The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1917-06-29
INDIAN SCOUTING la THE
SETTLEMENT or LEMHI


The first Indian war of q serious
nature to disturb the peace and
Quietude of Lemhi was the NeE
Perez war OF 1874. They simply
swept through the upper part of the
county. being too closely pursued by
the soldiers to attempt amy damage,
other than TO steal a few range
horses, In securing the country they
camel across the freight teams on
Birch creek and destroyed them. The
people of Lamhi we're kept in heat
of excitement for several months
while this war continued.
Ii was necessary that scouts be
employed To locate and keep the
army which was endeavoring to cap
ture them informed of the Indians
whereabouts. The following contrib.
utor was among the scouts in this
service, After the war. In 1878. he
settled in what is now called Cruick-
shank canyon where he has ranch
and considerable stock interests. The
&c a railroad station called Cruik
was named for him. He Is an old
timer of Montana, settling there In
the early days with Dunlap, to which
family he is related.
Alex cruiekshanks "reminiscences
Article /.
In 1877 ! had some experiences as
scout in the Neg Perez Indian war.
for which reason | have been re
quested by the Lemhi Historical so
ciety to contribute an article along
the lines of chasing hostile Indians
and especially as ! was among the
first to be upon the scene. to detail
what ! witnessed and did at the In,
dian massacre which took place on
Birch creek. in Fremont county, Ida.
no, on August Is. 1877
During the summer of this war.
was employed on a ranch on Horse
Prairie creek. Montana. where ! was
interested in rising horses. We had
heard of the outbreak of the Nez
Perces in Northern Idaho but did not
think much about II until the frst
part of August we learned that thep
had eluded the soldiers, crossed the
mountains into Montana and were
headed for our section of the coun
| try The people all at once became
excited and in Bannack to talk was
OF preparing for defense. | was al
that time employed by the citizens
I I'D SCOUT the Gbunlfg hEbuliu anu WdIA
the people should the Indians come
that way. Knowing that they had
started up the Bitterroot valley
went to the Big Hole basin to ascer
tain. II possible. the direction the IN
dians were going and was in Ntha
country just a day or two before
their fight with Col. Gibbon on tbs
Sth of August At that time ! saw
no Indians however, | was AT boo
Titles ranch. This fellow was
squaw man. having. as understood
a NeZ Perez woman. and as | after
wards found out his place was th'
headquarters for the Neg Perces VIII,
would collect there during the fou
or Ave days before the b,,de for tn
purpose OF having him obtain whisk,
for them, which no doubt aided Il
their carlessness to such an extern
that Col Gibbon entirely surprises
them when he opeled the fight a
early dawn
The battle of the Big Hole ha
gone down in history where the read
er can study II In detail and gathe
the lessons taught II was a hari
fought battle and there was no quer
tioning the bravery and military skil
of those Indians. They could an
did fight with the ability OF traine
men. They were splendid shots an
had better arms. ammunition an
horses and as they could not be seal
ed, they simply had to be whippet
Every man who fought realized thes
things No better Indian fight we
ever made than Col. Gibbon and hi
men made here and only by dogge
tenacity, persistent effort and cat
tious maneuvering did they proven
another wholesale massacre of tn