The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-02-08

insure the safe journey through the
country which was then the land OF
the most hostile Of all North American
Indians and part of it hitherto un-
travelled by white man.
For about eighty miles from Fort
Rice, Captain Fisk followed the trail
of General Sully and then turned a
little southwest across the country.
headed for the Big Horn and Yellow
stone rivers. There was no trail and
they had no guides as there were no
white men who knew more about that
country than did Captain Fisk, but ac-
Icording to diaries of those in the ar
ty they We're getting along nicely UNI
til they anne within sight of the bad
lands or $50 miles travel, according to
their records, and twenty-five miles
east of Thick Timbered river, Can east
branch of the Little Missouri). At
this place they were attacked by In
dams on the rear and several of their
men killed. The Indians followed for
three days, attacking them at differ
nte times and succeeding in confiscat-
ing several of their wagons loaded
with ammunition.
They were nearing the bad lands
then and as they could plainly
see that this was a natural fortifcation,
where the Indians could easily dispute
the passage of the white men, they
decided to stop and throw up an en-
~trenchment and dispatch messengers
to Fort Rice for reinforcements. Lieu
tenant Smith and a squad of thirteen
men got away in the night and eigh-
teen days later General Sully, with a
force of 1000 strong and several days
rations, came to their assistance.
1t is said that their little fortification
was a strong one. The men worked
hard digging trenches and thorwing up
sod walls to protectStheir wagons m
themselves and after three days the In
dams got discouraged and went back
a little, probably to get re-enforce-
ments or to await the advancement OF
the train. At any rate Captain Fisk
and his train of people welcomed Sully
and were glad to return with him to
Fort Rice. 1t is mentioned here that
Captain Fisk had discovered an open
plateau between the bad lands and the,
black hills which he thought would be
a feasible route should they continue
their journey west. One of the diaries
also mentions that the fighting was
done In a deep ravine with hills all
around. The hills were covered on
top with red stone and the battle was
appropriately called the battle of the
red buttes.
At this time General Sully had just
returned from a march down the yell
lowstone and Missouri rivers, after
fighting the battle Of the Kildeers and
pursuing the Indians west into the
bad lands.
1t will also be remembered by our
readers. from an article published last
summer that during the summer of
1864, Mrs. Kelly, a white woman was
taken in Nebraska and held captive by
the Indians. She was spared the scalp
ing knife or other barbarous means of
death at the time of the battle of the
Kildeers because of her skill in dress
ing the wounds of their injured and
otherwise caring for the sick and
wounded. She was with them again
when they attacked Captain Fisk's
train in the country southwest and
acted as their interviewer, writing out
their messages to Captain Fisk. BY
careful calculation she managed al
ways to add a few words to their mes
Esages, asking the government forces TO
rescue her and warning them of their
danger. Later the Indians took her to
Fort Pierre for the promised ransom
and by her warnings the Indians plan
for taking the fort at. that time was
intercepted. Subsequently congress
voted Mrs. Kelly $1,000 for saving Fort
Pierre. In 1870 Mrs. Kelly wrote a
book called My Captivity Among the
Indians. She died in Washington city
about seven years ago. An only son
resides in Jefferson Okla.