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Show THE MONTANA WAK. The Deer Lodge New Northwest writing of the deplorable lack of military mili-tary protection in tbe territories says: Three hundred well-mouuted, organized and equipped voluateers, with a weeks' service, would be ample to cope with tbe Nez Perces, and could have driven them from our territory or destroyed thorn. We know the discredit thrown upon volunteers by General MclJowoll's aide decamp with General Howard. We will bay to the credit of General Gibbon that we have evidence that he does not entertain the same opinion, of volunteers, and if evorour boys are called upon and can serve him, we trust they will do it with a right good will, assured their services will bo appreciated and acknowledged. In reciting the history of the late movements of the hostile the North west notes their remarkably cool and audacious movements: In passing Kawn's command they moved with all their families and stock apparently as unconcerned and indifferent to tho circumstances aai though on an ordinary journey to tbe , buihilo country. In fact every movement move-ment eiiine they reached Missoula haul been o( this character. In view of a 1' tbe circumstances it wan thn huklc-iit, ! most learleas, audacious and conti- I dent tactical movement we have ' known. It surpassed McClellitnd'ilUnk movement from the Chickabotimny to James river, or Grant' from the Rapidan to Richmond. They moved armies of wholly fighting men by tbe flank, with the eni-my on the riht, offering battle by tLiy anil mnviiitf by ni'lit. Joseph moved his erUiie possessions of effect e and fumiiiei be tween tbe forces of Rnwn and those at Missoula, within gunshot of tho tor-mer, tor-mer, crossed hia line of communication, communica-tion, camped almost on the trail and with unparalleled intrepidity on open ground, in tho face of superior numbers num-bers and in the enemy's country. It is intimated they would have surrendered surrend-ered if attacked. Wo do not bolieve it. The parley about surrendering ammunition was a part of tho diplomacy diplo-macy tbey practiced, and they would have fought their way through or down. Every move in Idaho wus one of desperate resolve, and they did not lly to Montana to mako a surrender thev disdained in Idaho. When the movement was reported in Missoula a courier was sent to Deer Lodge to hurry forward reinforce mcuta; the Deer Lndge company ol tbirtv-two men was sent forward to bold the bridge and ford across the Bitter Root, leading toward Missoula, and open communication with Rawn. They went lorward to the posi'.ion assigued, bat the Indians instead ol forcing exit that way had turned up the river, and tho country was clenr. aoon alter tuey paaseu itawn uemueu Lieutenant Stephens with a mounted force to advance alter them and supported him with tho balance of the command until reaching tho mouth ot Lo Lo.when Rawn's forces relumed to tho post. Lt. Stephens followed to near the Indian encampment, where they were met by Looking Glass, who coolly avowed friendship, said he would mo'est neither person nor property prop-erty unless attacked, oflored the Bitter Root volunteers, who constituted a large part of Stephens' command, safe conduct right through his camp to their homes, and unsupported they had no recourse but to accept the proffer, wage a hopeless fight, or re turn to Missoula, with their families at the mercy of the Indiana. The BitterRoot volunteers went to Slovene -ville that night. The Deer Lodge volunteers returned to Missoula from the bridge and a number came on as far as Black foot bridge. The Philips-burg Philips-burg company, the only regularly organized company in the territory when the proclamation was issued, went instantly on the call, reaching Rawn at the rille-pits and passing right through the Nez Perces, whom they did not know to bo hostiles, a; they were coming down Lo Lo below his position. Thus ended, there, the most remarkable re-markable circumstances in the hisiorj of Indian wariare. The Nez Perces fresh from the victorious slaughters o trenched camp of equal numbers un-l der command of a regular army officer of-ficer without a shot being fired and they evidently as indisposed to open the ball, allowed a handful of volunteers to cross their command without emptying a saddle. Captain Rawn was at first severely censured for his course. As yet there is no explanation explana-tion of it, but the heat of public feeling feel-ing has cooled and there is a disposition disposi-tion to await his report and give fair judgment. The air was full ot wild rumors and exaggerated statements and even absurd jokes which for a time bad currency as facts, are now exploded. Tbe Indians had so pro ested their desire to go peaceably that bis command may have been influenced in-fluenced thereby, or hia force may have been deemed insufficient, but either of these conclusions had been reached tho evening before and re inforcementa had arrived. Yet with these facts, Captain Rawn's record ol fifteen years is that of a good fighting officer, and it entitles him to a suspension sus-pension of adverse expression unti: ail the facta are known. |