Today in History:

796 Series I Volume XLI-I Serial 83 - Price's Missouri Expedition Part I

Page 796 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS- MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.

9 o'clock on the 21st of September with the whole train, arriving at this post on the afternoon of the 30th without meeting with any Indians and seeing but one or two small parties. I crossed a number of trails of small parties and one of a large party apparently going south toward the Black Hills. I also saw fresh tracks and evidences of small parties on the Cannon Ball River on my return, but saw but one small party of six or seven Indians on the river. The losses in the command were 1 man, 15 horses, and a few oxen. The mall obtained liquor from some of the emigrants and became intoxicated the morning we left the corral and supposed to have laid down and [been] left behind. he belonged to the Eighth Minnesota Volunteers.

On the sixth morning out from this post at your 50 camp, a small party of Indians charged through the picket- line just at the break of day, and stampeded about thirty horses, and succeeded in getting away with fifteen. We were compelled to leave about fifteen or sixteen oxen, they becoming completely worn out. As before stated I arrived at this place on the afternoon of the 30th and the following day ordered the troops of the command to their several destinations as directed by your, viz: The detachment of the Second Minnesota Cavalry to Minnesota, via Fort Wadsworth, escorting such of the emigrants as went that way; and the detachments of Brackett's battalion, Sixth Iowa, and section of artillery, to Fort Randall and Sioux City, escorting a Government train of wagons and those of the emigrant's train going that way, which was the larger majority of the emigrants, but few went across to Minnesota. The detachments of the Eighth Minnesota Volunteers and Seventh Iowa Cavalry I ordered to report to Lieutenant- Colonel Pattee, who took boats an left the evening of the 1st instant for Sioux City.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

DANL. J. DILL,

Colonel Thirtieth Wisconsin Infantry, Commanding Expedition.

Captain JOHN H. PELL,

Assistant Adjutant- General.

SEPTEMBER 12, 1864.- Skirmish at Caledonia, Mo.

Report of Major James Wilson, Third Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

PILOT KNOB, MO., September 13, 1864.

GENERAL: A squad of forty or fifty guerrillas attacked fourteen men commanded by Sergeant Warfield, Company A, Third Cavalry Missouri State Militia, at Caledonia yesterday, at 12 o'clock, and were repulsed, with 1 man killed and several wounded. The sergeant had 2 men severely wounded. Last night at 12 o'clock they plundered the stores at iron mountain and destroyed the papers an machine in telegraph office. All the mounted men I have are in pursuit of them.

JAMES WILSON,

Major, Commanding.

Brigadier- General EWING.


Page 796 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS- MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.