Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-02-08
apistellanu.
EarTY'S Ride


1t was carry himself told me the story
Garry, as | always called him, but whom
the reader will know better if | introduce
him as Lieut.. Walter Garry Of the United
States Cavalry. \ strange character for
one so young; and when | state that he
Is Just my age, the reader will Of course
understand all about that. He was made
for a soldier in both mind and body; he
Is tall, straight, strong and active, and
afraid of nothing that ever could or did
70 abroad on earth. He was an old com
panion in arms Of mine and [ served with
him in an infantry regiment, until his ez-
tTaOrdinary skill and address as a horseman
became known, and be obtained rank IN
the cavalry.
after that / did not see him often,
though the chance Of service threw US to-
gether now ana then. 1 expected to hear Of
his promotion, but never did, and at last
when the close Of the war came and he
was mustered out Of the grade that he was
mustered into, had the curiosity to ask
GeneraI-(you may fll the blank with
name well known 10 tame) how It hap
pened that Garry got no promotion.
There's not more dashing officer in
all the cavalry service, was the reply.
He's done things under my eye on the
battle field worthy Of old Murat himself.
and [ have been a dozen times on the
point Of forwarding his name for a ma
0rity- but [ reluctantly saw it would not
DO. Sir, he hasn't any more discretion or
Judgment than my two year old boy at
home. His contempt for danger Is so
thorough and inb0rn that if he had indie
pendent command Of a regiment or battal-
ion, he'd shatter it all to pieces the very
first chance he got to put himself at the
head Of It and hurl it against a whole di-
vision Of the enemy. I've recommended
him for a subalterns position in the regu-
lar army, which hope he'll get, but hang
me If l think he'll ever rise higher than
that. Hes too brave for soldier he's
reckless. Not a safe man, sir, to entrust
with the lives and limbs of a great many
men, notwithstanding his bravery
This was the man who unexpectedly vis-
tied me the other day. he had come East
on leave Of absence, and took some trouble
to hunt me out. | was delighted to see
him. ana made him remain some days with
me, during which we talked over our expe
rience in the war After that he told me
a great deal about his life on the Wcster
outposts, where he had been almost five
years, including many Indian fights and
other adventures, which may be well worth
rec0unting at some future time Nv pres
cnt intention is to relate one Of his exploits
which thoroughly illustrates the man, and
perfectly confirms the Generals estimate
OF him. l VIII endeayor to put it in Car
rvs own language.
When my regiment first went West it
was distributed among four posts on a line
Of about forty miles in length, and nearly
with equal intervals between It was a
wild, solitary region, and as it abounded
in game it was a favorite Indian hunting
ground. The sayages did not often enter
il in any considerable bodies they came
in companies of SIX or a dozen, and some |
times about the forts. Their profcssed /
business was 10 hunt, but they were never
above stealing horse or "a beef, when they |
could DO so without being caught in the /
act FurJhermorc-athough their tribe \
was nominaiIy at peace with US. and such .
an attack on any Of our posts was not /
feared or eNpected-we had all opportuni- 4
ty TO find cut all about the trcacherous ma [
ture 6f the scamps
One Of the men went out into the bush 4
os a tcw hundred yards from Fort Beiknap 4
one day. and was found there the next day 4
by party shat was sent al.er him, with
au arrow through his body and the top Of
his head gone He was dead Of course.
That raised a pretty excitement you may
be sure. The colonel blood was up the .
minute he heard IT, He happened 10 be
at Belknap at the time, although that was
not headquarters and he Immediately
dispatched one Of the companies some six
ty miles south, the principal village Of this
tribe, with Instructions to burn it and Kill
every male Indian in it, if the murderers
of poor Joslyn were not delivered up TO US
at once.
After a good deal Of parley with the
chief, the captain in command Of the expe-
dition got hold Of the fiends, two Of them,
who hao done the deed, and brought them
to BcIknap, where the colonel had them
both hung It was the best and only
thing to 10 with them, Of course /; but 1t
was easy enough for any one who knew
anything Of Indian character, to see that
there was trouble ahead with them.
Fort BelknaP was the most westerly Of
these posts. A line drawn due cast from
it would pass through fort BIssel bearing
about mile north, and strike Fort HOOK {
er. Headquarters were at the latter place ;
where four Of the companies and most Of .
the regImental staff were stationed.
My company was at the other end OF
the line, at Fort Belknap but as the ,
captain Of one Of the headquarter com
panieS was absent on a sick leave. and one
lieutenant was sick IN quarters and the
other was under arrest, / was detached to
command the company. For about six !
months,tiil the return Of Captain Cross re-
Icycd me, | was On duty at Fort Hooker.
This would have made no particular diff !
ference with me, and could hardly have /
led to any unusual adventure, but Tor ,
Minnie March And Miss Minnie did
raise the very dickens with me, as you shall
see.
She was the daughter Of our Colonel, ;
and with three or four otficera wives and ,
daughters, She had been at this wild spot ,
for a year Sae was splendid girl. aud ,
it was pretty certain that some one would
capture her if she staded long enough ,
FIRST. however, She captured the whole
garrison every unmarried officer {
was after her she might have had
her choice Of the lot. Captain Barker, r
however, had distanced all OF them from
the time [ came to Fort Hooker.
What did | DO but instantly fall in love ;
with her, and pay such devoted attention
To her that Barker very naturally became
Jealous But nc was noble fellow, Bar
ker, and behaved spendidly about this;
I.+.ar I LelIcyr +r,D I .onld have done