The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-01-29
the boat that explored the Yellow
stone river in 1873.

BY order of Gen. Sheridan, Gen.,
G. H. F6rsythe was the military com.
mand to learn II the river was nav
agable in order to supply the army
by river transportation The army
was necessary to protect the survey
Ors OF the N. p. r. r. The trip was
successful, and on Gen. Forsythe's
report the first Custer expedition was
made in 1873 from Fort Rice to
point above the Big Hord river. l
was In command of the supply boat.
Clusters first battle with the Sioux
Indians took place short distance
from the mouth of the Big Horn
river. Lieut.. Braden of the 7th Cav
airy, was wounded and is cripple
to this day. had him on the boat
after he was wounded, and brought
him to Bismarck
The Indians gave the soldiers so
much trouble that they could not
protect the surveyors. Gen. Rosser
was the engineer in charge of the
surveying party The expedition was
gone all summer and in 1874, there
was a small expedition to the Powder
river. In the winter of 1874 and 1875,
the government decided to settle the
Indian question for all time, and in
the spring of rs, my boat, steamer
Josephine, was, chartered to make a
complete exploration of the Yellow
stone river. We started from Yank-
ton in April and on reaching Bis
marck, took on board Gen. Forsythe,
Col. Fred Grant of Gen. Sheirdan's
staff, Charley Reynolds, who was
Gen. Clusters favOrite scout, and sew
eral others.
We made very successful trip to
a point about 80 miles above the Big
Horn river to Pompey's Pillar, the
result Of which was that as soon as
Gen. Forsythe made his report, they
commenced to organize the eXpedi-
tion of 1876. l lived at Yankton, S.
D., which was the headquarters for
all boats, and | was ordered to select
any boat that thought most suitable
for the trip, l selected the Far West,
a powerful, light draft craft, with but
a small cabin to bother it in the high
winds which prevail in that country.
We left Yankton in the early part of
April. 1876, with government stores
for Fort Lincoln, which was the head
quarters for the 7th Cavalry, Gen.
Clusters regiment. Nothing of inter-
est occurred on the up-river trip and
when we arrived at Fort Lincoln we
learned that the expedition had been
gone about ten days to march to Pow
der river, where they were to meet
the supply boat While we unloaded
our cargo, Mrs. Custer and all of the
officers wives came on board; this
was the custom in those days as the
forts were lonesome places at best
and the arrival of boat was almost
as good as a Fourth of July celebra-
ton. During the afternoon, while
they were on the boat, the steward
prepared coffee and lunch for them.
was busy attending to the loading of
supplies for the cavalry, and when
lunch was ready. Mrs. Custer called
to me to come and eat with them.
While, we were enjoying the lunch,
Mrs. Custer remarked to me that the
general had said that if l were will
ing, she and Mrs. Lieut.. Smith might
make the trip with me on the boat;
but one reason why ] had chosen the
Far West instead of my own boat,
Josephine, which had fine cabin on
it, was to keep passengers from going
on this trip. l told them in as polite
a way as / could that if | had my
own boat where they had the best OF
accommodations, j would like very
much to have them with us, but on
this boat there were no conveniences,
and it really was no place for ladies.
We would probably have sick and
wounded on the boat, and l did not
think it would be pleasant for them
could see they were disappointed,
but that it was best that they did not
make the trip as otherwise they
would have been on the boat when
their husbands were killed.
When we had finished loading, we
received hearty farewell, and were
off fol" the trip. We made good time,
and reached Powder river before the
army arrived. They had pack mules
to carry their supplies, and would en-
camp near the river where they could
take supplies 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 Mn camp at
this point several days, and while
there, the 18th Infantry with Gen. Glib
bons in command, met us. They
marched from Fort 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. young
man by the name of Reed; and his
younger brother, Boston, while the
scouts We're sent out to locate the
camp of the hostile Indians, and when
they returned, the plan of the CAM
paign was made on my boat by Gems.
Terry, Custer and Gibbons, the for
mer named general being the rank
ing officer in command of the depart
ment.
While there, Boston Custer and
became great friends When we were
ordered to separate on June %, the
cavalry went out in pursuit of hos
tile Indians which the scouts had To-
Gated, and the boat was to meet the
cavalry at the mouth of the Little
Big Horn river, fifty-four miles up
Big Horn river, if the river was found
navigable, If not, to remain at the
junction of the Yellowstone and Big
Horn rivers in order to furnish them
with supplies. The 7th 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 ito the south side, which we
did As 1 said, Boston Custer, or
Boss as he was called, and wanted
him to stay on the boat with me until
we met The cavalry, which he had con
sented to do. At noon that day, we
were to send the mail back from there
and Boss said to me, ~ 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 l saw him, for
some unknown reason he changed his