St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1863-08-13

''1s cAnf' ATKINSON, D. r, July s1st, 1868,
eorre.pondencecf The 81! Cloud Dena,oocardt: 47e
~ fEDIron DEMocRAr.z-2 were startled yes
terday evening, by the announcement in our
camp, that Lieutenant Ambrose Freeman, Go.
p Mounted Rangers. had fallen victim to
the savage foe. As the particulars of this un-
fortunate affair will be Of melancholy interest
to his friends-ana who that knew him was
mot his friend !-r give them as related to me
+ by Mr.. Brackett,' who was with him; 1T the
time. !5!n,f j,nHt:2 .r7l-:1. h",... nj 7suyn
When g. we came to this camp, some two weeks
ago, Gen. sibley directed to leave. part of the
train and commissary stores here, till the ex-
petition Should be this far Of, its return
Four companies from" each regiment, with all
the men who were unable'to make long march
'es, OF which tn ere. were ;some:in each compa-
ny were left here to guard the stores, conva-
lescent mules, and part Of the cattle drove.
On the fifth day after they left this camp,
Lieut.. Freeman and Mr.. George Bracket, Who
is a beef contractor, had fallen behind The
train and turne,:. totheloft in search Of game
Having chased aud killed an antelope, they
concluded to push on to overtake the train, or
reach the camp, as it was then past noon
They soon discovered three indians whom
they resolvedto chase, and kill If they could.
Approaching them they recognized then. as
SOME Of our own scouts Coming>ap to :hem,
they saw some; horsemcn onIa rise ;of ground,
some three miles distant which they ,suppos-
ed To- be the rear guard Of, the, train. The
scouts went into a ravine to water th.ir hors
es, while Bracket and freeman rode On. Not
Hong atterwatd the observed d part Of the
supposed cavalry force coming toward them
It. being d somewhat common thing for mount
ed men to thus ride back and forth, they tho t
some ONE, Of the officers; probably Were. coming
back |ei e meet them, Owing to the formation
Of the ground, they did not sec those in front
Of them for some time. 'ass 'ESni9sa2T 9fod
|' Going some distance, party Of armed and
painted warriors-about fifteen in number,
Mr. b., thinks-bearinga Aagof truce, came
eyer the crest Of . bill, meeting them about
twenty rods distant; With q yell the Indians
dashed at them, firing their guns as. they came.
Bracket does not knew whether freeman u, was
hit or not; thinks he probably was. They de-
cided; when they saw tho Indians, to- retreat
to tho scouts; who were coming behind them,
and With them to stand and fight. The 1ndi-
ans soona. overlook them and spread out on
either flank as If trying to surround them
Willie their attention was directed to this
movement, one Of them made rapid dash. at
The Lieutenant, coming directly behind him.
Freeman Was turning to GET lis gun in posi-
ton to FIRE, when the Indian, having come so
near that their horses were nearly If notquite
touching, discharged an arrow which struck
Freeman under the shoulder near the bach
bone, passing nearly, if not quite, through his
body! Another fired g. gun At Bracket, but
missed him; one of, the scouts then firedlat
the Indian Fho shot at Bracket; ~ They turn
ed the point Of ridge and the Indians fell
back behind knoll; as If expecting to be
fred at. 2Safa E&'3H"I IF 5halar@40s'
Mn dismoudnting, FREEMAN fill to The ground :;
asked Br~ckett, who went to him; to cut q
strap that WAS over his shoulder; s. SAID, y s.Fm
, nearly, gene---some Water dropped his head
70 the ground and expired in = few minutes.
The scouts then remounted and fed.
Bracket staid ~ Freeman iii IL was al Ger.
tain that he was Dead then taking his Gree.
man's) rifle, revolver and knife tremounted
|'hashorss, and Aad after tho scouts. He thinks
they ran their horses four, miles when, the In,
dams overlook them I.e ,An They dismount
ed; the scouts surrendered; ono 81 them mo,
toning to Brackets "a. hide ID The tan grass
and rushes near ~, whichshe did The Indi-
4 ansd commercials quarrel among, themselves
about tho horses, of which they now had 1--WE.