Wi-Iyohi (Wee-Moon) – (eeyohee-Each)
Volume 16 Number 4
July 1, 1962
Topics: o Marshall’s Expedition, 1862 o Pioneer Daughters of Dakota o Book Review—SD Political Almanac o Civil War News MOOl-t..Y BLUETIN SOUTH DAKOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
vOL. xv! July 1, 1962 NO. 4
After their initial MARSHALL·s successes in the Minnesota 0utbreak during the late • ·. 18 62 EXP E D I T I 0 N summer of 1862, the hostile Santee Sioux were checked by Nancy L. Woolworth by a military force under General Henry H. Sibley at the battle of Wood Lake on September 23. Soon thereafter,from Camp Release near Montevideo, Minnesota, Sibley sent o�t several detachments of troops in a westerly direction to look for additional parties of hostiles. One of the units of this little known reconnaisance was directed on Octbber lJ, 1862 to proceed from the Minnesota River towards the James River "to ,..Pursue a band of hostiles who had separated f,rom Little Crow Lthe Sioux chief who lead the uprising and were heading directly west to the MissouriRiver. " The orders from Sibley to the expedition's commander, Lieutenant-Colonel William Rainey Marshall read as follows: Headquarters Military Expedition Camp Release, Oct. lJ, 1862
Lieut. Col. William R. Marshall,
Sir: I have placed you in command of an expedi- tion pri�cipally to secure any Indians, with their families, who may be straggling about Lac qui Parle or between that point and the Coteau des Prairies. It may be necessary to visit the coteau, about JO miles distant, and if there is good reason to believe any Indian camp near, to go toward its southwestern limit, about 15 miles farther; but as it is not the intention to make a distant expedition, you will use a wise discretion, upon the consultation with Major Joseph R. Brown, who accompanies yo�, and not penetrate too far into the country from this camp. You can assure the Indians that it is not the purpose of the �overnment
Mrs. Alan R. Woolworth is married to a native South ( Dakotan who is currently the Museum Curator at the Minnesota Historical Societv. to punish innoce!llt persons, but they must surrender at discretion and come in un::ier guard. You will of course prevent the men under your command from using any undue or unnecessary violence toward the Indians, should you take any of the latter, an� �specially do not permit any insult to the females. I have directed the detachment to be furnished with six day's rations, although I do not expect you to be absent for so long a time. Reposing entire confidence in your judgement, I need hardly exhort you to exer cise great vigilance and caution against surprise or ambush. Very respectfully yours, H. H. Sibley Brigadier General Commanding
The story of the experiences of this expedition is told vividly by the report of Lieutenant-Colonel Marshall, and the diary kept by Sergeant James T. Ramer, Company B, Seventh Minne.so.ta Regi.-. ment. Marshall 's report was published in The Monthly South Dakotan volume 5, number 4 (August, 1902 ), pp. 124-126. The Ramer diary, deposited in the Minnesota Historical Society appears to have been revised, probably by Marshall. Starting from Camp Release, Marshall in a letter to General Sibley, described the make-up of his command:
General: In accordance with your order of lJth in- stant I left this camp at 10 o'clock on the morning of the 14th with a detachment comprising fifty ( mounted men and fifty infantry of the Third Regi- ment, under Lieutenant J. H. Swan; Company D of the Sixth Regiment, Captain Valentine, sixty-nine men; Company B of the Seventh Regiment, Captain John Curtis, seventy-five men and Sergeant O'Shea and eight men in charge of a howitzer, in all 252 men. Our train consisted of 13 two-horse wagons, carrying six-day rations, tents, etc. for the men and hardly two day's supply of forage (all there was in your camp ) for the horses.
The daily occurrences of this e�pedition was recorded by Sergeant Ramer in his diary. "October 14th, we were on the march at one o'clock under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Marshall , of the 7th; and halted at Lac qui Parle and got break fast. About six o'clock we started in a South West direction toward Lake Kampeska near Watertown,S.D. we went into camp at four o'clock on a small stream, a branch northern of Lacqui Parle River. We have no fuel but a few green willows, we were very tired and foot sore, having no road to march in; the distance to-day was thirty-five miles."
