The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1909-09-23
OFFICIAL RECORD
WHITEST0NE BATTLE
Continued from last week

Continued from last week.
ranks. At this time, l perceived what
l supposed to be Major Houses bat
talon, about mile distant, advancing
upon the enemy's rear. In the order
in which my line was now formed. l
advanced upon the enemy, pouring in
upon them as l advanced a fire from
my whole line, whichgwas Immediately
and SO vigorously returned by the In
dians. When within thirty yards of
the enemy's lines, ordered halt in
rear of a slight elevation of ground, in
front of which was a ravine in which
the Indians were posted. The fight
now became general, and my whole
line was hotly engaged. At this juno
ture, what l supposed to be Houses
battalion (as it was not quite dark) ad-
vanced, and commenced an attack upon
the enemy's left. AS they were now
formed, and fearing that the Indians
would attempt to escape by way of
ravine short. distance beyond the left
of my line, or get in my rear by the
same way, ordered Major Taffe to
extend the left wing of my line, in or
der to cover this supposed outlet for
the Indians with my guns. The battle
now raged:with great fury for some
time on both sides. The enemy sue
cessively, by a desperate charge, at
tempted to turn my right and left
fianks, but they were repelled with
slaughter. They fell in every direction
in front of my line, by the unerring
aim of my brave soldiers, who. both
officers and men, fought with the cour-
age and coolness of veterans, exposed
as they were to calling fire from the
enemy during the whole time. At this
juncture, l became convinced that
Houses battalion mistaking my COM
mand in the darkness for Indians were
firing into it. therefore ordered my
men to fall back, out of the range of
Houses guns, and mount their horses,
as the Indians were now in rout, and
were fleeing out of range of my guns,
up the ravine, some distance to the
front. The horses becoming alarmed,
and to a considerable extent unman-
ageable, for a short time created a
slight confusion, as the men were in
the act of mounting, but it was only
momentary. AS my squadrons were
again formed in line on the crest of a
hill two hundred yards in the rear of
my last line Of battle, mounted, and
ready to follow up the victory, the
enemy was fleeing, leaving rything
behind him. But it being very dark,
and in view of the position of the Iowa
Sixth, 1 deemed it imprudent to at
tempt a pursuit before morning, as it
was then half past eight or nine p. m.
Having no means Of communication
that night with the general command
ing, ordered my men to dismount and
lay on their arms, holding their horses,
until early dawn, when l marched from
the battle-ground of the previous even
ing, and went into camp about mile
from it, and at the upper end of the
Indian encampment. On passing over
the ground of the recent encampment
Of the Indians and Of the battle,
found that the enemy had abandoned
all their tents, clothing, cooking uten-
sils, valuables, supplies, and in fact
everything they possessed was strewn
over the ground of their retreat for
miles. Their fight had been so per-
cipitate that they had abandoned every
thing but their dead. whom they car
ried away as fast as they fell. Their
rout was so complete and their fight
SO sudden that many of their children
were left behind on account, as l sup
pose, of their being an incumbrance to
their fight.
From the best information derived
from guides, the enemy's strength was
not less than one thousand warriors.
Their loss in killed will not fall short Of
one hundred and fifty, as scouts, sent
out next day after the battle report
their dead as scattered over the coun-
try for miles. on the line of their re.
treat, and their wounded are twice
that number. The casualties in the
Second Nebraska cavalry are seven
killed, fourteen wounded and ten miss
ing men. There were five horses
killed, ,lnine wounded and nine missing.
l found, among the effects Of the In
dians, many rifle cartridges; also sew
eral boxes of army revolver and rifle
cartridges were found, and various
other articles, some of which were un-
doubtedly taken from the whites in the
late Minnesota massacre. The enemy
were composed of Santees, Brula,
Yanktona and Blackfeet Sioux and
Cuthead Indians and were evidently
the: same Indians with whom Gen. Sib-
| lev had on onoaoement m Annie creek