[3] From the journal of Charles J. Stees, late captain of Company G, Sixth Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and formerly major of the Fourth Regiment, Third Brigade, First Division, Pennsylvania Infantry.
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.
October 14th. We made a very rapid march during the night, and reached the Lac qui Parle River before daybreak, made a bridge, using the wagons for the purpose, and all crossed over. Soon after passed a deserted bark village. The scouts reported that there were Indians ahead with eight ox teams, but there was nothing to be seen but the sky and prairie. The Indians, discovering that they were pursued, now fired the prairie in front of us with the evident intention of retarding our movements and to prevent our horses from having forage. The wind being high, it carried the burnt dirt and ashes along in clouds, flying into our eyes, and they became very painful and bloodshot. Was appointed officer of the guard for the night, and, by using three reliefs of 15 men each, dug six rifle-pits for the protection of the camp.
October 15th. Aroused the camp at 4 o'clock, struck the tents, and was on the march by 6 a.m. Following up the Lac qui Parle, at 10 o'clock we captured four prisoners,--an Indian warrior, a half-breed boy, and two squaws. The half-breed was a son of Roubillard, a Frenchman who lived back of us in St. Paul, in 1851. I used to play with him. He speaks French, English, and Sioux, and gave us much information about what we were after. A short distance beyond we crossed the state line into Dakota Territory. William Wallace, E. J. Van Slyke, and I visited one of the line posts, which was marked, "26 miles from Big Stone Lake" (located about 8 miles north of Gary, South Dakota); and the other three sides were marked "Minnesota," "Dakota," and "1859." Wallace was on the survey and helped plant the post. In order to celebrate the event, each of us, with one foot in Dakota and the other in Minnesota, shook hands together. We were now in sight of Re Wakan or Spirits Hill (so named by the Dakotas). Although distant, the appearance of the Coteau des Prairies, as they loom up like a dark wall against the clear western sky, is very beautiful. Halted in a hollow for a lunch. The scouts returned and reported 19 Indian lodges ahead, which made the men feel joyful at the prospect of a fight. Marched three miles further and camped for the night in a beautiful dell at the headwaters of the Lac qui Parle. One wagon and six Indians were brought in. Of those captured up to this time, the young men were held as prisoners, and the squaws and children were given into the custody of the old men and ordered to report at Camp Release, and they faithfully followed the instructions.