Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-07-08
HORSES AND WOLVES.
General Abe Buford Gives a Graphic
Description of the Battle He Wit
messed on the Plains.


In the year of 1912 was q lieutenant
of dragons, and accompanied Captain
Nathan Boone III campaign over the
Western prairie in search of the Great
Salt Lake of the West. A squadron of
dragons was the strength of the com
mand. The officers were Boone, com
handing; Lieutenants Johnson, Chill
ton, Anderson and myself We were
camped on the headwaters of the Big
Red fork of the Arkansas River, about
June 90 when all nature seemed reioic-
ing over the grand and beautiful scenery
which is to be witnessed in no other
part of the world but on the great
plains OF the West. During the night
we could hear the distant neighing and
snorting of horses, and the barking and
bowling of wolves. No one in camp
could design the cause of the trouble
save Captain Boone, who said there
must be a battle of the wolves and
and horses raging, and ordered the
guards to be doubled to prevent a STAN
pede of our own horses.
AT daylight the command was mount
ed and Boone said we would have an
opportunity to capture horse or two.
So Anderson, Chiffon and myself Sc
lected three squads of the best mounted
dragons in the command. We moved
down the creek in the direction of the
sound of the neighing and the barking,
and all were on tip-toe to witness the
battle. Going about mile under cover
Of the banks OF the little creek, the
noise growing more distinct every mo-
ment, until we got opposite the field of
battle, which was upon the level prairie,
about three hundred yards from the
bluff banks; here we halted and the
three officers dismounted and went up
on the bank to reconnoiter. We saw
the battle raging; the herd of horses
was about $50 strong, and the most
prominent one among them was the
Great white horse of the plains, "
which many of you have doubtless often
read of He seemed to be the COM
mGnder, and had formed the mares in a
circle with their heels to the enemy, or
outward.
The diameter of this circle was about
onehundred yards, with ali the foals
and younger colts in he centre all the
! stations, with the "white horse in
in command on the outside and sur
rounding the circle of mares, who were
! fighting the wolves. The wolves would
retreat rapidly from us over the beauti
I fui prairie, and ws gave chase with all
the speed we could. The "white
! horse" in the retreat commanded the
rear guard. Before the retreat com
menced I noticed squad Of stations
approach the circle of mares thew
J al al i
| fiercely and started off, leading tn re-
treat. The mares opened the circle and
the colts went ont, following squad of
mares, the other mares in the rear. and
the "white horse" still in the rear. l
was mounted on a thoroughbred horse
given me by my father. He was sired
by Sid Hamet. gave Cid the spnr
and moved directly at the white king.
with pistol i'll hand, thinking / might
crease him if could ever get by his
side.
In this chase Anderson's squad and
mine kept well together. But Chiffon s
men being mounted on inferior horses,
such as Noah's ponies, were left IN the
rear. AS we approached the herd the
"white horse" would so slow and let
US come up 20 within twenty yards %
him, but could go away from us at his
ease. He would keep between lls and
some of the old mares and colts until
we would irive him forward by APP
preaching too close. When if became
evident that some of these mares and
colts would fall into our hands, the
white horse" evidently with much
excitement, would abandon them to
their fate. We continued this chase
some six or seven miles. when all OF our
horses, save my horse Cid were pretty
well blown. made several forced
dashes at the "white horse" but conld
not reach him. Cid was too heavily
handicapped, although my avoirdupois
was not near SO great as it is to-day,
when the ''white horse" was ONLY car
rying feather.
On this chase we captured several old
mares and colts, all of which, being too
closely allied TO Noah's ponies, not hav
ing had the advantage of the race track
and breeding under the direction OF
man, we set them at liberty on the
plains to rejoin their herd. On this
chase Anderson attempted to crease a
young stallion that he got alongside of,
but sent ball through his brain and
killed him. Creasing is sending ball.
through the upper muscle of the neck,
which stnns the horse, and he falls and
is helpless for a few minutes, and can
be secured by lariat while in this cor
dItion. On our return from the chase
to the camp, where we found Boone and
Johnson roasting buffalo hump and
Jerking beef, we passed the battle
ground where were many evidences of
the battle, quite a number Of dead
wolves and horses and some carcasses
OF horses on the outer edge of the battle
field that had fallen in some OF the
charges, and the wolves had devouled
their flesh. When we reached camp
with our old mares and colts Boone
laughed heartily and said: "Why, Ne
doc (Which was my nickname among
the oificers), l thought you We're going
to capture the white horse, mounted
on your thoroughbred from the Blue
grass region?" Ny reply was that Cid
was too heavily handicapped, while the
white horse was without weight, car
rying only feather We were ali tired
after this chase. We enjoyed hugely
the buffalo hump, roasted before the
open fire, and remained in camp over
night
Such, my friends, is hastily pre-.
pared description of the battle of the
horses and the wolves" in which we
plainly see the reasoning powers of this