Mitch Boyer (sometimes spelled 'Bowyer', 'Buoyer', 'Bouyer' or 'Buazer', or in Creole, 'Boye') (1837 – June 25, 1876) was an interpreter and guide in the Old West following the American Civil War. General John Gibbon called him "next to Jim Bridger, the best guide in the country". He was killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
This c.1895-1899 portrait by Charles A. Nast of A-ca-po-re, a Ute musician, is often misidentified as Mitch Bouyer.
He was born Michel[1] Boyer in 1837.[2] His father, Jean-Baptiste Boyer,[3] was a French Canadian who was employed by the American Fur Company, trading with Sioux in the Wyoming area. Mitch's mother was a Santee Sioux. His father was killed by Indians while trapping, about 1863. Mitch's Indian name was Kar-pash. He had three full sisters: Marie, Anne, and Thérèse, who seem to have been triplets born in 1840. He also had at least two half-brothers: John Boyer (c. 1845-1871), who was hanged at Fort Laramie for killing an Army scout in the first legal execution in Wyoming Territory, and Antoine Boyer (born 1852?), whom Walter Mason Camp interviewed in 1912. John, in an interview just before he was hanged, stated that there had been other siblings who had already died.
Boyer was an interpreter at Fort Phil Kearny in 1868. In the fall of 1869, he married a young Crow woman named Magpie Outside (or Magpie Out-of-Doors), who became known as Mary. Their first child, also named Mary, was born in 1870. Sometime later they also had a son, apparently named Tom, but eventually called James LeForge (see below).
Army scout and death at the Little Big HornEdit
Boyer became a guide for the 2nd U.S. Cavalry, working with the Northern Pacific Railroad's survey team. From 1872 on he was employed by the Crow Agency and the US Army.
In 1876 Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer requested that Boyer be transferred to the 7th U.S. Cavalry as an interpreter for the Crow scouts when Gen. Alfred Terry ordered the 7th south from the Montana Column to search for hostile Indians. Custer's regular scouts were Ree (Arikara). However, for this mission, Terry had assigned six of Lt. James Bradley's Crow scouts to the 7th (including Curley). Boyer had the additional bonus of knowing the country well.
At the Crow's Nest, Boyer was one of the scouts who warned Custer about the size of the Indian village, which Custer claimed he couldn't make out. Boyer told him, "General, I have been with these Indians for 30 years, and this is the largest village I have ever known of." After failing to convince Custer, it is reported[citation needed] Boyer gave away his possessions, convinced he would die in the coming battle. There was a report that Sitting Bull had offered a bounty of 100 ponies for Boyer's head.[citation needed]
When Custer's command was divided into 3 battalions, about noon, Boyer was assigned to accompany Custer, whose battalion would be almost completely wiped out. There were only about a dozen survivors of Custer's battalion, all of whom had left it before the battle began. Soldiers in Reno's fight claimed to have seen Custer on the bluffs watching the retreat, but this was later shown probably to have been Boyer and Curley, who had ridden ahead of the main force.[citation needed] Boyer stayed with Custer and was killed in the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
Mitch Boyer marker on Deep Ravine trail, Deep Ravine is to the right of this picture (s/sw), and about 65 yards distant.
In 1984, a fire burned through much of the Custer Battlefield, enabling archaeological digs to be made. Part of a skull was found that was identified as Boyer's by comparison of the facial bones with a misidentified photograph.[4] The skull fragment was found to the west of the monument on Custer Hill, at what is called the 'South Skirmish Line'.
Boyer seems to have been a flamboyant character. He was wearing a piebald calf's vest the day of the fatal battle.
