Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-04-25
MOmtamam TELLS
of UmrecOrded BATTLE Inn
Southeastern Part of State

MOUNTAINS historic spots, recalling
the stirring days when the states
A'A history IA being written, should
be preserved and properly marked. This
opinion, expressed by r. II. Mckay,
president of the Missoula chamber of
commerce, in an interview published
recently in The Daily Northwest, is
commended and agreed with by w. G..
Marshall, a former Montanan, now re-
siding at Oakdale, Calf.
Mr.. Marshall, who retired from the
Northern Pacific railroad about Is
years ago, was at the time OF his re-
tirement the oldest engineer in point
of service on the Missoula division. Be-
fore he became a ~railroader, he had
been a freighter, operating out OF Man
dan and into Montana territory.
In a letter to The Daily Northwest,
in which he expresses the hope that
action will be taken to preserve Mon
tana's historic landmarks, Mr.. Marshall
ADDS the story of an unmarked battle
ground where a bloody engagement was
fought between the Indians and the
whites. He says.
II was much interested in the article
appearing in The. Daily Northwest OF
March II in regard to marking places
of historical interest in Montana. l
think that&Ir. Mckay is right and if
something is not done about 1t soon
many places of interest will be over
looked or forgotten entirely.
ITO illustrate: There are two places
of interest of which one never hears
mention. One is the battlefield on
Goose creek, q tributary OF the Rose
bud, where General Crook was met IN
June 1876, and defeated by Sitting Bull
only a few days prior to the Custer
battle. Crook vas in command OF the
troops from the south that were sent
to meet Custer from Fort Lincoln, Da-
kota. They and General Gibbon from
Fort Ellis, Montana territory, met at
some point on the Yellowstone. Crooks
engagement was SO closely allied to that
Of Clusters command that 1t seems TO
me worthy OF a place IN the history OF
Montana.
Hears of Battle
1.-THE other place l have in mind is
that where a battle between a party
of prospectors and Indians took place
on the Rosebud in 1867 or '68. | am
not positive OF the date, but the story
OF the fight was given me by a MEM
Der of the prospecting party in June.
iotps IN wv y mp w. N1N
on the battle-ground where he tBen
Mitchell, the member Of the prospect
ing party) pointed out to us all the
details of the fight.
1.-The party, / think, was organized IN
Helena. The time was so long ago that
many of the details have slipped my
memory. But, as nearly as | can re-
member, there were about 25 men with
IL or IA teams and some extra horses
for saddle use. The party crossed over
the Bridger pass, where the Northern
Pacific now crosses it between Boze-
man and Livingston, and followed the
Yellowstone down to somewhere near
the site of old Fort Keogh.
1.-THE Indians gave the prospectors
trouble for several days, and this APP
peared to be increasing the farther
they went, SO they decided to turn
back. After travelling some distance
back up the river, the Indians became
so numerous that it was decided to
change the route and go south, as that
would eventually bring the party onto
the overland trails and safety.
Redskins Vanish
After reaching the Rosebud, the In
dams seemed to disappear altogether
However, the prospectOrs were taking
III Llld1lLCO dllQ cblll hCPu LllC ~
out on both sides and to the front ant
rear. They were on the east side 0.
the Rosebud and keeping well out o.
rifle range Of the timber along tht
river when their advance scout wa.
fired on from a ravine crossing theil
route to the front. Both horse anC
rider were wounded at the first volley
although the man fell off his horse
his wound was not serious enough Il
knock the fight out Of him. He rolled
over on his stomach, whipped out hi.
old butcher knife an commenced TX
dig in, loosening the dirt with the knife
claWing it out with his hands am
piling it up in front of him. He stooC
the Indians off until relief came. The
train hurried up and formed a corral
a half circle with the bow facing the
ravine, and brought their stock inside
for defense. After it got dark, some
of the men craWled through under thu
wagons and dug 8 or 10 rifle pits. Be-
fore daylight, men we're stationed ir
these to pick off any Indians thai
might expose themselves. The Indians
kept up a d%esultory fire all night, also
the next day and night and showed ne
disposition to quit on the third day
The water supply had given out anc
the men were driven back whenever
they tried to reach the river. Both
men and stock we're in bad shape
About noon on the third day the cap
tain of the train called the men to-
gether and told them that the end had
come; that he had a plan, but that
there IA about one chance in a thou
sand that it would be successful. He
would not select or order anyone to
follow him, but he asked for vOlun-
teers and wanted ten men.
The plan was for those remaining to
keep up a steady fire to hold the In
dams and drive them out. That one
can better understand the movement,
a description Of the field is necessary.
The ravine in front Of their stand was
formed by two others coming together
about 100 yards to the left. Some small
brush extending from the river on the
right extended up to where the two
ravines met but there was none above
that.
Plan Carried Out
THE leaders plan was carried out
exactly as he meant, and when the men
came down on the Indians shooting and
yelling like fiends, the redmen went
out of there like a lot of scared jack
rabbits. When the fighting was over,
there were IA or Is Indians left be-
hind. The loss to the prospectors was
four or five wounded men and about
six dead horses. With the exception
of n old buck. all the dead were
mere boys around l6 years old, indi-
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