The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-10-16
THE INDIAN WAR.
GEN, SULLY'S CAMPAlGN
FULL DESCRIPTION OF HIS
BATTLE.
IMMENSE CAPTURES OF INDIAN
PROVISIONS. sc.
What the Indians Say Of the Sib-
ley Fights.
CEN. SULLY's CAMPAIGN


Fort PIERRE, Sept. IA, 1868.
To the Editor of the Pioneer:
We arrived here last night at eight
o'clock, having travelled thirty-fve miles
yesterday. 1t was forced march, on ac-
count of the water, where we intended
camping, having all dried up since our trip
up the river
So Sibley has had three terrible fights,
has driven the Indians across the Missou-
ri, and has notified the white population of
Minnesota and Dakotah that they can re-
pose in perfect safety now, and feel per-
fectly secure; that they will not wake up
in the morning and find that the bloody
Ingins ~ have, during their peaceful SUM
bers, stolen their hair, carried off their
wives, children, horses, and "dorgs," &C.,
&c. Gen. Sibley states that he has driven
them across the Missouri, and that ''pr0ba-
bly, Gen. Sully, with his cavalry, will be
able to prevent their recrossing, and cap
ture, no doubt, many stragglers." This is
the biggest joke on record; without in
tending any injustice to Gen. Sibley or
any portion of his command, Unjust, in re-
taliation for the many taunts and slurs
that have been heaped upon this CSully's)
command, inform you OF few facts,
which, if they could be placed in the hands
of some clever reporter Gone, for instance,
like that volunteer aid OF Gen. Sibleys),
l am confident that they would be quite
interesting and at the same time give
quite different coloring to the doings of
the Minnesota expedition.
| am too tired to 90 into the details of
our troubles about no water, no grass, no
transportation, dis1empered mules, &c,
&C., but shall commence and give you
some of the particulars of our Big In
gin fite.'
On our march, August Goth, a party of
six men, who came out hunting buffalo,
captured two poor half-starved squaws,
with three children. They gave US the
first news of Sibley's having fight at
the head Of Long Lake, which we all
thought were lies, of course, thinking
from the last accounts we bad of Sibley
that he was in the Devil Lake country,
&c. We carried our captives along, and
on the march, August 28th, we captured
an old Indian called "Keg," known by
great many of our command, who gave Us
all the news about General Sibleys do
ings He told us that Gen. Sibley had
fight at the head of Long Lake; that the
Indians attacked him, but that he (Sibley)
drove them like "partridges," and pur-
sued them to the mouth of Apple Creek
on the Missouri, and there fought them
again, and that the Indians, women, chill
dren, lodges, ponies, dogs, and all the
shebang" crossed the river.
The old Indian corroborating the stories
told by the squaws, induced Gen. Sully
to halt his command at creek that
empties into Long Lake Greek, where the
old, Indian told US that General Sibley
had the fight. The General Immediately
sent out one company of cavalry, about
seventy men, with instructions to visit
the mouth of Apple Creek, and see if they
could discover any sign of Sbley's en-
campment and wagon tracks, and to re-
turn the same night.
The rumor spread through the COM
mand that Sibley had big fight, and the
natural feeling among our men was that
our chances for scrimmage were very
slim. Then you should have heard
the curses that were heaped upon the
organizers of our outfit, particularly the
inspectors, who shipped the mules from
St. Louis, &c.
Some knowing ones have published full
descriptions of the splendid outfit" of Sui
ly's Expedition, and the immense number
of cavalry he had to accompany him, &c.,
which, no doubt, has led a great many to
imagine that we were fully prepared to
overcome any obstacle, and kill and de-
stroy all the Indians on the Upper Mis-
souri, and Dacota Territory.
When we left the mouth of the Little
Cheyenne River, about fifty miles above
Fort Pierre, our total fighting strength
was 1850 raw cavalry, with no discipline
and the same amount of drill.
Such was our command, with four prai
rie howitzers and supply train of sixt.
wagons, with six poor, angular, God-for
saken mules to each wagon. We started
with twenty-five days. rations for the mel
and three pounds Of grain part OF tn
time for the working animals.)
Well, must return to give you the re-
port of the scouting party that was sen
to the mouth of Apple Creek. The!