History of Dakota Territory, volume I, Part 62

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1198

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The expedition got away from Sioux City early in May. It was rather late in starting, having been delayed by the nonarrival of the boats containing the supplies of food and ammunition for the troops. Companies A and B, Dakota Cavalry, were selected by General Sully, the commander, as his bodyguard, which mark of distinction was regarded as a high honor, especially in view of the regi- ments from lowa, Nebraska and Minnesota that were in his command and fur- nished well seasoned troops. Downer T. Bramble went with Sully's expedition as sutler to the Dakota troops and took with him as clerk Mr. Ed L. Johnson, a young man recently from New York, an ex-soldier. Company B had been sta- tioned at Yankton for a year prior to this selection, that is, the town had been headquarters, the company doing patrol duty through the southern part of the territory, from Choteau Creek on the west to Turkey Ridge Creek on the east, and had also made two expeditions in pursuit of the perpetrators of the Trask and Weiseman murderers. Company A had been stationed at Fort Randall and was employed in scouting during the summer of 1863 and went out with Colonel Pattee's reconnoitering expedition in the fall of 1863 and was with the rescue party that aided in conducting the Minnesota women captives from Pierre to Fort Randall and contributed about two hundred and fifty dollars to the released pris- Vol. I -23

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oners, which enabled them to purchase clothing to cover their nakedness and placed them in a position of comparative independence for the time being.

General Sully rendezvoused his troops at old Fort Sully, near Farm Island and about three or four miles below the present City of Pierre. His force consisted of Companies A and B, Dakota Cavalry, which were selected as his bodyguard ; Colonel Pope's Battery ; the Sixth lowa Cavalry, Colonel Pollock; Brackett's Battalion, Minnesota Cavalry, Major Brackett ; three companies of the Seventh lowa Cavalry, Col. John Pattee ; and one company of Nebraska cavalry.

The expedition left Fort Sully about the 26th of June, 1864, and three days later had reached the mouth of the Little Cheyenne River, where Captain Field- ing, topographical engineer, was killed by a small band of Indians. Fielding had strayed ahead of the command about a mile and a half in pursuit of his profes- sional duties, accompanied by two soldiers ; the party had dismounted and picketed their horses, when a shot was fired from ambush, giving Fielding a mortal wound. The soldiers were some distance away. Three Indians then rushed forward to secure the horses, but the animals, becoming frightened, broke loose and got away. One of the soldiers was shot and the other escaped to the command and gave the alarm. Captain Miner, Company A, Dakota Cavalry, was ordered to pursue and punish the savages. The pursuit was instantly undertaken and after a sharp ride of fifteen miles the miscreants were located in a ravine. Captain Miner and Sergt. A. M. English were in the advance and as they rode up the Indians gave them a broadside at close range, but failed to hit their mark. 1 number of the boys dismounted and advanced. The Indians, realizing their cer- tain death or capture, fired again without effect, and the next moment were rid- dled with bullets from a dozen guns. Another party of soldiers who had come out with some refreshments for Company A severed the heads of the dead Indians from their bodies and took them to camp, where they were given to the general, who caused them to be fastened to long poles and these were set in the ground as a warning to the marauding red men. Beheading an enemy in this manner will be considered barbarous and cruel and not creditable to a civilized and enlightened people; but we must consider the circumstances and the surroundings which on occasions like this awaken the dormant savage nature which civilization has never yet been able to expel from the human breast. The command resumed its march and arrived at Swan Lake on the 30th, where it was joined by the Minnesota forces commanded by Colonel Thomas. These consisted of the Eighth Mounted Infantry under Col. Henry Rogers; six companies, A, B, C, D, E and H, of the Second Cavalry, Col. Robt. McLaren ; and the Third Minnesota Battery under Colonel Rogers. On the 3d of July the command resumed its march and reached a point a few miles above the mouth of the Cannon Ball River on the east bank. The entire journey thus far had been made on the east bank. Here the command crossed and General Sully proceeded to the erection of what has since been known as Fort Rice. The steamboats came up and discharged their cargoes here and a storehouse was immediately constructed of logs to shelter them. Four companies of the Thirtieth Wisconsin Infantry that had arrived with the boats and two com- panies of cavalry were detailed to construct the fort, and on the 18th of July the expedition cut loose from the river and headed for its toilsome journey to the head of the Yellowstone. Ten days later the Indians were encountered in strong force near Deerkill Mountain, in what is now Starke County, North Dakota, and here the first battle was fought, lasting all day. It was in a country admirably calculated for Indian tactics and the savages felt so confident of victory that they had neglected removing their squaws and papooses from their camp. The Indians fought desperately at times, but notwithstanding their superior numbers, estimated at about five thousand warriors, they were slowly driven back, their camp cap- tured, the women and children fleeing to the friendly refuge of the neighboring cliffs and mountains. By nightfall the enemy had disappeared, losing in the neighborhood of two hundred men. Sully's forces lost fourteen killed and thirty wounded. This battle is called the battle of Killdeer Mountain or Deerkill