In Marshall's report to Sibley he wrote the following account (
- 2 - for the same day, "I proceeded to the mouth of the Lac qui Parle River and followed up the left bank twelve miles without ( finding Indians. I then struck westward following Nicollett's route as indicated on our map."
Ramer continued in his diary, giving the narrative of the 15th of October, "The 15th we were on the march early in the morning, crossed the State line into Dakota Territory, during the afternoon we captured three half Breed Indians with their Squaws and children, but let them go as we were after bigger game. After marching about twenty-two miles went into c&�p early on a small stream .[probably Crow Timber Creek, Deuel Co.,:J; we camped in a cave in the side of a ravine where there was a little timber, had a good camping place."
Of this incident Marshall later wrote to Sibley, "We crossed the state boundary line near the twenty sixth mile post ["2 miles southof highway 212], south of the foot of Big Stone Lake. Near the edge of the Coteau de Prairie about forty-four miles from Camp Release, we fou::id ':;w;i lodges of straggl ing Sioux. Takin� the young men-three-prisoners, we started the squaws and children with one old man for our camp. From these Indians we learned that twenty-seven lodges were west of us, supposed to be in the vicinity of Two-Wood Lakes [Two Woods Lake, north of Good;vin, S.D. J . "
Ramer continued his account, "October 16th were on the march at daylight expect ing to- find the Indians at Two Lakes."
On t h i s Marshall later reported: "Marching on these lakes, we found no Indians, but signs that they had left there only one or two days before, their trail leading northwest toward the Big Sioux River."
When Marshall found that the Indians had left in great haste he knew they couldn't be far away,and that the chances of catching them were good. He divided his command into two groups. Sergeant Ramer recorded this incident like an infantry man would:
·"Early in the day Colonel Marshall took the third Minnesota, they being mounted, and pushed on leav ing the Infantry in command of Captain Valentine to follow as fast as they could, which was slow at times as we had to cross the Couteaus and the country was very broken making it hard for the teams to keep II ( ,;lith US• - 3 - ,..
Marshall, in charge of the fifty mounted men of the Third Regi ment, related their experiences in his report: "Fearing that I should not be able to overtake them ( with the infantry, I took the fifty mounted merr and the mountain howitzer, at noon on the third day out, and without tents or supplies of any kind, pressed on, leaving the infantry and wagons to follow as rapidly as possible. We crossed the Big Sioux River, passing on the north side of Lake Kampeska. Following the Indian trail, we reached at dark the east end of a lake (which the Indians call Goose Nest Lake) about eight miles long, east and west /: a lake eight miles northwest of Lake Kampeska, probably Lake Nicholson . We heard a report of a gun and saw signs of an Indian camp at the farther end of the lake. We halted until daylight, without shelter or food for men or horses, when, with a rapid march, we surprised and captured at the west end of the lake ten lodges of Indians, numbering thirteen warriors and their families. They told us of twelve or fifteen lodges that were one day's march west, toward the James River. Plac- ing a guard over the captured camp, we hurried on, and at a distance of ten or twelve miles, about midway between the Big Sioux and James River, we cameupon the second party just as they were moving out of camp. After an exciting chase we captured them with out any resistance of arms. We took twenty-one men prisoners with their families. Some of the men had separated from their camp before we reached it for ( the purpose of hunting. On our march back six of these followed and after ineffectual efforts to re cover their families surrendered themselves."
