The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-06-18
HISTORICAL.
Extracts From the Diary OF
a Saline County Soldier.
In General kearney's Expedi-
ton to New Mexico i'm
1916.
CONTINUED from last Sundays BAzoo ]

/ Monday June 29-George Dursiar,
one of the men on picket fired his gun
as he said at some Indians coming
toward him and they turned and fled.
The alarm being raised in camp some
arose but others refused to fall in,
claiming that il was a false alarm.
One old fellow, Herkins, in particu.
lar, attracted great attention by rum
ming about the camp with his breeches
in one hand and his musket IN the
other, CRYING "enemy in camp! enemy
In camp"
We made a road across a small
stream and crossing struck the Santa
Fe road a few miles distant. 1t was
splendid thoroughfare and we trav-
eled along until We came to Switch
ier's creek named for COL John
Switchler of Saline county, Mo.
Here we found our wagons
and the other troops who
had kept on the right road.
Tuesday, June 80. Leaving
Switchlers creek we travelled to Rock
creek 90 miles. The day hot AS
THE BIG JOHN SPRING.
Wednesday, July $50 high was
our expectations and so keen our
thirst when We arrived at Big John
Springs that l suppose there never
was happier set of men anywhere
than our company when We gathered
around and drank our fill of its deli
cous water-cold, clear and cold as ice
and so invioratiDg to the weary trav-
eler.
This spring, known as the Big John.
gushes out of huge rock at the to1t
of high hill under the shade of a
giant oak on which dates, as far back
as 1919, are inscribed. 1t is about 5
miles from Council Grove.
| After refreshing ourselves We re-
sumed our march. About a mile
from Council Grove We passed the
grave of an Indian chief covered with
rock with poles set up
at the head. One of our
teamsters informed me that when the
chief was first buried his entire uni
form was placed upon the poles and
three years later when he passed over
the road he noticed portions of the
blanket still clinging to the poles. We
passed through Council Grove and
camped on the opposite side of the
Neosho, a stream equal to its name in
beauty.
COUNCIL GROVE.
Council Grove consists of a large
grove of oaks and other timber sur
rounded on every side by high bluff
prairie. / expected to at least find
| several houses here, but | was mis-
taken. The place derived Its name
from the fact that teamsters met here
to learn about the condition of roads
and distance to points they were
bound, thereby enabling them to &c
by the best roads and shortest routes.
A fine spring gushes out Of the middle
of one of the bluffs.
Thursday, July being in the
range of the Pawnees our officers
ordered us to keep in ranks and not
straggle as they had been doing here
tofore. This day being very warm
and made extremely uncomfortable
on account of scarcity of water we
were greatly delighted when we
reached
THE BIG DIAMOND SPRING
in the afternoon.
This spring almost equals Big John
for its boldness of egsess, GOODNESS and
purity of water. We travelled %
miles to-day and saw our first ante.
lope.
Friday, July 3.-We travelled 20
miles to-day through country en-.
tirely destitute of timber and water
which is the first time we have been
out of sight of timber. 1t was late
when we reached the Cotton Wood
Fork of the Arkansas, but seeing q
big black cloud coming up we feared
heavy rain which might raise the
stream and we made it point to cross
over to the other side. Here we found
nice spring, but the flies are just
fearful, I never saw the like.
The Cottonwood Fork is q pretty
stream. There are several large holes
in the bank where traders in time oil
high water deposit their goods to Sc.
cure them against robbery, and are
called catches.
THE GLORIOUS FOURTH.
Saturday, July last night oul
captain procured of Capt. Waldo 6
= keg of whisky, and this morning in
commemoratjon of the glorious '76
, each drank his fill, and in good 'spir
its proceeded on our gay rejoicing