The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-01-20

speaker. ~wls that q telling the world
Of the disaster which had beiallen
Custer and his command ct the littla
Big Horn on that June day Ia 1876
For days there WAS silence after the
regiment had left Bismarck. Then
came the startling news that Custer
and his entire command had been
killed.
Bismarck was at the western end
Of tho telegraph line, the nearest
point with which contact with civil.
cation could be made. Hurriedly In
servtewing those on the steamer Who
had Information, and piecing together
their fragmentaSy statements into Z
consistent story, Colonel Lounsberry
wired to the New York Herald Il col.
,lmns, giving . complete account Of
the Little Big Horn battle In 30 far a
DETAILS were available. His own milf
tary experience enabled him to inter-
pref some phases Of that tragedy In
= manner which would have been i'm.
possible without that experience,
That dispatch. which occupied many
hours Of sending, IL said to have been
the most detailed account Of any mn.
jnr event ever received by wire by an
American newspaper up to that time.
The tolls on that dispatch are said to
have been over 5000. Other reports,
less detailed, were furnished % Chi.
caso. st. Louis, Cincinnati and other
paper5."
Edited From Disfanca
During the winter Of l074.76. he 70.
ported the proceedings Of tho Mime.
sofa legislature for the Minneapolis
Tribune and st. Paul Dispatch, leav.
Ing his own paper at Bismarck In the
care Of subordinates. Because Of
heavy snow, the Northern Pacific was
shut down for the winter. In that
emergency Colonel Lousberry edited
the Bismarck Tribune BY wire from
st Paul.
He was Z familiar figure during les.
is!ative sessions In st. Paul and 1t
Bismarck, serving Twin City papers,
the Associated Press and northwest
ern syndicates. In 1857, having dis.
oosed Of his interests In the Bismarck
Iribune. he established the Duluth
Daily News. Later he was one Of the
board Of judges ct the worlds fair In
Chicago In 1893. editor Of the st. Paul
Globe and manager Of tho Fargo Ar
gus. In 1906 he established the Rec
ord ut Fargo. . historical monthly
which he published for 10 years,
meanwhile assembling material for
his elabcl ~ and authentic History Of
North LSbosa, m exceedingly valuable
reference work. An active Mason, he
Vas instrumental In establishiug Ma.
sonic bodies ct Fairmont, Mimi, and
bismarck.
During the intervals Of IN unusual
~ active life, Colonel Lounsberry stu.
uied law ant, was admitted 70 the bar.
After his retirement from active
newspaper work he WAS appointed
special agent Of the general land o..
flee, with headquarters In Washing.
ton. He occupied that position until
advancing years and failing sight
compelled hts retirement. He died In
washington Oct. 2. 1876, and his re-.
mains lie with those Of other soldier
dead In Arlington cemetery.
Leaves Three Chill en-
Children Of Colonel Aounsberrvf
llrst marriage are Mrs. G. Z. v. IIat.
tte) Draper. San Diego, Cal, now q
widow. and George H. and william O..
both Of Duluth. TWO other sons died
several years ago. Mira. Lounsberry
died In 1912. Some years later COL
onel Lounsbefry married lGrs. Bronson,
ard after her death he We'd Min = Z.
ouytou. his total blindness requiSine
the constant attention q . nurse and
companion.