Battle of Stony Lake

Stony Lake battlefield

Date	July 28, 1863 (1863-07-28)
Location	Dakota Territory Present-day Burleigh County, North Dakota
Result	United States victory

Belligerents

United States of America

Santee Sioux
Teton Sioux
Yankton
Yanktonai

Commanders and leaders

Henry Hastings Sibley

Inkpaduta

Strength

2,056

1,600 to 2,500

Casualties and losses

2 dead

at least 3

The The Battle of Stony Lake was the third and last engagement of Henry Hastings Sibley's 1863 campaign against the Santee, Yankton, Yanktonai and Teton Sioux in Dakota Territory. Following the battle, the Indians fought delaying actions against Sibley until their women and children had successfully crossed the Missouri River. Sibley then gave up his chase of them.

Sibley fought the Sioux in the Battle of Big Mound on July 24 and at the Battle of Dead Buffalo Lake on July 26. The Sioux retreated westward after each battle, the warriors covering the flight of their women and children toward the Missouri River. Sibley anticipated that he might trap the Indians between his forces and those of General Alfred Sully, who was ascending the Missouri River with 1,200 soldiers.

On July 27, the day after the battle of Dead Buffalo Lake, Sibley marched his 2,000 men 23 miles to Stony Lake and camped there for the night. The next morning he broke camp before dawn and continued his march on the trail of the Indians. About two hours later his scouts, mostly mixed blood Sioux, reported a large mounted force advancing on Sibley’s column.

The Sioux apparently hoped to surprise Sibley, strike at a weak point, and force him to abandon his pursuit. Warned of their approach, Sibley closed up his stretched-out column of soldiers, sent out skirmishers, and deployed his artillery. The Sioux warriors appeared shortly on hills in a semi-circle with an arc of 5 or 6 miles around Sibley’s forces. Sibley estimated their numbers at 2,200 to 2,500. The Sioux said their force totaled 1,600 warriors. Most of the Indians, however, were armed only with bows and arrows and muskets, thus ineffective fighting at distances of more than 100 yards.

Nearly surrounding Sibley’s column, but having failed to surprise him, the Sioux probed for weak spots. Colonel James H. Baker’s 10th Minnesota Regiment was in Sibley’s van and advanced, firing volleys and supported by two mountain howitzers. The Sixth Minnesota and Seventh Minnesota Regiments deployed to the left and right of Sibley’s wagon train. Charges by companies of infantry dislodged the Indians from several hills. Shortly, the Sioux gave up the battle and faded away. Sibley was unable to pursue them as his horses and men were tired.

Sibley did not suffer any casualties. Sioux casualties are unknown, but probably light. Three Indians were seen to have been knocked off their horses by an artillery round

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