The chance to experience a first-hand account of an adventure experienced by one of our Marion citizens over 135 years ago doesn’t come around very often. Such is the case with the following diary written by Brice Holland on his trip to the Black Hills in search of gold. Brice was accompanied by a handful of Marion residents in April 1877 when they made their way from St. Louis by paddle wheeler, wagon and by foot on their way cross country at a time when Native Americans had barely been bottled up in reservations. As always, even today, plans don’t always work out the way you desire them to.
DIARY OF BRICE HOLLAND
April 4, 1877, Wednesday
I left home for the Black Hills of Dakota Territory April 4, 1877, and arrived in St. Louis the same night and went board the stern-wheeler steamer ” Kate Kinney.”
April 5, 1877, Thursday
We stayed in St. Louis all day until 9:15 that night, at that time we cast off and started for Fort Perrie in Dakota Territory weather cloudy and threatening rain.
April 6, 1877, Friday
Past St. Charles, Mo. 6:10 weather cloudy, landed and took on wood about 5 miles north of St. Charles. Here the boys had a fine time shooting ducks. Left the wood landing at 9:50 at which time we got underway and started up the river. We run aground at 11:30 but soon got off. I was in the pilothouse at the time. At 4:25 we past Washington a very nice place of about 4 or 5,000 inhabitants without hardly a frame house in the place all brick. We arrived at Millers Landing at 7:30. This is a nice place of about 1,000 inhabitants and is about 100 miles from St. Louis. We have been aground about 8 or 10 times today.
April 7, 1877, Saturday
We past the mouth of the Osage river this morning at 6:50 AM weather still cloudy and raining. We arrived at Jefferson City at 8:20. It is a place of about 6 thousand inhabitants. We were in plain view of the State House penitentiary. We past Claysville at 10:30 it is a small place. Arrived at Marion at 12:30 PM and loaded R.R. ties until 4. We arrived at Wolfs Sound at 6:40 PM and left at 7 PM it is still raining.
April 8, 1877, Sunday
We have laid up most all night. We are at the O.K. Woodyard this morning. Weather still cloudy. Arrived at Ridenhare 8:35 AM with the large steamer Joe Kinney just ahead, we had a nice race and past the Joe Kinney at 9:15 AM. Arrived at Boonville the place where Daniel Boone is buried. We were not at his monument but could see it from the boat. Arrived at the wharf at 10 PM oclock. Booneville is a very nice place of about 4,000 inhabitants. Here we struck the Mo. P.S. Ry. it is across the river. There is a drawbridge at this place. We stopped here until 11:25 when we got under way, and continued up the river. The weather still cloudy. Here we took on some more men for the Black Hills. The steamer Joe Kinney past us here at 12:20. We past the mouth of the Lamean river it’s only navigable for about 50 miles. At 1:50 we sighted the Joe Kinney again and there was great excitement as every person knew this would a boat race. Our men began to burn everything that would make steam and the other boat did the same, but we out ran them and at 8:05 the Joe Kinney was a half a length behind and the race ended with every person on board in the greatest excitement. We past Salem City at 3:30. Still cloudy, cold & raining. Arrived at Clasco at the mouth of the Chariton River at 4 oclock & left at 5. Clasco has about 4000 inhabitants. We met the steamer Clara Bells at 5:30. Arrived at Cambridge at 7:45 – 262 miles from St. Louis at 9 we had to tie up on account of it being so dark and rainey.
April 9, 1877, Monday
Left our landing where we had been tied up all night at 4:30 AM and arrived at Brunswick which is at the mouth of the Grand River at 8:40 AM and left at 8:55 AM and passed Detroit at 9:15, arrived at Miami at 11:20 AM, and left at 11:40. Past Plain City Landing at 12:50. Past Maulty Bend at 1:45. Here we passed the large side wheeler Steamer Fannie Lewis. This is very nice country. There is a large amount of business done here. It is 324 miles from St. Louis. We passed the steam wheeler Steamer Kate City found up the river. We arrived at Moberly at 3 left at 3:15 past Berlin 4:25 it is a small place that the channel of the river has left. We were 131 or 2 miles from it so tied up for the night on account of darkness.
