The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-11

dlan camp by the way of JacksonIs bridge
VII. WIZ view 10 get beyond the entire hos.
slie force, and, if possible, compel Joseph
20 accept battle The 10th of July was
busy day. Country wagons were used IN
carry third OF the infantry at q time
wniie the rest were marching. That dav
Dy TINS help they made thirtv-eight miles.
the longest one days march of the cam
palgn; The command crossed the south
pranch OF the Clearwater and ertampcd
netween tnat and the main river at Wallis
Ia!ni. Ihls place WIS at least dozen
miles beyond the Indian lodges, on the
northeastern edge of the wild, rough
plateau, before named where the hattie
was destined TO be fought.
Joseph Whitehird, Hool-hool-sufe. Oil
cut, Joseph's tall brother, and Looking
glass, who had just joined after being tor
some time neutral, agreed in council that
tney were now strong enough to engage
the main force. They knew now from
what direction their enemies would an
preach them. They would get together.
all mounted, conceal themselves in the
deep valleys of the Cottonwood, the Clear
w ater branch and the neighborlng canyon,
ana De ready TO run up the valley of the
branch toward the east and make an at
tack at the word. Each chieftain had his
men told of. The women, like regular
quarternasters, cared for the baggage and
the herd OF spare horses, and were always
to Keep well back from the thick of the
contest and stay where the lodges were
pitched. Joseph, just before the battle,
was confident of victory.
No. turn TO the little column of white
men,, few troops of horse, few COM
panies afoot, three hoSitzers and a eating
gun, all told, less than single regiment
OF the rebellion. With scouts well ahead
and covered with skirmishers, they moved
quietly along the unused trail; they hunt
ix 7 nt,fyl, ox+o g..
est; they prone the ravines and crown the
lew bare hills, till, about noon, they merge
into comparatively open ground Lieuten-
ant Fletcher. temporarily on the staff,
takes sudden Impulse 70 try his leld-
glass. He gallnps off TO join the headmost
scout. A few hundred yards being gained,
standing on knoll TO the left of our path,
he catches the l.rst glimpse of the Indians.
The general then dispatched an aide to
Captain Trimhle with the instructions:
Take your troops and push straight on
westward 10 the river and watch out in
that direction" The aide went with
Trimble TO scout the peninsula. General
Howard then rode over TO Fletcher and
saw plainly numerous mounted Indians in
motion. They seemed to have just dis
covered his approach and were taking on
shadow of formation. As the general
was looking he said: "Let the column
keep well closed up and come forward
CObH TIE iOuT pieces Oh
were at Fletcher's knoll, and Lieutenant
Otis, commanding them, was airing, en-
deavoring TO reach the masses of Indians
that engaged his attention. Our little coll
umn on the trail hurrying forward had well
nigh passed the deep canyon and the cross
ravine near it and were coming together on
the dat plateau opposite the Cottonwood
when it was discovered that the Indians
we're galloping 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
canyon, and were passing at a run and into
cross ravine, which gave them good
cover. OF course the trops, TO confront
them, must nov face ABOUT, because their
enterprising enemy is nearly in their rear,
and there is danger of being caught before
we are ready, and also of their cutting off
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. 1t was
just this way that the same Indians had
turned Perry's dank at Whitebird. 1t was
the same game that the Sioux under Sit
ting Bull had played with Custer in Mon
tana And how they now sped on, yelling
and running their horses
A moment before everybody was made
TO believe that the Indians were trying TO
escape, for Chapman, the guide, had said :
canyon back there Now Chapman's error
was evident: they were not escaping. At
once we took the offensive. The small bat
terry went back at double quick. 1t was
guarded by the troop of Captain Winters.
Winters galloped around the head of the
cross ravine, and there, just beyond the
bluff down in the low ground, he found
some Indians already dismounted, hiding
and waiting. Instantly dismounting his
men, he put them into line, while the
horses were led back by few troopers.
The ,.ring began at once. carbines and
rines cracked, Calling guns ratified and the
howitzers doomed away. Meanwhile sew
eral mounted Indians, striving 10 keep be-
yond the range of the guns, kept extend
ing their line until it became great en-
veloping curve. Colonel Mason, the in
spector, seeing how needful it was to
lengthen our bending line, hurried up
Captain Burton's company of infantry. IL
quickly took Winters place, pushing his
troop off to the left.
The hrst Indians that came out of the
canyon-we would call them uankers-
succeeded in disabling two mules that were
loaded with howitzer ammunition, and
they killed the packers in charge. By this
time Captains Whipple and Perry had dis
mounted their cayalrymen and prolonged
Winters line so much that they could
cover the fallen mules by rapid are; and
so they saved the ammunition from cap
ture. 4 brave messenger mad during the
melee guided the main supply tram till
: Captain Wilkinson, aide-de-camp. came to
help him. They successfully massed the
train near the cavalry horses, and well be-
yond the hostile ire. Just as speedily as
it could be done, IrimDle was brought
back and all the remaining com panies
were put into position. Our line had now
its infantry on the right, and next in sue
cession its artillery and cavalry, all acting
as infantry. Ii was a thin lime. shaped
like crescent The Indians by long
curved line, less continuous, fully envei-
oped ours.
Joseph and his warriors executed their
movements without hesitation. Opposite
our right they were lower than we behind
rocks, logs and trees They there con-
structed some rude barricades. At most
other points they found shelter and were
usually out of sight. Near our left dank
upon small Hill one Indian, early in the
action puFposely exposed himself 10 view,
throwing up his red blanket denantly as
you might unfurla nag, and leaping about
with 1t from point to point. At that time
we had an occasional sight OF others IN the
edge OF a neighhoring wood. Our enemy
distributed his best shooters at various
points. One group was SO located as 10
command our only spring % water, which
was situated some distance out from our
left The river behind Us WAS 50 far down
and so much exposed TO skirmishers from
the other bank that nobody ventuTed
there Thus hemmed in with s8vages
very numerous ana lighting with all the
terceness of Arabs, without drinking Wa
ter, and with every man posted IN de-
fensive line, the situation IN the beginning
was il must be confessed, not very en-
couraging.
In the afternoon several enterprising
Indians e-ppt furfiVpfy toward Taprgin