Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-03-25
&The Flight Of The Nez Perces =: $ : f S S$: e. e. s. Il 81 + e: s Cd &
d The Plains HIS FIht TrdC Canada General Niles Pursuit and the Smrmdro If Tho Chief j
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direct path of the oncoming Indians, and
the call went out for volunteers to protect
our affairs and our fires.
To this there was an Immediate response,
as young and old focked to the ~colors, or
near enough to enlist. IL was another
story, however, when the time came to
march, and there was a sadly diminished
number who, after mature deliberation,
felt called upon TO Withstand the advance
of the red men. OF those who remained
steadfast for a tim in their purpose to
when the way was hard, would have turned
back had they not been induced to 20 on
by promise that they would receive ample
compensation for their services.
Even the soldiers, in at least one In
stance, did not show any too great anxiety
TO engage the foe. 1t is said that those
who went out from Fort Ellis, like that
renowned King of France who, With forty
thousand men, marched up a hill-and then
marched down again" although ordered
to intercept Joseph, stayed out a Few days.
and then returned to the safe confines OF
the fort.
was calling out troops to aid General How
ard, who was following the fleeing Indiana,
then engaged In the most remarkable re-
treat in all history. Josephs course Was
direction he would take. Surely, thought
every one. he would be captured before
crossing the Occur d'Alenes, or, once across
there was no possibility OF his passing tns
EdlIhul v
awaited him at Lolo Pass; but he accom-
| plished the impossible, and went on,
Wherever he met our troops anu. ensaseu
in battle he was the victor, ana only WEI ae
he had nearly reached the Canadian inc
was he forced to capitulate from humane
motives-not because he was conqueteG;
Over the line, but q few days away, SIX
ting Bull was marching 10 JOIN him; III.
| Joseph knew, and he would have held ous
had il not been for the suffering IL wouiu
have caused the children and the ageo OF
his tribe. and that he trusted that the
terms of the treaty would De carried uut;
him, had it not been for two lucky acci.
dents. Miles wished to cross the missouri
river and march up the Musselshell TO III
tercept Joseph, but there was no means
of crossing. nor was he sure that he had
reached the Missouri. From Captain henry
Romeyn's account we learn that General
Miles ordered 1.-THE officer In mma OF
the scouts to make Il reconnaissance ~
once, and If satisfied that it was the Mis-
souri,. to encamp there and stop any boat
which might happen to pass. On reaching
the bank he rode through some timber out
onto a bar, and there, not a thousand
Yards above, coming down the stream was
a steamer. Fifteen minutes later she would
have passed out OF sight, going as sne Wds
with the current, and pursuit would nave
availed nothing. A hail brought her 10,
when, upon inquiry, it was learned that
her captain had neither seen nor heard OF
any body of Indians crossing TO the north
bank. and 1t was supposed that the column
had accomplished the first part OF Its de-
sign and was ahead of them"
The camp was moved to the river, where
ten days rations and wagons were left in
charge of Captain Brotherton. The ra-
tons and the artillery were placed In the
boat and in the night taken up to the
mouth of the Musselshell and landed on
the left bank, while the mounted portion
of the command led their horses across the
bad lands to the same point. Scouts
thrown we'll ont from the left flank OF the
column while on the march had reported
signs of small parties of Indians, supposed
to be 'iankers' detached by the Nez Perco
chief to guard his flank from surprise.
Everything was arranged for the march mp
the Musselshell and the men were eating
their breakfast, when a second strike of
good fortune changed the whole plan
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