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Post by herosrest on Jan 3, 2013 16:01:38 GMT -6
He isn't a fan but certainly stands his ground, with a smile during our exchanges. Be well.
This who was where June July 1877 is a pain. I'm into 5th Infantry now, Pope, Bennett.
5th Cavalry definately present with companies A,B,I and L.
Was the 5th company mentioned in the Cherokee Advocate article 7th Cavalry or company H of the 5th........
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Post by herosrest on Jan 8, 2013 12:06:53 GMT -6
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Post by herosrest on Jan 13, 2013 18:38:20 GMT -6
The maneuver shown by King' (post 1) flanking left from line facing the river, pivots on Finley Hill and moves the left of the line through terrain that has provided archeology. $imples.
That is a retreat, one understood of the valley fight and yet ignored with the Custer fight. Thet fought in and thought in lines, but Custer did adapt the practice when surrounded and wishing to maneuver or march.
Once Finley was over run, the collapse began but the first mounted attack cut straight through towards LSH. Then Runs the Enemy showed up.
For those with ideas about lower fords, think again. LSH was already under pressure if not over run. Warrior tactics, it was a buffalo run, hit the flanks, mounted.Bash on the head and......., rest your pony. Do it over again.
How many trumpeters with Company C.....?
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Post by herosrest on Jan 15, 2013 18:41:18 GMT -6
The writings of Capt. Charles King, U.S.A. (Volume l) p358
From the fall of 1866 until January, 1869, Lieutenant King was attached to Light Battery K, First Artillery, serving at New Orleans, Louisiana. On the latter date he was transferred to Light Battery C, at Fort Hamilton, New York. He served a few weeks on recruiting-service at Cincinnati, Ohio, in the spring of 1869, but was ordered to West Point as Instructor in Cavalry Tactics, Artillery Tactics, and Horsemanship. This was a rare compliment. Of the nine hundred and odd other subaltern officers of the army, eligible for such detail, and a large majority desirous of it, the assignment of Lieutenant King for a second tour of duty as a military instructor for the corps of cadets is a fact which speaks for itself. At the Military Academy he served as commandant of Company C. He was relieved from duty in October, 1871, in order to enable him to accept a staif position. He was transferred from First Artillery to Fifth Cavalry on December 31, 1871, and was assigned to K Troop.
On April 7, 1872, the International race, gentlemen riders, was ridden on the old Metairie track under the auspices of the Metairie Jockey Club. England, Ireland, Austria, and France were represented. The challengers were Count Victor Crenneville, of the Austrian Hussars, and Captain George Rosenlecher, of France. At first no champion seemed available for the United States. But Lieutenant Charles King, returning to the city from a tour of inspection through Mississippi, heard of the unaccepted challenge open to the United States, and at once obtained General Emory's permission to take up the gauntlet. A great crowd was present on the day of the race, and the judges' stand was a beautiful sight. It was too soon after the war for a Yankee to have many friends among the fair ones of New Orleans, and, while the blue and gold bars of Captain Rosenlecher, the scarlet and white of the Austrian, the cherry-red and dark blue of Mr. Stuart, who rode for England, and the green of Ireland, were to be seen every-where among the parasols or ribbons and colors of the ladies, not more than one or two had the courage to wear King's colors. He was attired in the colors of his old college, Columbia, sky-blue and white, and looked the gentleman rider to perfection. I have seen his photograph: a white silk jockey-cap, blue shirt, immaculate-fitting riding-breeches and boots, the latter weighing six ounces. King's weight was one hundred and forty-three pounds.
It was a beautiful race. The "Yank" won it by just two horse-lengths. After the gold-mounted whip was presented to him from the judges' stand, and the other gentlemen had cordially congratulated the victor, he took his prize across the track and laid it in the lap of the young lady who had accompanied General and Mrs. Emory to the scene, and who wore the aide-de-camp's colors. She has that whip yet, and shakes it at him sometimes, but has never used it on their children. They were married the fall following.
For months King was laid up with a shattered sabre arm. Before the ugly wound had healed he was in the saddle again, sharing in every fight, and suffering all the terrible privations of the Fifth Cavalry in the Big Horn and Yellowstone expedition of 1876. At the close of the campaign the regimental commander, Wesley Merritt, rewarded him with the adjutancy of the regiment. This was in October, 1876, and Charles King did honor to the position, to the officer who appointed him, and to the regiment, in that capacity, for the next fifteen months.
