The Goodhue volunteer., 1864-02-17
PEMDINA, D. T. Jan. 10Th 1864.

nave atlast gt them: up, and you can + bet
we. are all glad oft. We have had a. hard
joblofit haAing 70 draw our logs and
miles, with teams that were hardly able to
drag themselves along. Our miniature fort
covers space ofground over 234 feet square
built Of logs. I'VE had very severe time
in getting here. We started from St.. An
thony with about 500 horses, 60 or, 20
mules and long train of OK teams. Our
stock was compelled to go on half rations Of
grain and hay from St. Anthony to George
town., and from there to Penbina, a dis.
tance OF lGO miles they received none. We
would turn them out, cut down trees and
brouse then every night as the only resort
to keep theM alive. But this failed, and
our herses and mules were strewn all along
the road We had on our arrival here but
2o0 horses, and like elimination of the
rest Of our stock. We were compelled to
march on foot from Georgetown through
snow and inches deep We have now
fifty horses left: "' -..,
When l started for Pembina / expected
we were going to quite smart place, that is
village of some two or three hundred in
hab'tants, having heard, for years, a great
deal said about it. You can 'imigare our
surprise, when VIC arrived there, to find on
ly three houses, one of them occupied by
Mr.. I.emoy, U. S. Custom House officer.
one occupied as a store ana mother by Cant.
Donaldson. When we got withing a few
rods Of Pembina, VIC We're ordered to halt
and preparations made for grand entrance.
When VIC were ordered forward kept on
the lookout, AMI never knew that We had ar
lived at our place Of destination until told
SO. .,..,, ..-
Pembna, in Dakota is situated on the
west bank Of the R'd River and at the
mouth OF the Pembina river. It is about
thirty miles from ST.. Jo., at the foot, of the
PembIna mountains. and seventy five miles
from Fort GaraT, in the Selkilk settlement.
II is naed as place Of entrance, and an old
trading post. The Hudson Cay Co.'S, old
fort is about one and half miles down the
Red river. where you can invest green banks
at so per cent discount. ,-.-s.-4a...f E. .
The Inhabitants, who are sparcely settled
about here, are mostly French and Half
breeds, but there are few Of all nations
mixed up with them. They seem to be
very steady and industrious. We have al
lot Of them at work on the quartermaster
md hospital buildings, and find them, veryl
handy in building log buildings. They are
strict adherents to the Roman Catholic faith
md You can see their little Chapel standing
out alone on the prairie. where they acsen
bic every Sunday. 1t is beyond aapossibili.
" 10 get them to labor on the Sabbath
They are very clanish and effectionate. to
each other, and sometimes live three or four
families in house. We are told that il {
man marries one OF them, he can count on
q thousand relations, who will call on him
50 oitea that it is impossible for man to]
lay up . cent Stone is very scarce in this
in fact we have not seen piec.
large enough to kill . bird. They have i
kind Of clay that is very useful for building
It j. as good as lime mortar for
plasteriEg. and they build fire- places and
chimneys with nothing else. They have =
big time during the holy days, singing and
dancing. But New Years is the day. 1t
is the custom TO visit every one on tha. dsy1
and when . man goes into house. the wo.
men and girls walk up and kiss him-he
must return il. They live By hunting and
farming (very little ofthe latter) in the sum.
mer, and trapping and trading in the win
Ter. They i've mostly on Buffalo ard elk
meat which they capture on the plains west
|of here. Il IS procured in the summer and
dried for winter.
The climate IS cold, dry and unchangea-
|ble, which makes i vsry healthy. We
have had but oDs all Of snow, and NJ still
have excellent sleishing.
We have hsd bus two expenditures sines
Ne arrived here. Shortly sfter our arrival
here Msior Hatch lesrnd thst thers NJ I
ls,naII esesupssnt u sioux 8 s.. y. He
~ sdialely ealIsd tos y0!untse1s 9 eo Ard
Icsp,use them. HI reosivsd aI,osit - han-
Idssd sslsnessE4 sad viii IL Raatsfy stas