The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-04

Through the smoke which hung over the
tepees and filed tho draw the Seventh |
plunged upon the bowling. and paint.
vita rifles, pistols. bludgeons and
kniyes. The ground Was strewn with dead
and wounded. Fleeing in all directions
were the squaws, many Of them stumbling |
oyer their load of children and blankets.
They were making for the bntt2s and gull |
lies, but the bullets that pursued them
brought scores Of them TO the grass. Saw
ages who had been hit by bullets tried 10
mutt which ragged round the village and
which eliminated In flames enyeloping the
tepees and the stampediDg OF hundreds OF
ponies, Indians who were supposed to be
dead would suddenly turn their rifles upon
tho backs Of the soldiers. Many OF the
Indians who were unable TO stand owing to
their wounds. II WAS during this fierce
fighting that Lieutenant Darlington, Who
had taken conspicuous part in the battle.
fell from his horse with rifle bullet In his
right arm. The instant no fell the gray
horse squadron, OF which he WAS the COM
Jnander. dashed upon n group Of Sioux near
the wounded leader and killed them to n
man.
The mastery work Of the Seventh soon !
told on Big Foots band. Within half an
hour two thirds OF the hostile force lay ON
died in all kinds Of cOntortions WAS the
body Of Big Foot. his grim. merciless look
ing face besmeared with blood. and his
hands clutching a dirty blanket which
partly concealed the bullet wounds in his
breast. During the hand. to- hand conflict
no had been recognized by the soldiers and
killed as inercilessy as though he had been
a wild animal. The remnant of the band,
appalled, at the slaughter, fled through the
ravines to the small hills. Then the bat
tory OF machine guns on the big butte to
the south began it's deadly work. The
din. The crest of the butte WAS enveloped
in smoke. through the centre OF which
flashed two streams of fire moving to the
east and west. Bullets beat upon the hills
in pitiless shower, men, women
and children going down before it's
artillerymen, who had been under heavy
fire from the start, but were unable TO
reply for fear of hitting the troopers, now
had clean sweep Of the country. Through
| ravines and into red willow bushes the bull
lets poured, until the hillsides were dotted
| with dead warriors. sguaWS and children.
| Savages who were not hit by the Hotchkiss
cannOneers were pursued by troops under
Colonel Forsvthe and Lieutenants OHare,
Robinson and Rice. Two hours after the
first shot was fred the troops were masters
Of the field, but it had been gained at fear
luI CO5t. NchEIy cIHHLy bOluleIb Idy upon
the ground, but around them and stretched
in the ravines and on the hilIsides were
nearly one hundred and twenty five dead
Indians. Big Foots band had been
almost annihilated. The chief him
self was dead, and at his feet lay
The artiIlerymen and the troopers
who we're dismounted kept behind their
hastily constructed breastworks on the
butte until nearly noon, keeping up fierce
| fire on the ridges of the hills, behind which
| few of the survivors of tho band we're in
hiding. It is net believed that more than
| twenty of the redskins escaped unhurt. The
| list Of casualties among the soldiers is still
| incomplete. Three men are still missing
| and many of the wounded are not recorded
Three of the sufferers died soon after their
arrival here. Their deaths we're no doubt
hastened by the furious speed with which
they we're brought to the agency, Colonel
all possible haste, as there we're good rea-
soEs for believing that the Indians around
the agency contemplated making an attack.
Following is an authentic list of the dead
and wounded in Mondays battle. 1t also
| includes those who have died in the hos
pitals:
A. Kranberry, Co. A, arm and side.
A. G. Dyer, sergeant Co. A. chest.
Henry Frey, Co. A. head.
George johnson, Co. A. head.
Michael Regan. Co. A. head.
james Logan, Co. A. head.
j. G. Coffey. sergeant Co. b, head.
| Henry A. Forest, Go. b, head.
John Costello, Go. b. head.
Ralph Il. Cook. Go. B, heart.
William 8. Mizo, Co. B. head.
Charles H. Newell. Co. Il. abdomen.
John Devreede, Co. @, chest.
Frank Il. Reinecey, Go. u, head.
Robert II. Nettles. Co. i, head.
j. Keedner. Co. J., head.
Albert q. Bone Go. !. chest.
Gustav Koon. Go. ], head.
james Il. Kelley, Co. l. head.
James Cummings. Go. ]. abdomen.
| Bernard Behnder, Co. |, chest.
George d. Wallace, captain Co. X, head
W. J. Hodges, sergeant Go. X, abdomen.
| William Adams, &C, X. back.
| John M. McCue, Co. X. back.
| Joseph Murphy, Co. X, head.
William +. McClintoc, Co. X, head.
X. w. Corwin, sergeant major Seventh
Cavalry hospital corps.
| Oscar Pollock. groin.
Total, thirty dead.