Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-03-27

During tire night the men In the
fort heard the Indians coming up the
ravine, mounted It was bright moon
light and they could be seen distinctly.
Hating at the creek. they dismounted.
tied their ponies and commenced
crawling toward the fort. When the
Indians were within 90 yards Of the
fort the frontiersmen began firing.
and before the redskins could get out
Of range two were killed. One other
J was wounded and fell so near the fort
1 he could be seen and heard from with
| In. He called out TO the men In broken
English:
Hold on: I'm hit. Don't shoot any
more; I'm a good Indian"
Later In the night he called:
Come and get me: I'm wounded"
Maxwell replied: well, crawl in
here, then. and we'll look out for you"
The wounded brave replied: mo. no:
let them come and carry me off," and
presently he rose up and said:
How! How! Don't shoot; me go
away"
They let him go. and after he had
worked himself down the hill a short
distance two Indians came up, took
him by the arms and helped him off.
Didn't Fall for Ruse
The Indians then packed up and
made a show OF going away, driving
the cattle with them. However, the
steers were soon heard lowing about
the camp, the willy redskins thinking
the whites would believe some of the
oxen had come back. Maxwell, how
ever, kept his men within the fort,
and the savages, seeing all their eff
forts to draw the little garrison out
were In vain, came on with yells and
boldly charged the works. They dashed
on either side Of the fort, firing at
the men within; but the besieged kept
still and let them ride and howl as
they pleased. Towards daylight the
Indians drew off into the hills and
commenced throwing up signal lights,
which were answered from a distance
They are sending for help, boys"
said Maxwell. I'VE will soon have it
hot and heavy-so rest while you have
chance"
In about two hours Indians were
seen coming in from the south and
| joining those on the hills. Very soon
they came towards the fort, and sew
eral. advancing called out:
How! How! Come out and give up"
Maxwell refused the invitation and
told them to come on If they wanted
fight.
1t was now light and the Indians
made steady advance, crawling
through the grass and sheltering
themselves behind every little mound
Of earth. The firing became rapid and
was kept up constantly for four hours
The Indians came very near getting
into the fort, but Maxwell and his
men stood their ground For three
hours nothing could be heard but the
reports of the rifles, the yelling OF
the Indians and the cries of the
women within the fort.
Presently the Indians drew off and
held council. Then they divided into
five parties, went into the hills, built
large fires, and camped. Several Of
them came down near the fort and
indicated that they wanted to talk,
but the whites warned them away.
One was inclined to be very sociable
and came quite near, when a bullet
sent him bowling with pain to the
rear.
Girl Proves Brave
Mrs. Maxwell cooked and carried
victuals to the men, who ate with one
hand, while they held their guns in
position with the other. May Maxwell
the daughter, as brave as the braveSt
went from man to man giving them
water to drink. During the remainder
of the day and the ensuing night the
situation remained unchanged, the In
dams sitting by their fires and now
and then making Intellectual attempts
to talk with the men in the fort.
The next morning they renewed the
attack. The little band was surrounded
on all sides and the charge was most
determined: but after an hours fight
ing the Indians fell back They next
commenced shooting with their bows
and arrows, firing into the air so the
arrows would drop into the fort The
men did not have their backs an6
heads protected from above, so that
one was soon wounded but all lay
still and they did not expose them
selves anymore than they could help
Failing to accomplish anything with
their bows and arrows, the Indian:
again held council and seemed to have
decided that the only thing was tt
starve the garrison. Occasionally some
Of the bravest would creep up through
the grass, but head could not be ex.
posed without bringing towards it 6
half-dozen bullets. One was observed
creeping almost within the works
when he received fatal shot from
Maxwell. The men saw another ap'
proach, lying on pony, and fired
hitting the pony, when the discom-
fitted rider scampered off as fast a.
he could.
Goes On Cooking
The water was now giving out and
the men became thirsty. To meet thi,
new danger passage was dug under
the breastworks and one of the party
crawled out and got water. Another
obtained some wood and the nexi
morning they surprised the Indians by
building fire. A tent had been put
up for Mrs. Maxwell and when ths
Indians saw the improved condition Of
the camp their rage was great. Dash.
ing down they fired over a hundred
shots at the fort but Mrs. Maxwell
stood her ground and went on cooking
with the bullets flying about her. The
Indians circled about for over twt