Sharp County record., 1877-11-09
THE GREAT NORTHWEST.

seryations Along the Big Horn and yell
lowstone-A Fertile Region, Embellished
With Magnificent Scenery
HEADQUARTERS, MILITARY DIVISION
OF THE MISSOURI, CHICAGO, Sept. %,
1S77.-Brig. Gen. f. D. Townsend, Ad-
jutant-General Of the Army, Washing
ton, ID. c.: SIR-The necessity which
caused the establishment Of the two
military posts in the Yellowstone and
Big Horn Valleys, in the heart Of the
hostile Sioux country, made it incum-
bent on me TO collect such knowledge of
that section as would enable me to de-
termine to some extent its character, the
bearing of the posts upon it, and the
size Of the garrisons. This information
could best be obtained by personal
visit to the posts and a reconnaissance
embracing as large a scope of the cOun-
try referred to as was practicable. |,
therefore, made up my mind to 90 from
Chicago by rail to Green River Station
on the Union Pacific Railroad thence
by stage via Camp Stambaugh, Wyom-
ing Territory, across the Wind River
Mountains to Camp Brown, on Little
Wind River, near the Agency of the
Shoshones; from Camp Brown, with
proper escort, to travel down the Little
Wind River to its junction with the
main Wind River; thence down the Big
Horn, formed by their junction to the
western base of the Owl Creek Noun
tains; then turning east by the Bridger
and Sioux Pass, make my way to Paint
ed Rock River, which skirts the western
base of the BIG Horn Mountains, and is
enormously put down on the maps as
No Wood Creek; thence down this river
until reached point which would en-
able me to cross the Big Horn Noun
tains on the Tongue River trail, and,
after reaching the eastern base of the
mountains, to proceed down the Little
Big Horn River to post No. 2, located
at its mouth; from thence by steamboat
could 90 down the Big Horn and Yel-
lowstone to post No. 1, at the mouth of
Tongue River, and then by steamer to
Bismarck, and by the Northern Pacific
Railroad back via ST. Paul to Chicago
THE COUNTRY EMBRACED
in this circuit covered nearly the whole
of the Great Big Horn and Yellowstone
Valleys, and is the country that was
occupied by the hostile Indians during
the previous summer. The necessary
escort having been ordered at Camp
Brown, Wyoming Territory, left Chi
cago June %, 1877, accompanied by
Col. d. B. Sacket, Inspector General,
Lieut.. Col. James W. Forsyth, Military
Secretary, and Maj. George A. Forsyth,
A. d. c., of my staff; Lieut.. w. L. Car
penter, 9th Infantry, and two citizen
friends, Col. DIV. .Welch and Col. H.W.
Farrar. At Omaha was joined by Gen.
Crook, commanding the Department of
the Platte, and on arrival at Camp
Brown by Lieuts. Schuyler and Bourke,
Gem Crooks aid-de-camps. Every
thing being in readiness at Camp Brown,
we started early on the morning of July
1, and on July 4 reached the western
base of the Owl Greek Mountains.
A FERTILE COUNTRY.
From Camp Brown to Tongue River
Trail, the country down the Little Wind
River, and the valleys of the Little and
Big Popogie and Beaver Creek were
found to have good soil, fit for cultiva-
ton, grass in large amount of great va
riety, and not confined to the valleys of
the streams named, but extending over
the broken country as far east as the
Rattesnake Hills. The country from
the junction OF the Wind Rivers to the
base of the Owl Greek Range was found
to be broken sage brush, bad land
section, unfit for cultivation, and with
out grass sufficient in quantity for graz
ing purposes. On July we continued
our march, passing the Owl Greek range
of mountains by the bridges and Sioux
Pass, reaching the headwaters of Painted
Rock River, and on July Y arrived at
the base of
THE BIG HORN MOUNTAINS,
on the Tongue River trail. After leav-
ing our camp on the evening of July
9Th, the country passed over changed
from sage-brush and ashy soil, to one
carpeted with grass and flowers, and as
we made our way through the passes
the Grass increased in luXuriance, and
in area sufficient for thousands of cattle
to feed on Painted Rock River runs
in its general direction nearly with and
along the base of the Big Horn Noun
tains, where, for 100 miles down it, and
on the east side is the Big Horn range
of Mountains, covered with bunch, game
and other nutritious grasses and wild
flowers. The Valley of Painted Rock
River is susceptible of cultivation
throughout its whole length. The snow
peaks of the Big Horn range are visible
from the Sioux Pass all the way down
the valley, and elk, antelope, deer,
mountain sheep, buffalo and trout are
abundant. On july II we commenced
the ascent of the BIG Horn range, pass
ing by several trout lakes and over Shell
Creek, reaching the eastern base of the
mountains, on July II, near the canyon