as even
then deemed inadequate to proceed to Abercrombie. Part of the Third
Regiment was also dispatched from Snelling to its relief on September
6th. Another expedition, consisting of companies under command of
Captains George Atkinson and Rollo Banks, with a small squad of about
sixty men of the Third Regiment, under command of Sergeant Dearborn,
together with a field piece under Lieutenant Robert J. McHenry, was
formed, and placed under the command of Capt. Emil A. Burger. This
command started on September 10th, and after a long and arduous march,
reached the fort on the 23d of September, finding the weaned and anxious
garrison still in possession. Captain Burger had been reinforced at
Wyman's station, on the Alexandria road, on the 19th of September, by
the companies under Captains Freeman and Barrett, who had united their
men on the 14th, and started for the fort. The relief force amounted to
quite four hundred men by the time it reached its destination.

While this long delayed force was on its way the little garrison at the
fort had its hands full to maintain its position. On the 30th of August
a large body of Indians made a bold raid on the post, and succeeded in
stampeding and running off nearly two hundred head of cattle and one
hundred head of horses and mules which were grazing on the prairie. Some
fifty of the cattle afterwards escaped, and were restored to the post by
a scouting party. This band of marauders did not, however, attack the
fort. No one who has not experienced it can appreciate the mortification
of seeing an enemy despoil you of your property when you are powerless
to resist. An attack was made on the fort on the 3d of September, and
some stacks burned and a few horses captured. Several men were killed on
both sides, and Captain Van der Horck was wounded in the right arm from
an accidental shot from one of his own men. On September 6th a second
attack was made by a large force of Indians, which lasted nearly all
day, in which we lost two men and had several wounded. No further attack
was made until the 26th of September, when Captain Freeman's company was
fired on while watering their horses in the river. These Indians were
routed and pursued by Captain Freeman's company, and a squad of the
Third Regiment men, with a howitzer. Their camp was captured, which
contained quite an amount of plunder. A light skirmish took place on the
29th of September, in which the enemy was routed, and this affair