River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-12-10

frontier lie wore troop-bootS reach
ing 20 his knees, buckskin breeches
fringed on the sides. a dark navy-blue
shirt with broad collar, a red necktie.
whose ends floating over his shoulders
exactly as they did when he and his en-
tire division of cavalry had worn them
during the war. On the broad felt hat,
which was almost sombrero, was fas-
tened slight mark of his rank
de was at this time 50 years of age,
weighed 10 pounds, and was nearly
six feet n height. His eyes were clear
blue and deeply set, his hair short,
wavy and golden in tint. Hil mus
tache was long and tawny in color; his
complexion was fiorid. except where
his forehead was shaded by his hat. for
the sun always b%ned his skin ruth
lessly.
He was the most agile, active man
| ever knew, and so very strong and in
such perfect physical condition that he
rarely knew even an hour indisposi-
ton.
Horse and man seemed one when
the general vaulted into the saddle.
His body was so lightly poised and so
full of swinging, undulating motion it
almost seemed that the wind moved
him as it blew over the plain. Yet
every nerve was alert, and like finely
tempered steel, for the muscles and
sinews that seemed so plable were
equal to the curbing of the most fiery
animal. | do not think that he sat his
horse with more grace than the other
| officers, for they rode superbly, but it
was accounted by others almost an i'm
possibility TO dislodge the general
| from the saddle, no matter how vicious
the animal might prove. He threw his
| feet out of the stirrups the moment the
horse began to show his inclination for
war. and with his knees dug into the
sides of the plunging brute he fought
and always conquered. With his own
horses he needed neither spur nor
whip. They were such friends of his,
and his voice seemed so attuned to
! their natures they knew as well bv its
infections as by the slight pressure of
! the bride on their necks what he
wanted. BY the merest inclination on
the generals part they either sped on
the wings of the wind or adapted their
| spirited steps to the slow movement OF
the march. It was a delight to see
them together, they were so in unison,
aud when he talked to them as though
they had been human beings their in
telligent eyes seemed to reply.
As an example of his hOrsemanship,
he had way of escaping from the
stagnation Of the dull march, when il
was not dangerous to do so, by riding a
short distance in advance of the col
umn over divide, throwing himself
on one side of his horse, so as to be en-
tirely out of sight from the other direc-
ton giving signal that the animal
understood, and tearing off at the best
speed that could be made. The horse
entered into the frolic with all the zest
of his master, and, after the race. the
animal 5 beautiful, disteDded nostril,
glowed blood-red as he tossed his head
and danced with delight.
In hunting the general rode either
Vic or Dandy. The dogs were so fonC
of the latter they seemed to have little
talks with him. The general 5 favorlte
dog, Butcher, would leap up to him il
the saddle and Jump fairly over the
horse in starting. The spirited horses
mounted by officers who sat them SC
well; the sound of the horn used for the
purpose of calling the dogs; their an
swering bay, the glad voices and ''whoo
Lar to the hounds as the party gallopeC
down the valley, are impressions in
effaeeable from my memory. They
often started a deer within sound Of
the bugle at the post. In few hour,
their shouts outside would call me tC
the window, and there dropping acros,
the back of one Of the orderlies horse;
would be a magnificent black-taileC
deer. We had a saddle of yenisior
hanging on the wood-house almos
constantly during the winter. Th,
officers and even the soldiers table!
had this rarity to vary the monotony o
F. the inevitable beef,
The life of the enlisted men was very
duh during the cold weather. In the
summer they bad mounted drill anC
parades, and an occasional scout, t.
vary the life. At Fort Lincoln We
read:
1.-The companies each gave a ball il
turn during the winter, and the pre-
parations were begun long In advance
There was no place to buy anything
save the SuliST > SlOlt iuu tue tONh -
Bismarck, but they were well ransackeo
for materials for the supper. The
hunks where the soldiers slept were
removed from the barracks and flags
festooned around the room. Arms
were stacked aUd gudons arranged il
groups. A few pictures Of Distinguish
ed men were wreathed in imitation
laurel leaves cut out of green paper.
/ Chandeliers and side brackets carved
out Of crackcr-box boards into fantastic
shapes were filled with candles, while
at either end of the long room great
logs in the wild fire-places threw out q
cheerful light. The ball opened, head
ed by the first sergeant After this the
officers and their wives were invited TO
form 3 set at one end of the room and
we danced several times. One of the
men whose voice WAS clear and loud
sang the calls. He was a cOmical
genius and improvised new ways OF
calling off. When the places came in
the quadrile to Turn toyour partners,
his voice arose above the music in the
notes of the old song, oh, swing those
girls, those pretty little girls, those
girls you left behind you! This was
such an inspiration to the fpp-l0Vers
that lhe swinging usually ended In our
being whired IN the air by the privileg-
ed members of our family. = Phlladei-
phia Times.
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