The infa ntry, far behind this cavalry unit, was pushing hard to keep up with the mounted men. Sergeant Ramer noted the Third, Sixth and Seventh Infantry companies movements to try and keep up the pace:
"When we reached the Two Lakes Two Woods Lake near the Station of Goodwin now on the Winona and St. Peter Rail Koad, we found that the Indians had been there very recently, their fires still burning and some fresh fish lying about; we pushed on, when near sundovm from a high raise of ground we saw in the distance Lake Kampeska and we still rushed on until dark, wnen many of the command wanted to stop for the night but Captain Valentine said we must reach the lake to get water. It soon got dark and the men being tired out, and the teams scarcely able to move we stopped. The men were so tired that but few put up tents; having no wood or water we made qur supper on raw salt pork and hard bread. Some of the scouts said that we had marched forty miles.
- 4 - October 17th, this morning we breakfasted on what we had left from sup9er. We could see Lake Kampeska ( about three miles to our left. We arrived at the Big Sioux River about seven o'clock, when we cook ed some pork and made some coffee for breakfast; here we watered the horses that had no water since leaving Two Lake the day before."
After capturing the small band of Sioux the two groups again met on the 17th of October and then headed back to Camp Release with the prisoners. Sergeant Ramer' s Diary tells of t".le r·2t1.irn march and the privations of the soldiers who went through it.
"About eight o'clock we marched toward the James River; between ten and eleven o'clock :•e met Col:mel Marshall and Cavalry who had captured forty Warriors and more than one hundred Squaws and children. We camped near Ten Mile Lake LA lake ten miles from Big Sioux River, probably Lake Nicolson ] where we had a little wood . We marched about twelve mile to-day. Our four days rations were about gone,· but we got some flour from the Indians. Colonel Mar shall sent a scout named Wm. Quinn back to General Sibley at Camp Release for rations to be forwarded with all dispatch. We asked the Third "Boys" why they were taking the Indians back to camp instead of killing them. They answered that Colonel Mar shall requested them not to fire the first shot; ( and one of them said he hoped that some one would fire his gun accidentally.
October 18th we started on our return march early in the morning, Colonel B.[Bradl�] of the 7th in charge of the prisoners, the squaws and children following. We marched in four ranks. The Indians the two inside ranks. We recrossed the Sioux River about ten o'cloc� while here some of the .3rd Regiment fired their guns at Wild Geese, and the squaws set up a terrible howl supposing that we had shot the priaoners. The wind blew hard all day, we tired out the Indians long before night and had to put some of them on the wagons. Dan Dana was in the rear of the Company keeping the Indians closed up; and trying at. times to make them keep step,callin� out left, left and using his bayonet a little to urge t':lem on.
October 19th we started early Colonel G. [ Grant] of ·the 6th Minnesota having charge of the Indians. We camped where we had camped the 15th and we named it the Big Woods [ probably Crow Timber Creek, Deuel Co. , :J as there were some trees there.
October 20th. Last night the guard natl orders to ( let any one in to camp, but no one out, as the
- 5 - Colonel expected that some Indians that had not been captured would try to get to the Squaws; during the ni8ht five did crme in. We started early the wind blowing hard. The Indians had set fire to the grass and at times we could not see the sun although it was a clear day. It was very hard marching over the burned prairie. We met teams with rations early in the forenoon near the State line and they received a most hearty welcome. We camped on the Lacqui Parle Creek at night.
