Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1863-11-14
From tho Army and Navy Official Gazette
Expedition Of Brigadier Gen.
Alfred Sully.

Head Quarters Indian Expedtion,)
Camp at Mouth ot Little Shyenns River,
September nth, 1868.
MAJOR: The last report had the hon.
or to send you was from the mouth of this
Little Cheyenne river, bearing date Aug.
IL, 1868; since which time my move.
ments have been too rapid aud the dan.
ger of sending any communication such
that it has been impossible for me to do
90. | therefore have the honor to repor,
my movements from last report up to
date.
On the morning of the 10Th the steam
er | was waiting for with supplies finally
arrived. She was Immediately unloaded,
and all the baggage of the officers and
men Of the command was sent down by
her to the depot at Fort Pierre, together
with every man who was in the least sick
or not well mounted. BY this l reduced
my force considerably, ana was enabled
to transport with th" wretched mules that
had been furnished me about twenty three
days ra,ions and forage enough to keep
these transportation animals alive, de-
pending on grass III sht find to feed the
cavalry aud artillery horses. Luckily for
me | found the grazing north in much
better condition than had dared to hope
tor.
On the Doth We were visited oy one of
the most terrific rain aud hail storms |
have seen. This stampeded some of my
animals and few were lost-they swan
across the Mlssouri--and i, also destroy
ed u quantity Of my rations in the wagons.
thereby causing me some delay in the
march; but | succeeded in getting of on
the afternoon OF the 2l,t, and marched
up the Lutte Shyenne about eleven
miles, the road being very heavy. The
next day We marched only seven miles,
camping at a slough on the prairie with
out wood. The next We marched IL. a
nor,hwesterly direction to the outlet Of
Swan Lake. Gu the 24;h we marched due
north eighteen miles, and encamped on
a small creek called Bois Cache. Here
We came into the buffalo country, aud |
formed Il hunting party for the Command,
which had soon to disband as they dis.
abled more horses than buffalo. We
Continued our march north about twenty
two miles and reached a small stream
called Bird Arche Greek. This day the
hunters succeeded in killing many butfa-
10, aud reported that they saw l',dlans
near the Missouri.
Early on the morning Of the 26th |
sent out a small scouting party who cap.
tured two svulws and some children aud
brought them into me. These Indians re-
ported that General Sibley had had fight
near the head Of Long Lake. and tEat
they We're on their way to the agency at
Crow Creek, bu. were lost, and were
alone; bat the scouts found tracks Of
lodges going up the Missouri. therefore
Immediately detuiled companies I aud
OF the ID Netras ka cavalry, under COM
mand Of Captain La Boo, ordering them
to 60 to the Missouri and follow up the
trail, with orders to capture some Indians
if possible and bring them III so that
IN !yh. get information il they could not
DO tha. to kill them and destroy their
camps. continued the march with the
res. Of tie command that day, passing
through large herds of buffalo, and was
Obliged to make "A march of thirty five
miles before | could reach water. The
weather was very hot, and it was night
oC1o'e VIC AeaIusA camp oAa thC D~"'SA
river.
On the 9th started late, having had
some difficulty in crossing the siver, max
ing a march of five miles still in north.
erIy direction, and encamped on another
branch Of the same river. Company X
Of the ID Nebraska joined me this day,
having been separated from the other
company The next day we had to make
some deviatons to the west on account
Of hills and sloughs, and made the outlet
Of Long Lake, march of about twenty
miles. On the way we saw numerous
signs Of Indians in large numbers having
been recently there, and found an old lame
Indian concealed in the bushes who was
we'll known by many of the men Of the
command as having for some years resid'
cd near Sioux City. He had the reputa.
ton of being what is called "good In
disn.' He stated that Ibis horse had
been taken away from him and that he
had been left there He looked almost
starved to death. He gave me the follow.
ing details. which have since mostly turn.
ed out 10 be correct: he stated General
Sibley had fought the Indians at the head
Of Long Lake. fifty miles northeast from
me, some weeks ago; that he followed
them down to the mouth of Apple creek
that the Indians attacked him on the way,
and that there was some skirmishing.-
At Apple creek sibley had another fight,
aud that in all the fights about 5S Indians
were killed that Genera! Sibley fortified
his camp at Apple Greek, and after
while returned to James river that q few
days after General Sibley left, the Indians
who had their scouts cut watching, re.
crossed the Missouri, and while doing so,
discovered . Makinaw boat on its way
down. They attacked the boat, Tough.
the entire day until sundown, sunk her,
and killed all on board-2l men, 3 women
and some children; that before she was
sunk the fire from the boat killed 81 In.
dians and wounded many more that
small war party followed Sibley some
days, returned with tho report that no
had crossed the James river; then some