Omaha daily bee., 1885-07-06
ON q MARCH.
The Overland Trip of the ColoTed
Troops to Kearney, Mob,
Correspondence of The BEE.

Correspondence of the BEE.
Camp of the 9th United States cavalry,
In the field, Kearney, Neb., June 80,
1885: Nine troops of the regiment under
Col. Hatch are now in camp at this
point, arriving on the 9th after a march
of nearly 400 miles across the state Of
Kansas and Nebraska from our initial
point, camp on Chilocco creek, 1. 7.
Camy in the territory was br oxen
May Goth and the line of march tax.
en- up to our new station In the
department of the Plat. The
column moved north Though Kansas,
passing through the towns of Arkansas
City, Winfield, Ell Dorado, Florence, and
Junction City, In that state, and arrived
at Fort Riley June s.. A short stop was
here made to retit the command, when
the march was resumed by battalIons
northward by the way CT Clyde Kansas,
and Hastings, Nebraska, to Kearney,
Nebraska, reaching the latter place June
81. The most intense curiosity was
nlaLliesIeu Wy tue ClLIneuS VI INC rural
towns en- route to view the strange spec
tacle of colored soldiers. Many de.
olared that they had no Idea
that there were colored soldiers
In the United States army. No sooner
were the tents run up than an immense
throng of men, women, and children,
representing the rural social strata,
hocked around and perambulated the
camp in every direction. The astonish-
ment of the honest granger was often
shown In that pertinaceous and independ-
ent manner 30 eminently characteristic
of the great American nation. Tents
were boldly Invaded; horses, arms, equip
ments, and ven our persons and bearing
subjected to the most minute and critical
examination by the sovereign people.
Throngs of angular females, s~pectacies on
nose and note book in hand, surrounded
.he burly cooks OF their i~mprovised
kitchens, and peered long and inquisi-
lively into the boiling camp kettles in
order to discover on what meat our
soldiers subsiated. Here a bevy of fair
damsels passed before the bell-shaped
tents, peering cautiously within at the
groups of soldiers cleaning arms, playing
cards or writing letters; then another
throng closely encircled some loud
tongued warrior as he related blood |
curdling yarns of his.heroic deeds on the |
field of battle. Nearly every COM
pany is pleased with one of these
windy heroes, whose prowess In
lying would win him q medal In q con-
gress of liars. Occasionally an inquiai.
tive damsel pulling open q closed tent to
look within would be rewarded with a
glimpEe of some brawny cavalrymen in-
dulging In q bath. One experience of
this kind was generally sufficient. The
inspection and drilling of the troops
drew a great crowd so tightly
wedged upon tho lines in some instances
as to render the manipulation of the
in the manual extremely difficult.
Gradually the boys became accustomed to
this constant scruting and like Louis the
calmly devoured their
meals in public with the dignity becom-
ing a state occasion, while mobs of patri-
otto citizens gazed a~dmlringly down their
throats until the solemn ceremony was
completed. This pleasing characteristic
of the great people disappeared as we
neared the Nebraska line, and at the
beautiful towns of Hastings and Kearney,
in this ntate, we were most agreeably
surprised by beholdlng generous and
Intelligent people, whose every action
the presence of refinement and
OF hospitality as broad as their
boundless plains was a striking trait not
least appreciated by the boys, and
many ofthem have determined to cast
heir lots here when Uncle Sans contract
s filled. "AFRICUs."