The Billings herald. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1882-1885, 1882-06-15
THE RESCUERS.
The Volunteers from Bozeman to Fort Pease
-Embarkation at Bensons
Landing
Loss Of the provisions The Oalfe Mules
Harrassed by Indians Arrival at
the Fort.
The Death Of Sweeney Joe Jesse's Last
Fight -Taylors trip to Saltwater -Ari-
val Of Troops The Fort Dismantled.
A Participator's Tale.

/ the intention of acquainting the people q
Bozenian with tlie need of the besicgod al
vanluncrs, is So linked with the history o
the rescue as to make its recital necessary
although it may seem little foreign to th'
subject.
In June 1875 three men named Iubbcll
Woody and Cooke left Bozc',an with tht
iutcntion of hunting and trapping in thu
region of the Big Horn. They had provis
ions sufficient to last six months ten horse.
to be used as saddle or pack horses y.
might be necessary, rites ,.,1i r,eIny q,
ammunition when li,ty' rchihod a bon,
lm s,agc Creek on the south side of priol
mountains they struck an inviting spot il
the brush on which they thought to caml
for the night. Had they been aware of Tho
fact that in the other end of the brush were
cannpcd about $50 Indians the presumption
is that they would have chosen some Other
spot for a resting place.
Before the trappcrS hal .emavcd tnt
saddles from .hsi, lolsts rife" Indian,
HG;fped dawn tITnn them, opened tirt
FiSl;I aud left and before darkness set IN
had killed all their horses. Dccmlng dis
crction the better pert of valor about thi.
time, the trappcrs rctreatcd on foot under
cover of the darkness to Crow Mission,
where they arrived at eleven o'clock p. NJ
Gen. Dexter T.. Clapp, who was at that time
Indian agent there was greeted by Hubbell
who was great wag. with 'hn Mannsl \.
clap onn!i hand., Il, ,e .ad ;br3tiglHa!l ",
Si2s& ea,nFiii Will him While iubbell
was eating supper the Indians oyerpowGrs]
the guard at tic gate, came in!H thu shock.
ade and s!ampedle'l ~ ,nnles helongins Ia
White Caltcc, who was frciYhting for the
| a nd s,f I,n nj al Inf
was in the corral The trappcrs came Ia
the conclusion next day that the climate OF
Bozcman would benefit their health and az
cor'lingly lost no time in getting than.
Carter arrived trGGl Fnrt l.a.o aao,rr
nitrr ap,l tnld hig a.uly V,st 'littMat lave tn
age ti,e' lt1M,iiip pEnpIG w gn to the
t$GhG. 4 meeting was immediately aallui
aHu III Il few hUiir4 niteF volunteers we're
asked for, Il party of brave spirits namely
McSsrs. IIubbcll, Woody, Chas. Cooke, Jim
Dcwings, Potter, Andy Snolvra-s, Ron box
tor. lIbrlRnn, Garter aid II, N. Taylor were
ready to start. \ large stock "f provisions
was laid IN, whcrcwitn to supply the gar
riSon, and on July %. 1879 amid the plaudit-
of the citizens of BoZcman the ,.artr .,,,yo,,
out of town oN it, ia.I"rn hiarrh. At
HHIt,t. ii.t Springs a i,hn named How
ard Joined tile party increasing the number
~
halted long cnu,lgl, to build two skiflS and
large boat The cmbarkation was effected
without accident and il was supposed that
the journey tn the Fort would he accom-
plishcd with ease.
AS the boats ncared the spot EnQNn as
Bakers Battle ground which is situated
about 10 miles dawn The river from Billings,
sH,,dgras-, who was on the lookout i'm the
bow of he boat, aad who. by the way, was
very near sighted, called out, Taylor, get
your gun quick. heres an elk" Taylor
obeyetl the request rs soon as made,
brought his rifle to his shoulder turned
around and saw-a big sorrcl mule with an
Indian on his back, scarce 10 feet from the
boat. The Indian disappeared instantly
and SnOdgrass-wcll he did not Discover
any more elk of that Kind during that
trip,
a little further down as the boats were
turning point, they unexpectedly came
upon drove of mules swimming the river.
among Which IIubbcll and others discov-
cred the Calfe mules, before mentioned.
