During the night there were indications of the prisoners trying to escape. C. J. Sudheimer and Peter Molitor were placed as sentinels on the top of the edge of the plateau, near the camp. The wind was blowing at a 30 or 35 mile gait, so they finally took post on the more sheltered slope near the top. About 11 p.m. an Indian with a halter in his hand appeared and crossed the line some 50 feet distant, when he was halted by Sudheimer, who, finding that he was a prisoner trying to make his escape, promptly arrested him. I immediately doubled the guard and had all the prisoners (warriors) searched, which resulted in the finding of a pocket-knife, which was duly confiscated. The job of searching them was very disagreeable. Ugh! what filth. This task being completed, they were securely tied, placed in a Sibley tent, and a double guard stationed over them. Visited the Indian camp with George Brown to see the sights. Found them in their teepees spread out around the fire, which was located in the center.
October 21st. Broke camp before daybreak, and was on the march before sunrise. The day proved to be a horrible one, the wind blowing a perfect hurricane; the black dust of the burnt prairie filling and blinding our eyes, the lashes on which the dust accumulated creating a cutting, grinding pain, causing us to suffer much pain. Being near our journey's end, we moved forward as fast as it was possible under the circumstances, and arrived at Camp Release at 4 p.m., where we joined our comrades, who were very glad to see us. But our arrival did not improve matters so far as we were concerned, for the camp was a perfect wreck,—tents ripped up and chimneys blown down. There was not much news at the camp, the most important event during our absence having been the arrival of the sutler, on which occasion nearly all hands got tight, with the result that one colonel, six captains, and any quantity of lieutenants were put under arrest.
With all our forced marches, cold nights, windy days, and fasting, the trip was a most successful one; for, besides those who voluntarily surrendered themselves, we captured 39 men and 100 women and children, not to mention the horses, cattle, wagons, and plunder, which were also brought in.
Footnotes
[ 1 ] This young man's real name was Paul Bierstach, the other having been assumed to enable him to get sworn in without his parents' consent.
[ 2 ] This camp was located on the W. ½ of the N. W. ¼ of section 28, and the E. ½ of the N.E. ¼ of section 29, township 147 north, of range 60 west, on the northeast side of what is now known as Lake Sibley, and about 11 miles in a direct line to the northwest of Cooperstown, Griggs County, North Dakota.—T. H. L.