The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-02-03
INDIAN SCOUTS.
The Requirements and Duties OF the Ac.
tive Men of the Plains.

The scout is regular soldier, governed
by the articles of war, the same as the army
in general, but he is only enlisted for six
months, and, except the police at the
agency, is only paid on discharge, with
final statement. On enlisting he is given q
Springfield rife, field belt and nmmuni-
ton, canteen and cup. To his belt is at
tached small brass tag with his number
and the letter of his company stamped on
it. For clothing, all he draws is dark
blue shirt and blouse. Very seldom ID
the shirt drawn, the blouse bsing about all
he cares for. In the field each scout is sup
posed to wear piece of white cloth tied
around his head, to distinguish him from
hostiles, as it has been found that he pre-
fers to travel with the blouse folded under
the belt to keep the weight of it of the hips.
These companies are generally about fifty
strong, with one first sergeant. three or four
other sergeants and as many corporals,
generally chiefs or sons OF chiefs or trust.
worthy men. They are commanded by ex.
perienced officers from different regiments
of cavalry or infantry, assisted by citizens
employed by the government known as
chiefs of scouts.
The duties of the chiefs of scouts are to
serve out the rations, carry dispatches and
act as lieutenants to the officers in charge
Of the company. The scouts draw their
rations every day, generally after coming
into camp, when on the march. The ration
Is the army field ration, and the way they
cook it is according to emergency. When
the command breaks camp in the morning
the scouts are off ahead of every one, and
are in camp at night long before the
,olumns are in sight. They cut across the
country, by trails of their own, and wher
the tinkle, tinkle of the bell horse ahead o.
the pack train is heard, they jump up,
ready for the loads as they are dropped
from the mules in camp. The chief of
scouts opens up the rations, "Autha, ecau,
ecau come for rations). Here they come
all around, laughing and joking sometimes
trying to make draw" on the sugar
sack on the sly, which they are very fond
If.
Then away they go to their fires, which
ire sure to be burning we'll, for rain OF
shine they have q fire every time. One
parches the coffee in pan, and when 1t Is
done another grinds it with two stones in
shelter tent rs well as any coffee mill. An
other mixes -four and baking powder in
an iron pan, and partly bakes the bread in
large, round, fiat slabs--that resemble
Mexican tortilla--in frying pan. He then
passes it to another, who stands it up on
md against stone close to the fire, and
there it bakes till done. The bacon they
will not eat, only using it 10 grease the
pans, but they generally manage to secure
q deer on the road, and that will be carried
on the ramrods Of their guns sizzling oveI
the fire. They cook their next days break
fast at supper time when on the march, sc
that the next morning they have everything
packed and breakfast despatched before the
mules have begun to be saddled. For the
campaign down in Mexico last summer
Major Davis scouts carried five days rations
on their backs and took the trails where
pack trains could not go. Some of our
scouts were mere boys OF seventeen, and
they would run of with all that load on
their backs, when the white men had "a be
helped to carry their own rntions. They
nave been known to travel one hundred
miles in thirty hours over rough. noun
famous country in the broiling sun, and
one young officer that attempted to follow
them last summer became completely ex-
hausted in five hours and had to be helped
back to the cavalry company by two Of the
Indians. When the cavalryman's horse
dropped on the trail he would have to go
on foot, and when he began to stumble and
slip from fatigue the scout would be at his
side, and, carrying both their guns, would
sndeavor to help his white comrade along.
Simple as child, he never forgets friend
or an enemy, and one good turn done him
will be amply rewarded in the shape Of
deer meat or anything be thinks will please
the other.