The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-06-25

road, and Jones, your correspondent
all civilians. OF the military, Major
General w. S. Hancock, in command;
General VIM. G. Mitchell, A. A. g.,
Chief of Staff; Lieutenant NJ. K. Brown,
A. D. c.: Lieutenant j. D. Graham, A.
d, c.; Lieutenant Baldwin, A. d. CT
Surgeon Frank Reynolds, U. 9. A.,
and Assistant Surgeon E. d. Hilhard,
U. s. a.
we take with us one hundred United
States Infantry, twenty-five wagons for
troop and stores, fifteen ambulRnces, in
which the civilians ride, two guides and
two Indian scouts, both of the Delaware
tribe; one of them named -Four Leaf
and the other one, his son, named Two
Four Leaf.
In our march General Hancock and
staff took the lead of the train, all OF
them well mounted and armed; the
ambulances containing us civilians
came next, whilst the wagons, contain
Ing the forage and stores, and the mill
taTy escort brought up the rear. The
Indian scouts were generally mile or
| two in advance of the train on the
look out for the Indians and the Buff
falo.
We took along with us various as
Economical linstrumentsto take Observa-
tions, and to make an exact map OF the
road travelled; also an admonitor to
measure the number of miles Travelled
each day, and a practical engineer and
draughtsman to observe and dot down
the various creeks, rivers, caverns, Sc.,
on our march.
FIRST DAY on THE PRAIRIE.
We made but thirteen and a halfmiles
to-day owing to the great fall of rain,
which had been descending in torrents
all day, aud which had SO swollen Cow
Creek as to prevent our crossing 1t. At
| 8 D. IN, we camped on the banks OF this
creek. The wagons we arranged In the
shape of u square, the ambulances De.
ing on the interior line. The tents OF
the General and staff, and of the civil
ians, were pitched inside of the square,
whilst the tents of the soldiers were To-
Gated outside of the line of wagons.
We had great difficulty in getting
hot supper owing to the scarcity OF
wood, and the continued fall of rain.
But We found no fault with this, and
after partaking OF what was IN store
we fixed up our beds and lay ourselves
for the second time on our soft, muddy
couches to rest.
A BEAUTIFUL SCENE.
Sunday, the 9th, dawned bright and
warm, The whole camp was astir by
o'clock, and every one delighted at
the cheerful rays OF the sun. General
Hancock sent his scouts over the creek
and ascertained that the stream had
LubI u CEObHlIE COhAu 10 AlaAG
in five feet OF water. Immediate Prepa-
ration was therefore made for start,
and by 8 O'Clock the whole train had
successfully crossed the stream.
The country through which we trav-
elled to-day was by far the most beau
tiIul of any we have yet seen. The
long stretches of prairie, reaching for
miles on every side, covered with an
uninterrupted carpet of grass, dotted
all over with flowers OF various hues;
the clear blue sky, AS free from clouds
as the earth beneath from trees; the
sweet bracing,, breeze making il pleas
ant in spite Of the hot sun; the music of
the birds, all tended to make this
most glorious Sabbath morning.
It is very hard in these vast and
boundless solitudes to be surprised by
Indians or buffalo. From the top of
one OF these 'plateauX, or buttes, the
eye can see for five or six miles on ev-
cry side, until the vision is stopped by
the horizon or interrupted by another
butte of the same character. The soil
is deep and rich, and is destined to make
the greatest grazing country in the
world.
A BUFFALO HUNT.
AT . o'clock, after we had taken our
lunch, we deserted, about three miles
ahead of us, eight or ten black specRs,
which might or might not be Indians
where there is not a solitary tree to be
seen, a moving speck in the distance is
| like a sail in mid ocean. Our Indian
scouts were soon seen making towards
the objects Ut full speed, and we were
not long in determining the character
of the objects. They proved to be
small herd OF buffalo, of some eight or
ten AS soon as 1t was known that the
Indians were not about-but buffalo
were-the most intense excitement pre-
vailed amongst the civilians. Every
man who could obtain u horse secured
one, and rode off in full chase, whilst
such as were not so fortunate ran at
full speed, with rifle or pistol, in the d.
rection they were coming. The chase
and pursuit was most exciting, and the
only danger appeared TO be in our kill
ing one another and letting the buffalo
escape. After chase OF half an hour,
in the course of which various flank
movements were made by the hunters
| to get the buffalo cornered, and by the
buffalo trying TO escape the hunters,
some six OF them were suddenly halted,
and four of the number killed. Every
man appeared to think 1t a duty to hit
| a buffalo, whether he was standing or
had already fallen, II only to say he had
| helped kill a buffalo. Your CORES
pordert, however, was not desirous of
any such honor, and remained quietly
in his ambulance watching the sport;
and preparing himself for some good
steak for supper.
] AS soon as the buffalo excitement
had subsided, a fresh one was created
by several antelopes crossing the paths
| OF our valiant and efficient huntsmen,
who Immediately gave chase; but the
i graceful little animals were too fleet
for their pursuers, and soon led them
| far over the plains. w. Kennedy, of
| Pittsburgh, who was most anxious for
a crack at one of them, continued to
follow in their path, and, unmindful of
the direction he was going, or the dis
tance he'was travelling, went far over
the plains, and with great difficulty
found his way back to camp.
LIFE on THE PRAIRIE. 1ys-a,
We camped this evening on the
banks of the Smoky river, and within
one mile of Fossil Creek Oar camp
ground was beautifully located, and
where we had plenty of wood and
water.
The sunset was the most brilliant 1
ever witnessed; well worth journey
! 10 behold. IT some young Bierstadt
had been along, he might have seen n
picture that would have ravished his
| soul, and have given him an idea OF
nature seldom witnessed. Just as the
| last rays of the setting sun were about
to hide themselves behind the buttes OF
the distant West, our Ethiopian cook
called us to supper. And such sup
per a prince might have envted. The
savorY smell OF broiled buffalo steaks,
the steam arising from the hot coffee,
/ and the well Drowned biscuit just out
of the oven, made our hungry stomachs
"rejoice with exceeding Joy" never
1 felt SO thankful for fresh meat in my
4 life, and then 1t was such a rarity to
\ eat buffalo steaks, and TIA within half
1 lEar nj