The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-08-06
that face and leg as black as any part Of

when we came up q many Quesuou
were asked Finn. His captain wanted Il
. know where he had secured 80 fine al
animal. "Sure an l bought him nv IN
. bloody Frinchmin ut the rancho fur SO
An mAyby yell be wantin' to az me wher'
/ sakured the funds, seein'Ihad no money
NV me own. But We have no business L
be pryin' into honest payples Affairs, g
. We haven't" Aud this answer seemed t
, settle the captain.
So matters went on all right. The mule
disappeared after we had passed q west
bound wagon train, near Chimney Rock
and Finn seemed to be flush. But he helt
on to the black pony until VT reached
. Willow Springs. Here Finn came tc
griei.
We had hardly settled in camp when
the telegraph operator handed our com
mander q dispatch, asking him to lay oyel
until an officer aud q Sioux Indian could
overtake US and search our camp for LOST
stock.
OF course we could not tell what the de-
lay was for, but we guessed its nature.
Finn was perfectly serene and happy
His suspicious were not in the least
aroused.
In the afternoon an officer and q stout
young Indian came up, and after a few
moments talk with the Major, proceeded
to search the herd for the pony and mule.
OF course the mule could not be found,
but Mr.. Indian o o concluded that the
black pony with the freshly shaven tail
and name, bore some resemblance to his
lost pony. But he passed him several
times before he concluded to investigate
closely.
We were all obsa:ving the search closely
and there never was q more nervous and
uncomfortable man in the world than was
Finn during those few brief moments.
Finally the Indian caught the rope which
was dragging on the ground and led the
pony to the creek. 49,.
sure an what's the bludy Ipjun gOin'
to do no6?"
"Injun give pony heap water, pony heap
dry, granted the Indian in reply as they
came to the waters edge.
"Mr. Ipjun, l SAY, you can't come any Nv
yer pesky tricks on me, an so We can't.
Ifthe truth was known ye've kilt and skun
monya poor white man an ye ought to die
the dith NV a schnake this mint, an so ye
ought. Stop thatl ye bludy hound, wat
We throwin' wather on the nose Nv me po-
ny fur?" And as Finn said this'he made
q dash down the bank for the noble red
man, and had he not been prevented, he
would have pushed him 'headlong into the
water. But the Indian went on, and In a
few moments that water was as black as
night, and the pony's face andiegs as white
as snow.
"Whooel White man much sharp
paint face black-no fool %lpjun," and he
led his pony up the bank with an air Of
triumph.
"Sure an the bludy Frinchmin has me
money an the thavin' Sioux has me horse.
But I'll get ayen wild thin whin l Grass the
plains agiu, (which, be dad, won't happen
in the next hundred years,)" remarked
Finn, with a chuckle, as he marched
of to camp, while the whole command set
up a shout and laugh at Firms bad luck.
This seemed to settle Finn, for he did not
engage IN any more enterprises" while in
the service. F
Oar march back across the Plains was
marked by many adventures and incidents
which | cannot take time to mention. We
made good time, and when we reached
J%ulesburg We found a city OF 5000 inhabit.
ants, which had but three weeks growth.
There was but one house in the town, and
that not finished
Lots and streets were marked by ''end.
gates" OF wagons stuck in the ground, num-
bered and Iettered with chalk.-Whisky
was sold from every wagon and a billiard
table and bar occupied the hall. finished
house.
The inhabitants OF this mushroom town,
had followed The surveyors OF the Union
Pacific Railroad, who had stopped here
and were locating a bridge over the Platte
river. They concluded this was the place
for a large city, so they squatted and ON
menced business on a grand scale. The
"New Julesbur2" was located one mile be.
low the old town and has since, grown to
De quite a"City OF the Plains"
1u course OF time We reached Kansas,
and our eyes ieasted on the beauties OF
early springtime. Her srairies were rich
in green grass and grand fields OF wheat
spread out before US like beautiful lakes.
Our boys declared that this was the para.
disc OF the world, and almost every man
formed a resolution to colne back as soon
as mustered out and settle on some un-
claimed lands through which we passed.
AT Blue river a large portion OF our COM
mand left the road and went over onto the
Republican river, down which they follow
ed to Fort Riley, in Kansas. They assert.
ed, when they joined US again, that the
half had not been told" Each OF these
men selected a claim, intending to return
from L~eavenworth, but had to go to Wheel
ing. Many OF them did 60 back, and to-day
are enjoying comfortable homes in the
valley. At Leavenworth we
turned over our little friends, the ponies,
amid much sorrow, for we had formed an
attachment for them which was hard TO
break of.
A lew days after our arrival here we were
mustered out and ordered TO Wheeling, w.
Va, to receive our pay, and also a grand
reception, which the people OF West Yir-
ginla were DESTROYS OF giving US in appre-
citation OF our long and honorable service
in the army.
And now let us review, briefly, the histo-
ry OF the old 9Th West Virginia Cavalry.
As | have said, it wa composed Of the
old Ind and Sd West Virginia Infantry.
These regiments were organized on the 'lst
day Of July, 1851, and after serving their
time nearly out, re-enlisted as the 9th aud
9th West Virginia Cavalry regiments, and
were soon alter consolidated and called the
9th West Virginia Cavalry.
From the time OF enlistment, In 1851,
until mustered out OF service, in 1866, the
men Of this regimeat participated in the
following battles and raids:
Elk Water, September IL, Is and IA, 1851.
Cheat Mountain, December IS, 1851.
Allegheny Summit, December Is, 1881.
Monterey, April 9, 1852.
Monterey, April s, 1852.
Bull Pasture Mountain, May s., 1852.
Cross Keys, June s, 1852
Port Republic, June 8, 1852.
Srasburg, June 20, 1852.
Cedar Mountain, August II, 1862.
Kelley's Ford, August q and %, 1862.
Lees Springs, August %, 1862.
Waterloo Bridge, August %, 1852.
Bull Run, August 20 and 80, 1852.
Droop Mountain, September 8, 1862.
" - - . All 80 l