166 Series I Volume XXXIV-III Serial 63 - Red River Campaign Part III
Page 166 | LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI. |
from below. However, as it is, I entertain no fear. I wish guerrillas would show themselves in force so as to give us a chance to whip them to hell, from where they can rise no more.
JOHN N. HERDER,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Post.
HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI, Springfield, Mo., April 15, 1864.Colonel JUDSON,
Commanding District of the Frontier:Colonel Lynde, commanding Ninth Kansas Cavalry, is en route to Little Rock under orders from General Halleck to report to General Steele. Have your orders from General Steele for him to report to you?
W. D. HUBBARD,
Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF COLORADO, Denver, Colo., April 15, 1864.Governor JOHN EVANS,
Territory of Colorado, Denver, Colo.:
SIR: I have the honor to report that Mr. Ripley, who lives on Bijou Creek, on the evening of the 11th instant came into Camp Sanborn, and reported that his stock and the stock of all the ranches in his neighborhood had been driven off by a warlike party of Indians, and requested Captain Sanborn, commanding camp, to send with him troops to recover his stock. On the morning of the 12th instant Lieutenant Dunn, with 40 men, left camp, and after traveling about 60 miles came up with the Indians on the north side of the Platte River, near and below Fremont' Orchard. The Indians on seeing the troops formed line of battle, under which they ran off the stock into the bluffs. Lieutenant Dunn drew up the men now with him, being only 15, he having sent the balance of this command in two squads to look for the Indians in another direction.
Lieutenant Dunn dismounted and advanced about 200 yards and met the chief of the band, of whom he demanded the stock, but the chief informed him he would fight him before he would give it up. The lieutenant told him that if they did not stop running it off he would have to disarm them, to do which the chief defied him, and giving the signal the Indians opened fire on the troops. The troops returned the fire. The fight lasted about one hour, when the Indians began to give way, Lieutenant Dunn and his command following up, and a running fight ensued for about 15 miles, when owing to the tired condition of his horses, the lieutenant ceased the pursuit and returned to Camp Sanborn, now about 10 or 12 miles distant.
In this fight Lieutenant Dunn had 4 men badly wounded, 2 of them thought to be fatally. The los of the Indians is supposed to be about 20 killed and wounded. The whole number of Indians engaged in this fight is estimated to be 60 or 70. On the morning of the 13th instant Lieutenant Dunn, with a fresh command of 60 men and a competent guide, with four days' cooked rations, pursued the
Page 166 | LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI. |