USA > North Dakota > Early history of North Dakota: essential outlines of American history > Part 37
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INDIANS HID IN HILLS
"The next morning, on Friday, July 29th, the soldiers tried to follow the Indians, but they could not do it with success because of the brake back of the hills. The army turned back and in the dry coulee south of the Indian camp tons of meat, both jerked and pemmican, 1,600 tents, poles, clothing, blankets were burned.
"That afternoon the army marched eight miles east to the spring at the old Craig Ranch. Just as the dusk was creeping over the army 600 Indians drove fiercely through the camp and tried to stampede the horses. The two outer guards were killed, but other than this not a shot was fired or a person hurt. It created a great deal of excitement for a time, but the night brought on nothing of importance. This night was vivid in the memory of Mr. Campbell. He well remembers looking towards the battle grounds many times and seeing the constant light of the torches the long night for the dead and wounded or for some things which were hidden in the flight.
"During the next two days the army made their way back sixty-seven miles to the corrals. In the battle at the Killdeer, or, as the Indians call it, 'Ta-ha-kouty,' or the 'place where they kill the deer,' some 2,200 soldiers were actively engaged against 5,000 or 6,000 Indians. Sully reported some 150 of the Indians killed and 5 soldiers killed.
"From this battle ground up to Yellowstone and back to Fort Rice the Indians kept at their heels and the army had to be on their guard constantly."
The ground on which the battle was fought is now described as sections 8, 9, 10. II. 12, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 32, 29, 30, 31 and 32, and north half sections 27 and 28. Township 146 North, Range 96 West 5th Principal Meridian in Dunn County North Dakota The legislature of 1017 authorized the appointment of a Killdeer Mountain Park Commission, and Governor Lynn J. Frazier appointed Colonel C. A. Lounsberry. W. A. Richards and A. A. Liederbach members of such commission, and legislation is now pending for the creation of a national park covering the battleground.
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BATTLE OF THE LITTLE MISSOURI, OR "WHERE THE HILLS LOOK AT EACH OTHER"
Returning to his camp on the Heart River in order to reach a pass through the Bad Lands, known to one of his Yankton Indian guides, General Sully on August 5th camped at what is now Medora, "where the hills look at each other." In order to pass through the Bad Lands, it became necessary to cut into the hill sides at many points. The Indians attacked the camp from the hills that evening, and at one point cut off some of the horses, which, however, were recaptured; and next day, on several occasions, they attacked the working parties. The immigrant train, having women and children moved by oxen, impeded the march and lengthened the column to three or four miles, making it necessary to double up the line for protection, and yet at many points in the Bad Lands they could only pass in single file. The danger to the immigrants added to the difficulties of the situation, and to the anxieties of the general. On the 6th every butte (hill) was covered with Indians, some of the hills were 300 feet in height, others sharp-pointed, almost touched, as well as looked at each other; some were low, others mere banks of clay or scoria, as good as those built for defense; others resembled chimneys or other ruins of a burned city, for they had been formed by burning coal mines and the erosion which followed. It was necessary to climb up steep hillsides, plunge down into deep gullies, pass through wooded ravines, crawl along narrow gorges, sometimes in the beds of dry streams, and without water that hot day in August until late in the afternoon, when they reached a small lake and springs, where the Indians had concentrated in an effort to keep them from water. There was fighting almost every step of the way, but the Indians, wary from the battle of July 28th, had little heart for close-range fighting. At the lake and springs the encounter was sharp, but the Indians again fled, having lost very heavily in the ten-mile battle in these Bad Lands of the Little Missouri.
As Sully moved forward the next morning he encountered about one thousand Indians. The skirmishes were frequent, but when they reached the open country they saw a cloud of dust made by fleeing Indians about six miles away ; and that was the last seen of them for several days.
General Sully estimated the Indian losses in the battle of the Little Missouri at not less than one hundred killed; some of the officers of his command esti- mated the number as high as three hundred.
