The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1901-01-31

in the fight were some of the best men in
north Idaho, and the citizens Of that To-
cality owe an everlasting debt Of graft.
tude to Captain Randall, Lew Wil,not,
Jim Curley, Frank Fem and many 9th
ers who took the field against as impla-
cable foe as ever men aced the homes of
pioneers Brave men all of them and
true. Lou Wilmot, whose name have
mentioned above, was typical frontiers.
man. His figure, tall and sinewy, pro-
nounced blonde i'll complexion. with a
voice as soft as a woinan's and the best
rifle shot in Idaho, he was the cause of
more than one Nez Perez biting the dust
during the few weeks he hunted them,
and he became SO we'll known that it was
necessary for him to change his cream
colored saddle horse for one not SO
marked. Wilmot was indignant at Per-
rvs refusal to assist them and he wrote
up the affair for the Lewiston Teller in a
style peculiarly his own. The article
was intensely bitter and closed as follows:
wILMot's LETTER.
"When Colonel Perry dies his uneasy
spirit viii, 60 to the gates of heaven and
ask admission. St. Peter will ask
him if he is the Perry who failed to
bury his dead at White Bird and left
them for the vultures to feed upon for
a week or more. He will answer I am,
and ST. Peter will tell him to go hence,
that he has no use for him. He will go
to the gates of hell and ask for admis-
sion; the devil will ask him if he is the
Perry who refused to go to the assistance
of the little band of citizens from Mount
Idaho on the 5th ofJuly. 1877. He will
answer, 4 am and the devil will tell
him to 60 hence, that hell has no room
for him. As his body lies putrefying on
the plain the turkey buzzard will soar
aloft, the coyote will tuck his tail be-
tween his legs and sneak away, and
the lowly worm that delights to revel
in the carcass Of dog will crawl away
from his remains in disgust"
It was a mournful cavalcade which
wendell its way to Mount Idaho the next
day as escort to the dead and wounded
citizens, and many curse, low but deep,
was uttered against Perry as we rode
along. Captain Randall was buried with
Masonic honors and his body was laid
to re 1 beneath the wispering pines aud
waving grass of the little cemetery at
Mount Idaho. A few days later a regi-
mental organization was effected by the
volunteers with McConville as colonel,
George Hunter lieutenant colonel, and
George Shearer, major. McConville's
promotion left me in, command of our
company, and July 8, Howard having
crossed his force to the opposite side Of
the Clearwater river, we were ordered
to join him. The Indians had not been
located since the fight at Cottonwood.
but the second day out tn. volunteers
discovered them in force in the edge Of
the timber south Of the Clearwater river
aud Lou Wilmot was sent to Howard
with the information, and the suggestion
that he might send his cavalry to our as
sistance and close in upon the enemy
from the north side with his artillery thus
surrounding them. This General How.
ard declined to do. When Wilmont re.
ceived his answer he was about to mount
h DO hOe fnr otue tn AfAo s,o1
camp, but perceiving Perry standing
near, his temper overcame his prudence
and he proceeded to pay his respects to
that worthy in language more forciblc
than polite. Howard ordered him under
arrest and Lou started to run, but was
caught and placed under guard. BY this
action no reply was received from the
general, and the volunteers were left in
ignorance - to whether or not the regu.
lars would be sent to our assistance. In
fact, no word having been received from
Wilmot, it was generally believed by his
comrades that he had been murdered by
the Indians before reaching Howard.
In the meantime Joseph discovered the
proximity ofthe volunteers and, a. fight
was imminent, Colonel McConville
ordered his men to take position upon
the summit ola hill. afterwards desig-
mated % Mount Misery, and to begin dig
cling rifle pits ct once, using the knives
and tin cups for the purpose. With such
implements il was slow work. hut by
nightfail the hill top was fairly we'll
fortified. The men did not have long to
wait for an attack. and before 10 O'Clock
the fight was on and the bullets flying