Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1939-05-19
Battle of Big Hole i'm August, 1877, Termed Dra,p
With Odds Slightly ON Side of Nez Perez Indians

their tepees. Hastily bundling together
the greater portion Of their supplies
they packed their equipment on horses.
The women accomplished most OF this
work and many Of them were killed
while thus engaged. Two of Chief
Chief Looking Glass were believed to
have been killed at this time.
Surrounded in Timber
When the soldiers retired into the
timber, they were surrounded by In
dams who took cover on the river
banks below and behind rocks and
trees on the hillside above. The SOL
bayonets and erected barricades from
rocks and trees. Despite their efforts
the Indians fire was deadly and
Lieutenant English and a number of
men were killed. Captain Williams was
wounded a second time and more men
were placed on the injured list.
Two large pine trees on the open
hillside 400 yards from the mouth of
the gulch, furnished cover for an In
dian who was a deadly long range shot
He took his stand early in the morn
ing and remained there until late in
the afternoon when a soldier managed
to reach a point up the gulch and
drive him out by crosS-fire. During the
time the Indian was in the trees, he
killed or wounded several and so great
" harraSsed the troops that he kept
them glued to their rifle pits. When
he was driven from the trees. one arm
was dangling at its side as If 1t had
been broken.
From time to time the Nez Perce
crawled up close to the troops and
threatened to charge but White Bird
was unable to raise their courage to
the extent of completing such a
maneuver. Meanwhile, the Indians had
attacked the wagon train, which was
farther back on the trail, with the
howitzer. 1t had been planned to use
the howitzer to shell the Indian camp.
At daylight on the morning of Aug.
9. three noncommiSsioned officers and
three men, under the direction OF Joe
Blodgett, scout, had started with the
howitzer toward the main body of
troops. They had crossed Trail creek
and were in the act Of placing it in
position to open fire when they were
surprised by body Of about 80 mount
ed Indians.
Forced to Retreat
Two of the soldiers fled while four
remained with the gun They were able
to fire it twice before the Indians
closed in on them. When they saw
they could not successfully defend the
gun, they threw it off its carriage and
TblTedlpu. corporal SdyleS was kllltG
and Sergeants Daily and Fredericks
were wounded The horses were both
shot down. Private Bennett. the driver
was caught under one of the horses
but pretended to be dead until the
Indians withdrew. He managed to Gu:
a harness and release himself and
later joined Sergeants Daily and Fred
ericks. The Indians captured a pack
train loaded with 1000 rifle cartridges
The loss of these cartridges was a Seri-
Gus blow to General Gibbon and his
soldiers.
While this was going on the fight
was continuing at the mouth Of the
gulch. Late in the afternoon. Chic!
Joseph set fire to the grass. A vino
was blowing directly toward the SOL
diers and it appeared for a while as
if they would be dislodgeG Gibbor
determined that il worst came to worst
his men would charge directly through
the fire and meet the Indians in the
open. Fortune was with them. however
because the wind changed when the
fire was but a few yards from tbs
entertainments.
The soldiers were in a bad position
because Of lack Of water and food
Il was not until nighttaI that vo.un.
teerS were able TO creep to the river
and fill Canteens. Lieutenan. Wood.
rufus horse which had bee. kill,
within the lines, was cut up and cate!
raw. The Indians kept firing iron
time to time during the night anc