The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-07-19
HORSES AND EVOLVES.
A Bnttle Witnessed ON the Piaius Forty
Years Ago.

n"et'e Witnessed on the PtntDs Forty
Years Ago.
In lecture recently delivered in Louis
vile, KY, Gen. Abe Buford, the noted Ken
lucky trrfman, gave the following graphic
account of battle between horses and
wolves witnessed by him on the plains of the
great West:
! In the year Of 1912 was lieutenant of
dragons, and accompanied Capt. Nathan
Boone in a campaign over the Western
prairies in search Of the Great Salt lake of
the West Asquadron Of Dragons was the
strength of the command. The officers were
Boone, commanding Lients. johnson, Chill
ton, Anderson, and myself We were camp
ed on the kead-waters of the Big Red fork
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 plains of the West During
the night we could hear the distant neiQhinp
ss.ss. eslofelrg ol iiorses ana the BARKING and
bowling of wolves. Our horses were break
ing loose from their lariats frequently during
the night. No one in camp could design the
cause of the trouble save Capt Boone, who
said there must be n battle of the wolves and
horses raging, and ordered the guards to be
doubled to prevent a 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
command We moved down the creek IL
the direction of the sound of the neighine
and barking, and all We're on tip-toe to wit
ness the battle. Going about mile under
coyer of the banks of the little creek. the sounds
growing more distinct every moment until
we got opposite the field of battle, which was
upon the level prairie, about 300 yards from
the bluff banks; here we halted and the
three officers dismounted and went upon the
bank to reconnoitre. 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
mander, and had formed the mares in n cir.
Gle with their heels TO the enemy, or ont
ward. The diameter of this circle was about
100 yards, with all the foals and younger
colts in the centre all the stations, with the
white horse in command, on the outside
and surrounding the circle of mares who
were fighting the wolves The wolves would
retreat rapidly from us over the beautiful
prairie, and we gave chase with all the speed
we could, 1.-THE white horse in this re-
treat commanded the rear guard. Before
the retreat commenced noticed a squad of
stations approach the circle of mares; they
paved the earth, Weighed and snorted fierce
ly and started off, leading the retreat. The
mares opened the circle and the colts went
out following a squad of mares, the other
mares III their rear, and the white horse
still i'll the rear | was mounted on n thor
oaghbred horse given me by my father. He
was sired by Sid IIamet. / gave Cid the
-~gef Hfia nioveu directly nj the White King,
with pistol in hand, thinking l 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 being mounted
on inferior horses, such as Noahs ponies,
We're left far in the rear. As we approached
the herd the "white horse would 90 slow
and let us come up to within 20 yards of
him, but could go away from us at his ease.
He would keep between us and some of the
old mares and colts until we would drive
him forward by approaching too close
When it became evident that some of these
mares aud colts would fall into our hands the
white horse, I" evidently with much excite
ment, 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 seve-
ral forced dashes at the white horse, but
could 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 carrying feather.
On this chase we captured several old mares
and colts, ALI which, being too closely al
lied to Noah's ponies, not having had the
advantage of the race track and breeding un-
der the direction of man, we set them at
liberty on the plains to rejoin their herd.
On this chase Anderson attempted to crease
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 stuns the horse
and he falls and is helpless for a few min
utes, 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 number 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 the wolves had devoured
their carcasses. When we reached camp
with our old mares and colts Boone laughed
heartily, and said; "Why, Medoc, (Which
was my nickname among the officers) |
thought you were going to car ture the
white horse, mounted on your thorough
bred from the Bluegrass region9" My re-
ply was that Cid was too heavily handicap
ped, while the "white horse was without
weight, carrying only feather. We were
all tired after the chase. We enjoyed huge
ly the roasted buffalo hump, roasted before
the open FIRE, and remained in camp over
night.
Such, my friends, is hastily prepared
description of the battle of the "horses and
wolves, in which we plainly see the reason
ing powers of this great white horse of the
plains fully developed. We also plainly
see his military idea brought fully into play.
In his assaults upon his enemy he first or
ganizes his assaulting parties, and his retreat
from his more formidable opponent, the
Dragons, he covers the retreat of his army.
This is certainly the strongest of evidence
that he possesses reasoning powers, and is
therefore fit associate and companion of
man.
-~~--aob--@>-
BEEonER's BEoNNINo.-Alrs Beecher told
an interviewing correspondent SO many inter
esting things the other day that ho wrote
two coIt1mna ahout IL Some of the Incl