Sharp County record., 1879-01-02

aimlessly in an effort to elude the troops
which had chased them from away over
in Idaho, where the tribes were at war
with the settlers. They gobbled ii
head of horses belonging to the survey
inc corps. They had previously stolen
about 200 head OF stock from various
ranchmen in Southern Montana. Find
ing escape impossible, they were
desirous of surrendering to the military,
and restoring animals and other plum
der to the rightful owners. And here
comes in what purpOrts to be the true
story of Miles'S much.lauded campaign
against these Indians.
The account given of the affair by
this attache of the expedition, the accu-
racy of whish is vouched for by him,
has never yet been published, and is as
follows: The Bannocks, mostly wom-
en- and children, as already stated,
wanted to surrender. One day, while
they were encamped in the National
Park, Little Rock, scout and courier,
who was the bearer of dispatches from
Fort Ellis to Gen. Miles, came upon the
band, and was received in friendly
way. The Indians asked him to be the
bearer of q message to the authorities
at the Crow Agency. The message ex-
pressed
THEIR WISH TO SURRENDER.
Two Indians were sent along with the
scout. On reaching the agency the two
Bannocks were arrested and put in
irons. The scout proceeded on until he
intercepted Gen. Miles, who was con-
ducting an excursion party of his own
friends through the park. The excur-
sionists were outftted in magnificent
style. A train of pack mules was load
ed with cooking-stoves, beds, and other
household contrivances. The scout de-
liyered his several messages to the COM
mander of this royal caravan, and
Immediately, says this informant, often
sive preparations were commenced.
The pack animals were relieved of the
superhuous burdens, the ladies were
kept well in the rear, and march was
made straight for the Indian camp.
The gentleman who gives this ac-
count says that when the soldiers ap-
preached the camp, the Bannocks had
no idea that they were coming to fight
them. They supposed that the author.
tiles had received their message and
that the soldiers were simply coming to
take them into custody. So the bucks
and women went out to meet the troops,
when, greatly to their astoniShment,
they were
FIRED ON BY THE BLUE COATS,
some of their number biting the dust in
consequence. They were then driven
to defend themselves, and quite brush
ensued, ending in the surrender OF the
Indians. The 200 head of stolen horses,
says this informant, were turned over
to squad of Grow Indian scouts, who
had formed part of Miles'S command.
These animals had been picked upfrom
poor ranchmen and others here and
there, who, when they learned of the
surrender, naturally expected to recover
their property Among the lot were the
IA head stolen from the Hayden EXpe-
dition, and a lot of blooded animals
brought all the way from Kentucky, and
owned by Montana stock-raiSer named
Raymond. 1t is charged that Gen.
Miles would not return thes animals to
their owners, but insists that they be-
long to the Crow scouts; and now the
settlers who have been despoiled of their
stock are threatening to kill every Crow
Indian they meet if restitution is not
made at once. This may lead to war
between the Crow Nation and the whites
on that remote frontier.