Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-22

! Wallace, Harrison Wilson. Mike Wright,
Luther Johnson. Otto Letter, George
Wade, and one other whose name I never
learned.
Captain Catlin asked General Gibbons
if he would fight the Nee Perces if he
overlook them. The general replied that
he would, but feared that the Indians
We're too far ahead to overtake them.
General Gibbons then ordered Lieuten-
ant Bradley with a few men, and Cap
tain Catlin with a few of his men to go
ahead and try to locate the Indians if
possible, and report to him without delay.
These two officers, true to discipline. lost
no time in fulfilling their mission. They
crossed over the divide and on dow
Trail creek to within about two miles of
Big Hole valley. There they came in
sight of the Nez Perces village. After
taking a good view of the village it's
surroundings they returned and made
their report to General Gibbons. General
Gibbons IN the meanwhile had moved his
troops over the mountains into Ross
Hole. Every one in camp was now eager
for the fight. On the Sth of August Gem
eral Gibbons moved his over
the mann range down within about three
miles of the Indian village. Here hi made
a malt and had coffee, and issued to each
soldier 800 rounds of ammunition. After
making a small detail to guard the camp,
n Captain Catlin designated Anthony
Chaftin, Joe Hull and Eugene Lent out
OF ms to remain, We Were ready
for the march. The line of march consist
ed or lieutenant Bradley in front then
Captain Catlin and his company, followed
by the balance of the in the
rear. This was about II p. m. on the Sth
or August. General Glbbon had one piece
or artillery in Ins command, which he or
dered brought down as soon as daylight
came.
About one O'Clock on the morning of
mo ath Oe 0,,- ,
ana formed a line Of battle on the left
bank of Ruby creek, on the brow of the
M covering the entire length of the In
DIAN village, which was situated on the
opposite SIDE of Ruby creek and about 800
yards from our line of battle. Here Gem
era Gibbons had a talk with some of his
ol1cefs, ana was planning to send so men
up the mountains to capture the Indians
horses, of which they had about two
thousand head. Mr.. Bostwick, General
Gibbons scout, remarked to the general:
General. you had better keep your COM
mana together; you are not going to
fight Sioux now" There were but few
sent up the mountain. Lieutenant En-
glish came down the line and asked Cap
tam Catlin to make a small detail out of
his men to &c out on "A skirmisih line.
Captain Catlin replied that it was
not necessary to make detail
My men are here for bus
ness and they are ready for any
thing" Captain Catlin took a few of his
men and advanced about one-third of the
way across the sWamps toward the In
dian village. A skirmish line of soldiers
was also sent out which extended the
entire length OF the line of battle. At
$3.50 O'Clock. Dave Morrow and I We're
sitting down by a thick clump of willows.
Before going further l will state that
Dave Morrow asked Captain Catlin.
"Shall we wait for orders to shoot?"
Captain Catlin replied. "Shoot the first
Indian you see" We had not long to wait.
The first Indian to make his appearance
was a large, we'll built fellow, who COM
ing directly toward us mounted on a large
iron-gray horse. The Indian did not see
US until he was within a few yards of us.
The Indian put spurs to his horse and at
tempted to- ride through our lines, Four
shots We're almost simultaneously fired,
and the great Nez Perez medicine man
was mo more. General Gibbons then or
dered the conand to fire. Three rounds
in quick succession We're fired, when For
ward. c%harge!" came in clear. ringing
tones from General Gibbons. The line
moved quickly, firing at will. The In
dams piled out of their lodges like sheep,
running in every direction as it seemed to
me. But it was not long before Whitebird
the great war chief, had rallied his forces,
and our men began to feel the results. Our
men We're now in the indian village and
firing had almost ceased, when we heard
v. Burch yell at the top of his voice,
Look out, boys. they're getting IN the
brush behind you" Burch had been up
on the hill with a few others looking after
the Indian horses, ana took refuge behind
a big double pine tree that grew on the
hillside. Burch was correct.
The Indians were in the brush and were
giving us merry hell, as it
were. We charged through the
brush and swamoS and were met
at every hand by the merciless saw
ages. 1t is true our men dealt death and
destruction wherever they went, but the
Indians were too numerous for us. For
two and one-half hours we held the field.
Captain Rowan was then out on the open
ground driving a force Of Indians towards
the hills on the right bank of the creek.
His fight was hard. but he was gaining
his point at every round. At this stage
Of the game our forces, tax them all told,
were badly whipped. General Gibbons
then rode up on the right bank Of the
creek and ordered a retreat. Our forces
F! then fell back one-half mile up the creek
to a point of the mountain that extends
to the creek bottom. Here General Glib
bons called a halt, and told his men that
we would make this place our fnal stand.
Let me say here that even IN the midst
of battle things occur that would make
almost anyone smile. Our men were mad
and desperate. When Captain Catlin came
up he took in the situation very quickly
and remarked, Who in hell called a halt
here?" When told that Genera Gibbons
had ordered it, he replied: Il don't give
a d-n, Il is a hi Of a place to camp"
This so amused General Gibbons that he
never called Captain Catlin to account
for his disrepect.
Here We began to throw up entrench-
ments. The Indians had by this time sur
rounded our quarters. They We're firing
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and firing. doing the best we could. We
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