October 21st. We were on the march early; the wind blew a perfect gale. The burned grass and dust fill ed the air so that at times we could hardly see or breathe, and we were blacker than the Indians. We arrived at Camp Release about two o'clock and put our prisoners in the Prison we had built; we went into camp, tired, dirty and foot sore, having marched about two hundred and twenty miles in eight days and accomplished what we were sent to do.11
Having been successful on tl.Jis small reconnaisance mission, one of trelast against the Sioux in 1862, Lieutenant Colonel Mar shall sent General Sibley,after the expedition, his observations of the journey: .,.tie brought in thirty-nine men prisoners and over 100 womena:id children, with a considerable quantity of plunder taken at the time of the masoacre. We scouted th e country as we returned, reaching a point on the south as far as Lakes Poinsett Hamlin Co., and Preston 'Brool Respectfully submitted, Wm. R. Marshall. Lieut-Col.Seventh Regt. Minn. Vols Comdg.Detachment - 6 - This expedition of October, 1862, completed its tasks success ( fully and followed General Sibley's instructions well. During their march of 250 miles in 8 days, they captured 39 �en and 100 women and children in the Sioux camps without firing a shot, and brought their captives back .t o Camp Release, putting up with weariness, hunger, and a burning prairie. Because of this swift and well organized action, Marshall's expedition cleared away any bands of hostile Sioux that were living east of the James River and south of the lakes at the head of the Coteau des Prairies. As a result, the threat of f1irther raids against the Minnesota frontier was all but ended. In addition, Marshall's activities gave the Minnesota troops some much needed experiences in prairie campaigning, which proved useful on General Sibley's 1863 expedition from Minnesota to the Missouri River. P I 0 N E E R D A U G H T E R S 0 F -----D A K 0 T A. Arendsee, Mrs. Theodore A. , (Caroline Walter)Brown, 1882;Aungie, Miss Harriet I. , near Vermillion; Benson, Mrs. Leon (Alma Estelle) Brown, 1883; Berg, Mrs. Aletta, Minnehaha, 1869;Berkley, Mrs. Julius, (Necalena Hanson) Yankton, 1883; Breitag, Mrs. Frederick, McPherson, 1883; Brennan, Mrs. Joseph (Marry Dunn), Sanborn,1887; Buel, Mrs. Sarah (F orsythe),Sully, 1885; Burleigh,Mrs .Walter A. , ( (Caroline Faulk),Yankton, 1861; Cottrell,Mrs. Frank, Minnehaha, 1886; Coursey, Mrs. O. W. (Gertrude Pearce,Mrs. E.W.Feige)Sanborn, 1882; Dick, Mrs.George, Minnehaha, 1888; Eakins, Mrs. Joseph, (Ardell --),Deuel,1879; Elzhic, Mrs. Anton, Hyde,1899; English, Mrs. Alva M., (Anna Rider), Yankton, 1859; Ferguson, Mrs.Clarmont, (Bertine Anenson),Codington, 1889; Geiser,Mrs. Wm. (Lelia Nancarvow), Roberts, 1888; Greenwald Mrs. Gus (H attie Young),Brown, 1880; Gurney, 1 Mrs. Deloss Butler, Yankton,1874; Hansen, Mrs. Chr�stian (Gelia Johnson),G rant, 1884; Hastings, Mrs. Wm. (Mable Leach),Marshall, 1889; Hoover, Mrs. Jeannie, (Kilpatrick),Brown,1883; Howard, Mrs. Charles, Brown, 1880; Hughes, Mrs. Thomas (Elizabeth Evans), Brown, 1884; Johnson, Mrs. Paul (Josie Nelson),Brown, 1883; Kaske, Miss Lydia, Spink, 1880; Kenney, Mrs. Thomas (Katie Kruze), Brown, 1883; Kirley, Mrs. Charles S. (Mabel Sims),Stanley & Haakon, 1893; Lund, Mrs. Peter N. (Caroline Junker),Yankton,1870; Lyons, Ma:r:Y-, Hyde, Sully, 1884; McLaughlin, Mrs. Anna, Corson (Grand River Agcy)l871; Moberge, Mrs. Albert (Rose Zeller), Beadle, 1888; M,oe, Mrs. E. A., (Kathryn Bell), Brookings, 1884; Nelson, Mrs. iOliver, Haakon,1906; Olson, Mrs. Arthur (Mary Roehr), Edmunds, 1888; Pasch, Mrs. Ernest, (Edn:l Schlick), Brown, 1886; Ranney, Mrs. Wm. Silas (Marietta Blanche Axtell), Brookings, 1885; Redfield, Mrs. Emily, Grant, 18.'30; Rexinger, Mrs. Charles (Bertha Abbee Cooper), Brown, 1886; Ryenen, Mrs. Wm. (�attie