Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-10-06

was not sufficient timber at that place, or
a good steamboat landing it was built
seven miles west OF there and named Fort
Stevenson.
During the summer of 1857, while the
fort was being built, the Sioux made three
raids ON the camp in force, and one attack
by a small party.
The troops were compelled to labor very
hard to build the fort, and being lodged in
tents with poor food, they suffered greatly
in health and many died. The fort was
completed Jan. g., 1858.
Fort Buford was $50 miles by water
above Fort Stevenson and $50 miles
by land. 1t was established as a
one company post in 1866, and increased to
five %companyies in 1867. 1t was built neal
the site of old Fort Union, on the north
side of the Missouri River, at the mouth
of the Yellowstone. The territory on the
north side of the Missouri was claimed by
the Assinaboine Indians, trom.White Earth
river, IS miles east Of the post, to Milk
river, $50 miles to the west.
The Assiniboines were originally a part
of the Yanct0n tribe of the great Sioux
nation, and according to tradition, split off
from that tribe and became a separate
people, because of some trouble about a
| woman.
They called themselves "Hokes'' and
claim to be DakOtas. The name Assin-
BONES means "stone boilers" and was
given them by their neighbors on the
north, the Ores, because of their method
of cooking meat. by dropping red hot
stones into the water. Assinboines were
always friendly and rendered valuable
services to the troops at Butord by keep
ing them constantly appraised of the move.
ments of the hostile Sioux. They were
constantly at war with the Crows on the
west, the Ores and British half breeds on
the north, and the Yanktonais, Gros Ven
tres, Arickarees, Mandans and Teton
Sioux OH the south. On the south side of
the Missouri were the Teton Sioux, who
were hostile, and with a band of the Onk-
papas, made frequent raids on the post
killing at varions times eleven men-five
soldiers and six citizens.
On Aug. %, 1858, they made an attack in
force on the forts killing three men and
wounding three, and capturing 200 of the
government herd of beef cattle. In addi.
ton to this constant war on the forts the
Sioux constantly harrassed the Assiniboias
because of their friendship for the whites.
Fort Buford is miles south OF the Canadian
line. There were two mail routes from
| PrfOrN RI tho okokoc Tho Grn< ~-oe v:n
Forts Stevenson, Totten and Abercrombie
to st. Paul, MINI. 1t took from three to
six weeks for a letter to go to department,
headquarters at st. Paul. The Indians
were very troublesome between Forts
Stevenson and Totten, and in 1868 a,
different times killed five mail carriers Oh
that route, three of whom were soldiers
and two citizens. The second route wa via
Forts Rice anG Sully to Sioux City, Iowa
Mail by this route vas slower than thu
Totem route, and on both it was so sub
ject to interruption that the fort was fire
quently without a mail for three months a
a time.
Up to the early seventies the medical
hospital and commissary supplies for tn
Missouri river forts, were brought from
st. Louis by a line of steamers, run by tn
firm of Durfee & Peck, but after that dat
the base of supplies was transferred t,
Sioux City, Iowa the nearest railroad
point on the south. The nearest fort, OF
the Missouri river. to Sioux City, was For
Randall, on the right bank of the river, Ion
miles above Yankton, which was estab
lished by General Harvey in 1856. TIL,
next above was Fort Sully, situated on tn,
east bank of the Missouri, twenty miles be
low the mouth of the Cheyenne river, ant
two hundred miles by river above For
Randall. 1t was about the same distance
to Fort Rice above. This post was hal
way between the head of navigation
Fort BentOn--and the mouth of the Mis-
souri,, and l .48O miles above st. Louis.
The original Fort Sully, was established
by Genl Alfred Sully, and was built OF
the same side of the river thirty miles be
low. 1t was abandoned because of tn,
unhealthy character OF the site, removed
to the present location in August 1866
During the winter succeeding the arriva
" L VAO sAOOpo ~ VAS AAN" ~ CASy AL
intensely from cold, their only quarter
being such as could be constructed of slabs
and shelter tents. The barracks for til,
men were not completed until late in 1861
and the officers quarters in 1868. Mai
wagons were run weekly from Fort Sull!
to Sioux City during the entire year
although during the winter they wer,
liable to frequent interruption from snow
There were no stopping places between
the Fort and Yancton and no inhabitant
in the vicinity except the rowing indians
but few of whom were friendly.
To be Continued.
For Over Fifty Years
Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup hal
been used for children teething. I
soothes the child, softens the gums, al
lays all pain, cures wind collie, and is tn
best remedy for diarrhaa. twenty-five
cents q bottle. Sold by all druggist
throughout the world.