The sudden appearance of the boats
loaded with white men startled the lndiaps.
that were forcing the mules into tho stream
and they incontncntly broke for the bluffs
leaving the mules virtually in the possession
of the voyagcrs, who had, rs soon as possi-
bic, taken possession of an island in the
middle of the river. The most important
question to be decided, after the party
landed was what to do with the mules.
Carter was in favor of returning to the
agency with them. Taylor said we
haven't a force large enough to take them
back, and inasmuch as we arc pledged to go
to Fort Pcasc, we must go.
The Indians appeared on the bluffs at this
juncture and by signs expressed their de-
sire for treaty. When within hailing dis
tancc they said that they woull lct The
party go down the river uitmolestcl if the
nudes were returned to them. The rescucrs
agreed to the proposition and allowed a
naked Indian to come down and drive the
mules across the stream. Meanwhile all
the Taylor party were expecting trcaclcry,
mules were ''high and dry" the Indians
concealed on the bluff opened fire. bit did
no harm, Aiier about 10 shp.s were fired
the Indians were driven out of their posi-
ton and the party re-cmbarked.
They came to tho conclu-
sion that Il more open coun-
try would be preferable UNI
der the circumstances, Hunger forced
them to land soon, and they made camp
prepared to either cook or fight as circun-
stances should determine.
The next day witnessed one of the most
unpleasant occurrences that marked thetrip.
Just at dusk, when the boats were about 10
miles above what is known as Terry's land
ing in the rapids, the large boat that con,
tanned the provisions, ammunition and
guns, intended for the Fort Pcasc party
stuck snag, swampcd, and was lost to-
gctllcr with its very valuable contents. No
other incident worthy of especial mention
occurred until the arrival of the party at "
Pcase. On tho 3lst day Of July, eight days
after they left lloZcman, the Fort was
reached but no attempt made to get into it
until after night-fall. During that day the
boats were sccretcl among the islands.
When darkness came on three shots thc
signal agreed upon were fired and the tired
and weary voyagcrs made haste to get into
the Fort. Such greetings as Hello Mae"
"Shake, Andy" "raylor what's the neWa'"
and the like wcro tho splutati9ns that
greeted than. Thprc was !, general 'tpcling
1f regret mingled with the greeting In com
sequence Of tho loss Of the pravisions, but
the garrison bore UP well under the severe
disappointment, and Immediately set about
repairing the loss. One week from their
arrival Nlcssrs. Dexter, llubbcll, Dcwings,
and Capt Mccormick accompanied by two
horses started for Bozcman overland aud on
foot. Col Taylor, who was to have ac-
companicd them, was Obliged to lay bye in
consequence of being crippled. During the
previous winter he had frozen both feet
and had not fully recovered from tho iluNrN
up to this time,
Scarce q day passed at the Fort that did
not witness fight with the Indians and a.
they kept sentincls posted on tho blufis
during all the time the Fort was occupied,
they were ever on the alert to intercept any
parties that might 20 out.
One beautiful September day Harland
announced his Intention Of going out alone
from the post. He was advised not to, but
did not heed tho caution of his comrades.
When night came he was missed. Early
next day searching party vcnturcd out
from the Fort and as they expected found
Harland's body, horribly m,ltilatctl, lying
only short distance from the post. Soon
after this event Milligan, Ed. Forrest, and
Sno,lgrass went a4ross tho my0r % XIII
,nnulltain sheep. The Indians drove them
lack from the bluffs an,l but for the inter.
yc,,;ion of the garrison that turned out anil
kent ,,p q continuous fire ON the reds while
their comrades crossed, would un,luubt.
elly have beer, killed. The disappointed
Indians revcilged themselves upon the aal=
liant rcscucrs BY firing into the stockade
during the rest Of the day. Taylor sighted
a. ssas.S