Post by Beth on May 18, 2016 21:06:02 GMT
(I have changed o'clk to o'clock for readability-Beth)
May 17th
Started from Ft. Lincoln Camp 5 A.M. Reached 1st Crossing of Little Heart River 2 P.M. With Main body Distance 13-1/ 2 m.
May 18
Rev 3 A.M. Advance 5 A.M. Train across Heart River 8-1/ 2 A.M. Command moved 9 A.M. Halted 10.15 Reached Camp 2 P.M. Dist. 10.8 m.
19th
Moved at 5. 3/ 4 of mile found ravine impassable from water. Turned back to camp & turned ravine. Marched 3/ 4 mile & halted for train to close up at 6 o'clock Halt to close up 7.20 (Morning threatening rain) very cloudy cleared at 6.30) (Hughes forward with Custer). Nooned 9 o'clock Halt 10 Start
20th
Started at 7.45 with advance guard arrived first crossing Creek at 9 o'clock dist. estimated 4-1/ 2 m Started 11-1/ 2 halted Little Muddy 12 Bridge Started 2.45 Camp 3 March
21st
Reveille 3 Advance ordered at 5. Waited for construction of bridge over Little Muddy. Moved at 6.30. Marched till 7 Started again at 9. halted at 10. Moved again at 11. Halted at 12.10. With Advance guard. Moved 2.45 Arrived in camp 3.30 dist. 13-1/ 2
22d
Morning very bright & clear. Reveille 3. Advance 4.40 Halted at 3.40 on further edge of valley. Started 6.30 Halted 7.30 S 8.10 Halt 9.40 Camp 12 Dist. 15 1/ 3
23d
Bright & Clear Start 5.201 Halt 6.30 Start 7.05 H. 8.25 Camp on west plateau west of Young Men's Butte, great abundance of wood fine spring water good grass Dist. 7 3/ 4
24 Wednesday
Sunrise clear Rev. 3 Advance 4.55 Halt 6.40 Moved 7. Halt 8.10 Start Halt 9.50 Reached camp 2 o'clk Dist. Near Stanley's Crossing 19.20
25 Thursday
Advance 4.45. Halted at hill beyond crossing till 6.30 Over valley country with easy slopes till 7.45 Advance over same country from 8.15 till 9.30 A. 10.5 Halt Build Bridge Moved 11.05 [?] Reached camp 2.20 Dist. 19.75 m
26 Friday
Moved 5 A.M. Halt 5.30 Moved 6. Halt 7.10 Bridge Start 9.20 Halt 10.40 Moved 1 o'clock
27 Saturday
Rev. 3 Moved 5 Halt 6.15 Moved 8 o'clk Halt 9.20 This halt in sight of Meauvius Terres. Custer in advance with scouts & Wiers Co. seeking for trail. Sent Capt. Michaelis with 15 men & Pvt. McCue as guide to the South to find Stanley's Trail McCue comes to the conclusion that he had been mistaken, [rest too light on copy to be read]
Reynolds scouted to the South. Indians escort out Bearing of hills supposed to be the Sentinel Buttes shows us to be far South of Davis Creek. Our course plotted on the map agrees with bearing. Turned back at 1 o'clock. Scout having reported that he had found Stanley's Trail to the northward Reached camp at 2.15 Encamped in valley of Creek. Dist. travelled 17 1/ 3 m Probably a direct route would have been about 7 miles
28 Sunday
Advance 4.45 found advance guard 2 miles to the front. Reached 1st Crossing Davis Creek at 5.45 dist. 3.95m
2 Crossing 1-1/ 2m
3 crossing 200 yds. Time 6.45
3 crossing 40 minutes
4 crossing 2 hours
5 crossing 1-1/ 4 hours
—
7 crossing Reached 10-1/2
29th Monday
Left Camp 4.45 Arrived at —— Camp Main Column up left. Maguire to build bridge & pushed on to —— crossing reached it with advance guard at 6.20 Build bridge over crossing arrived at Little Missouri 8.30
30th
Remained in camp on Little Missouri. Sent Custer at 5 A.M. up the valley. Returned at 6 o'clk having made from 21 to 25 miles up & then same distance in returning No sign of Indians. Maguire at work building road at crossing of river. Went with Smith to reconnoiter road as far as the gable sided butte. Returned & sent Smith & Gibbs with 3 Cos to repair road. Rained heavily with lightning in evening.
31th
Moved out of camp at 8 o'clock. Crossed river & moved with advance guard to crest near Gable Butte halted. Gibbs reported from rear that wagons pass river without trouble Wagons seen coming out of such without trouble. Reno comes up, Custer behind playing Wagon Master. Moved out with advance halted at 9.30 Odometer 5 1/ 3 m The road through the bad lands, at this point is about four miles in length. Moved on at 11.30. Proceeded about two miles when a message was received from Lt. Col. Custer, who left the column early in the day without any authority whatever. That we were not on Stanley's trail back [illegible] turned back & examined ground [four words illegible] Moved on & reached camp at 2 o'clock Camp on one of the forks of Andrews Creek Dist. 10.9
On the 19th of February I was informed, by a dispatch of that date from Maj. James S. Brisbin, Second Cavalry, commanding the post of Fort Ellis, that he had on the previous day received an appeal for help from a party who had established themselves for the purpose of trade, trapping, and mining at a point near the mouth of the Big Horn, known as Fort Pease. It was stated that fourteen men were holding a stockade against the Indians, who had surrounded them. Major Brisbin proposed to go to their relief. The proposal of Major Brisbin was approved by me, and he was instructed by telegraph to proceed at once to carry it into effect. He marched from Fort Ellis on the 21st of February with four companies of his regiment and arrived at Fort Pease and relieved the occupants on the 4th of March. It was found that the original party had consisted of forty-six men, of whom six had been killed, and eight wounded, thirteen had escaped by night, and nineteen were found in the stockade and were brought away. No Indians were seen by the troops, but war-lodges were found representing a force of about sixty Sioux who had fled southward.
On the 10th of February last I received from the Lieutenant-General commanding orders to commence operations against the hostile Sioux. At the same time I was informed that similar instructions had been given to Brigadier-General Crook, then as now commanding the Department of the Platte, who would operate from Fort Laramie in the direction of the head-waters of Powder River, Pumpkin Butte, and the Big Horn. Preparations for the movement were immediately commenced, and it was supposed that the troops could be made ready to march early in April. The collection of troops and supplies for the expedition, however, was dependent on the opening of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
That road was opened earlier than is usual in the spring, but severe snow-storms again closed it. Owing to this fact, and to the necessity of waiting for the arrival of troops ordered from the Department of the Gulf to this Department, it was not until the middle of May that all preparations were completed.
The force originally intended for the field consisted of the nine companies of the Seventh Cavalry then in this Department. Companies C and G of the Seventeenth Infantry, Company B of the Sixth Infantry, a battery of Gatling guns, manned by detachments from the Twentieth Infantry, and forty Indian scouts. Subsequently it was increased by the three remaining companies of the Seventh Cavalry, which, on my application, were ordered from the Department of the Gulf to their regiment, in order that they might accompany it into the field.
Lieut.-Col. G. A. Custer, of the Seventh Cavalry, was at first assigned to the command of this force; but under subsequent instructions I assumed the command in person, Lieutenant-Colonel Custer being assigned to the command of his regiment.
On the 27th of February I directed Col. John Gibbon, of the Seventh Infantry, commanding the district of Montana, to prepare for the field all the troops which could be spared from the garrisons in his district, and to be ready to march from Fort Ellis down the valley of the Yellowstone. These orders were crossed on their way to Montana by a dispatch from Colonel Gibbon, in which he suggested the same movement.
On the 25th of February a telegram was sent to Colonel Gibbon in which he was directed not only to make his preparations, but to move as soon as he should be able. The force available for the movement consisted of four companies of the Second Cavalry and six companies of the Seventh Infantry. It was collected as rapidly as possible, and it started from Fort Ellis on the 3d of April. For the details of Colonel Gibbon's march until he made a junction with the column under my own command, I refer to his report, which is forwarded herewith. It was not intended that this column should seek for and attack the hostile Sioux independently, unless, indeed, some favorable opportunity should present itself. Its duty was to guard the left bank of the Yellowstone, and, if possible, prevent the Indians from crossing it in case that they should attempt to do so, either in pursuance of their habit of following the herds of buffalo to the north during the summer, or in case they should seek to avoid the troops coming from the south and the east.
