The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-23

Brig. Gen. John NJ. Bacon, temporary
commander Of the department OF Da-
kota and the lakes, returned last even
ing to St. Paul from the scene of the
recent Indian troubles at Leech lake.
Gen. Bacon reports brief but vigor-
Gus campaign during the nineteen days
he was at the front, and during the
time added to his experience as an In
dian fighter by being present and in
command of the detachment of the
Third infantry, which had a rafting
and brisk engagement with a band Of
the Pillager tribe.
Il left st. Paul on the morning of
Oct. 4, with Company z, of the Third
infantry in command of Maj. Wilkin-
SON. said Gen. Bacon. The detach-
ment numbered eighty men, and we
arrived at Walker that evening at 6
o'clock. On arriving a consultation
was held with Marshal O'Connor, at
whose request, through the department
OF justice, the troops had been sent to
back up the marshal in making the
arrest of a score of Indians who had
rescued q prisoner from a deputy mar
shall.
Marshal O'Connor advised me that
he and Inspector Tinker, of the in
terror department, had just returned
from a conference with Bug-O-Mah-Ge-
Shig, the Indian chief, who has been
rescued from the deputy marshal, and
that Old Bug as he has since been
called for short. had been quite inso-
lent and threatened to make trouble if
an attempt was made to arrest him.
My command was not sent out to
make war. on the Indians, but simply
to assist the marshal in making the ar
rests, and 1 was practically acting I'M
der the direction Of Marshal O'Connor.
1T was decided that the best move
would be to have the troops accompany
the marshal and his deputies to the
point on the lake where Old Bug and
the other Indians wanted lived and
bring them all in at one time. Marshal
OCOnnOT was Of the opinion that this
should be done at once, and 1 agreed
with him as to this line Of action.
Arrangements were made during the
evening, and at 4 o'clock the troops in
command Of Maj. Wilkinson left on a
steamer and barge for Sugar point, al
which place the Indians wanted were
camped. The marshal, four deputies
nine Indian policemen and myself fol-
lowed in another small steamboat.
"It was about o'clock when the ex-
petition arrived at the point and the
troops, deputy marshals and a quar-
tette Of newspaper corr e sprndents land
ed. Marshal O'COnnor and I went
ashore in a small boat from the steam
er, and within half an hour sixty Of
the troops, accompanied by the mar
shall and myself, started on a tour OF
the peninsula.
Before leaving the landing two of
the Indians wanted had been arrested
and taken to one Of the steamboats, and
q picket guard Of seven men, in charge
of Lieut.. Ross, were left at the land
ing to prevent any trouble.
THE sixty men, in command of Maj
Wilkinson, accompanied the marshal
and myself by a circUitous trail to q
couple Of Indian settlements, about
two miles inland. Small bands of In
dams were seen, but they were always
at a distance and were running away
from the detachment at good speed.
"A number Of Indians were met dur
ing the trip and the marshal and his
deputies conVersed with several OF
them. All that talked were profuse in
statements that the members Of the
tribe wanted would deliver themselves
up without any trouble. In fact, it was
stated that the Indians wanted were
then in council considering the PROPOSE
ton.
About II o'clock the detachment re-
turned to the landing and on the way
ir- < after consulting with Marshal
O'COnpor, I decided to camp on the
point until we had bagged the men we
were after. The marshal was to re-
turn to Walker and bring back tents
ammunition and other supplies neces-
sary for the detachment.
THE troops, on reaching the landing
or Just in the rear of the cabin, occupied
by "Old Bug" were drawn up in com
pany formation and the order had just
been issued for pickets to be thrown