The New York Herald Newspaper, October 11, 1877, Page 3

NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER il, 1877.—TRIPLE ‘SHEET. : at Cold Harbor, but they also dug deep burrows for the sqnawe and children, SCENE OF THE CATTLE. On the night of September 29 the band of Nez Perces had ensconced itself in a ravine extending Miles and His Brave Men Crowned down to Snake Creek, about fourteen miles from with Victory. —_——_-+_— A BITTER SIEGE. ——— For Five Days Exposed to Bullets, Sleet and Snow. — LIVES HEROICALLY SACRIFICED. Major Hale’s Immortal Dying Words. “CHARGE == TEEM, BOYS! CHARGE I” “We'll Stay By Them; We'll Sit Up with Them!” FORTITUDE OF TilE WOUNDED. ‘The Nez Perces Unexpectedly Magnanimous. SITTING BULL'S SELFISH SECURITY, Rumored Trouble with the Cana- dian Authorities. The Nez Perces hostiles, under the com- mand of Chief Joseph, have surrendered unconditionally to the United States forces under General Miles at Snake Creek, near the Bear Paw Mountains. The surrender wos made on the 5th inst. after a des- perate battle lasting over two days. The camp contained 350 men, women and children, of which 160 were fighting warriors. The Indians betrayed none of the brutality usually manifested to wounded prisoners in their hands prior to the surrender, and, while fighting stub- bornly as long as they cowld, acted in a sur- prisingly civilized manner. We present herewith a graphic description of the battle bo successfully waged by General Miles, and that of the surrender, forwarded by the Henan correspondent in the field. SOSEPH’S RETREAT AND MILITARY SKILL—HIS | CONTEMPT #¥OR HOWARD—GENERAL MILES’ ADVANCE—HALE’S SOLDIERLY DEATH—A WILD SOENE—SUFFERINGS OF THE WOUNDED, {BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD. FORT BENTON, M. T., Oct. 5} Via HELENA, Oct. 9, 1877, The despatches telegraphed you last night an- nounced that the Nez Perces, who have led the United States troops a race from Oregon to East- ern Montana since last August, have been fairly @ntrapped. General Howard, who snatched a few troops trom Alaska at Portland, pursued Joseph and his tribe with speea and pertinacity, yet on his long march with a small force, insumMciently pro- vided with clothing, and with wornout animals, he did not succeed in delivering the retreating Nez Perces an effective blow. I am inclined to think that this was his misfortune rather than his fault, and that the :aurels gathered by General Gibbon and his brave command in the now histor- ical Big Hole fight need not wholly eclipse the praise Howard’s men should receive for their per- severance against the obstacles peculiar to the country. Even the trontiersmen who deride How- ard’s lack of success praise him for an achievement which ts really noteworthy in the history of Indian campaigns. HOWARD AND GIBBON. On his pursuit of Joseph through the Yellowstone country Howard found nimself impeded by barriers epparently impassable. Using the hands and imple- ments of the troops and teamsters alike, he con- structed an excclient wagon road straight through these impediments. It was made in incredibly few days. The haste of Howaré's departure and his ill tenditioned array put him at a disadvantage from the outset. General Gibbon’s disadvantage at Big Hole was in inferior numbers only, His troops Were somewhat fresher than Howard's, and cer- tainly Gencral Gibbon was better acquainted than Howard with Indian warfare. Against Joseph's twice outnumbering force he pushed a battie which, though it lost him fifty-eight men, inured to the lasting credit of the United States arms in the Northwest. The story of Gibbon'’s encounter has yet to be told, but the telling of it must walt under the imperious necessity of despatching the later ews of General Miles’ achievement. MILITARY SKILL OF THE NEZ PERCES. Joseph, having escaped from Howard and eluded Beurgis, was advancing confidently northward. He had burned at Cowstand, on the Missouri, a great | mass of government and private freight, and, hav- ing Crossed, was proceeding leisurely toward Fort Belknap, on the Milk River. Although he had sacri- Oced in his long retreat a great number of animals, he still retained the best horses of his herd. These numbered nearly one thousand. When he en- camped on the 28th of September, between the Little Rocky and the Bear Paw Mountains, his sup- plies of food, of clothing and of ammunition had been depleted and hunting parties were sent out to gather buffalo meat, rob granaries and steal cattle. Some of these predatory bands came as lately a8 three days ago within four miles of Fort Benton, where Generai Terry and the Sitting Bull Commission @rrived yesterday noon. While thus employing his warriors Joseph had 60 great a contempt for How- ard’s tactics and so little fear of Sturgis’ approach that he took no precautions beyond those usually observed in pitching camp at night. These had Baved him 60 far, and, a8 it will be seen, they just saved him on the 30th uit. from anninilation. So Bkilful are Joseph and his chiefsin the art of wartare against