Fort Mandan, preparing for departure — John Ordway: February 15, 1805
Men sent out the previous day returned to report that about 105 Sioux had stopped them roughly 25 miles down the river, seizing horses, cutting collars, and riding off with two animals, including a gelding belonging to a North West Company trader named Mackenzie. Captain Lewis and over twenty volunteers, joined briefly by Mandan warriors from the first village, set out after sunrise in pursuit. They walked more than thirty miles on ice, recovered an abandoned sled, followed the trail, and slept in two empty Indian lodges. Several men had sore feet.
who [were] dispatched yesterday returned and informed us that
they were Stoped about 25 mh down the River by about 105 of the
Souix Savages, they emediately Seized the horses cut of[f] the
collars (hooping and yelling) jurked the halters from one to
another through Several hands, then they jumped on two of them
and rode of[f] uppon the run, our men with much difficulty kept
the Gray mare which had a coalt at the Fort, one of the horses
which they took was a fine large Gilding which belong[s] to one of
the N. W. Compy tradors by the name of Mackinzie. the other
was a publick horse as soon as we was informed of this Cap*
Lewis and 20 odd of the party vollunterily [volunteered] to go and
fight. Sent word up to the 1st village to See if they would turn
out the head chief & a nomber of warries came emediately to
the Fort, we Got ready to Start directly but did not set out untill
after Sunrise I then Set out with Cap1 Lewis and 20 odd more of
the party. Several warries of the Mandans Set out with us
but their was only 3 or 4 remained with us the whole day. we
walked about 18 mls and halted. Got Some meat that our hunters
had left hanging upon a tree & boiled & eat Some then proceeded
on to the place where the horses was taken, we found a Sled their
which they had cut the horse out of. found also a nomber pair
of moccasons at their camp, we took the Sled and proceeded on
their trale untill late in the evening, we then arived at 2 old
Indian lodges which we Some expected to find them their we
sent in a Spy but found none so we went to the lodges and Slept
all night Some of the mens feet were sore walking 30 odd mis
on the Ice to day.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
The men who were dispatched yesterday returned and informed us that they were stopped about 25 miles down the river by about 105 Sioux Savages. They immediately seized the horses, cut off the collars (whooping and yelling), jerked the halters from one to another through several hands, then they jumped on two of them and rode off at a run. Our men with much difficulty kept the gray mare which had a colt at the Fort. One of the horses which they took was a fine large gelding which belongs to one of the N. W. Company traders by the name of Mackinzie (McKenzie). The other was a public horse.
As soon as we were informed of this, Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) and 20-odd of the party volunteered to go and fight. We sent word up to the 1st village to see if they would turn out. The head chief and a number of warriors came immediately to the Fort. We got ready to start directly but did not set out until after sunrise. I then set out with Capt Lewis and 20-odd more of the party. Several warriors of the Mandans set out with us, but there were only 3 or 4 who remained with us the whole day.
We walked about 18 miles and halted. We got some meat that our hunters had left hanging upon a tree, and boiled and ate some, then proceeded on to the place where the horses were taken. We found a sled there which they had cut the horse out of. We found also a number of pairs of moccasins at their camp. We took the sled and proceeded on their trail until late in the evening. We then arrived at 2 old Indian lodges where we somewhat expected to find them. We sent in a spy but found none, so we went to the lodges and slept all night. Some of the men's feet were sore from walking 30-odd miles on the ice today.
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