Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-04-09

yourseH, ana readers, are interested IN
Co. F. ] give you an account OF an &C.
currenes which took place at this post
;his morning. in which our Co. and
Capt. MEAcHAN were conspicuous ae-
tors.
The U. S. Indian Agent left here for
Washington about three weeks since,
leaving the Agency in charge Of one If
his employees. Tie v innel,ago Ind ans
have become d satisfied with the country
and their treatment here, and for some
time past have been slipping away from
the Post, in small hands, 10y night.
They were well aware that if they
permitted knowledge Of their plans TO
reach the authorities at the Post. efforts
~oud he made to deIain them, as il is
the intention of Government: tn keep
them here, after exp.n ling 50 large an
amount of money in fitting M the A.-n-
CIV; consequently they have until recently,
chose to leave quietly in the darkness cf
night. = But those Who had airesdy un
derlakcn the experiment bad been SD
success ful in the accomplishment of their
designs without being molested, that q
large number concluded Ia try it, and 30
il too by daylight. About half last
eight O'Clock this morning the acting U.
s In'l.an Agent and the U. 5. Winnie
bagn Interpreter waited upon the COM
man,.er of the Post. ami informed him
that the Inrlisns bad about so canoes
launched and packed, and were about
STARTING down the river. And he, the
acting sgent, demanded the assistance of
tie military power. TO prev'n, their de
psrture. A SQUAD of soldiers from 20.
F. 3Oth, and Co, X, 9th, were imaed;-
ateIv called out, 10 reader tho required
reason that matters had progressed thus
far, unknown to either the Indian Agent
or military command, was because the
Fort in which we are auarlered is not
situated exactly on the bank of the riv-
er, but at a distance of perhaps one
fourth of a mile the Indians being
camped in the timber, between the Fort
and the river. Consequently they had
been enabled to get their preparations
well under way before knowledge of
them reached the authorities.
But very few moments elapsed after
. the assistance WAS demanded. before a
squad of fourteen men, under charge Of
Sergeant McCarty, and headed by Capt.
II, marched from the Fort to the point
where the Indians were about to EN-.
bark. The Captain told them they wo'd
not be permitted to leave, and ordered
them to remove t cir traps back 20 their
lodges. This they fatty refused to do.
He then told them that if they persisted,
he should order the men to fire, and
stop as many as they could with bullets.
This seemed t0 have no effect on them,
and they protested themselves determin-
ed to go at all hazards. Capt. NJ. then
told them he had done talking, but his
threats would be put in execution. The
Indians said he was very foolish for COM
ing dowr there to stop them, they out
numbered his men great deal, were
better armed, and cou d kill every enc
of the whites on the ground. They pro-
fessed not to fear Heath, and again stated
that they could not be stopped by all the
troops at the Agency.
The Missouri at this point is quite
wide. In the center of tbs river is an
extensive sand bar, upon the further side
of which the channel is situated, while
upon this siie Of the bar is kind of
bayou about eighty feet in width. To he
able TO get down the river with their
canoes. the Indians would he obliged to
paddle around the head Of this bar, cross
the river, and 90 down on tho further
side.
Ssrg't MccARrr was ordered to land
his squad on the bar. across the bayou.
and IL the Indians refused to halt. to
shoot as many as they could. A messen-
sengsr was sent to the Fort for rein
foreernent which reported promptly at
the spot. Meantime, the Indians who
were not expecting to leave, expressed
their determination to assist their friends
and went to their lodges and procured
their gsua, bows and arrows.