The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-09-09
Gen. Sully's Expedition
The Fight with the Indians
Large Amount Of Property De-
stroyed.
CaSuoltioS in Minnesota REGIMENTS,
Casualties in Minnesota Regiments.
NORTHWESTERN INDIAN EXPEDITION
CAMP 80, July 81, 1864.

NORTHWESTERN INDIAN ExpEDITIoN,(
CAMP 80, July 81, 1864.
DEAR PIoNEER-As intimated in our last we
left Fort Rice on the 10th inst, and arrived at
this camp on the oath, marching about one
hundred miles in six days. Here in (Heart
Rivers) we laid over one day and spent the
time in fitting out light train, Gas the pack
mules proved failure.)
At2P M. on the 26th, about all the avaf1a-
BILE troops of the command were on the march
with no shelter but rubber blankets and over
coats, and only hard bread, bacon, sugar and
coffee for the inner man. Nearly all our bag
gage and supplies including the 1dahoers were
left here And the boys were out on real In
dian hunt, for once not to be disappointed. as
in six days the troops under Gen. Sully have
marched one hundred and sixty miles, found
the strong hold of the enemy, fought battle
of five hours, completely routing and driving
two thousand hostile Indians destroying their
compromising of an immense number Of
lodge poles, buffalo robes, and a large amount
of dried meat, besides other savage furniture,
worth little to a white man, but priced highly
by the Indians.
After having been in the saddle for nearly
forty-eight consecutive hours, on the 2Sth, near
noon the scouts brought back the news that
the Indians in large numbers were on the
bluff just ahead of US, and we must prepare for
battle.
The story was hardly credited at first, for
the talk all day thus tar had been that we
would see no Indians. But doubt was soon
dispelled, for scarcely had line of skirmishers
been thrown out in front and the train closed
up, till the sharp crack of rifles convinced all
that the thing was no humbug.
Now commenced what we should most en-
phatically call running fight. The Indians
swarmed like bees around us, riding their pO-
MES all the while at a most furious rate. They
would dash up near our lines, and when fred
upon, skedaddle in q manner that made one
feel contempt for their boosted bravery.
Our train moved steadily along and thus the
fight was kept up till near shutdown, theloss
on the side of the enemy being variously esti-
mated at from fifty to one hundred and fifty
killed, and from what we saw and heard, in
our opinion the latter is not far from correct,
though no one can tell exactly, for they exhib-
tied more bravery in getting their dead and
wounded off the field than in fighting the battle
itself.
CASUALTIES.
The loss on our side in killed and wounded
is as follows:
BRACKETS BATTALION.
Co. A, Corporal William Myre, wounded
severely.
Co. 4, Private Burett Lurgo, slightly.
Co. c, Orderly Sergeant Geo. w. Northrup
killed.
Co. C, Sergeant Eugene Marshall, severely.
Co. c, Corporal John w. Crannie, do.
Co. Z, Corporal Frederick McCarty, slightly.
Co. c, Private Horace Jamison, do
Co. D, Private Horatio NJ. Austin, killed.
Go. D, Corporal Franklin G. Tubbs, slightly.
Co. d, Corporal William Lafaver, do.
There are also two others wounded belong
ing to the Dakota and 9th Iowa cavalry, the
names of which we did not learn, making to-
tai of twelve killed and wounded in the engage
ment.
SECOND MINNESOTA CAVALRY.
To the list of killed we have to add privates
David Lapland and Antoine Holzgen, of Com
pany D, I'd Minnesota Cavalry, who were
killed night before last while on picket.
You shall have full particulars of the whole
affair as soon as we can send them; but it is
simply impossible to give them tonight after
the excessive fatigue we have undergone, and
this goes early in the morning.
Day after tomorrow the command starts for
the Yellowstone
Health of the troops good and the wounded
doing well. A. b.