Battle of Dry Creek (1865)

The Battle of Dry Creek, also known as the Battle of Dry Ford, part of the Powder River Expedition, was fought on September 8th, 1865, by United States soldiers, and civilians, against Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors. The Battle occurred near the confluence of Dry (now called Pilgrim) Creek, and the Powder River, in present day Powder River County, Montana.

The Battle
On September 8, 1865, the over 2,000 United States soldiers and civilians, of Colonel Nelson D. Cole's and Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Walker's column's of the Powder River Expedition were marching South, up the Powder River, in Montana Territory. Unbeknownst to them, a village of Over 2,500 Cheyenne, Sioux, and Arapaho, containing over 1000 lodges, were camped less than ten miles away. When discovering this, the Cheyenne, Sioux, and Arapaho Warriors, not wanting the soldiers to attack their village, attacked the soldiers' column first. The soldiers' lead guard, of about 25 men, of the 16th Kansas Cavalry under the command of Second Lieutenant Charles Balance (Company F), was marching about one quarter of a mile ahead of the main column. This command was hit first. Out of the 25 men of the lead guard, two men became casualties: Private William P. Long, Company E, 16th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, was Killed in action, and Corporal John Price of Company G, 16th Kansas Regiment was wounded. Lieutenant Balance sent one of his 24 remaining men back to Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Walker, who was now viewing the action unfold from a hill one mile back. Walker then sent a courier back to inform Colonel Nelson D. Cole of the attack. At the time, Cole was about two miles behind Colonel Walker, overseeing the crossing of his 100 wagon train over from the west to the east and right bank of the Powder River. In his words Cole ordered the train, "out of the timber and corralled", and he ordered the 12th Missouri Volunteer Cavalry "to skirmish through the woods along the river bank to drive out a body of Indians who were posted in the woods". A German immigrant, First Lieutenant Charles H. Springer, of Company B, in the 12th Missouri Cavalry, said that this took place at about 1:00 p.m. Springer, who was with the 12th Missouri clearing out the woods, described the seen in front of the command: "The whole bottom and hills in advance were covered full of Indians, or to use a soldiers expression, they were thicker than fiddlers in hell". The 12th Missouri Cavalry Regiment, 16th Kansas Cavalry Regiment, and one battalion of the 2nd Missouri Light Artillery Regiment with a section of two Rodman 3 inch. Ordnance Rifled Cannon advanced simultaneously, towards the Warriors. The cannon were unlimbered and began firing at Native American warriors gathered in some Woods located in a bend of the Powder River. George Bent, a Cheyenne participant said that the soldiers formed in a square around their wagons, and also mentioned Roman Nose performing several bravery rides all along the front of the soldiers' skirmish line, before his white pony was killed, throwing him off. Lieutenant Springer of the 12th Missouri mentioned in his diary that day the very same incident stating that an Indian had been making gestures in front of his line before a volley brought down his horse and made him "bite the dust". George Bent stated that Black Whetstone, who was an elderly Cheyenne man, was killed by one of the soldier's artillery shells during the battle, while smoking a pipe behind a hill. As Colonel Cole committed more men to the battle, gradually the Sioux and Cheyenne pulled off from the engagement. The last action of the battle took place on bluffs overlooking the east side of the Powder River, just south of the confluence of what is now called Pilgrim Creek and the Powder, when Major Lyman G. Bennett of the 4th Arkansas Cavalry led a handful of soldiers up a steep hill that was being held by a few warriors. The men charged the hill, driving away the remaining warriors. In the charge, a Private of the 16th Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, was wounded in the foot.

Casualties
Native Americans

Killed in action-
 * Black Whetstone, Northern Cheyenne

Wounded in action-
 * Unknown Warrior, Northern Cheyenne, or Oglala Lakota

United States Army

Killed in action-
 * Private James P. Long, Company E, 16th Kansas Cavalry

Wounded in action-
 * Corporal John Price, Company G, 16th Kansas Cavalry
 * Unknown Private, 16th Kansas Cavalry

The Battlefield
The Battlefield is located on private land, near the confluence of Big Pilgrim Creek, Little Pilgrim Creek, and the Powder River, in Powder River County, Montana, about 5 mi northeast of present-day Broadus, Montana. The battlefield is accessible from Powderville Road on the East side of the Powder River, but there are no signs marking the site.

Order of Battle
United States Army, Colonel Nelson D. Cole, 2nd Missouri Light Artillery Regiment, in command.


 * 2nd Missouri Light Artillery Regiment, (equipped as Cavalry), Seven Companies, (Batteries), (B, C, D, E, H, L, M).
 * 12th Missouri Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, Twelve Companies, (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L, M ).
 * 15th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, One Company, (H).
 * 16th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, Eight Companies, (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H ).

Native Americans, Roman Nose, George Bent, Charles Bent, Black Whetstone†.


 * Northern Cheyenne.
 * Southern Cheyenne.
 * Oglalla Sioux.
 * Brule Sioux.
 * Arapaho.

United States Army, Powder River Expedition, July 1,-October 4, 1865.

Native Americans