The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-06-18
and thoueht We found eyidenctsci hin the
shape OF rotten wood and small bits Of

lett tue ktegt gulmpty 1pSk w A1. ~
. Fort LsrlmiP, the great supply post OF me
North Platte As we came in sight Of "
we could discern in the distant west great
peak looming up like one Of the pyramids
OF Egypt. Just behind Il appeared long
chain Of black mountains, so far away and
dim to the naked eye that we could nottell
whether they were really mountains OF
clouds. But we soon learned that the peak
was Laramie Peak and the mountain In
the rear was q chain Of the Rockies. So
this was our first glimpse OF the Rocky
Mountains. Wedid not think then that be-
fore two months would pass We would be
wading through snow drifts and climbing
over rocks and crsgs in the very heart Of
these mountains, but so twas. 3. "a
Laramie had recently been the scene oil
o great number Of raids, made by rowing
and struggling bands Of Sioux and
CHEYENNE Indians ~.
The place for four weeks previous to our
arrival had been held by infantry, all the
cavalry having gone on the Powder River
expedi ion under General Sulley.
These Indians seemed to know this, and
they took advantage Of the situation and
almost every day stampede Of the herd
belonging TO the post was attempted, and
they always succeeded In running OF some
cattle or horses, while the infantry, OF
course, could not follow with muchlsuci
cess. -N s''- FL.
A few days after our arrival with the
| paymas,er, tue remainder OF our regiment
came on from Julesburg with our wagon
train. a--...r VI ...s.ai sl..li,
We were now put on duty at this Fort
as herders, mait.runners, scouts, guards,
in fact all the duties performed by cavalry
Lin that country, and we had pretty warm
| time OF It The day OF our arrival q band
OF Indians had struck small herd Of cat
tie belonging 70 a passing train, and sue:
ceeded in getting away with about nifty OIL
them. -,-
The day. following, after We had gone
into camp, and settled down for 3 short
stay, the attempt was repeated. We had
our ponies all staked at the tentt and were
expected to be called out at any minute.
Some OF our boys were on duty as herders
with several Frenchmen and hal:-breeds,
regular herders. We bad watched from
our camp the bluffs all the morning for the
appearance oil Indians, when in u twink
ling painted band OF Sioux fled out OF
ravine and succeeded by bold dash in cut
ting off few struggling cattle from small
herd belonging to transportation train In
camp below the fort There was not the
usual war whoop, but the thing was done
in Eve minutes and in very systematic
way. a..- ' rp Il
In an instant all was in confusion about
the Fort and everybody watched the new
Cavalry camp to see what would be done
there. No sooner were the Indians seen
than every man rushed for his pony, and
In two minutes we were mounted and in
hot pursuit.
There were no orders issued, no red tape
about the thing, but every man for him
self ~
The Indians were surprised. They had
not been posted as to our arrival, for no
sooner did We strike the bluffs close upon
their heels than they ceased their efforts TO
keep the stock before them, but each fel- |
low became deeply interested in saving |
himself, and by the time we had run five |
miles every OK was left behind, some shot |
full OF arrows and others crippled in yari-
Gus ways. 5"1-.
/ never saw such cease before, nor will
any OF US witness such an exciting scene
again. The Indians soon separated into
sllal slUhust auu 81 uiu VIC. 4ueto Neio
two hundred OF us and less THAI half that
number Of Indians.
In spite OF our efforts and determination
to kill the last one OF them, We could moi
gain foot on them and alter chasing them
until afternoon we found our ponies ex-
hausted and the Indians gaining ground. |
We were now in sight Of Raw Hide Greek,
q small stream where the Indians had al.
ways camped, and where several fights had
occurred between them and the whites.
T. was with small squad who had be-
came separated from the rest. With this |
squad was Brazie and Myers, two Of our
LleutenRnts. 1snai
Brazte had taken command Of, and had
made his intentions known, to follow them
into the very doors Of their lodges, and the
boys all manifested . willingness 10 follow |
him.
We had lost sight Of the other detach-
ments and we checked up and gave our
ponies chance to breath. There were
thirty OF us in this squad, all well armed
with Spencer carbines, saber, and most OF
US had two Remington revolyers. There
was one thing lacking-rations. In our
haste we had neglected something 10 eat;
but we concluded to push on and trust to
luck, or rather our skill as hunters for meat
Il was dark when we halted our j4ded
pouies on the bluffs overlooking the me.
anderipg stream and we deployed our small
force upon several hills 70 see what dis.
csyeries could be made, and in short time
some OF the boy 8 reported that small force
OF Indians had come to halt In the mouth
Of rayine and were massed for fight. 1t
was now too dark TO distinguish one from
another or attempt an attack. So it was
decided to take up position and await
the dawn Of day.
All night long we lay upon two bluffs |
and watched the foe intending to>surTound
them at daylight and make a clean sweep
OF the whoie gang. During the night Bra
xie's ony died from his over exertiou Of
the day before, and our commander, was |
thirty miles from Laramie and dismounted:
This threw damper on that gentlemau's
valor, for no pony could be procured TO fill
the vacancy without dismounting some
other man, and this the Lieutenant would
not do. However, we pledged ourselves to
stand by him. Well, to cut the matter
short, day dawned and we were in the act
OF making bold dash when we discoy-
cred that the Indians massed at themonth
OF that rayine was nothing more nor less
than a snail Ltickst Of bt1.eider.
There was one happy soul in that squad
when the discovery was made that was our
l. INT Lieutenant. We turned our faces TO.
ward Laramie, and late that night after a
long march OF over thirty miles, over a
Ihilly prairie we came into our camp on the
Platte almost starved and our ponies badly
fused up.
We learned from this thatitwas no easy
| lob 10 catch an Indian when he had one or
Two miles they s:art. But we had saved
the cattle, and that was something under
similar circumstance for long time
had not been done They always got away
with the stock before the troops could get
ready to follow. We had several expert
ences like this while we lay at Laramie.
In fact the thing got to be monotonous and
l T ~ n 4. L.. 4 f. 4