April 10, 1877, Tuesday
Cast off and got underway at 5 AM arrived at Lexington at 6:15 AM left at 10 AM. We were in 75 or 80 yards of the fort where Price captured Gen. (Mulligan) the old fort is still standing and is in plain view of the river. Lexington is a very nice place of about 6000 inhabitants. Weather still cloudy and cold. At 11:25 we past Winston, a small place on the Kansas City Lexington R.R. Past Camden at 1:10 its a small place on the StL. K.C. & N RR. There are 4 coal mines here. Past Nepoteon at 2:15 it is a small place. At 4 we past Sibley. Here is the only rapids. This is south of Fort Benton were the current is very strong. Our boat could hardly make it over them. At 6:15 we passed Mo. City. It is the nicest place south of Kansas City it has about 5000 inhabitants and fine farms. At 7:25 we passed the Steam Wheeler Colbovrice. At 9:35 the boat broke her rudder. We had to land to fix it and didn’t get it fixed until 11:35. We again started up the river during the night we again lost our rudder, but we are going to try to make Kansas City which is about 21 miles.
April 11, 1877
At 6:25 we passed Blue Mills, a small deserted looking place, which is the home of the James Boys. We passed in sight of the house where they were born. At 6:45 we run aground again and didn’t get off until 9:15 and got into Kansas City at 11. Kansas City is one of the nicest little cities I ever saw. We have to lay here to repair the boat, as both of our are torn off and will need some repairs.
April 12, 1877
We are still laying at the wharf in Kansas City at 5:45 the Steam Wheel Steamer Fancion arrived here from New Orleans, with men for the hills.
April 13, 1887, Friday
We are still in Kansas City, the Steamer Gen. Watts went down at 9:10 this A.M. At 2:15 PM the Steamer City Lexington. At 2:40 PM we cast off and started up the river. At 2:50 PM we passed through the drawbridge and at 3:15 PM we passed the Mo. Kansas line leaving Mo. on our right. At 3:25 PM we landed in Winedot in Kansas its a place of about 5 or 6000. Here we unloaded R.R. ties and left at 5:40. This is the first pretty evening we have had since we started. At 6:10 we passed Quindaro, a small place in Kansas with about 15 houses, without a single inhabitant. Entirely deserted. Some of the buildings are large brick buildings 3 & 4 stones high. At 7:05 PM we passed a very nice place on the Mo. shore of about 12 or 1500 inhabitants.
April 14, 1877
At about 1 oclock last night we got to Leavensworth Kan. it is a splendid place, nice & clean and has about 13 or 14000 inhabitants. We left here at 6:40 and passed Fort Leavensworth at 8. It is a nice looking Fort everything looks nice & clean the barracks were all painted white and the Fort is covered with green sod its all up on a pretty mound. At 6:50 we passed Fort Weston .on the Mo. shore it is a small place of about 800 people but very nice. The channel has left the town and is on the opposite side of the river. There is a sand bar in front of it and boats can’t get closer than 3/4 of a mile to it. At 10:45 we passed Iatin in Mo. it is a small place of about 3 or 400 inhabitants. At 3 oclock we passed Atchinson, Kansas it is 524 miles from St. Louis and is one of the prettiest places I ever saw, it has about 12 or 15000 inhabitants and there were at least 3000 at the wharf to see us, we have had large crowds at every stop to see us. At 3:50 we cast off and started up the river, today is clear & warm. At 5 oclock we passed Doniphan, a small place on the Kansas shore, at 5:45 we passed Smiths Bor. At 7:10 we passed Cony City, a small place in Kansas. At this place we have been crossing a RRoad that has be abandond. The rails in some places have slid down the bank, the road is about 50 or 60 miles long, and hasn’t had a train over it in 2 yrs. Another Company having built a more direct route that ruined this road, its called the “Narrow Gauge” from Leavensworth to St. Joe. At 8 PM it was to dark we tied up for the night, we are on the Mo. shore.
April 15, 1877, Sunday
At 6:10 we passed Satermo on the Kansas shore. This is the prettiest morning we have had. At 8 AM we landed in St. Joe on the Mo. shore it is 589 miles from St. Louis and is a very nice place of about 10000 inhabitants. It is located on a high rolling hill that slopes toward the river. Here we saw James Shulty he was on board. Jim looks healthy and fine, he is an old timer of Marion. At 9:25 we cast off and started up the river and at 9:40 we ran hard aground but soon got off again. We have passed several places this evening but I did not learn the names. At 6:05 we run aground again but soon got off and continued up the river we are 618 miles from St. Louis, we again ran aground, got off & backed down the river & tied up for the night.
April 16, 1877, Monday
At 6:50 we passed Iowa point – a small place on the Kansas & Nebraska line, it has about 4 or 500 people. It is situated in a deep gulch. At 8:15 we passed White Cloud. A small place about 1000 inhabitants, its a beautiful place on the Nebraska shore. At 9:25 we stopped to load wood and the boys all went ashore to shoot at marks, and we had a fine time. I made the best shot, I shot my improved navy pistol we were shooting at 150 yards. At 10:55 we started up the river again. It is cloudy today. At 11:20 we passed Atrillo, a splendid little place, about 3 or 3500 inhabitants, located on the Nebraska shore it is a nice a place as one would want to see. At 2:10 we passed the Steamer Fannie Sutam, who when her bow was about midship to us she ran into us, her guards at the bow, ran over our guards at midship they running together for 2 or 3 min. when the guards of our boat gave way tearing it off from midship to the stern. The greatest excitement prevailed, during the race some of our boys were ready to fight, they were so mad. There was no doubt that the pilot of the Sutam ran into us on purpose as there was plenty of room for us both. At 8:20 we passed Hermits Log, it is back from the river 1/2 mile and is situated in the finest valley that I ever saw, the valley is about 3 miles wide & 10 miles long, its the finest farming country I ever saw. The soil along the bank is 5 or 6 feet, deep and as black as pitch. Hearing has about 1000 inhabitants and is on the Mo. shore; at 4 oclock we passed St. Jervin a small place on the Nebraska shore. At 4:20 we got to the head of Morgans Island, at 8 oclock we tied up on account of a storm coming up it blew a regular hurricane, the lightning was blinding, the storm broke having lasted 3 hours.
April 17, 1877, Tuesday
This morning clear & bright and found us under way soon. We landed at Brownsville at 8:45 AM & left at 8:50, and continued up the river. We passed Sonora, a nice little place on the Mo. shore, but there is a town of the same name about 1/2 mile back of this on the RR. it is a very flourishing little place as seen from the river, and is situated in one of the finest prairies in the world. I saw more corn here at one farm as I ever saw in one bulk in my life. I saw pens of corn here at farmers cribs that had at least 5000 bu. in it. We didn’t get through the shoot until 2:25 on account of shallow water. We ran aground 2.0 or 25 times. I was in the pilot house all morning. At 3:30 we passed Pilrrie, a small place on the Nebraska shore. At 4:50 we passed Sidney, its on the Mo. & Iowa line, a beautiful little place of about 8 or 900 inhabitants. At 4:40 we came to our first wild prairie, it was on the Nebraska side, countless little stacks of hay that had been cut last year and had never been touched. There wasn’t a fence as far as the eye could see, and was dotted now & then with little huts made of logs set on end and covered with earth & dirt banked up around them, almost to the top, We are 704 miles from St. Louis. At 8:25 we landed at Nebraska City, this is a beautiful place of about 10 or 12000 inhabitants, and tied up for the night. At 9:55 it began to rain & hail, I never saw it hail so hard in my life. East Nebraska City is a small but beautiful place on the Iowa shore, it is a place of about 7 or 800 inhabitants.
April 18, 1877, Wednesday
Left Nebraska City this AM about 5 and passed Copeland’s Landing at 7:30. We have been aground 4 or 5 times this morning. At 11 o’clock it began to rain very hard and has all appearances of being a rainy day, At 12:30 we arrived at Rock Port, a small place on the Nebraska Shore. At — PM we passed a steamer stuck, it was lying on its side and is a total wreck,, she is lying near the Nebraska shore. At 1:35 we passed Platts mouth, a beautiful place of about 5 or 6000 inhabitants, it is situated on the Nebraska shore and is where the DB&Q RR & the B&MK RR cross the river, they cross by transfer boats, having 2 boats to each road. Platts mouth is about 804 miles from St. Louis and 32 miles south of Omaha. At 2:10 we passed the mouth of Platte River. At 3:30 we passed the mouth of Pappera river. At 4 oclock we passed St. Mary’s. At one place we were in 2 miles of it by land, but by water it was 13 1/2 miles. At 6 PM it started raining, it is still cloudy and turning very cold. At 7:50 we ran a snag through our starboard guard, the snag was about 22 in. in diameter, at the deck and about 14 in. at the top. It stuck up above the hurricane deck about 5 feet making it in all above the boiler deck about 23 ft. long. The crew cut it off above the deck and drove the long end back through the guards into the river. There was great excitement on board every person thought that the boat would sink, and I think myself if we don’t sink before we get to Fort Perrin we will have good luck for the river is full of snags and sand bars and everything else that was ever in a river to obstruct the channel. At 8:25 we past Council Bluffs or@, the Iowa shore. It was so dark I couldn’t see it, but parties on board that know, said it was a beautiful place. At 9:35 we had to tie up about 3 miles below Omaha on account of the darkness. Its very dark and blowing a gale from the north & still cloudy.
April 19, 1877, Thursday
We cast off this morning at 5 oclock and landed at Omaha at 6, I went up town Omaha is a beautiful place of about 25000 inhabitants. We stayed here until 8:50. We again started up the river, but when we got to the RR bridge we found that we couldn’t pass until we lowered our smokestack and that took several hours owing to the fact that they were not the lowering kind and had to be taken down. Council Bluff is in plain view it is not more than 2 miles across, but its 12 miles by river. This is the “- fennalist” river a man ever saw, crooked is no name for it. At 2:30 we finally got through the bridge and started up for good with the Steamer W.B. Dugan just ahead. She left St. Louis the lst of April and we the 5th. She is very slow. At ‘–40 we past the W.B. Dugan. At 4:35 we passed Florence, a small place on the Nebraska shore. At Omaha we passed the last RR bridge that crosses the Mo. River being the 7th one that crosses the river. Weather clear & cold with high north winds. At 9 PM we tied up for the night, and at 10 the W.B. Dugan came in along side and tied up for the night.
April 20, 1877, Friday
At 7:50 AM we started up the river, weather clear & nice. At 11 AM we passed the transfer crossing of the Sioux City & Pacific RR, it crosses at DeSoto on the Nebraska shore. DeSoto is a small place located on a high rolling prairie. We have run all day and haven’t seen a town since we past DeSoto and that is about 75 miles. The country today has all been high rolling prairie. At 8PM we tied up for the night on account of something being the matter with the rudder. At 11:50 the W.B. Dugan came along side & tied up for the night.
April 21, 1877, Saturday
We got under way this AM about 4 oclock. We are going to try to run to Sioux City today. At 8:20 we passed Decatur, a small place on the Nebraska shore. Morning clear & cold with stiff breeze from the north. At 12 we passed the Omaha Indian Mission. It is for educating Indian children and taking care of sick Indians. The main building is about 100 ft. long & 40 ft. wide. Three stories high. There are 3 small log buildings. Close to it is one large stable 125 ft. long 60 ft. wide with 4 large corn cribs around the house. There is a beautiful yard well sodded all cultivated. At the upper end, a nice large river bottoms. The buildings stand back in a gulch in plain view .of the boats as they pass. I did not see any Indians about this; in fact I haven’t seen any Indians yet. The country is very thinly settled along the river, as we haven’t see but one town since we left Omaha which is 150 miles below here. There are thousand acres of wild prairie lying along the river that there never was a plow stuck in. Its as good land as a crow ever flew over. At 3:20 we stopped at the wood yard and it was there we saw our first Indians. There were 6 men & 3 squaws & 2 pappose. They were of the Chippewa Tribe. They were pretty hard looking Christians. You bet it was funny to see the boys look at them, they were civilized & had clothes on. At 9:30 we arrived at Sioux City. It is a beautiful place of about 10000 inhabitants. There is no place the size of it can beat it for beauty or business, its on the Iowa shore and in 2 miles of the Dakota line.
April 22, 1877, Sunday
At 5 we left Sioux City and at 7 we came up with the Steamer Phausion, said to be one of the fastest boats on the river. We had another exciting race of about 10 miles, but we finally left her. She is now about 3/4 miles behind. It is 9 oclock, wind blowing very hard from the northwest, weather clear and fine. At Sioux City we heard of the Steamer Corrall having burned, Thurs. the 20th just below Fort Sulley. The passengers & crew lost everything they had. I didn’t hear of any lives being lost. All the passengers are at Yankton waiting for us for transportation up to Pierrie. They are all “Black Hillers.” The fire caught in the fore hold, the officers of the boat had her hatches closed so as to give her passengers more time. But the fire had gotten under such headway that it didn’t stop it long, the boat barely having time to reach shore when the fire again broke out of the holds and in a few moments the vessel was enveloped in flames. She was a new steamer and they say she was very fast. At 4:50 it blew so hard we were compelled to tie up. The wind has changed to the north and is cold as “Blue Blazes.” We started again at 7 oclock. At 8:20 we landed at Smith Wood Yard, and loaded 10 cords of wood. The wind has laxed and its raining torrents.
