Friday, July 3, 1874. Writing to Ft. Abraham Lincoln.

 . . Yesterday was a hard day on the trains. The recent rains had so softened the ground that the heavily-loaded wagons sunk to the hubs, and instead of getting in camp by noon as we expected, one battalion did not get in until after dark. But we had a good dinner, and every one is feeling well this morning. I am making a late start in order to give the mules a chance to graze.

I send you by bearer a young curlew, as a playmate to the wild-goose. Should it live, its wings had better be clipped. Grasshoppers are its principal diet.

Our mess is a great success. Last night, notwithstanding the late hour at which we reached camp, Johnson, our new colored cook, had hot biscuit, and this morning hot cakes and biscuit. We will not be over twenty or twenty-five miles from the post to-night. The men are standing around waiting to take down the tents, so I must say good-bye.

George A. Custer to Libby Custer, on this day in 1874

Last edition:

Thursday, July 2, 1874. The Black Hills Expedition Departs

Labels: 1870s, 1874, Army, Black Hills, Blog Mirror, cavalry, Dakota Territory, George A. Custer, Mining, North Dakota, Science, South Dakota, The Black Hills Expedition, Wyoming

Thursday, July 2, 1874. The Black Hills Expedition Departs

Today In Wyoming's History: July 2:  1874  7th Cavalry left Ft. Abraham Lincoln to scout the Black Hills.

The 7th Cavalry, with a number of native scouts, left Ft. Abraham Lincoln bound for the Black Hills in what is recalled as the Black Hills Expedition.

The expedition was economic in part, in that it was to look for gold in the Black Hills, and military in part, in that it was to look for suitable fort locations.  Its organization was as follows:

The table of organization for the 7th Cavalry for the Black Hills Expedition of 1874 was as follows.[15]

Field and staff officers:

Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer, 7th Cavalry.

Lt. Colonel Frederick D. Grant, 4th Cavalry and acting aide

Major George A. Forsyth, 9th Cavalry commander

First Lieutenant James Calhoun, 7th Cavalry adjutant

First Lieutenant Algernon E. Smith, quartermaster

Second Lieutenant George D. Wallace, commander of Indian scouts

Cavalry companies

Company A - Captain Myles Moylan and Second Lieutenant Charles Varnum

Company B - First Lieutenant Benjamin H. Hodgson

Company C - Captain Verling Hart and Second Lieutenant Henry M. Harrington

Company E - First Lieutenant Thomas M. McDougall

Company F - Captain George W. Yates

Company G - First Lieutenant Donald McIntosh

Company H - Captain Frederick W. Benteen and First Lieutenant Francis M. Gibson

Company K - Captain Owen Hale and First Lieutenant Edward S. Godfrey

Company L - First Lieutenant Thomas W. Custer

Company M - Captain Thomas French and First Lieutenant Edward Gustave Mathey

Medical staff

Dr. John W. Williams, chief medical officer

Dr. S. J. Allen, Jr. assistant surgeon

Dr. A. C. Bergen, assistant surgeon

Engineering

Captain William Ludlow, chief engineer

W. H. Wood, civilian assistant

Mining detachment

Horatio Nelson Ross

William McKay

Scientist

George Bird Grinnell

Newton Horace Winchell

A. B. Donaldson

Luther North

Photographer

William H. Illingworth

Correspondents

William E. Curtis, Chicago Inter-Ocean

Samuel J. Barrows, New York Tribune

Sygurd Wiśniowski, New Ulm Herald

Nathan H. Knappen, Bismarck Tribune

Last edition:

Saturday, June 27, 1874. The Second Battle of Adobe Walls

Labels: 1870s, 1874, Buffalo Hunting, Comanche, hunting, Indian Wars, Market hunting, Red River War, Second Battle of Adobe Walls, Texas