The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-06-18

sitting around the magic circle of the
medicine lodges.
Some Of these men still live, and some
are quietly resting under the slverv cot
tonwoods and willows ,of their favorite
streams. The march of civilization over
the territory in which their remarkable
lives We're passed. is rapidly obliterating
all traces Of their simple sepulchres, and
absorbing then memory in the uncertain
light of tradition
The duties demanded of these Scouts
during the campaign, We're fraught with
danger. desperate ventures, and terrible
chances tor life ottentimes, yet no greater
pay was given to them than to other civil
ians employed.
How noble these men fulfilled their
duties. the fight Of General Forsyth on the
Arrickesce Fork OF the Republican. the
most desperate chapter in Indian warfare
in the history of this continent taken alto
gother. where Sevcnty-tivc Of these men
commanded by the gallant General Geo.
A. Forsyth Of Sherman's staff, fought for
days successfully, a force of twelve or
fifteen hundred Indians. losing only five
or six men and successfully keeping the
Indians off until the little party was re-
lieyed by n regiment General Clusters
battle Of the Washta. and the grassy
mounds in the little graveyard AT Fort
Dodge on the treeless banks of the An
kansas-wherc lie those who went ont
tearlsssly to their death-all testify.
How two of these ''Scouts' laid down
their lives in 4 ride Of Il hundred miles
through a gauntlet OF determined savagcs,
is the subject Of this sketch.
70 those who look upon everything in
this world with IN untilitarian faith, and
measure all operations Of life in the scale
of dollars and cents. it undoubtedly seems
strange that 4 remuneration was not de-
manded and given to these men corrc-
spending with the risks incurred. But
there is an unconquerahle and indescrb-
able intatuation attending q life in the
desolateness Of the remote plains, and =
companionship OF constant danger which
lends q charm that can never be perfectly
understood by the dcnizcns Of our rich
and populous cities in the East. that far
outweighs any tangible reward that could
be offered
hope Of popularity.-those two affairs up
on which 50 many men sacrifice them
selves in the crowded haunts OF business
tempted them TO the deeds that have
made them famous, Such men, whose
story is always so full Of interest. seek
danger for the simple charm of ii, and
that alone is the secret of their strange
lives
The winter Of 1869 south of the
Arkansas and Canadian rivers was un-
usually severe; the snow fell to Il depth
unknown before in the history Of that
part of the country. ana the thermometer
indicated Il degree OF cold that for DAYS
together was fur below zero.
The small streams were frozen solid.
and the larger ones filled with floating ice
making the fordings excessively danger
Gus, particularly to the cavalry.
Frequently these large streams-morc
properly rivers-were found completely
closed, but the ice too thin to bear the
weight of the heavily loaded six mule
army wagons and then the men had 10
stand in the freezing water, and with axes
cut q passage through.
This difficult task always required hours
for its completion, and required the men
to be relieved every few minutes. for the
cold was intense, but u huge fire of brush
and drift-wood was kept burning on both
banks Of the river, around which the chop
pers congregated after coming out of the
water, which precaution generally pre-
vented any serious results
BY these means the teamsterS and troops
escorting the wagon train, forced Il transit
through the long dreary months of that
winter, over those tributaries to the Red
River, which flow in a general southeast
course beyond the Arkansas
Five hundred six-mule army wagons
composed the train that was constantly
travelling between Fort Dodge on the
Arkansas, and the base OF supplies at the
camp on Beaver river, afterwards known
as Camp Supply and which is one of the
principal posts Of observation in the
Indian Territory where the kiowa and
Cheyenne reservations are located
At the suggestion of General Sheridan
and the earnest desire Of the state govern
ment, the Nineteenth Kansas Cavalry
was organized and mustered into the army
for this special winter service. 1t was
composed OF young men from all parts of
the state. some Of whom had experienced
the hardshps Of an ordinary campaign
during the war OF the rebellion but the
fact that the majority OF the regiment
were born on the frontier, and had received
that peculiar schooling WHICH a life on the
plains warrants. was their principal re-
commendation.
The regiment left Topeka where the
several companies We're organized, splen-
didly mounted and equipped, but after
marching two or three days, one of those
terrible storms incident to the prairieS in
winter, burst upon them in the night,
stampeded most of their horses, and they
reached the main command under General
Custer at Camp Supply, having suffered
fearfully, nearly demoralized and disheart-
ened A portion Of the regiment, in con-
sequence of this disastrous occurrence,
were compelled to serve rs infantry dur
ing the campaign, and it was too late TO
procure others, so the number endured
greater hardships that winter than those
who We're mounted.
One squadron and one hundred and
forty-nine dismounted men OF this regi-
ment, together with one company Of regu-
lar infantry and five hundred civilians,
constituted the force necessary to guard
and handle the immense amount Of grain
and subsistence required by the cavalry
under General Caster south OF the Cana
dian river.
Over the broad trail marked by the pas
sage OF the long train OF wagons, the
Indians hovered in small parties all winter,
and through this line OF watchful sayages,
the courier scouts perlons journey was
effected
On this dreary route of one hundred
and ten miles, with no place OF. refuge be-
tween the camp and Fort Dodge, It was
literally al times, a ride for life Two OF
the scouts usually travelled together, as
it is possible for two determined men to
prove more than y match tor twenty
Indians but difficult for one man to oct
away from even five.
The most exposed portions of lhe trail
were ridden over at night, and in the day
time the scouts secreted themselves in
some rocky canon or timbered ravine, I'M
til darkness again favored their lonely trip,
for only when within q few miles of their
destination at either end, We're the chances
of run by daylight taken. The charac
teristic recklessness of some, however, in
essaying this performance, resulted in n