The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-07-15
Army Correspondence.

traps ana leave camp COOK, . miles north
Of Sioux City,) which was welcome news
to all concerned, as the boys had all go,
tired Of laying in camp; 1--WE had been
there from the 25th Of April) After a
march of five days, VIC arrived at Fort
Randall, distance Of 12O miles. We
commenced crossing the mex: mo, ming and
finished on the evening Of the 26th. The
morning Of the 2Sth we took up our line OF
march for this place, where We arrived on
the 4th of June, all pretty well tired out,
and our horses pretty well worn ont, as we
got but little corn after we left Fort Ran
dali. During our first days march after
We left camp Cook, we passed over fine
bottom lying between the Big Sioux and
Missouri rivers, but after We crossed the
Vcrmlllion river We came to high and dry
prairie country, destitute Of timber. which
continued until we arrived at Fort Randall
After we left that point we found a poor,
barren country, destitute Of timber and
nearly so of water, and what there was
was so full of alkali that it was not really
fit for man or horse to USE l think Uncle
Samuel will be badly humbuggcd if he ever
gets it from the poor Indians, as they can
hardly make a living on it, should think,
as those up here are nearly starved. We
have seen plenty of the red folks since we
came into this part of Dakota. There are
$500 around Fort Randall and the Indian
Agency, 10 miles below There is, at this
place, | should judge, 500 or 600, and right
across the river from here a,e some 20
lodges Of the Sartces, averaging about 3
warriors to the lodge.
I used to read a good deal in yellow
covered literature Of the great beauty and
intellect Of the red men of the forest, but
| must confess that the romance has grown
beautifully less since have seen them f +
NY self. They are actually the LATEST,
I0u'ics:, dtrii, st set Of wrctches have ever
seen.
Yesterday there was boat came up on
| its way tc Fort Benton After they landed
the Indians to"k possession Of the line and
informed the Captain that he could not
start until he gave them something to eat
as Gen i'arncy had tol them that every
boat that came up should give them some
| thing. The Captain tried to dissuade them
from their purpose but all was Of no avail
They fired teir guns into the air as mark
Of what they intended to do, till finally the
Captain had to come down with barrel Of
hard bread and some tobacco, when they
let him proceed.
Where AMI what our destination is We
can't tell yet, hut suppose it is carrying
out an expedition something of this nature
Gen. Cook MS to Lave Sioux City with
5000 troops, consisting "f the 9th and 9Th
Iowa, and 2i y lra>kr, with small battery
and go up the Missouri to Devils LAX" and
meet Gen. Sihlcv from Minnesota with sotae
1000 or 5000, and overhaul the Indians
that committed those diabolcal outragcs in
Mimi. last fall, and get the prisoners away
from them that they now hold. If this is
so we have some big marching and prob
ably some fighting before us yet.
The I'd battalion consists Of Cos. E, L
(McGregor Co.. II, and B. The LIST is a
Fort Randall, and the Sd is, suppose, or
the way up on the east side Of the river.
Our boys are all in good health, ant
anxious to see some Indians that ain
friendly. We are at this time under com
mand of Lieut.. Colonel Pattee, Of the 7th
We are out Of the way Of regular mails
but our Major (Tenbroeck) says we shal
have mails after this. ...
But enough; If this reaches you and 20,
'hink it worth publishing, may writ
more as opportunities offers; if not, adicu
Yours truly,
| One OF THE 9TH.
FORT RANDALL DAKOTA TER,
June 9th, 1868.
Dear Times II sent few lines to yo,
from Fort Pierre some time ago, whi.h h vii
be sent out in the same mail with this
Since then have been making quite trip
I was put in charge of squad Of ten mer
TO- escort the mail from Fort Pierre dowr
to this point. We left on Monday, tn,
22d, and arrived here yesterday evenin.
about 5 o'clock, making the trip IN fiv'
days, a distance Of $50 miles. Some o
our horses gave out altogether and all were
pretty well used up. We stay here til
Monday, when we take the back track fo
Pierre again, so as to make mail every Il
,days-pretty good for new country
The reason for the escort was on accoun
Of an affray with the Indians which i.
about as follows: A Sergeant went ou
one day, two weeks ago, and scared up 4
couple Of the red gents when he (the Ser
geanD skedaddled back to camp, with the
Indians after him. Col. Pollock immedi
ately sent out squad from Co. G and one
from Co. X after them. The squad from
Co. G found some eight of them and made
them deliver over their arms, and then
shot them down. One Of the Indians it is
said fought Capt. Morelaw with his knife
to the bitter end The affair has created
quite an excitement among the Indians in
all quarters. Col. Pollock has ordered
them all away from the lines, and across
the Missouri river. One Of the Indians, il
is said, is one Of those who rescued the
white prisoners from the Sartees at Devils
Lake and was on tho way down to get pay