Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-11-14
CALIFORNIA JOE.
General Clusters First Interview with This
Noled Indian Eiyhier.

General Clusters First Interview with This
Noted Indian Fighter.
During General Clusters career as an In
dian fighter, ne had much assistance from
an original character, called California
joe" who was not strong in grammar, and
had a deplorable weakness for whisky, but
proved invaluable as a scout. "See hyar,
Gneral," so he began. at Clusters first in
teruew with him: "See hyar, Gineral, in
order that we hev no MISUNDERSTANDING, I'd
like TO ask ye few questions" The General
babe him say on
"Air you an ambulance man, ur boss
manP'
What do you mean by thatln
81 mean, do you b'leve in catchin' Injuns
in ambulances or on horseback
Custer still pretended ignorance, and re-
piled: "Well, Joe, believe in catching In
dams wherever we can find them, whether
they are found in ambulances or on horse
back"
''That amt what I'm drivin' at. S'pose
you're after Injuns, and really want TO hev
tussle with 'em, would We start after 'em
on hossbacx, or would We climb into an am
bulance and be hauled after iem! That's
the pint I'm headin' fur"
al should prefer to be on horseback, pro-
vided really wished TO catch the Indians;
but il wished them 10 catch me, would
adopt the ambulance system"
you've hit the nail squar on the head.
I've bin with 'em on the plains when they
started out after the Injuns on wheels, jist
as If they war goin' TO a town funeral in
the States, an they stood bout as many
chances NV catchin' Injuns CT a six-mule
team wud Nv catchin' pack of thievin'
Ki-o-tees, just as much. Why, that sort Nv
Il r.
want nuthIn' better. Ye ort to seen how
they peppered 1t TO US, an we a-doin' nuthin'
a. the time"
Evidently California Joe knew thing or
two about Indian warfare. and was abe to
express his meaning with clearness If not
with elegance.
He could write, also, as is shown by the
following letter. which the reader is left to
punctuate as he pleases.
SIERRE NEVADA MOUNTAINS, CAL
March I6. 1874.
Dear General after my resptes TO you and
Lady thought that tell you that am still on
top OF land VT hev teen n the rockey noun
tain the most OF the time sence last seen you
but got on the railroad and started west and
the first thing knew landed IN san Francisco
so could not 60 any further except goin by
water and salt water at that so / turned
back and headed for the mountains once more
resolved never TO 20 railroading no more 1
drifted up with the tide 10 sacramento city
and landed my boat so I come TO a large fms
building so I bulged n TO see what was go n on
and / seen most OF the crowd had bald heads so
l thought to myself struck il now they are
indian peace commissioners but heard some
fellow behind me ask how long is the legrsl9turs
been in session then 1 dropt on myself il
wuzent indian commissioners after all so slid
out took across 20 chinatown IL was gettin late
so no place 10 go not got red cent so haPpen
TO think OF an old friend back OF town that
knowed 70 years ago so lit out and snre
enough he was there baching Oeading the life
of a bachelorl so got few seads going 70
plant give my respects 70 the 7th calvery and
accept the same yoursly, CALIFORNIA jog