General Sully continued on to the Yellowstone, where he arrived August 12th, meeting the steamers "Chippewa Falls" and "Alone" with supplies. The steamer "Island City," loaded with supplies, struck a snag and was sunk near Fort Union. The boats had gone up the Yellowstone as far as Brasseau's post, where Sully crossed over by fording, intending to go northeast in the hope of again striking the Indians. The country at the Little Missouri was covered by myriads of grasshoppers, which had entirely destroyed the grass ; and on reaching the Missouri and Yellowstone he found the waters rapidly falling; so he changed his plans and returned down the Yellowstone to Fort Union, where he arrived on August 18th, and selected the site for a military post, resulting later in the establishment of Fort Buford. Sully then continued down the Missouri River to Fort Rice; first establishing Fort Stevenson, where he left a company of the Sixth Iowa Cavalry under Captain Mooreland, and another at Fort Berthold
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for the protection of the Gros-Ventres, Arikaras and Mandans, who had been friendly to the whites during the prevailing Indian troubles. He also left one company at Fort Sully; some of the command returned to Yankton and Sioux City, and some marched overland to Fort Wadsworth, which had been built that summer under General Sibley's jurisdiction for the protection of the friendly Sissetons, who had done such excellent service during and following the Min- nesota massacre. The garrison at Fort Wadsworth July 31, 1864, when visited by Captain Fisk's expedition, was in command of Maj. John Clowney. It con- sisted of three companies of the 30th Wisconsin, viz: Company B, Captain Burton; Company E, Captain Devling; Company K, Captain Klaats, and Com- pany M, Second Minnesota Cavalry, Captain Hanley; Third Section Third Min- nesota Battery, Battery Capt. H. W. Western. Capt. J. E. McKusick was quartermaster of the post. Maj. Mark Downie and Thomas Priestly were then there. George A. Brackett, with a train of 150 wagons, was camped near the post.
FISK'S EXPEDITION
When General Sully reached Fort Rice he was advised that a party of immigrants known as the Fisk Montana and Idaho Expedition, consisting of 88 wagons and 200 men, women and children, escorted by 47 soldiers, detailed for the purpose at Fort Rice, which left that point for Montana and Idaho August 23d, had been attacked by Indians near the Bad Lands and twelve of the party killed and several wounded; that they were fortified and had sent in an officer and thirteen men who had left the camp after the third day's battle to procure assistance.
General Sully immediately sent a force to their relief under Colonel Dill, consisting of 300 of the Thirtieth Wisconsin, 200 of the Eighth Minnesota and 100 of the Seventh Iowa. They left Fort Rice September 18th and returned with the immigrant train September 30th. Colonel Dill lost one man on the trip, his fate not being known.
THE BATTLE OF RED BUTTES
Captain Fisk's party left Fort Rice August 23, 1864. The battle of Red Buttes, as the attack on Capt. James L. Fisk's expedition was called, occurred September 2, 1864.
When 160 miles west of Fort Rice and 22 miles cast of the Bad Lands near Dickinson, one of the wagons met with an accident. Two men and one wagon were left to assist the man with the overturned wagon; also a guard of nine soldiers. Another man of the immigrant party had returned to the dinner camp to recover a lost revolver. Of this party eight were killed and four afterward died of wounds. One escaped through being sent to warn the train, which corralled, and a party was sent to their defense. The fight continued until sunset. One of the defenders, Jefferson Dilts, being more reckless than the rest, and who was mortally wounded, was credited with having killed eleven Indians, and many others were known to have been killed.
The immigrants lost in this affair one wagon loaded with liquors and cigars,
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and one containing among other things 4,000 cartridges for carbines and several carbines and muskets, and they also "lost" a box of poisoned hard bread. The corral was formed in low ground and six of the dead that were recovered were buried that night by lantern light.
A terrific thunderstorm occurred that night and water next morning was from one to three feet deep in their camp. As they moved next morning they were surrounded by drunken Indians, some smoking cigars, some of the Indians being reckless in their intoxicated condition. The train moved about two miles and again corralled.
Moving out the next morning, they were surrounded by a much stronger and more desperate force which attacked on both sides of the train. Reaching suit- able ground, the train corralled and fortified, building breastworks of sod about six feet in height and large enough to inclose the entire train, and made ready for a siege which continued sixteen days before relief came. The next day they were again surrounded by a force of from three to five hundred Indians, but the mountain howitzer in the fort kept them at a respectful distance and no further casualties occurred.
That night Lieutenant Smith with thirteen men returned to Fort Rice for reinforcements which were, it will be seen, promptly sent by General Sully.