the whites that they had never iatled at their halts at eventide to intrench themselves, Their intrenchments included not unly a rine pit for each warvior, in which he was almost ag well pro- meted as the Union aud Conlederate sokiters we } | its mouth, which empties into Milk River. This position is among the foot hills of the Bear Paw Mountains, a cluster of heights isolated from | the main range, but commanding a distant view in | all directions and forming an almost impregnable citadel. The region round about the Indian camp is woodless and desolate at all times, and at this season of the year exceedingly dreary. The Bear Paw peaks above it are crowned with snow; the lower ridges are uot clothed with a single tree; a few scanty rose bushes decorate the edge of the swarthy gullies and iringe the immediate banks of the creeks and their tributary brooks. Therejore the region, though broken, is vpen in @ military sense, and the hiding places of the Nez Perces were merely artificial. The grass itself had been turned to a chocolate color by the autumn winds, and across the brown slopes and rolling hills the toes of the moccasins and the cop- per-colored knuckles of the savages could be dis- upguished whe rover exposed, GENERAL MILES’ ADVANCE. When Gencral Miles and hiscommand approached this stronghold they traversed for a day the garden of Montana, The gallant General had only marched @ few days before he received news of the where- abouts of Joseph from the West. Instantly from his camp below the Missouri he gathered his men to arms His force, the only really adequate one yet brought against the bravest tribe of aborigines ever pitted against United states troops, consisted of seven companies of his own infantry—the Fifth—three companies of the Seventh cavalry and three companies of the Second cavalry, commanded by Captain Tilton. With Miles at their head, these men made forced marches from the Missouri around the group of the Little Rocky Mountains to the east, and from their western spurs struck -across above the Snake Buttes around, or rather beyond, the bleak ravines where the Indians were encamped. The grass grew in great abundance there. There the Nez Perces fed their horses, and during the night of the 29th warr:ors and herders slept in fancied se- curity. Long before dawn on the 30th Miles and his men were up and doing. I shal recite subse- quent events very much inthe manner of the scouts who have come out from the scene of battle, in which way alone tt will be possibie to give Eastern readers a vivid idea of Indian fighting. The two scouts whomT have seen and interrogated separately are both intelligent and do not ditfer in their stories one from another, or eithor of them in essential par- ticulars from General Miles’ oficial report of his engagement. One is Charles K. Bucknam, a resident of Fort Benton; the other G. Il. Snow, former'y a rebel, and now one of the most galiant of North. ‘western guides. THE FIRST DASH. At dawn two of the numerous scouts whicr General Miles always keeps in front of ‘iim ov marches through the Indian country, reported the positions of the Nez Perces and their herd. Tly General urged everything forward. The cavalr; his own inlantry mounted on [Indian ponies, the pack. train and all nioved. briskly on. His approach lay across the open, looking toward a hill, Tne herd of Indian horses, guarded by the youngest boys of the tribe, came first in view. A single dash of the Second cavalry secured 700 ponies, almost before the warriors, concealed beyond the herders, knew of the proximity of the troops. The Indian boys in charge of the herd broke away with the reat of the horses in a wild gallop tothe right. They were followed by all the three companies of the Second cavalry, which were ordered by General Miles not only to capture as many animals as possible, but to work around to the rear of Joseph’s encampment. . “CHARGE THEM! DAMN THEM !? Then the General directed the opening charge upon the Indians themselves. Mounted on his horse, which he rode from first to last of the battle, he guided the engagement. He looked the leader that ho was—rough, tough and ready. Weighing nearly two hundred pounds, he sat. on his charger like a centaur, his brown mustache and side whiskers, slightly mixed with gray, adorned features that are heavy but pleasing, and were overshadowed by a broad-brim:med, slouched drab hat. A wide blue ribbon encircled its crown, with blue streamers behind. He wore a red vianket, frontier shirt and a black pecktle, its ends Noating over his shoulders; outside the shirt a buckskin coat, short at the hips and carelessly buttoned; the light blue trousers of a private soldier, with black stripes down the seams, and coarse boots completed his attire. This bropacd general of the frontier trotted forward to the head of the Seventh cavairy troop at nine o'clock, and shouted, “Charge them! damn The three companies of the Seventh were commanded by Brevet Major Hale, one of Custer's them !"" | trusted Ueatenants; by Captain Godirey and by Captain