The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-09

to the citizens part Of the command,
appeared in Deer Lodge. He had left
the battle field at midnight on the 9th
on foot, a hundred miles distant, and
before he left he said that General Glib
bon made a personal inspection of the
condition Of his forces. and my recol-
lection is that he found about 40 killed
and about 20 wounded. At least he told
US that General Gibbon authorized him
to say that he had 100 men fit for duty;
that his rear guard had been cut off
and overwhelmed; that he was sur
rounded by the Indians; that his trans
portation was gone; that his wounded
and dying needed everything in the di-
rection of sanitary supplies and care;
that the troops had no provisions and
were absolutely without a doctor. and
that IL was necessary to bring doctors.
ambulancos and a force sufficient to
protect them in coming to his relief. !
saw his kilograms to the adjutant of
the United states, to Governor Potts
to ex-senator Sanders and to Captain
j. II. Mills, and they were confirma-
tory of the story told by his messen-
ger. w. \. Clark, who was present,
rode a famous horse TO Butte i'm an in
credibly short time, less than three
hours. / believe. carrying the news of
the situation with him
AT o'clock in the afternoon As men
left Deer Lodge under command of
Captain Tom Stuart and rcndeZvoused
at American bar at . o'clock the next
morning. where they were Joined by the
advance guard from Butte with ambu-
lances and doctors. and that night all
parties, numbering about 325 men,
camped within 20 miles of the battle
ground. During the day we passed a
great many Indians within a mile or
two, but they did not undertake to dis
turb us and we provoked no fight with
q. ,s.,rv
when within seven miles of the camp,
General Gibbon sent an orderly in
structing us to camp, as he was about
to break camp and move his wounded
down to meet us. In the meantime he
had found out that Mr.. Kirkendall and
his transportation and supplies had not
been disturbed and Joseph had raised
the siege, and General Howard and his
staff had called upon him and left in
pursuit of the Indians. a half dozen of
us, however, went up to the camp and
got there before the soldiers had moved
away. We had the points explained TO
us from which the soldiers made the
first attack, the progress of the fight,
the rallying of the Indians. the retreat
of the soldiers to the point of timber,
the loss and destruction of life on both
sides. and we unanimously came to the
conclusion that the general and his
command had been most beautifully
licked 1t took ali day and night 10
dress the wounds of the wounded. We
changed them into spring wagons and
ambulances. supplied them with delica-
cies brought them to Deer Lodge at
an expense of several thousand dollars
to the citizens, where they were placed
in hospitals under the care of compe-
tent physicians.
"Gibbon and his officers were given a
reception by the citizens and the little
town of Deer Lodge had quite a militia
ry aspect for a week. Considering that
General Gibbon had authorized the cit
liens of Deer Lodge to furnish him with
several thousand dollars worth OF pro-
visions, which he would not receive
when he found that his own were all
right, and which somebody stole before
we got back, those self same citizens
had some curiosity to know what men
ton they would receive from the nero
of the Big Hole fight in his official re-
port to the government. In that report
he gave a description of his chase and
battle, winding up with the single me
stating, Upon my arrival at Deer
Lodge ! was Hospitality received by the
citizens"