The Yellowstone National Park: Historical and DescriptiveChittenden, Hiram Martin
History
The Yellowstone National Park: Historical and Descriptive
Chittenden, Hiram Martin
Yellowstone National Park
As soon as the command at Henry Lake had become recuperated, the
pursuit was vigorously resumed. Howard followed in the track of the
Indians as far as to the ford of the Yellowstone; but instead of
crossing at this point, he descended the river by the left bank to
the site of Baronett's celebrated first bridge over the Yellowstone.
From the Lower Geyser Basin to this bridge a road had to be opened for
the wagons. It was a prodigious undertaking, but was performed with
astonishing rapidity under the direction of Capt. W. F. Spurgin,
Twenty-first Infantry. The bridge was found partially destroyed by the
Indians and had to be repaired, after which the line of march was
continued up the Lamar and Soda Butte Valleys, and across the divide
to the valley of Clark's Fork.
The authorities had been widely warned of the probable route of the
Indians and were lying in wait to intercept them. Gen. Sturgis
expected to do this as they emerged from the Absaroka Mountains; but
unfortunately he stationed himself in the wrong pass and left the one
which the Indians took unguarded. By this loss of time he fell in
behind both the Indians and Howard, who was now in close pursuit. The
Indians crossed the Yellowstone September 12th. Here Sturgis overtook
them with a company of cavalry and a slight conflict ensued. The
Indians then struck north, apparently for the British line. On
September 23d they crossed the Missouri at Cow Island and resumed
their march north. But they were intercepted by Gen. Miles in the Bear
Paw Mountains and a severe fight followed, at the northern base of the
range on Snake Creek, less than thirty miles from the boundary. The
Indians were utterly defeated and Looking Glass was killed. Most of
the survivors surrendered unconditionally and the rest escaped across
the line. This was on October 5, 1877.
Since the first outbreak, June 13th, three months and twenty-two days
had elapsed. The flight and pursuit had extended over 1,500 miles.
There had been no fewer than fifteen engagements. The whites had lost
6 officers and 121 soldiers and citizens killed, and 13 officers and
127 soldiers and citizens wounded. A large part of the Indian losses
could never be ascertained, but their known losses were 151 killed, 88
wounded and 489 captured.
This celebrated campaign is well intended to elicit the fullest
sympathy for the unfortunate Nez Percés. A vast deal of sentiment has
been wasted upon the cause of the red man. Opinions have ranged from
the extreme views of Catlin, who could see no wrong in the Indian, to
those of the rabid frontiersman whose creed was "no good Indian but a
dead one." But, if there ever was a case where sympathy might well
incline to the side of the Indian, it is the one under consideration.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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