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Mountain. Companies A and B, Dakota Cavalry, were detailed to destroy the supplies left in the Indian camp, which was accomplished by piling the lodge poles and other camp material, together with a vast amount of buffalo meat and thou- sands of robes, in one huge pile and giving it over to the flames. Sully encamped near the battlefield and remained two or three days, being constantly annoyed by the savages, who watched every opportunity to kill a sentinel or steal a horse. Early in August the expedition was again on the march, retracing its steps to the corral, and made a journey the first day of twenty-five miles, camping on Heart River. On the 5th of August the command reached the edge of the Bad Lands, at a point southwest of Killdeer Mountain, and the following day entered that desolate waste, camping at night on the Little Missouri River. Here the Indians in strong force began to seriously threaten the army, and while the command pressed forward the following day the troops were continually engaged with the Indians, who from their advantageous hiding places with which the Bad Lands abound, assailed the troops in the advance and in the rear, and threatened the capture of the supply train. It was a busy day for the soldiers, who were con- stantly employed in beating back the skulking, tireless foc. The fighting con- tinned until darkness put an end to it, the soldiers resting on their arms until daylight the following morning, when they were assailed more fiercely and with greater numbers than the day before. An inexperienced commander must have lost his head in this conflict. The Indians seemed to have every advantage, for while our troops were constantly exposed, the Indians in small bands would make a sudden sortie and as suddenly disappear behind the frowning crags with which the Bad Lands are so generously supplied. This battle continued well into the forenoon of the oth of August and the journey through the Bad Lands, described by Sully as "looking like hell with the fires put out." was almost completed when the savage foe, baffled and beaten at every point, withdrew. They seemed to fade away or sink into the earth in the space of an hour, and as the expedition emerged from the Bad Lands at noon no trace of an enemy was to be discovered ; the last and final battle with the Sioux nation, it was believed, had been fought in that two days' struggle in the Bad Lands.

The annals of Indian warfare fail to disclose a militant situation so fraught with actual peril through so many days as this march through and battle of the Bad Lands. It would seem that the advantage was all on the side of the Indians. The thousand rocky cliffs on every side afforded them ample shelter from the guns of the soldiers and because they were well armed it would seem that they could have killed half of Sully's command by picking them off one by one. for he had less than fifteen hundred to oppose 3.000 Indians. He also had, because of the nature of the country, to stretch his column out to great length, and to guard his supply train. His ability as a commander was strikingly evident during this three days' journey through the defiles of "Mauvaise Terre," with a supply train to guard and thousands of hostile Indians surrounding and eagerly thirsting for blood. It was in these engagements, on the second day, that a portion of Com- pany A, Dakota Cavalry, had its narrowest escape from destruction during its entire term of service. Sergt. A. M. English thus relates the incident :

