The Other War

[Jules362]

While the war between the North and South generates so much interest, little attention is paid to the fact that there was another war going on at the same time between white settlers and Native Americans.

It is, perhaps, a conflict, or series of conflicts, that merits some discussion. The States of Iowa and Minnesota were involved in some brutal fights with the Indians while the country was far more involved in the big war of the Rebellion. One of my grandfather's was an Iowa cavalry soldier in an Iowa regiment formed specifically to deal with the Indian raids in northwest Iowa and the Dakota Territories. Perhaps the most well known battle in which he fought was the Battle of White Stone Hill (I think that occurred in North Dakota).

While the northern border of Iowa had to be protected, the southern border of the state also had to deal with raids by the rebels who came up from Missouri and created a lot of problems.

I was reading an interesting article on this earlier this evening that outlines some of the problems encountered by Iowans that is worth reading.

It starts out with this:

"During the Civil War, 76,000 Iowa soldiers served their state and nation. Most fought in the great campaigns in the Mississippi Valley and the South. Often overlooked, however, are two brigades - the Northern and Southern Brigades - that defended the borders of Iowa itself."

You can read the article, posted by the Iowa National Guard, here.

The most well known raid in Iowa is known as the Spirit Lake Massacre.

[Beowulf]

Originally Posted by Jules362

While the war between the North and South generates so much interest, little attention is paid to the fact that there was another war going on at the same time between white settlers and Native Americans.

It is, perhaps, a conflict, or series of conflicts, that merits some discussion. The States of Iowa and Minnesota were involved in some brutal fights with the Indians while the country was far more involved in the big war of the Rebellion. One of my grandfather's was an Iowa cavalry soldier in an Iowa regiment formed specifically to deal with the Indian raids in northwest Iowa and the Dakota Territories. Perhaps the most well known battle in which he fought was the Battle of White Stone Hill (I think that occurred in North Dakota).

While the northern border of Iowa had to be protected, the southern border of the state also had to deal with raids by the rebels who came up from Missouri and created a lot of problems.

I was reading an interesting article on this earlier this evening that outlines some of the problems encountered by Iowans that is worth reading.

It starts out with this:

"During the Civil War, 76,000 Iowa soldiers served their state and nation. Most fought in the great campaigns in the Mississippi Valley and the South. Often overlooked, however, are two brigades - the Northern and Southern Brigades - that defended the borders of Iowa itself."

You can read the article, posted by the Iowa National Guard, here.

The most well known raid in Iowa is known as the Spirit Lake Massacre.

That is because - in the Lakota Sioux language, there is no word for to own the land.

B-

[Borderruffian]

You also had the Galvanized Yankee units recruited from CS POW's who were sent west into the then Dakota Territory which included Wyoming and parts of other states to garrison against indian attacks. I'll agree it's an over looked portion of the war.

[M E Wolf]

Dear List Members;

