Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-08-14
SUCCESSFUL TRIP Of
HISTORICAL WORKERS
II. c. FISH AND S. S. CAMPBELL
ACCOMPLISH MUCH OUT
WEST.
Considerable Information Cleaned
Concerning the Battle Between
Sully and the Sioux.

Concerning the Battle Between
Sully and the Sioux.
For work accomplished and results
attained the trip of Fl. c. Fish of the
State Historical society and S. S.
, Campbell of Sentinel Butte was one
of the most successful this year. They
were both pleased and gratified by the
hearty cooperation they received from
so many in Dickinson and in Man.
ming and at killdeers.
six years Mr.. Campbell expected to
point out the place of the battle be-
, tween Sully and the Sioux which oc-
Cured July %. 1864. He had not Wis.
tied 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 troopers
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 wanting a pension applied to
Mr.. Campbell to give the exact place
where they were hurt. The small
diary with its we'll fingered pages has
kept the old days well 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 Supt. Melby who was
very much interested in getting cor
rect idea Of the old days, and taken
to the Killdeers. 1t was very for
tunate that Mr.. Melby took the party
direct to the home OF John Ross, who
lives adjoining the Diamond G 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.. Camp
bell in their search for the old routes
On Wednesday morning Mr.. Ross
took the party up over the hill to
the Diamond 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 thickest of the battle oc-
Cured 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.. Campbells diary is interesting.
They started from Sioux City Tues
day, 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
rs the whole army of Sully corraled
their extra horses and teams some
place Is or 20 miles south of Dickin-
son. There were also SO teams of
the emigrants bound for Idaho, who
were going along under the protec-
ton of the army. This enormous
coral has not been located and 1t is
the wish of the society to have some
of the old troopers help US find the
place. After the corral was estab-
lished the troopers took nine days
rations for a rapid march into the
Indian country. The Goth the army
marched one mile and grazed their
horses till 2 o'clock. Then scouts
came in and reported that they had a
skirmish with the Indians. Mr.. Camp
bells battalion was put on double
quick for nineteen miles. July q the
army marched twenty miles and graz
ed their horses and then marched ten
miles and camped on Knife creek. At
this place there were many petrified
stumps and trees. The day of the bat
tie, July %, the army marched twelve
miles before light and grazed their
horses and took breakfast. After
breakfast they went four miles and
net the main body of the Indians.
The army formed a line of battle and
for nine miles there was a running
fight. This started at nine o'clock
in the morning and all day long the
right battalion fought the Indians
hand to hand. Many of the Indians
had only war clubs and bows and ar
rows and very primitive guns, but
from behind every rock and group of
trees the arrows showered upon the /
troopers. At one time very large |
foroo IF tho Indians camo in from