New-York tribune., 1874-08-01
BLACK HILLS EXPEDITION.
THE START,

| ,vRou THE SPECIAL coRRgsPoSDEST OF THE TRIBuSR.l
CAMP No. 3, July 3.-On the morning OF July
g. the iongtalked-of and long hopedfor expedition TO
The Black Hills started its way. For years 10 the
Northwest the departure of such an expedition mas
been looked forward to with great interest This inter
est IA pow shared by the whole country The enterprise,
instead of being local and individual one has. as s
Importance Justly deserves, become national Oue Inc
fableland OF the Indians the land oi legend ana hys
terry is to yield the prosac curiosity OF the White
! man. who with pick and hammer, compass and CHAM
ia prepared TO determine realities which have so long
been wrapped An doubt. Seven hundred soldiers, $50
cooks and civilians, $50 horses and 600 mules
were camped aud herded for ten days under the hsua
tive shadow of Fort Lincoln. hundred army wagons
were closely parked the terrace. Orderly rows OF
clean white tents bleaching in the sun battery
of artillery pointed its silent mnzzes over the nil
Saddles guns and camp equipage lay around IN pfoiu
SION but not dscord Horses, mules, and herd oi
cattle shared tho grass on the hillside, and camsers
and soldiers idly sauntered away the time ID the inter
walls of roll calls aud stable duty. To the casual ooKei-
on seemed unreasonable enough to believe that th'
gathering men, mules, horses. wagons and military
furniture could be suddenly animated with common
purpose. -
Yet in the throat of buge In camp were dozen
notes which only needed TO bo We.i aired To prouuce
This sudden and surprising effect The General Is the
particular name for the overture TO military move
lnent Reveille meal roll and stable calls are sounded
daily IN garrison or out of it, but The General l. a
field melody only. and translated into words means
Down tents and pack up" When 1t sounded al seven
O'Clock ON the ID of July, tent dropped as though
the buge blast had itself been strong enough 10 eVe
them TO the ground. The officers tents were speedily
rolled up and tied and placed in the wagons Mess
chests and luggage were likewise snuNy packed away
In the Wagons which each company has one de'o'o'
TO its exclusive The small shelter OF aug o"''
of the men were rolled UP aud fastened 10 tue Sa"
| The soldiers canteen haversack. ana p"nAe'S
were secured in the same way. Another ca"
from the , bugle, famillariy known as boo's
and soddltv and each soldier saddied anu
brIled his horse. The hobbe or sidellne-"nieh IL
simply strap rope conuing the fore ana hinu cg oi
horse on either sde-and the lariat rope we're coed
up and strapped the saddle. variety OF minor ar
ces I'm the saddle pockets Stand to horse" said the
peremptory bugc. The soldiers In each company TOOK
their places in line and counted off into four' The
voice of each company commander rang out the order
prepare 10 mount" then "InOunt ana slinulta-
neously each man in the company line swung INTO Tue
saddle Each soldier carries carbne and 80 rounds OF
ammuniton. u revolver aud "a rounds of pistol aninu
nirion Tents blankets, haversacks canteen, lniats
a heavy Mcclellan saddle. and the arms and ammunl-
ton added to the weight of the rider form no trihng
burden for the horse The average weight cach horse
has to bear is probably about 2l0 pounds. But the
horses are fresh sleek and strong after their winter
rest in garrison They bear their riders proudly ana a
the word OF command move out in beautiful style as
| though they were going Dress parade instead Of
! long and hard march Of GO lays.
THE FAITHFUL CHARGERS.
venture to say with great confidence that no regi-
ment in the service We'll mounted as the 7th
Cavalry Many of the horses young and to the
field; but what is better the majority Of them old
campaigners Injured to all the harishlps and ylcis'-
tudes OF cavalry service Some OF them nave been win
the regiment since its ORGANIZATION aud have CON
ributed not a little to It's fame. The regiment started
from Leavenworth Kan. aud St Louis III 1866 then de-
scended Western Kansas and operated all along the
border the Platte River TO the Red RIVER In Texas
II then went to the Department OF the South and
service in nearly every Southern State from Florida to
Louisiana and from Louisiana TO Kentucky; afterward
transferred to the Department Of the ssour 1t was In
the field last year from April 10 October ana won new
lauels in the battles the Yellowstone. Not TO speak
of officers and soldiers whose military career far ante
dates the existence OF the 9Th Cavalry there are horses
belonging 10 "U 8" Ohe periods always omitted III
the brand) that have vibrated between all these ex
trenes of latitude and longitude and experienced all the
privaons and dangers incident to the battle fields ana
marches that have drunk from the streams OF the Rocky
Mountains from of the Gulf of Mexico, from
the turbd Missouri. and from the swift. pure
food of the beautiful Yellowstone Aud II l
mad my choice to-day for trip to the Black HilS
would rather invite one of these tried Old stagers TO
drink of the Cheyenne and Belle FOurche than the
best pavement horse that Bulls Heal affords That
beautiful darkcolored bay OF Gen. Clusters, for in
stance with a coat smooth and shiny as polished
rosewood dancing and prancins like playful kitten is
the horse he rode at the battle of Washta in 1863 He
has ever since been the pet and pride OF his master
Dandy certainly deserves commission He knows the
cavalry tactics by heart. Tue General always rides him
on Inspection day when Dandy invariably anticipates
the bride, and almost deems 1t insult to receive
structon that quarter. As buffalo horse, Dandy
| hos Ne all he haV
their pet horses OF them of great value; and
the men, II would break their hearts TO be compelled
| to part with the faithful animals which have borne
them SO long and WELL 1t Is wonder that many OF
them preferred choose old horses, Which, according
to the regulations" could easily be condemned for
SOME trining defect than take the which
the Quartermaster's Department placed at their
service.
| on THE MARCH.
As we drew out OF camp the regmenta band, mounted
| on clean white horses and bearing a dozen tunefu
weapons equally useful in peace war; struck up The
Girl left behind me" The tune was not without sig
nicance. Several of the ladies of the post had come to
camp bid "good-by" and there Others wives
aud sweehears at the garrison VINO not forgotten
in the emotions which the piece awakened Through all
the sunshine OF smiles and goodwishes could not help
noticing teardimmed eyes IN the ladies' carriage
While the different companies Of h0rsemen ine mill
tary order marshalng into bottalions large
| square park of army wagons drawing out into a
long quadruple line, stretching It's white length between
the protecting wings of cavalry. To the eyes an old
wagon-master. the train moved out III beautiful style
The teamsters experienced men, well versed all
the details Of wagon-train tactics Each OF them is
| armed with Springfield carbne and IN OF an
attack Oh train, using their respective wagons as
breaswork they would constitute small obstacle TO
the approach foe. The whole train is under charge
of Capt. A. f. Smith, 7th Cavalry Qnartermaster and
Commssary OF the expedition, who is exceently fitted
| tn