The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-09
AB.fNDONED STORES.
A Curion. story Told About the Yellowstone
Expedition by an Old Campaiener.

Expedition by an Old Cnnpntgncr.
10 TIC EpIToR OF THE SUNNI: Now
that Congress has BEGUN the work of invcsu-
eating the abuses " the VAR Depar,m"n; and
Of the army II they would make thorough work
~ 1t, let TIA m inquire into the expenditure of
the different military expeditions that have
been So; on foot since the We 1871, ana espo-
ciaily those of the Northern Pac nc Il lroad
survey in Datoti aud Montana, and am sure
they will mud INTEREST," results.
There VS. the yellowstone expedition Of 1873,
which must have cost the Government on
rough calculation ~ least II round million Of dol
lais. II would be well to investigate closely be
pre-, ise manner In which that money was spent'
and Vt would tie easy u get witnesses who could
tell II about It. CT. Fed. Grant accompanied
that expedition; perhaps his testimony might
be Of value.
1t is common report among oficers ard pri-
vato soldiers who were connected with that ex-
petition that army supplies Intended for II were
wilfuly abandoned under IA prearranged plan'
and aftarward foui d their way To the stores OF
post traders. An old soldier. speaking 10 the
writer upon this subject tue other day told too
fOllOwiug curious story: .
ut always seemed strange 70 me-" be
said, "that Gen. stanley should have &C
cumuated such great supplies ~ lhe
sstockade, Temporary post built on ne
Missouri. He certainly knew tho strength
Of his command he knew how long his troops
would romain in the field, aud when he would
quantities If SUPP lies Diied w at this tnsi9niti
cant post. Well on tue return march he sep
| arited his command at the Stockade, u portion
OF hts trooOs, the Eighth aud Ninth Infantry.
| embaTking on the steamer Josephine, while the
m In body took up its march to Fuft Lincoln,
this portion With a train 81 nearly 800 empty
wagons. II always seemed to me that Gen.
| stanley, knowing hat the river was falling rap
idly. aid neine fuly aware Of the dinicnltie- Of
NAVIGATING Il, Tnd having amlle trdnsgoi tation
| 10y wagons, should nave Yah -nthe SUPPLIES over
| land TO Fort Lincoln In tead Of KING them ON
| the steamer. -.
=" But he didn't, )" continued the veteran. NO,
| instead OF dong So The stores were put on BOARD
! the steamer. and after maxim" about TWEEN. ,-nye
! miles the boat brought uD high and dry on n
! bar 4 council was held. aud II was decided "a
| unload. This was done III a systematic r,anuer
| On the cast bank Of the river, opposite the boat
| was a dense wood. a deial was r.ade from the
| soldiers, who, IN charge Of q Lieutenant, cut d
rOaIway into tue woods 81 distance OF 100 wards
aud there cleared u s,,dco Of all ut 100 f. ei
| squ.T,. covering the GROUND with skids. Then
the detail vas SET at work to discharge the
| cargo, all Of which, with the execution of a few
| boxes OF ciuned fruits. was placed ia ih'
woods, stacked IN res liar order. and IN illv COY
| cred VITA t,rp luln. Now, ts you know the
| large quantity u freight u Missouri steamer car
| rlr--ind lie Jo., nine had "a good load you ear
surmisc the quantity or bulk Of these commis
sdry and quarter casters stores thus auhndoncd
" he steamer being li-htened, We after a time
arrived at Fort liuflrd, thence proceeding &.
Fort Linco n by the way of Fort stevenson.
have often wondered" continued the veteran re
UtftlNflN, Wnltt ne ftHlltu MS DlI's what uiil
iy became Of those stores whether they wer,
run down I'm nac<iuaws to the traders at Fort,
Huford and stevenson, or whether some oi
them we're tlken overland by teams heioneihl
to the Northwestern TRANSFORMATION Company
under the guide Of IA wcll-knnwn scout to For
Peck, md sold to the traders there, or whethe
they are g. the woods vet. | have also wonder
ed whether they were reported TO the War De
pnrtment Us abandoned property.
-" Capt. z ID. Baker was the Assistant Quarter
master Of the expedition, however, and he cOul'
probably tell all about the nnal disposition %
! Z k.
talkativc old campaigner, " that DIR. Terry, whit
used to lie with Duricc & Peck, and who hH
spent mo OF his life on the frontier. would b.
likely to know about the business; likewis
Orvil Grant, provided his memory shouldn't fai
him But, tor my part, never expect to know
to my dying day, what ever finally became o
them stores"
II Is very curious to hear some II the veteran
OF the army talk about the manner In who
military al irs have been managed since tn
Grant family have taken possession OF the civl
government. FORTY-NINLR.
| SAY FRANCISCo. March 81. 1873.