The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-10-09
GEN. SULLY'S BATTLE WITH
THE SIOUX.
BRAVERY OF THE INDIANS.
THEY STOOD THEIR GROUND
AND FOUGHT I'm MILITARY
STYLE,
Sully's Loss Fifty, Killed and
Wounded.
Important Captures and Destruc-
ton Of Indian Property.
Correspor dence of the Wilona Ee-ubhcan

Correspor dence of the Wilona Ee-ubhcan
WINNEBAGO AGENCY. DAKOTA TERRITORY
September IA, 1863
Reports have been current here for
week past that Gen. Sully has had real
battle with the savage., and worsted them
well, but not confirmed until to-day,
when the mail and escort came down from
Pierre. have spoken with all those who
were in the battle, as also some WHO have
heard the General tell of lis loings; and
as it is cheering to who hail from Min
nesota, will pen you the substance OF the
news.
Gen. Sully left Fort Pierre on the 18th
of July, leaving all his infantry and taking
the Iowa 9th and Nebraska I'd cavalry,
with his battery of howtzers They adj
vanced about 200 miles north to the head
o. Long Lake, and then turned east to-
ward James river Before reaching Long
Lake they captured an old Santee Sioux,
called "Old Gag who said lie had been
in the battles against Si5ley. He had
started down the Missouri ON an Ameri-
can horse he had got there, and meeting
the Yanktonnais, they had taken his
horse from him and left him to make his
way on foot Taken before Sully, he was
threatened with death if he did not dis
close all he knew about the Indians He
gave distinct statement about the situa
ton of their camps, and although no reli-
ance was placed on his word, yet his &c
velopments were noted and advancement
made in the reported direction.
On September Sd, Major House with a
hate, <>f u Tor e.
out scouting. At p. NJ he came upon
the ridge o. a hill looking into valley
where were 250 lodges CT Indians. Dis
patching I" courier to Sully, with intelli-
gence that he had found them and to hurry
on, he dashed among them. He pulled
his revolver and pointed it; instantane-
ously hundred arrows were pointed at
his heart; he put it back again and par
ley commenced. Immediately teepes be-
gan to come down, ponies and dogs were
packed with traps by squaws, and sent Oft
most haste. The Indians pretended they
only wished to make peace and treaty
that they were tired of war, etc.-all
good enough for parley, and to gain
time for the escape Of squaws and the
children heirhypocrisy, however, proved
| the salvation of the soldiers as well as the
others, for they were surrounded by 900
warriors, and complete humiliation must
inevitably have attend,d any attack.
Finally they told the soldiers that as
they had come up into their country to be
killed they would kill them-accompany-
ing this with all manner of maneuvres,
chDu fbnsr NJ ,,,o,,lI
have come back alive had not Sully just
then appeared on the hill. having rode
eight miles in forty five minutes, with both
cavalry and artillery. The Iowa regiment
was stationed on the east and the Nebras-
| ka regiment on the west; while the Gen.
eral, with one battalion of the Iowa 9th,
brought up the south face, nearly forming
circle. Another batch of about $50
| lodges was found in q neinhboring valley,
in supporting distance of the first. The
attack was commenced by the Nebraska
2d, who, dismounting, fought like devils.
The Iowa 9th came into range with empty
rifles, and received two discharges before
having a load in their guns, but soon load
ing, on the other side the fight became tu-
lious. The Indians faced the fire and
tiinched not particle. They fought in
military style, formed into three lines, dis
mounting to fire, and using the horses as
breastworks; again mounting and wheel
ing in rear; thus giving constant line to
or fire, and preserving their own strength
with tearlessness. they yelled their defiance
and fought like warriors, standing up TO
their work with desperate resolution and
unconquerable frmLess. But their OPP
pOnents were "toO much " for the
inturiated fiends, and nothing but
death could roll back that white tide
On they came, until foe and friend
were clasped together, while even the
whites fired across into each other
General Sully eagerly wished to open his
battery on them, but the proximity of both
parties rendered it fully as dangerous to
his own men as to the red scoundrels.
Superior discipline at last conquered, and
the Indians, disconnected and disappointed,
fled in every direction, leaving from one
hundred to two hundred dead bodies on
the field, and over a hundred prisoners.
Darkness protected the flying fugitives,
and, weary and exhausted, our men rested
| quietly over night. Our losses are esti-
mated at over 80 killed and wounded. All
the Indian tepees, buffalo robes, peltry,
trinkets, meats, and 200 ponies, remain in
Gen. Sullys possession. After taking all
that could be 'brough. away, it required
four hundred men all of one day to de-
stroy by fire the remainder. Every kind
of Indian commerce was captured in album
dance. For ten miles the road was COW
cred with dried meat and stutfs that were
thrown away. Much of the 'plunder -
we recognized as having belonged to whites
along the frontier. The Express proprie
Tor recovered number of stolen horses,
as also did many soldiers.
Over a bushel and half of Minnie car
trid ges were captured, and many United
states rifles. The prisoners say that they
got them from Sibley, as also one hun