The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-07-03
FIRST BOAT to reach
Fort BENTON. in the early sum-

mel of 1881 was the Ear
West" and it found as many pas
sengers awaiting its arrival and de-
parture as its limited cabin space
would accommodate, some thirty IN
all. 1t was not a large boat, and
having navigated the Missouri and
the Yellowstone for a decade, its
condition was not of the best. I'm
der ordinary circumstances one
would have preferred to take one
of the newer boats, like the Hell
ena, which was daily expected. But
the season when the Missouri
could be navigated generally last
ing less than four months, those
who wished to visit the East, and
make the return journey up the riv-
er, were anxious to start at the
earliest possible moment.
Among the passengers who were
booked on the "Far West was a
large number Of officers and their
families from Fort Assinaboine,
Col. Brown, his wife and son.;
Captain Cass Durham and fam
lily; Mrs. Hoyt, whose husband,
Capt. Hoyt, superintendent the
building of Fort Harrison; Mrs.
Wood, who with her son had been
visiting her sister, Mrs. Hoyt; and
Mrs. Baldwin, wife of Maj. Bald
win. The remainder were civil
ians, including myself, and my two
children, the younger a little more
than a baby.
All the listed passengers were
aboard; the work of taking on
freight was ended; and still we did
not leave the levee. Then the Hell
ena whistle was heard around the
bend below the town, and soon it
steamed up to the landing. Our de-
lay in starting could not be ex-
planned, boats rivalling one another
in making record runs to and from
Fort Benton. We began to think
we had made a mistake in going
on the "Far West when at length
the boat started down the river,
closely followed by the Helena,
finally passed us.
Had I known the history of the
gallant little craft on which we then
were, as I do now, I should have
considered it a privilege to be one
Of her passengers.
Built in Pittsburg in 1870, the
Far West" possessed the desir-
abe qualifications for upper river
navigation, of being light, sturdy
and speedy, and because of these
t was engaged in government SER
ice during the tragic summer of
1876, when occurred the Custer
Massacre.
At Yankton it took on food sup
lies for Fort Lincoln; but arriving
here found the fort nearly empty,
n expedition having started for the
Gene of some Indian disturbances
N the Yellowstone, ten days be-
ore, and the Ear West" was or
Tered to follow, which it did, ar
at Powder river June 9TH.
4ere General Terry came on
,oard and there established his
headquarters. The next day the
,oat reached a point fifteen miles /;
below the mouth of the Tongue /
liver, where General Gibbon joined
and they went up a few
to Gibbons camp, where the
Far West" remained a couple of
lours, when Gibbon took leave, and
he boat returned to Powder river.
IRVING there June 9th. General
Terry then left for the camp of
General Custer. (
From that date until the fifteenth
f Tune the Ear West" was en- i
aged in transfer work. Early on {
he 18th, General Custer set out for {
he Tongue, with six troops of $
.valry, and carrying his supplies {
n pack mules. General Terry and '
is staff followed on the boat, a
-hich carried additional supplies. a
t the Tongue river news was h
from Major Reno. This i
lme on the evening of the 18TH. S
large Indian trail had been dis
leading, it was thought, II
wards the Big Horn. The time b
r decisive action had arrived now c
at the position of the enemy was d
lown, and the cavalry marched ST
the Rosebud, arriving there
noon of June 2lst, to find
sneral Terry and the Ear West" tie
d reached there first. 81
1t was in the cabin Of this boat al
the three generals, D.rry, Glib m
n, and Custer, held council, and W
AIMED ont the fO11OWin0 cam v(