During the Civil War, with many regular troops withdrawn from Plains military posts to fight in the east, the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho tried to drive white settlers from their lands. Beginning on August 7, 1864, they launched concerted attacks on stage stations and ranches along the Oregon Trail, striking nearly every settlement for 400 miles from Julesburg to Big Sandy. Travel stopped for two months. The heaviest attacks came along the upper Little Blue River, where about 100 people were killed. Several died at Oak Grove, though others escaped, and Pawnee Ranch was successfully defended. At the Narrows, the Eubanks families were attacked and seven were killed. Mrs. Eubanks, two children, and Miss Laura Roper were taken prisoner and held captive for months. Teamsters were killed, wagon trains were burned, and ranches were destroyed or burned. Settlers fled east to Beatrice and Marysville or northwest to Fort Kearney on the Platte for protection. On August 17, 1864, troops and local militia companies attacked and drove back the Indians in the battle of the Little Blue. Major raids then ceased, though skirmishes continued through the fall.