The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-10-09

u.lNSll dSl'SO IuO M E6O iIIs
The prisoners state that when they
came to the Shayenne river they were
east o him, and that he went north one
hundred miles while they came directly
west, and went to getting meats. When
he advanced they cnched all their property
save what they needed for Immediate use,
aud that what he took did not amount to
anything; that after he retreated they re-
crossed the river and uncnched their
property, and came down toward Long
Lake, where they were come upon by
Sully.
The Blackfeet, Unchapaws, Yankton-
nais, Teetons west of the Missouri and
Sautees, also a few Yanktons, were all
engaged in this battle. They are all
united, and it is estimated that from 1000
to 1000 warriors were present The
prisoners consist mainly of children. The
tugitlves went in different directions-a
large party going to James River, while
some crossed the Missouri, and Others
went North. While at this agency in July
but few officers expected to see any Ia
dams on the route; called the whole thing
a "humbug and speculation ;" that no
Indians would attempt any resistance;
that SEQ men could walk to the British
line and scare all the Indians out of the
country, etc etc. They are astounded to
see how Indians will fight, and now &C
knowledge that few more men would
have been better for US. 1t is not sur
pris,ng. The Indians along the Missouri
are the wild Indians of the plains; they
live only through danger; they are born
into it, and it is all danger and battle
among them until they die. They know
no masters; they are the bravest and
most daring of all the Indian tribes. The
Sioux nation is the most powerful of all,
and the most naughty.
They have never seen our power nor felt
it, and all they know of the whites is
through the fur traders and the few emil
grants to the gold mines who pass through
their country. Hence they only know the
whites as physically inferior. and meet
them with lordly hauteur We have now
the Indians of the Plains to fight, and not
only the Santees. 1t is impossible to re-
fuse q tribute of respect to their gallant
resistance, or not to admire their plucky
death.
No attack was again made upon the
army. A squad of six men, who went
back to the train after ambulances, lost their
way and did not come in for some time.
Several squads of thirty men each were
sent out after them, one of which was at
tackled by several hundred Indians ard
routed. The men threw away their rifles,
and all but six succeeded in getting back
to camp.
The 4th and 9Th insts. were spent in pre-
pairing for the homeward march. The ami
mails were too much fatigued to pursue
them any farther, and the army was out of
provisions. Many savages started toward
Minnesota, safe as far as armies are again
concerned for has not Gen. Pope said the
war on the east of the Missouri is finished
Of course it must be so, although we
"can't see it," Only a Major or B igadier
General can. The amy started for Fort
Pierre on the 9th, and is now there. In
| fifteen or twenty days it will be at this
agency. We learn that few hundred SOL
diers will be located here this winter.
The campaign for this year is ended,
| but these Indians need another year Of
real fighting, and if Gen. Sully is retained
in command they will receive it. No
halfway work here. All that man could
do has been done since Sully took COM
mand of this department. The season
was far advanced when he came to this
work. His predecessor, Gen. Cooke, an
imbecile drunkard, wasted the most valu-
able part of the spring in doing nothing.
Gen. Sully had to get his supplies and
equipments all after he arrived, and then
the river was SO low that it was impossi-
BILE to make any Roadway with the boats.
August arrived and found him at Fort
Pierre, too late to cooperate with Sibley,
and too late to save him from a disgrace
full defeat. Under all these disadvan-
tageOus circumstances, he has done what
none anticipated, and proved himself
! equal to his task. Now no bOastful har-
angue announces his coming, but his re-
port-said by those who have heard it
much undertakes his achievements. l am
led to speak of this more at large, be-
cause such success is accredited in Sibley's
order to an almost perfect failure.
| Ut course some statements of this COM
munication may be exaggerated. As was
not at the scene of action | will not vOuch
for its entire probity, but as nearly as a
dozen men can agree who have seen and
heard all, this will approximate toward
correctness.
An additional incident is connected with
this indian business. Sully captured pa
pers in the Indian camp giving unequivO-
cal information that twenty-five white
men, who were descending the river in q
Mackinac boat from the go d mines, had
been massacred He also found gold dust
with the papers. The Indians say that
the fight occurred two days after S:bley
left the river. They killed sixty-fve In
dams, when their ammunition gave ont
and the Indians rushed in upon them and
killed them. They are said to hail from
| Illinois.
Fort Thompson at the Agency here, is
almost completed, and will be somewhat
formidable if company of soldiersis left
to aid and defend it during the coming
winter.
We have our Scdres Occasionally-that
is, the Indians do. We have only had
one. Then three hundred Sioux were
coming to exterminate us. Why we were
not taken was because they didn't come.
However, we could raise one hundred
white men now in case of danger: