There we remained for several days.
General Nelson A.Miles, who was at the head of the Fifth Infantry, and who had been scouting in the vicinity, reported that no Indians had as yet crossed the Yellowstone.

Several steamboats soon arrived with large quantities of supplies, and the soldiers, who had been a little too close to famine to please them, were once more provided with full stomachs on which they could fight comfortably, should the need for fighting arise.
One evening while we were in camp on the Yellowstone at the mouth of the Powder River I was informed that Louis Richard, a half-breed scout, and myself, had been selected to accompany General Miles on a reconnaisance.

We were to take the steamer _Far West_ down the Yellowstone as far as Glendive Creek.

We were to ride in the pilot-house and keep a sharp look-out for Indians on both banks of the river.

The idea of scouting from a steamboat was to me an altogether novel one, and I was immensely pleased at the prospect.
At daylight the next morning we reported on the steamer to General Miles, who had with him four or five companies of his regiment.