Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-09-02

and later crossed the troops again "a
the east side Of the river. On the
down trip Marsh conveyed parts OF
the Eighth and Ninth infantry. sta
City.
Essential to Success
Had these trips failed, the military
expeditions would have been more diff
ficult and hazardous Marsh wrote
and the settlement Of the west and
the Indian campaigns would have been
long delayed At that time the country
was an Indian paradise, fun Of buffalo,
mountain sheep, elk, bear, deer, ante
lope and mountain lions"
The geological explanation Of the or
igin Of Pompey's Pillar Is that ages
ago there was q point Of bluffs ex-
tending hogbacklike to the south from
the sandstone bluffs along the Vel
| lowstone river, washed on either side
/ by the river, and a creek that emp
/ tied into the river Just below.
The constant wearing finally. cut
/ the river through the ridge leaving
/ point on the south bank which is now
known as Pompeyis Pillar, being the
only absolute place recognizable today
visited by the explorers, Lewis and
Clark, on their memorable trip to the
Pacific in 1904 and 1905.
On their return trip In 1905 Captain
3
discovering this rock, engraved his
name thereon, July IS, 1905, to be
rediscovered in 1875 by Capt. Grant
Marsh of the steamer Josephine which
was bound to the head Of navigation OF
the Yellowstone which was reached
on June z, 1875, ct a point on the
farm Of John Miller, few miles south
west of Billings where the steamer was
tied up for the night and the tree
to which 1t was hitched appropriately
marked. The tree, however, has long
since been washed into the river and
lost.
Thirteen With Clark
Captain Clark's party consisted Of
Is persons, all told, being the captain,
Sergeant Pryor, Privates Shields,
Shannon, Bratton, Labiesch, Windsor,
Hall, Gibson, Interpreter Sharbano, his
wife Sacajawea their child, and Clarks
slave, York. The party constructed
canoes at a camp a little way above
the present Park City. Sergeant Pryor
with Privates Windsor, Shannon and
Hall set out overland with the horses, |
meeting the canoe party at the mouth
of Blue creek, just south OF Billings, |
where they were set across the river.
Many stories have been told as to |
the naming of PompeyS Pillar; one |
that Clark'S cook "Pompey" died and /
was buried there, another a roundup /
COOK NElL1lGI IOlupCJJ oANCpo
the "long sleep" on top Of the rock.
Old timers have told of seeing a grave
there with human bones protruding,
but being In the heart of the Indian
country, what old Indian, having lived
his life in the valley, would not have
chosen that as his last resting place,
the better to observe the approach OF
buffalo as they came to this natural
crossing of the great river.
Captain Clark, IN his journal, de-
scribes the rock and the view from the
top thereof and named 1t Pompeys
tower, and the creek opposite "Bap-
tieste's creek" Why?
Writers Give Reasons
Writers who have written digests of
the Lewis and Clark journal, say Pom
Dey's Pillar was named after a pile OF
that name IN Egypt which, by the way,
was not built by, nor named In honor
Of Pompey. The creek, Baptieste, was .
named after Baptiste lie Page, a MEM
per of the expedition, who, however,
was not a member Of ClarkS' party J
1own the Yellowstone.
AS to the child of Sacajawea, no.
where in the journal Is his name men !
If the journal writers have referred
20 him as little Touissaint," while, ,
more recently, it has been clearly es-
,ablished that the childs name was
IN 1904 letter written by Clark in
8O6 to Touissant Charbaneau came to
light and removes all doubt as to the
name of the child and furnishes I
eason for the names of the rock and {
reek.
The letter, In part:
Gas to your little son (ny boy Pomp) :
Tou well know my fondneSS Tor him :
nd my anxiety to take him and raise !
i'm as my own child. I once more !
ell you If you viii bring me your j
on BaptieSte, will educate him with
nxious expectation Of seeing my little
ancing boy, Baptieste, remain your
riend, William Clark" q
At the time of the discovery Of POM
,eys Pillar, the child was about l9
months old and without doubt was J
nore or less q favorite in that band
I rough and ready go-getters and as O
II members of the expedition had
cen honored by having typographical Il
eatlIreS named for them, Captain b
lark honored little Baptiste by nam
~ both the rock and creek. s.
To Replace Tower :
It also has been advanced that CLARK
t that time had never heard OF b
'ompey's Pillar, and it Is quite prob
BILE that the pillar part of the name c
as been supplied to replace tower
{ the fancy of writers who sought TO n
improve on the captains nomenclature. e
Ither instances are found by students b
{ the journal. -, Il
Ike her son to st. Louis and tnat P
m