In the morning, a few soldiers from the Third Minnesota regiment in several wagons left camp early in search of food from the Upper Sioux Agency near present-day Rock Valle Church. Some of the wagons were not on the road, and were headed straight at some of Little Crow's men as they lay in the grass; they had to get up and fire. This started the fight, and veteran troops from the Third Regiment, recently returned from fighting Confederates in the south, ran to assist their comrades, aided by the Renville Rangers.