The men of Fisk's party who were killed were Louis Nudick, who went back for his revolver; Walter Grimes and Walter Fewer, teamsters; and the wounded, Jefferson Dilts and Albert Libby. Six soldiers were also killed and four wounded. The fort was called Fort Dilts, in honor of Jefferson Dilts, the wounded scout who died of his wounds and was buried under its walls. A spring was found near the fort, which furnished an abundance of water.
THE WHITE CAPTIVE
The Indians had a white woman captive in their camp, Mrs. Fanny Kelly, of Geneva, Kan., captured near Fort Laramie, July 12, 1864. On the next day the Indians formed on the adjacent hills and sent three unarmed warriors forward with a flag of truce. A party went out to meet them, when they planted the flag on a stick and retired. Attached to the stick was a letter reading :
"Makatunke says he will not fight wagons, but they have been fighting two days. They had many killed by the goods they brought into camp. They tell me what to write. I do not understand them. I was taken by them July 12th. They say for the soldiers to give forty head of cattle. Hehutahunca says he fights not. But they have been fighting. Be kind to them, and try to free me for mercy's sake. MRS. KELLY."
"Buy me if you can and you will be satisfied. They have killed many whites. Help me if you can. Uncapapa (they put words in and I have to obey) they say for the wagons they are fighting, for them to go on. But I fear for the result of this battle. The Lord have mercy on you. Do not move."
Other correspondence followed. Mrs. Kelly again wrote:
"I am truly a white woman and now in sight of your camp, but they will not let me go. They say they will not fight, but don't trust them. They say How d'ye do. They say that they want you to give them sugar, coffee, flour, gun-
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powder, but give them nothing till you see me for yourself, but induce them, taking me first.
"They want four wagons and they will stop fighting. They want forty cattle to eat. I have to write what they tell me. They want you to come here. You know better than that. His name Chatvaneo and the other's name Porcupine. Read to yourself. Some of them can talk English. They say this is their ground. They say go home and come back no more. The Fort Laramie soldiers have been after me but they (the Indians) run so, and they say they want knives and axes and arrow iron to shoot buffalo. Tell them to wait and go to town and they can get them. I would give anything for liberty. Induce them to show me before you give anything. They are very anxious for you to move now. Do not I implore you for your life's sake. FANNY KELLY."
"My residence formerly Geneva, Kansas."
For the ransom of Mrs. Kelly, Captain Fisk offered three good American horses, some flour, sugar and coffee, or a load of supplies, but the Indians did not give her up. Mrs. Kelly was ransomed later by a priest on the Canadian border.
Capt. James L. Fisk enlisted as a private in the Third Minnesota Battery September 20, 1861, and was promoted captain and A. Q. M., volunteers, May 29, 1862. He resigned June 12, 1865. He conducted successful expeditions to Montana and Idaho in 1862 and 1863, and a fourth expedition without military protection, to Montana in 1866. This expedition reached the Missouri River at Fort Berthold via Forts Abercrombie and Wadsworth, July 20, 1866; Fort Union, August 2d; and Helena, Mont., September 29th, via Fort Benton, with- out accident or exciting incident, while other trains on the line through Nebraska had fighting all the way. One train was reported to have lost seventy men near the Yellowstone and the whole route was said to be strewn with fresh-made graves.
A few days before the arrival of Captain Fisk's 1866 train at Fort Union, about 2,000 Indians came to a point on the opposite side of the river to trade. When the traders went to meet them the Sioux fired on them, wounding two, taking a portion of the goods. The condition of the Indian mind at this time is well illustrated in the incidents leading up to the massacre of Colonel Fetterman's command near Fort Phil Kearney.
THE MASSACRE NEAR FORT PHIL KEARNEY
The massacre of Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Fetterman and his command near Fort Phil Kearney, December 21, 1866, was an incident in the life of Dakota Territory and a natural sequence of the attempt to drive the Indians out of the country, the possession of which had been guaranteed to them by both law and treaty.
In the spring of 1866, Gen. John Pope, commanding the District of Mis- souri, which included Minnesota, Dakota, Kansas and Nebraska, created the Mountain District and assigned Col. Henry B. Carrington to its command. General Pope's orders contemplated the erection of new military posts, one near Fort Reno, one on the Big Horn and a third on the head waters of the Yellow- stone.
