Robin Byrd's Adventures

The following is an experience Robin Byrd recounted. I kept the original spelling, punctuation, and format. Bob Byrd told me Robin had an accident and was hospitalized with burns. During this hospitalization a man came and wrote down some of his adventures. There were thirteen or so letters. Bob only had two of the letters.

Robin Byrd was Alexander Marshall Robinson Byrd, born in Smithville, Platte County, Missouri in 1858. His family allowed him to choose which name he would be known by. Do you suppose he was a budding ornithologist and "Robin Byrd" appealed? My Dad always called him Uncle Robin. He was my grandfather's uncle. At age 6 he crossed the plains with his mother and siblings. His father had left the Confederate Army, abandoned his Missouri farm, and went to search for Gold in Denver and later in Montana. His mother drove a wagon and team of oxen to Montana with five children, ages 15 to 2. As you know, Missouri was a border state and received horrible war fallout from North and South. I can see why they just left. The following story is pretty disgusting, but what happened, happened.

"In the year 1879, in the month of October, I was employed by John Samples, herding beef cattle near Miles City. When Samples came to me asking if I did not care to take a trip? I asked where and he replied, “Oh, North of Benton.” I was quite willing to go. He first sent me to the Bank with an order for seventeen hundred dollars, all to be in silver dollars. This I put in two leather bags and packed on two horses. Our outfit consisted of the two horses loaded with the money, one horse loaded with camp supplies, which were limited, and the horses we rode. We took a course Northward and coming to the Big River (Missouri River) we camped there one evening, about four O’clock. The next morning about six O’clock a Steamer came along and was hailed by Samples. The Captain had a gang plank run out and set us and our out-fit across the river. We continued Northward, until beyond the Canadian line. We came to the camp of Sitting Bull, who greeted Samples as an old friend. Samples dickered with the Indians for two or three days buying buffalo hides and beaver hides. I baled all these hides. Two ox teams appeared. Eight or ten yoke to the team. Each team drawing two wagons upon which were racks. They brought among other things a barrel of alcohol a quantity of tobacco, dried apples and sugar and some cases of bottles. Also a large brown kettle. The teams were loaded with the hides and left the next morning. The apples sugar and tobacco were boiled together and then mixed with the alcohol making, “Injun whiskey.” This was bottled and sold to the Indians at one dollar a bottle. The Indians entering one end of the tent and going out at the other bought the whiskey as they passed through – it being sold to them over a rude counter. Some of the Bucks were drunk and fighting. The squaws tied them down and they themselves began buying Firewater and soon they too were drunk and began cutting the Bucks loose. Samples said it was now time to go telling me to get our horses which I was not long doing. We left the tent and some gallons of the mixture and hurried away. We rode all night mostly at a gallop. About nine O’clock the next morning we camped when Samples said we were some eighty miles from the camp of the Sioux. We recrossed the Missouri in the same manner as before this time waiting two days for a boat. We had secured the furs and had most of the money back."