The Benton weekly record., 1880-01-02

/ ttoiii t'iS 1oiiSSteiCst liiui<tiis, tilethSd III
advance of the whites, and they fell back /
count their losses and rearrange thei
plans for continuing the fight. which no.
seemed all in favor of the redskins.
! As the men rad turned out Of their beds !
1 the sound of the first shot from the I1
dians, and had found no opportunityt to re
enter the cabins, they were nearly ali in
semi-nude condition, and as the mornin
advanced a cold rain set in, CAUSING til
falf-naked men to feel anything but com
Portable or encouraged BY the repuIse the
hal just sustained.
Meanwhile, however, the firing had at
tracted the attention of Wells, HalDin
Thompson, Cochrane, Bushsxay, Morri
and others, who came to the relief of thei
comrades, and their arrival did much to
wards encouraging the others to stand tllei
ground, and prevent the Indians from get
ting possession of the cabins But til
outlook was still very discouraging. Tn
men were constantly exposed to a murder
0lls fire from the enemy, who was effect
,tally concealed from yffesFgffII the 0vea.
poWering numbers the Indians also CAV,
them every advantage of position fol
either attack or defense. Nothing, prob;t
bly,, but wholesome dread of the ,nerrins
craftsmanship and invinciblc fighting
qualities of the white men prevented tht
host from closing in upon the whites ant
annihilating the little band -5 ~#...E
A council of war was now held, result.
ing in All entirely new plan Of operations
To await an onslaught from the Indians
seemed, in their present exposed position
too hazardous for the little band, whicl
now numbered only twenty-seven avaiIa-
BILE men, while another charge upon
the concealed foe was also ATTENDED
with too much danger, Strategy was
therefore their cnly resource, and having
carefully calculated all the chances, it was
agreed that Mcdonald, Halpin, Bushwav.
Dutch Fred and Fisher, should guard the
cut coulee, where the Indians were con-
cealed, While Martin, Johnson, Norris.
Cochrane, Vetes, Morrison, Thompson
and Warren took the lower side, and en-
deayored to dislodge the enemy, falling in
which, Wells, Smith and Frenchy were to
cross the Musselshell about one mile be-
low their present position, and flank the
coulee from the opposite side Of the river.
The first movement proved failure,
owing to'the constant vigilance and cum
ming of She redskins, and the tianking
party fell back in good order before a gall
ing fire from the enemy. The next
manouoYre was attended with less risk,
owing to the more favorable nature Of the
ground. The brave little band under
cover Of thick growth OF willows that
tringed the river bank, crossed the stream
and reached the mouth Of The coulee and
poured i'll a murderous volley upon the
now exposed enemy, before the latter were
even aware that they had left their first
position near the cabins. Almost at the
same moment another volley from the
party Of whites guarding the other end Of
the coulee.
Now the Indians began to feel the metal
OF the foe they supposed was already con-
quered. They We're completely corralled
and caught i'll the very trap they had set
for the whites. They fought furiously
for awhile, returning volley for volley and
yell for yell, but While they inflicted little
or no damage upon the whites, every shot
from the latter told with terrible effect
upon them. The fighting continued in
tiTis fitifI1er Until more than one-falf Of
thewhole two hundred and twenty Indians
had gone to the happy hunting grounds,
and the slaughter Of the remainder seemed
only question of Il few hours.
At length a panic was created in the
ranks of the reds by the death of a power
full buck, probably one Of the soldier chiefs
of the band. Jim Wells had sighted him
with his rifle, and the chief, seeing his dam
ger, attempted to ward off the bullet with
his billl-hide shield. Mistaken confidence!
The shield was made for the DAYS Of
bows and arrows, and its occupation has
gone with the introduction of the Winches
ter rifles. Jim made 9 target oft, centered
the bulls eye, and killed the owner behind
it. After this the Indians became despel-
ate and broke for the upper end of the
cOulee, where as many as were not killed
passed out under the constant fire of the
whites. who poured yolls:y after yolley into
the now thoroughly frightened Wretehes.
Seeing the stampede, the party from the
other end of the coulee came down in
the rear Of the Indians and assisted not
little to increase their terror and speed.
The fight began, as we have mentioned
above, at about five O'Clock III the morn
ing, and lasted until nearly four in the af-
:ernoon, and during all this time the brave
little band Of settlers had eaten nothing,
md were exposed, almost destitute Of
clothing, to the keen, cold winds and rain.
They therefore felt no mercy for the
indians, and are to- some extent eSclsa-
Die for the treatment they gave some Of the
wounded redskins after the fight was
over. Some instances were remarkable,
md almost too horrible to relate, but I'M,
Ter ttla circumstances, as We haze said,
night be considered iustifable.
The route was 50 complete that the IN
lians left all their dead and wounded be-,
lind them, as well as their extra clothing.
'obes, blankets, etc., and the last red-skil
lad no sooner disappeared than the whites
naugurated a scalping carnival. Cap
l ndrews cut off the heads Of all the prom
nent braves, gathering some fifty or more
II all. and afterwards had tEela boiled
lown, cleaned, labeled aud exhibited for
he curiosity of tourists. It is said that
he Captain afterwards took the skulls to
NC States, and delivered lectures on the
Of the poor Indians,
One of the wounded reds pleaded for
mercy, claiming that he was good IN
liam. But Johnson, who had been ac-
lively engaged il the iigIlf ali day, made
better one Of him, by finishing him with
lis knife, cutting out his sita!s, aud going
through the motion of eating his liver.
The merciless hunter was ever afterwards
allied sLiFer-eating johnson. II
In loaEing. over the battlefield, trails 81
,iood were found leading in almost every
direction, and it was afterwards ftt learned. \.
hat about half Of the unfortunate Nretehes
Who escaped from tllecoulee died 81 their
Wounds, or We're left On the road before
ile remainder reached / ort Peck. Halpin
md Wells discovered the cache Of robes, Il
whips, ropes, dry meats, and
ven q grind-stone a.iaieh fhe enemy bad
eft behind them, and III another spot were
oulad oyer two hundred valuable buffalo