Charles A. Woodruff Telegram

On the morning of August 9, 1877, First Lieutenant Charles Woodruff of the United States Army 7th Infantry penned this note to his wife, Louise. Just a few days before the Battle of the Big Hole, Colonel John Gibbon appointed Woodruff his adjutant (assistant); Woodruff accompanied Gibbon and the 7th Infantry as the unit attacked the village of non-treaty bands of Nez Perce camped at "the place of the ground squirrels," ten miles west of present-day Wisdom, Montana. The telegram briefly describes the course of the infantry's attack, their retreat, siege, and casualties.

Telegram transcript:
Fort Shaw
My dear wife - I have time to write you a short note that will start this evening to obtain medical assistance. We had a hard fight -took the village but was at last driven [out] with heavy loss. We had 17 officers, 133 soldiers, and 32 citizens. Capt. Logan and Lieut. Bradley killed. Genl. Gibbon, Lieutenants Coolidge, English, and myself wounded. Mine are only flesh wounds ad is the gen'ls [generals]. We
think English is [a] very dangerous case. We are intrenched [sic] and all night the Indians are leaving -
much love to you and bertie.

Affectionately,
Charlie