The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-03-18
THE FIASCO AT FORT FIZZLE
w. B. Harlan Of Como Tells Story Of Picturesque and Exciting
Events in Bitter Roots History

SOIy.
me his field glasses and We took
position where we had q good view Of
the camp.
About . O'Clock sent in word that
the Indians were. driving, in their
horses and breaking camp. and an
other man was sent In when II was
seen that they had packed UP and had
started down the valley toward US.
BY the time we decided to 60 in. the
Indians were below W and between u
and camp 10 we had to MAKE hur-
ried detour and dodge among the trees
to avoid running into them.
"Too Many God Aimishtiss."
/ reported to Captain Rawn that the
Indians were beginning, to climb a
ridge a fourth of mile above our
camp and were evidently going around
us. He replied that It was impossible
for them to 70 around on that steep
hillside and that 1t was only a scout
or so that I saw, and when said
saw squaws and children with camp
stuff going up he turned back into
his tent with the insulting remark tSat
"the trouble In this camp ID that there
are too many God ,Almighties In It,
As partly explaining such conduct
and language. will say that early
that morning Bill MoWhirk. a saloon
keeper OF Missoula. had brought in
demijohn OF whiskey which was on
tap In the headquarters tent with the
result that when We finally broke
camp an hour later the commanding
officer could hardly sit In his saddle
and the second in command could nor.
but was hauled out and stretched out
upon an army wagon load Of tents and
bedding. Quite a number OF tho
Flathead indians were with us. and
showed their true friendship by pre-
pairing to fight with us in the ex-
pected battle. They had white cloths
tied around their heads 80 we could
| distinguish between friend and
foe. l well remember Delaware Jim's
exhortaton to "shoot low and kill
horse. then shoot Injun." which would
have been good advice II the Nez
Pcrces had been fools to attack In
front and on horseback.
Passing Is Quiet.
AS tho Indians were passing around
a detachment Of 30 or 40 citizens went
| out to the foot OF the mountain and a
little way up to sec that no surprise
attack was made from that direction,
but with the exception Of a few stray
shots fired from the hill into the bar
ricade. no hostile demonstration was
made and the whole body OF Indians
came down into the valley mile be-
low us. A half an hour later we were
ordered to mount and were hurried
down the canyon after them.
Several miles below VIC were halted
In the edge of a wood facing n half
mile of prairie where we could see In
dams in the timber on the far side.
and We were told that here was to be
the battle sure enough. We stood In
battle line with a half mile front for
a half hour expecting an order to
charge. but none came and the Indians
having disappeared we were led peace
fully down the road.
Bitter Root Lett to Fate.
Until VIC reached the junction OF tho
Lolo with the Bitter Root valley. none
OF us knew which way the Indians
would turn. whether they would go
by way OF Missoula or by the Bitter
Root. The former was the shorter
route but much more thickly settled.
When We reached the mouth Of the
canyon we found the Indians had gone
np the valley and right there the reg.
ular soldiers and all OF the volunteers
from Missoula. Philipsburg and Deer
Lodge turned north to Missoula and
left the Bitter Root to its fate.
We did not understand then, and
! do not now. why Captain Rawn. with
more than 500 men to back him. should
decline to fight that day. while only
a few days before he had been so
anxious to open up a battle with only
Us men. Whether It was under the
influence OF Bill McWhrk's demijohn.
has never been made public.
Thus ended the Fiasco at Fort Tizzlc
on the LolO trail.
bitter Root in Quandry.
But the Bitter Rioters could not
evadc all responsibility and solve their
problems so easily. On that hot Sat-
urday afternoon-there were coopcd
up in Fort Owen 25S women and chill
drcn with just four old men with shot
guns to protect them, while in the
two sod-forts up the valley there were
probably nearly as many more.
Now that we We're released from the
authority OF Captain Rawn. and know :
ing that We could have no outside
help In protecting our families and
homes We were naturally anxious to
get past the Indians and beat them to
the fort. We did not believe that
the, would stop to camp till they were
past the thickly settled part OF the
valley. and well away from the SOL
dies and volunteer citizens. they not
| kOt wiOp a., Ua Thought In ~. MI