Moylan, Hale's first lleutenant was young Biddle; Godfrey's first Meutenant was Eckerson. At the ume when Miles gave the order to charge these companies were mounted, and they rushed forward with a glorious shout. MAJOR IALE'S SOLDIERLY DEATH. Their way seemed (clear, but suddenly their horses halted in the midst of a gallop. At the edge ofa steep bank overlooking the ravine, at the bot- tom of which stood the lodges of the Nez Perces, the officers of the three companies called to their men to dismount. They flung their bridles and lariats to the winds, and plucking their rifes from their saddle pommeis discharged them atthe lodges below. Their volley was met by a flerce rotura. Major Hale's voice then sounded, “Charge, boys!" The Major at the same instant received his } first wound, but like the others he leaped over the edge of the embankment down among the tepees, As he alighted on his feet a bullet pierced him mortaily in the throat. He stopped, staggered and, raising his right hand to his head, again shouted feebly, “Charge them!’ [le fell for- ward upon his face, dead, BIDDLE FALLS. His leutenant, Biddle, mortally hart at almost the same moment, reeled backward and fell across his body. Thus these two heroes perished in the midst of wild outcries from their comrades, who were firiug into and sacking the Nez Perces’ lodgea, PERIL OF THE CAVALRY. For a tew minutes there was a wild exhibition of mingled hardihood and covetousness. Licuten- ant Kekerson, raising himself irom the gully after his leap, calicd out to bis men;—“Fire wherever you see a head!” Then, Giling his pipe with to- bacco, he sad aside "This is a dumuel mutilated, fine camp, where you cannot find a fire toget alight to smoke by.” Méantime the bullets were singing and Captain Godfrey and Cap- tain Moylan, affectionately known as “Mickey” Moylan, were wounded. The firing from the Ind- fans on their first recovery after the retreat is de- scribed as terrific, General Miles speaks of it as the most desperate discharge of magazine guns he Irad ever heard, GALLANTRY OF THE FIFTH INFANTRY. The men of the Seventh were cut, down like Straws. Many of them fell far beyond tne lodges and were left dying and wounded when their com- Trades were forced to fall back. Sv critical during a few Moments was the position of the ‘three com- Panies of the Seventh that they were probably only saved from wholesale slaughter by a detachment of the Fifth infartry, whose commander's name neither of the scouts who bring these tidings recalls, He is said to have brought his men up to the verge of the bank on their ponies, to have dismounted them in line and to have ordered a most effective volley from all their pieces at the Indians, just before they leaped, with a sweiling cry, into the bottom. Then, coolly reloading their rifes, they received a volley from the Nea Perces, Their commander yelled to the cavalry to come back, and in the next instant his men gave the In- dians a salute which caused them to retreat pre- cipitately to their holes. GENERAL MILES’ BRAVERY, During this contest General Miles, continually riding to and fro, gave orders to nearly everybody. He exposed himself at all points to the cavalry which assaulted and to the infantry which sup- ported. He was a constant mentor—a mentor of @ peculiar kind, These are a few samples of his orders, as quoted by the scouts, and I beg pardon of the General if they underrate | his faculty of command, “Go for them boys!" “There, light on those sons of b—s!’ ‘‘Iollo! are youhit? Take care of them!’ “There, boys, look out for that damned crowd!” “Fire into them!" &c,, &c “It was @ complete wonder,” says one of the scouts, “now, that the old man did not go under in that first hour. He was the damnedest devil 1 ever saw at the head of sucha column on the feld In an Indian scrimmage. He was everywhere, and every ono of the boys seemed to know him, and when they heard him call out they jumped, you bet.” This description by the Scout was doubtless pretty accurate. The troops did jump 60 flercely into the bloody breach that More than fty oMicers and men were killed and disabled in the assault. The Indians fighting there- after from their entrenchments fired more warily at their foes, tor General Miles having killed nearly thirty of them and discovered their position, made an immediate surround of theirencampment. He posted his companies of infantry and cavalry so as to command them on all sides and compel them to stick to their burrows, The squaws and children . were secluded in the aeepest pits, out of sight and range of the soldiers, A TEMPORARY TRUCE. General Miles withdrew his wagon train some eight hundred yards to the rear and there parked it before nightiall, although it waa not outside of range of the Nez Perces’ mfes. Their rifles did not prevent the teamsters from sleeping, nor did the soldiers after nightfall resist the temptings of sleep. Fatigue brought a temporary truce between the men and the savages, but General Miles oc- cupied himself until nearly one o'clock in the morning