Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-17

oAnoIA ex.oolD4R
Fourth Aanual Reaalen az Elk PsiNs Nes.
ssraay-Mnsss and MassAtas, CaaV
Fires and SAaA 8atsls.
The fourth annual reunion Of the ex.sol.
disrs and ex.eailon Of Dakota was held 10
Elk Point yesterday and in the face OF sev.
eral adverse circumstances the gathering
Vas . gratifying success. II had been ar
ranged to run . special train up from Sioux
City which would conuec. With y train
down the Big Sioux, and this special was to
pour into Elk Point the loyal masses of the
Iowa and Dakota border. But the train did
not come and this accession to the holiday
crowd was conspicuous bv not being on hand.
Then there were extensive arrangements
for . big attendance from Nebraska aud in
the morning the people on the other eide
of the river gathered on the bank to take
passage across the Missouri aud join the
union forces on the soil of Dakota. But
through some unexplainable fatality the
ferry boat became disabled and the expect
ed reinforcements were cut of. Captain
Hughes, the master of ceremonies, wss con.
d ierably %disarranged by this unlocked for
failure of his we'll laid plans, but like q true
military director he set about to do the best
he could with the facilities at hand.
The train from Yankton brought into Elk
Point . crowd of visitors from this city and
the intervening stations and it was with
them that the Press aud DAkotsisn reporter
took passage a. > humble spectator and truth.
full chronicler Of the stirring events of the
day. A hot box delayed the train an hour or
sineer closed the throttle At the Elk Point
depot and the cars were emptied to the
music of a brass band, accompanied by .
loud piece OF artillery, which thundeled its
welcoming echoes from hill to hill and made
US feel certain that the day of jubilee had
come.
There was at the depot company Of
troops to escort the newly arrived
visitors to military headquarters.
General Campbell, commander-in.chief
Of the forces, was one Of our party and was
given the place of honor 10 the procession
which turned Headed by the baud, the
stars and stripes aud y mounted escort. The
cavalcade moved from the depot to the town.
under the direction of Capt. Hughes, with
the artillery in the rear and crowds Of citi-
zens tocking along the line. At heasquar-
tiers a halt was made and informal greet,nRs
were interchanged until the hour of noon
arrived, when there Was 8 grand muster Of
The forces at The camp ground. The rrepa.
ratiobs here made consisted uf = bar blcued
OK, kettles Of coffee, boxes of crackers with
tin plates and cups, and everybody was ex.
pected to participate IN tao proceedings.
The organized military battalion consisted
OF three companies of infsntrv-compauy A,
under command Of Captain Alex Hughes;
company B, under command Of Captain G..
G. Bennett; company G. under command OF
Captain Wingc,t. A company Of cavalry,
under command If Captain Duncan,
and a section of artillery, which seemed
to lie w.,hou: a commander, completed the
organized military d:pisy. There were
OF cy-soiaiets present VITO were
not attached TO any organization, hu, this
did not prevent them from e~UtcI,ns heartily
into a dis cussiOl Of the. camp dinner pro.
vided for the occasion. The bsrbecued OK, |
the cracker stores aud the immense kettles
OF coffee disappeared without delay. A
convenient rail fence furnished fuel for The
fires. and a %neigbboripg chicken roost
diversion tor the bummers. While these
of life we're being discussed the
Of the command drove into camp
With q wagon load Of good things for the
boys. Without anv ceremony the boys az.
propristed his stnck, nver,urning his Wagon
IN the melee and sending him away strip
ped ct all his treasures.
But the peaceful side of army life could
not last forever. Far away TO the south west
10 the midst OF q level PLAN, was discovered |
3 fort from which were flying the colors
Of the confederacy, and about this time
word came that Captain Wingett aud his
entire command had deserted their fellows, |
md had manned the fort with the intention
of holding it as their own and defyihg the au.
Of The star spaneled banner. Gen.
eral Campbell Immediately borrowed 81
horse and q pair Of boots, ordered his troops
into column, gave instructions to Captain
to move the command out upon +
the road, while he took Captain Duncan's
company of cavalry and started to recon-
noitre the enemy's position. Captain
Hughes, with his two companies and
. piece Of artillery followed rap.
ldlv onA in , ohovt t;mo ue. oo.rn-