al Steifel was sent there sick, and Radke was
sent to the hospital at Mankato on the same day.

The expedition, with Captain J. C. Whitney in command, started on the
7th. The escort consisted of Companies D, E, and H, of the Sixth
Regiment. The 9th, 10th, and 11th were spent in camp, also the 14th at
Leavenworth, where the nuts were taken off the wagons (said to have
been done by the men of Company D who felt themselves aggrieved).
Sergeant Siebert, sick, left for St. Peter on the 15th, and Bast on
furlough; from which, falling sick, he did not return at the appointed
time. Reached Des Moines River, near the outlet of Lake Shetek, on the
18th, and there remained in camp all the next day. Here Lieutenant Holl
rejoined and commenced to act as first lieutenant, having been
commissioned as such November 7th; the present strength of the company
was now 59, and aggregate 79. G. Paulson accompanied the expedition,
but is not reckoned in this number, as he was on detached service at
the headquarters of the expedition. The route of the train was a few
miles to the northward of the Red Pipe Stone Quarry, and the Big Sioux
River was reached and crossed--53 miles from Lake Shetek--on the 23rd.
Crossed the James River, 90 miles from the Big Sioux, on the 28th.
Arrived at Fort Thompson, 75 miles further, on the 2nd of December, and
remained there three days. This fort is a stockaded inclosure about 500
feet square, built to include and protect the Agency and barracks; it
is 95 miles, by river road, above Fort Randall, two miles from the
Missouri, and about a mile from Crow Creek. On the 5th left the fort
for return. Remained in camp on the 14th, twelve miles below Yankton;
Corporal Leitner was promoted fifth sergeant, and privates Juergens,
Gaheen, and Hoscheid appointed to fill the vacant offices of sixth,
seventh, and eighth corporal. The 17th was also spent in camp on
account of a terrible snowstorm. Reached the neighborhood of Sioux
City, Iowa, on the 18th, camping two and one-half miles northwest of
it. On the 21st the troops again moved; traveling by the way of
Melbourne, Cherokee, Peterson's, Spirit Lake, and Estherville, Iowa,
they came to Fairmont, Minnesota, on the 30th. Remained in camp the
next two days. Passed through Winnebago City and arrived at Mankato on
the 3rd of January, 1864, when Company D left for the north.

This journey of about 750 miles--315 outward from, and 435 return to,
Mankato--was accomplished in fif