Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-08-26

A Humorous
Incident OF
Early History
A UGUST 8 marked the hftieth an
"A niversary of the Battle of the Big
L n Hole, an outstanding event IN
Montana history, and Of especial
interest 70 the older residents of the
state. many of whom retain vivid recol-
lectiQns OF incidents leading up to the
~sanguinary clash between General Glib
bons and his men and Chief Joseph and
his followers. For the greater part these
incidents were replete in deeds OF dar-
ing, bravery n endurance, but there
were others that had an amusing feature.
The former have been recorded in histori-
cal archives, but for some u-naccountable
reason many OF those Of an amusing ma
ture, regardless of how authentic, have
come to the ears of the present genera
ton by being handed down father TO son.
One of the latter was recalled by a
Butte man, who for reasons Of his own
insists on his identity being kept secret.
According to the old fellow, who re-
sided in Deer Lodge at the time, word
that Joseph and the Nez Perces were
about to start on the warpath. was re-
ported months before the tribe started
it's historic trek across the territory, and
a request for rifles, with which TO arm
volunteers, was made OF the ordnance
department in Washington. D. c. The
firearms arrived in Deer Lodge shortly
before the day of the battle. They were
single-shot Springfields of As and so CAL
ibers. About half the guns were muzzle
leaders, and the others the improved
needle" models. The latter were of the
breech-loading variety and at the time
considered the last word in the way or
a ~hard-hitting, accurate shooting Shout
der arm.
Wanted Breechloaders
Naturally, the majority of the pros
pective volunteers were DESTROYS of secur-
ing one Of the late model guns, and the
men in charge of issuing the rifles soon
discovered they had a hard job On their
hands. But when the supply of breech-
leaders was finally exhausted, such of
the settlers as were intent on taking part
in any battle that might take place, had
to be satisfied with a muzzle-loader.
Included in the shipment of guns was
a supply of For the
breechloaders there were copper-cased
cartridges, while a small package con-
| Ldl1lllB pldIh POWQCi LII q 1llhli baAAs
represented the Misunderstanding charge.
In addition a box Of percussion caps was
issued to each holder of q muzzle loader.
Start killing Early
With the distribution Of the firearms
attended to, orders were issued that the
volunteers assemble at a certain designa-
ton at daylight next morning in readi-
ness to start on the overland hike to the
Big Hole basin or upper Deer Lodge VAL
ley. Nothing was said as to where the
volunteers should spend their time before
the order to March" was given. There
were some who retired at once to their
blankets intent on getting a nights rest,
III there were others who realized get
ting into q battle with the Indians only
happened once in a lifetime. n consid-
cred it worthy Of celebrating. Hours
later a row Of guns lined the walls OF
the Blackfoot bar-one OF Deer Lodges
original filling stations"-while several
rows of hilarious volunteers faced the
bar, partaking of the cup that is alleged
to cheer, and telling each other in the
proper name In which to kill Indians.
For years afterward. n OF the angels in
white" who OBLIGATED back of the Black
foot counter that night, claimed more
Indians we're butchered with in the -four
walls of the place than were ever really
killed in battle in the whole state OF
Montana. A volunteer would start off by
killing an Indian with each imaginary
shot, but after absorbing several dozen
doses Of the brand OF tonsil varnish that
was being dispensed, he raised the ante
until as high as 20 full-feathered bucks
were biting the dust at every discharge
of his rifle.
Original Offensive
AT the time it seemed a queer coinci-
dence that the majority of the drinks
were paid for by the men who had been
obliged to arm themselves with muzzle-
leaders, but the fact was entirely lost
sight of at the moment, and 1t was not
until the following day the first stragetic
plan in connection with the impending
battle became common knowledge. While
the possessors of the breech loading guns
stood entrenched in front of the Black
foot bar, knocking over imaginary IN
dams by the score, the more sober pos
SCISSORS of the Misunderstanding weapons
had substituted their more obsolete rifles
for the needle guns and decamped. In
order to retain possession, many OF them
had started out alone or in small groups.
hoping thereby to get mixed up in the
prospective battle before the real owners
had sobered up sufficiently to realize
their loss.
In theory the plan had proved a great
success, but luckily for the volunteers no
Indians were encountered. Had Chief
Joseph swooped into the Deer Lodge VAL
ley that day, a different story would
nave Deen related. In tlelr anxiety TO
secure possession of a breech-loading
rifle. the fellows who conceived the idea
OF making the swap had overlooked the
matter of ammunition. The men with
the stolen" breechloaders carried moth
ing but muzzle loader charges, while
those with muzzie- loaders could do moth
ing with their copper-cased cartridges.
Locate Old Relics
} Deer Lodge residents had occasion to
5 recall the Battle of Blackfoot Bar at
the time the present Deer Lodge hotel
t was erected. An old stone building stood
) near where the present hotel entrance
is now situated. When the old stone
/ building was being demolished, workmen
/ unearthed about TO strand of Springfield
, rifles. They were all that remained of
; the consignment furnished by the gov
( eminent in 1877 for the purpose of arm
ing volunteer indian fighters. They had
been stored in the building, and as the
} years went by, lost sight Of. w. c. Spotts-
/ wood, then manager Of the Bonner Mer-
camille company which owned the build
/ ing, had them removed to the Bonner
l store n placed on exhibition In one of
the windows. incidentally he notified
t the federal war department regarding the
guns and sent ordnance headquarters at
: Washington, ID. c., a bill covering their
J storage. Several weeks elapsed before he
received an answer. The ordnance de-
partmnt informed him that inasmuch as
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