The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-10-11

bloody deeds and who had taken part
in the massacres at New Ulm and
other places, went into camp early in
the afternoon just ten miles south of
the present site Of whitestone.
A scouting party of 200 picked men
was sent out to run down fresh signs
Of the enemy. In the Kotah hills, near
the little Whitestone lake, surrounded
by high peaks, the Indians had gone
into camp to lay in their winter sup
ply Of jerked buffalo meat There were
about 5000 redskins, nearly a third Of
whom were warriors. The little party
of scouts had underestimate the en-
emy's strength and permitted them
selves to be entrapped. Colonel House
Of the Sixth Iowa cavalry was in COM
mand.
Scouts were sent back to General
Sully with all possible speed. and
awaiting reinforcements, Colonel
House parleyed with the redskins in
order to gain time. The Indians were
equally anxious to gain time to break
camp and be ready for instant flight
should such course be necessary.
When the scouts sent back to the main
al my 4EcANAACu the b4ESu bplulEIE
were just cooking their coffee and
getting ready for the evening meal.
On the Scene in an Hour.
The bugle sounded the call OF boots
and saddles" and in one hour the
troops had mounted, covered the inter-
ventng ten miles and were In time to
assist In the attack It was Just an
hour and a half before shutdown.
The little army consisted Of the
Second Nebraska cavalry, the Sixth
Iowa cavalry, the Dakota company of
the Seventh Iowa, and the four-gun
battery Of light artillery. The Indians,
realizing that the day Of reckoning
was at hand, formed into a hollow
square, the old men, squaws and chill
dren in the center, and the warriors on
the outer line prepared to sell their
lives as dearly as possible.
The army was formed in a v shape
to cut of all escape and in a moment
the fight was on. IL ragged furiously
until dark and then he Indians made
final dash for liberty and succeeded
N cutting their way through the Sixth
iowa. In the darkness guns were
cfIIbbed and the lighting became hand
to-hand. The soldiers could hardly
tell whether they were fighting friend
or foe, but in the darkness the Indian
braves got away, leaving behind their
squaws and children. The night was
one OF terror and confusion, and the
next morning revealed a pathetic
scene. over twenty of the boys In
blue were cold In death, while more
haI
tally wounded. Over 800 redskins
were dead and many wounded. A
number of warriors and several hun
dred old men, women and children
were taken prisoners, besides all Of
the enemy's camp equipaee, pelts and
ratiohs.
Getting the Monument.
For this splendid memorial that is
to be unveiled Wednesday, Colonel
Northrop, civil war veteran, deserves
much credit For over twenty years he
has petitioned the government, work.
ed with legislatures, and corresponded
with men Of influence to bring about
this cherished plan. Several years ago
he succeeded in interesting Cong. T.
F. MARSHALL, who succeeded In get
ting a grant OF $40 acres OF land
from the government to the state OF
North Dakota. Through the COM
bined efforts OF the members OF the
Whitestone battlefield commission
Theodore Northrop. Il. r. Kennedy
and H. F. Eaton--a bill was fought
through the state legislature granting
the commission the privilege OF SELL
ing all bat forty acres CT this land,
the money to be e. pended for the
monument and to beauttfy the battle
field. Last August the land was sold;
the battlefield neatly fenced trees set
out and the monument erected.