The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-08

Il ,.
one Of the three newspaper men ma
rooned with General Bacon's troops on
sugar Point, wires the Minneapolis
Tribune long account of the battle.
After describing the landing, he says:
As there was no indication of trou-
BILE. Brill. Knappen and myself made
up our minds to go back to Walker on
the boat to be sent by General Bacon
for the tents and rations for another
day. We were down at the landing
waiting for the boats to take us I'D the
stream. when a shot was heard. Imme-
diately we ran back to the right on the
hill, when a volley came from the
woods to the front Of US. The soldiers
were Just about to be dismissed. and
for moment I was at loss to under
stand the significance OF the firing. A
second later another volley came and
the bullets whistled past my head. And
as the soldiers grabbed their guns and
ran to the left / hurried down to the
beach where i was soon safely housed
behind big boulders and brush.
STEADY, men, steady" was the first
sound OF voice we heard. and as 1
raised my head / could see General
Bacon running about with his troops.
Get up In the firing line" was the
next order given and the men of the
rlghting Third were seen to run
through the marsh and woods in the
direction from which the shots had
been fired. The three officers were ev-
erywhere. Major Wilkinson In charge
or the left flank. General Bacon i'm
charge OF the center. Lieutenant Ross
In charge of the right flank. The SOL
diers were running along. il appeared
To me, on their hands and knees, drop
ping every moment to fire volley into
the ranks OF the enemy. The officers
however. stood in the open. They were
brave almost TO recklessness
For 30 minutes there was a ceaseless
roar and every little while we could
hear the cry of the men who had been
shot I looked up once and saw that
Major Wilkinson had been injured. 4
heard him cry:
Ross. I've been wounded. but won't
give up. for it's not bad
The next moment. as he stood right
back OF his firing line calling at the
men, he said: Give IL to them boys;
I've got them going. so give il to them.
They are towards and they're going to
run. He seemed to stagger, and Sur
geon Ross ran toward him.
Give them hell. general he called
at the top of his voice. over towards
the center flank, where General Bacon
was taking aim at a red man. Then
he fell into the arms of the doctor.
who carried him into the log cabin at
the crest Of the hill. where he died i'm
one hour and 80 minutes There were
two wounds in his stomach and an ar
terry had been cut and he bled to death
despite the efforts of the surgeon to
save him.
About the same time the major fell.
Private Powell, who was running from
one cover to another. was seen to drop
and in the evening. after darkness, he
was carried to the little cabin, the vic
tim of another bullet from the Indians
Winchesters.
The stripes on the sleeves of another
man whom / saw throw up his hands
and drop his gun, told me that a SER
geant had been hit. AS he fell he
clapped his hands to his head. and af-
terwards i learned that he was Ser
geant Butler and that he had been
killed instantly by a shot through his
head.
AS he, fell, Lieutenant Ross. who
had charge Of the two fianks after the
Injury sustained by Major Wilkinson
was seen to drop upon his knees and fire
In the direction in which the shot that
had killed Butler had come. After that
the men were out of sight up in the
was no let up in the firing. Suddenly
10 our right we heard the voice of
Colonel Sheehan of st. Paul, deputy
United States marshal. We could see
the veteran Indian fighter leading the
advance by a portion of the right flank.
you've got them whipped, boys.
Give IL to them" the colonel was Yell
ng at the top of his voice. Every time
MS voice was heard a volley rang out
md every time 1t was further away
rom us.
When we realized the position in
which the colonel was we called TO him
% get under cover, but he paid no at
ention to US. He stayed with the men
Until he had accompllshei his purpose,
md wren We had about made up our
minds that he was dead we were
'tartled by move in the weeds above
Is.
I've been wounded. boys" was the
we heard, as the weeds parted
md the gallant colonel fell to the
'round before US. We did not know
low badly he was hurt. but saw two
loles were In his coat sleeve.
That's not IL" he saio. as he turned
'ack his sleeve. Its my stomach:
ook at that"
And we did so. We tCle open his
lothes and found only a small wound. :
ut the blood was trickling down. The
Ia man was not frightened by any
means.
IF you ever get out OF here alive. /
oys. you viii be in luck" he remarked
few moments afterwards. as he lay
N rha heach /