in plactng two cannon In position to open fire on the Indian camp at daybreak. One was a twelve-pound Napoleon, the other a breech-loading steel piece, purchased by the Ordnance Department and sent out for trial in Indian warfare. The night of tire 30th, intensely coll, was hard for the soldiers to bear, and must have been bitter to some of the Indians who stayed in their holes with- out blankets. HEROISM OF THE WOUNDED SOLDIERS. The heroism of the soldiers and the magnanimity of savages were never more conspicuously dis- played than during that terrible night of sleet and snow. There had been a great disparity of casual- ties, the troops suffering most. Many of the wounded soldiers lay out during the whole night in the bottom of the creek. There were men who were shot through the legs and wounded in the body. One man, pierced through both hips and having a leg broken, endured his pain tor an hour or two in silence, then calling out through the frosty night he said, “If some of you fellows don’t take the blankets of them dead horses, I'll be damned it I won't freeze to death.” Several wounded soldicrs were in doubt in the hours of that night whether they would be allowed by the savages to live through it or not. The cold was severe enough, but the expectation that they would be scalped and mutilated was alarming as they lay there prostrated by wounds, with the snow and the vlast overcoming them. They dreaded, with aterror which can hardly ve conceived by people who dweil in tern cities the approach of their enemies, whom they had hunted so far and whom they supposed to be Gbsolutely arercitess. - " * UNEXPECTED MAGNANIMITY OF THE NEZ PRKCES. When the Indians arose trom their burrows and approaclied them in the darkness a sergeant, who Was shot through the thigh, drew trom his holster arevolver, The Indian who bent over him called out, “Me no kill you. You can't kill us. Me no want to kill aman whocan't shoot, Plenty man can shoot, No use you try shoot at me." The ser- geant, like the other wounded men that night, had to endure nothing worse than robbery. The Nez Perces rifled his pockets of money, took his watch, | his pistol and his belt with cartridges. and jeft him where he lay. So great was the pride of this man and several of the wounded privates that they kept their peace until morning, only bandying an occasional rude jest with their compan. fons in the trenches. These they actu. ally prevented from coming to their assistance by telling them that the savages who visited the fieid in the darkness Were resoived lo shoot down any unhurt soldier who ventured outside of the line. Sothe first night after the battle, in which many men had been killed and disibled, passed. In the morning 1+ was found that only one had been His throat was cut, and it was doubt- ful when the scouts leit whether he had been sacrificed from cupidity, revenge or pity. He had een 86 badly hurt before that he hud begged tor death from his captors—uniesa the two scouts whose testimony I have given are both misin- | formed. It appears that the Nez Perces, during the whole of tie confict, behaved in a manner which entities them to the dignity of warriors, far more courageous and torbearing than those of any other tribe who have ever fonght American soldiers, JOSEPH IN GENBRAL MILES’ TENT. On the second day of the battle Joseph, the chief, came eotutartiy into General Miles’ camp, and, with aa Indian's simplicity—fronuersmen here called it a snake's cunning—proposed to close the engagement by surrendering the arms he had taken from the dead soldiers. General Miles w: ruck by the strange and savage humor of this proposi- tion. He invited Joseph into his tent and there interviewed him eMciently. Joseph, although a great chief, was not the suriiest warrior among his people. He developed a civilized traitin this—he desired satety for bis squaws and offspring. Gen- eral Miles said to Joseph, “Sit here a while.” This Was a Signal to Joseph of his capuvity. Retaining Joseph, Miles sent into the Indian camp one of his favorite oficers, Lieutenant Jerome, He was instructed to review and report upon the Indian position and every detail of the Indian fortifications. He was re- ceived by the Néz Perces and permitted to walk about their encampment. During the temporary truce @ white fag floated over the Néz Perces' stronghold. The fag stayed during the whole of the second day, and was visible on the morning of the third. It consisted of a whole sheet of stolen bunting. LIEUTENANT JEROME’S EXPERIENCE IN THE INDIAN CAMP. General Miles having detained Joseph the ‘Indian chief White Bird sent word to Miles that if Joseph should be held as a prisoner or punished he, White Bird, would kill Lieutenant Jerome. The latter was treated in the interval with the utmost kindness that Indians are capable of. He was provided with a deep pit for shelter, which Protected him from the bullets of his friends, which hummed into the Indian camp night and day. White Bird sent him blankets and the squaws coddied him, He had during the day