The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-11-05
HOLE BATTLE, FOUND AFTER MAINLY uep4l.~I

On grassy slope of the Big Hol'
valley stands a plain granite monu
ment bearing the following inscrip
ton:
ON THIS FIELD
/. Seventeen Officers and One Hundred
and Thirty-eight
Men of the Seventh U. S. Infantry
Under Its Colonel
BREW. MAJ.-GEN. JOHN GIBBON,
With Eight Other Soldiers and
Thirty-eight Citizens, Surprised and
Fought All Day Superior
Force of Nee Perces Indians.
More Than One-third of
the Command being
Killed and Wounded.
This monument was erected. as
inscription on the south face reads,
to the memory of the soldiers and
citizens who here fell in battle with
the Nez Perces on August 8, 1877.
Twenty-Five officers, soldiers and
citizens were killed, and forty more,
including General Gibbon, were
wounded. 8 OF the Nez Perces, 208
fell on the field or died afterward
of their wounds.
Perces, under Chief Joseph, first be-
gan to make trouble for the scatter
ing settlers in the Wallowa valley,
Washington, and month later muir
dered a number of them, both men
and women. General Howard, the
commanding officer of the coast dis
trict, sent two companies of cavalry,
under Captains Trimble and Perry,
to arrest the murderers. They never
got near the Indian camp, for as soon
as the Nez Perces saw them coming
they rushed out and began shooting
and finally drove the soldiers back
16 miles, to small town named
Grangeville, killing "a of them.
Start for Buffalo Country
After this several sharp skirmishes
took place in which there were heavy
losses on both Sides But Chief Jo-
seph realized that if he remained in
the valley General Howard would in |
time procure large enough force to
surround and annihilate his follow
ers; so he started with his people, |
some 400 men and $50 women and
children, for the buffalo country, the /
great plains of Montana, east of the /
Rocky mountains. When General 7
learned this he te1egraphed
The circumstances to General Gibbon,
who commanded the district of Mon
ANA, with headquarters at Fortj
Shaw. The general at once called
n what few men he had, and start
I'd with them and train of pack
mules for Fort Missoula, $50 miles
Instant, by way of the Cadotte pass.
There were two half-fil1ed COM
,anies of the Seventh infantry at
dissoula, and their commanders,
Captains Rawn and Logan, were noti-
led by wire to try and head off the
indians and hold them in check I'M
il Gibbon arrived. These officers
i'd their best to carry out their in
arrier at the mouth of Lo Lo can
on, but the Nez Perces managed to
lip by it and continued their flight '
p the Bitter Root valley. Then the '
oldiers pursued them but found the l
amp in such a strong position and
ne warriors so numerous that they '
ere obliged to return to the fort Z
nd wait for reinforcements.
Gibbon Opens Campaign
General Gibbon arrived at Fort "
L1ssOula on August and the follow =
lg day the whole outfit started on r
lie trail of the Indians. The pack
Jules were left behind and in their p
lace a wagon train and couple of II
Owitzers were taken. Knowing that o
eneral Howard was far in their rear 81
lie Nez Perces had been in no hurry "
get across the range, never dream u
g that by means of the telegraph u
her soldiers could be put on their 3
all. So General Gibbon found that !"
} was making about two days u
arch to their one. Before he ar a
we'd at the head of the valley SO u
items Joined him.
The Indians were finally overtaken
ID the Battle of the Big Hole was ca
ught. The Indians were taken by W
rprise but rallied after gaining fl
elter, and the fight went on all pc