The regiment had but little time in garrison, for early in the spring of 1877 the Fifth Cavalry and its adjutant were up along the Big Horn range again. The great railway-riots of that year brought by rail to Chicago and Council Bluffs some of King's regiment, many of the representatives bronzed, bearded, with ragged shirts and buckskin breeches, but all ablaze with cartridges. The regiment was only three weeks on this kind of home-guard duty when the command was sent scurrying back across the continent to meet and head off Chief Joseph and the Nez Perces in their famous raid from Idaho to the edge of the States, via the Yellowstone Park.
Nez Perce Summer, 1877 ~ With wagons instead of pack mules to carry its rations, the column on September 12 had difficulty surmounting the summit of the Owl Creek Mountains in a rainstorm and only slowly proceeded northwest toward the Stinking Water. Two days later, Merritt cut loose from his wagons, and on the fifteenth, the troops passed through a snow squall en route to crossing the Greybull River and trailing up Meteetse Creek to reach the Stinking Water on September 17, where a recent cavalry trail was discovered. Camping between the forks of that stream (above present Cody, Wyoming), Merritt sent out scouts who identified the trail as having probably been made by Sturgis's command operating from the vicinity of Heart Mountain, just twelve miles away. Later, the scouts established contact with Hart's battalion, which had ridden west from Fort Smith and then south through Pryor Gap in the Pryor range to reach the Stinking Water. The scouts led them back to join Merritt at the forks of that stream. The combined force then marched for Clark's Fork, but arrived far too late to join Sturgis and Howard, now well across the Yellowstone, and found only a few abandoned cavalry mounts. The aptly named Wind River Expedition concluded with the return of the eleven companies to Camp Brown on September 28, having been too late and too far removed to help find and subjugate the Nez Perces. Jerome Greene
Campaigning with Crook, Bourke p429, trip with Sherman to LBH.
King on Crook's staff...1878 Bourke Schuyler mininghttp://books.google.co.uk/books?id=gEXezCXjeCkC&pg=PA345&lpg=PA345&ots=qY4CN4PaJZ&dq=5th+cavalry+lt.+king+crook+staff+bourke&output=html_text
EXTRACT FROM LT. CLARK'S 1877 REPORT
"On June 17th the Indians were camped on a small tributary of the Little Bighorn River about 18 miles above the place where Gen. Custer's troops found them on the 25th. They had at this time about 1200 standing lodges and 400 wickiups, or brush shelters, and numbered about 3500 fighting men.
"After driving Col. Reno's forces across the river, most of the Indians left his immediate front and went down to join those who were fighting Gen. Custer's column-which came down and made an attempt to cross at the mouth of the little stream and finding it impossible, turned up the ridge, then turned again as the trails leading down to the ford were reached. The Indians had massed in the ravines and opened such a terrific fire from all sides that the troops gave way; the Indians rushed in and made it a hand to hand conflict. The troops attempted to rally once or twice, but were literally overwhelmed with numbers, and in a few moments not one was left to tell the story.
"The temporary respite gave Reno time to gather his forces on a sort of bluff and partially intrench himself. The Indians, believing they had him anyway, in a measure abandoned the attack for the night, and besides, they had a large number of dead and wounded on their hands to care for. If Reno had attempted to succor Custer's forces he would most surely have met their fate. The next day (27th) the approach of Terry's column was discovered, and as Gen. Custer had fallen upon them so much more quickly than they anticipated, they hurriedly broke camp, leaving much of their camp equipage behind them. The timely arrivai of this force saved Reno's party.
In this fight about 40 Indians were killed and a very large number wounded. They say the white soldiers fought bravely and desperately, and gave instances of personal gallantry which created admiration and respect, even in their savage hearts; but it is impossible to positively identify the individuals from their imperfect descriptions. I am convinced, however, that none were taken prisoners and subjected to torture as has been represented. The Indians say that many of the dead soldiers' carbines were found with shells stuck fast in the chambers, rendering them useless for the time being.
