The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-08-15
Old N. D. Battlefield
Located in Dunn CO.
Successful Trip Last Week Of Historical WorkesSuly's
Battle With the Sioux In 1854 Recalled by
One Of the Participants

Bismarck, N. D., Aug. 15.-For work
accomplished and results attained the
trip of H. C. Fish of the State Histori-
cal society and S. s. Campbell of Sen
tinel Butte was one of the most sue
cessful this year. They were both
pleased and gratifled by the hearty CO.
operation they received from so many
in Dickinson and in Manning and at
Killdeers.
The trip was unique, for after forty
six years Mr.. Campbell expected to
point out the place Of the battle be-
tween Sully and the Sioux which &C.
Cured July %, 1864. He had not WIS.,
tied the old scenes since, and the
whole fight was in his mind as ne saw
It then. But what helped to keep the
scene so vivid was the constant read
ing of his old diary which he kept in
1854 during the whole Of the Sully
campaign. Many of the old troopers
for years after the trying march wrote
to Mr.. Campbell and wanted to know
when and where different events Oc-
Cured. And, too, some of the old SOL
diers wanting a pension applied to Mr..
Campbell to give the exact place where
they were hurt. The small diary with
its well fingered pages has kept the
old days we'll in mind.
Tuesday morning Of last week the
two gentlemen left for Manning on
the stage and they were met at the
county seat by Superintendent Melby
who was very much interested in get
ting a correct idea Of the old days, and
taken to the Killdeers. 1t was very
fortunate that Mr.. Melby took the
party direct to the home Of John Ross,
who lives adjoining the Diamond
ranch in the east. The father of Mrs.
Ross was in the same campaign and
Mr.. Ross knew the family Of Mr..
Campbell in the old days of Minnesota
All the courtesies that could be desired
were extended to Mr.. Fish and Mr..
Campbell In their search for the old
routes.
On Wednesday morning Mr.. Ross
took the party up over the hill to
the Diamond c ranch buildings and
Mr.. Campbell at once recognized the
lay of the land, and when they went
out to the south Of the spring and
the house he said, This looks just
like the old Indian camp. If it is, there
is a dry coulee just over there to the
south" The dry cOulee was found.
On this broad open space south of
the old spring 1900 Indian tepees were
arranged. Mr.. Campbell said that they
camped the first night after the battle
Just west Of the Indian camp. The
thickesr Of the battle occurred on the
ranch of John Ross, where the Indians
made the last stand before their camp
was taken. The camp of the second
night was at the spring on the old
Craig ranch, some eight miles east Of
the battle Grounds.
The course of events taken from Mr..
Campbeu's diary is interesting. They
started from Sioux City Tuesday, May
81, 1864, and gradually made their way
up the Missouri to Fort Rice and then
across country to the Indian stamping
grounds. On July 25 the whole army
of Sully corraIed their extra horses
and teams some place fifteen or twenty
miles south of Dickinson.
There were also fifty teams of the
emigrants bound for Idaho, who were
going along under the protection Of
the army. This enormous coral has
not been located and it is the wish