Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 11.
Frank Moore, Ed.

I have the honor, most respectfully, to report that, in accordance with Special Orders, No. 62, Headquarters Northwestern Indian Expedition, Camp No. 34, July twenty-nine, 1864, I proceeded to the Indian camp with four companies of Second Minnesota cavalry, Major Rich commanding, and two companies of Dakota cavalry, Captain Miner commanding; four companies of the Sixth Iowa, and three campanies Eighth Minnesota infantry, under Major Camp. On arriving at the camp a few straggling Indians were seen lurking about the Bluffs. I immediately dismounted, and deployed company G, Second Minnesota cavalry, who skirmished through the timber and remained in a position to protect the working parties. 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, &c., riding saddles, 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 the pickets. In skirmishing the timber dead Indians were found, killed by exploding shells. After a thorough examination of the camping ground, and by judging from the amount of lodge-poles burnt, I should judge the camp to have numbered fourteen hundred lodges. I would report that after the work of destruction commenced the Indians carried a white flag on the bluff close to the camp. As I could not interpret the meaning at this particular time, I did not feel called upon to report the fact to you until I had accomplished the object and carried out order No. 62.

I have the honor to be, ost respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

According to the circular requesting commanders of regiments, battalions, and companies to hand in an official report of their positions in action on the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth of July, 1864, I give the following statements:

The position awarded me, when line of battle was first formed, was in rear of Captain Pope's battery of artillery, to support the battery, which position I held until after passing around the high butte on the left, where the Indians had made a strong stand, driving them from the butte down towards their camp on double-quick, frequently halted by Captain Pope, while he would send them a few shells. When arriving near the foot of the hill Captain Pope ordered me to go ahead, deployed as skirmishers, so that he should not be surprised by parties secreted in ravines. When arriving at a point of timber before us a bold party of warriors came dashing at us; the Captain ordered me to halt, which order was obeyed. The Captain sent them a few shells, scattering them in every direction. The Captain then desired to get a position on a point some distance to the left, where he intended to shell the timber; my position was then on the right — gained the point without any difficulty; only a few indians made their appearance, whom we drove back by a few rounds with carbines. The Captain then shelled the timber a short time; he then desired to gain another point still further to the left; he then ordered me to march my company, by file, near the timber on the right. When we reached the point, as I was getting my company into line, and the Captain planting his pieces, the Indians fired on us, killing one of my horses and wounding another. I immediately ordered the men to dismount, every fourth man holding horses, and made a charge on the enemy, firing into the dense thicket, killing two Indians and wounding one, which my Winnebago boys afterwards killed, scalped and beheaded. I then returned to the battery, marched some distance to the left, where we remained until ordered into camp. My officers and men behaved bravely. On the twenty-ninth marched with headquarters, first brigade, having no action.

sir: I have the honor to report that in the battle of the twenty-eighth of July, 1864, my command was held in reserve for a time in rear of the battery of the First brigade, until a space occurred in the skirmishers on the left between the Eighth Minnesota infantry and Seventh Iowa cavalry, when I was sent with company A, of my command, to occupy said space. When, after driving the Indians for some two miles, a large quantity of Indians appeared on a hill in front of us. When we charged up the hill and fired several volleys, at short range, with good effect; when Captain Pope, with his battery, company B, of my command, company M, Sixth Iowa cavalry, and the Nebraska scouts came promptly to my support, which caused the Indians to retreat. I then, with company A, Dakota cavalry, passed to the left of a hill, which was in our front, when the battery, with company B of my command, went to the right,