We were now fighting on foot against a party of Indians who were attempting to get between us and our train. Captain Miner ordered the writer, who was in command of the first platoon, to take possession of a hill which would command their position. We secured the hill at once, but the Indians continued to multiply and we soon found ourselves cut off from the main command and surrounded by not less than five hundred Sioux warriors, making the air hideous with their wild war whoop. They kept closing in, and were soon so close that we were able to see the color of the paint on their faces. Our fire was quite severe on their ranks, and we thought that we had perhaps answered our last roll call; but we heard the clattering of troops in our rear, and looking around I saw our brave captain af the head of the Coyotes coming down on the savages at a swift gallop. He struck them with the force of a cyclone. He hurled his troops against the red devils of the prairie and scattered them to the four winds. \ hearty thank God went up from the lips of the men who had composed my little command. When cavalry dismount to fight en foot every fourth man is detailed to hold four horses. In the heat of the fight I sprang to the

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ground, not giving my horse a thought. After the Indians were driven back 1 looked around for him; I choked up until I could hardly speak for fear I had lost him; but no; he was close at my heels; his nose almost on my shoulder. After that I was not afraid that he would leave me. That was the hottest serap the company got into during its term of service. The battle continued until dark, only to be renewed in the morning. We were now nearly out of the Bad Lands and the Indians charged our lines at all points, but they were beaten and driven back. Discouraged, disheartened and thoroughly defeated, their supplies captured, they finally gave up the contest and allowed us to pursue the remainder of our way unmolested. Thus ended the battle of the Bad Lands, a three days' conflict against the allied forces of the whole hostile Sioux nation.

The command after emerging from the Bad Lands marched to the Yellow- stone River, August 12th, subsisting in the meantime on a cracker a day. At the Yellowstone they were overjoyed to find the steamboats laden with their sup- plies. Here their difficulties of a serious nature ended. They swam the Yellow- stone, crossed the plains to the Missouri, and by leisurely marches journeyed down that stream to various points on the river, where they were stationed for the winter. They met with no hostile Indian parties on the return, indicating the complete discomfiture of the hostile Indian element.

There is no way of estimating how many Indians were killed or wounded in these engagements, but it is certain that they acknowledged complete defeat. In after years the chiefs who were in these battles stated that they had been com- pletely surprised at the determination and endurance of the white soldiers. The young Indian warriors who composed nine-tenths of the enemy had never been in a battle with the pale-faces and expected an easy victory. It was not the loss of men that disheartened and demoralized the Indians, for their losses were com- paratively small for the number engaged, but it was the invincible stubbornness and intrepidity of the soldiers. The Indians concluded that they were no match for those qualities and surrendered to the peace commissioners who went out to meet them the following season. Sully was not further annoyed. He reached the Yel- lowstone River August 12th, found two boats there laden with army supplies and for the first time in several weeks the troops were supplied with full rations. The last three days they had been reduced to one hardtack a day.

The second day's battle was called the Battle of the Bad Lands.

Sully's losses in these battles were twenty-three killed and fifty-six wounded. There were also seven men killed during the outgoing and incoming journey. One sergeant was killed by his men, who mistook him for an Indian.

The site for a new fort was selected after the return of the expedition fifteen miles above Pierre, to be named Fort Sully. Old Fort Sully below Pierre was then abandoned.

While the campaign had put an end to the general Indian war in the North- west, this did not render the settlements of Dakota safe from small predatory and irreconcilable savages who were averse to peace on general principles. These continued to alarm the settlers and constituted an almost impregnable barrier to rural improvements and immigration.

The disastrous effect upon the Indians of this campaign may be clearly in- ferred from the concluding paragraph in the annual report of Major-General Pope, in command of this department, who made this unqualified statement :

I may say finally that the Government may dismiss safely all apprehensions of Indian war in the Northwest. Small raids there will doubtless be, as there always have been, for stealing horses, but no hostilities by any considerable number are likely again to occur.

This prediction of the head of the department proved reasonably accurate, and for nearly ten years, or until the opening of the Black Hills, there was compara- tive peace on the frontier. Then came the Sitting Bull wars on the Northern Pacific and the Custer Massacre.

Fort Wadsworth was built by Colonel Rodgers, of Minnesota, on his return trip from Sully's Bad Land campaign of 1864, by a detachment of Wisconsin troops. The Minnesota troops separated from the main command at Fort Rice,

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on the return, and taking a route somewhat to the north of the course pursued on their outward journey, they crossed the James River at the head of Goose Lake; where it was designed to construct a fort, but the plan was changed and a site selected about half way between the James River and the lower end of Lake Traverse, where a post was built and named Fort Wadsworth, which afterward was called Fort Sisseton.

