The herald., 1896-03-08
Written for THE HERALD.

and ask our readers attention to
events which we're transpiring far
away. 1t was a bright day in June in
the year 1916, at Fort Leavenworth,
when the order came to the boys in
blue, to be ready to start for Bent's
Fort, at 2 o'clock the following day.
The men appointed to take the journey
appeared at headquarters on time, we'll
mounted on large, high-spirited horses,
which we're to carry them 1000 miles
across the almost boundless prairies of
the great west. Let me introduce one
of the boys in the company. His
name is French. He was then tall,
over-grown lad of 20, and afterward
became one of the prominent figures
in California's history. He is still liv-
ing, not more than 200 miles from Los
Angeles, white haired pstriarcha!
looking man. as brave and loyal now as
he was then.
will relate the story OF the march.
as French, himself, gave it to me, some
two years ago, while 1 was staying at
the ranch where he then lived.
'At Bents Fort" said he, II met a
sergeant, three privates and an Indian
guide, all mounted on the best of
horses. We were entrusted with dis
patches to be delivered to Mr.. Bent,
who was then proprietor of the fort
bearing his name. Our companions
on the perilous journey. News had
Ur three wagon loads of ammunition,
al hu ho6 laff a fo n
before for Santa Fe. We had orders to
overtake them and stop them, il possi-
BILE; at all events to delay them in any
manner we thought best, and prevent
them from reaching their destination.
"With these instructions. our little
party of six marched out upon the wild
wilder ness of the almost unknown do
main Of the red man. Little did we
think that this was the first move
ment of a war which was to result in
rich conquest for the nation. On, on,
we sped, day after day, and our eyes
wearied with gazing at the vast eX-
panse, nothing to relieve the mono
tony except an occasional ravine,
clump of cottonwoods or herd of buff
fAlo. These latter we're frequently in
sight, and then short ride and few
shots procured as much meat as we
wished to carry with US. But what in
terested us most were the tracks of the
wagons which had preceded us. On
the fifth day we found the place where
they turned into the main Santa Fe
road, and every day they seemed little
fresher, which indicated that we we're
gaining upon them. About the seven
teenth day we commenced to travel
cautiously, and on the twentieth day,
about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, we
discovered from the bluff three wagons,
which were barely discernible on the
low flats, making their way to the
Arkansas river.
They were covered with canvass, and
we could watch their movements with
out being observed. At least 10 men
accompanied them to guard against
Indians and other attacks, and ap-
peared to be armed with rifles. When
they reached the river they stopped
and camped. AS soon as their horses
we're staked out we became satisfied
that they would remain over night, and
left the road, going into camp ourselves
on the river a few miles below them.
A part Of the night was spent in dis
cussing the situation.
"We finally concluded that three of
us would remain back several miles
with the pack mules and the dis
patches, these being important, as they
were to be sent to Santa Fe, to the
governor, while the remaining three
followed the wagons as near as prac.
ticable, with the hope Of meeting or in
tercepting one or two Of the guards be-
longing to the train.
"Dalton, Lackey and myself volun-
IN
ing to this arrangement, we started
the next morning. They crossed the
Arkansas river, following, of course,
the old Santa Fe road. Our route lay
up the river on the north side. Con-
sequently, we could not afford to fol-
low the wagons more than two days, as
we would have to retrace our steps.
We kept az near them as possible,
without being seen, but the Mexicans
followed the train 30 closely that we
had no opportunity to interview them.
The second day we resumed our pur-
suit, but nothing unusual occurred
until about 3 o'clock in the afternoon,
when they suddenly left the road,
turned to the left in great haste and
halted near the bank of deep ravine,
where they immediately detached the
horses from their wagons and placed
themselves in position for defense.
The cause of their excitement soon be-
came apparent. 1t needed but glance
to discover the clouds of dust and the
swarthy forms of hundred or more
mounted Com nche warriors, who
came sweeping down upon the ill-fated
train. The feeble resistance of the
Mexicans was of short duration. The
Indians, with their accustomed feroci-
ty, entered upon the work of spoila-
tion and butchery. Meanwhile we de-
scended into the ravine, thinking "dis-
cretion the better part of valor," and
knowing that we could render them no
aid.
"Passing out of the valley, we crossed
small eminence, and considering our
selves at safe distance, slackened our
speed, as our presence had not been
discovered by the redskins. At this
moment Lckey, who was riding in
trout, turned in his saddle and ex-
claimed:
"'Good God! boys, that ammunition
will never get to Santa Fe, and that's
all we care for. Look! We can see
the wagonsr We all turned to look
for an instant at the doomed train.
The savages we're crowded around the
wagons, and undoubtedly some were
inside seeking for plunder. just at
this instant cloud of smoke and dust
rose from the spot. and the noise of an
explosion rang in our ears. Dalton