Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1862-09-27
DAKOTA CORRESPONDENT OF
THE SIOUX CITY RICHTER.

DU"Sse~S SSU~'N sSS-ASusu"NY xtNtCfC
People Returning-Nobody Hurt
No Property Burned-No Indians seen
The Yankton's Friendly..Thc Whites
in Arms-Election Returns, de-, dc.
YAskros, ,. T., Sept. %, 1862.
Dear Register Since my last letters
Dakota has been swept with whirlwind
Of excitement. Immediately upon the
heels Of the bloody rumors from Mime
sofa, came the news Of the murder of two
men in the vicinity of Sioux Falls, and
soon thereafter followed the still more
alarming report, that the Yanktons were
rising in arms, and we're moving down in
force to burn the settlements and butcher
the inhabitants. Added to this, like fuel
to fire, at noon of next day, down came
our delegated committee on their return
from the Yanktons, and stated that Mad
Bull' had informed them that there were
500 wsrlike Santees in our immediate
neighborhood, and that We were in danger
Of being attacked every hour. The Yank.
tons had declared their neutrality between
the Whites and Ssntees, but would unite
with the Whites if we were sure to con.
quer. At this report the people stood
aghast and pale, and for awhile the scales
Of fate hung trembling between fear and
courage, to flee or fight A vote was soon
taken, and it was decided to stand and
meet the attack. Our forsifications were
but half finished, but there was soon at
work force of Fifty men with spades,
axes, teams, &C., aud before night We had
erected breast, works, enclosing about i've
acres of ground and seven buildings, in
which had assembled all the families in
the county. The detachment of the Cav.
airy Company Stationed At this place
comprising about forty soldiers-had NOV.
ed their camp inside the Notifications, and
that night our strength comprised force
ofabout $50 men, with arms, ammunition,
and small cannon, loaded with grape,
or trade shot A guard of - men was
stationed around the enclosure, and =
mounted picket guard was all night scout
ing on the neighboring hills. The long
night wore away with fear and anxiety to
the many sleepless women aud children
thrown together in the fertilization, and
when the red morning flushed the East
and the watchword came in from the faith.
tul sentihels that 10 Indian had been seen
during the night, all breathed free and
thankful.
Much Of the apprehenied danger of tho
night, was occasiouel BY the fact that,
during the day eight of the Cavalry had
fell in with a small band of indians near
the Lakes who had stolen three ponies,
and who showed some resistance by ex-
changing shots with the cavalrymen-
Since then-some two weeks ago mot q
man has oeen shot at-not an OK or pig
killed-or house or stack burned by the
Indians in the Territory, with the excep.
ton of three buildings at Sioux Falls
which were fred after the four families
and cavalry detachment of tina. place had
been gone from the town week. and had
arrived safely at Yank,on.
Nearly all the farmers in this county
have left the forlifca.on and removed
back on their premises, and they now com.
plain, not so much Of the Indians, as OF
the depredations of the roaming squads
of cavalry scouts committed on their
fields and ga, dens, and pigs and chickens,
and fences. Rails are used for firewood,
chickens are baged by the sack full corn,
potatoes and vegetables are con6scated
for Uncle Sans use as freely as though
the Dakota farmers were considered rebels
against the government There are some
true and piucky soldiers ia this Company,
bnt the most Of them are very courageous
where no courage is needed and the far
mers have taken advantage Of this, and
whenever they now wish to frighten the
soldiers out Of their corn Ids and gar
dens, they mount upon some adjacent hill
top, give the red mans war whoop, and
shake an Indian blanket, and in less than
ten minutes there is not q cavalry man
left on the premises.
We look for no serious Indian trou blss
in Dakota this fall or winter, but in the 50
times it Is wise to oe prepared. If the
government desires to retain the ceded
portion of this Territory, aud to prevent
the people from being frightened out of
it, she should At once make them feel
secure, even in the absence Of dagger
One or two companies Of soldiers sent in
here and distributed among the settle.
ments, would inspire the whites With such
feeling Of safety, and would throw such
menace in the face of the Indians, that
there would not be life Lost or dollars