Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1889-06-21
GOVERNMENT oAMBLs.
From the Yonth,a Comnanlon.

that the United States Government at the
close Of the Civil War was the proprietor
Of large number Of eamels, s,--sixty.6 Eve or
more.-whieh we're kept at the abandoned
military post Camp Verde. about 6fty
miles west Of San Antonio. Texas.
These camels we're chiefly the descend
ants Of herd imported some years before
BY the government as an experiment to
test their adaptabliiiy as pack animals for
frontier service Should it prove success
ful, it was proposed to utilize them 10 any
purposes, in which the long-sutferng mule
bad hitherto been employed.
The results of the experiment we're satis-
factory, and tits not easy to see why it was
abandoned Possibly the breaking out Of
the war had much to do with it. The
government had much graver questions
o consider than that Of supplsnnng the
veteran mule 10y these ships Of the des-
-rt." It was generally admitted that these
animals we're peculiarly adapted to the
wants of the army, and especially to the
cavalry branch Of it.
Not ouly were they capable of carrying
gith ease double a mules load. but they
we're IN many other respects superior as
pack animals. They could subsist and
even thrive, where a mule would starye,
and they required water only once week
Another great recommendation for the
frontier was The einpossbllty Of stamped.
ny them As a test, men MD themselves
70 the husnes, and as the camels came
ilong, ru~aed ont suddenly, shouting and
iring pistols The camels viewed these
'rmonstratious With an expression of su-
prem- disgust, merely turned their heads
% Que side. and continued their stately
march unmoved
During the war these animals were
cared for by the Confederate Government.
Fhey were not utilized in any way that |
ever herd OF, Lut were simply kept stabbed
in the old cavalry corrals at Camp Verde.
in charge of the same attendants employ
el by the United States Government be.
fore the surrender OF its property to the
Coniederates.
In the autumn of 1865, the Fourth Cav
airy was stationed at San Antonio.
Among its varied duties was the sending
Of an occasional scouting party to the
frontier to hunt for hostile Indlans, who
a, this PERIOD had become 20 5old--owlng
10 the absence Of the frontier garrison
iurng the four rears Of the war-'hat
.hey robbed and murdered within short
distance Of San Antonio, and once or twice
came quite to the town.
For one of these scouting expeditions
Major X - and myself found ourselyes
'etailrd, together with Fifty men, for
r of three weeks. Our orders were 10
IN the vicinity of Camp Verde, and
"t especially on the number and
p" of the government campls,
.f'.y '','' heen so long lost sight Of The
''u y ~ amp Verde is beautifully
70, p",, ,ndera hills and in form.
- 80 :" '"' :" 'larly garusoned, must
um'f' when ree> station.
been a drliehih - h
= 'Ge time Of our A ,.Iy-, -
, "a, Goops sibep the a. a ~ ~, W.
-. '6l.--pserythine
: d,lA ,ida ted state Oaicss -" ,..
r,sr. a, 1 The. hospital buda, o.,
home, Of M, 1rrOps herds o. ma
.trnct,ou AMI de ay rergosd swpp> 1.r
4re once neat.,ess a. pd the stFictest orr
prevailed. The on,'y psrs Of The poA
t seemed to have survi Ted, in meas =
4. the neglect OF years, we've ne ea'a'ry 0
bI4s, which were NOW occupied by the u
ty-6ve camels.
As our detail of Fifty men iiled round 70
open side of the corral, 'very eamfi q
Ide rush tor the picket fence which Il
rred that side. Thrusting their .
70 necks over the paling as far As posi- 81
!. they stared with the stoniest Of stares b
the-to tbrm-uusual sight OF COM o
nv of cavalry, at the same time uttering v
cir peculiar cultural sonnd. which IN il
,iy-ave different keys made the most
,rarthly din
The egpet on the horses of the command q
as electrical aud in the highest sense /
dicrous. Every one seemed possessed
itb the insane desire to walk on his hind I
gs and spar the air with his iorefeet
any men were thrown, while with others
,e horses, wild with terror, took the bit
their teeth and made a clean bolt with
,rir riders across the prairie. A moe
emoralzed body Of troopers could not
ave been found during the hottest battle
t the war. ]
Not for some time could the scattered !
zen and horses be got together and some
hing like order restored, and it was sew
raj dave before the horses and eamels be-
anne reeonciled TO each other, but they |
nally got on good terms and oeenped
he same stable during our p'ay at the
,ost.
The camels afforded US the greatest
.musement. The first evening Of our ar
-isal Major e. and strolled down to
.he stable to looG at the menogerie, and