted to
feed and rest. The only settler here
was man named Stewart, large sheep
farmer hishousehold goodswere destroy.
ed and scattered to the four winds. All
his fine rams were killed, and showed
by unmistakable evidence that they
had been skinned while vet alive.
tt BLOODY RELICS.
After four hours rest the command
again started with the intention of get
ting into the John Day valley and pre-
venting much damage being done.
About three miles from the ranch on
the old immigrant road, the troops
came upon the scene Of fight in which
the Canyon City volunteers had partici-
pated. Here was found the naked
oody of man, completely scalped and
his nose cut off. Having no tools the
advance scouts built huge grave of
rocks over him, with q paper describing
his appearance, mode Of death, etc.
The troops then advanced on down the
south fork, and at dark entered the John
Day valley. The appearance of the
houses too plainly, showed the hostiles
had been ahead. AT the bridge two
sheep hearders were killed; the valley
was abandoned and nearly desolate.
At farm owned by Cummings. the
citizens had made . stand for q time.
bu! were finally driven, off, with no
dead Of their own to grieve Tor, and
cause for rejoicing from the fact that
they had ut least removed one redskin
off the earth. The house was burned,
but barns, stables, haystacks, and out
houses were intact. For some strange
reason only in exceptional instances
nave the Indians burned houses, and
theyhave worked hard to destroy hen a
match would have made the thing COM
plete without trouble 49, 3
The John Day valley is essentially a
wool-growing country. 1t has been
settled over twenty years, and the set
tiers generally were well of. Thousands
Of sheep are how Scattered in the hills
unattended, and the losses will foot up
into many thuusahds. a. %
From here the troops followed the
Indians over the'hills into Fox valley
IA high valley, luxuriantly covered with
grass and surrounded with fine pine.
Here one sheep-herder was killed.
REFUGEES.
AT Long valley, six miles further on,
the settlers, aggregating some seventy
tive men, women, and children, were
found forted up in rickety stockade.
The men were Of the true frontier
stamp, and owed their lives TO the bold
stand they made. Baffied in not sur.