Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1863-02-28
DAKOTA ERESPONDENCE OF
THE REGISTER.

FORT PIERRE, February 10Th, '6S.
The monotony at this place was relieved
yesterday afternoon by the arrival at Fort
Latromboise Ia post two miles above this
of party Of friendly Indians accompa-
MED by white girl about eleven years
old, whom they had succeeded in purchasing
of the Santees
The party was composed Of four friendly
Indians sent out by Major Gal pin about
the l2lh Of January last After travelling
fourteen days without meeting any In
dams they arrived at Painted Wood where
they found the Santees encamped in force.
numbering three hundred lodges and 600
warriors. There was also ia the same
encampment one hundred lodges of the
Yanktonas. They purchased the girl of
Little Crow soon after their arrival, and
would have succeeded in obtaining the rest
had it not been for the advice and inter.
ference Of half breed from Devils Lake
who arrived during their stay there, and
made them presents Of tobacco. and prom
Uses that the whites at the North would
furnish them with powder and ball, and
would assist them in fighting the whites
next summer. Two of the head men of
The Ianktonas, Strike the Rec and Wa
woe san Ia, also interfered in behalf of
Little Crow, who finally informed the
party that he would keep the prisoners,
four in number, three boys and one girl
aud would tie them to his belt next sum.
mer when he went to fight the whites.
Painted Wood, the present Santee Camp
is 80 miles above Fort Pierre. and Devils
Lake is some 2)a miles from Painted
Wood in the direction of FIT, Abercrombe
and abort 50 miles from that place There
are 800 lodges Of Santees at Devils Lake
The party report the snow deep. but
plenty of buffalo; they also report that the
Indians are loosing all Of their pories
but that they have plenty of cattle They
have serious epidemic among them
which is thinning their ranks very rapidly.
This epidemic has prevailed for over a
year, number of cases having occurred
Black Foot Chief who visited me q few
weeks since to obtain medicine, informed
me that good many hundred Of his PEG
pie had died with the diseose during the
past summer. \ few cases of this disease
have been brought to this place for treat.
mcnt. 1t is the worst form of erysipelas,
White Lodge, one Of the Santee Chiefs,
and a great bragadocio. informed one of
the party that the Santees, would be down
in n short time to burn Fort Pierre and
Fort LaEromboise.
While the party were at the Santee
camp they were informed that last Octo-
Der party composed of Cut Heads, Big
! Heads and Ianktonas attacked Fl. Berth
old, one of the posts of the American Fur
later date the same party attacked the
same post, burnt it with its contents, and
drove off 80 head Of cattle Information
from other sources throws doubt on the
last statement.)
The portion Of the Yanktonas who are
friendly say they will Go all in their power
to rescue the balance of the prisoners.
a small party Of Jn.pa>pas came with.
in few miles Of the Fort and stole five
horses belonging to the friendly Indians
who had gone after the prisoners, during
their absence.
Five Santees We're prowling about this
Fort and Fort LaFromboise, two miles
above here; one night last week the only
damage done was burning some hay stacks
belonging to Ma or Galpin at Fort La
! Fromboise. If we had horses to pursue
them they might have been caught as they
were on foot.
There is no PROBABILITY of our having
any fighting to do here during the winter
but may have in the spring when the
grass starts.
The girl who was rescued is from near
Yellow Medicine, Minnesota. Her name