102 [ 2 ] 
H£AD Quarters, Western Department, 
Louisville, Ky, September 21, ISQ6. 
ORDERS. 
The Commanding General takes great pleasure in announcing to 
the troops of his department, tl»e handsome and honorable result of 
the late expedition under Colonel A. Leavenworth, against theRica- 
ras nation of Indians. 
These Indians, occupying a strong position on the Missouri River., 
near 700 miles above the Council BluiTs, with their three principal 
villages fortified, and defended by upwards of 600 warriors, *' well 
armed with British fusils," having, in the month of June last, made 
an unprovoked and wanton attack on the Trading Company, under 
General Ashley, in which they killed and wound*d 23 American citi- 
zens, peacably employed in an authorized tradej leaving their sur- 
viving associates 900 miles distant from the inhabited part of the 
United States, destitute of every prospect of timely succor, robbed 
of the proceeds of a year's peril, labor, and enterprise, and exposed 
to the horrors of famine and additional savage outrage: 
Under all these untoward circumstances, the distinguished Col, 
Leavenworth, then in command of Fort Atkinson, on hearing of the 
disaster of his countrymen, without pausing to count the numbers 
opposed to him, or to calculate the various obstacles that so wide a 
range of dreary wilderness presented, immediately embarked for the 
scene of action, with his disposable force of the 6th Infantry, consist- 
ing of but 220 officers and men. After a toilsome movement of 45 
days, against the rapid current of the Missouri, he arrived on the 
9th ultimo before the enemy's villages, each of which he found to be 
enclosed with palisades and ditches. A few days prior to his arri- 
val, he was joined by General Ashley, with the remnant of his party, 
amounting to 80 men, and by Mr. Pilcher, with 40 men, of the 
trading companies, together with near 600 Sioux, who professed 
to be friendly. With these volunteers, aided by his little band of 
regulars. Colonel Leavenworth, soon after his arrival, commenced 
liis operations against the enemy. In approaching the villages, with 
the Sioux in advance, they were met by the Ricaras, a short distance 
below their works, where a skirmish ensued, in which the enemy 
sustained his position, and forced the Sioux back, until the regular 
troops, aided by Gen. Ashley's volunteers, arrived, ami formed the 
line of battle, when the Ricaras were immediately driven into their 
villages During the evening of the 9tb, the boats arrived, and the 
artillery was disembarked. On the morning of the 10th, Captain 
Riley, with a company acting as Riflemen, and Lieutenant Bradley 
with a company of Infantry, were posted on a hill, within 100 yards 
of the upper village, where they were enabled to annoy the enemy 
without being exposed to his fire. At the same moment, Lieut. 
Morris, with one six pounder and a five and a half inch howitzer, 
