The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-03-08
PERILS OF THE MISSOURI.
Gen. Miles Imprisoned Al, DIV on n Rnrt
Amid Immense Ice FIoes.


Amid Immense Ice Floes.
A letter from Gen. Miles command
says: Early on the morning of the
twenty-sixth the raft, which had been
constructed with SO much labor the even
ing before, was by great exertion
launched into the rapid torrent OF the
Missouri, and towed a couple of hun.
dred yards above the mouth of Squaw
creek, where it was desired to effect q
landing. Here Gen. Miles, accompanied
by Lieuts. Baldwin and Pope, got on
board, with crew of twelve men armed
with long cotton wood poles, and pushed
out on the perilous voyage. As soon as
the raft left the shore the difficulty OF
the passage fully appeared, the depth
OF the river being so great that the
twenty feet poles little more than struck
bottom, and the current almost carried
overheard those endeavorjng 10 use
them. Rapidly borne down the swift
stream, making but little progress, the
raft passed Squaw creek before half the
passage was effected, and below frail
ice extended out toward the center
of the river. Still the men worked
vigorously, when suddenly the raft
was carried with immense force full
upon huge snag, and with fearful jar
stuck fast, the men being nearly thrown
off by the shock. To add to the horrors
OF the situation rapid firing was heard,
and the cry that the piclets were firing
arose.
A more desperate situation could
scarcely be conceived. Imprisoned on a
frail raft in the middle OF the most dan
gerous of rivers, with n crowd of un-
armed men close by, huddled together,
and the prospect of an attack from the
opposite shore staring them i'll the face,
huge blocks of ice rushing down upon
the craft-all combined to form a situa-
ton of utter helplessness. However, the
clear voice OF the general rang out above
the clamor, ordering the assembly sound
ed, the banks lined, the cause of the
firing ascertained, and boat (Which had
been constructed from wagon bed
covered with canvass sent out. The
canvas-covered wagon bed reached
the raft, the men using spades for pad
dies. The rope which was to be stretched
across the river was on the raft. and the
central position was of advantage as one
point of fastening. The wagon bed was
then sent over to the opposite shore with
the rope, and was secured. The object
next was to reach the other bank, and
the attempt was first made to reach this
and then to reach another snag half way,
but it was discovered that there was not
sufficient rope. Another wagon bed
boat was constructed, and sent out with
additional rope. This actually succeeded
in reaching the first one sent to meet it,
and the desired iuncture was effected
when the swift current capsized the
boats, the second of which was so rapidly
filling that the rope attached to the north
bank had to be loosened.
1t was now progressing toward even
ing, the party on the raft having been
in their narrow prison ell day many
having slipped through the interstices
in the raft were wet and cold and numb.
An abandonment of the enterprise be-
came absolutely necessary, else a night
must be passed in the water. The river
above seemed to have just broken up, for
immense ice foes began to sweep down.
striking the raft and boat with terrible
force, until one field Of solid ice, cover
ing third of the river, came booming
down the raging current. The outer
edge alone struck the raft, while the
main body bore down directly upon the
men in the boat. The huge blocks
warned those on the raft that it was high
time to make for shore, and drawing in
the rope from the opposite bank the raft
was loosened from its snag, the first boat
manned, and the boatmen padded for
the shore, while the poles on the raft
were vigorously piled The craft, with
its thoroughly tired human freight, was
hauled in about quarter of a mile be-
low the scene of their long imprison-
ment