USA > Montana > Yellowstone County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 8
USA > Montana > Park County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 8
USA > Montana > Dawson County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 8
USA > Montana > Rosebud County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 8
USA > Montana > Custer County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 8
USA > Montana > Sweet Grass County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 8
USA > Montana > Carbon County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 8
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outnumbered, and while slightly worsted in the battle which ensued, still he was able to effect a retreat and gain the Lolo Trail. While not a victory for Joseph, it could not be termed a defeat, for General Howard was not able to head him off, and he retreated to the Bitter Root. After having reached the Bitter Root he retreated south up the valley and into the Big Hole river valley. He thought he was well in advance of the soldiers and camped in this valley to rest his men and their families.
Joseph had but one means of knowing of the approach of soldiers, the scouts who were sent out. Through this means he would not likely learn of an approaching enemy many hours in advance of its approach. He was not aware that there were any other soldiers with whom he must contend at this camping place other than the force of General Howard. But the telegraph wires had been working and Gen- eral Gibbon, who at this time was stationed at Helena, had crossed to Fort Missoula to in- tercept him. He, however, arrived too late to intercept the Indians, so pursued them up the valley, and on August 9th, just at break of day, made a furious charge and surprised them where they were camped in the valley of the Big Hole. The surprise was complete and the Indians lost many of their horses. They were driven from their position and General Gibbon thought he had made a successful surprise, but Joseph after having been driven from his position, rallied his warriors, and made a des- perate attack on the soldiers, defeating them and driving them back to a wooded country. where they took refuge. The victory was com- plete, Gibbon's command being so crippled that it could not pursue the Indians. Gibbon was wounded in the engagement. Howard crossed the country and joined Gibbon here. The Ban- nack scouts scalped the dead Indians, a barbar- ous custom not resorted to by the Nez Perce during the entire retreat.
From the valley of the Big Hole Joseph crossed over the continental divide and camped
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on Camas Prairie in Idaho. Howard's com- mand was one day behind and camped on the same prairie. Joseph was retreating towards Yellowstone park. In order to intercept him a detachment had been sent ahead under Lieu- tenant Bacon. The most accessible way to the Yellowstone National Park was through Thatcher's pass. This pass was to be guarded by Bacon. Howard knowing that it would be al- most impossible for Joseph to cross the moun- tains in any other place, thought by guarding this pass that the Indians would be held at bay until the main force would come up, and thus possibly force a surrender. But Joseph was not yet ready to cross the divide into the park. During the stillness of the night he returned over the same trail and made a night attack upon the troops. The attack was very suc- cessful and they captured the greater number of Howard's horses. Howard rallied his men, pursued the Indians, and was able to recapture part of the horses. Later in the evening the Indians made another successful attack, and so complete was the surprise that they captured nearly all the remaining horses of Howard's command. Joseph had accomplished all he de- sired and continued his retreat. There was no danger of pursuit now as the soldiers could not follow them until horses could be obtained from Virginia City. In Joseph's retreat through the pass he was not intercepted by Bacon, who had been sent to head him off, Bacon having lost the trail.
After reaching the park they passed down by Yellowstone lake, over the Yellowstone river, crossing Baronet's bridge, burning the bridge behind them; thence to Clark's fork, and down it to the Yellowstone. By so doing they avoided Colonel Sturgiss, who had come over from Powder river with three hundred and fifty soldiers and some friendly Crows. On the 13th of October, Sturgiss overtook Joseph at the mouth of canyon creek. The Indians were divided into guards, one detachment remaining at the mouth of the canyon, the other taking
position some distance up the canyon. Here they were so completely surrounded that they lost four hundred ponies. From here they re- treated to the Musselshell river, crossed the river and marched in a northerly direction, striking the Missouri at Cow island on the 23rd.
Cow island was the limit of low water navi- gation on the upper Missouri, 125 miles below Fort Benton. There was a landing here but no settlement. The landing was guarded by twelve soldier and four citizens. The Indians attacked it but at night drew off. They burned all the freight at the landing. A detachment came down from Fort Benton and followed the Indians for a couple of days, but abandoned the pursuit after a skirmish in which they were defeated.
