Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-07-25
FORT CUSTER LETTER.
Fort LOcalS.-Gen. miles, Ira velS and
DOinEs.-A Bride in Camp.-GOld
DiscOveries.-Other Local
Matters.
FoRT CUSTER, Montana, !
July Ii, 1873.

| 6uGt" Aunt OOuVT.
The paymaster arrived about tile 18th O
June and paid the troops of this command
to April 3Oth at once, then stayed over til
July, and paid for two months, ending
June Both. Major Arthur, to whom al
Jude, is a very pleasant man; his counte
nance always wears smile. We feel ''Oh
SO happy!" when he comes amongst us
There was much enjoyment amongst the
troops; but men drank generally with dis.
cretiOn. This is the fruit of Gen. Buell's
kindness in allowing the bar to be contin.
ually open throughout the day, and the
men can get what they require when they
need it. There were good many depos
| its made.
1 had informed you that Lieut.. Allison,
ID Cavalry, would proceed to Ellis with
Co. X. am glad to say, for our own
part, the order was. so far rs he is con-
cerned, countcrmanded. A new order
necessitated his taking over all papers per-
tanning to the Crow Indians from Lieut..
Dcane, I'd Cavalry, whose services pre-
sumo are required for a more important
duty. Lieut.. Doane lett at the same time
Capt. Egan did with Co. X, about the 18th
of June. do not know much of Captain
Egan, but l am aware he had has MANY
friends here. The men of his company
give him much praise. He took especial
care in seeing that they were well fed.
You cannot get buffalo meat now for
price, and beef cattle are scarce. We are
getting to be vegetarians. Indeed, when a
man goes on spree, he often make the
mistake to boom off to the post garden,
two miles distant, to get some meat; 9TH
ers get passes and go out there to recruit
their health. The post garden comes on
splendidly. Head gardener, Steve Ryan.
and his assistant. Michael Carcaran, are
citizens; then there are details from
each company looking after company gar
dens.
After the payInaster had left us for Fort
keogh, orders were received which neces-
STATED despatch being sent to bring him
back. He had got as far as Terry's Land
ing-returncd. and is still here. l think
this has something to do with paying the
Crow scouts of the summer campaign of
1877.
General Miles left Fort Kcogh June the
18th, crossed the Yellowstone on steamer
Sherman June 18th, and travelled p miles
on the 10th he Travelled to tile Rosebud:
10th to Big Porcupine, on the Yellow
stone; stopped the steamer Yellowstone,
and took Major Pease and six Crow chiefs,
who were on their way to keogh to speak
with Gen. Miles, OF, and dismounted three
Cavalry men. of I'd Cavalry, and four 5th
Infantry men gave their horses to Major
Pease and the big chiefs (poor redmen y.
On 2lst OF June he made the mouth of BIG
Horn river; on 22d laid over in camp, and
held council with Crow tribe, which, in
great part, was found to be there. As far
rs can learn, the following were their |
sentiments They complained much of
citizens cutting timber on their reservation
men who had not married sqllaws; they
said they could not stand it. They wanted
to hunt the buffalo. They
made offer to Gen. Miles Of many hand
some presents of their own making, and
gave him beautiful gun cover (worth
lbOut $l0O to present to the Great Father
It Washington, and expressed an earnest
lesire that Major Pease and Lieut. Doane
,e appointed their agents. There were
bout thirty lodges of River Crows, who
,ad lett on this morning, who would not
'arley with Gen. Miles after the council
vas broken up. There was grand sham
attic, in which numbers Of Crows took
art. 1t was novel and grand sight.
After it was over, the General had five of
is soldiers, Of the 9th Infantry, to per-
Drm. in the way Of tumbling, for the cdf-
cation Of our beloved friends q, and
rhich was well done. In the evening there
Fas display of fireworks, which greatly /,
stOnished the nstives. The signal NOR
NJ were well executed by private Joseph
'aker. Go. +, llth Infantry, now In charge
{ the signal station few miles from Cue |
v. s
On June 23d the General broke camp, 4