St. Landry democrat., 1888-07-28
FIGHTING FOR LIFE.
Dangers Encountered by Montana
Pioneers in Early Days.
Five Frontiersmen and Two Women Stand
Off and Put to Flight Two Hundred
Indian Warriors Eight
Sayages Killed.

WneH 1 was SbablOHeu up In montana
at Fort Keogh a few years ago, sale
General Brisbind, to a representative O.
the Times, / frequently saw Oh the
streets OF Miles City a mother and
daughter who had an interesting his.
tory, and were the heroines of one o.
the hardest-fought battles that ever
took place in the West. Mrs. Max
well and her daughter May were
modest-appearing and quiet. Mr.. Max
well, with his wife and daughter and
four men-Bouton, George Darland,
Jester Pruden, and another whose
name / a not recall-had started
from Miles City east, intending to eros
and settle on the Little Missouri near
the old Stanley trail. After they had
been out three days, and just as they
were crossing O'Fallon creek, Mrs.
Maxwell discovered two objects ahead,
which, with the aid of a field-glass, she
soon made out to be two Indians. She
at nee called the men and told Mr..
Maxwell what she had seen, and, al
though the objects had quickly disap-
peared, Mr.. Maxwell knew but too well
there was trouble in store for him and
his party. He halted at once and
turned back the wagons, which had al
ready crossed the O'Fallon. He then
rode forward and soon discovered a
village of forty lodges of hostile In
dams.
A retreat for the hills at once be-
gan, and although the Indians followed
closely they did not attack. They
seemed to think they had the party
safely, and could take their time in Sc
curing their scalps. Mr.. Maxwell went
to some timber, and selecting a high
point Of ground, went into camp. It
was a strong position, with a ravine
running around three sides of the
camp. Darkness soon came on, and
and Maxwell, knowing the Indians
seldom attack in the night, spent the
entire time in terrifying his little camp.
The bluffs did not run close to the
water, and the little party had to take
up their position fully two hundred
yards from the water. This greatly
distressed him, but Mr.. Maxwell laid
in as good a supply of water as posi-
BILE, and watered all his stock before
daylight appeared.
About four o'clock in the morning
the little party ceased from their
labors, cleaned and loaded their guns,
and waited for the battle to begin.
The Indians were very deliberate, and,
although they could be seen, it was
after nine o'clock before any Of them
showed up near the fort. Then they
began fighting at long range, and kept
it up at intervals during the entire
day, but with little damage to the be-
sieged. Mr.. Maxwell's wagons were
hauled by oxen, and they were kept as
close as possible. In the evening the
cattle had become thirsty and had to
be Watered. No Indians were to be
seen, and the men attempted to drive
the cattle to water, when the Indians
rushed down from the hills and capt
nred them all. MI. Maxwell let the |
cattle go and told his men to get to the |
fort. No further attempt was made to
disturb the besieged, and another
night wa spent in strengthening the
little fort. The men worked hard, and
about midnight, having made the
works as strong as possible and being
tired out. they lay down to get a little |