Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-10
HUNTING BUFFALOES BY
STEAEE.

| cursionists, moved out of the Lawrence
| depot at the sound of music by the band,
| and steamed away westward toward the
regions OF Lo and the Buffalo. Our COM
lnfssary car is loaded to the muzzle with
good things for the inner man. The day
is auspicious-the hunters eager for the
fray. A goodly number of ladies are
| present, who, despite the rumors Of Indian
massacres, that appal the hearts of timid
| doWn-easters are bound for the dark
and bloody ground" TO become the enthu-
siastic spectators of deeds that shall eclipse
the days of chivalry.
At the 225th mile-post we frat hove in
sight of the grand army advancing from
the north, and for fifty miles We have not
| been out of sight of their dark threatening
| lines. No estimate can be made of the
| countless thousands of these shaggy mon
sters who have hung upon our right flank,
checked In their southern march by the
railroad and passing trains. Experienced
| frontier men affirm that they have never
| before seen such countless numbers TO-
gether. A few Of the advance guard had,
| at some points, crossed to the southwark of
! the road, and these, as our goodly engine,
! the Seminole, advanced, would seek TO re-,
cross to the main herd. Then would ensue
such q wild race as no words can describe.
Such a neck-a-neck race as we had at about
3 P, NJ. A mile away on our left about
twenty were deserted making curve in the
road about two miles in advance OF the
! engine. Keeping his engine at a speed
! just sufficient to encourage them IN their
effjrt, the skillful engineer of the Seminole
threw down the gauntlet and the race be-
gan. la an instant hundred car windows
were thrown up, and the left of our train
bristled with two hundred guns. The en-
CINE screamed and the spectators shouted,
and the earth seemed to tremble with the
tread of the huge monsters, as half envel-
oped in 4 cloud Of dust they bounded over
the Level plain nearing US at every bound,
and now at the distance of Six hundred
yards, and just abreast Of our train they
received the desultory fire of our eager
marksmen. And thus for more than two
miles, these great dark, rolling, wallowing,
swaying monsters, ran the fiery gauntlet
till, apparently dsheartened, they slack
ened their speed, turned dehantly at bay
for moment and then sped away to the
left out Of range Of our guns, with gait
which told too well that some of ous shots
had taken effect.
But the grand adventure Of the day w.,s
yet 10 come. JuA at dark We ran into
vast herd spread out on both sides Of the
track. In an instant the whole prairie
seemed in motion Again the portion on
our lief. sought TO cross the track, and again
We gave chase. The mass were too quick
for a., but three immense bulls were cut
of in such way AZ 10 give them an even
chance with the Seminole. La the dark
ness Of the evening they could scarcely be
disCcrned, except by the fash Of the guns,
"a q little In advance OF the engine and
close along The track, they drew the diago-
nal FIRE OF two hundred guns. Ii was 4
race for life, and they ran as if the demon
of des pair was in them. But this lime the
Seminole was Worsted and with a luTch
and bound, they sPrang across The track,
not twenty feet in advance Of the engine.
But not TO escape In fash our gunners
were on the opposite side Of the train, and |
rs their huge backs came rolling up the |
embaukmeut they received q full brOadside |
from our battalion. Two were seen 10 |
stagser and fail, bot rose again 10 their |
feet "DOwn brakes" was whisiled and |
men, women and children tumblei ION |
the train and joined in the pursuit. Scarce
q hundred yards from the train the largest |
one fell dead. He was shot through the
heart The other badly wounded, escaped |
in the darkness.
OF getting out, tumbled over his wife and |
the drum, but was on the ground in a |
trice.
Capt CuItiss, a practical butcher, was
on hand in a jlthn, and 10 disembowel his 4
majesty was the work of bat few mo- |
mems Under the direction Of Captain /
Coombs rope was attached to his horns, |
and iwo long files of men, with Joined |
hands and preceded by the band, playing /
Yankee Doodle, dragged him bodily to
the front car aud hOisled him aboard. We
have christened him Macmillan. Capt.
CoOmbs is putting him through q course
Of embalming, aud when We reach home
We propose 10 mount him on a dray, and |
carry him in triumphal procession through |
the streets Of the historic city"
Few and short were the prayers we /
SAID last night, and brief the embraces Of |
Morpheus. Long black lines of bnffaIoes |
were gslloping all night over the level |
plain Of our dreamlsnd. = MOGtgOmery's !
howitzer is said to have been discharged |
once during the night. Judge Banks was |
detected in a frantic endeavor to fire off |
the brass drum. There were several |
alarms of "hre" during the night
Atsunrise we steam away fer the buffalo |
mirage. Thirty miles at lightning speed,
and we were in sight Of their advance
lines. Hating few moments, We organ
lied by elecling a colonel and dividing the
battalion into companies.
The Captrains gave few brief Iuatuc
tons 10 their men, and thea embarked
aboard the train and dashed IN among
them, scattering them to the right and
left of the track. Those on oar right flank
e8deavOring to cut Us of, We gave chase.
A broadside was delivered in their midst,
aud one fell. 4 hundred hands conveyed
him bodily 10 the cars and hOisted him
aboard, when be was provided with berth
10y MAX All aboard Another charge
and We are in the midst Of Thousands,
darkening all the plain. From the top Il
The train, with @ pOweTiul gia's, swept
the horizon through 100 degrees, aHd the
whole half circle was literally covered with
their dark masses, looking in the defiance
ike a dumped forest of black Jack OaE5.
! The train halt, aud nuis!essly the different
| platOoHs dart out Oh the double quick
! among the dark masses awaiting themselves
| Of the various Inequalities Ct the ground to
/ keep themselves covered, and seeking the
! most thiCkly clustered herds. From our
/ elevated lock out we could take in The
! entire field TO a looker-on the scene had
/ all the interest Of a battle. The plan W..
well conceived and faithfully executed.
! There was L suspense OF 20 minutes pre-
| cedsg the Conflict. Then came shot,
then two, then a PslteriDg Of shots all
| around She circle, and the bali was opened.
There vas confusion, doubly confused,
among the countless herd. Ccn!oundtd
and bewildcred they daried This way and
that, and among each other like the fan
tasiic, ever changing Kaleidoscope Wien
ever they tried to break from the Gery
column, II was only to meet the deadly
rifle and lis death-dealing missile. The
tumult ever, and fifteen Carcasses are
stretched upon the plain. Enough Of gore
and glory 70; one day.
We sleam away h0meward in high spirits
over the greatc7t hunt Of the season, and
delighted with cur Sheridan Ride
Seventeen butlaloe5 are the trophies Of our
expedition, and locks Of hair, tips Of tail,
luire'i scalps, aud walking sti,@s will bs
hoG:drt among cur memenl0es.
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