Sagas of the Smoky-Water
"Sagas of the Smoky-Water," by Ben Innis, is a historical narrative based on historical events. This work is centered around central subjects, with collections of stories pertaining to those subjects. Given the time that this book was written and published, much has changed with advances in technology and the ability to find and confirm primary source materials.
In honor of Ben's memory, this book has been reprinted exactly as it was originally printed over 40 years ago.
This collection of stories is an accounting of a history which has long needed publication. Formerly, Upper Missouri history researchers, students, and buffs had to depend on widely scattered sources which were not always satisfactory, and which in many cases, had never been exposed for public use. As a result, the historical importance of this strategic area has been largely overlooked. A number of the events which took place at or near the junction of the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers in northwestern North Dakota proved to be of national significance in the American westward movement. These chronicles, then, are offered as a remedy to the lack of comprehensive and accurate information on this fascinating region.
This book is not intended to be a formal, scholarly history. Rather, it has been organized into a succession of historical articles on the discovery and settlement of the Missouri-Yellowstone country, which as closely as possible, follow a chronological progression, ranging from the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805 to happenings in the city of Williston up to 1910. A reader should be able to peruse the book in its printed order or pick the story of category on the subject of immediate interest regarding the event, personality, or place involved.
This reprinting was facilitated by the Fort Buford 6th Infantry Regiment Association, of which Innis was a founding member. $25 per book sold goes toward further education and history interpretation of the Fort Buford 6th Infantry at Fort Buford State Historic Site.