, 1873-07-19

tAkuEI HIllO u ~ HiAa iii
sight as tho dtaky warriors gallopcd over tho
plafn, now appearing suddenly on tho tona of
tho conical hliD, md tllcn diving into the val;
10y, only to appoar again at sonlo other point.
Tho great, heavy column wound slowly nlong
liko an immense blnch sorpont wlilo these
active md eifont Watchers eco,lrod tho surrount-
Ing country for hidden foeH.
THE aEvENTu oAvA1nY. ,
Tho Seventh Cayalry, divided into two
battnlionB, actod aa lankora to tho train,
Which at times was drawn out moro
than two miles in length. Tho troopers marched
about half-a-1nilo from tho column, tho roar be-
ing protected by battaliona OF tho Eighth and
Ninth Infantry. Tho marching in rear was OK
ceedlngly tedious, owing to tho frequent delays
OF tho Train, breaking OF harnosa, and Ind cross-
ings. Tho wagons wore loavily loaded, some Of
tlein carrying aa much III LOCO pou1lds.' Owing
to tho energetic working of the pionoer-party,
under Lieut.. Doughorty, and our efficient Quar-
tormastor, Capt. Dalor, tho wagons got along
worry vol, oven tho first day out, which n,ay
safoly bo cot down ma quito romarknblo.- who-
ovor before heard Of a Government expedition
progressing Mt flrpt start ? Many Of o,lr mliloa
woro new aud unbrokon to hurncss, and tho
wagons stiT aud hard to pull.
unc ALONG .TnE ROUTE.
az 1S0AANAJ A4VAH JUL AUAt1 plCHGlllGQ AfGIY
ploaeing aspect, the country being rolling,
prario-l1owers abundant, tho grasscH 1uxuriant
aid OF many diiforont varietioH. Tho uon WAS
composed Of black loan, apparently very rich
o1cc)lons cereals aud vegetables. I observed
TINT tllc grassos were taller thnn tloao that grow
farthor south, aud seemed 10 root in deep soil.
IN CAMP.
ho"13, tho evening" We campod at IN o1trooly
oncnmpmcnt, Just boforo, tho sun wont
down, was ono Of tho most delightful
have oyor Witnessed. Imagine vast, greon,
Inclined plano, studded with wlito tonta and
covered wagons at tho base, whiIe MI along It's
sides hundreds Of animals in pairs aro quietly
grazing. To Tho right is the cavalry; on tho
loft, tho infantry; botween them, tho wagons;
aud, beyond both, band discoureing sweet mu-
sic. This band belongn to the Seventh Cayalry,
and whoevcr lad it lent along deserves tEon
thanks OF Tho Whole command. It III utilizing
band to havo 1t in tho Held for once, nnd
nothing is moro grateful or rowling
than ltt!o music after hard days march. 1t
camp-lifo, driros away melancholy, mud cheors
tho soldier for another day.
GEN. CUSTER.
"AH Gen. Cnstcr Ia i'll command Of tho
indebted for tho presence Of tho baud Of that
regiment. What al admirable cayhfry-Boldior
Custer is! Not only his daah aud bravery,
which aro worldwide, but his good aonse,
%akes of savr9 hm s5 auS gha5 h. S 9aer s
ovcry day lo may DO accu ut tho head Of his
regiment, mounted on q fno horso, with his
Iilio iu hand his hounds ut his taes, and renly
for cllaae aftor the fleet antelope, or dash ut
tho toacaerous Sioux
CHASING ANTELOPE
" We havo great sport chasing the antelope.
sovora} OF tho officers OF tho Twenty SECOND fu-
fantry hnyo fine hounds mud Con. Custer hna
othor day, they woro ali lot go af.er line mi
NAL, mud It was laughablo to sec tho dogs
acramblo for place in tho raco, For
time they ra,l I'LL in a junble, but,
ater the ' trs nS began to stretch out and
neck: They seemed very ovonly mntchod in
spoal and endurance, but Cuslcrs hound,
'uibbon,' proaently shot ahoad nnd by II few
splendid leaps caught tho antelope by tito ham,
turning TO double on his course. This race lasted
over threo miles, and WIS indeed d flno sight.
.Gibbon,' over since his splendid race, has boon
tho pot Of tho camp, md will novor want for ra-
with him. Tho monotony Of our marches ia
roliovod b1 those chases,- tho dogs sometimes
running the antelope almost into tic column.
TALL DuTTEs.
:" Tho scenery III very much tho Hamo. except
that now and thon a tall butte shoots up to show
nB whoro Wo have come from, or whero wo will
bo five dayB hence. Theso buttcR aro very no.
culinr, aud can bo seen for distance Of 30
miloE,-tho principal onea OIL our route being
Dog-Tooth and Hoart ButtoB.
DAY DY DAY.
The column only marches from Z to 10 miles
per day,-the Woatler boing very hot End thuI-
der-stor1ns frequent. Our officers mud men hayo
suffered terribly from the hoat, quito number Of
low, on the second day out, roel and fall to
tho earth as If lo wero shot, and soon after
wards he was taken with spasm, but Is now re-
covering. Several othors were compelled to
Inn fIr~ 1Iru
officers soy thoy novor .saw moro fatlguing or
sovorer marching weather than our first three or
four days out, a1d certainly noYer experienced
anything like it. Onr marches aro judiciousiy
ure frequent. Sometimes, I think tho rests, nro
little too long, for long roats aro Liable 10 stifen
lustoad Of restore men.
FORWARD, 11AncnI
"Tho scono In Cur camp, Of 1norning,is quito
animnte1, md would furnish an admirable pic
ture for the pencil Of IN artist. 'Hoad Of col
umn i Forward, march, aud away VIC 10, What
an outfitl The advance stretches out; tic long
lines Of cavalry wind over thohills on either side;
tho wagons slowly unfold from ther corra1 into
supported by . column Of infantry. 1t is indeed
q strange sight to 500 tho hundreds of great
arIny-wagons lulnbolillg along, lalon with oyory
conceivable implement Of war and all kinda Of
cartridges, tons of hard broad, bacon, coffee,
sugar, rico, flour, grain, and all endless number
Of ropos, chains, spare wngon-tongnos, wheels,
and fonts. The mulos tug and pull, and tho
monster machines roll slowly on to tho westward.
In tho rear trudgo patiently large lords Of cattle,
numbering over 600 head; and last Of oil comes
d compact body Of infantry. which 10 tho rear
guard, with scouts far out Oh its
tanks to prevent a surprise from tic
willy foe. Viowel from 4 hill as tho aun comes
glnncing over tho ,plaul. rejecting a thousand
rays from the bright bayoneta. tile spectacle is
grand and magnificent beyond description.
TILE PIONEERS.
Tho pioneers aro up and off every morning
before tho .rcop Of day, and We SEQ little OF
them until night. How thoy keep out OF onr
way, is n wonder to all. Horo, q bridge has been
built; thoro, sidc-hill cut down; beyond
gully filled; but tho pioneers have boon tlioro and
gono, and, although We SEQ their work every
hour, ,vwo 500 nothing of the busy men
who did 1t. Now, Mt last, We are
fairly upon tho,A; t]loy hayo mot with q bad
crossing, and The browued toilors haye been
unable to complete tho filling boforo wo como
up. Tho troops choor, a,'A relioyo them at tho
spades, willie they push off to find another bud
placs farther in advance. Our pioneer company
!, o$d II.