April 23, 1877, Monday
At 5 we cast off and started up the river, the Steamer FaTicion just ahead. At 8 we came along side, at 8:15 we ran together and our guards locked for about 1 mile. We ran her ashore and past her. At 9 we ran aground and she past us. At 9:25 we got off with the Fancion about 3 miles ahead of us. At 5:20 we arrived at Yankton D.T. it is a beautiful place about 7 or 8000 people and is situated in a high rolling prairie. Most of the buildings are small temporary concerns. But there are some very fine buildings and business seems to be flourishing.
April 24, 1877, Tuesday
At 10 we were transferred to the Steamer Fancion. There were 7 genuine thorough bred Sioux Indians aboard in all their wild beauty. They could not speak a word of English or understand any better. At 10:25 we left Yankton for Fort Pierrie, at 7:30 we saw Springfield in Dakota Territory. At 10 oclock one of the deck hands came in the cabin, but he had been cut in his left breast by one of the other deck hands. We landed and put the man ashore that cut him. This was about 115 miles below Yankton, it being the nearest place. At 9:50 we past Fort Randale. It is a very nice looking old Fort. At 5:20 we arrived at the wreck of the J. C. Corrall, that was burned the 19th at 3 in the morning. There wasn’t any lives lost, the cargo was nearly a total loss. She lies about 150 miles above Yankton on the east shore. We took on what was saved of the cargo. 6:30 weather cloudy. At 2:15 we passed some Indian graves, they were up on scaffolds, from) 10 to 20 feet from the ground. At 5:30 we passed the first Indian Village, it had about 84 lodges. They had a big lot of ponies. There were several graves there. at 7: 25 we passed the Lower Brule Agency, there were about 62 lodges there. We landed about 1 mile above and they came running down to the boat. We left at 8:20 and at 9:55 we arrived at the Upper Brule Indian Agency; there are about 4000 Indians here and 1 company of soldiers. It looks very nice & clean. This is 215 miles from Yankton. Here we were out on shore having the Indian Boys shooting at marks with their bows & arrows. Some of them are very good shots.
April 27, 1877, Friday
At 12 we landed at Fort Thompson and left at 2 o’clock, out of supplies, at 9:50 we passed the John M. Chamber, a steam wheel steamer with 200 passengers for the “Hills.”
April 28, 1877, Saturday
At 3:10 we passed the steamer Panama, about 10 miles below Fort Pierrie. We went ashore and put up our tents, we got them up about 10, here we met about 50 men on their way from the “Hills.” They say there is no GOLD out there and there are 2 or 3000 men out there that want to work for their board.
April 29, 1877, Sunday
At 9 this AM we packed up and left for the “Hills.” We drove out of Fort Pierrie about 3 miles and went into camp, and organized our men giving every person their post.
Chess McCoy BREAD COOK
Brice Holland MEAT COOKS
John Ray COFFEE & TEA MAKER
W. J. Aikman WATER CARRIERS
Pete Cuminsky
Wm. Phillips WOOD CARRIER
Pleas Tigue
Pitt. Springs DISHWASHERS
Steve Stilley
Geo. W. McCoy MULE FEEDER
Pitt Springs & Steve Stilley went out on the Scout but soon returned and said they didn’t think they would go, but the time they got to camp there were some Indians, with their war paint appeared on the bluff, about 1/2 mile away. Then the return of Springs & Stilley was plain enough and the boy acknowledged the “conn.”
April 30, 1877, Monday
We started for Deadwood at 6:25 this morning and went to Willow Creek, 12 mi. from Fort Pierrie. We had a fine time shooting Prairie Dogs, they live in holes in the ground, also snakes & owls live in some hole. We met men with their teams coming from the “Hills.” They say men are working for their board. There are 21 wagons of us here with 140 men, 3 women & 2 children.
May 1, 1877, Tuesday
Today we traveled 15 miles, camping at night at Arrow Rock. Weather warm.
