Connecticut western news., 1885-04-29
WAR IN THE NORTHWEST.

In brigade orders issued to the troops at Clarke's Crossing General Middleton thanked them all for the cheerfulness with which theJ have borne really hard work and terrible weather, for the splendid marching they have made under many difficulties and for their general conduct. Regarding the enemy they are about to meet, the order says: "Nething but the formation of the country will enable them to face such force as this, for we are better armed, better provisioned and can shoot as well, if not better, than they can. The only advantage they can possibly have over us is their natural instinct for taking to cover, which they do admirably. h this respect we must watch them closely. No cruelty can be thought of or tolerated, and the greatest care must be taken that no women or children who may chance to be in the vicinity shall receive any injury" The officers and men are for bidden to enter houses or farms that may be passed, or take anything from them.
 WINNIPEG, April 22, lSS5.-The oft repeated prediction that Fort Pitt would fall into the hands of the hostiles is now reality, as shown by the following telegram received from Bat
 tleford this morning:
 ''Scouts to Fort Pitt have returned. They report that the fort has been sacked and is now in the hands of the Cree Indians, who stated that the garrison had left by raft for Battle ford. Little Poplar told the scouts that there had been a fight and pointed to the spot say ing, Two police are dead there He said he
 had stopped a general massacre and that all
 the whites had gone down the river. It is con- jectured that the garrison were preparing to leave Fort Pitt by boat and were attacked. Their fate is at present & mystery" Beside Inspector Dickens and g police there were over 50 people in the fort, including number
 of women and children.
 A Battleford dispatch says:-The delay of the troops to the imprisoned people here seems inexplicable. The town is quiet and all are in pn0d aDirita p0naiderino fha anxiatv which necessarily prevails and the shortness of food. The report of the Frog Lake massacre is confirmed by the Fort Pitt garrison, who have arrived. They state that priests were beaten to death and burned. The Indians burned all buildings at Frog Lake and compelled the people to attend church, victims and murderers going together. After service the Indians shot ten of the help less whites. The Pitt garrison, which has definite intelligence we have received of the fight at that place. They say that the Indians made 8 demonstration against the fort, and that Factor Mclean, becoming alarmed, visited Big Bears camp, and had a conference with that chief, from whom he claimed protection. The chief compelled him to write letter to the civilians, telling them to come in or be killed, and to the police to surrender their arms and leave. The civil ians complied with the request, and went to Big Bears camp, but the police
 refused to surrender their arms, and 8 fight
 ensued. The police drove the Indians back, killing four and wounding several. Policeman Cowan was killed and Policeman Lonsby was wounded. The police then fitted up scow,
 with which they reached Battleford. They
 were not followed. Before leaving they de- stroyed all the arms aud ammunition they could not carry. Factor McLean's timidity embarrassed the police and proved fatal to the liberty of over twenty-five whites, men,
 women, and children. It is feared that young Quinn, a scout, is in the hands of the Indians. Frank Swart, merchant, was shot and killed by Indians while performing patrol duty in the night. There was general raid on the town, | and Indians congregated about the place. | Considerable firing took place, the patrol be- | ing forced.
 WINNIPEG, April 25.-A Clarke's Crossing
 messenger brings the following particulars
 of an engagement with the rebels, which oc- | cured fifteen miles south of Batouche: l The insurgents had taken ground on the | edge of deep ravine from which they poured
 deadly fire into the advancing column. When the messenger left the fight was still raging. | Three houses of the enemy had been shelled | and many rebels driven from them to refuge | into the ravine.
 The Indian allies of Riel fought vigorously | in Indian fashion. The whole number in the
 ravine was estimated at 300. Middleton's hat
 was shot through, but he escaped uninjured. | Capt. Wise had horse shot under him. The ravine is entirely surrounded, and there is no | possibility of escape for the rebels. The Tenth Royals from the west bank had just
 arrived as the messenger was leaving.
 The losses of the troops were six killed and
 at least twenty wounded. The rebel losses were unknown.