Sioux Forces Escape Union Forces in Pursuit at the Battle of Stony Lake

Description: Following the Battle of Dead Buffalo Lake, Brig.

Gen. Henry Hastings Sibley continued his march after the retreating Sioux until he reached Stony Lake, where his animals’ exhaustion compelled him to encamp. On the 28th, the force had started out in pursuit again when Sibley discovered that a large number of Sioux was moving upon him. He ordered the men to make defensive preparations, which many had already accomplished. In the face of enemy, Sibley now resumed his march. The Sioux searched for weak points in the soldiers position. Finding none, the Sioux rode off at great speed, preventing pursuit. The Sioux had hoped to halt Sibley’s advance but were unable to do so. Sibley remarked in his report that Stony Lake was “the greatest conflict between our troops and the Indians, so far as the numbers were concerned.”

The Battle of Stony Lake was the last engagement during Henry Hastings Sibley's campaign against the Santee and Teton Sioux in the Dakota Territory.

Closely pursuing the Sioux forces under Chief Inkpaduta since the battle of Big Mound, Henry Hastings Sibley was forced to halt and build a camp due to exhaustion among his animals in his army. On July 28, Sibley resumed the pursuit but quickly encountered a large Sioux force moving on his position. Sibley ordered his troops to take up defensive positions. The Indians probed the U.S. lines and, finding no weaknesses, rode off in such haste that Sibley could not resume his pursuit.