After Boyer's death, his widow Mary was taken in by his close friend, Thomas Leforge. When his own wife died, Leforge married Mary and adopted her children. This is probably when Mitch's son was renamed, as Leforge had a son of his own named Tom. Mary died in 1916.[citation needed]
^the incorrect 'Minton' in early 20th century writings is due to his nickname 'Mitch'
^according to 1840 baptismal records; Mitch himself, in the only direct information we have from him, testimony about the 1866 Fetterman Massacre, claimed he was 28 in 1867
^Camp gives 'Vital', probably a confusion with Vital Beauvais, whose surname is similarly pronounced in French
^Nast, Charles A.; Ute Indians, "Acapore" ; glass photonegative c.1895-1899; Denver Public Library Special Collections; call number X-31214; image file ZZR710031214
mitch, bouyer, mitch, boyer, sometimes, spelled, bowyer, buoyer, bouyer, buazer, creole, boye, 1837, june, 1876, interpreter, guide, west, following, american, civil, general, john, gibbon, called, next, bridger, best, guide, country, killed, battle, little, b. Mitch Boyer sometimes spelled Bowyer Buoyer Bouyer or Buazer or in Creole Boye 1837 June 25 1876 was an interpreter and guide in the Old West following the American Civil War General John Gibbon called him next to Jim Bridger the best guide in the country He was killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn This c 1895 1899 portrait by Charles A Nast of A ca po re a Ute musician is often misidentified as Mitch Bouyer Contents 1 Family background 2 Army scout and death at the Little Big Horn 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksFamily background EditHe was born Michel 1 Boyer in 1837 2 His father Jean Baptiste Boyer 3 was a French Canadian who was employed by the American Fur Company trading with Sioux in the Wyoming area Mitch s mother was a Santee Sioux His father was killed by Indians while trapping about 1863 Mitch s Indian name was Kar pash He had three full sisters Marie Anne and Therese who seem to have been triplets born in 1840 He also had at least two half brothers John Boyer c 1845 1871 who was hanged at Fort Laramie for killing an Army scout in the first legal execution in Wyoming Territory and Antoine Boyer born 1852 whom Walter Mason Camp interviewed in 1912 John in an interview just before he was hanged stated that there had been other siblings who had already died Boyer was an interpreter at Fort Phil Kearny in 1868 In the fall of 1869 he married a young Crow woman named Magpie Outside or Magpie Out of Doors who became known as Mary Their first child also named Mary was born in 1870 Sometime later they also had a son apparently named Tom but eventually called James LeForge see below Army scout and death at the Little Big Horn EditBoyer became a guide for the 2nd U S Cavalry working with the Northern Pacific Railroad s survey team From 1872 on he was employed by the Crow Agency and the US Army In 1876 Lt Col George Armstrong Custer requested that Boyer be transferred to the 7th U S Cavalry as an interpreter for the Crow scouts when Gen Alfred Terry ordered the 7th south from the Montana Column to search for hostile Indians Custer s regular scouts were Ree Arikara However for this mission Terry had assigned six of Lt James Bradley s Crow scouts to the 7th including Curley Boyer had the additional bonus of knowing the country well At the Crow s Nest Boyer was one of the scouts who warned Custer about the size of the Indian village which Custer claimed he couldn t make out Boyer told him General I have been with these Indians for 30 years and this is the largest village I have ever known of After failing to convince Custer it is reported citation needed Boyer gave away his possessions convinced he would die in the coming battle There was a report that Sitting Bull had offered a bounty of 100 ponies for Boyer s head citation needed When Custer s command was divided into 3 battalions about noon Boyer was assigned to accompany Custer whose battalion would be almost completely wiped out There were only about a dozen survivors of Custer s battalion all of whom had left it before the battle began Soldiers in Reno s fight claimed to have seen Custer on the bluffs watching the retreat but this was later shown probably to have been Boyer and Curley who had ridden ahead of the main force citation needed Boyer stayed with Custer and was killed in the Battle of the Little Big Horn Mitch Boyer marker on Deep Ravine trail Deep Ravine is to the right of this picture s sw and about 65 yards distant In 1984 a fire burned through much of the Custer Battlefield enabling archaeological digs to be made Part of a skull was found that was identified as Boyer s by comparison of the facial bones with a misidentified photograph 4 The skull fragment was found to the west of the monument on Custer Hill at what is called the South Skirmish Line Boyer seems to have been a flamboyant character He was wearing a piebald calf s vest the day of the fatal battle After Boyer s death his widow Mary was taken in by his close friend Thomas Leforge When his own wife died Leforge married Mary and adopted her children This is probably when Mitch s son was renamed as Leforge had a son of his own named Tom Mary died in 1916 citation needed See also EditWhite Swan Half Yellow FaceNotes Edit the incorrect Minton in early 20th century writings is due to his nickname Mitch according to 1840 baptismal records Mitch himself in the only direct information we have from him testimony about the 1866 Fetterman Massacre claimed he was 28 in 1867 Camp gives Vital probably a confusion with Vital Beauvais whose surname is similarly pronounced in French Nast Charles A Ute Indians Acapore glass photonegative c 1895 1899 Denver Public Library Special Collections call number X 31214 image file ZZR710031214References EditConnell Evan S Son of the Morning Star Custer And The Little Bighorn 1985 Gray John S Custer s Last Campaign 1991 Hammer Ken ed Custer in 76 Walter Camp s Notes on the Custer Fight Norman University of Oklahoma 1976 Weibert Henry amp Don Sixty Six Years in Custer s Shadow 1985 External links EditA ca po re Ute musician Mitch Bouyer or Acapore Mitch Bouyer at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mitch Bouyer amp oldid 1140002795, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