The small number killed is due to the fact that an Indian has a wonderful faculty of protecting himself, and unless he is shot through the brain, heart or back, there is no certainty at all about his dying, for since I have seen many Indians who have been shot in all manner of ways through the body and still enjoying excellent health, I have been convinced that of all animals they are superior in point of tenacity of life, magnificent horsemen and fine shots-doing about as good execution on the backs of their thoroughly-trained speedy and hardy ponies as on the ground, accustomed from their earliest youth to take advantage of every knoll, rock, tree, tuft of grass, and every aid the topography of the country affords to secure game; and their education completed and perfected by constant warfare with other tribes and the whites, each warrior becomes an adept in their way of fighting, needing no orders to promptly seize, push and hold any opportunity for success, or in retreating, protecting themselves from harm. Each tribe is organized by accident or pleasure into several different bands, each band having a chief, but his powers and authority are, in a great measure, limited by the will and wishes of his people.
Great prominence has been given Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull in this war, the good fighting strategy and subsequent masterly retreats being attributed to them, whereas they are really not entitled to more credit or censure than many others, so far as plans and orders were concerned; but they headed two of the worst bands on the Plains, and were the two fiercest leaders the Sioux nation has produced for years.
GENERAL SHERIDAN'S COMMENTS
There is much interesting information in this report, and Lieut. Clark's description of the capabilities of the Indian for offensive warfare is very accurate; but the narratives of the Indians should be read with a considerable degree of allowance and some doubt, as Indians generally make their descriptions to conform to what they think are the wishes of those who interview them.
As to the number of Indians in the fight, and the number killed, accounts greatly differ. There certainly were enough Indians there to defeat the 7th Cavalry, divided as it was into three parts, and to totally annihilate any one of these three detachments in the open field, as was proved in the destruction of one of them and its gallant commander. The reasons given why Major Reno should have remained where he was driven, on the top of the bluff, that he afterwards fortified and held, are very good; but there are other reasons no less strong. For instance, he could not abandon his wounded, who would have been slain by the enemy, and furthermore, he had no knowledge of the whereabouts of Custer nor of the straits he was in, and it is natural to presume that he supposed Col. Custer would return to his support when he discovered the superiority in numbers of the Indians, in order that the regiment might be reunited.
The history of the battle of the Little Bighorn can now be told in a few words. The Indians were actually surprised, and in the confusion arising from the surprise and the attempt of the women and children to get out of the way, Col. Custer was led to believe that the Indians were retreating and would escape him; furthermore, from the point he left Major Reno he could see only a small portion of the Indian encampment, and had no just conception of its size, consequently he did not wait to close up his regiment and attack with its full strength, but, ordering Major Reno to attack the village at its upper end, he started directly down the stream on the further side of the bluffs which concealed the river from his view, and hid him from the Indians, with five companies of the 7th Cavalry. Upon reaching a trail that led down to the river, opposite about the middle of the village, he followed it down nearly to the stream, and then, without even attempting to cross (for no bodies of men or horses were found upon either side of the stream near the ford), he went back for a few hundred yards and started directly up the line of the fatal ridge where his body and the bodies of his command were afterwards found, with the evident intention of going to the lower end of the-village and crossing and attacking the Indians there. It was upon this ridge that he was completely surrounded and his command annihilated. There are no indications whatever that he attempted to go back and rejoin Major Reno. Had he done this after reaching the ford above named, Capt. Benteen, having in the meantime joined Major Reno, he would have had his whole regiment together, and could have held his own, at least, and possibly have defeated the Indians. If the Indians had really known that he was coming, they would have gone out to meet him, as they did to meet Gen. Crook only eight days before, in order to let the women and children and the village get out of the way. Again, if Col. Custer had waited until his regiment was closed up and crossed it at the point Major Reno did, and had made his attack in the level valley, posting some of his men in the woods, all the Indians there could not have defeated him. I do not attribute Col. Custer's action to either recklessness or want of judgment, but to a misapprehension of the situation and to a superabundance of courage.
Enclosed herewith a statement of the battle of the Little Bighorn made to the C. O. at Cheyenne Agency by "Red Horse," a Sioux Indian, who evidently took part in the action, and whose statement of the number killed and wounded of the Indians is greatly in excess of that named by Lieut. Clark's informant.
