Show I I Monument on Bear River Suggested I I Funds for Marker Asked in House Congress has I been asked by Representative Rep Rep- Addison T. T Smith of Idaho to appropriate to erect recta a monument at Preston Idaho a which is just across the Utah state stateline stateline line to commemorate the battle ol of Bear river which was fought be between between between be- be tween regular soldiers from Fort Douglas and Indians January 29 20 I 1863 according to word re received ived here from Washington There are few p people ople in Utah now living who v were ere close to the scene of ot that brief brier and sanguinary sang battle Which began at 6 o'clock and ended at 10 ocl o'clock ck the same morning with Indians and sixteen n soldiers dead dearl on the field The cause of the the battle which was the greatest one fought with the Indians on the western slope of ot the Rocky mountains was wa the killIng killing killing kill kill- ing of some miners who were were passIng passIng passIng pass- pass passI I Ing through gh Cache valley on their way to the gold fields ields of California Warrants had been issued for the arrest oi of the the Indian chiefs responsible tor the for or the killings and were turned over to Isaac L L. Gibbs who then was vas United States marshal marshal mar nur- for tor service Gibbs Gibba called caned upon Colonel Colonl Pat Pat- Pat Connor Connor who was wa then in command of ot Fort Douglas for tor aid Colonel Connor sent four companies com panics of cavalry one company of Infantry and two howitzers to the tho Indian camp which was twelve miles from front the present site of Franklin The Indians had entrenched themselves themselves themselves them them- selves in a a. canyon and anel it was WB with great difficulty that the troops ap approached hP- hP p close enough to fight By fording the Icy water of Bear river th the soldiers Veto wele enabled to execute exe cute a flanking movement and a Continued on V page pace e 5 S. S i I 1 Ji c MONUMENT FOR FORS FOR'S S 'S BATTLE OF BEAR RIVER SUGGESTED C Continued from page page I 1 heavy beay fire soon rout routed d the savages Tile The 1 e t turning point in 11 Ir the battle came when hen the howitzers were brought into action It was the first time that cannon had been used against the Indians in lit the v west westAn st st. An Anold old seWer settler who witnessed the bathe described describe 1 the effect of ot the cannon on the Indians In t these ese words When the cannon boomed the Indians thought thought- the white men Were firing tiring cart wheels at them and they ft fled d In disorder Great numbers of ot the soldiers who participated in the battle suffered suffered suf suf- frozen hands and feet teet as the weather was bitter cold cold Seventy Indian lodges and gre great t stores of grain and arid farm firm Implements 1 the Indians ians had stolen tolen from jhc settlers set Bet tiers were destroyed destro The troops and Colonel C Connor were commended by the war department de department de de- land and Colonel Connor was was' a a. brigadier general for his leadership of ot the battle which settled d forever the Indian question in that section of ot Utah and Idaho |