This duty was admirably performed. Colonel Gibbon advanced to the mouth of the Rosebud, and from that point kept detachments moving up and down the Yellowstone.
It is of course impossible to say whether the Indians would or would not have crossed the latter stream had not Colonel Gibbon's force occupied its left bank, but my own opinion is that they would have done so.
To supply the forces in the field, subsistence and forage were sent up the Yellowstone, by steamer, to Stanley's stockade, near the mouth of Glendive Creek. With them was sent a guard of three companies of the Sixth Infantry, under command of Major 0. H. Moore, of that regiment. The departure of the boats from Fort Lincoln was so timed as to bring them to their destination a short time in advance of the presumed arrival of the troops at the same point.
No train of pack-mules has ever been organized in this department, and the marching columns were necessarily dependent on wagons for the transport of their supplies. There were, however, carried in wagons about 250 pack-saddles to be placed on the mules of the train in an emergency.
I arrived personally at Fort Lincoln on the 10th of May. Soon after my arrival I received information from more than one independent source which led me to believe that the main body of the hostile Sioux was on the Little Missouri River, and between that stream and the Yellowstone. I therefore sent to Fort Ellis a telegraphic dispatch, to be forwarded to Colonel Gibbon, directing him to move down the Yellowstone to "Stanley's stockade," to cross the river, and move out on "Stanley's trail" to meet the column from Lincoln. This column marched on the morning of May 17. For some days its progress was slow, for the wagons were heavily laden and recent rains had made the ground extremely soft.
The Little Missouri was reached on May 29. Here a halt was made for a day in order that the valley of the river might be reconnoitered. This was done by Lieutenant-Colonel Custer with a portion of his regiment, but no indications of the recent presence of Indians were discovered. The march was resumed on the 31st; but on the 1st and 2d of June a heavy snow-storm detained the column on the edge of the bad lands which border the left banks of the Little Missouri.
May 17th
Started from Ft. Lincoln Camp 5 A.M. Reached 1st Crossing of Little Heart River 2 P.M. With Main body Distance 13-1/ 2 m.
May 18
Rev 3 A.M. Advance 5 A.M. Train across Heart River 8-1/ 2 A.M. Command moved 9 A.M. Halted 10.15 Reached Camp 2 P.M. Dist. 10.8 m.
19th
Moved at 5. 3/ 4 of mile found ravine impassable from water. Turned back to camp & turned ravine. Marched 3/ 4 mile & halted for train to close up at 6 o'clock Halt to close up 7.20 (Morning threatening rain) very cloudy cleared at 6.30) (Hughes forward with Custer). Nooned 9 o'clock Halt 10 Start
20th
Started at 7.45 with advance guard arrived first crossing Creek at 9 o'clock dist. estimated 4-1/ 2 m Started 11-1/ 2 halted Little Muddy 12 Bridge Started 2.45 Camp 3 March
21st
Reveille 3 Advance ordered at 5. Waited for construction of bridge over Little Muddy. Moved at 6.30. Marched till 7 Started again at 9. halted at 10. Moved again at 11. Halted at 12.10. With Advance guard. Moved 2.45 Arrived in camp 3.30 dist. 13-1/ 2
22d
Morning very bright & clear. Reveille 3. Advance 4.40 Halted at 3.40 on further edge of valley. Started 6.30 Halted 7.30 S 8.10 Halt 9.40 Camp 12 Dist. 15 1/ 3
23d
Bright & Clear Start 5.201 Halt 6.30 Start 7.05 H. 8.25 Camp on west plateau west of Young Men's Butte, great abundance of wood fine spring water good grass Dist. 7 3/ 4
24 Wednesday
Sunrise clear Rev. 3 Advance 4.55 Halt 6.40 Moved 7. Halt 8.10 Start Halt 9.50 Reached camp 2 o'clk Dist. Near Stanley's Crossing 19.20
25 Thursday
