Captain Grant Marsh Letters

Sunday, May 27, 2012

This letter was submitted to President Roosevelt, and Marsh’s relatives issued the copy retained by Captain Marsh to the archives of the North Dakota Historical Society at Bismarck, along with the President’s response. The small 8mm microfilm copies are not legible for copying. The following is an exact transcription, including punctuation and spelling. These documents were apparently omitted from earlier researchers, and present a new picture of the events occurring on the rivers.

When Captain Grant Marsh started to operate his riverboats on the Yellowstone River, he asked for and received permission to do so from the Sioux Indians. This is a copy of that authorization from Sitting Bull[1] on May 14, 1873. [Captain Marsh was piloting the Key West, and it was reported that Yellowstone Kelly was on board as Chief Scout. They reported to have been within two miles of the Powder River.[2]] In 1873 the Army hired Captain Marsh to explore the Yellowstone River, so as to assist them in the hunt for Sioux Indians. [This seems almost contradictory to the Army’s main task for which he was hired.]  Marsh chose the Key West [200’ Sternwheeler] for this task. General Custer and his 7^th Cavalry arrived at Yankton via Dakota Southern Railroad on April 9, 1873. They stayed on-site for about a month, departing on May 7^th for Fort Abraham Lincoln. From there they were to join with the NPR Survey Party and provide escort. In anticipation of needing additional supplies General Custer had Captain Grant Marsh make an exploratory excursion into the survey region, with the intent that later, when the survey teams were at the Yellowstone River, they could be re-supplied with needed provisions by steamboat. To assist Captain Marsh, Custer had Yellowstone Kelley (his chief guide) accompany him on the journey. Unfortunately the river’s water level was low and Marsh had to frequently use his spars and steam powered capstans before having to stop near the mouth of the Powder River[3]. It was here that he happened to encounter Chief Sitting Bull, who was impressed with the boat, and gave him authorization to travel on the Yellowstone River. This trek is not notably reported in the records of steamboat journeys into the Yellowstone Region[4], as its trek was somewhat secret.

According to the review by John MacDonald, in 1937, The Key West was a sister ship of the Far West, and Captain Grant Marsh met with General George A. Forsythe, under orders from General Sherman, to take command of the steamer and explore the Yellowstone River up to the mouth of the Powder River. Should it prove successful, steamers could be used to support the NPR survey. To assist in the mission, Yellowstone Kelly was picked up at a woodchopper’s point after leaving Fort Lincoln. At Fort Buford two infantry companies were taken aboard[5]. The Key West entered the Yellowstone on May 6^th 1873. They successfully navigated the river to a point about two miles north of Powder River, where a large sand bar blocked their further travel. [This was later not evident on future treks.] General Forsythe later established a supply depot at Glendive Creek. This was to be used for resupplying the military expeditions supporting the Corps of Engineering NPR surveys expected to arrive in June. This research indicated that they encountered no Indians enroute. This is in direct conflict with the issuance of the permit on the 14^th by Sitting Bull. The steamer returned to Fort Buford on the 15^th. [This discrepancy cannot be explained.]

Capt Buesen (pilot and clerk on this trip) was in charge of the steamer "Key West" when that boat made its exploring trip up the Yellowstone River in April 1873. This boat was sent up the stream by order of General Phil Sheridan [to General Forsythe] to ascertain whether that river could be navigated as far as Powder river; a tributary of the Yellowstone, located about 200 miles from its mouth. The boat entered the river on May 6^th, and the captain made a careful sounding of the channel in many places and completed a successful trip to its required destination, for which Capt Buesen had the honor of being rewarded with the first pilot's license issued for that river by the US government.[6] This license remarks that Marsh [piloting the Key West] was the first person to receive a license from the Sioux to operate on the Yellowstone. Captain Buesen received his license from the Government.