The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1863-12-11

HEADQ'Rs INDIAN BATTALION. MINI. VoIs1
PEMBINA, ID. L, Nov. 16, 1863.
To the Editor Of The Pioneer:
The Indian Battalion Minnesota Volunteers
arrived at Pembina on the 18th day of November
1865. having been On the march 40 DAYS. Dnr-
ing this time we had laid over fifteen DAYS
leaving twenty five days that the battalion has
really been in making the march,
As We have estimated the distance from dav
TO day it is 463 miles from st. Paul to the
mouth of the Pembna river 10. Roulette
says, when he used to collect hfs mileage from
this place to St Paul, he called it $50 miles.
but then he says g. that is quite a different
thing
After taking into consideration the tact that
we have had snow since the 18th of October,
or for twenty six days, and with the exception
ola very few oflhe tirsb, not less than six, and
mnch of the time over twelve inches deep we
feel satisfied that we have made good march.
There has been very little complaint from
the men. All have done their dutyas cheer
fully as could be expected. 1t ias been hard
trip since we LEFT Georgetown, where our
hay and grain gave out entirely We we're ten
days in coming from that point through
There was hominy enough in the tcmmis-
sagy Department to feed. the mules half ratons.
but the horses had nothing except what they
could pick up nights and mornings.
Horses and cattle raised here can work and
subsist on tllis route by grazing, but old horses
raised south that have been accustomed to
grain, Cannot live long on dry frozen grass.
The best feed our horses had was tree tops,
cut down expressly for then to browse-they
would clean them entirely of twigs and bark
We lost the trip UP 2i9 horses and 26
muies-!eaSing Us now with only 137 horses.
and they. many OF them so very poor that
they are dropping oil every night We get
plenty OF hay for them here, but no grain. The
hay was cut late and our animals are in such
condition now that they cannot winter on it,
We are getting ready to build our winter
quarters 1t is decided that we remain here.
We found Capt. Donaltisons company in
good comfortable quarters. They are we'll
armed and are good soldiers.
From all accounts we are likely to have
brush with the Sioux this winter 1t is esti-
mated that there are 20OO warriors about Tur-
tie mountain, and that they are in a starving
condition. They say they are waiting for Ma
jor Hatch to get his supplies all here, then they
are coming to take them. Let them come
We have come a long distance for the express
purpose of meeting them. ard they will find us
glad to see them.
If we had the kind of horses that Major Hatch
called for. we could make forced march and
''bag them,' in .Suily. but as it is we must
wait.
The soldiers of this battalion should be al
lowed an extra issue Of clothing, on account OF
the climate, and their pay increased at least
33116 per cent, as everything they buy costs
them at least 200 per cent. more than in st.
Paul. Think of such prices as thcse--fora box
of matches. that costs in st. Paul 5 cents. they
charge here % cents; for a common wooden
pail, IS cents pair of common socks, 75 cents;
Kerosene Oil, So so per gallon and every thing
else in proportion.
We have two mails per wsek. The latest
st. Paul paper have seen was the 29th. We
look forward with eagerness for the next mail,
which will bring us paper four days later.
Yours in haste,