Clark: November 30, 1804

30th of November. An Indian chief came and informed us that five men of the Mandan Nation were on a hunting party to the southwest, about eight leagues away. They were surprised: one man was killed, two were wounded, and nine horses were taken. Several other men were on hunting parties and were supposed to have returned several days ago but had not yet returned, and the Mandans expected to be attacked by an army of Sioux. I took 23 men and went to the village, determined to gather the warriors of the different villages and meet the Sioux. The village, not expecting such strong aid in so short a time, was a little alarmed at the formidable appearance of my party. The principal chiefs met me 200 yards from the town and invited me to the chief's lodge. I told the nation the cause of my coming was to assist in chastising the enemies of my dutiful children. I requested the great chief to repeat the circumstances of the Sioux attack as they really happened, which he did. I told them to send runners to the other villages and assemble the warriors, and we would go and chastise the Sioux for spilling the blood of my dutiful children. After a conversation of a few minutes among themselves, a chief said that they now saw that what we had told them was the truth, and that we were ready to protect them and kill those who did not listen to our counsels. After a long speech, he concluded by saying, "The Sioux who spilt our blood have gone home. The snow is deep and it is cold; our horses cannot travel through the plains in pursuit. If you will go and lead us in the spring after the snow is gone, we will assemble all the warriors and brave men in all the villages and go with you." I answered the speech at some length, explained to them their situation, declared our intention of defending them at any time during our stay in their neighborhood, explained the situation of the Arikaras, and told them not to get angry with them until they were certain the Arikaras had violated the treaty, etc. I crossed the river on the ice and returned to the fort.

30th. Early in the morning an Indian came to the river opposite us and asked to be brought across, saying he had something to say from his nation. We sent for him, and after he had smoked, he said he had thought the river was frozen across here and had expected to cross on the ice.

Seven or eight Mandans were out hunting in a southwesterly direction from this place, about eight leagues away. After they had made their hunt and were returning, they were attacked by a large party of Sioux. One of the party, a young chief, was killed; two were wounded, and nine horses were taken. The men who escaped say that half of the party who attacked them were Pawnees.

The two Pawnees who came here a few days ago were immediately sent home for fear of being put to death by the defeated party.

Two of the attacking party were known to be Pawnees. The man who was killed said, after he was wounded, that he had been at war and been wounded before. "This day I shall die like a man before my enemies! Tell my father that I died bravely, and do not grieve for me."

Four of the Big Bellies (Hidatsas) who were camped near these hunters are missing, and others are searching for them in their camps above. No one dares to go to the ground where the battle was, for fear of the Sioux being numerous.

Friday, 30th of November 1804. This morning at 8 o'clock an Indian called from the other side and informed us that he had something of consequence to communicate. We sent a pirogue for him, and he informed us as follows: "Five men of the Mandan Nation, out hunting in a southwesterly direction about eight leagues away, were surprised by a large party of Sioux and Pawnees. One man was killed and two wounded with arrows, and nine horses taken. Four of the Wetersoon (Hidatsa) nation are missing, and they expect to be attacked by the Sioux," etc.

We thought it well to show a willingness to aid and assist them against their enemies, particularly those who came in opposition to our counsels. I determined to go to the town with some men, and if the Sioux were coming to attack the nation, to gather the warriors from each village and meet them. These ideas were also those of Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis). I crossed the river about an hour after the arrival of the Indian messenger with 23 men, including the interpreters, and flanked the town, coming up on the back side. The Indians, not expecting to receive such strong aid in so short a time, were much surprised and a little alarmed at the formidable appearance of my party. The principal chiefs met me some distance from the town (about 200 yards) and invited me into town. I ordered my party into different lodges, and I explained to the nation that the cause of my coming in this formidable manner to their town was to assist and chastise the enemies of our dutiful children. I requested the grand chief to repeat the circumstances as they happened, which he did, just as had been mentioned by the messenger in the morning.

I then informed them that if they would assemble their warriors and those of the different towns, I would go to meet the army of Sioux and chastise them for taking the blood of our dutiful children, etc. After a conversation of a few minutes among themselves, one chief, the Big Man, a Cheyenne, said they now saw that what we had told them was the truth—that when we expected the enemies of their nation were coming to attack them, or had spilled their blood, we 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 had carelessly gone out to hunt in small parties, believing themselves to be safe from the other nations, and had been killed by the Pawnees and Sioux. "I knew," said he, "that the Pawnees were liars, and told the old chief who came with you (to confirm a peace with us) that his people were liars and bad men, and that we killed them like the buffalo whenever we pleased. We have made peace several times, and your nation has always started the war again. We do not want to kill you, and will not allow you to kill us or steal our horses. We will make peace with you as our two fathers have directed, and they shall see that we will not be the aggressors, but we fear the Arikaras will not be at peace long. My father, those are the words I spoke to the Arikara in your presence. You see they have not opened their ears to your good counsels, but have spilt our blood. Two Arikaras, whom we sent home today for fear of our people killing them in their grief, informed us when they came here several days ago that two towns of the Arikaras were making their moccasins, and that we had best take care of our horses, and that a number of Sioux were in their towns, and they believed they were not well disposed toward us. Four of the Wetersoons are now absent; they were to have been back in 16 days, but they have been out 24. We fear they have fallen. My father, the snow is deep and it is cold; our horses cannot travel through the plains. Those people who have spilt our blood have gone back. If you will go with us in the spring after the snow goes off, we will raise the warriors of all the towns and nations around about us and go with you."

I told this nation that we should always be willing and ready to defend them from the insults of any nation who would dare come to do them injury during the time we remained in their neighborhood, and requested that they would inform us of any party that might at any time be discovered by their patrols or scouts.

I was sorry that the snow in the plains had fallen so deep since the murder of the young chief by the Sioux as to prevent their horses from traveling. I wished to meet those Sioux and all others who would not open their ears, but make war on our dutiful children, and let you see that the warriors of your great father will chastise the enemies of his dutiful children the Mandans, Wetersoons, and Minitarees, who have opened their ears to his advice. You say that the Pawnees or Arikaras were with the Sioux. Some bad men may have been with the Sioux—you know there are bad men in all nations. Do not get angry with the Arikaras until we know if those bad men are countenanced by their nation, and we are convinced that those people do not intend to follow our counsels. You know that the Sioux have great influence over the Arikaras and perhaps have led some of them astray. You know that the Arikaras are dependent on the Sioux for their guns, powder, and ball, and it was policy in them to keep on as good terms as possible with the Sioux until they had some other means of getting those articles, etc. You know yourselves that you are compelled to put up with little insults from the Christinos and Assiniboines (or Stone Indians), because if you go to war with those people, they will prevent the traders in the north from bringing you guns, powder, and ball, and by that means distress you very much. But when you have certain supplies from your great American father of all those articles, you will not suffer any nation to insult you, etc. After about two hours' conversation on various subjects, all of which tended toward their situation, I informed them I should return to the fort. The chief said they all thanked me very much for the fatherly protection I had shown toward them; that the village had been crying all 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 father's protection, and cry no more.

I then paraded the men, crossed the river on the ice, and came down on the north side. The snow was so deep it was very fatiguing. We arrived at the fort after night. I gave the men a little taffia. It was a cold night, and the river rose to its former height. The chief frequently thanked me for coming to protect them, and the whole village appeared thankful for that measure.