The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1869-10-21
For the Lancaster Gazette. Z
UP ON The PLAINS

after receiving q promise from
Gen Sturgis and Custer, chat a
great hpnt was in store fur US, and
that they would see that we were
al supplied with good teds, at the
Post, or fort, and that rations
would be iibernIly dealt out 10 us
up0p, the hunt. Horses, buegies
and ambulances were brought up
and soon each and all were furn
ished with d good seat, and d short
drive brought us within the Fort
It being nOw,9 o'clock, many al
once entered the barracks and re.
tired The barracks are long, say 60
feet by 30 feet, conlaining twenty
beds or bunks, ten upon each side
and a second tier Of the same n am
Der of beds-each supplied with q
mattress 2 feet by Z feet, filled
with straw, and hardly wide
enough for civilian to sleep upon.
An army blanket Iies upon each
mattress, Dnder which we enjoyed
our first sleep since leaving Tope.
ka. Reveille awoke US from onr
slumber, at which torty men arose
and dressed washed and eombed
in the space of few minutes, all
enjoying themselves. Where 10
get breakfast, was the next ques.
tion, but as VIC we're no soldiers, VIC
had to feel satisfied with our lot, or
do without meal Some scatter.
eG around the fort, some to the
stockade, some went 10 town, halt
milo distant. while others and my
self remained and enjoyed a fine
treat given us in the way of wines,
&c, by the officers in command.
We were kindly invited to break
fast by the wife OF Quartermaster er
- (name forgotten), around
which sat several ladies, one OF
whom was our lady heroine of the
hunt. We could not help observ.
ing the difference with which
everything was done in the citizen
and soldiers camp. With the citi.
zens, all was new and novel; with
the soldiers, all was old. With one
it was an experiment, with the
other, matter of business. The
old campaigners smiled at the en-
thusiasm of the new recruits. Hav
ing partaken Of q hearty breakfast
some lit their cigars and set out
for a walk through the camp. 9th
ers and myself visited the men s
quarters, and found them appar-
emily jolly and well fed: Hero and
there a group gathered, telling
stories or listening to the adyen
lures of an old comrade who was
Fighting his battles over again
At halfpast nine, the wagons
ambulances and horses were
brought into the fort from the
camp mile distant. In q few
minutes all was in eommotion, to
secure a place in the wagons oil
ambulances, for fear of being lefI
behind. At 10 o'clock all was
ready for the great hunt upon the
plains ! 1t caused every heart Il
feel glad as Gents Sturgis, Custer
and Cook rode to the advance, fol
lowing close in the rear, were The
two Englishman. respectively nam
ed Lords Berkeley Paget and Hen
ry Watorpark. the latter, scion
OF the Wellesley family.
AS we left the Fort we saw in
the distance a company Of the 7tt
Cavalry drawn up in line, with it
glistening arms as they reflected
the sun, while sixteen others upor
horseback close by, were musicians
belonging to the same company
they having upon their backs thci
respective musical Instruments
AS we approached them, it caused
every heart to feel glad; and al
these hardy Indian hunters fell in
front and rear of our little band We
felt perfectly safe, and rather wish>
ed than otherwise, We might come
up with band of Kiowas and have
a brush. After riding along some
ten or twelve miles We desce nded
into the valley Of Smoky Hill, and
crossing a stream by the same
name, which is shallow and full oI
sand, we halted near its bank;
and prepared to camp. Soon the
wagons came up, and the soldiers
began putting up the wall tents
they had brought along for them
and ourselves. The harness anc
saddles were taken off the tired
horses, and they began to browse
in the rusty green grass. Nine
chests were taken from the wagons
and while some of the soldiers were
putting up the tents, others were
bringing in wood, carrying kettles
OF water, building little fires anC
putting on coffee to boil. Thoma
Sturgeon jr. and myself crossed tn,
stream and gathered somo fin,
plums, in company with "WilC
Mack" better known as Louis A
/ Mclaughlin, scout TO Generals Gus
tar and Sheridan. He is a noble
specimen of man, of commanding
stature and looks very powerful
wears his bair long, which has
tendency to curl and reaches over
his shoulders. His face is smootl
and bears q smiling countenanee
and sports a light mustache; hi
eyes are piercing in look, and wheI
dressed in the uniform of an In
dian, it is almost impossible to iden
tify him as a white man. Hi
manner and actions are quito be
coming, and when relating an id
venture, is very restless and al
ways moving and smiling, and ha
always dangling a his side brace
of Colts rovolvers. He told mo hi
loved Gems. Custar and Sheridan
as officers, and that the Indiant
call them "Croepipg Panther" ant