The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-12-13
MAJ. STATIONS RIDE.

other fervid hardriders of this vicinity.
It's time is that of the last Cheyenne
war; the scene, the wild unbroken coun-
try just westward of the Black hills;
while the chief performer is Brig. Cen.
Stanton, just now paymaster general Of
the army.
This drama Of the saddle is told Just
as it came from the lips of the army
officer who knew ali about it and was
there at the time.
"The Fifth cavalry, ten compaies
this was before the daya of troops
under Gen. Merritt, was keeping an
eye on the Cbeyennes.
"The Sioux we're on the war path,
and busy standing things civilized on
their heads over to the north, and the
Cheyennes were getting the fever.
Good judges Of Indians, with their
thumbs. on the Cheyenne tribal pulse,
said they we're liable to break out at
any moment into war spirit, join the
Sioux already out, and unite their en-
ergies to Sitting Bulls in topping over
the paleface of the northwest.
$50, as I have already said, Gen. Mer-
rift was watching the Cheyennes with
ten companies of the Fifth cavalry. He
was to hold them in check.
''Time went on, and the CheYennes
we're still quiet. Gen. Merritt and
everybody else began to believe they
would remain at peace. One morning
Gen. Merritt concluded that all danger
from the Cheyennes was over, and be-
gan to move north and west with his
command.
"He got as far as the War Bonnet,
when couriers overlook him with dis
patches from Gen. Sheridan-at Chi
cago or Omaha Sheridan telling
Gen. Merritt not to leave the Cheyenne
vicinity until he was absolutely sure
they were quiet, and that all danger of
Cheyenne outbreak had blown by.
Sheridan's dispatch said further that
he had just received word from a
worthy, trusty source that the Chey-
ennes at the Red Cloud agency were
painted up for trouble, and about to
leave the reservation and join the
Sioux The truth of this must be dis
covered and the Cheyenne uprising,
we're any on the carpet, must be
checked. At all hazards the Cheyennes
must be prevented from efecting a
junction with the Sioux.
"When Merritt got this dispatch he
at once pitched camp. This camp on
the War Bennett, was just one hundred
miles from the Red Cloud agency, as
crows fly. Between lay rough coun-
try without trail or track. Yet some
body must go to the Red Clond agency
at once.
You go, Stanton, said Gen. Merritt
to Brig. Gen. Stanton, who had then
climbed as high up the military ladder
as the round of major. You go; you
know the country better than any man
here
"Stanton took four half-breed scents
with him and started. The hour was
noon, their horses the pick of the Fifth
cavalry.
"This outfit of five pointed straight
for the Red Cloud agency, what a farm
er would call cross lots There wasn't
the shadow of path OF trail 1t was as
rough stretch of country, bar some
regions in the Rockies, as ever Slipped
from the palm Of the Infinite.
"But Stanton and his half-breeds
knew the direction to Red Cloud, and
they kept it as straight as the fight Of
a bullet both in the daylight and the
dark.
"Down hill and up, across hollow and
over divides, they never slackened OF
swerved. They never paused for food
for themselves or fodder for their
horses. Lives might be heavily staked
on the game, and man and mount must
| so through at any cost.
ut may be that somewhere in the
pigeon holes Of his inner consciousness
| Stanton had a conviction fled away
that Sheridan's line on the Cheyenne
| intentions was correct.
"And it may be for this reason that
he dug the incessant spurs into bis
horse all the more deeply and rode all
the more fiercely and grimIy toward
Red Cloud that day in the northwest
The cavalry could better spare 2 horse
| than a settler could his scalp.
glhus concluded Stanton; and taking
what they call out west "a road gait, he
never drew bride rein nor slackened
stride all Of the long one hundred
miles from the War Bonnet to the
agency Of Red Cloud.
aStruBg out behind him came bis
quartet Of half breeds. running mute
as foxes and bringing their horses for
ward as inveterately and as remorse-
Elessly as Stanton himself. They didn't
being indians. care SC much about q
settlers scalp as did Stanton. But, be
ling Indians, they cared nothing at 81
for horsefesh; and 50 came On as obdu-
rately as thsir leader.
i Gan Indian hss no more sympathy
+ for = hegse than for the buffalo grass Il
/ tresds upon; and the moment the spur
/. fails to stir the animals aagging sner
4 gies. VIII stick q knife IN him IS g