The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-11

chieftain had his men told of. The women,
like regular quartermasters, cared for the
baggage and the herd of spare horses, and
were always to keep we'll back from the
thick of the contest and stay where the
lodges were pitched. Joseph, just before
Now turn to the little column of white
men. a few troops Of horse, a few compa-
MES afoot, three howitzers and a gatlinR
gun, all told, less than a single regiment of
the rebellion. With scouts well ahead and
covered with skirmishers, they moved
quietly along the unused trail: they hunt
their way slowly through an extensive for
est; they probe the ravines and crown the
few bare hills, till about noon they emerge
into comparatively open ground. Lieut..
Fletcher, temporarily OF the staff. takes a
sudden impulse to try his field glass. He
gallops off to join the headmost scout. A
few hundred yards being gained, standing
ON a knoll to the left OF our path he catches
the first glimpse of the Indians.
The general then dispatched an aide to
Captain Trimble with the instructions
Take your troops and push straight on
westward to the river and watch out in that
direction" The aide went with Trimble to
rode over to Fletcher md saw plainly nu-
merous mounted Indians in motion. They
seemed to have Just discovered his approach
and were taking on a shadow of formation.
AS the general was looking, he said. "Let
the column keep well closed up and come
forward quickly" Soon the four pieces of
artillery were at Fletcher's knoll n Lieu
tenant Otis, commanding them, was firing,
~endeayoring to reach the masses of Indians
that engaged his attention. Our little COL
umn on the trail hurrying forward had we'll
nigh passed the deep and the
cross ravine near it n were COM
ing together on the fiat plateau
orpooi%a thu month pf thu ro%f,n,a.l
when it was discovered that the Indians
were gaIloping back, as fast as they could,
up the main branch on both shores, mostly
concealed by the high banks. Their leaders
turned to the left into the grand canon and
we're passing at a run and into Il cross ra-
vine. which gave them good cover. OF
course, the troops, to confront them, must
now face about, because their enterprisiup
enemy is nearly in their rear, and there is
danger of being caught before we are ready.
and also of their cutting of some supply
pack mules that are bearing ammunition
and food. Tired mules with heavy loads
will often lag behind and bother the best
of quartermasters. It was just this way
that the same Indians had turned Perry's
flank at Whitebird. It was the same game
that the Sioux under Sitting Bull had
played with Custer in Montana. And how
they now sped on, yelling and running their
horses.
A moment before everybody was made to
believe taat the Indians were trying to es-
q for Chapman. the guide, mad said:
They cannot get away except by the big
canon back there" Now Chapman's error
was evident; they were not escaping. At
once we took the offensive. The small bat
terry vent back at a double quick. II waa
guarded by the troop of Capt. Winters.
Winters galloped around the head of the
cross ravIne. and there, just beyond the
bluff dow in the low ground. ne fonnd
some Indians already d~ismounted. hiding
and waiting. Instantly d:smountipp his
men, he put them into line. while the horses
were led back by a few troopers. The fir
ing began at once. Carbines and rifles
cracked. Calling guns ratified and the
howitzers boomed away. Meanwhile sey-
eral mounted Indians. striving to keen be-
yond the range of the guns, kept extending
their sins until 1t became a great enveiop-
ing curve. Colonel Mason, the inspector.
seeing how needful it was to innpthen our
bending line; hurried up Captain Burton's
company of infantry. 1t quickly took
Winters place, pushing his troop off to the
left.
The first Indians That came ont of the
would cali them fiankerg-suc
ceeded in disabling two mules that were
loaded With howitzer ammunition. and thew
killed the packers in charge. BY this time
Captains Whippie and Perry had dis
mounted their cayalrymen and prolonged
the fallen mules by n rapid fire: and SO they
saved the ammunition from capture. <
brave messenger had during the meIse
guided the main supply train till Captain
Wilkinson. aide-de-camp. came to help him.
They successfully massed the train near
the cavalry horses. and we'll beyond the
| hostile IRE. just as speedily as it could be