The Bozeman Trail
The route was uneventful crossing the South Fork of the Powder River and Crazy Woman's Fork. They crossed Lodge Pole Creek near present day Buffalo, Wyoming. There they encountered a group of Indians that weren't too happy about the whites passing through. They promised not to harm them if the group turned back. But Bozeman advised them to go ahead since they were well armed, were a small enough party to be managed, and their animals were mostly oxen which would not be easily stampeded or stolen. Jacobs advised to go on also. Many of the men were doubtful.
After three days they decided to go back. They kept hoping to meet a large train that would make them large enough to stand up to the Indians. By July 26 they were at the north fork of the Powder River. A group was sent back to Deer Creek to wire for more help or to bring soldiers with them. They could get neither. They had to turn back by majority rule. But ten men decided to risk it on horseback through the Indian territory. The three known men in this group were Bozeman, George W. Irvin II, later a prominent citizen of Butte, and Mike J. Knock. They traveled only at night. Their one pack horse stumbled and fell into a deep ravine and they lost all their supplies. Bozeman was the natural leader of the group inspiring them to go on. They entered the Wind River country southwest of present day Thermopolis, Wyoming. They went four days without food before Bozeman finally shot an eagle on the Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone. They followed the Yellowstone and traveled west. Irvin named the crest of the divide between the Yellowstone and Gallatin valleys Bozeman Pass. They made it back to Three Forks where they rested and shared a good meal with some hunters. Then they went on to Alder Gulch in early August 1863.
Bozeman was not discouraged by their failure. During his stay at Virginia City he organized a wagon train. He led this train, the Moody Train, to Salt Lake City. From there he would go on to Omaha to organize another overland expedition for spring 1864. This expedition was by arrangement of the Missouri and Rocky Mountain Wagon Road and Telegraph Company, which stood to gain from tolls taken on the wagon road. While enroute to Salt Lake City the wagon train was attacked
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