The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1917-04-13
INDIAN SCOUTING i.s THE
SETTLEMENT OF LEMHI

The FIRST indian war of a serious
nature TO disturb the peace and
Quietude of Lemhi was the NeE
PIERCE war OF 1871 They simply
swept through the upper part OF the
county. being too closely pursued BY
the soldiers 10 attempt any damage.
other than 10 steal a few range
horses. In securing the country they
camsS across the freight teams on
Birch creek and destroyed them The
people OF Lnnh4 were kept in a heat
of excitement for several months
while this war continued.
IL was necessary that scouts be-
employed to locate and keep the
army which was endeavurtng TO cap
ture them informed of the Indian =
whereabouts, The following contrib
utor was among the scouts In this
service. After the war. In lists. he
settled in what If now called Craick
shank canyon where he has \ ranch
and considerable stock interests. The
G. 4 p railroad station called CruIk
was named for him. lie is an old
timer OF Montana, settling there In
tho early days with Dunlap, to which
family he is related.
Alex cruiekshank's "reminiscences
Article /.
In 1877 ! had some experiences as
scout in thu Neg PIERCE Indian war
for which reason | have been re
quested by the Lsmhi 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
49,, a -.
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 NeE
Perces in Northern Idaho but did not
think much about 10 until the FIRST
part OF August we learned that they
had eluded the soldieTs. crossed the
mountains into Montana and were
headed for our section OF the coun-
try Tie people all AZ once became
excited and in Bannack to talk was
Of preparing for defense / was at
that time employed by the citizens
TO scout the country around and warn
the people should the Indians come
that way. Knowing that they had
started up the BitterrOot valley
went " the dig ftpAt phHkh 10 AACtE-
tain, IL possible the direction the m
dams were going and was in that
country just a day or two before
their fight with Col Gibbon on the
Sth OF August At that time / saw
no Indians; however. I was al Doc
titles ranch This fellow was =
squaw man. having. as ! understood.
a NeE Perez woman. and as I after
wards found out his place was the
headquarters for the Nez Perces who
would collect there during the four
or ave days before tho b.-,Ie for the
purpose Of having him obtain whisky
for them. which no doubt aided IN
their caTlessness 10 sucn an extent
that Col Gibb0n entirely surprised
them when he opened the fight at
early dawn.
The battle of the Big Hole has
gone down in history where the read
er can study IL in detail and gather
the lessons taught. II was a hard
fought battle and there was no dues-
tioning the bravery and military skin
OF those Indians. They could and
did fight with the ability OF trained
men They were splendid shots and
had better arms, ammunition and
horses and as they could not be scar
ed. they simply had To be whippesi
Every man who fought realized these
things No better Indian nght ives
ever made than Col Gibbon and his
men made here and only BY logged
tenacity, persistent effort and eau
tious maneuvering did they prevent
another Wholesale massacre Of the
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