From Fort Keogh on the Yellowstone, Col- onel Miles was marching across the country with nine companies of mounted men, a com- pany and a half of infantry, a company of white and Indian scouts, a breech loading Hotchkiss gun and a twelve pound Napoleon. After reaching Cairo on the Missouri, below Cow island, Miles learned of the event at the latter place, and on the 25th three hundred and seventy-five men began the march to cut off the retreating Nez Perce.
In the meantime the Nez Perce had marched north and taken position in the Bear Paw mountains, camping on Smoke creek, a tributary of the Milk river. Joseph was now within fifty miles of the British line, and not knowing of the approach of Colonel Miles, he went in camp here, expecting after a day's rest to continue their retreat into the British Pos- sessions.
On the morning of the 30th, the camp was attacked, the Indians knowing nothing of the approach of Colonel Miles until within a few miles of where they were camped. The Indians took position in a ravine which led into the creek valley along the bluffs. They were com- pletely surrounded and 800 of their cattle cap-
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tured. The fighting continued for four days and nights. The Indians were well located in the ravine but completely surrounded by the troops, making their escape almost impossible, Colonel Miles did not deem it wise to capture the camp by storm as it would necessitate the loss of a great many men. Having the Indians surrounded and damaging them with shell he felt sure that they must eventually surrener.
Sitting Bull was in Canada not many miles distance from the boundary. Besides Sitting Bull there were bands on various reservations which could be depended on by Joseph to render him assistance. Joseph says that he could have held out until such time as he could have gotten assistance from these bands. But during the four days he was being besieged he was negotiating with Miles. Several times during these days he sent messengers to Miles, asking upon what terms Miles would accept a surrender. After having received satisfactory terms upon which he was to surrender, Joseph says that, "on the fifth day (October 4th) I went to General Miles and gave him my gun, and said 'From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more; my people need rest ; we want peace.' "
General Howard had arrived and was on the ground at the surrender. Joseph held out for five days against great odds. The troops were fresh; his people were worn and tired from many miles of travel. White Bird es- caped during the night with 105 warriors, and fled into Canada. Joseph contends that he, with the men, could have effected a retreat, had they left the wounded, the children and the old women, but he preferred to surrender rather than do this.
Chief Joseph upon his surrender left this very pathetic message for General Howard : "Tell General Howard I know his heart. What he told me before I have in my heart. I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed. Look- ing Glass is dead. Too-hul-hul-sote is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men
who say yes or no. He who led on the young men is dead. It is cold and we have no blank- ets. The little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills and have no blankets, no food; no one knows where they are, perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children and see how many of them I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead. Hear me, my chiefs. I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever."
The day of the surrender, under a flag of truce, Joseph was informed through General Miles that so far as he knew that he was to be returned to Lapwai reservation. General Miles' understanding was that this was the course to be pursued, and so expressed himself to the Indian leader. This seemed to be an ab- solute guarantee to Joseph that he would be sent to the Idaho reservation.
The saddest page in all their history is the record showing the government's intention to establish them in the Indian territory. They were accustomed to a northern climate. to the invigorating air of the mountains; and when subjected to the warm southern country the little band rapidly decreased. Public clamor demanded their removal. The commissioner of Indian affairs reports that :
These Indians are in some respects superior to those of any other tribe connected with the agency. They are unusually bright and intelligent ; nearly one- half of them are consistent members of the Presbyte- rian Church. They meet regularly for weekly services in the school house, and so far as dress, deportment, propriety of conduct are concerned, they could not be distinguished from an ordinary white congregation. The entire band, with probably one of two exceptions. are quiet, peaceable, and orderly people. They are ex- tremely anxious to return to their own country. They regard themselves as exiles. The climate does not seem to agree with them, many of them having died, and there is a tinge of melancholy in their bearing and conversation that is truly pathetic. I think they should be sent back, as it seems clear that they will never take root and prosper in this locality.
3
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HISTORY OF MONTANA.
