The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1865-02-01
From Major Jones--8th Cavalry.
Sioux Cry. Dec. p. Is

| Sioux CRY, Dec IL, 1864.
| Yesterdays mail brought me . NoR7r
Iowa TINES, the frst have seen since
left Fort Rice, months ago-a!though
think one reached my company for m,
since we came to this place, but failed t.
''see it," as I was here in town busily
lingering those little metallic tongues b,
which nations are ce,nented, cornmerc,
successfully carried on, and by which mer
Of brain become smart by the teachings o
others, and any amount Of devlment and
rascalityi is pcrpetrated by those who ought
to know better. 1t was gobbled by the
boys. Speaking Of the copy Of the TINES
received At Fort Rice, reminds me that i,
was the means Of getting me nearly whip.
ped several times. and all because I called
the 7th the "Mullen Stalk Brigade; )" and
even now / am not entirely safe, although
not in so much danger since the boys fild
how good-natured and harmless am, and
that, too, q pirate with them in the same
Spontaneous" battalion. l promised,
however, to apologize for the apparent
insult, and as forgot to do so in my last,
| will do so in this, as l think that justice
demands an apology" and am not quite
prepared to meet my friends in the "world
to come" just yet; located. presume, in a
tropical climate which needs more soldering
than l have done to get "acclimated."-
About one more campaign will do it though,
and then am willing to 60 to h-eaven,
"where all good soldiers go"(?). The rea
son Of my calling it by that name was,
that thought it the most applicable to a
thing without an identify; for this part of
the battalion, composed Of companies X,
L and n, were originally raised, and were
part of the l4,h Iowa Infantry. and made
up at an early day Of as good material as
ever left the State Of Iowa but by some
"hocus pocus. John come back again"
which I fully explained in that letter, and
by which ! gained unfortunately the i'll
will q presume) Of those who "out ranked
the. Hence they were marched through
the State to this place, where they arrived
long after the first SHOWS had given them
a forctaste Of winter, and thence to Fort
Randall, where they took the place Of a
company Of regulars, and drilled like regu
lars, (supposed to at least.) and treated
like regulars, as near as their officers knew
how, by perusng the old guard and regula.
ton manuscripts and other literary works
pertaining to the military in times gone by,
which they happened to dnd about the
Fort. In fact their officers were like some
who went out in ,he 81, they thought they
were regular u. S.rA's." Sometime our.
ins their frn ..---'- ''s"i",as~' so .'.--
try, they changed their identity by calling
themselves the .fortieth Iowa, when there
was no such regiment in the field (! After
wards, when the 7th Iowa Cavalry was
raised, they were attached to that. Hence
I called It "Mullen Stalk" for you don't
know where it will be next, and this is my
apology"
In my other letter I told you that We had
left the proper course to Fort Rice and
were pointing northward. Between Fort
Union and Fort Rice, is Fort Berthold,
another trading post which supports and
protect, two tribes Of Indians, Cor else the
Indians do them; l don't know which. y
Their aames wouldn't attempt to give
you, % I can't pronounce them, and am
very sare, as proficient a. am in wander
ing grammar and dead languages, l couldn't
write them. Enough to know that there
were tro tribes there that were afraid 70
cross The Missouri river for fear Of being
gobblel up by the Backfeet Sioux who are
their eternal enemies.
Wepitched our camp about four miles
above The Fort, where we (the privates) laid
over sid the officers went on to the Fort
During the day that We remained in camp,
the chief Of the two tribes, accompanied
by their biggest Injins" and interpreters,
held a council with Gen. Sulsy in front Of
Headquarters, where all the Indian elo.
quencs, and oratory, and rigamarole Of
Indiari hish.fa.lu. tan was gone through
with; it was perfect picture cf what we
have III seen in the geography pictures
made years and years ago. The same
cir:le, the Same pipe, going its round from
mouth to mouth, the same eagle (turkey)
feathers decorating the (lousy) heads Of the
braves" and the same saudy apparel
covering the nakedhess Of these "sons ol
the Forest" that did centuries ago. could
not understand the Interpretation Of thci,
speeches. which were lengthy and given
mostly in French. which I think is the
Generals native tongue. but every sentences
wound of with "a hoo an! a.hoo ah ~
The pow.wow broke up by . request (as
usual) for presents. when the General re.
marked that their wishes should be graft
fed, and forthw ith ordered an OK slaughter
ed and to give portion to the poor
Indians! Before leaving this part of my
story would remark that Lieut.. Dayton
Of Capt. Ainsworth's (Gcd bless Aims.
worthD company, negotiated with q
"brave" for an exchange Of horses, which
vas amicably adjusted by George (pardon
the familiarity, GEoRsr,) swapping large
noble looking mare. somewhat deficient, for
the prettiest milk-white pony that mar
ever set eyes on. Ipromised to take charge
of it and deliver it safe to his girl when
get ready to 60 home, which favor was
accepted with smile. intend to 20 ola