The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-02-23
From the Chicago Tribune.l
Catching a Wild Horse.

! Not LING since a most exciting chas
happened near the military camp G
Big Ponoagie river, after a wild hers'
! had often heard the story of tn
Wild horse of Wind River Valley, br
%never expected to see that famou
animal alive, much less lay my hand
upon him. His story ruhs thus: J
Some time ago the Cheyenne Ii
dams stole a noted horse in Kansas
and sold him to the Sioux, who il
turn sold him to the Utes, from whom
he was bought or stolen by the Snakes
4He became so vicious that tile Snake
tsGld him to a white man, u Mr.. Gal
lager. While he was being taken t,
the settlement, he got away and tool
to the mountains. All effort tore
capture him was in vain he outrtn
the swiftest Indian horses, and remain
ed at large for several months. a
last lie was surprised by Il body ot
warriors, surrounded and lassoed.b be
fore he could break through them
Securely tied with with ropes he was
brought into the Indian camp and
beaten and starved into semi-obedi
ence, but an ambitions Indian attempt
ed one day to ride Kim, whom he
threw, and succeeded in getting into
the hills. He now had Il large rope
round his neck, the end of which drag
ged the ground, and a bride and In
dian saddle was on him. lie was of
ten seen but defed all efforts to re-
capture hin. One day an Indian,
who was out fishing, saw him grazing
under a bluff, and getting a %lariat,
crawled to the edge OF the bluff, and
with iunerrlng precision threw the
moose over his head. Once more the
noble brute found himself a captive,
and this time he was securely, tied to
a. tree withya log chain; but ono of
the links was broken, and the chain
parting, he made for the hills and was
not see again.
"a few days ago, just after break
fast, a sentinel of the camp OF PpnoE
agile reported a horse on the bluff over
looking the camp, and a closer inspec,7
ton showed the animal to be the veri-
wild horse. lie seemed greatly
excited, and kept galloping up and
down the bluffs, with head and tail
erect. Recommending officer order
ed that no one should pursue him as
long as he Kept running and was in
sight of the camp. The brave horse
presently descended from the bluffs,
and ran across the valley with the
speed of the wind to where a com
pany of cavalry horses were grazing,
but becoming alarmed, he wheeled,
when near them, and made into the
nils. As if charmed, he soon return
ID, and taking a wide circuit, passed
the camps and herds several
The rapidity and length of
line which he ran was incredible.
-, We could ee'the long cha1n thrash
about his fore legs, apparently
him TO greater exertiops, At
ast he stopped near the herd, seem
ngly exhausted The commanding
.ficer had the best cavalry horses sal
He'd up, ordered them out, and the
troopers gailoped swiftly to their posi-
ions III different points OF the valley. /
The horse, as had been expected,
7hen pursued, ran nearly in a circle,
nd as fast as one trooper came near
mother he refined up and a fresh
orse and rider took up the chase.
ABfrst the wild horse easily d~istanced
is ~pursuers, and it was with great
ificulty he could be kept out of the
ills, but the chain thrashing about
impeded his progress and gave
im great pain. In half an hour the
ombined strength of the cavalry
orses begin to tell, and several troop
rs got near enough to throw their
but not being skilled missed
heir mark. The circle began to grow
and the wild horse showed
signs of distress, but the cav
Try horses were also giving out, ar
ne chase Yasdoubtful. At this iunc-
ire Il number of infantryT soldiers
nd teamasters, mour.Ied o. mules
to the assistar.c e of .-e cavalry.
he mules ran well, ard their. power
fiendura1,ce WIS remarkable. At
mes tie wil2 horse would strike a
ROE, and trot as fast as any of his
ursusrs could run but an attempt
D mead him off would break him up
do a gallon. He shook Off the cav
Try, but The mules kept up with him,
nd at las q rope. was got over his +
!ead by a teanastcr, and ravalrymar
cming up at the same moment seized
he chain. - II -!E'll'- I
Both men hung on well, but thc1
aYalyman was dragged from the sad 7
he and lost hold: The teamastef
till chung 70 the rope, 1 and as the
lorsc was heading for the camp urged
lis mule to his utmost to keep up
With him. As the prospect for cap
IRE became certain, the excitement
the fort was intense. The pursued
iad now worked up quite close to the
reast-works, and the men of Captain
'hister's company, Seventh United
Infantry, hurried over the
FORKS and surrounded the doomed
iorse on all sides. He made a noble
truggle for his liberty, but ropes hel,r
'y-many hands were quickly passed
yer his neck, around his body and
egs, and in a few moments ne found
imself on his back and heels in thei
ir. The chain was covered with
tlood, and The skin had literally been
hrashed from the poor brute's fore
egs. On the top of his neck the
of the chain had caused it to
ut into the flesh a depth of neaHyiE