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If elements of Custer's command reached or approa hed lower fords, he was repeating the tactics employed during attack on Black Kettle's camp at Washita. Which is the reason for so much fun and games with timing and modern theories of what took place.
P. H. SHERIDAN, Lieut-Gen. Commanding ~ Graham, 1953, p115-117
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Post by herosrest on Jan 15, 2013 19:15:25 GMT -6
:Joseph White Bull watched Custer's command from the side of a hill, between the commands of Custer and Reno. He waited. Now, why did he do that? www.astonisher.com/archives/museum/rosebud/white_bull_rosebud.htmlOnce moving towards the fighting, he passed two dead or wounded troopers. books.google.co.uk/books?id=USaNW12lcFQC&pg=PA82&lpg=PA84&ots=OA1A9UgPa5&dq=wessinger+custer&output=html_textbooks.google.co.uk/books?id=07KE93TRNUoC&pg=PA27&lpg=PA52&ots=25PswqXY2e&dq=wessinger+custer&output=html_textIt is difficult to believe that lazy White Bull rode onto the west flank of Deep Coulee, when he tried it, soldiers were shooting at him. During his accounts there is only oblique reference to Cheyennes with whom he. Ompeted so fiercely during the fight with Crook. So, he did not follow cavalry along the route of the battlefield road. When Lazy White Bull gained the river side of the ridge of hills runnuing up from the mouth of Deep Coulee, he discovered Lame White Man, so it seems, other Cheyennes died nearby and their charge after the soldiers is told by Little Hawk. Yellow Nose was part of that charge, in fact he led it out. There were some half dozec of Company C's mounts found dead at the opposite end of the ridge from where that company fought.
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Post by herosrest on Jan 20, 2013 18:21:43 GMT -6
there was, I promise.
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Post by herosrest on Jan 20, 2013 21:01:54 GMT -6
Lt. Edward Maguire indicated two routes of march across the battleground, which he deduced from the positions of the dead.
Capt. Freeman indicted two routes of march by trails of Shod horses.
The lower routes shown by Maguire and Freeman, those nearest the river, DO NOT traverse the same terrain and Freeman's information must be guaged reading 4 on his sketch as Nye Cartsright Ridge and the lower ford indicated, as being that opposites the mouth of Deep COULEE near the southern terminus of Greasy Grass Ridge where significant artifact evidence indicates both cavalry and the tribes fought.
The accounts of fighting by a band of Cheyennes including Wolf Tooth and Big Foot, must conform to the reality of what took place at Finley Hill, Calhoun Hill and the broad reality of tribal record given by those present. The Cheyennes attacked and fought first. Big Beaver did not move against Reno's command.
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Post by herosrest on Jan 21, 2013 11:58:40 GMT -6
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Post by herosrest on Feb 8, 2013 19:34:57 GMT -6
anecdote - On February 7th, 1879, at Chicago during Reno inquiry, Capt. Mathey was recalled and asked on behalf Maj. Reno as follows.'Take an engagement of one hours duration that occured in 1876 and a criticism that occured in 1878, would not that be, according to your mind, criticism after the fact? (W.A. Graham, p494)Where was the Crow Agency located in 1876? Here is the problem confronting all serious study of Little Big Horn, its first hurdle, and that upon which all stumble. The village was not four miles long and the lower ford, about half way through the village, was in fact the lower ford at the end of the village.
The regimental band began playing to the astonishment of the Indians, but the musicians threw away their instruments for guns. The soldiers changed from a stand to a retreat as they were crowded upon by increasing and overwhelming numbers. Yellow Nose said that they made three stands. It was the purpose of the Indians to get in the rear of the troops and gain the east slope of the ridge. This the soldiers bravely resisted,
At the fourth charge, on Yellow Nose's orders, all Indians mounted and Yellow Nose made a charge and all Indians followed. They crowded the company furthest north and they started to run down the ridge. As they got down part way toward the gray horse company the latter began to fire and drove Indians off and the soldiers reached the gray horse company. Some were killed, however, when they reached the gray horse company. The latter shot at Indians so fast that they drove Indians back out of sight over hill toward the agency. [/b] From the log of the river steam boat 'F. Y. Batchelor'.June 26, 1878. The first buffalo was seen this morning. During the day a great many were seen, and many shots fired at them, but we failed to find any choice buffalo steaks served up for our meals. Didn't stop to pick them up. At 6pm. we arrived at the old Custer battleground (now Fort Pease) of 1873. At 8pm we entered the Big Horn River and laid up for the night five miles above the mouth, having made the run from Tongue River in two daylights, being pronounced the quickest time ever made.
