Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1885-10-29
On Il Trail.

in which the Indians range, and its diff
fculties, says all army officer, let II
suppose case as follows: An Outrage
has been committed. Troops, accom-
PANEL by scouts, start, say twelve
hours late, in pursuit of the perpetra-
tors. They march on the trail twenty
four hours and "strike" water for the
first time where the Indians have camp
ed. and on leaving have fouled the
spring. throwing in old hides, and filth
of all kinds, so no water is be had
The stock is allowed to Craze for few
hours, and then with scouts in front
trailing, the pursuit is resumed. 1t is
no Broadway promenane or d pleasant
1lde on II New England macadomized
road, The hostiles have chosen the
toughest part of the mountain range
always in position where they can see
and observe the surrounding country
for miles, The trail runs up and down
rises of more forty-fve degrees angle
and through passes and canyons where
ten determined men with breach, load.
ers could defy a hundred. Lucky is
the officer in command that he has nc
Anglo-Saxon foe to contend with. This
foe is cowardly and will not fight un-
less he has every advantage on his side
and the troops none. Had the Apaches
on more than one occasion. had the
necessary pluck, massacres would have
occurred that would have astonished the
country. Many an officer of the Sixth
cavalry would only have been remem'
bered by an obituary notice of four
lines, ending with "killed in an affair
with hostile Indians"
The trail now probably leaves the
mountains and runs across an alkali
plain Of great length to another range
of mountains II the troops reach the
plain in daylight it would be folly to
20 on, as every man and animal could
now be seen by the outpost' and run
ners that she Apaches generally leave
behind and on either flank of their
raiding parties. 1t is now thirty six
miles without water, and still march
Of many miles to reach a known spring
The troops halt, horses are unsaddled,
mules unpacked, and men and stock
kept out Of sight in the foothills of the
mountains.
At sunset the march is resumed, the
Indians trailing in the dark almost as
well as by daylight by use Of touch
Picture a long line Of Indians, silent
as death, in single file. Closely behind
them come the cavalry, and behind
them the pack train, The only sounds
heard are me steps Of the animals on
the rocks or hard earth, the mulled
tiukle Of the bell on the bell horse Of
the pack train, accompanied by the oc-
casinnal crack Of packer rs some mule
shows tendency to leave the column
No smoking or talking is allowed. Sud
denly the Indians halt. the trail is lost,
the line breaks, spreads out like fan
and in the diln starlight men are seen
on their hands and knees feeling the
ground. After time some Indians
will rise, perhaps way Oft to the right
and soft "Hish !" is heard. The trail
is found and the command runs for
ward in the new direction. 1t is all
night work, and the men have been al
most without sleep for forty-eight hours
1t is long time since The stock have
been waterel and the strain is begin
ming to tell on both man and beast.
At daybreak the mountains have not
been reached toward which the trail
runs, and the command hunt depres.
sion in the plain where they Can rest
unseen. Signs of hard-riding on the
part of the Indians have been found in
number of killed and abandoned pom
les. In the matter Of IL mount they
have every advantage over the troops
If a pony gives out he has to dismoun'
and lead him, he cannot steal.
Toward evening a scout runs in anc
reports water, his retilled canteen be.
| ing proof. tits off the trail ten miles
but it is now sixty hours since water
has been had, and the animals must
have it. The trail is abandoned at sun.
set, and the command pushes us hard as
tired men and leg weary animals can
for the point where water is reported
On arriving the water is found to be in
water hole, and strongly impregnat-
ed with alkali. Halt! The mon tum.
bic off their horses without command
guard is put ON the hole to keep out
the mules, whose bump of self.iuterest
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