The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-06-17
Letter from Major Bracket.
Expose Of the Indian Excitement
In Iowa.
Sioux CITY Iowa, May 81, 1864.

Sioux Cry. Iowa, May 81, 1864.
To the Editor ofMe Wdnkdto Record:
notice an article in q late number of YOUR
paper, representing that the Indians are trou-
blesome in Northern Iowa and Southern Min
nesota and among other things you mention
an affair said to have occurred near Peterson,
in this State. In relation to that affair have
with my command Monday evening after the
reported fight, and after a thorough investi-
cation, l arrived at the following conclusion /:
The achOte thing scds grand humbug!
went to see the Sergeant who was said to be
SO badly wounded, in company with DR.. John
son, our Battalion Surgeon, and asked him to
allow the Surgeon to examine his wounds, in
order that he might render him such assist
ance as might be needed in the case; but no
thing that coulI say or do would induce him
to permit the examination. He refused point
blank to allow either myself or the surgeon to
examine his wounds. Now there was no doc
tor within fifty miles of that place and had this
man been as badly wounded. only the day be-
fore as was reported. would he not at least
have been willing to have shown his wounds
to our surgeon l think so. Upon
inquiring among the settlers in that
vicinity, l find it was the general impress
sion that these two soldiers had been a
distance of eight miles from camp to place where
liquor was sold, and became intoxicated, and on The
road home had quarrel between themselves, which
resulted in little blOOdshed and in order to escape
well-merited punishment they cOncocted the i'm
probable and unreasonable story which appeared in
your paper. have no hesitation in saying that l
believe the settlers are correct in their opinion. /
noticed that the settlers allowed their stock 20 run
at large, taking precautiOn whatever against thev
ing Indians; that they were in the habit of going
eight or ten miles from home alone, and in fact act
ing in all things as though they believed there was
not hostile Indian within 200 mics of them. 1t
appears further that the majority of the soldiers sta
toned through Northern n 10 Of
working for the inhabitants for from 81 90 to SO
per day, many of them not reporting to their com
mands for week at time This learned from
both soldiers and citizens. Thus you see one great
object that these soldiers have in keeping up this
great excitement. firmly believe that nne-tenths
of the stories of Indian depredatons are as ground
less as this Peterson humbug has turned out to be-
You must be aware, Mr.. Editor that the extensive
circulation of such stories will greatly retard emgra
ton to these two States and think it is your duty
as well as the duty of all others of your calling, to
make assurance dOuby sure before putting such stO-
ries in print
hope you will be kind enough to publish this let
ter in substance, because l wish the public to dis
tinctly understand that this Peterson scrspe was
drunken row between two soldiers that there were
no Indians connected with the affair at ALL
Our Battalion starts for Fort Pierre to-day in good
health and spirits. We were reviewed by Gen. Sully
last Sunday
The Missouri River has risen four feet in the last
two days SO that the great Indian expedition of
1864 will soon be on the move. No rain in this vi
cinity. and no prospect of any crops this summer.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. B. BRACKETT
Major Commanding Brackets MINI. Battalion.