Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-08-30
Battle OF COTTONWOOD.
Stirring Incidents Of the Neg
Perez U'dr of 1877.
Frrnk Fem in Boise Statesman

ton, omits some things which on
ly the memory of those who par
ticipated in the many engagement
with the redskins can supply. TIL
operations of General Howard OF
the Salmon river have never beef
given in detail, and a rehearsal O
the facts may prove of interest
On the last day of June, 1877 Gen
eral Howard with about 800 men
was camped on Salmon river
Across the river were a large bant
of Nez Perces, 1876 in all, and i
was the day-dream of Howard t.
wipe the murderous wretches out
of existence or take them prison.
ers. AT Cottonwood, some little
distance from the Howard forces
Colonel Perry was stationed with
two companies of calvary guarding
a large quantity of ammunition.
The Indians were intrenched on
a divide between Salmon and Snake
rivers and Howard was building
barges for the purpose of crossing
his command and attacking the
redskin stronghold. 1t was his
belief if the Indians retreated they
would go south, in which event
they would run squarely into the
arms of a body of troopers under
command of Colonel Green, thus
putting themselves into q pocket
from which it would be almost i'm
possible to eXtricate themselves.
While Howard was working
night and day arranging to cross
the river, the citizens of Camas
prairie, who had gathered at the
fort at Mount Idaho, held meet
ing and decided to send commit
tee to Howard to give him certain
information with reference to the
country, it being their belief the
Indians could easily escape from
Howard and come directly towards
the prairie. A committee headed
by ID. b. Randall was appointed
and went to Towards camp. They
told the general of a crossing on
Salmon river, known as Billy's
crossing, which the Indians had
used for years, and suggested that
he post portion of his force there
to prevent the reds from recross-
ing the Salmon. The main body
could then attack them and they
would be forced to fight or retreat
towards the oncoming forces of
Colonel Green.
Howard treated the suggestions
with scorn and informed the COM
mittee that he was conducting the
campaign and that advice was not
wanted.
The committee withdrew in dis
gust and Howard prepared to cross
his command. After a tedious
process he succeeded in landing his
men, horses and artillery on the
other side of Salmon river. He
marched boldly up the mountain
side prepared to annihilate the In
dams, but much to his chagrin he
found the reds had quietly march
ed to Billy's crossing and proceed
ed to the opposite side of the river,
leaving Howard to hold the sack
on the top of the mountain be-
tween two rivers.
The Indians made bee line for
the prairie. Two scouts, Bluett
and Foster, from Perry's command,
encountered some of them on the
Fourth of July on Craig's noun
tain. Bluett was killed in his
tracks, but Foster escaped and rid
ing like wild to Cottonwood, gave
the alarm. The news that Indians
were in such close proximity wOr-
ried Perry. He was in a quandary.
He had to guard the ammunition,
and still he felt it his duty to check
the advance of the Indians, whom,
he supposed, bent on further
slaughter of settlers, were advanc-
ing on Mount Idaho.
In order to ascertain the strength
of the enemy he sent out recon
noitering party in charge of Lieut.
enant Raines. The party was
composed of 13 men, ceI tainly a
fatal number. including Scout Eos
ter. The soldiers advanced eau
tiously and in a short time found
themselves in a small basin near
the foot of the mountain. They
were peering around for Indian
signs when they suddenly found
themselves hemmed in by the
bloodthirsty devils. The Indians
opened fire on all sides. The SOL
diers, forming circle, returned
the fire, and an unequal battle was
waged for some little time. Lieut.
enant Raines spoke words of en-
enlargement to his men, but he
saw they could not long stand I'M
der such an awful hail of lead.
One by one the boys in blue fell
until only five remained. The
lieutenant had gone down fighting
valiantly to the last. The In
dams continued the fire, and in a
short time every one of the brave
ID lay dead in the blood stained
prairie grass. Some of the bodies
had been used as breastworks, and
these ,yera riddlal with hullatS