In regard to the Battle of White Stone Hill:
O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXII/1 [S# 32]
AUGUST 13-SEPTEMBER 11, 1863.--Expedition against Indians in Dakota.
No. 2.--Report of Col. David S. Wilson, Sixth Iowa Cavalry.
N BATTLE-FIELD OF WHITE STONE HILL,
September 3, 1863.
SIR: I have the honor to submit to you an account of the participation of the Sixth Iowa Cavalry in the battle of White Stone Hill on the 3d of September, 1863.
As you are aware, the command left the mouth of the Big Cheyenne on the 21st day of August last. Nothing occurred to vary the monotony of the usual hard marches until the date above. On the morning of that day I received an order from you to detail from my command one battalion. It being the turn of the Third Battalion to scout, an order was issued directing Maj. A. E. House to report to your headquarters for instructions, which was promprly done. Company M, commanded by Capt. V. J. Williams, of said battalion, having their horses used up by constant scouting, it was unable to proceed with the detail, its place «36 R R--VOL XXII, PT I» <ar32_562> being supplied by Company H, of the Second Battalion. The detail for the scout was Company C, L. L. Ainsworth, captain; Company I, L. R. Wolfe, captain; Company F, S. Shattuck, captain; and Company H, of Second Battalion, C. J. Marsh, captain. In speaking of the Third Battalion, I always include Company H in this battle. They left the command at an early hour. After its departure the brigade took up its line of march to a point 10 miles east of this place, where we arrived about 2 p.m. In the space of two hours the messenger dispatched by Major House rode swiftly into camp with the information that there was a very large body of Indians near him, and that he was in process of negotiation with them until we could arrive. It was but the work of a few minutes for the whole command to be upon its way to the battlefield. The 10 miles distance was passed quickly. When we neared the battle-field I received an order from you directing me to take one of my battalions, in addition to the Third. The First was taken by me, and the Second Battalion was left with brigade headquarters. I then proceeded to carry out your orders to surround the Indians and drive them in. On every side of the battle-field were straggling Indians, endeavoring to escape. Immediately joining the flank of the First upon the Second Battalion, and marching both in line, we succeeded in driving a large portion of the Indians toward your headquarters, down into a ravine. By the shifting and dressing of the line as it marched, I became detached from the First and was thrown into the Third Battalion. The Indians, after having been quietly driven quite a distance into a common center, availed themselves of the darkness that was coming by suddenly firing upon us, which fire, though entirely unexpected, was immediately returned by us with terrible effect. We then commenced making preparations to fight on foot, when the darkness became so impenetrable that it was impossible to proceed ****her. It was at this fire of the enemy, when riding some little distance in advance of the battalion, that my horse was shot with a slug, fatally wounding him. He lived long enough to carry me about 30 rods. After the darkness set in we went into camp immediately upon the battle-field; corralled our horses and threw out pickets, while the command slept upon its arms. The night was excessively dark and cold, but the picket guard killed 2 Indians that were found straggling near our camp. At length the day appeared, when we found that the enemy, availing themselves of the darkness, had suddenly decamped, but leaving the country strewed for miles around with their dried meats, provisions, packs, robes, tepees, goods, and ponies.
We lost in this engagement I commissioned officer, 10 privates, and had 11 wounded, 1 of them since dying; some of the rest being wounded badly, and some very slightly.
I take pleasure in bearing testimony to the cheerfulness with which the First Battalion, commanded by that veteran, Acting Major [J.] Galligan, obeyed every order during the time they were under my command.
Company G, of the First Battalion, and Captain [A. B.] Moreland, Lieutenant [W. A.] Heath, and Sergeant [R.] Aubrey, I understand, deserve the highest praise for intrepidity in action. Company K, and Captain [J.] Logan and Lieutenant [S. M.] Parker, behaved very bravely, and deserve most favorable notice for their bravery.
Company D, Captain [T. W.] Burdick and lieutenants, although temporarily detached by my orders, are entitled to the highest praise.
The Second Battalion did not participate immediately in the fight, as stated; but from the zeal with which they entered on the march to <ar32_563> the battle-field, and the cheerfulness with which they obeyed all orders, I have no doubt but the highest desire would have been that of active participants in the battle, under the command of their gallant major.
I wish to call your particular attention to every one of the field and line officers of the regiment, without enumerating them by name. From the highest to the lowest they deserve the most favorable consideration, and the same may be said of almost the entire command engaged. Being their first battle, this was their baptism of fire and steel, and most nobly did they behave. The high valor earned by the noble action of the Iowa troops upon the bloody field of battle has not been tarnished by the gallant Iowa Sixth at White Stone Hill.
I have spoken more minutely of the action of the Third Battalion, because it was my destiny to be thrown with them in this battle. I cannot close my report without again calling your attention to the noble part borne by them on this day under their brave Major House. They treated and talked with that large force of Indians until we arrived to their aid, and then the part they bore in the fight deserves the highest praise that can be paid to brave, heroic men.
1 desire to state that Dr. [J. H.] Camburn, by his personal presence in my camp on the battle-field, rendered the wounded most invaluable service through that long night. The same meed of praise can also, I understand, be awarded to Assistant Surgeon [S. C.] Haynes, with the First Battalion. Assistant Surgeon [T. S.] Bardwell, being left with the sick at camp, was not present at the fight, but rendered such assistance as he was able the next morning. Chaplain D. U. Mitchell was present on the field of battle, and afterward rendered all the assistance and consolation he could to the wounded, spiritual and bodily.
The commissioned officer mentioned as being lost was Lieut. T. J. Leavitt, second lieutenant of Company B, and acting as regimental adjutant for some time. He had performed the duties of said office with great fidelity and ability. Possessed of great natural ability, with heroic courage and gallant bearing, the entire regiment mourns his loss unceasingly.
Lieut. George E. Dayton, of Company C, and Sergt. Maj. Charles W. Fogg, deserve favorable notice for bravery during the night of the battle, and also in going out in charge of a detail searching for wounded men upon the battle-field.
Permit me, sir, to congratulate you upon the magnitude of your victory and the great results that will follow from it. By skillful management you completely surrounded hundreds of Indians, whom you signally routed, camping on the battle-field, killing and wounding over 100 of them, besides destroying immense supplies of provisions and tepees, and taking several hundred prisoners. They have never before received such a terrible blow, and it will certainly be the means of securing a permanent peace with these heretofore troublesome Indians. When we take into consideration the immense obstacles with which your expedition had to contend at every step, and to see them so signally overcome, must astonish every one.
Whilst I thus congratulate you upon your brilliant victory, I must not neglect to pay a passing tribute to the gallant dead of my regiment. They were numbered among the very best men in the command, and most gallantly did they fight and fall. To their bereaved families and relatives I tender my most heartfelt sympathies.
I inclose herewith a couple of letters(*) that were found upon an Indian by some of my regiment. Inclosed in one were two gold dollars and <ar32_564> some gold dust. They seem to corroborate the story that the Indians in July last surrounded a Mackinaw boat descending the Missouri River from the gold mine, and, after fighting with the crew all day, succeeded in killing the entire number.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
D. S. WILSON,
Colonel Sixth Iowa Cavalry.
Capt. JOHN H. PELL,
------------------------------------------
Just one of several reports found on the Official Reports of the Rebellion

Respectfully submitted fully, for consideration,
M. E. Wolf

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by Borderruffian

You also had the Galvanized Yankee units recruited from CS POW's who were sent west into the then Dakota Territory which included Wyoming and parts of other states to garrison against indian attacks. I'll agree it's an over looked portion of the war.

I never knew there were six regiments totaling 6,000 former Confederate Pows who fought the Sioux in 1864-1866. They made a film called Two Flags West about them.

[ole]

Larn sumpin new ever day, Freddy. (I didn't either.)

ole

[Jules362]

M E Wolf....Excellent, informative post. Thank you for posting it.

Jules