Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-06-29
HORSES AND WOLVES.
Gen. Abe Buford Describes the Battle
He Witnessed on the Plains Forty

i
In a lecture at Louisville recently
Gen. Buford related the following stir
ring incident:
In the year 1912 I was lieutenant
of the dragons, and accompanied Capt
Nathan Boone in a campaign over the
western prairies in search of the Great
Salt L Ike of the west. A squadron or
dragons was the strength of the COM
mand. The officers were Boone, COM
manding; Li5utS. johnson, Chiffon,
Anderson, and myself. We were
camped on the head waters Of the Big
Red ferk of the Arkansas river about
the 10th of June, when all nature
seemed rejoicing over the grand and
beautiful scenery which is to be
witnessed in no other part of the world
but on the great plain Of the west.
During the night we could hear the
distant neighing and snorting of horses
and the barking and bowling of
wolves. Our horses were breaking
loose from their lariats frequently dur
ing the night. No one In camp could
design the cause of the trouble save
Capt. Boone, who said there must be
battle of the wolves and horses raging.
and ordered the quarts to be doubled
to prevent stampede of our own
horses. At daylight the command was
mounted and Boone said we would
have an opportunity to capture horse
or two. So Anderson, Chiffon, and
myself selected three squads of the
best mounted dragons In the COM
mand. We moved down the creek in
the direction of the sound of the neigh.
ing and barking, and all were on tip
toe to witness the battle. Going about
a mile under cover of the banks of the
little creek, the noise growing more
distinct every moment, 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
dismOuntsd and went upon the bank
to reconnoiter. We saw the battle
raging; the herd of horses was about
$50 strong, and the most prominent
among them was the "great white horse
of the plains" which many Of
you have doubtless often read Of.
He seemed to be the commander,
and had formed the mares in a
circle with their heels to the enemy, or
outward. The diameter of this circle
was about one hundred yards, with all
the foals and younger colts in the cen
ter; al the stations, with the "white
horse" in command, on the outside and
surrounding the circle of mares, who
were fighting the wolves. The wolves
uor1ld rotroot 70 DidIu from uS ovar fbo
beautiful prairie, ana we gave chase
with all the speed we could. 1.-The
white horse" in this retreat command
ed the rear guard. Before the retreat
commenced, 1 noticed a squad of
stations approach the circle of mares
they paved the earth, neighed and
snorted fiercely, and started of, lead.
ing the retreat. The mares opened the
circle. and the colts went out following
a squad of mares, the other mares in
their rear, and the "white horse" still
thoroughbred horse given me by my
father. He was sired by Sidi Hamet
gave Cid the spur and moved direct
ly at the white king, with pistol in
hand, thinking 1 might crease him if
could ever get by his side. In this
chase Anderson's squad and mine kept
well together. But Chilton's men be.
ing mounted on inferior horses, such
as Noah's ponies, were left far in the
rear. AS we approached the herd the
"white horse would 60 slow and let
us come up to within twenty yards of
him, bat could go away from us at his
ease. He would keep between US al
some of the old mares and colts ant
we would drive him forward by a, .
preaching too close. When it became
evident that some Of these mares and
colts would fall into our hands the
"white horse" evidently with much ex-
element. 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 for ced
dashes at the "white horse" but could
not reach him. Cid was too heavily
handicapped, although my avo rdupois
was not near so great as it is to-day,
when the white horse" was only car
rying a feather. On this chase we
captured several old mares and colts. all
Of which being too closely allied to No.
abs ponies. not having had the advan-
tage Of the race track and breeding
under the direction of man, we set at
liberty on the plains to rejoin their
herd. On this chase Anderson attempt
ed to crease young stallion that he
got along side of but sent q ball
through his brain and killed him.
Creasing is sending ball through the
upper muscle Of the neck. which stuns
the horse, and he falls and is helpless
for few minuets, and can be secured
by lariat while in this condition. 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 anumber OF dead wolves and
horses and some carcasses of horses on
the outer edge of the battlefield that
had fallen in some of the charges, and