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Show AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF time was occupied in arranging a combined plan of defense against the Black Feet. When we departed, Long Hair presented us with an ample stock of corn and pun1pkins. We passed the Yellow Stone, and traveled on by easy marches to the Mussel Shell River, killing and dressing buffalo during our whole journey. Here we encamped to await the arrival of Long Hair. Our spies kept us advised of the movements of the enemy, and intelligence was brought us that he was manifestly concentrating his forces at the Three Forks of the Missouri for a grand attack. I knew that we were also vigilantly watched by the enemy's spies, and I determined to make no n1ovement that would warrant the suspicion that their movements were known to us. Long Hair shortly joined us with his whole force, and I felt perfectly at ease now, notwithstanding the most strategical n1oven1ents of ouT enemy. Mter various demonstrations on either side, we feigned a division of our forces, and marched one half of them to a spot which concealed them from the tableland, thus leading the enemy to the belief that we were still ignorant of his intentions and his numbers. At daybreak the following morning we heard the noise of their innumerable horse-hoofs, and shortly after they burst upon our tenantless lodges like a thunder- cloud. I suffered about one third of their warriors to become entangled in the village, and I then gave the order to charge. The shock was iiTesistible ; their advancing division was attacked on aU sides, and the appeara~ ce of my concealed warriors sent a panic through the tnbe. They fie~ precipitately without venturing to look round to see If they were pursued. It was a complete rout, and purchased at but slight cost to ourselves. ""\Y e gathered over four hundred scalps, and JAMES P. BECKWOURTH. 3Ul took fifty women prisoners ; we captured five hundred horses, one hundred guns, and weapons, blankets, and can1p equipage beyond enumeration. Our loss was four killed and three hundred wounded, some of whom afterward died of their wounds. Our wounded warriors attended to, and our spoils gathered, we moved on without delay to our tobacco plantation, as it was now time to gather our crop. vV e journeyed by way of the fort, and on oUI· road fell in with a party of fifteen Black Foot waniors, who were driving a large drove of horses they had stolen from the Snakes. We entrapped the enemy into a ~itch and killed the whole party, and their recent acquisition came in very serviceably, as our stock of horses was greatly diminished. We found our crop excellent, and, as our nu1ner~:ms hands made light work, our harvest was soon gathered. We then passed on at our leisure, killing more or less buffalo daily, until we arrived at Tongue River, about the new moon of Leaf Fall. On oUI· way we lost ,nearly three hundred head of horses, which were stolen by the Black Feet. We did not trouble ourselves to pursue them, as we felt confident they were but lent them, and that they would shortly be returned with good interest. At Tongue River we confederated with oUI· friends, the Grovans, in an attack upon the Cheyenne village ; from thence we returned to the Yellow Stone, when I detached a party of one hunmed and sixty warriors on an excursion to the Black Foot village, and they returned bringing six hu~dred fine horses with them. We then passed o~ to Fort Cass, where we witnessed much dejection and gloom, occasioned by a serious reverse which they had experienced since our last visit. • |