The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-09-01
Why the Scout was Delayed.

Why the Scout was Delayed.
The nerve. hardihood, and daring OF
the genuine frontier scout was illustrated
|. time after time during General Clusters
Indian campaign by a favorite scout
named Tom REYNOLDS. He had been IN
the Indian country for ten or twelve
vcars before Custer attached him to his
command. and he bore twenty-five scans
Of wounds received from ned men, He
was known 10 them as The Snake, and
they both hated and respected him. In
one Of his raids among the stronghoids 10
the south, Custer sent Reynolds back to
Fort Laramie with dispatches. The scout
preferred 10 90 alone, and the fact that
the country was alive with Indians was
taken by him As a matter Of course He
left camp one night soon after dark,
mounted on a swirl mule and having a
ride before him Of sixty-iye or seventy
miles. That was rhe last seen Of him for
a week. when he rode into Laramie one
day and made his apologies for being de-
tanned on the way.
REYNOLDS made only about fifteen miles
the first night where be had calculated
on making forty. ON several occasions
he narrowly missed riding into bodies OF
Indians who seemed 10 be scouting all
over the country, and up to midnight he
had to move very slowly, Just after that
hour his mule was bitten by a r~attlesnake
and the scout turned into a grove af cot
tonwoods on d little creek to care for
him. He had a small package Of the In
dian weed used 20 extract the poison, and
bo daylight the mule was better. II
would bc impossible TO move for several
DAYS. however. and he settled down to
pass the time in the grove. There were
Indian signs all about him, and the
chances were that he would not be len
undisturbed for many days. II was a
small but dense grove. and the scout and
his mule were well hidden from any one
skirting the timber.
On the fifth day nine Indians were
e approaching the grove. They wa
tered their ponies at the edge Of it, and
then turned them loose. built a fire, and
made preparations for dinner. Reynolds
had made his mule lie down and then
covered her with brush, while he retreat
ed to the other side Of the grove. The
Indians were loafing around for over an
hour before anything occurred. They
were then joined by twelve Others, but
a. the newcomers did not dismount the
scout was in hopes the whole band would
soon leave the locality. They were evil
IDENTITY about to do 50, when Reynolds
mule got.up and prayed, a thing be was
never known to do before or after in the
face of danger. II was accounted for in
this instance by the fact that one Of the
Indians was mounted ON a horse which
had been stolen from the cavalry. and
the mule evidently recognized its pres
ence. The Indians at once raised an
alarm, and rushed into the grove. The
mule was speedily discovered and led
out, and five minutes later the scout quiz
city surrendered and walked among his
captors with smiling face. He might have
held hem at bay fora time, but the odds
were too great to hope for anything turn
ing in his favor.
Several Of the Indians recognized Rey-
nolds a. The Snake and there WAS
great exultation over his capture. An or
binary prisoner would have been insult
ed and maltreated in the rstexcitement,
hut no indignity was offered the scout.
He was dislrmed. ordered to mount his
mule, and the whole body moved to the
east. After travelling all the afternoon
they reached the north fork of the Platte
and went into camp. The scout could
speak the Sioux dialect a. well as a mem
Der of the tribe, and during the journey
he kept up a running conversation with
the two sub-chiefs, leading them TO be-
lieve that he had had a personal quarrel
with Custer and was nc longer in his ser
vice. He claimed that he was on his way
TO purchase a trapper's outfit and return
to the mountains. While the Indians no
doubt kept a sharp eye on him, no n
seemed to do 50, Il was coming ON dark
a. the band reached the creek, and Rey-
nolds was in the midst of them as they
dismounted. lie swung himself down
and seemed 10 De engaged in removing
the saddle, at the same time asking one
of the chiefs why they did not cross over
and get better grass. Like a flash he
suddenly swung himself into the saddle,
and like an arrow the mule darted away.
Reynolds had 10 pass six Indians and
their horses before he Was clear of the
camp, but such were his movements that
he was pistol shot away before a shout
was uttered OF a shot fired. Every In
dian then mounted in pursuit, the fore
most kept up a running fire until they
were out Of ammunition.
Ihe mule seemed inclined to make up
for his bad break in the grove, and he
tftA lntal ~ la-t iil.tA IL tif fiiA VI d
quarter of an hour Reynolds turned
sharply to the right, rode about half a
mile, and then man and mule Rugged
the earth and let the Indians gallop ahead
in the darkness. The scout then return
ed 10 the stream, crossed il. and took "A
bee line for Fort Laramie, where he ar
rived next morning. Two arrows struck
his saddle, and six bullets clipped his
clothing without drawing blood. When
he handed the dispatches to the Com
mandant he humbly exclaimed:
Sought to hey been here sooner, but a
snake bit Nancy and a band of reds COB
bled me. Hope the delay won't make
any trouble"
A Chapter for Young Men.
Twenty clerks in a store, twenty hands
in a printing Office, twenty apprentices in
a shipyard, twenty young men in a vii