Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1866-05-05

oil our troops to be se"t South, it was a.
90 necessary for Government 10 stop this
grea. combination, which, if not checked,
could bring into the field some 10000
warriors and sweep through our north
western settlements. Gen. Pope was ct
this time in command Of Tho Norh ~ss-
tern District Two columns Of troops
we're by him put tito the field with orders
to penetrate Tar into the Indian country
and break up this formidable combins.
ton. Owing to the difficulties Of getting
together the necessary supplies and trans.
portst:on ID THE remote section Of couu-
try, and oil such articles being At the
time greatly needed for the armies South,
and, moreover, it being necessary to raise
the troops 10 hurry, put them in. the
field green, undiscipli"ed, neither officers
nor meo properly instructed. 1t WAS late
in the season before the troops could be
but in motion. One column, under Gen.
Sibley, started from Minnesota, composed
Of Inf.ntry, who not being &C costomed
to march, necessarily moved slow. requi-
ring y large wagon train. as they had 10
march very far from their base sf sup
plies; they. however, me. these hottie
Indians, had two or three engagements
with them, and forced them across the
Missouri river. The other column un.
der Gen. Sully, started from the borders
Of Iowa, aud marched up the Missouri
valley. They we're composed Of cavalry,
and were intended to meet the Minnesota
troops far up north.
They depended principally on steam.
boats 10 trs nsport their supplies. but the
river that year was 50 unusually low no
boats could navigate it further than Fl,
Pierre, aud up 10 there with the gre. ties,
difficulty, 50 that this column delayed a
very long time 90 the road did not re. cb
the vicinity of The operations Of the Min
nesota troops till some weeks after they
had left the Missouri and moved east:
tut perhaps it vas lucky it 40 happened,
for they found that the Indians, after the
Minnesota troops had rrcr"ssed the river
aud followed the trail Of these troops; 90
by following their trail they succeeded in
surprising their camp, destroying it, and
alt their property, capturing = lsrge4um-
Ter Of Indians and b crses, and disper.iuc
the Indians in all directions, killing a
large homber Of them. But winter was
setting in, supplies we're completely ex-
hAu>ted, SO the campaign for that year
had 10 be closed without its fully accom-
plishing it's object. The Indians, though
badly punished, we're not entirely defeat
ed, aud although quite number Of war.
riors aud some Important chiefs came in
to the military posts ~ the frontiers during
the winter and gave themselves M, de-
sir,ng peace, yet the great mass Of the
Indians were still for war, and during the
winter made = grand combination Of all
The tribe, on both sides Of the river, with
The determination to resist The white
troops should they dare to penetrate into
their country on the west side Of the river
most of the Sioux on the Platte came
north aud joined this grand camp, which
bo.st.d vi having over 10000 warriors.
lucy sent Y challenge to the general,
daring him ~ come to their camp with
his soldiers, and ,"sulliug and ,lIr6atening
replies wer. seat to every overture tor
peaceful se,tl.men. Of difficulties. Many
vi ILsss lud,ans had never seen white
>o.a.ers, aha tor years had boasted ,hs.
no solder who Penetrated into their hills
would live 10 get Out ut them. This was
the state Ut affairs in this country
by the spring Of 1864. The Gov
ernment: ut q great expense, when
they could i'll afford it, were compelled
to put u large force in the field sss,nst.
th's hostile camp to teach the Indians
that no section Of country cou'd prevent
our soldiers irom re. ching them aud pun.
ish'ng them. no matter how strong = posi-
ton they occupied. This was necessary
for the protection Of our frontier, and to
open the navigation Ut the Missouri river.
Therefore early in the sumner Of 1864,
Gen. Pope ordered large body OF troops
up the Missouri river to q point near
where The Indians had their camp 70
move on this camp. Gen. SuIiy was in
command OF these troops. The troops
we're al.o ordered 10 open q road wes,
FROM 81. Paul to Idaho, and to buiId ports
on this road tor its protection. Two OF
the posts were built, one near the Miune-
sots border, and another on the Missouri.
the other posts were not built, ~ the
road ives, from the Missouri was found
Several hundred emigfant
wagons also accompanied the troops, aud
were safely escorted through the country
to Montana All the troops except those
required to bu,Id posts and guard wagons
aud emigrsnts were pushed forward sitter
The Indians; ~ they were all mounted,
they marched rapidly. aud 10 = lew days
Reached the broken billy country near the
Little Missouri, where they found the Io-
dams drawn up in line OF battle ready to
receive them, 80 confident were they Of
victory. They had not pretended to take
now" their lodges, but their whole camp,
two or three miles. wss ia
plain view on the side Of the mountain
The battle lasted several hours, when tho
Indians we're routed at all poin,a, with
hessy loss, their camp and all their pro-
visions, piunder, robes, &c, destroyed.-
10 them, It was = loss equa! to the dc
stracs,on Of one of our largest cities
The troops then continued their march
across this broken. ai,no,. impossible
country, skirmishing through tie hills
With heavy bodies OF Indians, whose ex-
perience in the last fight laugh. them no.
% get too near. Atler marching . very
great distance the troops returned to Fort
Rice. Winter had set in when most Of
he troops were sent to the settlements. |
Here all aseessi,y for future large ex-
'editions against the Indians ceased