The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-07-09
HISTORICAL.
Extracts From the Dairy of a
Saline County Soldier.
I'm Gen. kearney's Expedition
to New Mexico in
1916.
Continued from last Sundays BAzoo.

Monday, July 20-To-dsy We
reached Reut's Fort, the great stop
ping place for the ''bull whacking"
trains which carry the traffic between
the States and the Mexican provinces.
Some day l think they will find gold
and silver in those great mountains
away off In the west. The Indians
say there is gold there and even
showed us some specimens which they
claim they washed out of the streams.
But these mountains are too far away
from civilization and it will be centur-
les before people will be bold enough
to enter them in quest of gold. Pixies
Peak is 80 miles from here but We
can see 1t plainly.
Reut's Fort is about fifty yards
square and built of unburned brick.
It's divided into different departments
with poles and mud with the middle
LETT vacant. There is a blacksmith
shop, work shop, tailor and shoemaker.
They all do quite business when the
trains come. The whole outfit is
owned by Charles Reut VINO keeps a
stock of goods and trades with the
Indians.
During our stay here one of the
dragons with us died. He was bur.
led next day with honors of war. No
coffin could be had and the body was
wrapped in a blanket with a flag
around all. His horse was led imme-
diately after his body on the march
to the grave and the whole of his COM
mand fired three vollies when he was
deposited in it. Although liquor sold
at s24 per gallon at the fort, several
soldiers managed to get enough to
make them billing drunk. They were
put in the guard house and had to DO
extra duty for their fun.
Tuesday, July 2S.-Two companies
of infantry arrived to-day. They re-
ported that they left Leavenworth
three days after the horse and beat
them here. The horse company got
On the wrong road and lost several
days time.
Wednesday, July 29.-To-day We
crossed the river and joined Col Don
iphan with eight companies Of the
Missouri mounted volunteers and
went into camp. Gen. Kearney is
here with the regulars. From here
We invade the enemy's country.
Thursday and Friday, July 80 and
31.-We remained in camp all of
both days. Horses and mules in
great demand. A horse worth $40
In the states sell at 500 here and
mules at $40. Every man dislikes to
be put in foot company. As each
soldier furnishes his own horse it is a
question for him to decide which he
will 60 in.
Saturday, August To-day we
passed number of Indian graves. or
rather bodies placed upon poles. The
Indians never dig graves as we do.
Saturday, Aug. 2.-This morning
j. G. and A. Cowan, who were dis !
charged for disability a few days ago, |
left our camp to 60 back to the states |
on the first wagon that returns from
the fort We also left three sick men,
Privates Durrett, Walker and Grenn.
at the fort.
Monday, Aug. 3.-We babe adieu
to the Arkansas river to-day and
struck out for Santa Fe. Made 20
miles.
Tuesday, Aug. I've travelled
over very rough country 20 miles.
This morning We had several horses
and mules drowned. They rode into
the water over a rod above bottomless
mud, and before the riders could turn
them about, they broke through and
were drowned. The men escaped. 1
never saw anything like it. The
place was several rods wide and two
miles long, skirtiug the river. 1t
gave no sign Of its treacherousness
until too late. The days march was
terrible. The heat of the sun was too
hot to be described. 1t was sufocat-
ing, and the great clouds of dust made
it still more uncomfortable. Not a
breath of air stirred all day. We had
no water until We reached he "hole
in the rock" at the end of our DAYS
march. Some trifing hound or pack
hounds would be better name
for the scamps-rode their horses
through the water and made it mud
dy. Lynching is too good for some
men. These fellows ought to be burn
ed at the stake and would like to
help do it. 1t has just been learned
that those id regular dragons
did the dirty work of spelling the wa
ter. They don't like volunteers, but
| guess there amt no love lost.