The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-11-30
sioux City, Nov. 18th 1894

Eds. Times. great political contest
which every body was engaged ln--soldiers
civilians old men and matrcrs, young mer
and damsels, boys, girls end all--is over
I According to the latest telegram received
here, there were 500 900 voters that didn't
vote; for that is the reported majority for
"Sire" Abraham | must drop nicknames
now or else nobody ran against him. AS
| have no inclination to make this politi-
Cal letter, I will drop the subject by merely
saying, as the authorities about Washing.
ton said Of our defeat at Bulls Run: cit
is the best thing that could have happened"
I will give you my reason at some future
time.
In my last, we were at the Yellow stone,
pretty we'll used up, both "mules, horses
and men, Gas Gen. Taylor used to say in
his dispatches) our rations exhausted and
no grass for our stock; but fortunately
there were two boats in waiting for US with
corn and plenty Of provisions. One boat
was sunk three miles below the mouth Of
the Yellowstone with 5000 sacks Of corn
which was total loss. We struck the
Yellowstone 35 miles, (by land) above the
mouth, and finer valley never was water.
ed by any stream than this. The bottoms
range from two to four miles wide, and in
ordinary seasons very productive as l am
told by the French traders, and which is
evident by its having been one vast pasture
for buffalo, as is shown by the "chips"
which cover the ground as far as the eye
can reach. Although there has been
three years drorth, still in places we found
good grazing for Our animals: The river
is skirted the whole distance with timber
and fequently heavy groves are to be seen,
from one to three miles in length. It is as
beautiful stream as ever saw, and RUM
ing more rapid if possible than the Miss
ouri.
The next day after our arrival, the LIST
Brigade commenced crossing, fording our
horses and wagons AMI taking our saddles,
arms and baggage over on the boats. The
current being SO swift, made it very diff
cult to ford, especially the wagons with six
mules buckled to each, and consequently
several mules and horses were lost, some
wagons sunk and four men drowned. Trues-
del Of McGregor came near "going under,'
but being the spunkyest little "cuss" that
ever left home; l will say no more about it
as it borcs him to mention danger in any
connection with him.
Fort Union was built by Pierre CHATEAU
Of St. Louis, and is the finest and most
substantially constructed fort on the river.
1t was built fer tie Fur Company Of which
NJ. CHATEAU is the principal. 1t is three
miles above the mouth of the Yellowstone
and is situated on the north side of the
Missouri. At this point the river is florida.
BILE and less difficult to cross than the
Yellowstone, although We found greater
depth of water. The horses, mules end
oxen were all crossed by fording, the wag-
ons being taken over on the boats. The
crossing occupied about four days and was
accomplished with the loss of but one man,
belonging to Co. L. of the Tth Iowa.
Here the idaho train left US, and with
it about 80 men of the Minnesota Brigade,
who answered to roll call at night, ate their
last government rations and taking each
the best horse they could find babe silent
adieu to Samuel, and in the morning they
were not. The most of them belonged to
one company, and probably thought it their
duty to carry out the programme by seeing
the Idaho train safely to its journeys end
In all probability they will winter among
the auriferous gulches of the "Wcst SLOPE
and perhaps remain as guards for Gov.
Stones "renegades' to whom he denied
the passage of the Missouri; while with
giant strength they delve into the bowels
OF The earth for that, which in the eyes of
the government" is ''contrsband.' un-
ders:and that they took the advice of that
venerable and ancient "scout" who once
guided a train Of hayward people through
the Wilderness by taking each man
what he could carry Of -four, bacon, sugar
| and coffee in case of failure in "mann ma"
not forgetting to retain, besides their En-
/ field rifles, their side arms also, with large
Quantities of ammunition to protect them
from raids Of hostile tribes o. savages.
Whether thelt old Uncle who claims them
as his for the next two or three years, will
send an expedition after them next spring
OF not, is now the question, for there are
many of US that would be glad of the
opportunity to 60 and reliecs them, as their
guard duty must necessarily be ardurous.
At the mouth of the Yellowstone stands
the ruins of what was once Fort Union
! before the new fort was built. 1t is built
of adobes or sunburnt brick, and has with
stood many attacks from the treacherous
Sioux. Near it can be found hundreds Of
Indian skulls ofthose who died few years
ago of smallpox; 5000 it is said died in
one season, and their bones whiten the
ground in every direction; the bodies hav.
ing been thrown together in large holes
after the manper Of their moro enlightened
neighbors, the pale faces, which custom
was adopted by the 'great Father some
three years and half ago. The poo,
fellows died with loathsome disease which
it is out of the power OF their greatest
"medicine men, to cure, and ours died
from a wise "dispensation" OF the ''grea
Father" which defied all the exertions o