November 30, 1804
30h of Nov. an Indian Chief Came and informed us that five Men of the
Mandans Nation was on a hunting party to the S W, distance about Eight
Leagues, they were Surprised one man Killed two wounded and nine horses
taken, Severale others men wer on hunting partes & were to have
returned Several days ago & had not yet returned, & that they expected
to be attacked by an army of Sioux I took 23 men and went to the
Village deturmined to Collect the warriers of the Different Villages
and meet the Sioux— The village not expecting Such Strong aid in So
Short a time was a little alarmed of the formable appearance of my
party The principal Chiefs met me at 200 yards Distance from the Town,
and envited me to his Lodge. I told the Nation the Cause of Comeing &.
was to assist in Chastiseing the enimies of my Dutifull Children— I
requested great Chief to repeat the Cercunstance of the Sioux attack as
it realy happined which he did— I told them to Send runners to the
other villages & assemble the warriers & we Would go and Chastize the
Sioux for Spilling the Blood of my Dutifull Children— after a
Conversation of a few minits amongst themselves, a Chief Said that they
now Saw that what we had told them was the trooth and we were ready to
protect them and Kill those who did not listen to our Councils (and
after a long Speech) he concluded Said "the Sious who Spilt our Blood
is gorn home— The Snow is deep and it is Cold, our horses Cannot Travel
thro the plains in pursute— If you will go and conduct us in the Spring
after the Snow is gorn, we will assemble all the warriers & Brave men
in all the villages and go with you." I answered the Speach at Some
length, explained to them their Situation declareing our intentions of
Defending them at any time dureing the time we Should Stay in ther
nieghbourhood, explained the Situation of the Ricaras & told them not
to get angrey with them untill they were Certain of their haveing
violated the treaty &c. &. I crossed the River on the Ice and returned
to the fort
30th in the morning early a Indian Came to the river opposit & requsted
to be brought over, that he had Some thing to Say from his nation we
Sent for him, and after he had Smoked— he Said he thought the river was
frosted across here & expected to Cross on the ice
7 or 8 Mandans out hunting in a S. W, Derection from this place about 8
Leagues, after they had made their hunt and on their return was
attackted by a large Party of Seaux, one of the party a young Chief was
Killed 2 wounded & 9 horses taken, the men who made their escape Say
the one half of the party who attacked them was Panias-
The two Panias who Came here a fiew days ago was imediately Sent home,
for fear of their being put to death by the party Defeated
Two of the attacting party was Known to be Panies. The man who was
killed mentioned that after he was wounded, that he had been at war &
been wounded, "this day I shall die like a man before my Enimies,! tell
my father that I died bravely, and do not greive for me-"
4 of the Big bellies who were Camped near thos is missing, and
Searching for him in their Camps above— no one Dare to go to the ground
where the battle was for fear of the Sioux being noumerous-.
30th of November Friday 1804
This morning at 8 oClock an Indian Calld from the other Side and
informed that he had Something of Consequence to Communicate. we Sent a
perogue for him & he informed us as follows. Viz: "five men of the
Mandan Nation out hunting in a S. W. derection about Eight Leagues was
Suprised by a large party of Sceoux & Panies, one man was Killed and
two wounded with arrows & 9 Horses taken, 4 of the We ter Soon nation
was missing, & they expected to be attacked by the Souix &c. &." we
thought it well to Show a Disposition to ade and assist them against
their enimies, perticularly those who Came in oppersition to our
Councils, and I Deturmined to go to the town with Some men, and if the
Sceoux were comeing to attact the nation to Collect the worriers from
each Village and meet them, thos Ideas were also those of Capt Lewis, I
crossed the river in about an hour after the arrival of the Indian
express with 23 men including the interpeters and flankd the Town &
came up on the back part The Indians not expecting to receive Such
Strong aide in So Short a time was much Supprised, and a littled
allarmed at the formadable appearance of my party— The principal Chiefs
met me Some Distance from the town (Say 200 yards) and invited me in to
town, I ord my pty into dft. lodges & I explained to the nation the
cause of my comeing in this formadable manner to their Town, was to
asst and Chastise the enimies of our Dutifull Children,— I requested
the Grand Cheif to repeat the Circumstancies as they hapined which he
did as was mentioned by the Express in the morning— I then informed
