The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1864-01-07

4
armed, and sent in pursuit Of the scoun
drel, but With his usual good fortune
he was enabled to eluds his pursuers
and the boys" were again disappoint'
cd in not meeting the enemy Nothing
occurred worthy Of note on this chase
with the exception Of q gallant charge
on Grail fence" which at distance
assumed the shape of men in line OF
battle, but tho deception was disacVSred
in time to prevent serious iray.
After giving up the chase, our battalion
moved to Kansas City, Mo, where we
took boat for Lesvenworth, arriving
there without any material damage, ex-
cepting tho worn-out coo ditiou of men
and horEeS.
On the 25th We took up our line OF
march for Fort Laramie, our course be-
ing through a rolling country for many
days, until We gradually merged into
the prairie. We generally averaged
about twenty miles a day, camping at
night, and picksting" our horses
wherever grass was in sufficient quaint
ty. Nothing of unusual interest occur
red until We camped at Walnut Creek,
where wc got the first sight Of the In
Ijlns." Here We were visited by several
Kiokapoo Indiana, who were soon sur
irouaded by gaping crowd, eager to
see the elephant" On the 7th Of
September we camped near Marysvilo,
on the Big Blue" quite thriving
place, containing about 300 inhabitants,
a log Court House, printing office, a
billiard saloon, and several large bust
ness houses sontyou a copy of tho
g Big Blue Republican" containing an
account of our passage through the
place, We had plenty of water until
after leaving the " Little Blue" when
we struck the Platte, which was entirely
dry, we having TO sink boxes and bar
rels into the river bed when We campsd
at night. This is the frst time the
Platte WAS ever known to bo dry.
o. reaching Fremont Spring, we
crossed the Platte, and took our march
toward the North Platte, so as to have
plenty Of water on the march, Our
Journey along the North Platte was tru-
ly tedious, as on this route We aaw Bo
" Ranches" which on the mail route
had appeared at intervals of IS or 20
miles. On the 1st Of October we reach
ed Ash Hollow, tho scene Of the great
battle between Gen. Harney and the
Sioux Indians, resulting in the total de-
feat Of the latter, with only a smAll loss
to Harneys forces. We passed. severSl
soldiers graves, who fell in this battle
AT this point, a sm ell detachment, with
ralions aad ammunition, WAS left behind
to take care Of several horses that were
about to give out Lieut.. c. w. Col
lins was placed in command, and pri-
Yates Ghnn, Nathan D. Sweet" Brown,
and your humble servant formed a
portion Of the party, while Blu BoHs, "
q Unknown coon" of Hllsboro, took
charge of our culinary department, On
the departure Of the battalion, wc moved
our camp up into the bluffs, in sraTine,
with huge rocks rising some 40 or so
feet above Us, aud spread our blankets
for a bivouao." We had plenty Of
fuel in the shape of dead cedar, and
when night came on we had quite q
Jolly timO. Our horses were pioke.ed
a short distance below us, in higa grass
and knowing that they we-o as comfort.
able as could ba expected, we deter
mined to have frolic. Our sable FRIEND
Bolts soon prepared u.s. lot of driet
| hsof hot cup Of coffee, and those, to-
gether with our hard tack, GormeC
qnito an acceptable meal. should have
liked some Of your readers to have BEEN
: near and heard Bolts making the rock
, above US echo with his negro mslo
? dies, sided by our whole crowd, Will,
p the wolves in the valley below JOINED
= in ss chorus. We had fully deter
mined to have a jolly time for two o.
three days, but in the midst Of our up
roarious fun, a messenger arrived from
i our Colonel ordering Us forward to oul
: command as rapidly as our worn,ou
r horses could travel. With feolings o
. regret We broke up camp" and dis
= consOlately mounted our "chargors, thu
= whole party agreeing that they hac
E never had so much enjoyment in 81
short time.
We passed the celebrated Gimme,
t Rock and Court House .Rock, nea
+ Scott's Bluff, and had fair view o
} them. At the distAuoo we were from
( them we could net judge Of their siz
. and hOight. For my own part, | cam,
, to ths conclusion that they we're mucl
I ovsr-ratsd as natural curiositios,