I am developing a page comparing, day by day, the two steamer journals of the 1869 Missouri River season:
(1) Str Henry M Shreve by Nelson Green Edwards
(2) Str Mollie Ebert by Nancy Poe Ebert
The following table compares their trips by date and position according to entries in their respective journals. The Nancy Poe Ebert journal resolved conclusively the question of whether the Mollie Ebert docked at Ft Benton. The Mollie Ebert did reach Cow Island, but could not navigate the Dauphin Rapids due to low water. The Mollie Ebert spent eight days at Cow Island while the clerk and captain arranged the transfer of their freight to two boats that had successfully negotiated the rapids when the water level was higher. Emotionally and financially, the failure to dock at the Ft Benton levee was deeply disappointing.
Position |
Miles |
Henry M Shreve |
Mollie Ebert |
Depart | |||
St Louis |
0 |
Apr 6 |
Apr 16 |
Kansas City |
456 |
Apr 10 |
|
Omaha |
807 |
Apr 17 |
|
Sioux City |
1010 |
Apr 20 |
|
Yankton |
1181 |
Apr 24 |
May 6 |
Bijou Hills |
|
Apr 30 |
May 13-14 |
Ft Thompson |
1441 |
May 2 |
May 16 |
St John’s Woodyard |
|
May 5 |
May 18 |
Ft Sully |
1520 |
May 8 |
May 20 |
Swan Lake |
|
May 12 |
|
Cannon Ball River |
|
May 15 |
May 23 |
Ft Rice |
|
May 16 |
|
Ft Berthold |
1985 |
May 19 |
May 27 |
Little Missouri River |
2015 |
May 19 |
May 27 |
Ft Buford |
2240 |
May 22 |
May 25? |
Spread Eagle Camp |
|
May 24 |
|
Milk River |
2482 |
May 26 |
|
Ft Peck |
|
May 26 |
|
Mussel Shell River |
2678 |
May 29 |
|
Cow Island |
2793 |
Jun 2 |
Jun12 |
Ft Benton |
2965 |
Jun12 |
|
|
|
|
|
Return |
|
|
|
Ft Benton |
2965 |
Jun 15 |
|
Cow Island |
2793 |
|
Jun 20 |
Spread Eagle Bend |
|
|
Jun 24 |
Ft Buford |
2240 |
|
Jun 26 |
Yellowstone River |
2235 |
|
Jun 27 |
Little Missouri River |
2015 |
|
Jun 27 |
Ft Stevenson |
|
|
Jun 28 |
Cannon Ball River |
|
|
Jun 29 |
Swan Lake Woodyard |
|
|
Jun 30 |
Ft Sully |
1520 |
|
Jul 2 |
St Louis |
0 |
Jul 1 |
Jul 13 |