The Mineral argus., 1885-05-07

Thirty whites Probably 8uteherso % the
Tort-A skirmish 1t 1attisford' ana An
B,1ly Attack Expected.

|
IL Battleford, yesterday, five mounted
policemen arrived from Fort Pitt, bearing
intelligence that in an attack by the Indians
one of the policemen was killed ana one
wounded All the other occupants OF the
fort, including the Hudson Bay factor, Nc
Lean, and family, have taken refuge IN
camp Of friendly Indians near the post The
police, who escaped upon raft. tell the story
" the fight and give details OF the rosiu1n
For two weeks the fort was surrounded 10y In,
dians, who constantly menacod the place. and
an attack was constantly expected Inc In.
dams demanded the surrender Of the Tort, but
Inspector Dickens, of the police, re7oia'eiy re-
fused There were about fifty men IN the bar
racks, including the police, and as they were
well armed they could have kept the Indians
away, but Chief Big Bear sent to have paricy
with Mclean, the chief factor. The cher told
him il the civilians and police would lay down
their arms and surrender he would protect
them Mclean il timid, and accepted the oner |
for himself and Mo civilians insp ector
Dickens even after the civilians had icft MN,
refused to surrender; and, with his men, he
was embarking on raft for Battieford when
band Of a hundred Indians under Big Bear |
attacked him The police fought desperately
and killed a considerable number Of red-skiiis
The band was finally forced to retreat and the
police escaped. William Cowan, one o. the
lumber, was killed, and another, named Ions
by, fatally wounded. Others were wounded,
hut not seriously. The timiity OF Mclean
embarrassed the police and proved IA
tai to the liberty of thirty whites
men. women and childrcn-who are believed
to have fallen victims to the treaci-
I ery Of the Indians before ths. HE police VINO
| escaped brought intelligence regarding tne
| Frog AXE massacre which was rcported Few
| DAYS ago to have been canard The Indians
about Frog Lake had been acting ~ strange
manner for some time, and ONE sunday ,iay
| invited the whites to attend church. The
frightened people complied There IN the sane.
! t,ary for hours sat the trembling women and
children and much scared men, sid, by siic
with their ,lrl~ky enemies. When inc ser'icc
was over the Indians retired first, and AS the
whit,.- left ,hc ,,,liice ter of them were shot
INSTANTLY The two pri, SITS, Fathers lafard
and Marclaui. who had ofciaicd AZ Tue
service, were then seized 10y the bo"dthirsty
ln,liau- and after being hcaten 10 d'ath, inc
bodies were burned The redskins sub-e.
qucn,ly raidel houses III the viciniiy anu
/ committed many dcprr,lations. Bdttieioru
disl atrhcs states that Frank Smart, store
Keeper there, while on duty at the barracks,
was kIllcl by bullet from a rifle ia the hands
of an Indian sharpshoo'er. The euar.is theh
fired upon "a band of Indians at Battle river
crossing with what result IL not known
Moo-mn- band is in communication WIN
Pounlmaker'r and trouble is feared An early
attack on Battleford Is expected The gar
rison il thoroughly alarmed Word has teen
sent 10 Col Otter TO make all haste with ms
column to the relief of the be-ieged IL Is
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. sufficient amount Oh
supplies has at last reached Middleton to en-
abte him to proceed forward 4 dispatch ro-
I cciycd this morning said:
MIDDLETON WOULD ADVANCE TO DAY.
Melgund and his scouts encountered sevcra
of Eiels scouts yesterday and exchanged shot'
With them but a. kiers men retired INTO am
bu-h. where it was probable that half breed
reinforcemcnts lay. Melgund retired. middleton
telesraphed instructions. to have the stea ~,
Northco,te bring on supplies with all haste III
steamer il now on the way to Prince Alberf,h eav
ily fr,igited with provisions. Middleton say- h
! will meet her i'll Prince Albert in three days
by which time he expects To have cleaned GU
p, tile rebels. Arrangements have been made 10
Irvine To meet him near Batoches Crossing
where it il expected fight will take place
Irvine will prevent the escape OF the rebels
the event Of an engagement - quite ev,
IN possession Of facts not known !
Msre rre SSSd from Sa Middleton 10 have
= troops stationed here To 90 to the front at once
The London fusileers and French battalion
each $40 strong, left in two special tram
for swift Current from which poli
they VIII b. forwarded by river to Joi
dlleton The GOVERNOR eA"rai pon
guard. the Winnipeg troop OF cavalry an
Quebec school of cavalry go tn Fort Qu Al
prlla The Objects To reinforce Middleton frol
the rear should it be necessary for him TO ia
back They will also be used to guard supp
u depots along the line. II is believed here tn
Middleton has information regarding Riel
intention and his forces which led him to a.
reinforcementr 4 late disl atch from Mdll
ton tonight announces that he has POSTPONE
his forward movement Til 10 morrow NOR
ing Prince Albert intelligence Indicates !
3 well. but aixlou.ly awaiting relief Charl
le hewitt who was reported killed al Duck LAX
j. alive Nnln one Of liiels councillors, IL
-, prisoner AZ Prince Albert
III A. telegraphod Eicl Is at Batoche's, Il
III greater part Of hi~ force being IN rife pits al
Ell M j. alleged utrench"d On the south side
J., In. river According 20 the best informati'
n attanable 10y zen. Middleton, NE lhsurec
y" chef has ~ half-brced- armed with for
y Winche-,er-, twenty Snider's captured at Z
~ Crozier fight Together with iip To Jo rom
ia, of ammunItionl and lj1 to IA shot guns, z
- latter effective at leo yards when loaded WI
Ia slue- and huck-hot. II j. now positively a
-, serted that hc has two brass Iield pieces l-evc
g. pnundct-) with few rounds OF sol
81 shot for each II he has. the guns are reli
'on of those formerly owned 10y the HUDSON u
,,a COMPANY and not regarded "a very dangcro
-, in tli.~e modern DAYS Estimates ~ lsiels
90 nian alli.- vary from three hundred 10 ii
L. hundred and the former l. likely TO lie neal
me tho truth. The Indians have arms o. All sol
nd very similar III Silec'i'uiers i'ii n, l.,
W OF frs. -rla-s ammunition. Ecll- men la
'.o made MP their minds that If caught they
no be hance,i-ergo. Tie better 10 have ioui
ga, arl died than never 10 have fought at all. a
on die anyhow They will fight on the Ind
~, .o STYLE, each man on his own hook. and II q
'n ns every tree trunk and inequality OF ground
- cOign OF vantage.