The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-12-06

4
as his comrades Familiarity termed him,
was an important member of the
"press.n In fact. one of the best terms
to describe him by is irrepressible; for,
no matter how defeat or disaster might
stare us in the face, and. as have in
timated, cause Us to ride "the other"
way, "Sandyn always contrived to be
of good cheer and to be able to see the
coming of a better day. This quality
came in good play in the terrible en-
ecOunter which am about to describe.
The frOntiersmen of the Kansas
massacres committed in their midst by
the savages, We're only too. eager and
willing to join in an enterprise which
nifty to visit just punishment upon
their enemies ~
( Thirty selected men were procured
at Fort Harker, Kansas, and twenty
more at Fort Hays. sixty miles further
west. In four days the command was
armed, mounted, and equipped, and at
once took the Field, Lieutenant F. H.
Beecher, of the Third Regular In.
fantry, nephew of the distinguished
divine of the same name and one of
the ablest and best young officers on
the frontier. 8. Moye of Hays City,
l Kansas, most competent man in his
1 profession, and one who had had
large experience during the war Of the
rebellion Of surgeon of one of the vol
untcer regiments from the State of New
York. Sharpe Grover, one of the best
guides and scouts the Plains afforded,
was the guide Of the expedition, while
many of the men had at different times
served in the regular and volunteer
forces for examples, the man selected
10 BerfOrm the duties of First Sergeant
of the detachment was Brevet Briga-
dier-Generaj w. II. II. Mccall, United
States Volunteers, Wing oeommanded a
brigade at the time the Confederate
forces attempted to break,the Federal
lines at Fort Hell, in front of Peters
was breveted for gallantry on that oc-
casiOn. As general thing, the men
composing the party were just the class
eminently qualified to encounter the
dangers which were soon to confront
them. They were brave, active, hardy,
and energetic, and, while they required
q tight rein held over them, were when
properly handled capable of accom-
| ber of men could do under the same
| circumstances.
The party left Fort Hays on the Goth
day of August, 1868, and, under special
instructions from Majot- General Sheri-
dan, commanding the department,
| took north-westerDy course, scouting
the country to the north of the Saline
river, crossed the south fork of the
| Solomon, Bow Creek, north fork of the
Solomon, Prairie Dog creek, and then
well out toward the Republican river,
and, swinging around in the direction
of Fort Wallace, made thatpost OH the
eighth day from their departure. Moth
| ing was met worthy of notice, but
there We're frequent indications of large
camps of Indians which had evidently
been abandoned only a few days or
weeks before the arrival of the COM
mand
Upon arriving at Fort Wallace, Gen.
eral Forsyth communicated with Gen.
eral Sheridan and proceeded to refit
his command.
On the morning of September 10,
small party of Indians attacked train
near Sheridan, killed two teamsters and
ran off a few cattle. As soon as
| information of this reached Fort Wal
lace, FOsyth started with his command
| for the town of Sheridan, where he
| took the trail of the Indians and fol-
lowed it until dark. The next morning
it was resumed, until the, Indians, find
ing themselves closely pursued, scat
| tered in many directions and the trail
became so obscure as to be lost. De-
termined, however, to find the III
dians this time, if they were in the
country, he pushed on to Short Nose
creek, hoping to find them in that
vicinity. Carefully scouting in every
direction for the trail and still heading
north as far as the Republican river,
the command finally struck the trail of
small war party on the south bank
of that stream, and followed it up to
the forks of that river. This is familiar
ground perhaps to some of my readers,
as it was here Pawnee Killer and his
band attacked our camp, early ia the
summer of '67, and hurried me from
my tent without allowing me time TO
attend to my toilet. Continuing on
the trail and crossing to the north
bank, Forsyth found the trail growing
constantly larger, as various smaller
ones entered it from the south and
north, and finally it developed into a
broad and well-beaten road, along
which large drOves of cattle and horses
had been driven. This trail led up the
Arickaree fork of the Republican river,
and constant indications of Indians,
in the way of mOccasins, jerked buffa
10 meat, and other al ticles, were found
every few miles, but no Indians were
seen. On the evening of the eighth
day from Fort Wallace, the command
halted about five o'clock in the after
noon and went into camp near little
island in the river, a mere sand-pit of
earth formed by the stream dividing
at little rift of earth that was rather
more gravelly than the sand in its inn
mediate vicinity, and cOmirg together
again about hundred yards further
down the stream, which just here was
about eight feet wide and two or three
inches deep.
The water-courses in this part of the
country in the dry season are mere
threads of water meandering along the
broad sandy bed OF the river, which
during the months of May and June is
generally full to its banks, and at that
time capable of floating an ordinary
ship, while later in the season there
is not enough water to float the small
est row-bOat. In fact, in many places
the stream sinks into the sand and dis
appears for a considerable distance,
finally making its way up to the sur
lace and flowing Oh until it again dis
appears and reappears many times in
the course of days journey.
Encamping upon the bank Of the
stream at this point-which at that
time was supposed by the party to be
Delaware creek, but which was after
wards discovered to be Arickaree fork
of the Republican liver-the command
made the usual preparations for passing
the night. This point was but few
marches from the scene of Kidder's
massacre. Having already been out
from Fort Wallace eight days, and not
taking wagons with them, their sup
plies began to run low, although they
had been husbanded with great care.
During the last three days game had
been very scarce, which fact convinced
Forsyth and his party that the Indians
whose trail they were following had
secured the country and driven off
every kind of game by their hunting
parties.-The following day would see
the command out of supplies of all
kinds; but feeling assured that he was
in striking distance of the Indians,
Forsyth determined to push on until