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1251 Series I Volume XLVIII-II Serial 102 - Powder River Expedition Part II

Page 1251 Chapter LX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.

February 15, the Pawnee Indians report having seen three days before a large party of Sioux Indians sixty miles north of Fort Kearny, with horses, without lodge poles, going east. February 18, no Indians seen recently within 100 miles of Julesburg. Scouts, guides, and old Indian traders state positively that Indians are 200 miles north of Laramie on Burnfish. February 27, scouts returning to Julesburg report no Indians in that vicinity. March 6, a party of citizens were chased out of Box Elder Canon, three miles west of Post Cottonwood, by Indians. April 23, about 150 Indians, supposed to be Two Face's band of Ogallalla Sioux, ran off 170 head of cattle (belonging to Mr. Ward, sutler, at Fort Laramie) on the north side of the Platte River, opposite Alkali. Captain E. B. Murphy, Company A, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, followed them thirty miles into the sand-hills on the north, recapturing all the cattle and one pony, chasing the Indians so closely that they abandoned their plunder, which Captain Murphy burned. He could not overtake and engage the Indians. No one hurt. May 1, a party of Indians seen north of Alkali, also lights. Forty-seven head of cattle driven off near Alkali. May 3, two Pawnees killed and two wounded by Sioux on Loup Fork, west of Pawnee Indian Agency; also hostile Indians appeared on Wood River, fifteen miles northeast of Fort Kearny, in the afternoon, killing a Mr. Story and stealing his team. Scouts afterward report that the hostile party consisted of only seven Indians, and that they were probably of the Pawnees, avenging the killing of one of their tribe by some unknown citizen about two weeks before. May 5, 150 Indians attacked a train of twenty-six wagons three miles east of Mullaley's Station, twelve miles west of Plum Creek, at 2 p. m., killing one man and driving off 150 head of stock. Captain Weatherwax, Company G, First Nebraska Veteran Volunteer Cavalry, started in pursuit with twenty-five men, who succeeded in retaking two of the stolen horses. His poor mounts (ponies) prevented his overtaking the Indians. May 12, about thirty Indian attacked three or four soldiers with a team just west of Smith's Station (which is twenty-five miles east of Cottonwood) this morning, killing Sergeant Creighton, Company A, First Battalion Nebraska Veteran Cavalry, and wounding one other. They drove off some thirty head of cattle, crossing the Platte River and going north. Mounted troops followed them about forty miles, but could not overtake them in that distance. The stealing party was heavily re-enforced before they had gone twenty-five miles. One soldier wounded in afternoon and one Indian certainly killed or mortally wounded. May 19, Indians attacked stage station between Buffalo and Elm Creek on the Little Blue; were repulsed. Attacked and captured a train, with which were fifteen unarmed men of the Third U. S. Volunteer Infantry, sent from Fort Leavenworth, killing four and wounding seven. Troops sent from Fort Kearny could not overtake the Indians. The Pawnees were doubtfully charged with making this attack. May 21, Indians have recently been seen on Wood River, north of Plum Creek and Smith's Station, on the Republican and on the Little Blue. September 31, at 10 p. m., a party of Indians (number unknown, but supposed to be fifteen or twenty) attacked a party of eight men and one woman, quartermaster's employees, with two wagons, who were encamped on the right bank of the Platte River, seven miles west of the station at O'Fallon's Bluff, killing one of the party, J. H. Temple, and wounding three others (Anthony Shilling, Jones Ireland, and Alfred Acres). All of the mules (twelve) were stampeded and run off. The party attacked were en route to the quartermaster at Junction, Colo. Ter. ; had been organized into a train at O'Fallon's Bluff in compliance with existing orders, but had


Page 1251 Chapter LX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.