The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1907-12-06
AN INCIDENT OF
CUSTER MASSACRE
Editor Leader:

| l was one of a party, recently,
who was talking about old Fort
Berthold. A man named DR..
Courtney was mentioned, and
there was also man there by the
same name who held some position
(boss farmer. I think and the lat
ter is the one of whom L wish to
speak.
Mr.. Courtney kept a woodward
for many years at Drowned Mans
Rapids-on the Missouri river, a
hundred and twenty-five miles be-
low Fort Benton.
In 1874, while l was passing
there on the steamer Josephine,
we stopped to take a supply of
wood. Before we landed I saw a
war party Of Indians leaving the
place, and thought this to be very
strange. When we landed I asked
Mr.. Courtney about them. He
said they were a war party of
friendly Grows, going down to
Fort Claggett to visit the "obsor-
ikas."
| Fort Claggett being about three
miles below on the mouth of the
Judith River, where T. G. Power
& Bros. had trading post, there
we're also some soldiers there ON
temporary duty. I asked Mr..
Courtney what "obsorikas' meant,
and he replied that it meant "sol-
dier'' in the Grow language.
I have seen considerable Of the
Grows. They talk mostly by
signs, q having seen them in
council using sign language) but
the word "obsorikas'' was the only
word in their language that I ever
remembered.
Two years later, when we were
at the mouth Of the Little Big
Horn river with the supply steam
er Far West for Gen. Clusters
army, party from the boat, in
cluding myself, were fishing in the
Little Big Horn about 500 yards
from the boat. We all carried our
guns as it was customary to take
our guns with us when we went on
shore in those days. While we
were having our fun catching fish
a lone Indian rode out of the brush
on the opposite side Of the river.
and one of the party called out,
Indians" We all jumped for our
guns. As soon as the Indian saw
us he held his gun over his head
which means friend" We then
recognized him as one Of eight
Crow Indian scouts who went
with Gen. Custer when we sep
arated from him at the mouth OF
Rosebud river, five days before
Gen. Custer went to attack the
Sioux Indians, which the Scouts
had located on the Little Big
Horn river, The Seventh Infantry
marched up the North bank of
Yellowstone to Big Horn river,
where we crossed them to the
south side of the river.
After we recognized the Indian
we motioned for him to come over,
and, as the Little Big Horn is a
small stream he had no trouble
in fording it. As soon as he was
on our side, 1 took him to the
boat to present him to Capt. Ba-
ker, in military command of the
boat. The Indian was very much
excited. Capt. Baker tried to get
him to say something that we
could understand, but he could
not speak a word of English.
Capt. Baker was also excited for
he thought there was something
wrong.
We were standing on the cabin
deck of the boat. In the party
were Capt. Baker and Lieut.. Carlin
(or Garland, [ don't know which
he has son who is United States
Judge in Sioux Falls; many old
timers in Washburn and Bismarck
no doubt remember both we'll, also
Capt. Baker; they both be-
longed to the Sixth Inf. sta
toned at Fort Lincoln. The