160 years ago today - Feb 3, 1863

[Wilford Woodruff]

The subject of the late fight with the bear River Indians was spoken of the History of which is as follows as far as we Can learn:

A Party of the Bannocks & Snakes have Joined to gether North of Bear River & have been killing gold diggers & Emigrants the past summer. The fore part of Winter Col Cornor sent a part of his Command to the Indians to get a white Boy that was among them. They got the Boy & killed 3 indians then returned to Camp Douglass near this City. Then the Indians Commenced killing more men. Col Cornor sent some 60 infantry & 13 Baggage waggons on the 22d Jan and on Sunday the 24 Jan some 300 Cavalry followed. They found the Indians Encamped near Bear river. They had to Ford the river in order to get to them. The Indians were Encamped in a Deep ravene. The Cavalry made a Charge upon them but were driven back by the Indians. They then left their Horses and made a Charge on foot & were again repulsed. The third time they made a Charge & rushed right into their midst & used there revolvers & shot as long as they Could find any thing to shoot at and the result of the Battle is reported to be 225 Indians killed 400 Horses taken and the Indian Encampment taken. The loss in Col Cornors Command is 17 dead, 40 wounded, & 70 badly frozen, 2 officers wounded.

It is reported that Lieut Darwin Chase (once a Mormon Elder) [was] Mortally wounded. ...

Col Cornor is bringing his dead & wounded into his Encampment to bury & doctor. It is Said that Bear Hunter the Chief of the band was killed & his scalp now in Camp Douglass.

[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

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