The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-10-16
found Gen. Sibley's fortified camp, but

AOuhN AOA' RlUAOy lOAt IuCu CoiAP1 OuO
could not discover any indications of any
desperate fight having taken, place. I got
book belonging to a Sergeant of the
Minnesota cavalry, beside great many
old letters, and other scraps of paper,
parts of old letters, &C., which proved
conclusively that the report about Sibley's
having been to the Missouri, was true.
We questioned the old Indian again
that night, and CLEANED information that,
after Sibley had started back on his re-
turn home, that the Indians all recrossed
the river, and war parties followed his
command until he had crossed the James
River, stealing horses from him every
night
After Sibley had crossed the James
River, these same Indians, that he reports
of whipping so badly, and driving across
the Missouri, all congregated near the
head of Long Lake, at point where they
had "cached " (dug holes in the ground
and buried) their stores, with all their
lodges, women, children and ponies, and
moved down to point called Whitestone
Hill, distant from the James River about
fifteen miles. and about the centre of
where the Elm River and stream that
empties into James River near Bone Butte
q believe called Bone River) heads, where
they encamped and went to work killing
buffalo and drying the meat for their win
| ter's subsistence.
They felt perfectly secure in their loca-
ton, as they had followed Sibleys COM
mand till he had crossed James River ,and
| spies followed US from the Little Cheyenne
river until we had passed Beaver River,
about ninety four miles north of the Chey-
enne river, watching our movements and
trying to steal horses, &c.
After crossing Beaver River, our spies
concluded that there were slim chances
for them to get any horses from us, so
they quit US and went out east to their
encampment and reported that we had
gone on up the river, and that we would
not come near them.
This news Of course banished all fears,
and they commenced securing their winter
supply Of meat.
Gen. Sully and his guides being satisfied
that Gen. Sibley had somewhat scattered
and no doubt scared them, concluded to
strike east and follow the directions of the
old Indian ''Keg," and see if it was posi-
bic to accomplish anything. Our rations
were growing short, our poor animals
were in a horrible condition, and we were
in fact compelled to change our course
homeward. The General concluded to go
east, and go on half rations on the last
days of our return to Fort Pierre.
On the I'd of September we discovered
fresh signs-pony tracks, and the carcass
of buffalo lately killed.
On the morning of the Sd, the General
sent me to Major House with battalion
of the Sixth Iowa cavalry, to scout about
five miles on our left, with instructions
that if he came upon small camp, to
"bounce them " but if he should discover
a large force, one that he could not cope
with successfully, not to attack them, but
to watch them, and send him notice when
be would move up with the whole COM
mand and if possible surround and capture
them, &c
About one O'Clock we came upon some
fifty or sixty carcases of buffalo, not over
two days old, and our Indian guide ga full
blood Yanctonais named "Fool Dog"
halted and informed the General that he
had better halt, and so into camp, as the
signs were so fresh, that the Indians were
not eight miles off, and that if we did not
hat, they would discover the clouds of
dust made by our command and skedad-
die before we could get near them. The
General took his advice and encamped.
We pitched our tents on the banks of an
alkali lake, had our guards and pickets
posted, horses out to Craze, ana all hands
preparing supper.
We had travelled eighteen miles that day,
and had all performed our additions in
alkali water, and your humble servant had
just snaked his boots off, and laid down
for his regular siesta. AS lay trying to
sleep heard one Of the orderlies remark,
"good God, look how that fellow is run
ming his horse, something must be up" l
got up to look, and sure enough there was
the runner from Major House, who had
| been sent out in the morning, on the full
run for headquarters. He reported six
hundred lodges, q will here say, this run
ner was Crank Laframboise {" who
| has lived at Pierre number of years,
a Sioux halfbreed, we'll known in Min
nesota, and we'll capable of judging
the number of lodges in an encampment,)
After giving the General the information
(the same as old "Fool Dog our Indian
| guide, predicted,) he ordered boots and
saddles to be sounded. In fifteen minutes
our whole cavalry force, Except a battal-
ion to guard camp and the wagons,) with
our Grasshopper Battery, started on the
keen jump for the Indian camp. 1t was
about A o'clock in the evening. We made
the distance to the indians, ten miles, in
just one hour. Several horses gave out,
also two caissons had to fall behind, but
the balance got in about sunset. The In
dams discovered the columns approaching
from the clouds of dust, and began to
break in all directions. The I'd Nebraska
cavalry, Col. Turnas, was ordered to the
right; the 9th Iowa, Col. Wilson, to the
left; the General, with one Sioux City
company and the battery, took the centre,
and "go in lemons " was the cry on all
Sides The Indians deserted their camp,
and it was from one to two miles more be-
fore the cavalry overlook the main body
of Indians.
The sun had set before our first volley
was delivered, and from that time until
between nine and ten, there was constant
} firing, and all through the night until the
| annrOach Of dow ctropplinu shots 1poro