Tessin),Grant, 1879 ;Riggs, Mrs. J. p., Lake, 1883; Ryan, Mrs. G. A., (Miss Wilson),Brown,1887; Scheel, Mrs. Fred (Augusta Johnson),Spink-Yankton, I881, Skoog, Mrs. Simon, (Augusta\ Christenson) Grant, 1879; Stewart, Mrs. Jennie, Marshall,, ( 1887; Tait, Mrs. Frank (Nellie Baldridge),Bon Homme, 1889; - 7 - Trystad, Mrs. Nels, (Marie N. Nelson), Minnehaha, 1887; Uken' Mrs. Matiilda Aungie; Van.Demarck, Mrs. Frank E. (Amelia E. Hunt), Minnehaha, 1878; Von Wald, Mrs. Valentine (Elizabeth Poepke), Brown, 1888; Wallace, Mrs. Fred, (�ose -), Minnehaha, 1874; Watson, Mrs. Le.Roy, Beadle, 1882; Wilbur, Mrs .Ed. (Laura E. Holborn,) 1881; Wilkins, Mrs. Harry, (Patience), Spink, 1883 Williams, Mrs. E. L., Brown, 1881; Woo1ruff, Mrs. Hubert Warren, (Amy Elizabeth Vau�hn), Hand, 1883; Zeller, Miss Clara,Brown, ow , 187 1888; Zick, Mrs. August, (Sadie Mulligan) ,B r n 7. 0 FF TH E B 0 0 K S H E L F Alan L. Cl'"m, South Dakota Political Almanac; A Presentation and_Jmalysis of Election Sta ti:>tics, Hl39-1960. Report No. 47, Governmental Research Bureau, State University of South Dakota, Vermillion, 85 pages. This publication by the University's Governmental Research Bureau should have a very wide appeal to citizens of Soc.1th Dakota. Available in both paperback and hard cover editions, th is study by Professor Clem is a very useful (and handy) treatment of election !'esults in national and major state campaig ns over the past seventy years. A total of 28 tables, 2 maps and one chart contain a wealth of information. After a brief introduction on the purposes of his study and the methods used, Professor Clem analyzes "South Dakota Politics and Politipians" a s represented by statistics on statewide party strength, prominent personages who have held high political office, and the make-up ofthe viarious state legislattires since 1889. Attention is also devoted to voting results on constitut ional amendments and laws whi8h were referred to the voters for approval. The meat of the volume is to be found in the survey of election results from 1928 to 1960. For each two-year election there is a brief explanation of the ca�paign highlights, their relationship (if any) with national issues, and a table of vot ing results for all major races. This little volume should be• of considerable interest,particularly since 1962 is also an election year. PubU•h..:1 monthly by tM ltateHlnorl ..... Sod-, •t Ptern. Primed by Tite R.n-Under and entered u Meond clan mallu matter UM Pd9t Otnce In P.. rr.0 S. Dlt. ·a· �s '.zo1.i�1l1l •ussv•�s1H t�.lt'l�'eN s� pag INSERT July 1, 1962 Wi-Iyohi. "A SHORT DIGEST OF CIVIL WAR NEWS KNOWN TO DAKOTANS." ( June, 1 8 6 2. (;!VIL WAR. It was truly surprising the fine coverage contained, particularly in the Yankton Dakotaian by June 1862, with a considerable amount published within 6 to 8 days of the date line. The box score and the activity maps pretty well locate the varied encounters of June. B 0 X S C 0 R E C I V I L W A R -- J U N E, 1862 1 I State Engagements Casualties of the month. I I Total with Casualties Killed Wounded Missing Alabama 1 0 0 0 0 rkansas 17 7 42 152 7 California 5 0 0 0 0 lorida 2 0 0 0 0 entucky 5 3 6 9 19 ouisiana 7 3 7 16 0 ississippi 22 2 0 5 1 issouri 7 3 4 5 1 .Carolina 4 1 7 11 0 .Carolina 12 3 111 495 112 25 6 27 42 0 irginia 90 17 3.338 14,981 12,087 ( .Virginia 7 o O O O ------204- - 45- - - - - 3�542- - l5�14 -12,227- - 21% 94% 95% 98% were in Virginia ALAJ3AMA. A skirmish near Huntsville with no Union losses was the sole affair. ARKANSAS. The activities were all along the White River in Northeastern Arkansas with three encounters that drew blood on the Little Red River south of Jacksonport, and quite an engagement between the Union Gun boats at St. Charles, where a shore battery was silenced and the 46th Indiana overran the de Ho. fense but JO were killed and 105 wounded. . . CALIFORNIA. Un ·;;.