and night he ‘Was held prisoner the best accommodations that could be afforded him in his singular plight. THE FIOUTING RENEWED, Joseph's proposal to surrender was rejected by ‘White Bird and by the princtpal chiefs and war- Tors who survived the death of Looking Glass, Indeed, most of the Nez Perce warriors scoffed at the notion of surrender. Snow fell on the second day, but the half-olad Indians who lay in their holes Were just as little anxious to end the fight as were the worried soldiers who began It. Colloquies sim- ilar to those along the fortifications during the late civil war frequently were exchanged. When @tlasta charge was ordered and General Miles called out, “Charge them to hell!” one of the Nez Perees responded, “Charge hell, you God damn sons of b——s! you ain't fighting Sioux.” With all thelr losses our troops found, indeed, that they were not fighting what the Nez Perces meant by that sneer, General Miles, under the threat to kill Lieutenant Jerome, itber- ated Joseph, and Lientenant Jerome returned to biscommand. During the second day of the battle, like the first, the snow fell {rom morning till night, General Miles, mounting his horse anew, rode out among the soldicrs, and clinched their fealty by talking to them in this wise :—“Hang to them to- night, boys! Can‘t have any fires. Stay to-night and we wiil manage to get some wood to morrow. Look alter them, boys. Don't let them get away. Let all of the outsiders get Into camp that want to, but don’t let any get out.” GENERAL MILES’ DETERMINATION. Then General Miles, returning to bis tent, which wai already pierced: by butiets, sent for two or three of tis subordinates and asked them what they thought of the situation, He also summoned his scouts and questioned them. This habit of interrogation, an invariable one with him, soon made him acquainted with every phase of affairs In the neighborhood ot his camp. One of bis solfloquies is thus reported by a scout, who probably defaces it with more profanity than Gen- eral Miles was guilty of:—‘‘Well, damn their souls, they've corralled us; now let's see how they Ilke to be corralled themselves. We'll stay by them; we'll sit up with them. Damned If I ain’t disposed to sit up with them right here just as long as they're awake,” SITTING BULL WILL NOT HELP JosEPn. At this hour there js no doubt General Miles and his remaining men are sitting up with Joseph and White Bird and the rest of that plucky tribe, nor is there much doubt in the mind of General Terry that Miles will eventually force the Nez Perces to @ fair surrender, It is certain that they will accept no dishanorable terms. Nota man among them but knows that he ts caught literally in his ditch uniess he receives succor from a pow- erfuliriend. Sitting Bull and his tribe of Uncpa- pas ore the only savages from, whom Joseph can reasonably expect assistance. A messenger from Sitting Bull’s camp arrived no Jater than last even- ing at the camp of the sconts. Having, on the way hither, learned of the second ‘vattie, he mounted his horse and repaired back to Sitting Buli. Men acquainted with the Sioux tribes, of whom Sitting Buil's ta @ portion, say that Sitting Butl will not tn any case support a iriend whois down. If Josepn has failed, Sitting Bull will sit down on him. Should Joseph, by a superhuman exertion, elude the-tols now drawn about him he might succeed in crossing the Canadian border and utilizing, along with his brother chief, the Doiflinion as an asylum and & recruiting station as weil. THE SITUATION ON TIKE FRONTIER.” While awaiting to-night the arrival of a courier, who may supplement this despatch with news of a positive victory over the Nez Perces, or their escape, | ought to remark upon some of the phases of Indian warfare in this remote coun- try, which are strange to Eastern ears, Congres: which will soon begin to deliberate on the appro- priation for the army, had best take heed of these recent and pending events in the far West. The onicers who command at these remote posta, the soldiers who are engaged in these far away battles, beg through tne HekaLD that the facts may not ve imisunderstood. Ever since the civil war this has been the only legitimate field of active opera tion of the United States army. Here that ! army has met the only enemy of ctvili zation. Although the Indian might have, and probably would have been quiescent, he has been urged and encouraged to slaughter and rapine by the weakness in numbers ot the army and the enforced restraint imposed upon its commanders, The Indian insurrections which have occurred during the last few years, and which have costéhe government millions to put down, might tave been checked at ‘their outgrowths by the display of formidabie forces and an equitabie diplomacy. The sudden outbreak and the few mur- ders committed by Joseph's band in Oregon would have been promptly suppressed and atoned for. The simple fact is that the Indians have never yet been taught by the government to respect its equity or its power, TUE DUTY OF CONGRESS The men of the Northwest