The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-04-06

ing. They began to shoot it up with
their Winchesters, and the Indians
swarmed out in a hurry, and as they
came out we shot them down right
and left as they tried to make their
getaway. An Indian was running to
cover and Liver Eater" gave his
gun to Bill Martin and took his knife
and caught the Indian by the hair be-
fore he got to the brush throwing
him and scalping him, then, said
Johnson, as l ran my KIN fe into him
a piece of the liver came out and l
held it up to a fellow and asked him
to have a piece. He refused, but he
told me all the boys that he seen me
eating an Indians liver. didn't eat
any; just rubbed it over my mouth
to make that man think was eating
it. That's the way I got the name
Liver Eater".'
AFTER the fight they counted SO
dead and several that were wounded
got away and died afterwards. Sew
eral months has passed when they
heard Hairy Bear the chief, was
disowned by his people on account OF
that fight. johnson and his men
scalped all the Indians, and with
scalps and skulls decorated the
stockade, so when the steamboats,
came up the river in the spring many
of the passengers were Mortified.
oliver Eater told me they had
no more trouble with the Siux after
that. Later they found out why the
Sioux did not put up better scrap.
Their bowstrings were wet which
rendered their bows and arrows USE
less, most of them being armed that
way. Their powder also got wet,
their guns being muzzle leaders. The
Indians named Liver Eater Johnson,
Black Bear, and is was appropriate,
as he was a large man, six feet tall,
with short black hair all over his
face, and weighed at least 26O
pounds. He was strong and quick
as the black bear for which the In
dams named him.
Saved Miles Command.
johnson was attached to Gen
Miles command at Fort Keogh in
1877, Immediately after the Custer
massacre. Miles sent him and ten
men out to locate the Indians. John
son told me that he and his men
found the Indians in force behind a
hill. The scouts retreated to a hill
which afforded them some natural
protection, and the Indians made the
attack. The white men were well
armed and under cover, and while
the Indians made a vicious attempt
to dislodge them, were kept away by
the telling fire of the scouts. Dur
| ing the course of the days fighting
more than 40 Indians were killed,
while Johnsn's men escaped without
a single casualty. When night came
the Indians retired, and the Scouts
under cover of darkness managed tc
elude the Indians and got back tc
General Miles camp
johnson advised Miles to with
draw his forces, and Miles took the
advice. He broke camp and marched
away with his little force. The mex
day strong detachment of Cheyenne
joined the big force that had beef
stood off so successfully by the Live
Eater and his men, and the Indian
prepared to give battle. But by tn
time the Indians reached the plac
where the soldiers had camped, Mile
and his men were far away. Me
who were familiar with the situatio
always claimed that the Liver Eater
saved the life of General Miles an
his small force, by the gallant figh
they put up against the Indians, an
the timely advice they were able t
give Miles.
johnson lived for years in Re
Lodge. In his old age, rheumatisr
made of him cripple. He was sen
to the soldiers hame in California
where shrtly after his arrival, n
died. He loved Montana and Away
told his friends that he wanted to b
buried in the state.