Major North, with two companies of his Pawnees, and Colonel Royal, with two or three companies of cavalry, made a scout north of the river.
After making camp on the Blacktail Deer Fork we observed a band of Indians coming over the prairie at full gallop, singing and yelling and waving their lances and long poles.

We first supposed them to be the hostile Sioux, and for a few moments all was excitement.

But the Pawnees, to our surprise, made no effort to go out to attack them.
Presently they began singing themselves.

Major North walked over to General Carr and said: "General, those are our men.

They had had a fight.