The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-09-08
A NOTABLE find.
SCENE OF INDIAN BATTLE IN
oPRiN0 OF 1854 DEFINITELY
LOCATED.

AFTER FORTY-SIx YEARS
North Dakota Historical Society Pro.
!, poses to Erect Monument on HE.
Spot In Bad Lands-Fisres
Fight.
schafer-H. 9. F'sn, of the Nsrth
Dakota Historical society with S. =.
guide. has loca,ed the sta % the bat
tic Of Kildeer ountain- he engage
nell fought on North Dakota soil in
ciyil war daya-and traced the route
followed by General Sul'y and his
army and kept a diary Of the eEtlrs
sa,nps, ign. He has not been ba IL to the
scene of the battle in forty-six
Fears, but by the aid Of his diary. was
lble to take Mr.. Fish over the line Of
march below Dickinson, north, to tho
sxact place Of the mountain, as 1t Is
known, was fought on July %, 1864.
10 also found the coulee on tho side of
The mountain, where the 5000 Sioux
aad their camp
It IL the purpose Of the State Ills
.orical society to erect monuments on
he battlefield and at several points
Aonx the line Of march. Al Sully's
campaign was, in the opinion Of many,
No most conspicuous episode Of from
ier times in North Dakota, the people
II the state are manifesting much In
tsrest in the forts Of the society to
commemorate It in suitable manner
Kudeer mountain. the highest peak
n the brakes south Of the Little Mis-
souri,. is the only heavily wooded spot
a Ne region. For this reason deer
md other game were plentiful there in
laFly days. The Indians called 1t TIA
Ha-Kouty,', meaning the place where
" dear and frequently camped
more to hunt. Berries and nuts grew
IN profusion upon the mountain and
these, - we'll - game, attracted the
red men.
In the spring and summer Of 1864
IN unusually large number of Sioux
we're In camp there. 1t was not q
hunting camp, however, as 1t transpir-
I'd, but a war camp. for the Sioux, like
he Indians elsewhere in the north, had
lecided to take advantage Of the time
II war to stir up trouble. News OF
the threatening rendezvous Of the In
aians in the Bad Lands reached the
var department, and in May, General
sully was ordered to leave Sioux City
md penetrate the wilds Of western
North Dakota with the purpose OF
,eeking out the Rendezvous and scat
!ering the tribes.
His army made its way up tho Ais.
pouri to Fort Rice and thence struck
sut across country into the dangerous
Bad Lands. The hrst day out. the
scouts met a party of Indians and had
. skirmtsh with them, but it was not
sntil the third day and after sixty
,even miles of rough country had been
raversed in a series Of rapid marches
that the soldiers encountered the main
strength Of the war party near XII
aosf mountain.
The battle began at . In the morn
N and lasted through The day. Few
X the Indians had guns and their at
Ack was made in true red man fash.
on with war clubs in q hand to hand
aght and with arrows shot from be-
,attle came when a horde Of the In
Hans with f1endish yslls made . rush
rom the rear for the twelve cannon
brought along by the soldiers. Tas
| ansxpected burst Of grape shot which
ereetsd them sent them fleeing In q
panio. The hest Of the tribes were
soon on the run for the hills.
General 6ully and his army camped
hat night near the battlefield. The
| lead were buried and horses staked
| pver the graves to eface signs Of the
burial places. An attempt was made
| he next day to pursue the Indians
through the Bad Lands, but it was
, lound 10 difficult that the chase was
Iiven up. The abandoned camp Of the
indians was found on the mountain
! md the 1000 tepees. a large amount Of
| Tried venison, blankets and camp be-
pugings were burned.
While the soldiers were bivouacked
hat evening near the mountain. 600
| Of the Indians made wild daSn
through the camp, supposedly with the
| intention Of stampeding the horses.
rwo guards were killed but aside from
NAT the raid accomplished nothing
Nj that night the battlefield near by
! vas lighted up with the Pickering tor
ahes Of the Indians who had stolen
sack after their dead and wounded. :
Two thousand two hundred soldiers
md about 5000 Indians were engaged
! n the battle Of Kildeer mountain
General Sully reported $50 Indians
BILLED, but Mr.. Campbell 10 Of the opin~
ION that the number was much larger.
General Sully continued his cam
| paign for some time after the battle OF
he mountain, but it proved, however,
% be only the beginning Of the conflict
between the soldiers and the Sioux.
The elimination did not come unth
Twelve years later, whom the Custes
mxssaCIe occurred.
| First Fair for New County.
| Bowbells.-The first fair to be held
| q Burke county, newly organized. will
gerry likely take place this tall. The