them that if they would assemble their warrers and those of the
different Towns I would to meet the Army of Souix & Chastise thim for
takeing the blood of our dutifull Children &c. after a conversation of
a fiew minits anongst themselves, one Chief the Big Man Cien Said they
now Saw that what we hade told them was the trooth, whin we expected
the enimies of their Nation was Comeing to attact them, or had spilt
their blood were ready to protect them, and Kill those who would not
listen to our Good talk— his people had listened to what we had told
them and Cearlessly went out to hunt in Small parties believing
themselves to be Safe from the other Nations— and have been killed by
the Panies & Seauex. "I knew Said he that the Panies were Tiers, and
told the old Chief who Came with you (to Confirm a piece with us) that
his people were hers and bad men and that we killed them like the
Buffalow, when we pleased, we had made peace Several times and you
Nation have always Commened the war, we do not want to Kill you, and
will not Suffer you to Kill us or Steal our horses, we will make peace
with you as our two fathers have derected, and they Shall See that we
will not be the Ogressors, but we fear the Ricares will not be at
peace-long— My father those are the words I Spoke to the Ricare in Your
presents— you See they have not opened their ears to your good
"Councils but have Spuilt our blood. two Ricarees whome we Sent home
this day for fear of our peoples Killing them in their greaf-informed
us when they Came here Several days ago, that two Towns of the Ricares
were makeing their Mockersons, and that we had best take care of Our
horses & a number of Sieuex were in their Towns, and they believed not
well disposed towards us— four of the Wetersoons are now absent they
were to have been back in 16 days they have been out 24 we fear they
have fallen. my father the Snow is deep and it is cold our horses
Cannot travel thro the the plains,— those people who have Spilt our
blood have gorn back? if you will go with us in the Spring after the
Snow goes off we will raise the Warriers of all the Towns & nations
around about us, and go with you."
I told this nation that we Should be always willing and ready to defend
them from the insults of any nation who would dare to Come to doe them
injurey dureing the time we would remain in their neighbourhood, and
requstd. that they would inform us of any party who may at any time be
discovered by their Patroles or Scouts;
I was Sorry that the Snow in the Plains had fallen So Deep Sence the
Murder of the young Chief by the Scioux as prevented, their horses from
traveling I wished to meet those Scioux & all others who will not open
their ears, but make war on our dutifull Children, and let you See that
the Wariers of your great father will Chastize the enimies of his
dutifull Children the Mandans, wetersoons & Winitarees, who have opend.
their ears to his advice— you Say that the Panies or Ricares were with
the Sciaux, Some bad men may have been with the Sciaux you know there
is bad men in all nations, do not get mad with the racarees untill we
know if those bad men are Counternoncd. by their nation, and we are
Convsd. those people do not intend to follow our Councils— you know
that the Sceaux have great influence over the ricarees and perhaps have
led Some of them astray— you know that the Ricarees, are Dependant on
the Sceaux for their guns, powder, & Ball, and it was policy in them to
keep on as good terms as possible with the Siaux untill they had Some
other means of getting those articles &c. &. you know your Selves that
you are Compelled to put up with little insults from the Christinoes &
Ossinaboins (or Stone Inds.) because if you go to war with those
people, they will provent the traders in the north from bringing you
Guns Powder & Ball and by that means distress you verry much, but whin
you will have Certain Suppliers from your Great American father of all
those articls you will not Suffer any nation to insult you &c. after
about two hours conversation on various Subjects all of which tended
towards their Situation &c. I informed them I Should return to the
fort, the Chief Said they all thanked me verry much for the fatherly
protection which I Showed towards them, that the Village had been
Crying all the night and day for the death of the brave young man, who
fell but now they would wipe away their tears, and rejoice in their
fathers protection-and Cry no more
I then Paraded & Crossed the river on the ice and Came down on the N.
Side the Snow So deep, it was verry fatigueing arrved at the fort after
night, gave a little Taffee, a Cold night the river rise to its former
hite— The Chief frequently thanked me for Comeing to protect them— and
the whole Village appeared thankfull for that measure
