Side Trip: Blacktail Deer Creek, Wyoming
Emma, Frank, and Ida Cowan were escorted out of the Park by Lieutenant Schofield’s detachment, and traveled home by way of Bozeman, Montana. All nine of the Radersburg tourists had survived their encounter with the Nez Perce. However, they did not yet know that the others were also safe. It would be nearly a month before Emma Cowan learned that her husband George was still alive.
“In rounding a point of timber, we saw in a little meadow not far beyond, a number of horses and men. At the first glance we thought them Indians. Frank drew our horses back into the timber and went forward to investigate. He returned in a very few minutes and declared them soldiers. Oh, such a feeling of relief!
This company of soldiers was a detachment from Fort Ellis (Bozeman), with Lieutenant Schofield in command. They were sent out to ascertain the whereabouts of the Nez Perces, and were returning in the belief that the Indians were not in that vicinity…
The soldiers quickly prepared supper for us…
As we were about to move off, a man came hurrying down the trail. He [Pfister] proved to be one of the Helena party. He said they were attacked at noon… A horse was provided for this man, hurry orders given, and we set out for the [Mammoth Hot] Springs.”
– Emma Cowan (tourist, Radersburg party)
