Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1872-07-27

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armorv around them in the shape of
rifles, pistols and bowie knives. No
female greets you On your approach
to these dens civilization has not
advanced far enough for that yet, but
will at no distant day, | expect
These ranches, or for politeness sake,
I will call them Prairie Hotels, are
the on Y sign OF civilization you meet
till YOU arrive in the vicinity Of Fort
Dodge. They are Butt IN Ill ina .u-
able styles and Of all kind Of material
Adobe and the old fashioned Mexi-
can Jucal prevail - all are strongly
fenced in BY a picket fence from 10
to II feet high. You will naturally
ask these hardy sons of the soil if
they are not afraid Of the Indians. -
They ul, lave the same answer to
give, and that is, not at all and rather
laugh at the idea but at the same
time YOU ill observe that every pre-
caution has Lven taken with Il view
to their safety, and to guard against
the incursions Of poor 10, seems to be
their chief forte. This kind Of life,
however, seems to have become second
nature to Them and | believe, they as
Il general thing, feel comparatively
safe. just before YOU arrive in 81 ght
OF Dodge, You strike the Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fee Il. E.-therc
are about five hundred hands EN-
pIoyel grading the road in this vicin-
ity. On the eastern end Of the road
they are laying the track at the rate
Of from two to three miles daily; the
road will be completed to this point
+ by the lst Of September, 1872. They
have laid ont and incorporated Il
/ town about three miles above this
point, known as Buffalo City; there
are some 10 or L. shantics on this
eltc--a store for general merchandise
and !irst-class canvas whiskey shop
are amongst the chief attractions Of
this young city. business is quite
brisk and Il good dead OF money can
be made by those who are smart
enough to keep up with the road, no
togioa heed apply, still, | find the
military are tAo main stay, without
them ii would not be safe to settle
uuyM here in this section Of country.
| rre,rlnc, you are aware, ont Dodge
Is quite Il pleasant poSt--is situated
on the north bank Of the ArkanSa,
River, about twenty-five miles Dv!u"
the old Santa Ec crossing. The pies
cnt strength of the command is two
omunirs Of the Sixth Ca,'alrv and
one company Of the Third Infantry,
the whole under command of Major
bod &c, 3l Infantry. The Major is
an officer OF great experience On the
frontier, and is an able commander
and an accomplished gontlenan.--
Captain Moale, by the way, = Balri-
morean, commands the Infantry, and
Captains Mcclellan and Tupper, the
Cavalry companies. The duties of
this command is to scout the country,
North to Wallace and East to Larned
which duty is thoroughly done !;
nothing in the shape Of an Indian can
pass North of this line, unknown to
the commanding officer of this Post
/ When signs are discovered the com
handing officer of the Sixth Cavalry,
near Fort Hays, is promptly notified
and his command co-operates with 'S
At present all remains quiet on the
ArkanSas,and we are in. no approLen-
sion Of any trouble this summer; that
is, SO far as poor 10 is concerned. /,
seems that the attention of the differ
ent tribes South Of this point are di.
rected to Texas where at present a
good deal of trouble exists |, is ru-
morel that an effort is to be made ON
the part Of the Kiowas, to march to
| Huntsville, Texas, and hbcrate san
tanta and Big Tree, where these
worthy Chiefs are undergoing son-
tence Of imprisonment for life. for the
murders committed by them in Texas
Their ideas Of liberation will, however,
prove futile; still, | have no doubt but
they will cause d good deal of trouble
through the Northern counties Of
I Texas. Gen. Mackenzie, commanding
the Fourth Cavalry in Texas, gives
them no rest. This officer is one Of
the best cavalry officers IN the ser
vice, is wttchiul as u .,aWk. and often
pouueos upon poor Ia, whom and
where they least oxrooi him. llo is
invariably successful in his oyrah,
tons as,jnat them but enough Of
Indian for this timo.
The Fourth Of July passed off very
quietly at this Post \ national sa-
late was fired at ReveilIe, under the
direction Of Capt, Tuppor, sixth
/ Cavalry. The lntaHtry company bad
their uartor beautifully Illuminated
and gave q pleasant hop in the even
ING The greatest attraction OF the
/ day, however. was q balloon ascen-
SION it was waited to the breeze
about 3 clock in TIE evening amid
tie cheers of tie entire garrison
/ HoYing, have not tired your pa
tioEvo with the foregoing sketch, |
will close. AMIuo.
Most Of the shadows that cross our