APPENDIX C. 



BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE OF JAMES STEVENSON. 



James Stevenson was born in Maysville, Ky., December 24, 1840. 

 His father, who settled in Kentucky early in the century, was a Vir- 

 ginian, and, it is believed, probably of that hardy Scotch-Irish family 

 of Indian fighters and riflemen to which belonged Col. Hugh Steven- 

 son, of the Berkeley Riflemen, and his brothers, Col. Richard and 

 Col. Valentine Stevenson, all soldiers of the Revolution. He was 

 a vigorous, active boy, and at an early period showed an enthusiasm 

 to explore the Rocky Mountain region and to see the Indian in his 

 home. He read all the books of travel and adventure he could borrow, 

 and at the age of thirteen he ran away from home and joined a party 

 of the Hudson Bay Fur Company's traders, bound up the Missouri 

 River. Dr. F. V. Hayden was a passenger on the same packet, on his 

 way to explore the fossiliferous regions of the Upper Missouri and Yel- 

 lowstone. He noticed that Stevenson had taste for natural history, 

 and invited him to join him in his work. 



The boy showed tireless energy in collecting objects of natural his- 

 tory and ethnology along the buttes, mesas, and river benches of the 

 Mitu raises Torres, ami in time became an explorer of intrepid courage 

 and indefatigable zeal. 



He remained in the region of the Upper Missouri and the Yellowstone 

 month for three years, and became acquainted with the Crows, Black- 

 feet, Gros Ventres, and other Indians, up to that time little changed by 

 intercourse with white men, and acquired a knowledge of their customs 

 and characteristics. 



In 1857 the Pacific Railroad surveys of the Government having been 



fairly begun, Stevenson, still an assistant of Professor Hayden, was 



attached to Lieut. G. K. Warren's party, and subsequently to that of 



Lieut. F. W. Reynolds. At this time he made a useful collection of 

 fos.sil mammals and reptiles, and another illustrating the zoology and 



botany of the " Bad Lands." The labor and exposure incident to ex- 

 ploration at that time can not be properly appreciated in these days 

 of rapid and luxurious travel. 



In 1861 James Stevenson enlisted as a private soldier in the Thir- 

 teenth Regiment, New York Volunteers, and remained iu the service 

 until 1865. He took part in all the heavy battles of the Army of the 



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