Battle of Pierre's Hole
Posted by: 
Tomahawk
N 43° 42.435 W 111° 06.638
12T E 491086 N 4839364
Quick Description: This is a quick stop,a chance to stretch your legs and learn a little of the history of Teton valley. To log this cache, please find a three digit code hidden at the site. E-mail me the cade or post a picture with you or you GPS at the site.
Location: Idaho, United States
Date Posted: 8/15/2007 11:35:02 PM
Waymark Code: WM20M8
Views: 114
Long Description:Pierre’s Hole is what the mountain men called the Teton valley. It
was named for “Old” Pierre Tevanitagon, a French/Iroquois Mountain
Man killed in a battle with Blackfoot Indians in 1827. To mountain
men, a low-lying valley surrounded by mountains was called a
"hole." Because mountain rivers and streams that ran through holes
created good habitat for beaver and other fur-bearing animals,
trappers worked in these areas.
The battle of Pierre’s hole took place after the 1832 trapper’s
rendezvous. Much of the hostilities seem to have been initiated by
Antoine Godin and Baptiste Dorian, trappers who had attended the
rendezvous.
In either 1828 or 1830, Godin’s father was slain by Blackfoot
Indians. Thereafter, Antoine would carry a vindictive hatred for
all Blackfoot Indians and their allies.
While on the way to the rendezvous, Godin had found Thomas
Fitzpatrick. He was emaciated and without horse or equipment, his
feet bare, and his clothing in shreds. Fitzpatrick had been
attacked and robbed several weeks earlier by Blackfoot Indians.
Godin brought Fitzpatrick in to the rendezvous at a time when many
there had already given him up for dead.
After breakup of the rendezvous, Godin joined a brigade of about 42
men led by Milton Sublette. This party also included Nathaniel
Wyeth and eleven of his men. On the morning of the second day after
leaving rendezvous, a large group of people with pack animals was
observed approaching the camp. As the group came closer, it became
apparent they were a party of about 200 Indians. This was the Gros
Ventres tribe, close allies of the Blackfoot, who were moving their
village. Because they were in transit with their families, this
group was not seeking a fight with the mountain men. Signs were
made for peace, and one of the Chiefs rode forward, as did Antoine
Godin and Baptiste Dorian. Godin saw this as a chance to avenge the
death of his father. Coming even with the Chief, Godin grasped the
Chief’s rifle and called to Dorian to shoot him which Dorian did.
The two trappers then stole the Chief’s bright red blanket and
raced back to the trapper’s brigade, thus initiating the "Battle of
Pierre’s Hole". Approximately 39 people were killed in this one day
battle.
In 1834 Antoine Godin was employed at Fort Hall by Nathaniel
Wyeth. An entry in one of the fort’s account books notes that Godin
was not reliable, and should have only limited credit. Other
entries in the account book show that Godin was a meat hunter for
the fort from 1834 to mid 1836.
On May 22, 1836, Godin was invited to trade for furs by a
half-breed named James Bird. Arriving alone in Bird’s camp, located
in full view of Fort Hall, Godin sat down to smoke a pipe with Bird
and his Blackfoot companions prior to trading. As the pipe came to
Godin, one of the Blackfoot raised his gun and shot Godin. Although
unable to save Godin, men from the fort were able to prevent his
personal effects from being stolen. Godin’s blanket, rifle, saddle,
camp ax, powder horn and knife were all shown as credits towards
his account in the fort’s ledger on May 23, 1836.