engaged in business PO TNE Eee a SY and dwelling in homesteads, which they have re- deemed from the wilderness under sacrifices which Eastern people can searcely conceive of, ask trom the Congress which ts next to assemble justice to | the Indians. No less do the decimated ranks of that army which Congress has long neglected, demand it, A general Indian war, which might be engaged in by the most powerful tribes of Dakota and Montana seems to-night to be averted by the probable vietory of General Miles’ troops over this daripg band of Nez Perces. Should they have succeeded in beating his troops or escaping from them and crossing the Canadian border they would have gained so great a triumph as to put Sitting Bull and his Uncpapas and all the trives of Sioux within hail of the border into such a state of exultation as would fit them fora junction and a general raid on the Northwestern settlements. These settlements are situated in Dakota, Wyo- ming, Washington, Oregon, Maho, Utah and North. ern Minnesota, Northern Nebraska, Colorado and Nevada. None of them would be safe if the tribes should band together and be successful in a single important instance. General Miles’ victory, there- fore—should it prove, indeed, to be an Indian Water. loo—would, by crushing the Nez Perces and prevent- ing their alliance with other fresher and more pow- erful tribes, hold them all for the present in check. TERRY'S MAGNANIMITY. General Terry, who commands the department in which General Miles is operating, was at first inclined, on receiving news of the battle, to take the fleld in person, On second thought he decided that it was unnecessary. He had so much conf- dence in General Miles’ ability and s0 much scorn of the idea of even seeming to snatch away his chaplet by interrering with his command that he stays here for the present. JOSEPH SURRENDERS TO GENERAL MILMS—-IN- CREASED CASUALTIES—HUMANITY OF THE IN- DIANS TOWARD THE WOUNDED SOLDIERS—A MODEST OFFICIAL DESPATCH. (BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD. ] Fort Benton, M. Det, &—3 A. M. Via HELENA, Vet. 10, 1877. } At this moment, while the camp of the Sitting Bull Commission ts darkened, comes a courier to General Terry from Generai Miles’ camp on Snake Creek announcing an event which arouses a cheer inthe tents which will be re-echoed throughout the country. Miles has subdued the Nez Perces. Hurrah! A braver band of Indians never upheld the fame and prowess of their aboriginal race. INCREASED CASUALTIES ON BOTH SIDES. During the charge on the first day, in which the companies of the Fifth infantry and Seventh cav- alry participated, as you have been told, the num- ber of killed and wounded soliiers was greater than that mentioned in my last despatch. it was sixty-seven Instead of fifty-seven, The In- dians, too, received a greater number of casualties than could be reported by the couriers, who ar- rived from the field last night. More than tifty warriors bit their last morsel from the dust of the ravine, where they were confined in holes and bur- rows for three days and nights. They stayed ail through the aay and night previous to the surren- der with untiring pertinacity. Their scouts had gone to Sitting Bull for assistance, but had not sue- ceeded in returning to the Nez Perces camp. Twice Joseph hud offered to surrender, and once his disposition was opposed by his highest chiefs. White Bird objected to surrendering, because he anticipated that he aud all the tribe would be re- garded as prisoners and put in bandcuts, “Me get in trap,” satd *tnis redoubt- able copperskin; “no use prison; better die.” But on the Sth Joseph made @ treaty. White Bird and the rest of the mynor ehiets were by this time nowhere. Their followers were as willing to surrender as Joseph was, and the secret of the ca- pitulation must be soughtin # total error on the part of the savages as wellas in the gallantry of General Miles’. troops. The Indians did not dream at first that they were fighting any other than Genera! Howard's troops, which they liad before encountered. Joseph nad not yet learned that he had fought with Generat Gibbon at Dig Hole. In fact, the Indians ali of them had so insufficient a knowledge of the action of the United States goy- ernment that they were so surprised when they found @ new generai in front of them that they took him fora guerilla, They did not identify him with the uation. Overwhelmed, defeated and starving, they at length succumbed, THE SURRENDER, General Miles bad so carefully placed ms troops Hat not aman of lis command was killed after the assault on the first day, but the savages, notwith- standing all their arts, continually suffered. On the Sth, the day when they surrendered, there re- mained about three hundred and fifty men, squaws and chidren in the Indian pits, Of these about one hundred and sixty were warriors. At half-past tivo in the afternoon of that day Joseph came into General Miles’ camp and siook hands and proposed a surrender, which was instantly granted. When the scouts left General Miles