The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-05-20
PAGE THREE

From the next letter dated May 9th,
1869, an extract is taken:
1--WE have but few quiet days here. We
have even to fight for the wood with
which to cook our grub. This morning
about eight o'clock, a white man and
two squaws went out about 400 yards
from camp to pick up wood. While thus
engaged a band of Indians suddenly
arose from the sage brush within a few
yards Of them and commenced yelling
and firing. The wood party fed, as
only people can who are pursued by In
dians, and their clothes completely rid
died with bullets, reached the city un-
harmed.
THE Indians now appeared in full
force, SWarming through the sage brush
Santee Sioux numbering between one
and two hundred. But the men Of the
MuScleSheI were not aunte nor did
they falter. Immediately upon the alarm
being given, the men grasped their ever
ready breech-lOaderS n with a yell that
would shake even an Indians nerves,
went flying across the field to attack the
savage foes.
"a running fight now ensued for a
distance Of half a mile, when some eighty
Of the Indians took shelter in a deep and
crooked coulee emptying into the Muscle
shell. The men charged their position
and were unable to dislodge them. In
through the brain, dying instantly. The
men now divided themselves into several
parties and took possession Of every side
Of the coulee save that neX to the river,
in a vain endeaVor to find a position
from which to bear their rifles or the
Indians. Although a heavy rain was fall
ing and the position of the Indians
seemed impregnable, the shower Of shot
and arrows coming II hail from the
coulee, none seemed willing to turn their
backs, leave the fight or draw the game.
1.-THE fight went on for six hours with
no result save the killing of one or two
Indians and Mr.. Greenwood, who was
seriously wounded. Some of the boys
now became desperate. Frank Smith,
Jim Wells and Frenchy went below, wad-
ed the thick willows and continuously
made their way upstream until they
reached a point Immediately opposite
and in easy range Of the coulee that
concealed the Indians.
Here was presented to their view such
a hornets nest as eldom falls to the lot
Of a white man. Being in point blank
range, they turned loose their Henry's
with such fatal effect as to make a good
Indian at every fire. The red devils real
lied their position in an instant n saw
nothing but certain death on every side.
With a yell of rag and a howl Of de-
spair, they fled like frightened elk.
The whites now completely surround
ing them, arose from their cover, closed
in and death n destruction on every
side. Law! You should nave been there
to see Mr.. Lo the poor red man pass in
his checks! Thirteen fell on the spot
while many more went floating down
the stream, or crept wounded or in a
dying condition into the thick willows
along it's bank. Their loss in killed and
wounded could not have been less than
fifty.
1.-The woman recently scalped at the
place is alive and on her pegs. She
perched herself upon a high bastion
while the fight was going on and when
the boys came in with Is bleeding scalps
at their belts, she felt somewhat consoled
for the loss OF her top knot.
Many were the narrow escapes today
Coats, shirts n pants were shot to tat
tiers. Squire Wearing had a close shave
! in the way of a bullet through the crown
Of his hat, slightly bruising his scalp;
} but the old squire took IN Indians up
per works and called it square. Captain
Andrews-or DR.. Andrews-has dressed
Greenwood's u and is now busy
2 cleaning scalps.
1T may seem to you in cities and safe
3 places that it is ~barbarOus to scalp and
l MAIN dead Indians, but our every-day
experience teaches us that we must, how.
e ever revolving it may be to our feelings
resort to their own savage mode of war
. fare, in order to make our arms feared
and u strength respected. 1t is a no.
torious fact that although no Indian ha'
ever went hungry, without shelter o.
t been abused in this camp, we arr
= troubled more than any other"