GRANT MARSH
c. 1834 -January 2, 1916
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GRANT MARSH
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Grant Marsh served with Clemens aboard the steamboat A. B. CHAMBERS.
His career as a steamboat pilot spanned sixty years. He is often noted
as steamboat captain of the FAR WEST, which brought back the wounded
after the Battle of the Little Bighorn in June 1876.
Marsh's comments about Clemens: smooth faced young fellow, whose
quite and retiring manner didn't prevent him being very popular with
all his associates . . . He proved a most excellent navigator, knowing
his river thoroughly and possessing the judgement to make the best of
his knowledge.
- quoted in Conquest of the Missouri, Joseph Hanson
More
info about Grant Marsh at the Mississippi River Museum web site.
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Clemens' comments about Marsh: And so Grant Marsh, too,
is flourishing yet? A mighty good fellow, and smart too. When we were taking
that wood flat down to the CHAMBERS, which was aground, I soon saw that I was
a perfect lubber at piloting such a thing. I saw that I could never hit the
CHAMBERS with it, so I resigned in Marsh's favor, and he accomplished the task
to my admiration. We should all have gone to the mischief if I had remained
in authority. I always had good judgement, more judgement than talent, in fact.
- letter from Samuel Clemens to Jack Downing, from
Elmira, NY on or after Aug. 18, 1881
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