The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-06-24
THE INDIAN WAR.
A Letter from Colonel Thomas
Expedition.
From Our Own Correspondent.

INDIAN EXPEDITION, CAMP SIBLKYl
June II. 1868.
To the Editor Of the Pioneer:
Here we are, on the banks of the Minnesota,
sixty-four miles from Fort Ridgley. We re-
ceived PIONEER of the 9th, while on the
march to-day at 10 A. NJ, from Lieut. McKu-
sick of Company c, who had been to st. Cloud
on business connected with the A. 9. NJ. De
partment. Now, who says we are out of the
world, when we can get news in less than three
days from st. Paul? When I wrote my last
letter did say it would probably be all you
would hear from US for the next twenty or
thirty days, and had worked myself up to that
state of don't careotiUeness which thought
would carry me through without even realizing
that we were journeying through wilderness,
out OF sight and hearing Of those friends and
associations which we always thought indis-
pensably necessary to our happiness. Never
theless. let me assure you, it was quite relief
when informed this evening that communica-
ton would be kept open with US through to
the Missouri river, and when Major Brown in
formed us that he had sent for Red river half
no failure about it, our spirits suddenly became
bouyant and peculiar sensation of pleasure
filled cur breasts as we saw ourselves O few
days hence reading a communication from our
better half and hearing the familiar questions
OF the boys. =" Have you got letter for me 2"
"Why didn't you get one for mel am so
anxious to hear from homer" But to the news.
PROSPECT OF THE EXPEDITION.
We are happy to state that they are much
better Than could be expected under the cir
Cumstances. There has been much apprehen-
sion felt throughout the country. as well as in
military circles that its success would be seri-
0us!y retarded. ifnOt entirely destroyed, BY the
lony-continued dr.uh. However this may be
after we reach the Missouri the people need
have no fear that we will suffer for either grass
or water on our Way lhither. for those who
were ont with General Sibley'5 expedition tell
us there is better feed here now tor stock than
last year at this lime. Indeed our animals have
had plenty of the bes: kind of grass ever since
leaving Rdgley; and Major Brown tells us our
rOute-which leaves the MinnesO River at
Lac Qui Parle, goes up the Inkpa River to its
source thence to the james River crossing it
near the mouth of Muddy Creek, and thence
10 the Missouri near Swan Lake,-will give us
the best grazing and water there is in the shop.
INDIAN NEWS.
Our scouts saw fires ahead of US yesterday.
supposed to have been made by small parties
of Indians returning to or from the settle
menls; or ln,iian scouts making signal fires to
warn their frienos of our whereabouts. -.
We have six squaws and their children, be-
longing to the families of scouts at Skunk
Lake which were released at Fort Smelling
and Paul MuzakutamOuri and family, consist
ing OF four persons, including one grown son,
with us; and they des re to join their friends
at Skunk Lake; but whether they will dare to
in al frOv / d.,
mainsio be seen, for they are little suspi-
ciOus about those fires and have no notion of
placing themselves in a position where they
are likely to have their hair raised. Three
scouts have come down from Gabriel Renville's
campat Skunk LAKE, and confirm previous re-
ports that the Tetons and YanktOnnais are in
force on the Missouri two thousand strong,
with the expectation of meeting and whipping
us-orer the left
On the head Of the James River there are
four hundred lodges OF Sissetons and other
bands OF Minnesota Indians, large proportion