In 1895 there were 268 of Chief Joseph's band still living, and it was decided to send them back into a colder climate, one better suited to their health and prosperity. One hundred and eighteen were brought to the Nez
Perce reservation in Idaho, the remainder, 150, to the Colville reservation in Washington. Among the latter was Chief Joseph. He died in September, 1904, and departed for the happy hunting grounds.
CHAPTER IV
THE FUR TRADERS.
The vast stretch of country between the Mississippi river and the Pacific coast, which had been truly a terra incognito before the ex- pedition of Lewis and Clark in 1804-6, was not long to remain so. The knowledge of the coun- try which these intrepid explorers gained and disseminated throughout the country awak- ened an active interest in the Northwest. Trap- pers, adventurers and fortune hunters were not slow to penetrate the country about which the Lewis and Clark party told in such glowing words. The next period of Montana's history has to deal with the adventures of the hardy trappers and traders, who almost immediately after the return of the successful exploring party set out for the upper Missouri.
Manuel Lisa, quick to grasp the informa- tion gained from the Lewis and Clark expedi- tion, was the first to fit out a trading expeditio.) for this far away country. In the spring of 1807 he left St. Louis for the upper Missouri, intending to establish trading posts with the Indians of that countyr. The Sioux, Aricaras and Mandans were visited, the latter two tribes showing signs of hostility ; but without serious resistance the expedition was privileged to con- tinue its course up the river.
It seems to have been the original intention of Lisa to establish a fort near the mouth of the Yellowstone, or at some convenient place farther up the Missouri, for the purpose of
trading with the Blackfeet. This he did not do, but after having reached the confluence of these rivers, he ascended the Yellowstone. The only assignable reason for this move is the in- formation Lisa received from John Colter, who had become a member of the party at the mouth of the Platte, concerning whose move- ments this history will treat later.
At the mouth of the Big Horn river a fort was established. This fort, or trading post, consisted of two buildings, one on the right bank of the Big Horn and the other on the right bank of the Yellowstone, directly opposite the mouth of the Big Horn river. This fort has been known by different names-Fort Lisa, Fort Manuel and Manuel's Fort. These two buildings erected by Manuel Lisa enjoy the dis- tinction of being the first buildings erected within the limits of the state of Montana. No trace of the old fort now remains.
We have noted above that Lisa diverged from his original plan of building the fort at the mouth of the Yellowstone. The Crows and Blackfeet were deadly enemies, and the estab- lishment of a trading post in the country of the Crows would be sufficient cause for the Blackfeet to consider the traders in league with their old-time enemy and to arouse their jeal- ousy. Whatever the future results of this move may have been can not be estimated, but the immediate outcome was an unfriendly re-
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lationship with the Blackfeet. Trade was opened with the Crows and many valuable furs secured. Lisa and his party spent the winter of 1807-8 at the post, and the next spring returned to St. Louis, elated with success.
While Mannel Lisa had been the first to organize an expedition to penetrate the upper Missouri country, there was one who was a year ahead of that bold trapper in exploring portions of the Montana country. This one was John Colter, who was a private soldier with Lewis and Clark during the memorable expedition of 1804-6. When that party ar- rived at Mandan on the homeward journey in 1806 Colter asked to be granted a discharge that he might remain in the upper country to trap and hunt, and his request was granted. We have nothing definite as to where he passed the winter of 1806-7, but most writers credit him with having visited the Yellowstone river country and having passed the winter there.
The next spring he set out for St. Louis in a small canoe. He descended the Missouri as far as Platte, where he met the party under Manuel Lisa on its way up the river. Colter was prevailed upon to join the expedition and thenceforth became one of Lisa's most active workers. Lisa, of course, was not acquainted with the country and he knew that Colter would be of great value to him. However important an event the acquisition of Colter to the party was, we find no mention of him in the journal of the expedition from the point where he joined the party until the confluence of the Yellowstone and the Big Horn rivers was reached.
