column was halted at the Dead Buffalo Lake, and the Indians made a demonstration in front, I was with the right wing of my regiment, on the right flank of the train; Major [George] Bradley was with the left wing, on the left, the regiment being in the middle of the column in the order of march. Leaving Major Bradley to protect the left flank, I deployed Company B, Captain [A. H.] Stevens, obliquely forward to the right. He advanced farther than I intended, and did not halt until on the right of, and even with, the line of skirmishers of the Sixth Regiment, then in the extreme advance. Thinking it better not to recall him, I advanced the three other companies of the right wing (Captains [James] Gilfillan's, [John] Kennedy's, and [T. G.] Carter's) near enough to support Company B, and at the same time protect the right of the train, which was then well closed up on the site of our camp. I remained in this position, without the Indians approaching within range, until orders were given to go into camp. I had but just dismissed the battalion from the color line to pitch tents, when the bold attack of the mounted Indians was made on the teams and animals, in the meadow on the north side of the camp. My line was on the south side of the camp. I assembled and reformed the line, awaiting an attack from the south; but the Indians that appeared on that side quickly withdrew, after they saw the repulse on the north side, nor coming within gun-shot range.

I cannot withhold an expression of my admiration of the gallant style in which the companies of cavalry (I believe Captains Wilsons' and Davy's, the latter under Lieutenant [L. S.] Kidder) dashed out to meet the audacious devils, that were very nearly successful in gobbling up the teams and loose animals, that being their object. The Rangers, putting their horses upon the run, were but a few seconds in reaching the Indians, whose quick right-about did not save them from the carbine and pistol shots and saber strokes, that told so well. I also saw and admired the promptitude with which Major McLaren, with a part of the Sixth Regiment, moved from his color line on that side of camp to the support of the cavalry.

On the morning of the 28th of July, at Stony Lake, the Seventy Regiment, in the order of march, was in the rear. The rear of the wagon train was just filing out of camp, going around the south end of the lake, a part still within the camp ground, which extended almost to the end of the lake, my regiment being in line, waiting for the train to get out, when the alarm was given. Quickly the Indians appeared south of the lake, and circled around to the rear. I promptly advanced the right wing on the flank of the train, south of the lake, deploying Captains Gilfillan's and Stevens' companies as skirmishers. With these, and Captains Kennedy's and Carter's companies in reserve, I immediately occupied the broken, rocky ground south of the lake; but not any too soon, for the Indians had entered it at the outer edge, not over 500 yards from the train. Lieutenant [H. H.] Western, of the battery, was in the rear, and promptly reported to me. I placed his section of the battery (two mountain howitzers) on the first elevation of the broken ground, outside the train. The fire of my line of skirmishers, then somewhat advanced on the right of the howitzers, and a few well-directed shots from Lieutenant Western's guns, discouraged the Indians from attempting to avail themselves of the cover of the small hills near us, dislodged the few that had got in, and drove the whole of them in that quarter to a very respectful distance, quite out of range. One shot from the Indians struck the ground near my feet, while I was locating the howitzers.