June 27, 1878. All hands were called up this morning to see the snow-capped Big Horn Mountains. To see the sun glistening on the snow, while we were sweltering with heat, was truly a sight to be witnessed. The distance to the mountains was estimated at seventy-five miles, but seen very distinctly with the naked eye. The Big Horn River is one of the most rapid and tortuous rivers that has ever been navigated by a steamboat.
The current is terrific and at places it seems impossible for any boat, to stem it. Have had no occasion to use a line on account of the current.
June 28, 1878. Arrived at Fort Custer at 7am, being the first and only boat that has arrived there this summer. Fort Custer is situated at the junction of the Little Big Horn and Big Horn rivers. The fort stands at an elevation of 175ft. above the river, and at an altitude of 7,000ft. above the ocean. Part of the 2nd Infantry and part of the 11th Cavalry, under command of General Buell, are stationed here. While lying here, something more than one hundred lodges of Crow Indians were busily engaged crossing the river with all their plunder and ponies, on their way to their new reservation on the Big Horn. It was a sight well worth seeing. We had many a 'how' and shake during our stay. These Indians are a very honest tribe, won't steal unless they get a chance.
Captain Baldwin, Adjutant General of General Miles' staff, sent an ambulance to the boat and took Captains C. W. Batchelor, Warner and Sharpe out to the Custer battlefield, where General Miles had gone that morning, with a company of infantry as escort, to make an examination of the battlefield. General Miles ordered hones and escorted the visitors around the entire field, a distance of not less than fifteen miles, pointing out and showing them all prominent places known in that terrible struggle against such odds in which more than three hundred brave men lost their lives.
The party crossed the little Big Horn at the same ford where General Reno crossed in his retreat. 'Curley,' the Crow scout, the only known living being saved from the Custer massacre, was interviewed through an interpreter on the boat, by General Miles. More details and correct information was obtained from him than had ever been given. 'Curley' had never recovered from the fright of that memorable day.
General Miles was accompanied over the battlefield by White Horse and little Creek, two Cheyenne Indians who were in the fight against Custer. The Indian village, where Custer made the attack, was five miles in length along the Little Big Horn, and said to number from five to seven thousand warriors. The plain where the Indians were encamped was a beautiful, wide prairie, covered with good grass. The Little Big Horn, where Reno crossed on his retreat, today contained water deep enough to come to the middle of the saddle flaps of the horses. General Miles and his party went down on the boat as far as Fort Keogh, where they disembarked while the Batchelor proceeded to Bismarck.[/size] [/quote] Well, in 1876 the Crow Agency was.....[/b] ‘A correspondent of the Helena (Montana) Herald, writing from Stillwater, MT. June 22 said: Last evening John Williamson, the mail carrier from Gibbons Command, accompanied by three soldiers, arrived at this place with correspondent that he had just returned from Terry' column where he had been sent with dispatches by Gibbon, appraising that officer of the location of the Sioux camp. He met the command on Powder River. This was also a Norton release, so the reporter was aware of the condition prior to the Massacre. In briefly reviewing the activities of both the Terry and Gibbon commands, one learns that they both took their time going from Fort Ellis to the mouth of the Big Horn, where Terry's cavalry was moved across the Yellowstone River on the Far West on the afternoon of June 25, and went into camp at Teluca Park. General Gibbons had camped at Stillwater for two nights during which he had gone to the newly established Crow Agency on Butcher Creek, where he recruited 25 Crow Scouts. Long after dark on the night of June 25, three of these scouts reported that they had been on the Custer Battlefield, and reported that there not a sign of any living --every soldier apparently had been killed, and many mutilated. This was the first word of the tragedy to reach the Army officers.‘ freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sidersn/countryman/horacecountryman.txt
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Post by herosrest on Feb 8, 2013 20:28:12 GMT -6
Muggins Taylor arrived to Far West early morning of the 29th. According tGibbon's despatch which he carried, the burials were effected by 3pm of the 28th June. Custer's scout Curley visited the battlefield before the burials wete completed and returned to the Far West with despatches. He spent that night sleeping aboard theriverboat, having visited twice before Muggins Taylor arrived.
