The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-01-29

COulu NC fcCOSeFeQ as the current OF
the river was very rapid, but had
grapplers and boat hooks and kept at
work, and we were finally rewarded
In finding the mail but none of the
bodies. OF course, the mail was, all
wet, but we spread out all the letters
on the upper deck and dried them, and
might be- we'll to explain the reason
for sending the mail in skiff, as 1t
would take a small army 10 carry It
overland on account of the Indians.
with the skiff they could run at night.
and hide in the willows and timber
during the day and in that way es-
cape the Indians.
The widow of Sergeant Fox married
another man In the regiment by the
same name, who died recently in Bis.
marck. ] am 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 the point. Capt
Baker of the 9th Infantry, was in
military command of the boat with his
company on board. He is the man
who built the building where the Mer-
chants State Bank is now located in
Bismarck. With lots of hard work
and by using the steam capstain to
pull the boat over the many rapids,
we reached the Little Big Horn safe
ly. When we arrived there, we could
see no signs of anyone ever being
there. Capt. Baker decided to remain
there; no doubt it was his orders.
We were there just two days when
just at daylight the sentinels on
duty called, "Indians!" All hands
We're 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 counted. The
white man reached us safely. He was
Muggins Taylor, scout sent to find
the boat after the battle and had the
boat not been there the Indians would
have surely captured him in a short
time. He told us of the fate of Gus
ter and his men. Two soldiers of the
7th Infantry 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 Infantry ar
rived with the wounded and after talk
ing them aboard, we started for Fort
Lincoln. One of the men died and
we stopped at Powder river to bury
MN. We also made short stops at
Fort BufOrd, Berthold and Stevenson
and arrived at Bismarck about dark,
having made the trip in forty-four
hours, the quickest time ever made
by any western steamboat for a like
distance.
We remained at Bismarck over
night; here DR.. Middleton relieved the
hero. Dr.. Porter, who had become
about exhausted, as he had been on
duty day and night attending to the
wants OF the tifty-two wounded DR..
Lord and Dr. DeWolf were killed in
battle; also Mark kellogg, who was
correspondent of the Bismarck Tri-
bune He was my guest ON the boat
on the trip up the river until two
days before he was killed. Cant. Nc
Caskie. Lieut. Gurley and Lieut. Burns
also came aboard, DR.. Middleton. all
old timers at Bismarck no doubt know
them we'll. We started the next morn
ing at daylight for Fort Lincoln. At
ter we landed, the officers above men
toned went to all of the officers wives
Whp had lost their husbands, with
some excuse of which l never knew,
got them all to meet at Mrs. Clusters
house and told them what happened.
There were twenty-eight widows, in
Guiding officers and soldiers wives.
Such scene was never witnessed.
men, women and children came run
ming to the boat crying and wanted
to learn the fate of their husbands.
sons and brothers
The old settlers store building is