Bicentennial Story #16-Trenches at Heart River

Bicentennial Story #16-Trenches at Heart River

Immigrants dig trenches on the north side of the Heart River, on July 26, 1864.

5/22/1975

1/22/1976

Father Louis Pfaller
Jack Hjort

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mp3

audio reel, analog, 1/4 inch polyester tape

English

BS-016

Heart River

Copyright Stark County Historical Society and Dickinson Museum Center

On July 26, 1864, the day Sully's main force started towards Killdeer, the immigrants, the mule skinners and the guard of 400 soldiers moved to the north side of the Heart River on what is now the Sievert farm. They formed a corrall of the wagons and dug long trenches for rifle pits, for they feared that Indian decoys had lured Sully away so that the main force of Indians could wipe out the immigrant train and capture the supply wagons and the beef herd.
At night they were shaken by several false alarms, and so they dug more trenches and made a "Quaker" cannon from a cottonwood tree.
The State Historical Society has erected a plaque on the site of this memorable camp. The site is easily reached on the Burt road south of the Antelope interchange of 1-94. The rifle pits are very much in evidence, 111 years after the event.

This is Bicentennial Story No. 16, prepared by Father Louis Pfaller, for the Stark County Historical Society.

Pfaller, Sully Expedition, 32

Sound recordings

1:25

128kbps

1970 1979

Bicentennial tape #1, Bicentennial stories 1-22