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

sengers from going on this trip
l told them in as polite a way as ]
could that if I had my own boa
7 where they had the best Of accom-
, modations, I would like very much
to have them with us, but on thi:
boat there were no conyeniencies
and it really was no place for ladies
We would probably have sick ane
wounded on the boat, and l did no
think it would be pleasant forthem
l could see they were disappointed
but that it was best that they die
not make the trip as otherwise they
, would have been on the boat whe1
/, their husbands were killed.
} When we had finished loading
we received a hearty farewell, and
were off for the trip. We made
good time, and reached Powder
river before the army arrived. They
had pack mules to carry their sup.
plies, and would encamp near the
river where they could take sup.
plies from the boat. We met the
army again at the mouth of Rose
bud river, the army going into camp
at that point. We were in camp at
this point several days, and while
there, the 7th Infantry with Gen.
Gibbons in command, met us. They
marched from Ft. Shaw, Montana.
They were there several days.
/ Gen. Custer had with him his
brother Tom, who was captain of
one of the troops; his nephew, a
young man by the name Of Reed;
and his younger brother, Boston,
while the scouts were sent out to
locate the camp of the hostile Indi-
ans, and when they returned, the
plan of the campaign was made on
my boat by Gems. Terry, Custer
and Gibbons, the former named
general being the ranking officer in
command of the department
While there, Boston Custer and
I became great friends: When we
were ordered to separate on June
22nd, the cavalry went out in pur-
suit Of the hostile Indians which
the scouts had located, and the boat
was tomeet the cavalryat the mouth
Of the Little Big Horn river, fifty
fourmiles up Big Horn river, if the
river was found Manageable, if not,
to remain at the junction Of the
Yellowstone and Big Horn rivers in
order to furnish them with supplies.
The 18th Infantry was to march up
the north side of the Yellowstone
to the junction Of the Big Horn and
Yellowstone, the boat to meet them
there and take them across to the
south side, which we did. AS [
said, Boston Custer, or Boss as he
was called, andI wanted him to stay
on the boat with me until we met
the cavalry which he had consented
to do. At noon that day, we were
to send the mail back from there,
and Boss said to me 81 will go in
your Office and write a letter to my
mother before the mail Closes" He
wrote his letter and then went out
to the tent to get some tobacco and
that is The last time I saw him, for
some unknown reason he changed
his plans and accompanied the ILL.
fated cavalry. While going past
Gen. Clusters tent, the General
called to me and said Boss has
told me that he is going with you,y
but I I'm afraid he will eat you out
Iof house and home." I am sure
the general wished Boss to go with
me but I was never able to find out
how Boss happened to change his
plans. As I started to say, at noon
we we're to send the mail to Buford
a sergeant of the 9Th Inf, named
Fox, and two soldiers We're selected
to go with the mail. They were to.
make the trip in a skif down the
river, but not knowing how to han
die the skitf, and the current being
swift, the skitf turned over before
they had gone very far, and Ser
|geant Fox, and two soldiers were
drowned and the mail lost. There
was a large accumulation Of mail,