Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1893-07-14
SCOUTSe OF THE. . PLAINS.
HOW SOME, OF THESE BRAVE FEL-
Lows MEriTHEIR DEATH.

graves along the ArKanSas hiVer "hu
the tributaries Of the Canadian and
Smoky HiIl-gravesa where never low
ing hands have streaynt flowers. resting
places over, which nolprayer has ever
been said, or memorial slab or stone
fence, died with their boots on.
Many ofithese graves are tenanted Dy
scouts killed by hostile Indians while
acting asI couriers, spies or dispatch
bearers.
In 1867 -68 we.were at war with the
Cheyernes, and during the winter
General, Alfred Sully made the cam
paigu AM offensive one by moving with
his command Into the medicine coun-
try of the fhostiles, south of where
Dodge,City,i Kan, now stands. Inc
entire campaigniwas under the general
direction aof Major General Philip IL.
Sheridan.i Thejwar claims of the lat
ter for promotion to be lieutenant
general, vice Sherman, vice Grant,
were supplemented by active Indian
service prior to March 4, 1869, but
Phil Sheridan never remained long In
any one place, and several good sol
diers actingtas dispatch bearers, were
sacrificed owing to their unfamiliarity
with the topography of the country In
which General Sully was operating.
In consequence of these losses Gen
eral Sheridan authorized the employ
ment by}t United States of twelve
citizen scouts at compensation OF
S1Oo a month, and one chief of scouts
who,was paid $50 month. These
men were, sworn into service at Fort
Dodge. In addition to the pay men
toned, each scout was furnished with
a goodI horse, with all the arms, am
muhitlon, ETC.. he wanted, with rations
same asa issued to enlisted men, free
medical attendance, with fuel and
comfortA BILE quarters when within the
limits oftany Government post. Each
scout was told that if he chose he
could, inicoufdence, give to the post
adjutant this true name, and that the
officer wouldimake it his duty, in case
the scoutlwas killed in the discharge
of his duty, to communicate the fact
to the postpffice address of any person
or personsy 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 cowrdice in falsely
reporting the location of large body
of hostiles on Coon Creek, between
Fort Larned and Fort Dodge, investi-
CATION having proved the presence only
Of long line of high weeds, which,
seen at distance against the horizon,
were mistaken for men, and so 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 carelessly and un-
necessarily discharging his firearms
within the limits of a military post
Two of the scouts, Fanshaw and
Davis, were killed by the Cheyennes
while in the net of watering their
horses Mt 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 a man
named Ransome, alias Ledford. He
was an apparently frank, CHEEKY,
handsome fellow, of splendid physical
proportions, and a magnificent shot.
He owned black horse, docile to him,
but fiend incarnate to others. The
man was q great favorite with army
officers, whom he often bantered for
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 i'll 1872 at
Wichita, Kan, by Lieutenant Har-
gous, an officer of the Fifth Infantry
who was on duty with n possee aiding
Deputy United States Sheriff named
Bridges to arrest him on charge of
horse stealing. When arrested by
Lieutenant Hargous, Ledford fred
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 n soldier who had
accompanied as a 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 i'll which he was
killed was the only occasion that he
was over known to shoot at any person
in the permanent military establish
ment
The winter before his death Ledford,
then III 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
300 miles was over broken and un-
dulating region 50 covered with snow
AS Ia Rppear level Thus ravine,
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