Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1863-11-07

shortly alter l met with the notorious
chief Big head and some of bis men,
They were dressed for fight, but my men
cut them off. These In iiaus together
with some Of their warriors, mastering
about 81, together with squaws, children,
ponies, aud dogs, gave themselves up,
numbering human beings over 40. Abou.
the same time filing began about half
mile from me ahead, aud was kept up,
becoming more and more brisk, until it
was quite respectable engagement. A
report was brought to me (Which proved
to be false that the lr dams were driving
back some of my command immedi.
ately took possession of the h!locks near
by, forming line and placing the battery
in the csnter on a high knoll A, this
time night had about set in, but still the
engagement was b-iskly kept up. and in
the melee it was hard to disting ush my
line from that Of the enemy. The Indians
made very desperate resistance, hut
finally broke and fled, pursued in every di
decrtion by bodies Of my troops. would
here state that the troops though mounted
were armed with rifles, and, according to
my orders, most OF them dismoun,ed and
fought afoot until tho enemy broke,
when they remounted and went in pur.
suit. 1t is to be regretted that l could
not have had an hour Of two more of day,
light, for feel sure if had, could have
annihilated the enemy. As it was, be.
'ieve can safely say gave them one Of
the most severe pun shmeLts that the In.
dams have ever received. After night set
in the engagement was Of such promis'
cuous nature that it was hard to tell VIVA,
results would happen; | therefore ordered
all the buelers to sound the "rally," and
building large fires, remained under arms
during the night collecting together my
troops.
The next morning early (the 4,h) es,
tablished my camp on the battle field, the
wagon train, under charge Of Major Pear.
man, ID Nebraska, having in the night
been ordered to join me, and sent out
strong scouting parties in different direc.
tons to scour the country to overtake
what Indians they could; but in this they
were not very successful, though tome Of
them had some little skrmishes. They
found the dead and wounded in all direc.
tons, some of them miles from the battle.
field also immense quantities of prov;s'
ions, baggage, &c where they had ap.
parently cut loose their ponies from ira.
vaiiles' ard 90, eff on item; also large
numbers of ponies and dogs harnessod to
"travailles running all over the prairie.
One party that | sent out went near to
the James river, and found there Ii dead
Indians. The deserted camp of the Iu-
dams, together with the country all around,
was covered with their plumber. devoted
this day, together with the following (,he
5.h) to destroying all this property, still
securing the country. do dot think |
exaggerate in the leas. when / ray that
burned up over four or Ave hundred thou.
sand pounds of dried buffalo mea. as one
item, besides three hundred lodges and a
very large quantity of property Of great
value to The Indians A very large mum.
Der of ponies were founG dead and wound
ed on The field: besides large number
were captured. The prisoners (some 1907
take with HE below, and shall report TO
YOU more specially 10 regard to them.
The surgeon Of the u Nebraska resi-
ment, DR.. Bowen, who has shown a great
energy aud desire 10 attend to his duties
MA a'r wv SA"'l S'aa'@a wa
the night Of the engagement with party
Of ID men TO 90 back to the old camp to
procure am5ulances. Bu, as they did not
return on the morning Of the second day,
| knew lie was either lost or captured -
HE retained about noon Of the second
day. therefore sent out small scouting
parties in every direction - hun, the IN up.
One OF these fell into an ambuscade, by
which Of the party were k He'd and the
rest driven ln | Immediately sent out
five companies o! the - Nebraska regi-
ment, Colonel Turnas in command, who,
after long march, found the lndiaus had
fled. They succeeded, however, in over
,ak,ng3 concealed in some tall grass,
whom they killed. The fight has been SO
scattered, the dead Indians have been
found in so many ditferen. places, that it
is impossible for me to give an accurate
report of the number killed of the enemy
|, however, think | am safe in reporting it
at 100. | repor; those that were left on
the field aud that my scouting parties
found
During the engagement, for some time,
the p Nebraska, afoot and armed with
rifles, land there are among them probably
some Of the best shots in the world were
engaged with the enemy at distance not
over sixty PAGES, pouring on them muir.
derous fire in the ravne where the enemy
were posted. The slaughter, therefore,
must have been immense. Ny Offices aud
the guides have with me thiak $50 viii!
not cover their loss. The Indian reports
make it over 200. That the General may
know the exact locality of the battle. Geld
| would state that it was, as near rs
could Judge, about fifteen miles west of
James river, and about half way between
the attitudes Of Bonehu,e and head waters
Of Elm river, as laid down On the Govern
eminent map. The fight took place near
II hill called by the Indians White Stone
Hill.
In conclusion | would state that the
troops Of my command conducted them.
selves we'll and though it was the FIRST
fight tina, nearly all Of them had ever
been in, they showed that they are % the
right material, and that in time, with dis
cipline, they will make worthy soldiers 1t
is to be regretted that wo lost 50 many
valuable lives as we did, bu, this could
no: be helped; the Indians had formed