Nez Perce Ford, Wyoming
August 25 - James C. Irwin is captured
"During the forenoon the Indians had captured a soldier . He told them of the Helena tourists camped near the Falls, the number of the men and horses."
- Emma Cowan (tourist, Radersburg party)
The soldier was James C. Irwin who had been discharged from Company G, 2nd Cavalry, Ft. Ellis (Bozeman). He escaped from the Nez Perce September 1, and was discovered on Pelican Creek by Scout S.G. Fisher.
“The Indians plunged into the stream without paying much regard to the regular ford, and camped on the opposite shore.”
– Emma Cowan (tourist, Radersburg party)
It was at this point that Emma Cowan, Ida Carpenter, and Frank D. Carpenter were given their freedom.
“The women were given horses, the man was made to go afoot. They must not travel too fast. Food was given for their living while going to some town or wherever they lived. We did not want to kill those women. Ten of our women had been killed at the Big Hole, and many others wounded. But the Indians did not think of that at all. We let them go without hurt to find their own people.”
– Hímiin Maqsmáqs (Yellow Wolf)
While the main party of Nez Perce headed east from Yellowstone Lake along Pelican Creek and then over the Absaroka Mountains, General Howard went north to go out the Lamar River, up Soda Butte Creek to Cooke City, Montana, and then across a pass in the Absaroka Mountains to the headwaters of the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River.