Advance 4.45. Halted at hill beyond crossing till 6.30 Over valley country with easy slopes till 7.45 Advance over same country from 8.15 till 9.30 A. 10.5 Halt Build Bridge Moved 11.05 [?] Reached camp 2.20 Dist. 19.75 m
26 Friday
Moved 5 A.M. Halt 5.30 Moved 6. Halt 7.10 Bridge Start 9.20 Halt 10.40 Moved 1 o'clock
27 Saturday
Rev. 3 Moved 5 Halt 6.15 Moved 8 o'clk Halt 9.20 This halt in sight of Meauvius Terres. Custer in advance with scouts & Wiers Co. seeking for trail. Sent Capt. Michaelis with 15 men & Pvt. McCue as guide to the South to find Stanley's Trail McCue comes to the conclusion that he had been mistaken, [rest too light on copy to be read]
Reynolds scouted to the South. Indians escort out Bearing of hills supposed to be the Sentinel Buttes shows us to be far South of Davis Creek. Our course plotted on the map agrees with bearing. Turned back at 1 o'clock. Scout having reported that he had found Stanley's Trail to the northward Reached camp at 2.15 Encamped in valley of Creek. Dist. travelled 17 1/ 3 m Probably a direct route would have been about 7 miles
28 Sunday
Advance 4.45 found advance guard 2 miles to the front. Reached 1st Crossing Davis Creek at 5.45 dist. 3.95m
2 Crossing 1-1/ 2m
3 crossing 200 yds. Time 6.45
3 crossing 40 minutes
4 crossing 2 hours
5 crossing 1-1/ 4 hours
—
7 crossing Reached 10-1/2
29th Monday
Left Camp 4.45 Arrived at —— Camp Main Column up left. Maguire to build bridge & pushed on to —— crossing reached it with advance guard at 6.20 Build bridge over crossing arrived at Little Missouri 8.30
30th
Remained in camp on Little Missouri. Sent Custer at 5 A.M. up the valley. Returned at 6 o'clk having made from 21 to 25 miles up & then same distance in returning No sign of Indians. Maguire at work building road at crossing of river. Went with Smith to reconnoiter road as far as the gable sided butte. Returned & sent Smith & Gibbs with 3 Cos to repair road. Rained heavily with lightning in evening.
31th
Moved out of camp at 8 o'clock. Crossed river & moved with advance guard to crest near Gable Butte halted. Gibbs reported from rear that wagons pass river without trouble Wagons seen coming out of such without trouble. Reno comes up, Custer behind playing Wagon Master. Moved out with advance halted at 9.30 Odometer 5 1/ 3 m The road through the bad lands, at this point is about four miles in length. Moved on at 11.30. Proceeded about two miles when a message was received from Lt. Col. Custer, who left the column early in the day without any authority whatever. That we were not on Stanley's trail back [illegible] turned back & examined ground [four words illegible] Moved on & reached camp at 2 o'clock Camp on one of the forks of Andrews Creek Dist. 10.9
Terry's Official Report covering up to the end of May and the first of June.
On the 19th of February I was informed, by a dispatch of that date from Maj. James S. Brisbin, Second Cavalry, commanding the post of Fort Ellis, that he had on the previous day received an appeal for help from a party who had established themselves for the purpose of trade, trapping, and mining at a point near the mouth of the Big Horn, known as Fort Pease. It was stated that fourteen men were holding a stockade against the Indians, who had surrounded them. Major Brisbin proposed to go to their relief. The proposal of Major Brisbin was approved by me, and he was instructed by telegraph to proceed at once to carry it into effect. He marched from Fort Ellis on the 21st of February with four companies of his regiment and arrived at Fort Pease and relieved the occupants on the 4th of March. It was found that the original party had consisted of forty-six men, of whom six had been killed, and eight wounded, thirteen had escaped by night, and nineteen were found in the stockade and were brought away. No Indians were seen by the troops, but war-lodges were found representing a force of about sixty Sioux who had fled southward.
