The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-03-13

west of us were lousy with beaver.
Battle Above the Mackay Dam
Editors note: He refers to the
historic action at Battle ground,
where Joe Skeletons freight outfit
vase attacked by indians. They
drew the wagons up in a circle for
defense, and kept the indians at bay
for four days.
The outfit was carrying goods to
Col. George L. Shoup's store at Bay
Horse, and Shelton was more anxious
about protecting Shoup's goods than
he was about his outfit and himself.
The indians kept firing from the
brush but their leader kept trying
to get them to rush upon the wagons
and take them by storm. Jesse
McCaleb was shot in the head and
died in a few hours. They dug a
grave within the circle of wagons
but as they had no water in camp
and could not get to the river the
grave was extended on down and
served as a we'll until the end of the
siege and then the body was buried
in it. It is within the Mackay reser-
voir now.
The leaders of the indians finally
made speech to the others in which
he said he would make medicine with
the Great Spirit SO the bullets of the
white men would not harm them.
Joe Rainey, a Bannock indian, who
was with Shelton interpreted their
calls and his speech. To prove his
sincerity he said he would ride by
the camp himself, which he did, and
every man in the camp took fair
shot at him and missed. J. D. Wood,
of the Wood Live Stock company,
now dead, was with the company and
took two shots and was dumfounded
at missing, but still the other indians
would not make the charge.
Joe Shelton, driven to desperation
by thirst, and wounded in his left
arm so he could not raise it, stepped
outside of the defenses and challeng-
ed the indians to come out in the
open and fight. For reply they fired
on him from their cover, and missed
him. He cursed them solindly, and
resting his gun barrel across his knee,
he returned their fire, subjecting
himself to their aim with cool DELHI
Grafton while he challenged their
leader to come within rifle shot and
stand still to fight instead of hiding
behind his horse while running past
the camp.
Joe Rainey slipped out at night
and rode to Challis for help and came
back next day with company OF
horsemen and the indians disap-
peared at their approach.
Mt. McCaleb was named for Jesse
McCaleb, who was killed in this fight.
Joe Shelton afterwards became feeble
and died near there and was buried
on fh site, but the remains were
afterwards removed to Challis.
Henry Leatherman, who was getting
out much gold in the rich placer
mines at Loon creek, had fine
watch made of gold from his mine
and presented it to Shelton. He
willed it to ]. D. Wood, but the ad-
ministrator would not recognize the
message, and sold it at auction. Mr..
Wood was on the spot and bought it
and carried it the rest of his life, in
loving remembrance of his friend.
Mr.. Wood was accidentally knocked
down and mangled by switch en-
CINE on the yards near the depot at
Salt Lake City, with the watch in
his pocket.
Billy Burnett lives in Boise, and is
very old and feeble.
We now decided to postpone our
trip to Yankee Fork, and spend the
winter trapping on Lost river and its
tributaries, as this country was a
hunters paradise and we saw plenty
of mink and otter signs in the river
every day. We decided to camp here
for while, so we took our pick and
shovel and made us comfortable
dug-out in bank where slough
ran out of the river (north end OF
Mark Hurst's ranch, the hole is there
YETI
All this time we kept sharp look
out for the indians. AS a. precaution
we buried all our surplus ammunition
and supplies in several different plac-
es, so II the red boys found our camp
in our absence they could not steal
us blind.
We now thought it high time to
verify the beaver story told us by
the old prospector, so taking a small
camp outfit, and all of our horses,