·. i:nportant and �YK. bloodless en counters in the NW corner and down in the Owens River Valley close ( to the Nevada line. - 21 - FLORIDA, had two encounters, one by the Na vy at St.Marks on the shore south of Tallahassee and the other at Pensacola. ( KENTUCKY. Had a small encoun-:;er down at Tomkinsville near the Tennessee line nort'.'.least of Nashvil::..e in which the 9th Pa. Cav. lost 4-7-19 and two others, up 50 miles S of Cincinnati by the 18th Kty Inf. and some Kty Home Guards with a very minor affair at Henderson on the Ohio NE of Cairo. LOUISIANA. The fall of New Orleans was reflecte·1 by the attitude of the European and English papers, some of whom thought that the time was ripe for intervention (Thailand 1962) but the opinion was divided. Little blood was spilled and what was lost was on the Amite River east of Baton �ouge and at Race land east of New Orleans. MISSISSIPPI. The news was full of the discomfiture of Beauregard and his many generals at Corinth, where strong defensive positions were abandoned without a fight. Many thought it was because of the defection of many of his men from Louisiana and elsewhere and there was much speculation that they were being taken north to (1) help Jackson in the Shenandoah, (2) to repel a Yankee invasion at Charleston and to (J) aid in the defense of Richmond. One enterprising reporter sought out the path of move ment by rail and marching to get Beauregard's troops in to action in Virginia and came up with a figure of 1,352 miles taking J weeks time. In Mississippi, of 22 encounters, all save one at. Tallahatchie Bridge in NW Mississippi and a Blackland SW of ( Corinth were bloodless and those only involved 5 wounded men but in column inches Mississippi had a lot of attention in the Yank- ton newspaper. Aside from some activity on the Mississippi south of Vickburg all was confined to the Northern part of the state adjacent to Corinth. MISSOURI. In 1861 and early 1862 was the scene of lots of activity had 7 encounters only those at Cassville in the SW corner and at Warrenburg and Raytown east of Kansas City only causing casualty. The most important affair was actually just over the Kansas Line at Ft. Scott where a lot of stores were captured and the Confederates Indian allies were driven off. NORTH CAROLINA, had some small activity along the sea coast with a skirmish that saw 18 casualties on Trantor Creek. SOUTH CAROLINA saw all of the activity close to Charleston where Commodore Dupont commanded the Naval forces and Conn., Mass., Mich., and Penn., troops largely,manouvered on James and John's Island just across the bay from Charleston. The only encounter of note was atSecessionville on James Island where a strong point, Ft. Johnson, was attacked. This joint Army-Navy threat on Charleston culminated when James Island was evacuated at the end of the month. - 22 - TENNESSEE. Probably the main event of June was the su�render of Memphis onthe 6th of the month. Ft. Pillow further up ( the river had been taken on the 5th and in a naval engagement at the river close to Memphis the Union Gun Boats and rams had worsted the Confederate flotilla in an encounter which was a comedy of Rebel errors inflicted more damage on their own ships that was accomplished by the more versatile Yankee sailors. There was activity near Chattanooga, and some of the Gaps in the Mountains in Northeastern Tennessee were the subject of dispute. In 25 encounters only six produced casualties largely at German town and Rising Sun outside Memphis. VIRGINIA. Virginia was again the scene of 44% of the encounters with 94% of the killed, 95% of the wour.ded and 98% of the captured and missing. The casualties of June 1862 had a very sobering effect on everybody and were about equal for both sides. General Robert E. Lee