May 2, 1877, Wednesday
We didn’t travel any today. It has rained all day and this evening turned very cold.
May 3, 1877, Thursday
Today we traveled 12 miles, having to unload our wagon several times on account of miring down in several places, the teams mired to their “Bellies.”
May 4, 1877, Friday
Today we traveled 17 miles, roads are better. Today we came to Prairie Dog Town and here we killed 5 rattlesnakes and one dog. There was one of the snakes in the road and we had to kill it before we could pass.
May 5, 1877, Saturday
Today we traveled 25 miles. The weather is fine but cool. Tonight the boys are all worn out, some of them can’t eat supper, Pitt Springs & Steve Stilley had chills this eve. Wm. Phillips was so tired he couldn’t eat any supper.
May 6, 1877, Sunday
Today we went to mend Stone B
May 7, 1877, Monday
Today we went to Cheyenne River, it is a small but beautiful stream of clear swift water. Here my foot gave out and is swollen very bad.
May 8, 1877, Tuesday
Today we went to “Wash Day Springs,” it is a nice cool spring of water. My foot is still worse, can’t bear my weight on it.
May 9, 1877, Wednesday
Today we went to Box Elder Creek, here we didn’t have any wood to cook with. After traveling hard all day had to sleep without anything to eat.
May 10, 1877, Thursday
At 10:35 we arrived at Rapids City, a small mining town on the Rapid River and at the beginning of the foothills and is 161 miles west of Fort Pierrie.
May 11, 1877, Friday
We are still at Rapid City, resting our teams. This is in a beautiful valley, we are camped about a mile west of the city. Here Pleasant Tigue left us for home having got discouraged. There are men leaving every hour for home, having enough of the Hills, everything looks blue here.
May 12, 1877, Saturday
This AM at 7 oclock we left Rapid City and started for Crook City, which is 35 mi. north of here. We camped at Frozen Creek and struck our first snow. We have seen it from 1 to 4 feet deep in place6 where it drifted.
May 13, 1877, Sunday
Today we came to Crook City, it is in Centennial Valley and is 10 miles from “Deadwood.” There are scores of men here digging and many out of employment. The trail from here to Rapid lies up a narrow gulch between high rocky mountains on each side, which are covered with a small stunted growth of pine, its the only timber in the “Black Hills.”
May 14, 1877, Monday
We went prospecting today. But didn’t find anything there has been about 2 or 300 men coming today.
May 15, 1877, Tuesday
Today 5 of us decided to go out of the hills, we spent most of the day getting ready to start.
May 16, 1877, Wednesday
At 7 oclock we started for Sidney on the W.P. RR. We hired a man by the name of John Ryand to haul us out, the distance is 308 miles. We went as far as Spring Valley.
May 17, 1877, Thursday
At 10:40 we arrived at Rapid City and left at 1:20 and went to Irish Gulch, 12 mi. south of Rapid City.
May 18, 1877, Friday
Today we went to Battle Creek for dinner. There I took the stage for Buffalo Gap, distance 25 miles. It has rained all day as hard as it could pour, arrived here 7:10.
May 19, 1877, Saturday
I stayed at Buffalo Gap until 1:30 today, when our wagon came up and we went to Cheynne River and camped for the night. The river is very muddy, it comes from the mines at “Deadwood.”
May 20, 1877, Sunday
This AM we crossed the Cheyenne River, and struck a sandy country, which extends to Red Cloud Agency 95 miles. At 6:15 we mired down and had to take the wagon apart and pull the wagon out 1 wheel at the time. Arrived at the north water hole station at 7:10 where we stayed all night.
May 21, 1877, Monday
This AM we started early and again mired down hard and fast, in one mile of where we started. No one here but me the other boys have gone hunting on a head and how I will get out of here I can’t tell. This is the “Damndest” country that anyone ever saw, after about an hour an ox team came along and we got him to pull us out we went to Red Cloud Indian Agency. Arrived there about 7 oclock. There are between 16 & 17000 indians here. Couldn’t get to see “Crazy Horse” as he was sick. I saw old “Red Cloud” the Chief. There are 3 companies of soldiers here, the agency is situated in a beautiful valley nearly surrounded by high mountains covered with pine trees and is 7 miles south of Dakota territory.
