page_title: Cow Creek (Montana)
section_title: Nez Perce War
hierarchical_section_title: Cow Creek (Montana) / History / Nez Perce War
context_page_description: Cow Creek is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 35 miles long, in north central Montana in the United States. Cow Creek rises in the southern foothills of the Bear Paw Mountains in western Blaine County and flows east and then south, joining the Missouri approximately 25 air miles northeast of Winifred, Montana—or 22 miles upstream from the Fred Robinson Bridge.
context_section_description: On September 23, 1877 several hundred Nez Perce crossed the Missouri at Cow Creek in their flight toward Canada.  An army garrison of twelve men under Sergeant William Molchert was at Cow Island Landing, along with four civilian clerks who represented freighting interests in the region. 
   Fifty tons of freight, which had been offloaded from steamboats, lay under tarpaulins at the landing awaiting shipment by wagon to Fort Benton or other remote corners of the Montana Territory.
  The Nez Perce crossed the Missouri at several places.  The group observed by soldiers first sent an advance guard of 20 or so warriors across, who spread out on the north bank.  Then the women and children crossed with pack animals and camp equipment, and finally a rear guard of warriors crossed.
  Several armed encounters involving the Nez Perce occurred on Cow Creek, but the most important event was the fateful decision made while in camp on Cow Creek on September 25, 1877.
  The squad of soldiers at Cow Island Landing on September 23, 1877 had been sent to guard the stockpiled supplies, which had been offloaded from steamboats. Upon the arrival of the Nez Perce, the soldiers and the clerks retreated into an earthen entrenchment which had been built around their tents to divert rain water.  The entrenchment was a few hundred yards from the ford.  Significantly the entrenchment was also a few hundred yards from the stacked supplies.
  After crossing the river, the main body of the Nez Perce went past the soldiers without incident, and camped about two miles up Cow Creek.  A small group of Nez Perce rode to the entrenchment.  They indicated friendly intentions and asked for some of the stockpiled food.  The army sergeant in charge at first ignored their request which reduced the Nez Perce to begging.  Finally the sergeant gave them one bag of hardtack and one side of bacon from the soldier's own stores.   At sundown gunfire broke from Indians in the breaks, who had located themselves so they could fire down into the entrenchment.  Two civilians were wounded and the soldiers, though able to return fire, were now pinned down.  The supplies were far enough from the entrenchment so that, as night fell, the Indians could filter out of the steep eroded breaks and get to the supplies without coming under effective fire.  After dark the Indians broke into the supplies, and took what they found desirable in the dark.  The supplies were set on fire.  A large stockpile of bacon burned brightly for most of the night.  The soldiers attributed the illumination from this blaze with preventing a concerted attack, but it is more likely that the Nez Perce only wanted the supplies and not a pitched battle with the soldiers.  The Indians and the soldiers exchanged sporadic gunfire through the night until about 10:00 in the morning, after which the Nez Perce moved off up Cow Creek.  Two civilians and one Nez Perce warrior were wounded.
  On September 22, 1877, before the arrival of the Nez Perce, a wagon train had left Cow Island Landing with 35 tons of freight and a herd of cattle, heading up Cow Island Trail for Ft. Benton.  On September 24 while still in Cow Island Canyon, the train was overtaken by the Nez Perce who approached them unthreateningly and camped one and one half miles away.  That evening some Nez Perce visited the camp of the wagon train and there were civil exchanges between the members of the wagon train and the Nez Perce who wanted to trade for ammunition and other goods.
  On the morning of September 25, a small army relief force under Major Guido Igles approached the rear of the Nez Perce assemblage on Cow Creek.  Major Igles had come from Ft. Benton to the aid of the outpost at Cow Island Landing.  He was leading a handful of soldiers and civilian volunteers from Ft. Benton.  After reaching Cow Island on September 24, he had continued on the trail of the Nez Perce.
  When the Nez Perce discovered Major Igles coming up Cow Creek, some warriors went down the canyon to take up positions to meet this threat.  Other Nez Perce attacked the wagon train. One teamst
caption: Nez Perce Warrior
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