By mid-April 1876, Colonel John Gibbon's immediate concern was getting the Montana Column to the north side of the Yellowstone before reaching the confluence of the Bighorn River so it could patrol the lower Yellowstone from the Bighorn to the Powder River and prevent Indian movement across the river. The initial crossing on April 19, 1876, about 10 miles west of present Custer, was uneventful, with the river about 200 yards wide and 3 feet deep, but after a few easy miles on the north side the command met high ground and deep, narrow coulees that were impassable for its many wagons. The entire command crossed back to the south side, marched down the valley in search of better ground, and camped for the night. The final crossing to the north side took place the next day opposite present Custer, after the river had risen slightly overnight. Colonel Gibbon depended on scout Mitch Bouyer to find the best place to cross, and after one attempt was abandoned because the water was too deep, the troopers moved about a half-mile back up the valley to a more suitable site Bouyer selected. Although the water there was deeper than at the first two crossings, the entire column reached the north side safely. A month later, a final attempt to cross the Yellowstone a few miles above the confluence of Rosebud Creek was made after scouts reported a big village along the Tongue River, but with the river running high and swift, Colonel Gibbon called off the attack late in the day when 4 horses drowned.