The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-05-01

@nirty Whites ProhsAly Buterered at the
Eort-A skirznish as Rattleford, and an
Early Attack Expected,

policemen arrived from Fort Pitt. bearing
mtellgence that in an attack by the Indians
one or the policemen was killed and one
wounded All the other occupants of the
lor'' including the Hudson Bay factor, Nc
Lean, and family, have taken refuge in a
camp OF friendly Indians near the post The
ponce, who escaped upon a raft, tell the story
~ tle n8ht and give details Of the position.
sor TWO weeks the fort was surrounded by In
ulans, who constantly menaced the place. and
an attack was constantly expected The IN
qlans demanded the surrender of the fort, but
inspector Dickens, of the police, resolutely re-
fused There were about fifty men in the bar
racks, including the police, and as they were
wen armed they could have kept the Indians
away, but Chief Big Bear sent to have a parley
with Mclean, the chief factor. The chief told
nlm II the civilians and police would lay down
theR arms and surrender he would protect
mem Mclean is nmid, and accepted the offer
tor himself and the civilians. Insp ector
DlcKehs even after the civilians had left him,
refused TO surrender; and, with his men, he
was embarking on a raft for Battleford when a
band OF q hundred Indians under Big Bear
attacked him. The police fought desperately
and killed a considerable number of redskins.
IN band was finally forced to retreat and the
police escaped William Cowan, one of the
number, was killed, and another, named Ions
by, fatally wounded. Others were wounded.
but not seriously. The timidity of Mclean
embarrassed the police and proved ia
tai to the liberty of thirty whites
men, women and children-who are believed
70 nave fallen victims to the treach-
cry of the Indians before this. The police who
escaped brought intelligence regarding the
Frog Lake massacre, which was reported a few
days ago to have been a canard. The Indians
about Frog Lake had been acting in a strange
manner for some time, and one Sunday they
invited the whites to attend church. The
frightened people complied. There in the sane
tqary for hours sat the trembling women and
children and much scared men, side by side
with their dusky enemies. When the sefJ ice
was over the Indians retired firJt, and as the
whites left the eGitice ter of them were shot
instantly. Thu two priests, Fathers Fafard
and Marchaud, who had officiated at the
service, were then seized by the bloodthirsty
Indians, and after being beaten TO death, the
bodies were burned. The redskins SUISSE
quently raided houses in the vicinity and
committed many depredations. Battleford
dispatches states that Frank Smart, store
Keeper there, while on duty at the barracks,
was killed by a bullet from a rifle in the hands
OF an indian sharpshooter. The guards then
fired upon a band of liz dams at Battle river
crossing with what Jesuit is not known
Moosimin's band is in communication with
Poundmaker's. and tronble sfeared An early
attack on Battleford is expected. The gar
rison is thoroughly alarmed Word has been
sent to Col Otter to make all haste with his
column to the relief Of the besieged. 1t is
now expected that he will reach there 5atdr-
day. There seems little doubt he will have
some fighting to do, as the entire country
about Battlefordis supposed to be swarming
with hostile Indians. A sufficient amount OF
supplies has at last reached Middleton to en-
able him to proceed forward. A dispatch re-
ceiyed this morning said:
MIDDLETON WOULD ADVANCE To-DAN.
Melgund and his scouts encountered several
of Riel's scouts Yesterday and exchanged shots
with them, but as Riel's men retired into am
bush, where it was probable that half breed
reinforcements lay, Melgund retired. Middleton
telegraphe6 instructions to have the steamer
Northcotte bring on supplies with all haste: The
steamer is now on the way to- Prince Albert, heay-
lily freighted with provisions. Middleton says he
will meet her in Prince Albert in three days,
by watch time he expects to have cleaned out
the rebels. Arrangements have been made for
Irvine to meet him near Batoche's Crossing,
where it is expected a fight will take place.
Irvine will prevent the escape Of the rebels in
the event of an engagement 1t is quite evil
dent that the military authorities are
in possession of facts not known to
the public, for p~eremptory orders
were received from Middleton to have all
troops stationed here to go to the front atonce.
The London ~fusileers and French battalion,
each 800 strong, left in two special trains
4 " RNIt 0AAANht AAVLA EN
they Will be forwarded by river 70 join
Middleton. The governor generals body
guard, the Winnipeg troop OF cavalry and
Quebec school of cavalry go to Fort Qu,Ap-
peiie. The objecti5 tofeinforce middleton from
the rear should it be necessary for him to fall
back. They will also be used to guard supply
depots along the line. II is believed here that
Middleton has information regarding RIePs
intention and his forces which led him to ask
endorsements. A late dispatch from Middle,
ton tonight announces that he has postponed
his forward movement till to morrow morn
inc. Prince Albert intelligence indicates all
well, but anxionsly awaiting relief Charles
hewitt. who was reported killed atDuck Lake,
Is alive. Nolln, one of RieIs councillors, is q
prisoner at Prince Albert
AS telegraphed, Riel is at Batoche's, the
greater part OF his force being in rifle pits and
42t IL alleged) intrenched on the south side of
the river. According to the best information
attainable by Gen. Middleton, the insurgent
i chief has $50 half-breeds armed with forty
Winchesters, twenty Snider's captured at the
Crozier fight, together with 400 to 300 round
of ammunition and $50 to 200 shot guns, the
i latter effective at 100 yards when: loaded with
slugs aud buckshot. 1t is now positively as
serted that he has two brass held pieces lseyen-
pounders) with a few rounds OF solid
shot for each. If he has, the guns are relics
Of those formerly owned by the Hudson Bay
company and not regarded as very dangerous
dian allies vary from three hundred to hye
hundred. and the former is likely to be nearer
t fbe truth The Indians have arms o. all sorts
-yery similar in effectiveness and condition 70
those of our own Sioux and with the SAME lack
If first-class ammunition Reils men have
made M their minds that ii caught they VIII
be hanged-ergo, ss'Tis better TO have fought
and died than never to have fought at all : and
I re 4 anvhow. They Will fight on tho Indian
sfyle. each man ON his own hook, and using
every tree trunk and inequality Of ground az
coign Of vantage st1
weekly Report Of Gen. Grants Doctors.
ii New York Medical Record of Last Sat-