The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-06-30
SCOUTS OF THE PLAINS.
HOW SOME OF THESE BRAVE FE~
lows MET THEIR DEATH
Vigilant, Cool, "Nervy" Men VINO
Fought Savages-Their Loneiy
Rfdes-Perils That Beset The"'


.,,;.hoI Acct of foot or we'll mounted.
Tbore are n number of unmarked
o,roves along the Arkansas River and
the tributaries of the Canadian and
Smoky Hill-graves where never loV-
ing hands have strewn howers' resting
places over which no prayer has ever
been said, or memorial slab or stohS
fence. died with their boots on.
Many of these graves are tenanteo Dy
scouts killed by hostile Indians whhe
acting as couriers, spies or dlspa'cn
bearers. -,
In 1S67-6S we were at war with the
Cheyennes, and during the winter
General Alfred Sully made the cam
pa;yn an offensive one by moving Win
his command into the medicine coun'
the hastilas r,s{&s s4%th q p Tbe SaGEs iat
ter for promotion to be lieutenant-'
general, vice Sherman, vice Grant,
were supplemented by active Indian
service prior to March 4, 1869, but
Phll Sheridan never remained long in
any one place, and several good SOL
diers acting as dispatch bearers, were
sacrificed owing to their unfamiliarity
with the topography of the country in
In consequence of these losses Gen
eral Sheridan authorized the employ.
ment by the United States of twelve
cltlzen scouts at compensation of
S!oo month, and one chief of scouts
who was paid $3.50 month. These
men were sworn into service at Fort
Dodge. In addition to the pay men
TONED, each scout was furnished with
good horse, with all the arms. am
munltlon, ETC.. he wanted, with rations
same as issued to enlisted men. free
RasalSal aSniiSa tue sttePaapes &p with fuel aud
limits of any Government post Each
scout was told that if he chose he
could, in confidence, give to the post
hdjutant his true name, and that the
officer would make it his duty, in case
the scout was killed in the discharge
OF his duty, to communicate the fact
to the postoffice address of any person
or persons whom he might wish to be
notified.
Without exception the thirteen men
were American born. All had histor-
les. Every scout had one address or
more to communicate, coupled with
some message to give. None of these
men were of the Texas ranger or cow
boy type in dress or appearance.
Only two wore their hair long One
was discharged for cowsrdice in falsely
reporting the location of large body
of hostiles on Coon Creek, between
Fort Lar1ed and Fort Dodge, investi-
gutfon having proved the presence only
OF long line Of high weeds, which,
seen at distance against the horizon,
were mistaken for men, and 80 report
ed by the scout, too imaginative or
too timid to make thorough recon
noissance. This mans name WAS Will
liam Seymour, enlisted under the name
of Apache Bill. He was afterwards
killed In an affray at Junction City,
Kan. Another scout named Webster,
was discharged for shooting his horse
In the neck while careIesaly and un-
necessarily discharging his firearms
within the limits of military post
Two of the scouts, Fanshaw and
Davis, We're killed by the Chcyennes
while in the act of watering their
horses at Mulberry Creek, one of the
small tributaries of the Arkansas,
on the south side of the river Their
remains were inferred in the Fort
Dodge cemetery.
! Another of the scouts was man
named Ransome, alias Ledford. He
was an apparently frank, CHEEKY,
handsome fellow, of splendid physical
proportions, and magnificent shot.
He owned black horse, docile to him,
but % fiend incarnate to others. The
man was a great favorite with army
,nft WI no hon
friendly shooting matches. and was
rarely beaten in contests of skill in
that line. He took more chances and
more often volunteered for dangerous
service than any other scout; WAS never
derelict, but was killed in 1872 at
Wichita, Kan, by Lieutenant Har-
gous, an officer of the Fifth Infantry,
who was on duty with a possee aiding
n Deputy United States Sheriff named
Bridges to arrest him on charge of
horse stealing. When arrested by
Lieutenant Hargous, Ledford fired
first at the army officer. who dropped
as if killed. Lieutenant Hargous was
not hit, however. Ledford WAS mad
dened by liquor and strobe over the
PROSTATE body of the officer, firing at
Jack Bridges as he advanced, and
wounding him in the arm. The scout
then made rush at a soldier who had
accompanied as member of the posse,
when his further shooting was pre-
vented by bullet through the heart.
Like Hickok, the original "Wild
Bill" Ledford respected the army
blue, and the affray in which he was
killed was the only occasion that he
was ever known to shoot at any person
in the permanent military establish.
ment.
The winter before his death Ledford,
then in Government service, accom-.
panied detachment of the Third In
fantry, acting as escort for Major Rod
ney Smith, paymaster United States
Army, TO Camp Supply, Indian Terri
tory, and return. The route for about
200 miles was over broken and nm
sno%;fled annea,ssap a sapseersd se Eiith SNOW
different from an elevation, snow.
covered. There were no trees OF