| Summary: | And Early Explorations 579 Kunkel's Lake, and then became lost on the prairie and marched all night. They also fought battles at Dead Buffalo Lake and Stoney Lake northwest of Dawson. The Indian warriors were well mounted and wore only breech clouts and had their bodies well greased. Major Sheardown was also a doctor and surgeon with the expedition. At Camp Hayes on the Sheyenne River in Ransom county on July 4, 1863, Capt. Horace Austin of the Mounted Rangers delivered the 4th of July oration. The American flag was displayed from a high pole and in later years a part of the pole was taken to Abercrombie and cut into gavels which were given to various G. A. R. posts in the Northwest. Capt. Austin was later governor of Minnesota. Col. Wm. Crooks was a son of Ramsey Crooks, partner of John Jacob Astor in the fur trading business. He attended WYst Point Military Academy and was a noted civil enginecr and railroad builder in Minnesota. Crookston is named in his honor. Ft. Col. Wm. R. Marshall was later governor of Minnesota and Marshall county and the city of Marshall in that state are named in his honor. George A. Brackett, the beef contractor, was separated from the army and left on the prairie. He was obliged to return to Camp Atcheson all alone and spent nearly a week's time getting there, but without mishap, and with only a few roots and berries for food. He was later a very prominent business man in Minneapolis and served as mayor of that city. He died there in May, 1921. Big Mound is now a state park. Maj. J. S. Weiser is still buried there. He was a brother of J. S. Weiser, Valley City pioneer. The other bodies were removed many years ago. When Gen. Sibley's army reached the mouth of Apple Creek opposite Sibley Island, south of Bismarck, they failed to meet or communicate with Gen. Sully, although scouts were sent out and cannon fired by day and rockets sent up at night to indicate their arrival and location. At this camp, Lieut. T. J. H. Beaver, an Englishman, an Oxford graduate and a soldier of fortune attached to Gen. Sibley's staff at his own request without pay, was ambushed in the tim- Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited with Multi-Page TIFF Editor.
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