The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1906-01-12

letters on thegupper deck and dried
them, and not a letter was lost.
Perhaps it might be well to explain
the reason for sending the
mail in a skiff, as it would take a
small army to carry it overland on
account Of the Indians, with the
skiff they could run at night, and
hide in the willows and timber dur
ing the day, and in that way escape
the Indians.
The widow Of Sergeant Fox mar
ried another man in the regiment
by the same name, who died re-
Gently in Bismarck. lam told she
now lives in Bismarck.
According to the plans, after we
crossed Gen. Gibbons command,
we were to make the attempt to
reach the Little Big Horn river in
order to give the cavalry supplies,
which were to meet us at that point.
Capt. Baker, of the 9Th Init, was in
military command of the boat with
his company on board. He is the
man who built the building where
the Merchants State Bank is now
located in Bismarck. With lots Of
hard work and by using the steam
capstan to put the boat over the
many rapids, we reached the Little
Big Horn safely. When we arrived
there, we could see no signs of any
one ever being there, Capt. Baker
decided to remain there; no doubt
it was his orders.
We were there just twodays when
just at daylight, the sentinels on
duty called "Indians!' All hands
were not long in getting out. When
the Indians came nearer to the boat
we could see a white man ahead Of
them pursued by the Indians, both
he and the Indians were mounted.
The white man reached us safely.
He was Muggins Taylor, a scout
sent to find the boat after the battle
and had the boat not been there,
the Indians would have surely cap
tured him in a short time. He told
us Of the fate of Custer and hismen.
Two soldiers of the 7th Unfit. came
the next morning at daylight and
told us to prepare to take care Of
the 50 wounded which they were
trying to get to the boat. The next
night the 18th Init. arrived with the
wounded and after taking them
aboard, we started for Ft. Lincoln.
One of the men died and we stopped
at Powder river to bury him. We
also made short stops at Fl. Buford,
Bertholdand Stevenson and arrived
at Bismarck about, dark, having
made the trip. in ffty-four hours,
the quickest time ever made by any
western steamboat for like distance.
We remained at Bismarck over
night; here DR.. Middleton relieved
the hero, DR.. Porter, who had be-
come about exhausted, as he had
been on duty day and night attend
ing to the wants of the ffty-two
wounded. DR.. Lord, and DR.. De-
Wolf were killed in battle; also
Mark Kellogg who. was correspond
ent of'the Bismarck Tribune. He
was my guest on the boat on the
trip up the river until two days
before he was killed. Capt. Nc
Caskie, Lieut.. Gurley and Lieut..
Burns also came aboard, DR.. Mid
|dleton, all old timers at Bismarck
no doubt know them well. We
started the next morningat daylight
for Ft. Lincoln. After we landed,
the officers above mentioned went
to all Of the officers wives who had
lost their husbands with some ex-.I
cuse Of which l never knew, got]|
them all to meet at Mrs. Custer's|
house and told them what happened
There we're twenty-eight widows,
including officers and soldiers
wives. Such a scene vas never
witnessed, men, women and chill;
dren came running to the boat cry
ing and wanted to learn the fate Of
their husbands, sons and brothers.
The old-settlers' store building
.. Tl.i -2A H. GE44E.LLl - 49, \ ~ Il