Far West (Packet, 1870-1883)

Summary

• BOAT DESCRIPTION: Sternwheel
• BOAT TYPE: Packet
• BUILT: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1870
• FINAL DISPOSITION: Sank October 30, 1883
• OWNERS: 1870: Captain S.B. Coulson, Coulson Packet Line Northwest Transportation Company; 1871: Captain Grant Marsh joined investors in the Coulson Packet Line Northwest Transportation Company; Later: Victor Bonnet, Captain Henry M. Dodds
• OFFICERS & CREW: 1870: Captain Al. Dodd (master); 1872: Captain Mart Coulson; Unknown dates: Captain John M. Belk; 1876: Captain Grant Marsh (master), David Campbell (pilot), John Johnson (2nd pilot), George Foulk (chief engineer); Bill Curry (ship carpenter); 1881: Henry Jasper King (master and pilot)
• RIVERS: Missouri River; Little Big Horn River; Yellowstone River; Osage River; Powder River
• OTHER INFORMATION: Ways - 2012; Captain Mart Coulson was skipper during the famed race with the Nellie Peck from Sioux City to Fort Benton and back to Sioux City. She won the race over the Nellie Peck and Captain Grant Marsh who happened to be skipper of the Nellie Peck at that time. Time for the Far West in the race was 17 days and 20 hours, three hours ahead of the Nellie Peck. The Far West was a riverboat steamer which changed from a supply boat to a warship at the bloody battle of the Little Big Horn. During that time, 1876-77, she was in the service of the U.S. government and master was Captain Grant Marsh, known to possibly be the greatest steamboatman ever and a man who taught his craft to Mark Twain. During the Indian campaign of 1875, General Sheridan chose the Far West to carry supplies from Fort Lincoln on the Missouri River (near present day Mandan, North Dakota) up to the Yellowstone River, then down the Yellowstone to the Powder River. On Sunday, June 25th, the day of the battle of the Little Big Horn, or "Custer's Last Stand", Marsh was ordered by General Terry to continue up to the mouth of the Big Horn River to have supplies within reach of the troops. Marsh anchored the Far West at the mouth of the Little Big Horn on June 27. He felt that by now Custer and Terry had met the Indians and defeated them. Marsh, however, received word that Custer had been wiped out. On June 28, General Terry chartered the Far West for $350 a day to carry his wounded men back to Fort Lincoln. One passenger was a horse, "Comanche", riddled with bullets and arrowheads. "Comanche" was the sole survivor of Custer's command. After dropping off some 15 walking wounded at the mouth of the Big Horn, Marsh covered the 710 miles from there to Bismarck in 54 hours and established the all-time speed record for a steamboat on the Missouri....13 and 17 miles an hour for the stretch. The Far West reached Bismarck with the first authentic news of the battle and the Bismarck Tribune carried the first certified story along with a list of the dead. The telegraph operator in Bismarck worked for 24 hours at a stretch sending the story over the wires to the New York Herald. Captain Marsh is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Bismarck and the current Interstate 94 bridge over the Missouri River between Bismarck and Mandan is named in his honor. General Miles and Buffalo Bill used the boat in a scouting expedition one time. The Far West was later sold to Victor Bonnet and Captain Henry M. Dodds. She sank on a snag at Mullanthy Island, seven miles below St. Charles, Missouri on October 30, 1883
• PHOTO DESCRIPTION: Drawing of sternwheel packet, Far West