The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-06-21
JOHN B, CA1uN MARKS
GGlH1lETH YEAR TODAY
Prominent Pioneer to Cele-
brate Birthday Quietly
at His Home.
HERO OF OLD BATTLE
Missoula Man Led Company
of~Volunteers in Big
Hole Struggle.

This afternoon and evening John B.
Catltn win be at home to his friends at
his residence. 2s5 South Fifth street
west, celebrating the event Of becom
Ing so years old. 1t will be counted
privilege by many friends, those who
remember sbme of the stirring events
Of the early days of Montana. and
those who love to hear the thrilling
tales told by the pioneers. to call this
afternoon and pay sincere respect to
the loyal pioneer.
Captain John B. Catlin 40 years ago
this summer led a company of settlers
IN the battle Of the Big Hole. It was
Al the time Of the Nez Perez outbreak
at Mount Idaho In June and July of
1877. when the Bitter Root valley was
but sparsely settled. Stcvensville and
Corvallis being the only villages of the
section. with total population Of
about 500 white men. women and chill
uren and as many Indians of the Flat
mead tribe. 1t was about the middle
OF July. that news was received that
Chiefs Joseph Looking Glass and
White Bird. with 500 followers were on
tne Lolo trail. on the war path and
headed towards the Bitter Root valley.
wud Forts Erected.
This waHoehe first time that any
hostility on the part Of the savages
had come to mar the beauty OF the
a5itter Root valley. The settlers took
the precautions Of quartering their
families at Fort Owens near Stevens
Vile and building mud forts near Cor
wallis and near what is now Grants
dale. All the able bodied men of the
valley. then went to Lolo there to head
off the Indians and to give them bat
tie. 1t was about the 25th day of
July that the advance guard Of Chief
Joscph's band had reached the I.olo
and the 100 citizens from the valley.
together with about 40 men and off
GERS from Fort Missoula and about $50
men from other parts of the state.
marched M the I.olo about five miles :.
In the meantime. Chief Joseph and his
entire band had moved down to the
Woodman flats. about four miles
above the white mans camp.
Volunteers Followed Reds.
There followed a parley Of three
days between the white men and the
Indians. at the end Of which Chief
Joseph said to CAPTAIN Rawn. "Tomor-
row at sunrise I shall move on.
shall never turn back. do not want
to fight. IT the wl1te men insist. I
will fight and fight hard. My people
will never surrender" Then followed
leisurely move of the Indians
through the Bitter Root valley. with
General O. Q. Howard about week
behind and General Gibbon making
forced marches from Fort Shaw to
Intercept them. Captain John Catlin
with his company of volunteers joined
O0heral Gibbon at Rye creek
The Big Hole Battle.
Although the Nez Perces had gone
through the Bitter Root valley with
out committing any depredations. they
had been In Idaho just ordinary saw
ages upon the warrath and had killed
and burned indiscriminatcly among
the old settlers 1t is believed. also
that It was through no love of the
white man that these Indians had re-
Trained from numbering and burning
on this side of tho range. but solely
to the fact that the local Indians were
friendly to the whites. 1t was at |
O'clodk on the ninth of August, that
Captain Catlin took a few of his men
and went out upon the skirmish line
upon the left bank of Ruby creek. It
was at o'clock that the first Indian
was shot by some Of Captain Catlin's !
men. All day of the 9th of August |
the little band of men lay in the hot
sun. without a drop of water with the |
Indians peltlng from all sides until II
O'Clock at night. It was on the even
ing Of August 10. that Hugh Kirken-
dahl. who had charge Of Transporter
tion for General Gibbons. came down
with teams and provisions. Then
same the first mouthful Of food. since
having camp for battle the Wednes-
day night before. It had been Cat
Inns men who fired the first shots and
brought down the great medicine man.
whom the Nez. Perez tribe were so
confident could not be killed 1t was
Catlin's men, who in the dead of night.
without food or blankets carried dis
patches through a country infested
with mcrciless savagcs to Deer Lodge.
IT was Catlin's men who fought three
days side by side with soldiers and
shared alike their dangers and trials.
And today. in Missoula. this Captain
Catlin celebrates his cighticth birth
day.