A Urell hung out with Buffalo Bill

The Other Michael Emmet Urell

Unwritten History in Connection With Sitting Bull Campaign

Buffalo Bill visited Fort Yates, then as now, Agency headquarters of the Standing Rock reservation in December 1890, when Sitting Bull was for the last time occupying much front space in the eastern newspapers, for he was conducting a great ghost dance in his camp and getting his people ready to be introduced to the Messiah who was expected to come marching through the sky from the west to wipe out the white people and restore the land to the Indians.

The famous scout had orders from General Miles to bring Sitting Bull in. With him were two other scouts known as White Beaver and Pony Express Bob, and at Fort Yates they were joined by Steve Burke and M. E. Urell who was then known as "Bully" [Billy - Belly] Welch.

With a brave and gay farewell the party left Fort Yates for Sitting Bull's camp, bout 40 miles south ...

Footnote: This is another Michael Emmet Urell (not the General) who according to Angelia Urell Townsend was born 9 Dec 1849 in Co Kerry, Ireland. He also enlisted  in the U.S. Army during the Civil War. For some reason, he used the surname Welch which was his mother's maiden name. He married Katherine McDonald on 21 May 1878 and had 4 children.. He died 9 May 1921 at Fort Yates, North Dakota.

-Courtesy: Angelia Urell Townsend

Buffalo Bill