The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-05-14

i w N-N 9SSAA - SNNA~
pups sitting upon the holes, and had list.
ened 10 their little weak bark. We had
wasted hundreds Of Uncle Sans cartridges
upon them but had failed every time and
now We determined ups q new plan.
Drown them out, yes we could take .
camp kettle and q few sacks, and Of course
soon get the sack full. So on this bright
morning We took with Us these traps and
after going q half mile from the road, we
halted in the thickest part Of the vast city
Of dogs and after ~stationing Cal upon q
bluff 10 act as picket, we selected three
holes, which appeared to connect under
the ground. Two OF these We stretched the
mouths Of our sacks over, Finn holding
one and l the other, while Howell poured
the water which was dipped from a.pool
near by. For some time our efforts seemed
lost and We were becoming discouraged
when Finn jumped clear of the ground
and exclaimed:
holy Moses, me sacks full uv'em. I've
got the father and mother and all the chill.
dTsn-yes, be gorray, and we've bagged
one uv OF the fowls, too"
There was a commotion in Films sack,
and so he cllnched Its mouth with both
hands and held it up, and we plainly
heard the tapping Of wings.
There's q bird there sure, for diyil the
wings have dogs. Give me the end OF the
halter till | fasten them suftaciently-quick
II not quicker"
"Fo' millions OBJ Ingins," yelled Cal, as
he dashed past US like a frightened wolf.
"'Tatn't no time to be foolin' heah boss,
mount de ponies an git, follow dis nigeah
fur Use gittin' is," and he put spurs to
his old pony and left US wondering what
his strange actions could mean. But we
didn't stop long to investigate; quickly
straddling our mustangs and leaving the
camp kettle for the dogs, we ran to q
neighbOring hill, and the sight that met
our eyes made Jul blood run cold. We
looked for a moment in the direction in
which the command had marched, and
we could see a dense cloud OF dust, and
scattered out on the bluffs were plainly
visible q number Of mounted men all on
a dead charge, evidently chasing some.
thing, out what 1t was could not be seen.
We never had seen such a cloud OF dust
before. The air was thick With it. The
Sioux OF California Crossing" at once
flashed before our minds, and we were
confident that the boys were into It hot
and heavy. But where were we? We
could now hear shot after shot, and
although they were several miles distant
we thought we could hear the yells Of the
Indians.
"pd give me dogs an all the game in me
sack il l could be wild the boys this min.
ute, sure an l would, bedad. Dlyil a bit
would | left the road il I'd thought about
the pesky redskins"
We all looked at Finn as he spoke, and
in spite OF our hopeless situation we could
not help but laugh when we discovered the
old sack OF prairie dogs which in his hssty
retreat he still held on to.
Loeking back we could see Cal, away in
the distance, making rapid strides toward
q wagon train six or eight miles back on
the trail over which we had travelled.
Our situation seemed a little periloua,
but after some deliberation We determined
TO pursue the regiment and il possible save
ourselves by making what we thought
would be a bold dash.
Seeing that our carbines contained seven
cartridges and that our Remington reyol.
vers were in good fighting condition, we
start in full tilt for the road. Reaching
this we were entirely hidden from view BY
the dust. It was sitting, and once II
thought my breath was gone and that l
would surely choke to death. Running
for some miles in this way and keeping
well together, we suddenly come upon a
man lying BY the roadside, bleeding fro
several wounds. He was not dead, but
wounded. We all stopped and supposing
him to be one Of our boys, We determined
to save him II possible from falling into
the hands Of the enemy. He was so
covered with dust that we could not
recognize him, and We asked him who he
was.
"oh! Oh! ouch, I'm one OF the 2lst New
York" he replied.
WHATS the 2lst doing here" we asked
in surprise.
"Why this is Julesburg."
"Where's J~ulesburg2"
Right ahead OF you. Can one Of you
give me q drink" And as I stopped to
give him a pull at my canteen, Finn re.
marked:
"Diyil q drap Of wather would I give any
2lst New Yorker"
The dust had now cleared away and
never were we more surprised than when
we saw a dozen old dingy log huts and
some tents and a vast rick OF sacked -four
and grain a hundred yards before US.
And then this wa Julesburg, the "City
Of the Plains" But what was all this run.
ming for, and why these wounded men by
the road side? It was some minutes be.
fore we could fully understand the situa.
ton.
The Twenty.frst New York cavalry had
reached this post a week before and had
been lying in camp. They had not COM
mitted any robberies for some time simply
for the want Of something To rob, and they
had concluded I raid on the sutler and
commissary department. Our regiment
happened to be approaching Julesburg
just in time to nip their scheme in the bud.
A messenger was dispatched, who met our
command, and they arrived In time to save
the post trader. Several shots were ex.
changed and a few New Workers found
quarters in the hospital.
The old French sutler felt yery grateful
and gave the boys q treat in the shape OF
whisky, tobacco and cigars.
Here We went into camp near the rick OF
-four, where We remained for four weeks
the first night on our arms, as did the 2lst.
They had made threats which justified the
opinion that an attack would be made
upon us before morningaud we determined
TO sell out at the highest market price. The
next day the 2lst were ordered to Salt Lake
City, where they afterward committed
depredatious against the Mormons, and
were finally mustered out dishonorably
with the loss Of all pay and allowances.
We saw many Of them, tramping their way
back to the States with return bull trains,
some Of them ragged and all out OF money
and living like the wolves that follow these
trains and eat the scraps left at their camp.
ing places.
"What have you in your sack?" asked a
Lieutenant Of Finn, after the excitement
was over.
"Sure we captured the ourgis Of the
city beyant."
HWhat,a that vopivo go,3n ..;j -