McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1885-05-14
4CTIVlTY OF THE RED DEVILS.

| The Outbreak in the Northwest Gro,Uing
More Atarn,ing--Sett Killed and Their
Wires Held i,t Cdptirity.
Winnipeg dispatch: Edmonton advices say
} the region north and east of there is full of
hostiles in fact all the Indians west of Battle
| ford arc in war paint and the settlers have
| fled. John Walkinshaw and Albert Hardness,
| both from Ontario, were killed by Biz Bears
| Band over a week ago. Their wives and the
wives of the missionaries are prisoners The
| four women are being frightfully maltreated.
| Scouts from the northeast will have a fearful
| time of it. Poundmaker, Little Child and all
| other chiefs are on the war path. A number
of halfbreeds are directing them. Major
Steele was to have sent word back when he
| reached Edmonton, but nothing has been
| heard from him. There is a perfect panic in
| the Elt amor districts. Scores of homesteads
| have been burned
| The party from Batt!eford with the news of
the fight on Poundmaker's reserve repaired
| the wires, which have been down since the
| first of the month, and communication is now
| restored. The messenger from BattlefOrd
| states that Col Otters division attacked the
| hostile Crees on Poundmaker's reserve on
| Saturday and routed them with immense loss.
| The Indians fought with stubborn determine
| ton from five o'clock in the morning until
noon, when they commenced to retire, and a
| few minutes later were driven in all directions
| before the victorious troops. The troops IN
| der the commanders direction then burned
| portion of Poundmakers camp. The Indian
loss is not positively ascertained, but reliable
| estimates place it at one hundred killed out
| right. Offers loss is eight killed and thir-
| teen wounded.
The Indians about Queappelle are greatly
excited over Poundmakers defeat, and are
SoI IN 10 off 10 rnSn A
of savages is now feared more than ever.
Crowfoot, the great chief of the Blacllfeet, is
the natural brother of Poundmaker. Crowfoot
is at present none too well disposed towards
the government. Major Walsh fears that the
hatf1ed Crees will now massacre their captives
He does not put the fighting strength of the
Indians north of the Saskatchewan at more
than COO.
Major Walsh, who has spent his life among
the Indians, and who is intimately acquainted
with all the chiefs in the northwest, was inter-
viewed. Replying to a question as to his
opinion about the present fight, and the effect
| it will have upon the Indians, he said he did
| not like Otter's marching back to Battleford
so quickly. As to other phases of the question
he thought the first blow, which will be fol-
| lowed by bloody Indian war. had been struck
| Once aroused, the Indians will fight, and it
| will he difficult to pacify them. 1t also aD-
| peared that the Indians of the whole North
| Saskatchewan district are aroused. he is OF
Gne OPINION UllaG GU l0uialS represent lue
| whole fighting population of the North Sas-
katchewan district. From their knowledge of
| the country he feared they would make form
| liable foes. POundmaker was restless and
| powerful chief and would leave no stone I'M
| turned to induce other bands to join him.
| He was relative of Crowfoot, chief of the
| Blackfeet, and the major thinks Crowfoot will
| now be induced to join Poundmaker in his fight
| against the whites. The major is of the opin-
ion that Factor Mclean and other captives in
| the hands of the Indians will not now have
ghost of chance to escape being killed, if, in
| desd, such fate has not already befallen the
| poor creatures. He thinks it was very bad
| policy to advance and offer fight to the In
dians until the prisoners were ransomed. A
| bargain might have been effected with the In
| dams (as was Gone in Minnesota some years
! ago. by which the prisoners could have been
ransomed. Major Walsh has the grayest ap-
prehension that the Indians have outraged the
female captives, as was so frequently the case
in the northwestern states. lie believes the
government would have to send 5000 more
troops to the northwest in order to success
fully combat the Indians. He strongly favorS
mounted troops. Poundmaker's reserve is
about thrty-ive miles from Battleford by the
south side of the Battle river and nearly due
west. Poundmaker has about 300 fighting
men alone. not to mention the forces OF Red
Pheasant, Strike e-on-the- Back, Mosquito,
Lucky Man and Little Pine liz the same local
ity. TIL ir combined strength would easily
reach 600 or 7G0 men. They are armed with
every conceivable style of weapon, from the
war club and the bowie-knife to the rifle. The
probability is that they occupied every vantage
point on the bluffs and fought in real Indian
style. To their reserve had been carried much
of the supplies stolen from the settlers, and to
try and recover these was one Of the objects Of
Otter's expedition.
The Right Reverend Bishop Gil