Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-10-13

Walker Mimi. Oct. S.--The casual
ties from the fighting on Bear island.
Wednesday. were eight killed, includ-
ing Maj. Wilkinson. The correspond
entS Brill and Beaton are safe.
Col r.. ]. :;hce!,aH got away from
the scene of the battle yesterday morn
ing and gives a graphic account Of the
action up to the time he left:
I'VE landed about 10 O'Clock
Wednesday morning on the southeast
side of the point On the mainland di-
rectly north Of Bear island. Gen. Ba
con and Marshal O'Ccnnor leading the
landing. A short distance from the
shore is the log house Of Bog-ah NAH
gc-shik. Gen. Bacon left twelve sol
dicrS along the shore to protect the
landing place. and the remainder of
the troops marched across the point to
the west side and along the shore a
couple OF miles. looking for some In
dams who were said to want coun-
Gil. remained behind With my inter-
prete, and arrested an Indian l
wanted near the house and sent lin
to tho boat While I was talking with
some other Indians l saw six bucks
armed with Wholesalers come out Of
the house and go away inland. I saw
they were surly. for they did not speak
to ne. although l was their agent for
five years. I was afraid of trouble.
and called in the twelve soldiers who
were scattered along the shore.
".Ahout that time Gen. Bacon re-
turned with the troops. Half of the
men had stacked arms and the order
was given to unload their equipments.
AS they did so
j. Shot Was Fired.
1t was thought at first that some pi"ca
had been discharged by mistake. but
the firing almost immediately became
general The soldiers instantly formed
in line in semicircle facing tn,. IN
dams and the twelve men wlio wee
with me rushed uD to protect the right
flank and drove the Indians ba:.is So
curing favorable position. OF those
men. one vas shot i'll the face. one in
the arm and third in the leg. I do not
know how the other men We're
wounded.
"After our first rush we had the best
of the position. The log house was ill
side orr lines and it was used as q
hospital. and the men sought the cover
of logs and trees and settled down for
long fight. 1t continued during the
day and evening and was renewed this
morning. although it was never so hot
as during the first hour or so. This
morning boat made a landing with
some provisions and Gen. Bacon
wanted to send the wounded back.
He sent me down to make arrange
mentS and I went out to the steamer
in Il canoe. They brought down one
wounded man and the captain of the
boat brought him off shore. but before
the others could be moved the Indians
Opened a hot fire on the boat and we
had to leave.
Mini. wilkinson Killed.
"'When I LETT there had been five
killd and eiy',t wounded besides the
Indian policeman. Three men We're
sick l don: know the names of any
of the killed or wounded except Maj.
Wilkinson.
Gen. Bacon handled his men mag
nificently and was on the firing line
during the whole of the engagement.
encouraging his men and directing the
operations.
ut is imnosSible to tell how many
Indians are in the attacking party, but
should say not less than $50 or 200,
and we don't know INV many more
are joining them. TIE newspaper
men. Brill. l.caton and KIappen. We're
all in GOOD s':rDe When I left. doing
their s:,are Of duty on the l':c. No
one them bad been injured"
Several of the small boats and the
steamer Flora went out during the
night and early this morning to en-
deavor to land provisions for Gen.
Bacon's beleaguered command and
bring away the dead and wounded.
The Flora had the thirty Brainerd
fighters and few other armed citi-
zens, but had not yet returned. OF the
very s;nall boats none succeeded in
effeci:ny the purpose of the trip OK
cept liz: Vera, in charge Of Harris Nc
Cabc This is the boat Of which Col
Sheahan speaks. McCabe made Il
landing on the point off the north end
of Bear island, where the troops are
entrencheu. A sufficient quantity Of
provisions to relieve the immediate
necessities of the men was landed and
safely conveyed from the beach to the
firing line, the soldiers protecting the
landing.
An attempt was then made to bring
down some of the wounded. The
steamer could not approach close to
the shore and it was necessary to use
Il small boat between the steamer and
the shore. One man was brought
down across the open. but the Indians
discovered what was going on and
Concentrated Their Fire
on this point and on the boat. The
place was getting altogether too hot,
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