Latitude: From 47° 32′, at Lake Jessie, D. T., approximate position, to 27°, at the mouth of the Mississippi; being 20° 32′ difference, equal to 1,416 statute miles, measured on a meridian line.
Longitude: From 86° 25′, at Montgomery, Ala., to 100° 35′, at the mouth of Apple River, D. T., approximate position; being 14° 10′ difference, equal to 757 statute miles on the line of middle latitude.
Greatest included right line: From Lake Jessie, D. T., approximate position, to the mouth of the Mississippi; course S. 21° E., distance 1,372 miles.
An air line drawn from Montgomery, Alabama, the last station, to St. Paul, Minnesota, would be 945 miles in length, course N.N.W. The water route to the latter place, via Mississippi Sound and New Orleans, is about 2,350 miles; while that actually traveled, via Vicksburg, is about 1,585 miles.
APPENDIX.
LIEUT. COL. MARSHALL'S RAID INTO DAKOTA—1862.[3 ]
BY
CAPT. CHARLES J. STEES.
After the memorable release of the captives at Camp Release, the scouts were very diligent in searching out and locating the numerous small bands of hostile Indians who were scattered through the country to the north and west of the camp. Upon learning that there were several lodges of Indians to the westward in the vicinity of Wild Goose Nest Lake, General Sibley, under date of October 13th, 1862, directed Lieutenant Colonel Marshall of the Seventh Regiment to take command of an expedition detailed to capture any bands to be found along the upper Lac qui Parle valley, and, if necessary, to go as far as the western side of the Coteaus, about 45 miles distant.
October 13th (1862). Cold, windy day. Company G was ordered to be ready to move at 12 o'clock, midnight, with six days' rations. The men thought they were going below with the prisoners, but were disappointed on learning that we were off on an Indian hunt. The expedition under Lieutenant Colonel Marshall consisted of Company G, of the Sixth Regiment, under command of Captain Valentine; 100 men of the Third Regiment—50 mounted—under Lieutenant Swan; Company B, Seventh Regiment, Captain Curtis; a mountain howitzer with 8 men under Sergeant O'Shea; Major Joseph R. Brown and 4 scouts (Bell, Quinn, and 2 Indians). Left Camp Release at 10 p.m. for the Lac qui Parle valley. It was very cold traveling, so much so that the water froze in our canteens.