The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-11-06

jor H.. said to be the most beautiful lady IN She
American army.
On the 18Th, we left this lovely spot with great
reluctance, marched twenty miles, passing through
a beautiful country the soil of which IL highly pro
ductive and is well timbered- We saw immense
numbers OF prairie beDs The day beautiful.
We reached Red river on the l4th. III is very aP
prcprately named; the waters are muddy req;
where We crossed It WAS barrow and IKE the Ar,
kansas; has quicksands On the opposite bank
rises an immenEe and almost inaccessible hill The
teamsers found great difficulty 10 getting their wa
gon train mp. At the summit OF this hill is Preston,
an old established place, and one of the Oldest Anne
rican towns in Texas 1t was once quite Furnishing,
and was for time Quartermasters depot, Tor fur
nishing supplies to the different posts on that por-
ton Of the iontier. Owing to the uncertainty OF
shifting of the bed Of the river the depot has been
broken up, since which time the place has dmi-
nished very much in importance. It is now little
more than nest Of cut throats ana ROBBERS
place, very handsomely furnished, and where the
choicest wines and branded fruits may be pur-
chased at very moderate price: We are now in
Texas, but have still long march before US ere we
reach our destination.
lGth-Last night a quarrel occurred between two
soldiers and terminated by one being stabbed TO the
heart He died with an oath upon his lips, and was
hurried to his dread account with all his mperfec
lions on his head. He was buried in the woods,
short distance from where the ARRAY took place
No kindred or loving soul was present at this sad
alone" The murderer 10 In irons. To-day we
marched through the Cross Timbers. This is an i'm
mense belto woods, extending from the Arkansas
to the Brazos 400 miles acroes the country; on each
side are immense prairies; saw plenty OF deer and
wolf; water very scarce.
On the 18th we marched fourteen miles, had
great difficulty in finding water and could not get
sufficient for the command. We passed Victoria
Peak. ridge from which fine view Of the country
may be obtained; encamped ON . vast prairie; our
letters forwarded to this camp from Fort Belknap
This first news from home since leaving the
States. Our delight at Witnessing the mail bag
may be imagined; words would be inadequate to
describe il.
had but Just finished the perusal Of my last letter
we're norther that has been experienced for many
years in Texas. 1t blew up on the evening
Of the 22d. The preceding day was warm
and clear, which made us donbly sensible Of
was unusually violent Several tents which had
been pitched facing the north were blown down,
and it with the greatest difficulty they could be
raised again. We all suffered intensely from cold
and dust. The following day, as the storm continued
with equal violence, we remained in camp, and
many, in eelf-defence, remained in bed al day, al
most petrifyiDg even there. 1t makes me shiver.
at this late date to recall our sueringso on that
below Zero and ice from six to eight inches thick.
On the oath we resumed our march; still intensely
cold; men and animals suffered very much water
scarce and very bad; hardly sufficient for cooking
purposes.
On the 25th( Christmas) we remained in camp;
still terribly cold, but less windy.
On the 26th we marched twenty-five miles over
very rough roads. was sick and thought it would
be my death, butit is astonishing how much poor
humanity endure and still live on We encamped
late in the evening at the foot of high bluff; water
most tantalyzDgly scarce; men and horses extreme
ly limited in quantity; Captain w. proyidentially
brought enough from the last encampment for the
ladies; as ] was an invalid he kindly gave me can
teehfull which priced as SO much nectar. Captain
n I'd whn no Hrcfr ron he'd he on mt
to secure small bucketfull; by the negligence of
his servant it placed outside his tent, Of which
negligence horse took advantage TO appropriate IT,
o, ye who Tapped in beds OF down know not want
but what yourselves create how little can you
imagine the hardsbips and exposures Of we devoted
servants OF the United States!
29th-The cola still continues; we marched TWEEN
ty miles and encamped within half q mile Of Fort
belkIap; We remained three days at this encamp-
ment. The Tort is a miserable looking place; the
quarters beilt Of logs and clay with matched roofs
and ground floors; il is an infantry post, and has
been established five six years; Major p. is now
in c,mmand. We lost one Of our corporals and
private at this place. they were buried at the fort
Catholic priest performed the last melancholy
rites, and they were buried with appropriate militia
bopos, " LIES ftfu fever ended they sleep
welln The hospital at this place Is not worthy OF
the name; II is SO badly constructed that II Is neee
sary pitch tent within to exclude rain and camp;
half mile nom the fort are two very line springs OF
clear cold water.
On the second day Of January we LEFT
Foit Beiknap; we. crossed the Salt Fork,
or main stream Of the Brazos, which flows
within a quarter OF mile Of the fort,
and after march Of fourteen miles Iencamped on
the Clear Fork. Yesterday our command divided.
Colonel II. LETT in command Of four companies for
the Clear Fork Of the Bnzos, for the purpose Of
tablishng cavalry post In or near the Indian reer
walton, and now known as Camp Cooper; the remain
ing six companies escorted the colonel to the river,
where they formed into line and rendered their last
respects 70 the first detachment from the regiment
by present arms, as they passed by; this ia our
first division, end it is extremely doubtful II we
Will ever be united again a. regiment on frontier
service. We had another norther to-day, less severe,
however than its predecessors; stopped at house,
the only one within twenty miles OF Beknap, where
saw an interesting and beautiful woman, with a
large family Of children, all OF whom were pretty
ard nicely dressed; she interested me greatly, and
seemed strangely out OF place in such wilderness
she told me that she had lived here but short
time, but that during that time her father had
been. murdered by Indians our beef contractors
were Edetected by Colonel |. purchasing surplus
corn OF the soldiers, In consequence OF which he has
dismissed them they have caused great annoy.
ance throughout taking advantage OF every oppor.
unity on the road to buy up produce, which they
afterwards sold us Of g eatly increased prices;
have seen today for the first time, mezquite wood
il mades beautiful fires and emts an almost ncredi
bic heat the trees are small standing at such inter
walls that the APPEARANCE they present IL very sim
lar to that OF an immense peach orchard; II u
avery durable wood and Is considered the very best
fuel.
Jan. 5.-Ne renamed IN camp 70 aat--a lovely
SPOT. A. far a. the eye could reach In one dirtc
ion, extends a vat prairie on the opposite slde
risss line OF high bluffs. We found several old
Indian camps in this neighborhooG Numerous
trails and horse tracks may be seen 10 every direc
ton proving that they have been here IN large
numbers game il very abundant in this locality
and our hunters keep us well supplied, % that we
have not yet bad occasion 70 regret the departure
OF our beet contractors pecan trees are very nu-
merous here but TIE wild turkeys have left bur few
nuts Tor mezquite and cottonwood grow here
uxuriantly, also mezquite grass, which furnishes
tine pastuIsge for animals; am told the indiaas
are in the habit Of feeding their favoIite horses
with cottonwood bark during the winter.
Jan. A-The day being dark and the clouds threat
ening rain did not leave the camp earlyas usual
We, however, made q good days march OF fifteen
miles over on apparently boundless prairie. and en-
oampod late in the evening we have passed several
Indian lodges to-day and the remains OF several
large fires; we met large Mexican train en- roug r
Fort Belknap with stores for the troops OF that post;
were fortunate in finding plenty OF good water aud