The Livingston enterprise. [volume] (Livingston, Mont.) 1883-1914, 1885-05-02

O BRUSH troops are being quietly an
i gracefully withdrawn from |the Souda'
, and Lord Wolseley has returned t
England.
Hot Work Across the Boundary.
On Friday the Gath instant sever
: battle took place between Gen. Middle
tons forces and the half-breeds under
Gabriel Dumont, Riel's lieutenant. Tn,
scene of the fight was on the east banl
OF the Saskatchewan river, not very fal
3 from Batoche's crossing, where thu
breeds were stationed and where bat
tie had been expected. 1t would appear
that Middleton's forces were advancing
northward on both banks of the river
The detachment on the east side mum
bered about 600 under Middleton him.
self. It had been the plan to push the
entire column to Batoche's and there
attack the rebels on both sides of the
river while Irvine's detachment of
mounted police came down from the
north and attacked in the rear. But
Riel did not await the execution of the
plan. On Friday morning as the east
side force advanced into ravine, fire
was opened upon them from the wooded
bluffs on each side. Some confusion re-
suited to the raw MALTA at first but
they returned the fire as well as they
could and, using their artillery, shelled
the rebels position. The half-breeds
fought in Indian fashion from behind
rocks, trees or other available shelter
and could seldom be seen. Their fire
was not constant but at close quarters
and very deadly. Every shot seems to
have been fired with deliberate aim as
the large list Of casualties among Off
GERS and the large percentage Of killed
and wounded in so small force testifies.
The killed numbered II and the wound
ed A, many of them officers. Gen. Mid
dleton got shot through his hat and
several other officers who were not
struck had horses killed or wounded
under them or otherwise escaped mar
rowly. The Canadian forces gained no
advantages, and when the rebels retired
voluntarily they took their killed and
wounded, if there were any, with them.
1t is improbable that they lost man.
The rebels did not number more than
300 and some estimates place them at
200 or less. The fight is disastrous
defeat for the Canadians as well as an
earnest of what deadly work the rebels
can do when they get into battle.
A detachment under. Col. Herchmer
has reached the beleaguered post at Bat
tleford and relieved it from the distress
and imminent danger that had long
hung over it's occupants women
and children. The Indians who had
been swarming around retired before
the advance Of the troops. The occu-
pants of Fort Pitt escaped. The settlers
who had taken refuge at the fort are
with friendly camp of Indians and
the police escaped down the river on
'cows. Big Bear, the Indian chief, told
The settlers who were at the fort that
hey would not be molested, but warned
he police that they might have to fight.
The occasional killing of Canadian
scout, the burning Of government and
Hudson Bay posts and the confiscation
# settlers property are reported as
Usual.
The conduct and management of the
aw Canadian troops hodes ill for the
peedy suppression Of the rebellion if
aiel chooses to fight it out. They are
'oorly equipped and supplied, not well
and are as raw and inexperi-
nce,l as we'll as unused to hardships as
an be imagined. The force of half
reeds combine the cunning and some
f the best tactics of the Indian with
he skill in the use of firearms and
of the country that belongs
My to the born plainsman. They are
heir 'r1gnJs, for ,rha at thev helieva tn he
les. Their Indian allies exhibit for q.
earance that argues that they are un-
Ter the close control of Riel himself,
Who well knows the reproach that his
ause would incur from turning savages
oose to work their own will.
The Colombian JnsurrectiOn.
There was trouble on the 1sthmus OF
Panama again this week. The rebels
lgainst the government of Colombia,
,r rather the government of the state
If Panama, under Aizpurn, took possess
,ion of the town Of Panama, the west
,rn terminus of the IsthmuS Railway