Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1823-10-07
HEAD QUARTERs, 9Th REe'T. !
Fort atkinson, Aug. 80, 1898. !

Fort atkinson. .Aug, 80, 1898.
Sir: have the honor to inform yo
that the troops who lately visited the NJ
cara Towns returned to lbis post on the
9Th inst.
We arrived before the Ricara Towns
! on the Gil, of the present month. Tue
Sioux Indians, who were with US, were
net by the Ricsrss, short distance from
their towns, aud skIrnlsb TOOK pace ae,
tween them. The Ricaras maintained
their ground, or rather, drove the Sioux
back, until the regular troops and General
Ashley's men arrived, and formed their
line. The Ricaras were Their immediate
lv driven into their towns. The Sioux
we're so much scattered in front OF the
troops that the latter were unable to de
liver their fire without killing some OF the
Sioux, and therefore did not fire.
! Our boats arrived subsequently during
the evening OF the 9Th, and our artillery
was disembarked. r.,
I On the morning of the 10th, capt. Riley,
with a company of Rihemen, and Lieut.,
! Bradley, with company OF inlanlry;
were ordered to take possession oi mn
above the upper village. They 'mmenI'
! ately took positlou mere within one Dnh
bred steps IRON the town, and IN sllua.
ton VIII ch screened them from the IRE OF
the enemy from The towns. Al The same
moment, Lieut. Torrs, %ith one pouh-
der, and FIVE AMI half inch ho~''z1fI
commenced an attack on the lower lo"n'
Sergeau Perkins, with one SIX poun.er,
was ort4 red TO re port to Mr. Vanderburg'
of The Missouri Fur Company This SIX
pouuder WAS placed above the upper VII
lage. A brisk Ere was continued upon the
towns until three o'clock in the afternoon
The Sioux were, in the mean time, Dusty
engaged in gathering and carrying Oh me
Al 5 o'clock N d ilsrvhua. .-as also or
dered to the upper village WIN his con-
pany.
and the troops opposed 10 the upper vii:
a.ye. werXy, " ,;adraw n- and our ~hoie
tosss conceH.7ated below the lower wis
lsge, aud the troops ordered to torn, tor
the pu-pose # collecting corn tor their
own use Gen. Ashley's men had been
destitute OF provisions tor 'wo days Al
this time, party OF Sioux, and party OF
| Ricaras, both on horseback, were discoy-
cred holding a parIey on the bill beyond
| the upser town. Ii was also discovered
that the Sioux were going of, though they
had given no inllmaiIUR OF their Intention
| 10 do so rbe Rlcara, sen: out and beg
ged for peace. They said that The hlsl
Shot from our cannon had killed the cele-
brated Cbiei, called Grey Eyes, VINO
caused all me mischief, and that we had
killed great many OF their people, and
OF their horses They were evidently
very much Verified, and completely mum
bied Being convinced OF this, and sup
DOSING that the government would De bel.
Ter pIeased TO have those Indians corrected
than erterminuGed, and as the Sioux, a.
mounting 10 about 7 Or 800 warriors, had
left us n very strange and unaccounta-
BILE manner. II was thought best, under all
! the cir um<tances OF the case, 10 listen 10
the solicitations of the Rlcaras tor peace,
especially as il was understood that our
round shot were nearly all expended; con-
sequently, Treaty was made win tnem,
! a copy of which is enclosed.
In restoring to Gen. Ashley the proper
ty taken, ii was thought that the Indians
did not perform then engagements on that
subject, as well as they we're able 10 40;
| ana lucy were threatened with an attack.
Their principal chief. the L'tile Soldier,
came TO Us, apd begged permission 10 with
draw his family from the village before
we attacked it; and be gave us the most
conclusive evidence oil hrs friendly dIspo-
sition towards US. Ii was now late 10 The
afternoon OF the lsth. The 10th and llth
having been spent in action and negotla-
too, and nlerchanging visits, our men ire
ouenling the towns for the purpose OF ira
ding for lnocasslns, &c. and the Indians
manltesting every symptom OF having been
thoroughly brought to sense OF their in
terest and duly. Ii was concluded 10
postpone the attack until morning, and
The troop. were dismissed from parade.
Il had been ascertaned by me that the
Indians were so much alarmed by our
threatening again 10 attack Them that
they would probably run away aud leave
their yillages. This, it was thought, would
have An unfavorahle effect upon the lndi-
ans. AMI make them more inclined TO com
nit depredations upon the traders; and, as
the Little Soldier soon after sent OUT. for
general Ashley, lew more buffalo robes,
with a message that he could not possibly
do more. and begging that we would have
pity on them, | sent them word that
would not attack them; that il was not
their property tha, we wanted; 10 make
bis people feel sale, and conduct them
selves well, and they should not be hurt.
Early on the morning OF the 18TH. we
found the Ricaras bad lett their towns du'
ring the night.
Major Kelcbum, with bis company, and
company E. commanded by Lieut.. Brad