Hat Creek Dateline: 1876/06/05

by Ed Cook, Contributing Writer

Agent Moulton of the Custer City stage office arrived here today with a supply train of 75 teams. They are escorted by Captain Egan's Grays" reinforced by Captain Russell's Co. K of the Third Cavalry. The train was loaded with thousands of pounds of supplies badly needed by the miners in Deadwood.

With almost daily Indian trouble along the route during May, the supply line from Ft. Laramie to Custer city had been practically stopped. In desperation to get needed supplies through, Stage Line Supt. Luke Voorhees had Moulton organize their freight train to go straight through to Deadwood.

Capt. Egan and his "Grays" were assigned the task of patrolling the Black Hills route at least every two weeks. On the last of May it was also announced that 2 troops of cavalry and 3 companies of infantry would be stationed on the route to escort freight trains from station to station. Additional companies were expected to arrive in June to bring the total force on patrol duty to about ten troops of cavalry and seven companies of infantry.

These troops were also badly needed in the northern campaign at this time so placing them on the Cheyenne and Black Hills route put quite a strain on Gen. Crook's military power.

(Information source: Cheyenne & Black Hills Stage & Express Routes by Agnes Wright Spring)

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