Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-03-21
CHAPTER ONE.

CHAPTER ONE.
For more than ten years after the
close. of the civil war, scarcely re-
port from the military posts on the
! upper Missouri and western trib-
utaries, failed to mention the "hos-
tile Sioux
Migratory bands of warriors from
aggressive Dakota tribes roamed ON
the plains, bodering the pioneer set
Elements; hunting for the spoils Of
| war.
In January, 1865, a war party Of
Sioux Indians swept down along the
old overland trail, west of the Mis-
souri,, and massacred the defenceless
settlers in the Platte River valley,
from -Julesburg to Jack Morrow's
ranch.
Freighters and a detachment Of
soldiers fought the Indians back at
the California crossing on Platte riv-
er, and the cry rang out for immedi-
ate assistance and protection on the
Nebraska frontier. Col. Moonlight of
the Eleventh Kansas, organized a
raid to punish Two Faces band Of
marrauding Cheyennes, who retreat
ed toward the Black Hills, in Da-
kota, carrying with them two white
women as captives. Through friend
ly Indians, with presents, the chief
Two Face was persuaded to go to
Fort Laramie with two of his war
riors and surrender the captive wom-
en-Mrs. Eubank and Miss Roper
| to the commanding officer of the
post. When the women told how
they had been abused by the Indians,
the armistice was violated. Two Face
| and his two leading warriors were
arrested and hanged on a high bluff
north of the fort, where their dead
bodies were left to swing by the wind
until the crows picked the flesh from
their bones"
Col. Moonlight's raid against the
Indians was a failure. He was defeat
| ed and forced to retreat with his
men behind the walls Of Fort Lara
mie, where he arrived in time to re-
port to General Conner and be dis
| charged. The war department Gre
ated a new military district in the
Platte valley, and placed General P.
E. Conner in command, with head
quarters first at old Fort Kearney,
and later at Julesburg.
| Connor's Expedition.
The plan of the campaign in the
spring of 1865, was as follows: Three
columns were organized with provi-
sions and munitions of war.
| The first column, composed of the
18th and 18th Missouri mounted in
fantry, commanded by Col. N. P. Cole,
were instructed to start out from the
Loup fork of the Platte, ascending
| that stream, and thence across the
plains, northwest to the head waters
of the Niobrara. There Coles com
mand was expected to join Col
James Sawyer, with his wagon train
from Sioux City, Ia, who we're locat'
ing a new government wagon road
up the Niobrara river to connect
with Bozeman's route from Platte
river to the gold fields in Montana
they being escorted and protected BY
a detachment from company B, First
Dakota cavalry, commanded by
Lieut.. John r. Wood.
The second column, consisting Of
the 10th Kansas cavalry Lieut. Col
Walker commanding, and a detach.
ment of the 18th, with a battery
were ordered to leave Fort Lara.
ME and join Coles Command on the
south fork Of the Cheyenne. Fail
ing to connect with Sawyer's wagon
train, Cole and Walker marched with
their united force Of sixteen hundred
men, northwest. past Pumpkin
buttes to Tongue river. There they