APPENDIX QQ. 1701 



follow a ft it us. Rifle-pits arc thrown up to cover the men. two pieces of artillery arc 

 brought into active use, and for four days we keep up our investiture, when, finally, 

 on the 5th of October, Chief Joseph surrenders to Colonel Miles, and with him more 

 than 400 hostile Nez Perces. A visit to their camp shows how destructive lias been our 

 fire. The ravines running through the camp were a perfect network or honey-comb of 

 scons of deep excavations, where were concealed the Indians, secure from everything 

 except a plunging tire. ( )n the bills around 1 heir village they had erected rifle-pits in the 

 must approved manner, and here they had concealed their sharpshooters. To effect 

 all this work with only the rude implements that i hey had at their disposal must have 

 required necessarily a very great amount of Labor, and it Is quite surprising that they 

 should have taken such good advantage of the natural features of the ground, lor a 

 civilized enemy could not have done better. For fuel they had burned t heir lodge-poles. 

 The Indian camp was moved a few hundred yards nearer our own. their rifles and am- 

 munition taken from them, and they were placed under surveillance. After the battle 

 is the peaceful grave, and many a brave soldier who sleeps beneath the sod will long- 

 he remembered by his sorrowing comrades. 



October 0. — We remained in camp getting everything in readiness preparatory to an 

 early start on the morrow. Wagons are sent to the mountains to collect long poles 

 that mule litters might he constructed for the transportation of wounded soldiers and 

 Indians, and many of them, rude but comfortable couches, were made during the day. 



October 7. — We start about noon, after considerable trouble in getting our promiscu- 

 ous outfit ready, and passing a few miles to the left of our old trail gradually converge 

 toward it until camp, when it is only a few yards distant. By easy marches we reach 

 the .Missouri River October 13 at the point where we crossed it coming out, passing 

 over a slightly-rolling country, a little north of our old trail, in order that our wounded 

 on the trains might be made more comfortable. Here steamers were in waiting to 

 convey us across the river. 



October 14 and 15 — Were utilized in crossing the command, the Indians and their 

 paraphernalia to the south side of the Missouri. The more aggravated cases among 

 the wounded were sent down the river by steamer to Forts Buford and Lincoln. 



October 16 — Was commenced the journey homeward. Passing over or near to the 

 trail made coming out, and through a country with the same general features and 

 characteristics as that described heretofore until October 22, when passing down the 

 principal branch of Sunday Creek wetinda road over hard, comparatively level ground 

 growing rich bottom bunch and buffalo grass, and touching the had lands that are west 

 of this stream, finally encamp in the valley, where water in pools, good grass, and 

 plenty of wood are found. 



October 23. — Continuing down the valley 3 miles from camp we pass over camping 

 place of September 18, and finding here our old trail, follow it into the cantonment, 

 mouth of Tongue River, Montana, which we reach at noon. The lodges of the surren- 

 dered Indians are placed in a grove of cottonwood on the south side of the Yellow- 

 stone under tin- watchful care of the military. After a total march of 51^.4."> miles in 

 twenty-live marching-days, the crossing of two large rivers — the Yellowstone and the 

 Missouri — and the surmounting of many obstacles by indomitable energy and perse- 

 verance, tin- Nez Perces campaign is thus brought to a successful termination. 



EXAMINATION FOB A WAGON-ROAD THROUGH LODGE ROLE CREEK VALLEY. 



While the command continued on the old trail from the south side of the Missouri, 

 on its return from the Xez Perce compaign. I was detached with a squad of cavalry 

 with instructions to proceed to the Musselshell River, follow it to the mouth of Lodge 

 Pole Creek, and then continuing up the valley of this stream, examine it and the coun- 

 try adjacent, with reference to the practicability of a wagon-road being constructed 

 through its valley, and if it would he preferable to the route through Squaw (reck. 

 The notes taken on this occasion are appended in brief, and the time given is by horse. 



October L6. — Left camp at 10 a. m.. and at 11.15 came to first crossing of the Mussel- 

 shell : then passed through the river bottom covered with sage hushes, hut little grass ; 

 crossed several small conies and through the timber that lines the hanks of the river; 

 no trouble experienced except in removing logs and cutting willows. I'p to 2 p. m., 

 forded the Musselshell four times: all crossings gravelly bottoms, approaches sloping 

 .,.'d good, water from 12 to 18 inches in depth: no work required. Valley of river 

 about 1 mile iii width, with high pine-covered ridges on either side, and along its bank 

 abundant Large and small cottonwood and willow. The crossings of the Musselshell 



are rendered necessary by abrupt bluffs meeting the river. At 1.30 p. m., crossed Cat 

 Creek, a western branch of the river: one hank must he cut for wagons, the other 

 sloping: bottom of the creek gravelly in places and dry. I'p to 1.30 p. m.. we had 

 traveled L2 south of east, then cut across a bend of the river for two miles. 1> south 

 of east. Road certainly practicable to the mouth of Lodge Pole Creek, with little or 

 no work necessary. No quicksand at crossings. Started at :i p. m. after having stopped 



an hour to graze the animals at the mouth of Lodge Pole Creek. This creels Lsan east- 