was receiving person. aily the arms and ammunition from each of the In dians. Each wartior as he. passed said “How,” and tendered his trophies, One added the words, “Bad medicine; better next time.” INDIAN KINDNESS TO AN ENEMY. Up to the last hours of the fight the Indians never ceased to belie all the stories that have been told | of the savage. no One Nez Perces chiet approached a Wounded soldier at midnight and said in broken English, “ Poor boy, you're too young to go to war, I no kill you.” ‘Then he put a blanket under his head aud lett him. all the wounded Indians to be well cared for. General Miles in return ordered ths surgeons are as alert with our own brave wounded, One soldier exclaimed on the evening of the Sth, | Let that chief have his leg off ‘The soldier's wound tn ius “God damn t He's a be arm proyed to be mortal. General Miles intends to start to-day for the ste Tongue River with the wounded of his command and of Josepli's tribe and prisoners. This ends the most remarkable Indian ght on record. lam forced to ont several more particulars, owing to | the necessity of despatching the courier. THE SITING BCL COMMISSION, The Sitting Bull Commission, which has been de- tained here for want of an eseurt, the companies designated for that purpose having gone to the as- sistance of Miles, wiil start for Fort Walsh on their return here, now hovriy expected. THE OFFICIAL REPORT. he following is General Miles’ modest despatch | General Terr IEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE Y gy Mit a | Oct, 5, 1877. | malcontent out of Hor Majesty’s territory hereaft | kept under fre for three days the hostile emp of Nez Perces under Chiet Joseph surrendered at two o'clock to-day. I intend to start the Second cav- airy toward Benton on the 7th inst, Cannot sup plies be sent ont on the Benton road to meet them and return to the Yellowstone with the remainder of the command? 1 hear that there is trouble be- tween the Sioux and Canadian authorities, [te main, General, yours very trnty, NELSON A. MILES, Colonel and Brevot Major General Commanding, United States Army. THE REQUIRED BUPPLIES TO BE FORWARDED, WASHINGTON, Oct, 10, 1877, Lieutenang General Sheridan, in transmitting the oMcial telegram announcing the surrender of Chief Joseph to General Mules, says supplies have been sent out on the Benton road, as requested by General Miles in that telegram, HAS SITTING BULL RETURNED? THE DOUBTFUL STORY OF A 8COUT—THE CAN« ADIAN INDIANS BY TREATY AGREF 10 EXPEL HIM—HE I$ REPORTED ON THIS SIDE OF THE BOUNDARY, E (Correspondence of the Cheyenne Lendor.} Foxt Suaw, M. T., Och & Via Hevena, Oct. 5, 1877, Your correspondent hos just concluded an interview with Mr. Frederick Bevsnidor, a veteran scout and trapper, who arrived here to-day direct from Fort Walsb, in the british Possessions. Mr. Bensnider states that on September 17 Major Walsh, commanding the Canadian Mounted Polley, held a grand council with the Piegans, Northern Black- fect and Assiniboines, aod concluded a new treaty witb theso Indians, the main provision of which 19 that these Iodians shall at once compel Sitting Bull ang all the disaffected Indians from the United States whe have recently crossed tho line and rallied around him to leave the British Possessions, The Canadian Indians also agree to keep this arch- and if he or any of his band ever cross the line again they bind themselves to follow them up and kill them. In accordance with the provisions of this treaty o: agreement the Picgans, Blackfeet and Assiniboines despatched a delegation of chicfs to Sitting Bull's camp on the evening of tho 17th, and on the morning of the 18th Sitting Bull and nis band broke camp ang moved rapidly across the ling, followed by « strong force of the Canadian [udians and a detachment of the Mounted Police. Mr, Bensnider also reports that a short distance south of the line Sitting Bull met several runners from the Nez Porces, and sent them buck with a message to Chief Joseph that ho woula shortly join him aod Council with bint as to thoir future operations. Sitting Bull has, it is said, hoard that General Miles, with all available troops, fs moving toward him, and he threatens to effect a junction with Joseph, extermi- nato Miles and then return across the Iino and wreak Vengeance upon the ritish by razing Fort Walsh and massacriag the garrison, Your correspondent fas communicated this Infor mation to General Torry, who is taking measures to speedily inform bimsell of its authenticity. CUSTER AT REST, THE REMAINS OF THE GALLANT GENERAL IN TERRED AT WEST POINT~-A SOLEMN PRO- CESSION—FULL MILITARY HONORS aT THE GRAVE. West Poine, N Y., Oct, 10, 1877, Tho funeral of General Custer y was attended by « large concourse of people, trom the transferring of {he romains trom Poughkeepsie to their final Inter- ment in tis place, The funeral procession ut Pough- Koepste formed at nine o'clock A, M., In tho following ord A platoon of police, tue Twenty-Orst regimont band, Brigadier General George Parker and stuf, a bdattalion of the Twenty-trat-imfantry, N.G.S.N.