The party having reached the Big Horn, Colter was dispatched to notify all the Indians in the surrounding country that a trading post had been established at the mouth of the Big Horn river. This brave explorer at once set out on his perilous mission. Loaded down with a pack of thirty pounds weight, besides carrying his gun and ammunition, Colter made
a trip upwards of five hundred miles alone and on foot through an unknown and trackless country, notified the Crows of the establishment of the post and then endeavored to carry the news farther into the interior. The Crow's were supposed to be somewhere on the Big Horn river, but it seems that they were at this time camped on the Wind river. Proceeding westward from here, accompanied by a num- ber of Crow guides, he advanced to Pierre Hole, where he and his guides were attacked by a party of Blackfeet. The attacking party was repulsed, but Colter was wounded in the leg. The Crow guides then left him and re- turned to their camps, leaving Colter entirely alone. Without guides or escorts of any kind this brave man then worked his way back to the establishment, several hundred miles. Hav- ing had a skirmish with the Blackfeet he be- lieved it would be folly to go on the three forks of the Missouri to inform the Blackfeet of the establishment of the post. He crossed from Pierre Hole in a northeasterly direction to what is now the Yellowstone National park, thence in an almost northeasterly direction through it to the Yellowstone river, which stream he followed to where it bends to the northwest. Here he took an east branch, fol-' lowed its course a few miles, then advanced in a northeasterly course to Lisa's fort.
The winter was spent at and near the fort. When spring opened Colter, accompanied by one Potts, was again sent out with instructions to meet the Blackfeet at the three forks. Ar- riving there they found no Indians, and so en- gaged in trapping until such time as the In- dians should put in an appearance. The story of the adventures of these two men on this trip reads like a romance. We leave its telling to the able pen of Washington Irving :
They were on a branch of the Missouri called Jef- ferson's Fork, and had set their traps at night about six miles up a small river that emptied into the fork. Early in the morning they ascended the river in a canoe to examine the traps. The banks of each side
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HISTORY OF MONTANA.
were high and perpendicular and cast a shade over the stream. As they were softly paddling along, they heard the tramping of many feet upon the banks. Colter im- mediately gave the alarm of "Indians!" and was for instant retreat. Potts scoffed at him for being scared at the trample of buffaloes. Colter checked his un- easiness and paddled forward. They had not gone much further when frightful whoops and yells burst forth from each side of the river and several hundred Indians appeared on either bank.
Signs were made to the unfortunate trappers to come on shore. They were obliged to comply. Before they could get out of their canoes a savage siezed the rifle belonging to Potts. Colter sprang on shore, wrested the weapon from the hands of the savage, and restored it to his companion, who was still in the canoe, and immediately pushed into the stream. There was a sharp twang of a bow and Potts cried out that he was wounded. Colter urged him to come on shore and submit as his only chance for life; but the other knew there was no prospect of mercy and determined to die game. Leveling his rifle, he shot one of the savages dead on the spot. The next moment he fell himself, pierced with innumerable arrows.
The vengeance of the savages now turned upon Colter. He was stripped naked. and, having some knowledge of the Blackfeet language, overheard a con- versation as to the mode of dispatching him, so as to derive the greatest amount from his death. Some were for setting him up as a mark and having a trial of skill at his expense. The chief, however, was for nobler sport. He seized Colter by the shoulder and demanded if he could run fast. The unfortunate trapper was too well acquainted with Indian customs not to comprehend the drift of the question. He knew he was to run for his life, to furnish a kind of human hunt to his perse- cutors. Though in reality he was noted among his brother hunters for swiftness of foot, he assured the chief that he was a very bad runner. His strategem gained him some vantage ground. He was led by the chief into the prairie, about four hundred yards from the main body of savages, and then turned loose to save himself if he could. A tremendous yell let him know that the whole pack of bloodhounds was off in full cry. Colter fled rather than ran; he was as- tonished at his own speed; but he had six miles of prairie to travel before he should reach the Jefferson fork of the Missouri: how could he hope to hold out such a distance with the fearful odds of several hun- dred to one against him! The plain, too, abounded with the prickly pear, which wounded his naked feet. Still he fled on, dreading each moment to hear the twang of a bow, and to feel an arrow piercing his heart. He did not even dare to look around, least he should lose an inch of the distance on which his life depended. He had run nearly half way across the plain when the sound of pursuit grew somewhat fainter, and he ventured to turn his head. The main body of
his pursuers was a considerable distance behind; sev- eral of the fastest runners were scattered in advance; while a swift-footed warrior. armed with a spear, was not more than one hundred yards behind.
