Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1863-11-07
Sioux City 8rgister
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER I, 1868.
From tho Army and Navy Official 0szette.l
Expedition Of Brlgadier Gen
Alfred Suny.
Head QUA Indian Expedition,
Camp at Mouth OF Little Shyenne River,


Camp at Mouth OF Little Shyenne River,
september nth, 1868.
MAJOR: The last report bad the hon.
or to send you was from the mouth of this
Little Cheyenne river, hearing date Aug.
Is, 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
60. | 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 a, Fort Pierre, oge,her
with every man who was in the least sick
or not we'll mounted BY this reduced
my force considerably, ana was enabled
TO transport with the wre,ched mules tina,
had been furnished me about twenty three
days rations and forage enough t" keep
these transp Drta,ioa animals alive, de-
pending On grass / might find to feed the
cavalry aud artillery horses. Luckily tor
me found the grazing north in much
better condition than | had dared to hope
for.
On the Goth We were visited ny one of
the most terrific rain and hail storms |
have seen. This stampeded some Of my
animx l, and few were lost-they swan
across the Mlssouri-and il also destroy
ed q quantity of my ra.iOns in the wagons,
thereby causing me some delay in the
march but succeeded IN getting ud on
the afternoon of the 2lst, ard marched
up the Little Shyenre about eleven
mlles, the read 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 it, a
nor,hveste,ly direction to the outlet Of
Swan Lake. On the oath we marched due
north eighteen miles, and encamped on
u small creek called Bots Cache. Here
We came into the buffalo country, aud |
formed n bunting party for the Command,
which had soon to dishand as they dis.
abled more horses than buffalo. We
continued our march north about twenty.
two miles aud reached small! stream
called Bird Archie Greek. This day the
hunters succeeded in killing many buffa-
10, and reported that they saw Indians
NEAR the Missouri.
Early on the M orning Of the Goth /
sent out small scouting party who cap
tured two sqaiws and some children and
brought them into me These Indians re-
ported that General Sibley had had fight
near the head of Long Lake, and that
they were Gu their way to the agency at
Grow Creek, but were lost, and were
alone but the scouts found tracks Of
lodges going up the Missouri. therefore
immediately detailed companies f aud X
Of the ID Nebraska cavalry, under com.
m"nd Of Captain La Boo, ordering them
t. 60 to the Missouri and follow up the
trail, with orders to capture some Indians
if possible and bring them in so that |
might get information if they could not
DO that to kill them and destroy their
camps. continued the march with the
rest of tie command that day, passing
through large herds Of buffalo, and was
obliged to make march of thirty five
miles before | could reach water. The
weather was very hot, aud it was night
before we reached camp on the Beaver
river.
Ga the eth l started late, having had
some difficulty in crossing the river, max
ing a march OF five miles still in north.
eriy direction, aud encamped on another
branch Of the same river. Company X
Of the u Nebraska joined me This day,
having been separated from the other
company. The mex, day we bad to make
some devIations TO the west on account
of hills and slougts, and made the outlet
of Long Lake, a march Ut about twenty
miles. Ga the way We saw numerous
signs Of Indians in large numbers havirg
been recently there. aud 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.
ed near Sioux City He had the reputa.
ton of being what is called good ln-
dian. He stated that bis horse had
been taken away from him aud that he
had been left there He looked almo
starved to death. He gave me the follow.
ing details, which have since mostly turn.
ed out to 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 i;
that the Indians attacked him on the way,
and that there was some skirnisliing -
At Apple creek Sibley had another fight,
aud TINT in all the fights about 5s Indians
were killed that General Sibley fortified
his camp at Apple Greek, aud after a
while returned to James river; that few
days after General sibley left the Indians
who had their scouts cut watching, re,
crossed the Missouri, and while doicg so,
discovered a Makinaw boa, on its way
down. They attacked the boat, fought
the entire day until suniown, sunk her,
and killed all TN board-2l men, 3 women
and some children; that before she was
sunk the fire from the boat killed 81 In.
dams and wounded many more; that a
small war party followed Siblcy some
days, returned With the report that be
had crossed the James river; then some
of the Indians went north; the larger
portion, however, went towards the head
Of Long Lake and thu. he thought a
portion of them we're encamped OH the
Missouri river west of me-.
This report was so much in keeping
With the. Indian mode of warfare, that
thOuph il cana from an Iniian I wAs led