The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-10-06
Small Force of Regulars At.
tackled by the Pillagers.
INDIANS BEGAN THE FIGHT.
Fired a Volley, Which Was Quickly
Replied To.
TROOPS REPORTED MAsSACRED.

ny oueeI r0ICe VI NumDeIS, UVerWnelmeo
the Little Band That Had at First Put
Them to Flight-Three Newspaper Men
Missing, and 1t Is Feared They Have
Either Been Killed or Taken Prisoners.
General Bacon Reported Killed.
Walker, Mimi, Oct. CA terrific bat
ale was fought yesterday 80 miles from
Walker. at Bog All Me- Go -Shirk's Point,
close to Bear Island. A detachment of
100 men. under General Bacon, was
landed on the point shortly after
o'clock. The landing was effected with
considerable difficulty, owing to a high
sea. After landing sortie of the bush
was made in all directions. The SOL
diers went through the thick UNDER
growth very carefully and with every
precaution taken against ambush. No
Indians were seen until nearly II
o'clock. The men were then ordered
to line up In an open space near the
shore of the lake, charges We're drawn,
and preparations made for dinner.
The order to make coffee had been
given and the soldiers were standing in
column formation when shot was
fired. 1t came from Bah-Ah- Me-Go
Shirk's house. The ball struck Ed.
Harris. ex-marshal of Walker, a half
breed. His arm was broken. That
was the signal. Immediately the firing
became general from all directions. 1t
seemed that a shot came from every
bush. Three of General Bacons men
dropped. They were at once carried
to the rear. On the very instant that
the first shot was heard every man in
the command sprang for cover without
waiting for orders. Like a flash the
blue column had vanished and not a
sign was to be seen of the men who
had stood erect but an instant before
except here and there little patch
where a gray hat might be made out.
General Bacon stood straight up and,
supported by Major Wilkinson, looked
right into the eyes of the red devils.
steadily, men,"he called; Keep cool
now. keep cOOol."
Again there came a volley from the
Indians, and that was what the troops
had been waiting for. The Krag-Jor-
gensens opened up with frightful rat
tie just as the Pillagcrs made a ter
rifle rush. Half dozen of them
dropped. and the rest of them fell back,
yelling like fiends incarnate. There
were probably 150 or 200 Indians Lieu
tenant Morrison. with squad of 20
men. made rush to prevent the re-
capture Of old Mah-Qoud, a very
choice scoundrel. and Bap Dway We
Wung. The marshals had these men
under arrest and a rescue would GER
tainly have been effected but Lieuten-
ant Morrison yelled Charge" and his
squad scattered the copper colored
gang. BY this time the troops were
under cover. The Indians were firing
In desultory way and the order was
given to charge. The soldiers made the
best of their opportunity.
Suddenly a volley was fired by the
Indians at the steam tug Flora, which
lay off shore On board the Flora
when she started for reinforcements
were Marshal O'Connor, Deputy Nor
dson. Indian Agent Sutherland and the
Indian prisoners. A guard of two men
under Corporal ]. ]. Nettokoven was
sent with the Flora. She will return at
,nce with rations and ammunition.
Lieutenant Humphrey was white
With rage when the news reached him.
His men at once started for the front.
The fire Of the Krag-Jorgensens. 20
niles distant. was distinctly audible
rom this point. A man just in says
hat We have lost four killed and nine
wounded up to date.
There was mistake made in send
ng so few men. Had two companies
been sent there would have been no
light. These red blackguards respec.
lumbers. fatal mistake was made
n falling to send Gatling and
4otchkiss. They could have been used
With magnificent effect
The wounded city marshal of Walker
vas brought home under Red Cross
lag aboard the Flora. He will re-
over. but his life is not worth a pinch
( snuff now. so long as there are any
Bear Indians remaining in the coun-
ry They will certainly murder him.
Marshal O'Connor and Deputy Mar
hal Shechan behaved with the ut
iost bravery. The latter an old man
60. but the hero of Fort Ridgely,
TODD yelling at the men to keep their
eads down while himself standing
rect and barehcuded. The young
eutenant, Morrison, had never been
nder fire before but there he stood,
feady as a rock and cool as an ice
erg. The men behaved splenddly.
The PillaGer and other neighboring ,
ldians of the White Earth reservation
aim to have many reasons for their +
resent outbreak. although the direct r
'0uble with the Pilagers comes over r
ttempts to bring In some of the In r
ans to the United States court at
uluth In connection with the LIQUOR
.lling cases. Their grievances go
ack through many years, and there ,
ave been legislative and other at
mpts to settle them. one of the latest
ling the Nelson law regarding the sale .
the timber on the Indian lands, :
owever. the Indians claimed that the u
ethod Of disposing of this was both +
lmbersome and expensive, and that h
ey were the sufferers. In regard to
rving as witnesses in Illegal liquor
llIng cases they claimed that the
putty marshals left them to find their I,
vn way home from Duluth without e
wing paid the proper mileage. c.
This is denied by the deputies. The n
ader In the trouble with the pillagers n