Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-14
CONQUERED A FLOOD.
A Young Cavalry officers Experience
With a River in Texas.
1T HAD HELD HIM A PRISONER,
But Pluck and Ingenuity Took Him Across
1t VictoriOusly.
A COOL BATH FOR BOY MUSICIANS
WRITTEN FOR THE DrsPArcH.]

WRITTEN FOR THE D1sPATcH.]
once had an experience in crossing
Texas river, that, in my more mature
years, I have thought foolhardy. The
rivers in the northwestern part of the State
are, in dry weather, scarcely less thar
brooks, but hard rains swell them in sur
prisingly short time to angry, raging tor
rents. Ever so many years ago was
young lieutenant Of cavalry, fresh from
West Point, going to join my regiment
On reaching San Antonio was ordered to
conduct about 25 recruits to posts through
which I must pass. These consisted en-.
tirely of musicians-drummers ffers and
buglers-an boys from 16 to 20. In the
tanning supplies for Fort Blank.
A few days after we started it began to
rain very hard, and all streams were
swollen. We managed to cross them with
out difficulty, till we reached the Llano
river, that was ordinarily so small that one
could cross on stepping stones; but the rain
had made it I don't know how many feet
deep and very swift. I was annoyed at
having to stop, for wanted my first ap.
pearance in the regiment to be In good
time. The river, fed by the continuous
rain, did not fall, and it seemed that ]
might be delayed week or more.
Must Cross at AL Hazards.
The second day Captain Elwood, one OF
the oldest and best officers Of my regiment,
reached the other side with his escort of ten
men and was waterbound, too. The third
morning I determined to cross that day il
possible. I got on my horse, the only one
in the party, and rode down to the river
bank. Itlooked very dangerous, but thought
I would see if my horse could swim across,
and if he could do so, why not try the
mules? Going up the stream little way,
I plunged in. The horse battled nobly
with the current, and came out safe on the
other side, some distance lower down. ]
then went to Captain Elwood's camp to call
on him, and asked his advice about
trying to cross. He doubted if it
could be done; but I was young, and
thought nothing impossible. So went
hitched up ready for marching.
The stream was not more than 30 yards
wide and I determined to get the wagons
over first. Itold one of the drivers to start.
The little mules went in timidly, and had
not reached water more than four feet deep
when they were swept around against the
bank like corks. They couldn't stand the
current. I then swan back and borrowed
some lariats from Captain Elwood and asked
him for the help of his ten men. He read
lily granted the request and expressed the
iveliest curiosity to know what 1 was going
to do.
Pulled the Mules Across. ..
Tying the lariats together, and leaving
one end with the men, swan back with
the other and tied it to the lead mule on
the lower side. Going back to the other
side again, had all the men ready to help
the mules when they should start in. was
very anxious about the success of my trial.
When I gave the signal to the driver, the
men pulled with all their might, and was
delighted to see the mules dragged through
the water till they could get foothold on
the bank and then they could do the rest
themselves. The same process was gone
through to get the other wagons over, I
swimming the stream twice for each wagon.
But the next thing was to get my boy re-
cruits over. Some distance below the
stream was not more than four or five feet
deep, but extremely swift, and to have
had to have recourse again to my rope.
Selecting the shallowest place, I tied one
end to tree, swan back and tied it to an
other tree on the other side, recrossed and
had all the boys strip and tie their clothes
in bundle, and fasten them to their
muskets. Then, telling them that by
holding their guns in one hand and passing
their arm over the rope they could with the
other hand work their way across, ordered
the largest of them to try it.
Had to Set the Example.
could not get one of them to try it first,
and as I would never ask man to do sny-
thing that could not do, I went in and
crossed first, and came back. They saw
that it could be done, and then the bolder
ones crossed safely, and all were willing to
try. When the little fellows would cross
would go along to help them, and finally
got them all over safe and sound, pretty
cold, but with no harm done. One boy I
thought would go down. Like several
others he had his feet swept from under
him, and became frightened, even panic
but gripped him by the arm, and
helped him along till he was landed safely.
Then swan my horse back and loosed the
rope, and went over, having taken every
thing over with no more harm than a wet
ting to some 6 the stores had in the
wagons.
1t took me four or five hours to get my
little command over the stream, and was
tired; but the hearty commen-
dation of grim old Captain Elwood, who had
carefully watched the undertaking, which
was plucky, if it was reckless, was sufficient
reward.
1 had been wet during the whole time
October weather and wet clothes don't go
well together-and was glad, after cutting
off my boots, and putting on dry clothing,
to be invited up to the Captains tent to
take cup of hot coffee, and restore the in
ner man. He made me his guest till left
that my first service in the presence of any
Of my regiment, was, to say the least, not
PAUL PLKINS.