Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-03-19

getting along as ca - as he could.
Lieutenant Westol 4 +-;-pss away, and T
was in command of the troop. I was
the first to receive-General MeCook's
Every little while rider
would be thrown. There was no time
to stop and help him, but he had to
look out for himself. After great ex-
we finally got the horses I'M
der shelter, and then we had to look
out for a place for ourselves, as it
was impossible to face the storm and
go back to camp. Some of us found
refuge in the town hotels; others
were cared for by citizens in their
homes. There were many laundresses
and children in camp, and we became
very anxious about them. Fortunate
ly, the weather was not very cold, SO
they were in no immediate danger of
freezing to death, bait we knew they
must be suffering from hunger. On
the third day of the storm several
officers with a, number of men en-
deavored to reach camp, but we were
unable to face the driving wind and
snow.
On the fifth day we succeeded, after
several hours of the hardest work, in
rea ching camp. We found some of
the women and children buried in the
snow, number had frost bitten hands
and feet, and all OF them were half
dead with fright and lack of susten-
ance. They were put into sleds and
dragged to town, where the kind
hearted citizens turned out en- masse
to aid the unfortunates in every wav
possible.
After the storm was over we went
back to camp with our horses. Thev
were a sorry looking lot, all gaunt
from hunger and thirst, and many
without names and tails, which had
been knawed off by other ANIMALS in
efforts to obtain. little nourishment.
In day or two the snow melted and
our camp was, for several days, one
vast lake.
Mrs. Custer, in Boots and Saddles. ~
describes this storm, but her account
falls far short of complete presenta
ton of the sufferings of those who
were in the camp.
After the ground became dry, we
had an animated camp. It was the
first time since the Wichita CAMPAIGN
of 1868 that as many as ten troops
hadWbeen together. There were SQUAD
drills, company drills, squadron drills
and regimental drills daily, ending
every evening with a dress parade
mounted. To witness this came the
people of the surrounding country for
miles. Entertainments by citizens of
Yankton were given several times
each week. With few exceptions the
officers had their families
with them. Time passed rapidly and
while getting ready for
the long march to Fort Rice, where
the main body of the Yellowstone
expedition" of 1873 was to rem
devious.
General Stanley, colonel of the
TWenty-second Infantry, was in COM
mand. l have forgotten the exact
composition of the expedition, but
there were about all the companies of
the Twenty-second Infantry, six COM
panies of the Ninth Infantry, four of
the Eighth Infantry, and one or two
of the Sixth Infantry, several of the
Infantry, besides a detach-
ment of Rec Indians under Lieutenant
Daniel Brush, Seventeenth Infantry.
There was an immense wagon train.
for supplies had to be carried for the
long march to Glendive, on the Vel
lowstone river where we were to
meet some steamboats, with additional
supplies for the trip west along the
Yellowstone.
In moving up the Missouri from
Yankton each troop was allowed two
wagons, enough to carry a few days
rations for the men and forage for
the horses. A flat-bottom steamboat
went along loaded with supplies. OF
course, our march was across the
bends of the river, while the steamer
had to follow the windings. and prob
ably went at least twice as far If not
more, every day than we did. The
families Of the officers, excepting Mrs.
Custer and Mrs. Calhoun, were on the
boat. Several times each week the
camp was almost alongside of the,
steamer. The passengers on the boat
found It a very monotonous trip. their.
only consolation being that they were
always sheltered from the heavy rain
storms to which we were exposed.
was caterer of our mess on the
march from Yankton to Fort Rice. In
the nless were Colonel Benteen, DR..
Kimball, Lieutenants Weston, Gibson