GENERAL SULLY'S REPORT

Here follows the official report of General Sully's expedition against the Sioux Indians in Dakota Territory, July-October, 1864.

Ileadquarters Northwestern Indian Expedition,

Camp on lleart River in Dakota Territory, July 31, 1804. Sir :- I have the honor to make the following report of my operations since July 25th :

On the 23d of this month I reached this point, having made rapid marches, considering I had a large emigrant train under my charge. I had started in a direction west, but on the road, receiving information that the Indians were on or near the Knife River, I changed my course in a northerly direction. On my arrival at this point I corralled all my wagons and the emigrant train, leaving it in charge of Captain Tripp, Dakota Cavalry, with a sufficient force to guard against danger, intending to start with pack mules, but on opening the boxes I found no saddle blankets. This 1 replaced with gunnysacks. I then found the bands that go over the packs (called cintuas, I believe) instead of being made of webbing or several thicknesses of duck sewed together, and about six or eight inches wide, were made of hard Jeather about three inches wide. The torture to the mules, when these pieces, that ought to be called sheet iron, were brought tight into their bellies was such that they were kicking and jumping in all directions and succeeded in either getting their packs off or breaking the saddle. I therefore had to give up the pack mule system, for two days' march with such instruments of torture would completely use up all my animals. I then pressed into service all the light private wagons with me, placing in each four of my best mules and hauling 1,000 pounds each. By throwing away all tents, everything but provisions and ammunition, I could move rapidly with a very few wagons. About 3.00 P. M. of July 26th 1 succeeded in getting off, and about 10.00 A. M. of the 28th succeeded in reaching the enemy's camp, about eighty miles march. All their camp was standing when I reached there, and they prepared for a fight, no doubt with full confidence of whipping me, for they had twenty-four hours notice of my advance by a party of my scouts falling in with a war party of theirs not sixteen miles from here. We followed their trail, which led to the camp. 1 found the Indians strongly posted on the side of a mountain called Tahkahokuty Mountain, which is a small chain of very high hills, filled with ravines, thickly timbered and well watered, situated on a branch of the Little Missouri, Gros Ventres, latitude 47 degrees 15 minutes, as laid down on the government map. The prairie in front of the camp is very rolling, and on the left. as we approached, high hills. On the top and sides of these hills and on my right at the base of the mountains, also on the hillocks in front on the prairie, the Indians were posted; there were over sixteen hundred lodges, at least five or six thousand warriors, composed of the U'nepapas, Sans Ares, Blackfeet, Minneconjous, Yanktonnais, and Santee Sioux. My force consisted as follows: Eleven companies of the Sixth Jowa Cavalry, Lieutenant-Colonel Pollock com- manding ; three companies of the Seventh lowa Cavalry, Lieutenant-Colonel Pattee com manding; two companies of Dakota cavalry, Capt. Nelson Miner commanding: four companies of Brackett's Minnesota Battalion, Major Brackett commanding: about seventy scouts, and a prairie battery of two sections, commanded by Capt. N. Pope. This formed the First Brigade. Ten companies of the Eighth Minnesota Infantry, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Rogers; six companies of the Second Minnesota Cavalry, under Colonel Mclaren, and two sections of the Third Minnesota Battery, under Captain Iones, formed the Second Brigade, under command of Colonel Thomas, the whole of my force numbering on the field about twenty-two hundred men.

