The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1892-03-17
sufrerinp and announcements Of the

regiment had gone into bivouac in the
usual order, the three battalions cover.
ing three sides of a square, and regi-
mental headquarters the fourth, the
men were sent out to Craze the horses,
while the wagon train Of sixteen wag.
ons, four ambulances, the medicine
wagon and regimental forge was slow
ly moving in to it's position next to
Headquarters. AS one of the last teams
rounded into line, the driver dismount-
ed and, walking some distance away,
the mules took fright at Tapping tar
paulin on another wagon and dashed
through the line and out among the
grazing horses. In a moment pande-
monium rcigned supreme. Other mule
teams started through the bivouac.
Bunch after bunch of company horses
became panic-stricken and away they
scanpered at full speed on the back
track. Officers and men were yelling
commands and imprecations, mules
braying in sheer fright and all
the confusion and panic of STAN
pede were experienced in their
worst form. Over 500 horses had
Joined the stampeders and were run
ming wild over the prairie, dragging
lariat ropes and picket-pins, and be-
fore order enough could be brought out
of the confusion to mount details of
pursuers the flying animals were sew
eral miles away. 1t had required the
utmost eXertion of the entire command
to prevent general stampede. AS it
was one-half the horses were gone.
Some Of the companies had lost half
their animals, others from five to twen-
ty, and but one troop escaped without
some loss.
The pursuers followed the runaways
for many miles, some of them remain
ing out two or three days without a
mouthful of food, except the game
they killed, and one party of seven
men and lieutenant were lost and suf-
fered untold misery, having their feet,
hands, ears and noses frozen to such
an extent that several of them were
crippled for life. They were finally
found and brought in by scouts sent out
after them. With ali this effort only
about eco of the horses were recovered,
the remainder becoming scattered
among the hills and ravines of that
broken country, and for years after
ward pioneer settlers were reported to
have taken up and utilized valuable
horses bearing the U. S. brand.
Thus It magnificently mounted and
equipped cavalry regiment, through no
fault Of it's own, became almost nom
effective for the duty required of it, suf-
fering from an experience unknown by
any command during the civil war.
Neither did the miseries of the regi-
mept end here, for they wandered five
or six days longer, before they were
finally found by scouts sent out by Gen.
Sheridan. For two and a half days
after the stampede, the men absolutely
lived upon hackberries and jack .rab-
bits, and had little of these, when a
hunting party sent out in the morning
succeeded in killing four buffalo, that
had been caught by the blizzard in a
canyon, and were so chilled and cowed
that they did not make an effort to es
cape and were shot down with revolt
vers. This meat was duly issued to the
several companies, and lasted Until
their difficulties ended. being eaten
raw by the men, in most instances.
During the last days of the march the
wagons and regimental forge were
abandoned, and the dismounted men
were finally left in Il temporary camp,
and the colonel pressed forward with
his mounted men, finally meeting the
10 Il
lapidated command was guided to Camp
Supply, where it was received with
great rejoicing by the regulars Gen.
Sheridan was naturally disappointed
over the condition of the regiment, the
loss of horses and mules and the I'M
serviceable condition of most of the an
imals saved, but the regiment subse-
the capture Of the villages of all the
hostile tribes, with their women, chill
drcn, ponies and supplies. This forced
the warriors to come in and surrender,
though Gen. Sheridan had to confine
Sa-tan-ta, Lone Wolf and Tim
Der Mountain in guard house
for some days and threaten to
hang them before peace was finally
concluded. The closing expedition Of
the campaign was made under Gen.
Custer against band of Kiowas who
had some white captives, and held out
longer than the rest urder hope for
ransom. They were followed by the
Seventh cavalry and Nineteenth Kan.
sas for fifteen days, but at last were
corraled, and Mrs. Morgan and Miss
White, who were captured eight
months before in the Republican val
ley, were recovered.
This is the true history of the misfor.
tunes of the Nineteenth Kansas caval.
ry and the cause of that inefficiency re.
ferred to by recent writer, an expert.
ence without a parallel in the history
of the United States army.
GEORGE e, JENSESS