RED CLOUD
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Fort Reno, formerly known as Fort Conner, was to be moved farther west on the Virginia City trail. Colonel Carrington's headquarters had previously been at Fort Kearney, Nebraska Territory. April 13, 1866, the preliminary order was issued for the proposed new movement. His command consisted of a battalion of the Eighteenth U. S. Infantry, then stationed at Fort Kearney, 220 men. May 19, 1866, 1,000 recruits having arrived for his regiment, he marched two days later, reaching Fort Reno, on the Powder River, June 28th. The country about Fort Reno being unsuitable for a permanent post, the first of the new posts was erected at Piney Forks. It was built between two streams, Piney Creeks, which came from deep gorges in the Big Horn Mountains about five miles apart. It was built on a plateau about 600 by 900 feet in extent, a portion touching the Little Piney. Here a stockade was built of pine logs from the abundant supply in the immediate vicinity. A hill half a mile distant commanded a view of the Tongue River Valley and the road for eleven miles, was utilized for a signal station. There was excellent water, cold, pure and clear; good grazing, good meadows and an abundance of timber and coal, in the vicinity. It was in the very heart of the Indian hunting grounds, with an abundance of buffalo, elk, deer, bear and other game in the surrounding country, which was occupied by Indians of several tribes, including Crows, Shoshones, Cheyennes, Arrapahoes and Sioux, who had hunted here in undisturbed possession of the country.
The Crows and Shoshones were friendly to the whites and one band of Cheyennes professed to be friendly. The Cheyennes were well armed and sup- plied with powder recently obtained through the Laramnie treaty.
Under General Pope's orders immigrants were not allowed to go through the country unless well organized and in large parties, and they were forbidden to trade with the Indians, or under any circumstances to furnish them with whiskey.
The post had a garrison of two companies when first built. As early as July 3Ist, Colonel Carrington reported evidences of hostility and that it was apparent the Indians intended to harass the whole line of transportation from the Mis- souri River to the Montana mines. Much live stock had been stolen from settlers and from small parties and from the Government or traders' herds. Colonel Carrington reported that he was convinced he would be compelled to whip the Indians and that they had given him every provocation. Wagon trains passing through the country were worn out by being obliged to camp on high hills, away from water, so persistent were the Indians in their attacks.
The day before Colonel Carrington arrived at Fort Reno, forty-three Indians drove away two head of stock near the fort at midday, and on June 30th the herd of stock belonging to A. C. Leighton, the post sutler, were run off. July 14th, Colonel Carrington was informed by the friendly Cheyennes, representing 176 lodges, that the Sioux would allow his command to remain in the country if they returned to Powder River (Fort Reno) ; that Red Cloud's forces num- bered 500 and he was in control of the Indians in the vicinity, and that the Sioux claimed that the treaty for a road through that country did not mean two roads; that they did not agree to this and would not allow but one. They objected particularly to a road north of the Big Horn and accused Colonel Car- rington of coming into the country to take their hunting grounds from them.
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July 17th the Indians attacked the train of Brevet Major Haymond, which had arrived at Piney Forks two days before, and drove away 174 head of stock. Haymond pursued but was forced to return with the loss of two men killed and three wounded by arrows. He found in Penn Valley the bodies of Pierre Gas- seaux (French Pete), his partner, Henry Arrison, and four others, one being Joseph Donalson, a civilian Government teamster. Gasseaux's Sioux widow said the Sioux came to their place and found Black Horse, of the Cheyennes, and other Indians trading; that they whipped Black Horse, who had delivered to them a message from Colonel Carrington, counting "coos," almost the equiva- lent in Indian "honor" to taking their scalps, on his party. Gasseaux was on his way to report to Colonel Carrington when killed, as Black Horse told him he would be. This was the beginning of new hostilities which were based on the report by Black Horse that the troops intended to remain in the Big Horn region.
The project of building a fort on the Yellowstone was abandoned. The post on the Big Horn was to be called Fort C. F. Smith. Carrington's new post was already named Fort Phil Kearney.
July 2Ist, Lieut. Napoleon H. Daniels, in charge of a wagon train, and one corporal, were killed. July 23d Kirkendall's train was attacked but the Indians fled on the approach of the troops under command of Brevet Lieu- tenant Colonel Kinney. The body of Terrance Callary of Company G, 18th Infantry, who had been hunting buffalo was found; he had been killed before the presence of the Indians was discovered. In a skirmish at Reno Creek, one soldier and one teamster were killed, and after the work of building the fort commenced, scarcely a day or night passed without depredations of some sort by the Sioux.
