The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1910-08-20
KILLS $50 I
:. INDIANS
- p
Reports on Indian Battles at Xii.
deer, Mts. JULY 28, 1864. 4
Capt. Campbell's diary 4
Tells Story.

For work accomplished and result 8 at
tained the trip of H. C. Fish of the
State Historical Society and S. S. Camp
bell of Sentinel Butte was one Of the
most successful this year. They were
both pleased and gratifled by the hearty
cooperation they received from 40 many
in this city and in Manning at Oakdale
in the Kildeer mountain district.
The trip was unique, for after 46 years
Mr.. Campbell expected to point out the
place of the battle between Sully and
the Sioux which occurred Jul y %, 1864.
He had not visited the old scenes since
and the whole fight was in his mind as
he saw it then. But what helped to
keep the scene so vivid was the constant
reading of his old diary which he kept
in 1864 during the whole of the Sully
campaign. Many of the old troops for
years after the trying march wrote to
Mr.. Campbell and wanted to know when
and where different events occurred.
And. too. some of the old soldiers want
ing pension applied to Mr.. Campbell
to give the exact place where they were
hurt. The small diary with it's we'll
fingered pages has kept the old days
we'll in mind.
On the morning of August the two
gentlemen left for Manning on the stage
and they were met at the county seat by
Supt. C. L. Melby. who was very much
interested in getting correct idea of
the old days, and taken to the Kildeers.
1t was very fortunate that Mr.. Melby
took the party direct to the home of John
Ross. who lives adjoinis the Diamond C
ranch on 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 Dia-
mond c ranch buildings and Mr.. Camp
bell 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 dry coulee
just over there to the south. The dry
coulee was found.
On this broad open space south of the
old spring 1000 Indian tepees were
arranged. MIR. Campbell said that they
camped the first night after the battle
just west of the Indian camp. The
thickest 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..
Campbell'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 Is the whole army of
Sully corraled their extra horses and
teams at some place fifteen or twenty
miles southeast of Dickinson. There were
also so teams of emierants bound for
Idaho who were going along under the
protection of the army. This enormous
corral has not been located and it is
the wish of the society 10 have some of
the old troopers help them find the place.
After the corral was established the
troopers took nine days ration for a
Continued on page 4)