134 



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squaws, when they started from their lodges, each took a 

 load of old saddles and skins, which they threw in the 

 door, and stopped it so completely that they could not get 

 in, and here the enemy massacred several. In the mean 

 time our men were firing with muskets and shot-guns. 

 Unfortunately for us, we could not use our cannon, as 

 there were a great many Piegans standing between us and 

 the enemy ; this prevented us from firing a telling shot on 

 them at once. The engagement continued nearly an hour, 

 when the enemy, finding their men drop very fast, retreated 

 to the bluffs, half a mile distant ; there they stood making 

 signs for us to come on, and give them an equal chance on 

 the prairie. Although our force was much weaker than 

 theirs, we determined to give them a trial. At the same 

 time we despatched an expert runner to an encampment 

 of Piegans for a reinforcement. We mounted our horses, 

 and proceeded to the field of battle, which was a perfect 

 level, where there was no chance to get behind a tree, or 

 anything else, to keep off a ball. We commenced our fire 

 at two hundred yards, but soon lessened the distance to 

 one hundred. Here we kept up a constant fire for two 

 hours, when, our horses getting fatigued, we concluded to 

 await the arrival of our reinforcements. As yet none of 

 us were killed or badly wounded, and nothing lost but one 

 horse, which was shot under one of our men named Bour- 

 bon. Of the enemy we cannot tell how many were killed, 

 for as fast as they fell they were carried off the field. 

 After the arrival of our reinforcements, which consisted 

 of one hundred and fifty mounted Piegans, we charged and 

 fought again for another two hours, and drove them across 

 the Maria River, where they took another stand ; and here 

 Mr. Mitchell's horse was shot under him and he was 

 wounded. In this engagement the enemy had a decided 

 advantage over us, as they were concealed in the bushes, 

 while we were in the open prairie. However, we succeeded 

 in making them retreat from this place back on to a high 



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