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The Conquest of the Missouri
from the despatches the location of Gibbon and also that the supply steamer had arrived, Terry diverted the march of his troops up the valley of Beaver Creek toward the mouth of the Powder, where the junction with Gibbon could be sooner accomplished, and sent back instructions to Major Moore to have the Far West meet him there. Captain Marsh proceeded thither, and tied to the bank on the 7th of June.
Toward evening of that day, several skiffs were seen floating down the river. Upon sighting the steamer they pulled in and were found to contain Major Brisbin, Captain Clifford and others of Gibbon?s command?Captain Clifford carrying despatches for General Terry. They had floated thirty or forty miles, meeting no Indians on their journey. The next morning while the crew were engaged in cutting wood, a body of horsemen was discerned rapidly approaching through the valley of the Powder. When they drew up on the bank they proved to be General Terry and his staff escorted by two troops of cavalry, who had ridden down in advance of the main column, leaving the latter in camp about twenty miles up the Powder. The General immediately came on board to make his headquarters, and he gave Captain Marsh a cordial welcome, congratulating him on his prompt arrival. After reading Captain Clifford?s despatches, Terry sent couriers to Gibbon with orders to leave his command and himself come down to meet the boat, which would steam up until he was encountered.
The following morning the Far West got under way
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The Heroine of the Upper River
and went up until she reached a point about fifteen miles below the mouth of Tongue River where a trooper hailed her from the shore. She came in and General Gibbon was found, accompanied by cavalry and the company of twenty-five mounted Crow Indians, who, under Lieut. J. II. Bradley, had served him efficiently as scouts during his march from Fort Ellis. The two generals who had so long been planning for the junction now successfully accomplished, greeted each other at the bow of the Far West and then repaired to the cabin to discuss future movements. Finding that Gibbon?s main body was resting but a short distance above, General Terry instructed Captain Marsh to steam up to their camping place. This was reached about noon and Terry invited all the officers on board, where a reunion affording opportunity for pleasant exchange of experiences occurred between them and the members of Terry?s staff. After lying at the camp for some two hours, Gibbon and his officers took their leave and the boat returned to the Powder, where Terry also left for Custer?s camp, after instructing Captain Marsh to return to Stanley?s Stockade and bring all the supplies there up to the Powder, where a new depot was to be established. He also sent orders to Major Moore to bring his troops to the same point. By the 15th of June, Captain Marsh had accomplished these transfers and held his boat at the Powder, ready for further work.
It w??id_IB^]iar3~T:o~eslimate from a military standpoint the value 7)FtEe~servtees~already rendered to the troops in the field by the Far West, slight astFey had-been
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