The Bozeman courier., 1927-10-07
From the Park Co. News

iting for the first time in So years |
the scene of an Indian fight in which |
four of his comrades were killed and !
during which he and five companions !
hid in the brush most of a day, after |
which they walked all night to Fort
Ellis and gave the alarm.
Mr.. DOdson, so far as is known. is
the only living man who was in the
besieged party or who remembers
anything of its details. He is now 50
years of age.
Here is the story as he gave it to
. a News representative:
So
In 1868 and 1859 Tom Coover, the
man who was with John Bozeman
when he was killed below Livingston
in 1864, and Perry w. Meadow owned
a grist mill at BOzeman. They also
owned a large number of work cattle,
for bull teams were still the leading
mode of transportation in this Sec
tion at that time.
The winter roads were not passable
for bull teams, and between Christ
mas, 1868, and New Years, 1869, they
sent 81 head of work cattle to the
Shields valley to range for the re-
mainder of the winter. In the valley
the winter was open, grazing was
good, and there was plenty of water,
for the river was open. But little
snow fell in the valley that winter,
and none of it remained over "a
hours.
The cattle were sent over with a
crew of IL men, and Mr.. Dodson came
as a cook. They made their camp in
bend of the river on the east bank
on what is the old Walter Grannis
place about II miles from Livingston.
1t is only a few hundred yards west
Of the present highway, although it
was not possible for Mr.. Dodson to
identify the exact spot.
In the party were one or more men
who were not employed in herding
the cattle, but who had paid in their
share of the grub stake and had come
along to spend the time until employ
ment opened up in the spring.
The little company of men enjoyed
their camp life for some two and q
half to three months. All were in
fine health, they had plenty of good
wholesome food and a comfortable
camp. Only a small amount of atten.
zion was necessary for the cattle OF
the good range with plenty of water
at hand. Game was plentiful anC
easily secured to add variety to. the
camp menu.
A few times during the winter
small bands of Nez Perce Indian:
stopped at the camp with their fam
lies, and one band had spent severa
days camped near the herders. The!
had proved friendly, and the clever
men in the camp felt entirely secur
from Indian trouble.
A Mexican named Jose, who was
sort Of messenger for the commando
al Fort Ellis. arrived at the camp on
day early in the spring en- route to
Crow Indian camp down the Yellow
stone. One of the men in the cam
accompanied him on the trip. Afte
transacting their business at tn
Crow camp the two men started bac
to Fort Ellis. At a point on the Yel
lowstOne they parted, Jose to retur
TO Fort Ellis and the white man In
tending to join his friends at the her
camp. He never returned, and tn
next fall band of Indians on tn
hunt met some Bozeman men an
told of finding some bones and buck
skin clothing at point between tn
herd camp and the main mOuntai
range near what is now Livingston
The loss of this man reduced th
nerd camp to ten men.
%%%
One day in March some Indian
supposed to be Sioux, stopped at tn
camp. At the time but little after
tion was paid to them, but Mr.. DoI
son says he later decided they mui
nave stopped to look the camp owe
Then, on a March day in 1869-M
p DOdsOn does not recall the date, tv
of the men, Horace NOEL and Sa
Moore, went to the west side of Il
river to look after the cattle, al
two others, Frank Leonard and Ja'
McDaniels, went east of the camp
hunt game. The other six remain,
about the camp.
About the middle of the afternot
Indians were seen coming from t.
foothills of the Crazy mountains. ~
men in camp had no way of nOtifyil
their absent comrades. They watch
the Indians until they saw more TIL
60, meanwhile working to barrica
the camp. Soon they saw the
would be more safety in the brus
and they crossed the river a I
worked downstream. They believ
the Indians to be Sioux.
Soon they heard guns and the W
whOOps of the Indians. Apparent
the Indians killed the two hunte
and then crossed the river and sl'
the two men with the catt-e, a
then drove the cattle away after
loud and prolonged celebration.
Mr.. DOdson and his five cOmpanlo
remained in the brush along the nv
until sundown when. after prolor
ed period of silence, they decided
Indians were gone.
They then started on foot for +,
Ellis, walking all night and bucki
the snow on the hills. They reach
Fort Ellis about z o'clock the M
morning and gave the alarm.