The Dickinson press., 1898-10-08
FOUGHT NEAR BEAR ISLAND


From the Town OF Walker.
The fight with the Indians occurred
30 miles from Walker on point jut.
ting out into the lake near Bear island.
The soldiers, 100 strong, under com.
mand of General John NJ. Bacon and
Major Wilkinson, had arrived at
Walker the previous evening, and at
4:S0 a. m. they went on board boats
and were carried to the point named,
where a landing was made with con.
siderable difficulty, gale of wind hav.
ing stirred up pretty lively sea. The
landing was effected ut about 8 o'clock.
Scouts were hustled through the bush
In every direction and for three hours
no trace Of the Indians could be found.
Every precaution against ambush had
been taken. Finally at about 11:30 the
soldiers were drawn up in an open
space near the shore of the lake and
preparations were about to begin for
dinner. The soldiers were still in line.
though the coffee making had com.
menced.
Suddenly Shot Was Fired
from the house of Bog.
the Indian who has been the head and
center Of this whole difficulty. Ex.
Marshal Ed Harris, a Walker half.
breed, was struck, his arm being
broken. This shot seemed to be sig.
nal, for Immediately shots came from
every direction and three men dropped
and were carried to the rear. The sol.
diers, who are veterans not alone of
the Santiago fight but of many an In
dian skirmish, knew what to do and at
the first shot all found shelter and
awaited another volley to tell them
where to shoot. General Bacon and
Major Wilkinson steadied their men
with encouraging words, and with the
second volley tho Indians attempted a
rush on the soldiers. The rattling vol.
ley from the regulars that met the on
coming Reds stopped the rush and
drove back the Indians, although half
dozen of them were dropped by the
soldiers fire. Tho fire from the Pill.
layers then became more scattering
and the
Soldiers Made Fine Charge
and drove them back, though the firing
continued. The steamers on which
the soldiers had come as we'll as those
used by the newspaper correspondents
were fred on by the Indians with ef-
feet. Inspector Tinker received shot
IN the leg and had his sleeve riddled.
Several newspaper correspondents had
landed prior to the arrival of the sol.
sdiers, previous experience having
ade them believe the danger was
fht.s They were thus brought into
tAck Of the fight and fought with
dtefI The men on the steam
FeSG G1a1. xfSrnin the fight, taking Wig.
E4bn1si their revolvers until
& - II npelled to fly, closely
Epvgal ~ pain ted savages. An
ina ri sSdl ahas arriy.a from Bear
island i1Aed that all the aen out of
uniform hSd been killed, but that he
could not tell how many soldiers had
been shot, ..
No Direct News Received.
No direct word has come from either
the correspondents who were with the
troops or from the soldiers. This is
looked on as additional cause for ap-
prehension, as it is believed that Gen.
eral Bacon would have sent back some
official communications had it. been
posi- BILE to do so. No word whatever
has come from him. Neither has it
been possible to confirm the report that
the entire detachment had been wiped
out.
The outlook at this hour is that the
agency Indians may 60 on the warpath
at any moment. They have been hold.
ing council all night and reports are
received every half hour by runners
describing the condition of affairs.
Two Of the old chiefs want war, but
there are others who are try1ag des.
perately to stem the tide Of discontent
and to prevent any conflict with the
kpnnna la