had assumed command of the Confederate Force:3 then menaced by McClellan, who had a huge army within 20 miles of Richmond, with Naval support from the James River. Mc Clellan had the Chickahominy River splitting his forces with those on the north side subject to a flank movement by Jackson's forces who were coming down from the Shenandoah Valley from the Northwest and whose joinder with Lee could not be prevented by Mc]).Jwell 's army up near Frederickburg or the Banks and Fremont forces in the Shenandoah Valley. Between the 1st and the 8th,there had been several casualty producing encounter along the Shenandoah as shown on the Map. In number 5th & 6th, 281 Union men were killed, 836 wounded and 685 captured or miss ing. On the 12th Cavalry,General Jeb Stuart encirclment of McClel land 1 s army in a spectac ular ing . �e.Hlf'S • ''" "- Co.&va.l1itE'S >< 8M-t.Ja. - 23 - and across James River and back to Richmond. There were many minor engagements until the 25th when practically a continuous battle involving encounters along the Chickahominy at Oak Grove,Mechanics ville, Gaines Mill, Bottom Bridge and Savage Station, closely adjacent to Richmond saw 2,861 Union killed, 12,514 wounded and 10,251 captured or missing. Among western troops particpating were the 1st Minnesota Infantry, the 5th Wisconsin Infantry and Company "G" of the 4th Artillery which had left Dakota in April 1861. The Map and the Box Score tell the Virginia story of June, 1862. DAKOTA. By June 1862 the Civil War was getting close to Dakota, but they did not know it, and had little thought of it descending on them by way of the Northeast and Minnesota. They had reason to think :it might soon be over. The St.Louis Dispatch said: "It is difficult to see what rational hope the leaders of the Rebellion now have of ultimate success " and went on to say the early advantage of their theft of National arms, Forts and C.isruption of the Army and the Navy has availed them little and "their 's is a lost cause." On the 10th it was reported that Colonel Ellsworth 1 s Fire Zouaves had become disgruntled doing hospital orderly work at Newport News and had been sent back to N.Y., to be mustered out. In the bombardment of New Orleans, the Union navy had thrown 9000 shells costing $20.00 each but it had gained the evacuation of the city without Northern Cas11alty. FORT RAND.ALL. Captain Nelson Miner, Dakota Cavalry, commanded. Captain Patee had a detachment at Yankton Agency; Captain Mahanna at Hamilton's and Capt'l.in Wolfe at Ponca Agency and there were rumors of a fight at Ft.Pierre between the Indians and the traders. By the l?tn the horses, arms and equipment had arrived for Company 11A11 and the old equipment, more dangerous to the user than the foe was replaced. The War Departme nt had deter mined that Governor Jayne might designate points of protection and a detachment at Sioux Falls and at Turkey Ridge, near Swan Lake and the balance of the Company at Yankton was his disposition. There was a rumor that the 3 companies of the 14th Iowa were to be replaced by a new outfit now being formed, the 18th Iowa. TODD IN ARMY. Brigadier General Todd had left Congress to join the Army at Cairo and Major J. Shaw Gregory, Dakota's other field grade officer, had joined Hallock's Staff at Cornith. Just at end of the month, Lt. Ploghoff came down from Ft. Randall with 25 soldiers, 10 to go to Sioux Falls, 15 to Turkey Ridge and the balance (about 48) at other points in the Territory. BALLOON OBSERVATION. Had proven worth while up around Falls Church in 1861 but Prof.Lowe had his balloon down in the area about Fair Oaks and all day long the balloon was being pulled down from an elevation of 2000 ft. that new officers might go up and make their estimate of the situation from a birdeye view of the area N from Richmond to the Chickahominy. - 24 -