Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1864-11-19
From the Official Army and Navy Gazette.
BATTLE AT TAH.K AH-O-k UTY
MOUNTAIN.


HEADQUARTERS n W. INDIAN EXPEDITION. /
CAMP on HEART RIVER, d. 7. July 81, 1864.
| SIR have the honor to make the fol.
lowing report Of my operations since
July 25:
On the 23d Of this month reached this
point, having made rapid marches, consid.
ering had very large emisrant train
under my charge. I had started in q di.
rection west, but on the road receiving
information that the Indians We're on or
near the Knife river, changed my course
in a northerly direction. On my arrival
at this point corralled all my wagon S
and the emigrant train, leaving it under
charge of Captain Tripp, Dakota Cavalry,
with sufficient force to guarl against
! danger y
About p. m, of the Goth, succeeded
! in getting off, aud about 10 a NJ of the
! 18th, succeeded in reaching the enemy's
camp, about eighty miles march.
All their camp was standing when
reached there, ard they prepared for a
fight, no doubt with full confidence Of
whipping me. fer they had twenty four
hours notice of my advance, by party
of my scouts falling in with a war party
Of theirs, not sixteen miles from here
We followed their trail, which led me to
! the camp.
! found the Indans strongly posted on
the side of a mountain called Tah-kah. o.
= hills, .hickly timbered and we'll wa,ered
! situated OF branch of the Little Missouri
Gros Nentres, latitude A. -, as laid
down on the Government map. The prai-
rie in front Of the camp is very rolling,
and on the left, as we apprc ached, high
hills. On the top and sides Of these hills
and on my right at the base Of the noun
! tans also on the hillocks in front, on
the prairie, the Indians were posted there
were over 600 lodges, at least 5000 Or
! G,oOO warriors, composed of the Unk'p
pas, Sansaics, Black feet, Minniecougues,
Iank ton ais, and Santee Sioux. Ny
j force consisted as follows: Eleven COM
panles OF tie 9th Iowa cavalry, Licuteuan.
Colonel Pollock commanding; two com.
panies Dakota cavalry, Captain Miner
commanding. four companies Of Brack-
et,'s battalion, Ma or Bracket commanl~
| ing about - scouts, and a Prairie bat
terry OF two sections, commanded by Cap
tain n. Pope. This formed the first bri
agde len companies OF the sth Mime
sofa infantry, under commaud Of lieuten
ant Colonel Rodgers; six companies of
the % Minnesota cavalry, under Colonel
! Mcl.arcn, and two sections Of the Sd MIN
nesota battery, under Captain Jones,
, f,rmed The second brigade, under com.
mand Of Colonel Thomas. The whole Of
my force numbering on the field about
220O men
Fnding it was impossible to charge
owing to the country being intersvcted by
deep ravines filed with timber, dis
mounted and deployed six companies Of
the 9th Iowa on the ri gh,, aud three com
panies Of the 7th Iowa. and on tue left
six companies Of the oIh Minnesota in
tantry; placed Pope s battery in the CEN
! ter, supported by two companies oI raval
ry; the ID cavalry on the lett, drawn up
ty squadrons Brackelt's Minnesota bat.
talon on the right in the same order :;
jones battery aud four com mpanies of cav
airy as a reserve. The few wagons | had
closed up, and the rear guard, composed
of three companies, followed. Ia this
order we advanced driving the Indians
till we reached the plain between the hills
and mountains. Here large bodies Of In.
dams fanked me, the second cavalry drove
them from the left. A very large body
of indians collected on my night for a
charge | directed Bracket to charge
them. This he did gallantly, driving
them in circle Of about three miles to
. tie base ol The mountains and beyond
my line Of skrmishe1s, killing mary of
them. The Indians seeing his position
collected in large numbers On him, but be
repelled them, assisted by some Well di.
r,cted shots from Jones battery About
this time a large body Of Indians, who we
ascer,ained afterwards had been out hunt.
ing for me came up on my rear. bropg ght
piece of Jones battery to the rear, and
WIN ,be rear euafd otspeised them.
The Indians seeing that the day would
not be favorable tor them had commenced
: taking down their lodges, ard sending .
back their families. swung the lei,
of my line round to the right and closed
on them, sending Pope with his gus and
the Dakota cavalry two companies) Tor
ward. The artillery fire soon drove them
out Of their strong positions in the ravines
and Jones battery, with Brache,,s bat.
talon moving upon the right, soon pu,
them TO flight. the whole o: my line ad
vancing at the same time.
BY sunset no Indians were on the
ground. a body, however, appeared on
top of the mountain over which they had
.a...a4.l | a.nt Mainr Gnn,n Sth M..1