Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1898-06-17

make her escape to the settie
ments on the Prairie, 20 miles
away. The soldiers continu'
ed their march on the trail
down the canyon until they
came near the two small buttes.
The Indian camp beyond these
buttes were thought to be only
a portion of the Indians who
were on the war path, as it
was reported that the main
body of them had crossed the
Salmon river further on. AS
the small body of calvary ap-
preached these buttes their or.
der of march was about as
) follows: Lieut.. Theller, with
squad of eight brave men
were a hundred yards in ad-
vance of the main force; Col
onel Perry with the citizens,
: followed by his own company
was next, and then Trimble
with his squad bringing up the
. rear; leaving an interval of
: about fifty yards between each
company. All were march.
ing in column of tours. Sud.
denly the Indians appeared;
J their eadspopped up from be.
n hind stones, from gulches, ra'
e vines, and other cover. Those
n on foot took deliberate and
s deadly aim. Thus began the
l. battle of White Bird. Chief
!, Joseph's instructed White
a Bird to turn the calvary at
l. the upper buttes, while he
e went behind the rocks and
'e lay in wait for them. Mox
d Mox was directed to go with
S. the women, children anc
1t horses, on down White Bire
Is creek and be ready to give
'e them horses as fast as wanted
y if those they had were sho
4. down. His instructions wer'
t. carried out to the letter, ant
to the battle had not begun NOR
n than ten minutes before tn
he cavalry were thrown into con
IN fusion. Horses became un
s. manageable and all hope of de
RS feating the Indians abandoned
y There was nothing for then
d. to do but retreat, and retrea
lie they did among plungine
ne rearing, maddened horses
It. dead and dying soldiers. Thos
US that were left struggled to e:
is cape back up the canyon fror
an whence they had SO latel
nd come. Some of them wer
it, headed off by the Indians o
a the trail, and bravly fghtin
ID; fell to rise no more. Other
lr- escaped out of this canyon I
te. slaughter and death to til
1t top of the mountain where
ats company of twenty-five me
of were again organized by Co
,pt onel Perry and Parnell. tt
ent Indians, led by Joseph, OH
nd cut ond White Bird, followe
he up their victory and pursue
,ys the retreating calvary led /
rec Colonel Perry back to with
lief sight of Grangeville. Lieu
i'd Theller, brave officer, WI
ere left dead upon the field alor
'on with many more, and of tn
ur, company of one hundred mi
ing that went into battle in II
ley morning, not more than six
ind of them returned in the eve
ird ing to tell the tale. Histol
lies does not tell us how many
in dams were killed in this bait
ort but the number must ha'
'er. been comparatively small. tt
lief first battle of the Nez Per
On war had been fought, and w
of by the Indians. How the W
the would end there never W
ing any doubt, but the settlers al
val soldiers that were now coop
'ar. up by the Indians at Mt. ID
airy no and Grangeville, were We
I'm. anxious for reinforcements
Try, come to their relief. 1t a
cen pears that Chief Joseph d
cen not follow up his victory W
the at the battle of White Bird
ION, attacking the settlers and s.
The J;o~c NJ Nj TloL0 n~I C~oor