At page 496 of W.A. Graham's transcripts of the Reno Inquiry, Gibbon told of his trip with Terry to visit Custer's battleground and the terrain covered. T his should relate to the location of Mark Kellogg, due to Isiah's Sioux wife locating where Doorman fell, with Kellogg nearby. Ford D ha, ha, di ha. What happened to his last few days of notes, l wonder. Perhaps Lt. Bradley knew that but then what happened to his notes of the battlefield.
I wonder, if the smudge in the background of D.F. Barry's 1886 skirmish image which is examined in reply#35, is Gall?
In studying LBH, it becomes apparent that confusions which exist about events and how the evidence and facts of what occured don't agree with subsequent theory, particularly the modern stuff, isn't confusion. It is desperation. There is detail of hoe the Cheyenne camp lay in the valley and was set up in a cresent shape facing the rising sun. A majority of scholars since dot have manipulated the relative cardinal points of tribal accounts to conform with their cotton wool. HOWEVER, knowing where to point the open horns of their cresent indicates as surely as the fact of sunrise, that a Cheyenne stating east, actually had a firm grasp of where eadt actually was. Tut, tut.
For those who might contemplate the dialects of Dakota language, a neat practical joke awaits in the matter of Cardinals. E.S. Curtis was aware of this schism in his studies, and it can be found amongst his published work.
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Post by herosrest on May 6, 2013 17:42:48 GMT -6
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Post by herosrest on May 7, 2013 14:38:02 GMT -6
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Post by herosrest on Jan 29, 2014 18:58:29 GMT -6
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Post by herosrest on Apr 1, 2015 12:57:08 GMT -6
Ducemusarchive.org/details/annualreportsec29deptgoogGeneral. From Henry's Lake, in Montana, August 27, to Bear-paw Mountain, Dakota, September 30, I have no connected report of General Howard's march and operations, but I have no doubt his promised supplementary report will soon be received, it may be in time to accompany this report. All he could do was to follow where the Indians led, and this he did, with praiseworthy zeal and perseverance. On others devolved the task of heading off and capture. The Indians were already in General Sheridan's division, and he promptly gave the necessary orders. He caused a force of six companies of the Seventh Cavalry under its colonel Sturgis, to watch the outlet by Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone; another of five companies of cavalry under Major Hart of the Fifth, on the Stinking Water, which is a branch of the Big Horn; and still another of ten companies of cavalry under Colonel Merritt of the Fifth, on Wind River northwest of Camp Brown. One or other of these bodies was sure to intercept them, with General Howard's command on their heels. This was a communication from Sherman to McCrary, reporting the Nez Perce campaign. Report of the Secretary of War 1877, p 14-15.
Maj. Virling K. Hart led five companies of cavalry onto the Shoshone River. A matter of interest concerns the matter of which five companies (of what) regiment. Hart had commanded Company C of 7th Cavalry as their Captain, until promotion to Major with the 5th. The mouth of the Shosone is of course, upon the Bighorn river. It is known also as Stinking Water.