August 12th the Indians ran off horses and cattle belonging to citizens en- camped at Fort Reno ; on pursuit by the troops some of the cattle were recaptured. August 14th Joseph Postlewaite and Stockney Williams were killed, four miles from Fort Reno. August 17th the Indians drove off seven horses and seventeen mules from Fort Reno. August 29th Colonel Carrington reported that the post on the Big Horn (Fort C. F. Smith) had been successfully established ; that this was timely-as on the day previous to the arrival of the troops the Indians had robbed a citizen's train of 100 mules; that the Indians had molested trains as far west as the Wind River, in one case only one man out of twelve escaped unhurt; that the total number killed up to that time was thirty-three whites and thirty-seven Indians. In the case where the eleven whites were killed, the Indians had been entertained by Mr. Dillon, the head of the party when sud- denly the Indians commenced shooting their entertainers.
The Indians were reported divided, the young men favoring war, the old men counseling peace. Dissatisfaction with the Laramie treaty was their principal cause of complaint, coupled with the fear of losing their hunting grounds, then occupied by Colonel Carrington's command.
In November a mail party of twenty soldiers and seventeen miners was attacked by 300 Indians; the miners lost four horses. Lieutenant Bradley re- turning from Fort Benton was attacked and his chief guide, Brennan, killed. James Bridger, sent to interview friendly Crows, who were camped in the vicinity, reported that it took half a day's ride to go through the camps of the hostile Sioux; that he was so informed by the Crows who had been importuned
A GROUP OF OLD TIME TRADERS
Colonel Robert Wilson, seated: Left to right standing: John Smith, "Jack" Morrow, A. C. Leighton
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by Red Cloud and others to join in the war against the whites. Almost every band of the Sioux were represented and some of the Gros-Ventres from the Missouri River; they said they would not touch Fort Reno but intended to destroy the two new posts; that they would have two big fights at Pine Woods (Fort Phil Kearney) and Big Horn (Fort C. F. Smith).
A fight was also had at Fort Phil Sheridan in which eight Indians were killed, three subsequently died of wounds and many others were wounded. A citizen's party near the fort, who were playing cards by their camp fire, were fired upon by the Indians and three wounded. September the 8th the Indians attacked a citizens' train near Fort Phil Kearney, driving off twenty mules; October 10th twenty Indians attacked ten herders near the fort, driving off thirty-three horses and seventy-eight mules. October 13th the Indians attacked a haying party, killed one man and ran off 209 cattle, burned the hay and destroyed the mowing ma- chine. The same day they stampeded the Government herd and wounded two herders. September 14th Private Alonzo Gilchrist and on the 16th Private Peter Johnson were killed. September 17th the Indians drove off forty-eight head of cattle which were retaken on pursuit. September 20th they attacked a citizens' party near the fort. One Indian was killed and one wounded. September 23d they drove off twenty-four head of cattle owned by a contractor. In a sharp skirmish the cattle were recovered. The hay party was again attacked and on their return to the fort they found the bodies of Mr. Gruell and two teamsters who had been to Fort Smith with supplies. They met twenty soldiers and seven- teen miners who had been corralled by the Indians and fought two days before relieved. Depredations were committed about Fort Reno on the 17th, 2Ist and 23d of September. Several head of government stock were run off and Casper H. Walsh killed during these operations. In an attack on a citizens' train W. R. Petty and A. B. Overholt were wounded. September 27th Private Patrick Smith was scalped alive and mortally wounded, but crawled half a mile to the block house where he died the next day. An attempt was made to cut off the picket near the forts by the Indians who killed Smith, and other supporting parties, but they were driven off by shell fire. Bailey's party of miners arrived that day. They had lost two men killed and scalped by the Indians. September 17th Ridgeway Glover, a citizen artist, who left the fort without permission, was found two miles away dead, naked, scalped and mutilated.
September 25th the Indians took ninety-four head of stock from Contractor Chandler's herd. A short fight occurred in which five Indians and a white man known as Bob North, their leader, was killed; sixteen Indians were wounded. During the month one citizen was killed near Fort Smith. October 4th Colonel Carrington reported the loss of one soldier, scalped on the wood train. October 13th two were killed and one wounded of the wood party. Indian activities were reported late in November with occasional loss of stock.
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