The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-07-02

uhm6Q II uOuOT OI LltuLs ShbPcA SS'ht'-i
who was killed by the Sioux, with tweIye
OF his men while trying TO rescue an emit
grant train attacked by the Indians. DE
was a son OF Colonel Collins, OF Ohio, and
member Of the 18th Ohio Cavalry. 49,,
What shall / say for Fort Casper IL l
were to attempt to tell allo the hardships
and priyations, and the hundreds OF Incl
dents OF the cold winter which had now
already begun, it would require more
space than / could expect to be allotted to
me. Here our regiment soon began to col
lect, for we were TO winter here.
There was at this time q small block
house here occupied by detachment Of
the I'd California Cavalry, whom / relieved,
and some Of the Sd UAited States Infantry.
A Frenchman by the name OF Gunarde,
had built long pine log bridge here at an
enormous expense, but made fortune OF
It the first year. The toll for crossing a
six-yoke team was only S. and 1t had TO be
paid, for the river could not be torued Tor
many mics either way. /,
The advance portion OF our command
had all collected here in the course OF wo
weeks, upder Major Squires, and we set to
work at once buildinga block house Tor
our own use. We were late In the fall get
ting at It, and we found the heavy SHOWS
Of winter upon US before we had gotten out
OF our tents into our log huts. Our logs for
building were cut by our men in the noun
tains seven miles from camp and hauled
by an OK train which we had pressed into
service, our mule train having been turn
ed over, with the exception ola half dozen
wagons at Laramie. There was little dis
| tinction made here between officers and
priyates. All realized alike the necessity OF
Immediate action, and the officers volun-
teered to do their part, and more, OF the
bard work Of chopping wood aud hauling
logs.
The Transfers of the OK train had nearly
all been discharged and sent to Laramie
and we had to fill their places. II was
common thing to see captain or lieuten.
ant with au OK whip of y fright shoulder
shit" commanding six yoke OF bulls,
toiling up the mountain side after load oil
pine logs.
The pioneers were detailed, or rather
took their turns at chopping logs while hall
the force formed chain guard around
them for protection from the Indians, who
lurked around in the woods and watched
for chance to pick off our men while at
work. We were compelled to work with
our heavy revolyers on and our carbines
leaning against the nearest tree. The boys
had fne fun shooting black tailed deer
which every now and then came dashing
through the woods where they were at
work.
About the last OF November, when our
job was about complete, and we began
hauling wood for our winters fuel, aheayy
snow fell, and tho road to the mountains
became so blocked with drifts that hauling
for the time being had to be suspended.
/ During the night after the heavy snow
terrific wind came down upon US from
the Northwest and we knew that our men
in the mountains would be showed under. |
Their camp was located in deep canon
under huge cliff Of rocks. They had for
shelter nothing but pine brush thrown up |
on poles, for we had expected to get |
For several hours during the early part
Of that awful night those men sat under
their meagre shelter and tried to keep the
fires burning, while the snow drifted off
the cliffs and filed the canyon TO the depth
Of dozen feet. The heavy snow weighted
their shelter down, and by midnight they
found their fires extinguished and them.
selves buried beneath the fast falling snow. |
Wrapped in blankets, they fought the
drifting snow with shovels, sticks and
brush, piling 1t up all around them as high
as they could reach. When day dawned
and relief party reached them they were
shoveling and beating path through their |
prison walls, and it was several hours be-
lore they could be extricated. This was
the beginning Of the clldest winter ever
seen in the Rocky Mountains, as many OF
the Indians and French told US before
spring came.
We were caught without frewood and
our winters supply Of forage and rations
had not yet arrived from Laramie.
Our quarters were done, and we had just
moved in time to escape.
The situation was anything but cheering.
We had three or four hundred ponies and
mules to be fed and the grass had been
poor during the fall-so few that but few
trains had come through this route but had
preferred the South Platte. During the
first few weeks alter the snow came there
seemed to be territorial convention OF
coyotes in the vicinity OF Platte Bridge.
They could be seen at any time during the
day in plain yiew OF our quarters and at
night suoh hoYls We meyer heard before.
But did the reader ever see coyoteP |
will try and give description OF him.
The coyote sabont the size Of yellow
dog, and looks like second hand wolf in
Strengthened circumstances. He bears
about the same relation 10 the genuine
wolf as the buzzatd does TO the eagie, or
that chicken thief does to modern bank
cashier. He has perpetual air Of being
ashaPed Of himself, or Of something he1
has done.
Asyeu catch glimpse Of him, trotting
away from one bluff to another; looking
back oVar bic ears, with his tail iurled
around mis- left leg he looks as II he was
aware that the police had clew to his
whereabouts, and were working up his case.
Noone ever saw q fat coyote. You may
catch young one, civilize him as you
can, feed him on canned groceries, and put
brass collar on him, but his ribs will be
his most prominent feature, and at the first
opportunity he will voluntarily aud I'm.
gracefully leave your hospitable roof, and
from choice become rowing vagabond on
the plains, living on CaIrion and sharing
his meal with the buzzlrds.
These preda tory shadows are not at all
dangerous, There Is no fight in them.
That popular iallscy regarding the ier.
ocity OF the coyote exists was illustrated not
long since in the remark made by Norwe-
Siail preesAer iR Q SERMON he preached not
long after bis arrival 10 the West. He saldi
"Dear friends, methinks ! see two men
walking out on one OF your beautiful prair-
ries. They enjoy the perfume Of the beau
tiful flowers, The songs OF the innocent
birds, the calm, quiet beauty Of your In
dian summer evening. gomMuAihs 10,
gether they walk needless 81 danger. THE
sun sinks 10 rest beyond the distant hori.
GOD; the curtain OF night gradually de.
sends and closes out the light OF day; still
the men walk leisurally gleng feeling safe
and secure; but harkl What sound Vaa
that in the distancep What blood-curdling
howl makes them arrest their steps? It is,