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Post by herosrest on Apr 1, 2015 17:29:51 GMT -6
DucemusBismarck tri-weekly tribune. (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) October 10, 1877 - chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84022128/1877-10-10/ed-1/seq-5/ocr/RIVER NEWS. The Fontenelle's Sensational Trip — Her Experience with Gen. Miles — A Full Account of Her Movements — The Steamer Rankin a Wreck — Whereabouts of Silver City, Big Horn and Rose Bud — Other Boats The steamer Fontenelle arrived at our landing last night from Cow Island. Her interesting memorandum will be found below: MEMORANDA OF STR. FONTENELLE. Str. Fontenelle — Capt. Braithwaite — left Bismarck Sept. 3d for Cow Island, with 175 tons of way and through freight — 51 tons government, balance private — and 20 passengers. Arrived at Buford Sept. 8th at Poplar river 10th at Wolf Point 11th at Peck 13th. On Sept. 14th passed Str. Silver City aground, and lighting at Round Butte, (Fontanelle also lighted at same place), reached Carroll 20th, Grand Island same day. Found only 22 inches water there — boat drawing two feet. Left a part of freight and proceeded to Cow Island. Reached there 2lst, discharged freight and returned to Grand Island for balance of freight. Saturday 22d, at 2 o'clock, left Cow Island for Bismarck, having left her freight — about 88 tons — on the landing. At Cow Island were stationed Col. Clendenin, agent of Diamond R. line,and squad of 9 or 10 soldiers. There were also about 15 passengers enroute for Benton and Helena. Reached Muscle Shell river on 23d at 2pm. There were stopped by Gen. Miles' advance guard and ordered to wait for the General's arrival, who was about 6 miles back. Monday 24th commenced crossing Gen. Miles' cavalry. Str. Benton passed up during the night. Tuesday morning Gen, Miles having received intelligence by scouts and refugees that the Nez Perces had crossed on the 23d at Cow Island and destroyed all freight there, ordered the Fontenelle to cross his entire command to the north bank, which required continuous working till Wednesday evening. Fontenelle then ordered with Lieut. Baldwin, aid de camp to Gen. Miles, to proceed to Carroll and Gov,* Island, taking the men, horses and stores at Carroll, under charge of Lt. Bailey to Cow Island. Reached Cow Island 11am Saturday 29th, having passed the str. Silver City aground at head of Grand Island. Left Cow Island at 4 p.m. Silver City there discharging freight. Scouts in from Gen. Miles reported he had headed off Nez Perces 4i miles out. In the encounter with the Indians at the crossing there were 4 lives lost — 2 soldiers and 2 citizens. All passengers taken up by Fontenelle escaped, being one half day ahead of Joseph's band. Arrived at Carroll Sept. 30th, 9 am. Str. Benton there awaiting the arrival of Gen. Howard's command to transport them to Omaha. Arrived at Muscle Shell 5 pm. There met str. Gen. Meade bound for Cow Island. At Ft. Peck, Oct. 2d, met str. Big Horn at Spread Eagle Oct. 4th, met str. Rose Bud on the 6th 15 miles above Ft. Buford. 7th, met str. Gen. Sherman above Strawberry Island. 8th, met str. Gen. Custer aground above Little Missouri. River in bad condition. FREIGHT DOWN. For N R, 46 bales skins and pelts, 70 beef hides, 40 bales furs and robes, 1 chest. I. M. Officer, Bismarck, 1 trunk and 1 chest. O. E. Mitchell, Bismarck, 1 box, 1 saw and tree. PASSENGERS. Lieut Munson, Ft Peck Capt. Schindel, Buford Capt Mitchell, Mounted Police Knight, wife and daughter, E DeFrate, Woodman, Bowman, E Olsen and family, Richardson, W Clough, S Johnson, Dean, W Allen, Bailey, Huggins, Dash back, W Robbins, Wm Stevens, S I Thomas, Goodrich, Montana S Hazen, Capt S O Heminway, Buford Major Courtney, Stevenson Capt Jas Clark and party from str. Rankin.THE FONTANELLE REPORTS the Silver City had just arrived at Cow Island on the 29th of Sept, having been detained by extreme low water above Fort Peck. The Str. Big Horn was met on the morning of the 4th at head of Spread Eagle Bar, getting along all right. The Benton was lying to at Carroll, waiting the arrival of Gen. Howard's command, which she will convey to this place. The Rose Bud was met at a point 20 miles above Buford, enroute to Mussle Shell with supplies for Gen. Miles' command. The steamer Meade was met on the evening of Sept. 30th at Squaw Creek, destined for Cow Island. The Fontanelle will load immediately with supplies for Indian agencies, Wolf Point and Berthold, and will leave here at noon to morrow. She will meet the Gen. Meade at Buford and transfer her trip to her, and will return to this place. The Neilie Peck, over due from Yankton, has not yet arrived. Capt. Braithwaite reports 28 inches hence to Buford and 18 inches water above Buford to Cow Island. The Fontanelle brings Capt. Heminway and Clark, together with the crew of the Str. Rankin. THE RANKIN, after being aground about three months was put afloat, but her hull was so badly damaged that she sank and will be dismantled and brought down on one of the other boats.
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