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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