The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-11-01

plied the leaders with the score. After the
column had been halted two Of the bands were
brought forward and stationed on each side oil
the road, where a post marked the boundary
between Missouri and Arkansas When All
was ready the bands started up " The Arkansas
Traveller" and with their rifles at rlght-shoul-
der shift. and In column OF f0HTs the IN
fantry filed past As each company crossed
he frontier loud cheer was given, and the
greatest enthusiasm prevailed. To add TO the
good spirits Uf the men the news OF the iall OF
Fort Douelson reached them and spread IKE
Eildfre on their first night in camp on the SOIL
Of Arkansas.
Price and lIcCnlloch united their forces at
Cross Hollows and made a stand against the
Union advance, though evidently not a serious
one. as there was only slight sklrmlsh, aiteI
which the rebels retired III the dlTectlon ol
Fayetteviile - miles further on. he cavalry
division uursuad them TO that point, but the
infantry halted at Cross Hollows. Even at
Fayetteville The rebels did not feel strong
enough to make a fght, but continued their
retreat after short resistance over the Boston
Mountains in the direction. of Fort smith,
where for q long time the United States Gov
ernment had formerly maintained a military
post. --...-.7,.,
q considerable supply Of bacon, corn and other
materials for feeding their army, and when our
troops arrived most of the st0rehouses contain
ing these supplies were on fire. 10 was after
ward ascertaiued that the burning ot these
stOrehouses had been the cause ct serious dis
pute between Price and McCulloch-a renewal
OF their quarrel at the time OF the wilson 5
Creek campaign.
Price wanted to leave these supplies for the
use Of the Union army. and he argued as fol-
lows: We've got 10 retreat. and the Union
army is going 10 stay here till We drive Jhem
out They arc IN our country, and more tlan
200 miles from their base. They viii forage
on the country FOR a large part oI their sup
plies, and ii we leave this bacon and corn ihey
VIII have inst so much less 10 take from the
people who are our people, and not theirs.
Arkansas is q seeded State, and the Yankees
and Dutch won't have any cOmpuuctions about
living on the State thai they might have IN
Missouri. which they claim 10 be still III the
Union and are trying TO keep there. The
easier ii Is for them TO find their living the
easier it VIII be for Arkansas.
On this lire Of argument Price opposed the
destruction Of tie supplies. McCulloch op-
posed his view Of the matter, and said II was
40 part OF their business 70 help feed the Aan-
kee army and what happened 10 the people
was simply the fortune Of war. The quarrel
reached It's hight and came near hghtlng
point when NcCUlloch accused Price OF DIS
loyalty TO the South and a willingness 10 see
Arkansas suiiugated by the Northern troops.
on FIRE. dis prediction was verified, as the
Onion forces foraged right and left among the
people. ana certainly caused them much more
hardship than would have been the case had
the supplies fallen into our hands. Which OF
them was right la the argument the reader
may decide for himself Certainly the question,
like most matters On which men diter, had
Two Well-def8ed sides
NcCullOcas 5 army had spent the Winter at
H-rffa--e hove nTnera# lNTHrc
ble Of lodging eight OF ten thousand men.
When the rebels retired from Cross HOiows
these bindings were set on ere, and By the time
our troops arrived al but Aaif dozen Of them
had been CONSUMED. The ashes remained TO
mark The spot, aud the positions of the smoking
ssh-heaps showed that The cantonmcnt WAS laid
out with Tie regularity OF a carefully plated
town.
The Sd III Cav. which was attached to Gen.
Ksndever's Brigade, followed closely upon the
heels OF the enemy after the skirIulsh at Sugar
Greek. and pasbod on IN the direction Of Pay
ettegille. A single company was retained by the
General fer scouting purposes, aad TO this COLI
psny Jack and Harry were temporarily at
1sched. The youths were among the first TO
enter the rebel cantOnment and try TO save
what they could from the flames.
Harry's sharp eyes fell upon some chickens,
Of which 3 iGudred or more were running
wildly about the place. The slaughter Of the
inn0ceBts began st once; chickens were not
abundant ia that part Of the country, and
Harry thought a fine fowl would be very well
come at the Generals mess table that evening,
and be was also Of tie opinion that q similar
bird would taste well for himself and Jack.
be secured two, and remarked 70 Jack that
they were The thinuest birds Of the kind lie
had vet cone across. But they're chickens
anyhow" said he and if they're too tough
for bToiling they VIII do well in a stew"
Jack was equally fortunate IN his chicken
hunt bet his second bird was a surprise thai
caused his eyes 10 open very wide.
- Jnst look at this said he 10 Harry, as be
pointed to tte LEGS Of the fowl; wonder what
this meansg"
The objects that arrested bis attention were
q p1ir Of steel gals rs sharp as needles. anC
attached by straps and cords to the legs OF th,
chicken they we're hollow at the base, SO tha
they passed over the natural spurs of the bird
never saw anything ike this" said Jack
and don't believe II grows there
" Nor / either," replied Harry. % Here comes
the General, lets show il 10 him and find our
what its ali ao0Ht"
Jack ran to Gen. Nandeyer and exhibited
his discover. The latter Immediately ordered
the slaughter OF the chickens to cease, and j
was stopped st once, bat not till twO-tHird5 o
the number ABOUT The camp had fallen.
These art game cocks" said the General
heard thar tic 3j la. had los of game cocks
and were keeping them here l0ramHsing them
selves. They come from q chiCbeu-fghtin.
region, and this Is one of their fav0rite sports
They get Z D matches on which they bet heavily
and then the Gghtiug-coclzs are equipped witt
these spurs OF gaGs aud put in the ring agains
each other The bird shat can first pierce tht
other with these gafs generally wins the fight
- wcii-d Iacael b.8W with them is fatal.
Probably Sc interrupted q fight" the Gen
eral continued This bird was certainly ii
ready Cor the ring, and If yCu look ar0uul
y0u'H find another similarly equipped All
about % proceed 20 business"
Sure enough the antagonist Of the bird wa
found IN toe hands Of . soldier; at any rate
there was another chicken with the gafs O.
that had been killed before his character va
known. Game chickens are not cousidere
edible except in case Of emergency Thos
that had been killed were, however. dul
served up. rs IL was thou.hJ extiavaeaut {
waste anything IL the chicken line at that pal
ticular tiale Il WAS as Harry had predicted
the ch.cEcEs were not good Tor br0iIing bu
they did fairly well when 5tewed, especial
when the stg8lGg continued all night
The birds Shat were saved from slauehte
were the source Of much amusement TO I'd
officers while the army remained in camp
Cross EoloEs Almost every day there was
cock fight in front Of one Of the tents, but
was generally bloodless as nobody knew an,
thing about handling the birds, and the STE