The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1876-12-28

The following neat description Of til
trip from Fort Leavenworth to the Can
Torment, Sitting Bulls seat Of government
is from the pen OF MIR. H. A. Msrshall
band master of the Fifth Infantry, and j
of general interest.
CANToSxExr on TONGUE RIVER
NJ. T., November 4, 1876.
We arrived here yesterday about 2o'clo ck
after tiresome march Of nineteen miles
We we're forty-lhree days getting here from
Leavenwor,h. We left GleDdive at da,
light and marched fourteen miles, campes
at the same place that the train was At
tackled by the Indians the trip before
right beside a stockade that had bee,
erected by General Stanley in 1873. Gu
train consisted of one hundred and fit,
wagons, exclusive OF . train OF ten o.
twelve wagons belonging to a trader wht
came out with US for protection. They
were all government wagons, except twenty
tour that belong to = company called tn.
Diamond T." Taey are chartered by thu
government TO assist in transporting sup
plies from Buford to this place. The IS
cort consisted of three companies of the
22nd Infantry. company q, of our regi
ment, (who had come into Glendive the
day before We started from there, with five
Indian chiefs, that had been retained by
Gen. Miles, as hostages, for the good be-
havlor of the Indians, he had paroled, and
sent to the Agency at Fl. Lincoln), the
band and detachment Of the Fifth Infan-
try, who left Leayenwor,h with the band
There are two wagon trails all of the way,
running side BY side the wagons were in
two rows, or "strings," as the teamstefs call
them. Two companies of soldiers about a
hundred yards in advance of the train,
then twelve FOUNDER Rodman gun, a
skirmish line on both sIdes OF the train,
each about a hundred yards of, then the
rear guard. Some times the band march
ed in front, some times in the rear, and
sometimes beside the wagons. Their in
s,ruments tied to the wagons, as
they were obliged to carry rifles
marched everywhere. 1t was
splendid sight to look back Oh the
train, from high bluff, q, the head Of the
train wound reach il. II looked for all the
world like q great snake stretched out. The
train was . mile and half long, and some
times more than two miles, when it was
about keeping cloee to the train, no one be-
ing allowed away except the scouts, of
whom we had quite q number. You could
see them riding around on the hills On each
side Of US, and on ahead, on the lookout for
Indians. Several times the Indians set fire
to the prairie ahead of us, but we were
very fortunate, for either the wind, snow or
rain, would be in our favor, and put it out
II each instance before it could get close
enough to do us any damage.
On the evening of the second dav out,
two scouts came in to US from Gen. Miles,
with orders for the band to take the wag-
ons that had the 9Th Infantry in, seventeen
in number, and, with q Co., to push on
fourteen miles further, to Custer creek, and
Join companies B and K Of our regiment,
whom We would find there awaiting us
He (Gen. Miies) having gone Oh toward the
Cantonment with the remainder of the reg
iment, TO prepare for another scout of forty
days toward Fort Peck. to intercept Sitting
Bulls band. that are supposed to be moving
towards that point We had already
marched twenty two miles. with binding
snow storm beating right in our faces, and
it was dark, or nearly 80 all the men we're
tired to death; ! had frozen both ears
slightly. The mules were all played out
We were hungry-so you can imsgine how
W, all felt when We heard this order. |
went. TO Lieut.. Rosseau, who was in COM
mand of our part OF the outfit, and told
him it would be utterly impossible for the
band to march another fourteen miles.
Then the wagon master told him the same
thing about the mules. The Lieutenant
called council Of officers, and it was fin
ally decided that it was impo-sitls to go
any further that night, 30 We camped where
We we're. We were too tired TO put up our
tents, 40 We made our bed down under some
trees, three of US together, and spread our
tent fly over US out,ide the blankets. j
went TO sleep right away, and slept warm and
sonndly until just before reveilIe, when l
axoke and uck my head out from be-
meath the blankets, and filled my ears and
eyes full of snow that had fallen during the
night. got up, and aft-r hot cup of
coffee, a bareback and piece Of bacon, l
fel, tirst-rate. We started again, marching
the fourteen miles to where the two compa-
mics were, and went into camp again. This
day we passed the body Of one of Gen.
Miles scouts, who had been killed by the
Indians a few days before. His comrades
had buried him, and after they had gone on
the Indians had dug him up and shot his
body full of arrows; but, strange to say,
again and moved on. Sergeant Bartemsn,
of K company of ''ours," invited me over
to his tent, and 1 had q good hot meal of
antelope, buffalo, hard tack and coffee. We
started next morning early-had reveille at
three O'clock-and were on the road before
daylight; saw buffalo and hundreds Of an
telope all around US. They look Just like
flocks of sheep On the hills little distance
off. Well, everything was just about the
same each day until We arrived here yes
terday. We played a piece as We got to
the Yellowstone opposite the camp. A lot
Of the officers and soldiers came over in an
immense fiatboa', and some in a kind of
boat ''mackinaw," Il believe,O something
like our Dorys # the salt water. only
larger. We got on The flatboat and started
over, when a large large yawl with Gen.
Miles on board came out to meet Us. He
came aboard the fia,boat and appeared
very glad to see US. took the band in
front of his quarters and played few
pieces.
shall tell you now about the post. The
buildings are not more than half done yet,
for the troops have been away 70 much al
ter Indians. The houses are made of cot
tonwood logs placed endwise in the ground.
The roofs are made Of the same, covered
with brush and dirt, with dirt or ground
floor, of course. The post Is in the form Of
square. The mems quarters are very
comfortable and substantial, although very
homely. The cracks the between the logs are
plastered with mud, which keeps out all
the cold. Thee, however, are only tempo
rary buildings, for next summer. the post
proper will be built beside this, the ma
terisl for which, 10 now at Buford and Bis
marck, in large quantities. 1t will be built
BY contract BY citizens, and will be splen-
did post, As the cite is beautiful. On two
sides of Us there are fine groves Of tai,
straight trees; the ground is level, and the
water Of both rivsIs 10 ~ clear as crystal
There is game of all kinds around u.s. buf
falo, deer, elk, and game birds in the
greatest profu-ion. The wolves make me
nervous really think there are millions
Of them.
The whole regiment is ready to march,
and will probably start tonight or to-mor-
row. That will leave tWo compsnies Of the
22nd Infantry, and the band here to work
on the houses, and guard the post.
Yesterday was very buey day; everyone
vas making leggings and caps out Of
blankets, drawing nations, and supplies Of
all kinds, enough To last forty days.
The men are fearful Ct this trip, for it
showed ell last night, and the chances are,
that they will be caught in one Of those
terrible snow storms, and if they do, there
will, no doubt, be great deal Of suffering.
There are no Indians here at present. ex-