Inspired with new hope, Colter redoubled his ex- ertions, but strained himself to such a degree that the blood gushed from his mouth and nostrils and streamed down his breast. He arrived within a mile of the river. The sound of footsteps gathered upon him. A glance behind showed his pursuer within twenty yards, and preparing to launch his spear. Stopping short he turned around and spread out his arms. The savage, confounded by this sudden action, attempted to stop and hurl his spear, but fell in the very act. His spear struck in the ground and the shaft broke in his hand. Colter plucked up the pointed part, pinned the savage to the 'earth, and continued his flight. The Indians, as they arrived at their slaughtered companion, stopped to howl over him. Colter made the most of this precious delay, gained the skirt of cottonwood bordering the river, dashed through it, and plunged into the stream. He swam to a neighboring island, against the upper end of which driftwood had lodged in such quantities as to form a natural raft; under this he dived, and swam below water until he succeeded in getting a breathing place between the floating trunks of trees, whose branches and bushes formed a covert several feet above the water. He had scarcely drawn breath after all his toil when he heard his pursuers on the river bank, whooping and yelling like so many fiends. They plunged into the water and swam to the raft. The heart of Colter almost died within him as he saw them through the chinks of his concealment, passing and repassing, and seeking for him in all directions.
They at length gave up the search and he began to rejoice in his escape, when the idea presented itself that they might set the raft on fire. Here was a new source of horrible apprehension, in which he remained until nightfall. Fortunately the idea did not suggest itself to the Indians. As soon as it was dark, finding by the silence around that his pursuers had departed, Colter dived again and came up beyond the raft. He then swam silently down the river for a considerable distance, when he landed, and kept on all night to get as far as possible from this dangerous neighborhood. By daybreak he had gained sufficient distance to re- lieve him of the terrors of his savage foes.
From here Colter made his way to the trad- ing post on the Yellowstone, where he remained until 1809, when he returned to St. Louis.
Lisa's report of the great wealth to be ob- tained in the upper Missouri country aroused the enthusiasm of the merchants of St. Louis and of the trappers and traders throughout the Missouri and Mississippi river points. So
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HISTORY OF MONTANA.
strong an impression did the news make that the Missouri Fur company, sometimes called the St. Louis-Missouri Fur company, was in- corporated with a capital of forty thousand dollars. The organization was effected during the winter of 1808 and 1809, and was to ex- pire at the end of three years. Manuel Lisa was made head of the new company and that gentleman turned over to the new organization all the equipment of the expedition of 1807, in- cluding the post established at the mouth of the Big Horn river. The members of the Mis- souri Fur company were Manuel Lisa, Benja- min Wilkinson, Pierre Chouteau, Sr., Augus- tin Chouteau, Jr., William Clark, Reuben Lewis, Sylvester Labadie, Pierre Menard, Wil- liam Morris, Dennis Fitz Hugh and Andrew Henry.
The expedition organized by the company left St. Louis in the early spring of 1809. It consisted of about one hundred and fifty men and merchandise sufficient to supply half a dozen posts and equip as many small outfits as it might be found necessary to send out. The main part of the merchandise was to be taken to Lisa's fort on the Yellowstone, where the party intended to spend the winter. Several posts were to be established at various places along the Missouri below the Yellowstone. These ports were established; then the main party went on to the mouth of the Big Horn, arriving there some time in October.
Headquarters were made at Fort Lisa un- til spring, trade being carried on with the Crow Indians during the winter months. Early in the spring of 1810 a strong party set out for the three forks of the Missouri to trap and to open relations with the Blackfeet. Cap- tains Lewis and Clark had made mention of the great number of beaver to be found in this country : also had Colter. The establishing of a post here, then, was for a double purpose- the Indian trade and the trapping of beaver. In the party who went to the three forks were
Andrew Henry and Pierre Menard, two of the partners.
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