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The Lewis & Clark Trail

Exploration of the Marias and Yellowstone Rivers
 

Two Medicine Fight Site, Pondera County, Montana, August 8, 1997

[View: north.  48° 27’ 16” N - 112° 27’ 13” W]

 

[Lewis]                                                                                  July 27th 1806 Sunday.

This morning at day light the indians got up and crouded around the fire, J. Fields

who was on post had carelessly laid his gun down. . .one of the indians. . .sliped

behind him and took his gun and that of his brothers. . .at the same instant two

others advanced and seized the guns of Drewyer and myself, J. Fields seing this. .

called to his brother who instantly jumped up and pursued the indian. . .R Fields as

he seized his gun stabed the indian to the heart with his knife   the fellow ran about

15 steps and fell dead. . .Drewyer who was awake saw the indian take hold of his

gun. . .his jumping up and crying damn you let go my gun awakened me. . .  I

reached to seize my gun but found her gone, I then drew a pistol from my holster

and terning myself about saw the indian making off with my gun    I ran at him with

my pistol and bid him lay down my gun which he was in the act of doing when the

Fieldses returned. . .  as soon as they found us all in possession of our arms they

ran and indeavored to drive off all the horses. . .I pursued the man who had taken

my gun who with another was driving off a part of the horses. . .at the distance of

three hundred paces they entered one of those steep nitches in the bluff with the

horses before them    being nearly out of breath I could pursue no further, I called

to them as I had done serveral times before that I would shoot them if they did not

give me my horse and raised my gun, one of them jumped behind a rock and

spoke to the other who turned arround and stoped at the distance of 30 steps . . .

I shot him through the belly, he fell to his knees and on his wright elbow from which

position he partly raised himself up and fired at me, and turning himself about

crawled in behind a rock. . .  he overshot me, being bearheaded I felt the wind of

his bullet very distinctly.  not having my shotpouch I could not reload my peice and

as there were two of them behind good shelters from me I did not think it prudent

to rush on them with my pistol. . .I therefore returned leasurely towards camp. . .

we left one of our horses and took four of the best of those of the indian’s. . .  we

took some of their buffaloe meat and set out ascending the bluffs by the same rout

we had decended last evening. . .  my indian horse carried me very well   in short

much better than my own would have done and leaves me with but little reason to

complain of the robery.

 

©IMAGES COPYRIGHT BRENT PHELPS