Finding it was impossible to charge, owing to the country being intersected by deep ravines filled with timber. I dismounted and deployed six companies of the Sixth lowa on the right and three companies of the Seventh low, and on the left six companies of the Eighth Minnesota Infantry; placed Pope's Battery in the center, supported by two com panies of cavalry; the Second Cavalry on the left, drawn up by squadrons: Brackett's Minnesota Battalion on the right in the same order. Jones' Battery and four companies of cavalry as a reserve. The few wagons I had closed up, and the rear guard, composed of three companies, followed. In this order we advanced, driving in the Indians till we reached the plain between the hills and the mountains. Here large bodies of Indians flanked me. The Second Cavalry drove them from the left. A very large body of Indians collected on my right for a charge. I directed Brackett to charge them This he did gallantly, driving them in a circle of about three miles to the base of the mountains and

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beyond my line of skirmishers, killing many of them. The Indians, seeing his position, collected in large numbers on him, but he repelled them, assisted by some well directed shots from Jones' Battery. About this time a large body of Indians, who we ascertained had been out hunting for me, came up on my rear. I brought a piece of Jones' Battery to the rear, and with the rear guard dispersed them. The Indians, seeing the day would not be favorable for them, had commenced taking down their lodges and sending back their families. 1 swung the left of my line round to the right and closed on them, sending Pope with his guns and the Dakota Cavalry (two companies ) forward. The artillery fire soon drove them out of their strong positions in the ravines, and Jones' Battery, with Brackett's Battalion, moving up on the right, soon put them to flight. the whole of my line advancing at the same time. By sunset no Indians were on the ground. A body, however, appeared on top of the mountain over which they had retreated. 1 sent Major Camp, Eighth Minnesota, with four companies of the Eighth Minnesota forward. They ascended to the top of the hill, putting the Indians to flight and killing several. The total number of killed, judging from what we saw, was from one hundred to one hundred and fifty. 1 saw them during the fight carry off a great many dead or wounded. The very strong position they held and the advantages they had to retreat over a broken country prevented me from killing more. We slept on the battle ground that night.

The next morning before daylight we started to go round the mountain, as I could not get up it with wagons and artillery in front. After six miles march I came in sight of the trail on the other side of the mountain but could not get to it. One sight of the country convinced me there was no use trying to follow up the Indians through such a country and find them. I went on top of the hill, and as far as I could see with my glass ( some thirty miles) the country was cut up in all directions by deep ravines, sometimes near one hundred feet deep, filled with timber, the banks almost perpendicular. 1 therefore thought the next best thing to do was to destroy their camp. This I did, ordering Colonel McLaren, Second Cavalry, on that duty. I enclose you a report of the property destroyed by him.

McLaren's Report :- I commenced by disposing of the various forces so as to destroy with the least delay the vast quantities of goods left in the timber and ravines adjacent to the camp. The men gathered into heaps and burned tons of dried buffalo meat packed in buffalo skin cases, great quantities of dried berries, buffalo robes, tanned buffalo, elk and antelope skins, household utensils, such as brass and copper kettles, mess pans. etc., riding saddles and dray poles for ponies and dogs. Finding that one day was too short a time to make the destruction complete, I ordered the men to gather only the lodge poles in heaps and burn them, and then deployed the men and fired the woods in every direction. The destruction was thus complete, and everywhere was manifest the rapid flight of the Indians, leaving everything, even their dogs and colts tied to pickets. In skirmishing the timber dead Indians were found killed by exploding shells. After a thorough examination of the camping ground and judging from the amount of lodge poles burnt, I should judge the camp to have amounted to 1,400 lodges. 1 would report that after the work of destruction commeneed the Indians carried a white flag on the bluff close to the camp. As I could not interpret the meaning at this particular time, 1 did not feel called upon to report the fact to you until 1 had accomplished the object and carried out order No. 62.

( The two companies of the Dakota Cavalry under Captain Miner, with four companies of the Second Minnesota; four companies of the Sixth Iowa and three companies of the Eighth Minnesota, were engaged in this work of destruction.)

General Sully's report proceeds: That afternoon 1 marched six miles from the battle ground and camped. About dark a large body of Indians came on to my pickets and killed two. A command was immediately sent after them, but they fled in all directions. They made no further demonstrations on my march to this point, which I reached yesterday, my animals well tired out, having made a march of over one hundred and sixty-five miles in six days, one day being occupied in the fight. The officers and men of my command behaved well, and all appeared desirous to carry out my instructions as well as they could. My thanks are due to the officers of my staff for communicating my orders promptly, some- times being obliged to expose themselves very much in so doing.

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History of Dakota Territory, volume I, Part 62

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1198

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1198