¥., cadets of the Poughkeepsie Military inastiute, Bela Euclo Battery, clergy, in car 3 bearse, horse, with empty saddic; Mayor and Common Coun- cil, in carriages; citizens, In carriages and on fool, Tho hearse was drawn by Jour biack borses and decorated with flags and black rape, The ket containing tho remains was draped iu og, a single flo offering by Bald Kaglo "Battery, oulder strep, with two stars formed of geraninins and immortelies, The atara were mado of tube roses horse, empty saddle, bad all the equipments belou Cusier’s rank. Thoasands of people lined the and roadway, and as the | piuced at bull mast aud vi The remains were deposited on the Powell, ut balf-past ten A.M, crowded with abuut 2,000 poople intending to accom. pany tho remains to West Point The remains were veils of the Placed in. the indies? saloon, and when # landing was mado the passengers tiled slowly by the casket in regular order. LANDING THE REMAINS AT WEST POINT, AS the Powell lauded bere tho special steamers Hop- king and Henry Smith also arrived from New Yorw with the Loyal League Commandery and the Connec- ticut Volum airy Association on board. ‘the Mury Yoweil lirst and (he romaine, Under es. cort of the Poughkeepsie military, were saiely put ov ity, commanded by Beaumont, recoived them, aud with OLnOr escort attended them to the chapel, whero they wore deposited and lett uuder guard SERVICER IN TL n Services at the chapel commenced ata quarter past two o’ciock and were couuucted by Kev. Juha For sytb, D. D., post chaplain. Thoy consisted oaly of the reading of a portion of the Episcopal burial ‘ser- vice, with respo sung by achoir of cadets collin was covered b; national flag, crap on Of choice Mural decorations. General C and sword were also plucea ou It. Custer’s widow was present at the services, eral Schofield, together with E, hero of Litt ilorn; jen, 0: th cavalry, who fought under Custer roy bad been several timos wounded. PROOKSSION TO THE GRAVE, At the conclusion of the privt services a line fas formed and tho procession started for the cemetery in "the following ord Major General Thomas H. Neill, with escort, consist Ing Of & detachment of cavalry, commanded by Colona: Beaumont. Cadet battalion of artillery, Colonel Piper, West Point Band and caret battalion ot imtantey, with arms reversed aud Carriage with ¢ Caisson bearin pody. Horse With yacunt saddlc and covered with a blanket Brewet stajor Gevoral J. B. Fry. Brevet Major General R. B. Marcy. Brevet Brigadier Gegeral J. B. Kiddoo. Gonerai T, Devins. Adjutant General Forsyth. Colonel Stephen Clytord, Colovel Luulow and Colonel Mitehail, pall bearers. Carriages containing mourners and friends, OMicers of the Military Academy, Naval and Army vflicers. Loyal Legion Veteran Organization of New York, com- manded by General George H. Sharpe. Volunteer aud stilitia Officers, Detachinents Twenty-first regiment and Bald Eagi¢ Battery of Poughkeopsie. Delegation of the Society of the First Connecticut Volunteers. Citizens. MILITARY HONORS. Tho precession uivved siowly wu the cemetery, the bond playing the funeral march. At the grave the balance of the burial service was read aod an infantry salute of three rounds were fired, The grave 16 near the cemotory eutrance, to the lett of the mate, oot far from General Scow’s sepalehre. The coremonies wero concluded and the procession ¢ dismissed at four P. My THE LIBELLED LAD STEAMER ENG. D. The National steamship England was libolled yester. day by the United States aathorines and a Marsbal was placed on board. A nowfication was sent to tha office of the company, aud it 18 expected that to-day she will be appraised and then bonded. The same pro- codure will be observed, United States District At ney Woodtord said, as in the case of tho steamship Deatmark, of the same company, tho seizore of the England was made in pursuance of section 2,874 of tho Revised Statutes, Twelve dif. ferent counts of violations of law are cited and based upon the coniessions of the employs of the line, The sched of the alleged offences shows (hat the following goods were brought on shore from the stenmer:—January 9, 1876, one case of ‘iy April 18, 1376, one case; Say 29, 1878, one cas 15, 1876, two easow; August 21. 1876, two cases; teinber 25, 1876, two cases; November 6, etd, ee ine cases; Janaary 4, 1477, one case; February Js 1877, one case; Apri 4, 1877, one caso; spr 4, 187%, one case; July 2" it, os cases. Deputy "Collector Phelps claims that the gove eneral A. Il. Terky, Commanding in the Depart ment of Dakota:— Dear GENERAL —We have onr usual success. We | ade a very direct and rapid mareh across the | eTUMODt is In possession of facts Which will demon- strate that the ae i steamship officials Lave been guilty Of defranuing (he goverument out of more than $1,000,090, Joon Scott, the allogo lL ebief of the am giors, Was at Captain Brackett's oMce yesterday morn. Ramor bas it, too, that Owens, the lato pureer ing. lountry, aud after a severe engagement and being | Of the vessel, was there too,