On the 10th of February last I received from the Lieutenant-General commanding orders to commence operations against the hostile Sioux. At the same time I was informed that similar instructions had been given to Brigadier-General Crook, then as now commanding the Department of the Platte, who would operate from Fort Laramie in the direction of the head-waters of Powder River, Pumpkin Butte, and the Big Horn. Preparations for the movement were immediately commenced, and it was supposed that the troops could be made ready to march early in April. The collection of troops and supplies for the expedition, however, was dependent on the opening of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
That road was opened earlier than is usual in the spring, but severe snow-storms again closed it. Owing to this fact, and to the necessity of waiting for the arrival of troops ordered from the Department of the Gulf to this Department, it was not until the middle of May that all preparations were completed.
The force originally intended for the field consisted of the nine companies of the Seventh Cavalry then in this Department. Companies C and G of the Seventeenth Infantry, Company B of the Sixth Infantry, a battery of Gatling guns, manned by detachments from the Twentieth Infantry, and forty Indian scouts. Subsequently it was increased by the three remaining companies of the Seventh Cavalry, which, on my application, were ordered from the Department of the Gulf to their regiment, in order that they might accompany it into the field.
Lieut.-Col. G. A. Custer, of the Seventh Cavalry, was at first assigned to the command of this force; but under subsequent instructions I assumed the command in person, Lieutenant-Colonel Custer being assigned to the command of his regiment.
On the 27th of February I directed Col. John Gibbon, of the Seventh Infantry, commanding the district of Montana, to prepare for the field all the troops which could be spared from the garrisons in his district, and to be ready to march from Fort Ellis down the valley of the Yellowstone. These orders were crossed on their way to Montana by a dispatch from Colonel Gibbon, in which he suggested the same movement.
On the 25th of February a telegram was sent to Colonel Gibbon in which he was directed not only to make his preparations, but to move as soon as he should be able. The force available for the movement consisted of four companies of the Second Cavalry and six companies of the Seventh Infantry. It was collected as rapidly as possible, and it started from Fort Ellis on the 3d of April. For the details of Colonel Gibbon's march until he made a junction with the column under my own command, I refer to his report, which is forwarded herewith. It was not intended that this column should seek for and attack the hostile Sioux independently, unless, indeed, some favorable opportunity should present itself. Its duty was to guard the left bank of the Yellowstone, and, if possible, prevent the Indians from crossing it in case that they should attempt to do so, either in pursuance of their habit of following the herds of buffalo to the north during the summer, or in case they should seek to avoid the troops coming from the south and the east.
This duty was admirably performed. Colonel Gibbon advanced to the mouth of the Rosebud, and from that point kept detachments moving up and down the Yellowstone.
It is of course impossible to say whether the Indians would or would not have crossed the latter stream had not Colonel Gibbon's force occupied its left bank, but my own opinion is that they would have done so.
To supply the forces in the field, subsistence and forage were sent up the Yellowstone, by steamer, to Stanley's stockade, near the mouth of Glendive Creek. With them was sent a guard of three companies of the Sixth Infantry, under command of Major 0. H. Moore, of that regiment. The departure of the boats from Fort Lincoln was so timed as to bring them to their destination a short time in advance of the presumed arrival of the troops at the same point.
No train of pack-mules has ever been organized in this department, and the marching columns were necessarily dependent on wagons for the transport of their supplies. There were, however, carried in wagons about 250 pack-saddles to be placed on the mules of the train in an emergency.
I arrived personally at Fort Lincoln on the 10th of May. Soon after my arrival I received information from more than one independent source which led me to believe that the main body of the hostile Sioux was on the Little Missouri River, and between that stream and the Yellowstone. I therefore sent to Fort Ellis a telegraphic dispatch, to be forwarded to Colonel Gibbon, directing him to move down the Yellowstone to "Stanley's stockade," to cross the river, and move out on "Stanley's trail" to meet the column from Lincoln. This column marched on the morning of May 17. For some days its progress was slow, for the wagons were heavily laden and recent rains had made the ground extremely soft.
The Little Missouri was reached on May 29. Here a halt was made for a day in order that the valley of the river might be reconnoitered. This was done by Lieutenant-Colonel Custer with a portion of his regiment, but no indications of the recent presence of Indians were discovered. The march was resumed on the 31st; but on the 1st and 2d of June a heavy snow-storm detained the column on the edge of the bad lands which border the left banks of the Little Missouri.