May 22, 1877, Tuesday
There has been a big stir in the Indian Camp all night. There is an indian at our fire now, but we can’t ask him what the trouble was as he can’t understand us. At 7:45 we left camp and went down to the Barracks about 1/2 mile. There we saw “Crazy Horse” and”Red Cloud.” “Red Cloud” is a fine looking indian very large & straight. “Crazy Horse” is a small & feeble looking with a large scar on his right cheek caused by a bullit said to have been fired by a scout called “Yellow Stone Kelley” last spring. At 5:45 we arrived at “Running Water” and camped for the night. The weather is very cool & raining.
May 23, 1877, Wednesday
We went to Crazy Womans Creek for dinner and in the evening drove to Snake Creek and camped for the night, weather still cloudy.
May 24, 1877, Thursday
Today we went to Camp Clark on the North Platte river and camped for the night. Here we crossed the old Calif. Wall. We are sight of the Chimney rock, where Thos. Logston, of Shawneetown, IL. died, while on his way to Calif. in 1849. We crossed the river on a bridge the toll .is $2.00 for wagon & team k and 50cents for each man. We haven’t had wood to cook with for two days, having had to cook with “cow shit” & “Middling Meat” broiled on it is fine “You bet.”
May 25, 1877, Friday
This morning it is raining so hard that we can’t even get “Cow Dung” to cook with as its to wet. The roads are so bad that we can’t travel and what we are to do God only knows, its about 10 AM and all hands are here in the wagon, not having had anything to eat this morning and without any earthly show of getting anything. At 11:25 we started to find wood, which we found at Green Wood Stage Station 15 miles from Platte river, here we camped for the night.
May 26, 1877, Saturday
This AM we started for Sidney and arrived there at 5:10 PM. Sidney is on the Union Pacific RR and is 400 miles west of Omaha, has about 3000 inhabitants. Here we left the wagon that brought us from the “Hills.” Pitt Springs and Wm. Phillips are going on with the wagon to Beloit, Kansas, a distance of about 300 miles. W. J. Aikman, Steve Stilley & myself will take the train to Omaha.
May 27, 1877, Sunday
This evening at 8:30 we took the train for Omaha.
May 28, 1877, Monday
At 6:45 AM we arrived at Omaha, 3 hours behind time and at 10-20 we crossed the river and went out to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and slept in a freight car that night.
May 29, 1877, Tuesday
Today W. J. Aikman left me at Council Bluffs and started for home. Having to pawn his watch and pistol for the money. At 11 AM I took my valise on my back and started for Kansas City afoot, and at 5 I arrived at a small place 16 miles south of Council Bluffs. There I got in an empty freight car on the south bound train and here I am 132 miles north of St. Joe, Mo., haven’t had anything to eat all day.
May 30, 1877, Wednesday
This AM when I awoke I was in Boone Station 21 mi. from St. Joe having beat my way Ill miles during the night. This AM I have again started for St. Joe. Still haven’t had anything to eat. At 10 AM I got something to eat and got to St. Joe at 4:25, went up town and saw Jim Shulty, and he let me have some money, enough to get me to Kansas City and at 11:30 I left for K.C.
May 31, 1877, Thursday
I arrived at Kansas City at 3:25 AM. Here I will wait for some money from home, weather rainy & bad.
June 1, 1877
I am still here in Kansas City, and at work for Stewart, Word & Matholt’s Feed & Sales Stable.
June 6, 1877
I have been here for the past 5 days and at 6:30 I started for St. Louis with 3 cars of mules to be turned over to S. S. Grant at St. Louis at the Farmers Stables at 5th St., which I did at 5:25 on June the 7th. at 7:10 PM I took the Cairo Short Line, and arrived in Carbondale at 11 the same night. At 8 oclock June the 8th I’ took the C&S RR for home where I arrived at 9:15 AM. I found the folks all well. I have been gone 65 days and travelled 3508 miles and walked 612 miles of that distance.
June 9, 1877
I am here in Marion this morning having got a good nights rest, slept in a bed the first bed I have slept in since I left here. I am feeling as fresh as a rose and as happy as a “crane in deep water.” And know I am entirely well of the “Gold Fever.” I will close hoping all the poor devils that are in the “Black Hills” may live to get home, where they are sure to stay.
This closes my trip to the “Black Hills.”
Signed by the biggest “fool” in Southern Illinois,
BRICE HOLLAND
(signed)
(Diary provided by Carol Ann Holland, wife of William Brice Holland (1918-1986) Brice Holland descendant)