The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-10-31

( SECuC6SI III extent from east TO west
In this direction they presented from
of more than @ quarter of mile ant
extended down the valley in an irregu
lar formation about the same distance
They we're fronting the foe on ever!
side 1t could not have been called {
hollow square. It was simply sole
measure In getting the buffalo init
this position, most OF the soldiers haC
gathered on the south side of tn,
square On all sides, except the norqh
the soldiers were now fronting a roar,
ms, snorting, paving pdndemonium
The troopers had halted no need t
give the command; tnstinetively they
| knew that herd of buffalo had baked
| 1t was evident the time for the CRANE
stampede had arrived
The regiment was hastily mounted
with the Intention of joining the chas,
If the buffalo would make their run III
TO the north. and to be in shape to ge
! out of the way if they should stampede
IN the other direction, so far, it wa.
! about an even break One part of thu
! great scheme mad been successfully &C.
/ compliShed- We had gathered them to-
( Sether. The market value of the com
| pany's stock should have shown an up
ward tendency. In five minutes after.
ward, If the information could have
been given TO persons interested in the
Great American Cattle company
! they undoubtedly would then and there
have asked to have a receiver appoint
ed.
Something had happened. These buf-
falo had a winter engagement to play
in western Texas and we're due there
about the LIST of December. Evidently
all the roaring and paving that haC
been going on meant something. They
we're coming to an understanding and
had concluded to break our line on the
south. 1t is hard to understand how
this vast herd could have moved out as
they did, except n obedience to a sig
nal, for. with a rush and roar. with
heads down and tails up, with a solid
front, they charged the thin line of
cavalry.
Their summers experience had
taught the soldiers that when a buffalo
came head-on, it was time to get out
of the way; not 10 stand on the order
of going, but to go at once. and go
fast. The only man who refused to run
was Captain w. A. Johnson, nov an
eminent lawyer of Garrett, and late
presidig judge of he Kansas appellate
court. Captain Johnson had an Unborn
prejudice against turning from a foe;
he was as stubborn fighter in the
field as at the bar. The story is told of
him that on this occasion he tried to
saber the horns from an advancing bull,
but he, too, soon saw the futility of
trying to stop that rushing thunderbolt
of animated nature, and he turned and
followed the rout. There was just one
chance of escape; that was in the speed
and endurance and sure-footedness Of
their horses. A great deal of the ground
was perforated with prairie dog holes.
A horse might run long way without
stepping into one of them, but it had
been a very common incident during
the summer when riding after buffalo,
to have the horse step into one of these
holes. and nine times out of ten the
rider would be thrown headlong. Near
ly always both recovered without any
serious injury, but woe to the horse
and rider that went down before this
rush of 10000 Infatuated horned ami
malsl They would have been ground
to atoms.
THE CAVALRY IN FULL FLIGHT.
Up the slope of the ridge fed the late
drivers, riding for life themselves, now
driven by a force as irresistible as the
course of the tornado, as the storm !
driven waves of the ocean. The mad
chase continued thus for more than a
mile without any apparent break in
front of the charging buffalo. But af- |
ter a time the herd began TO spread
out like a fan, leaving wide openings. |
A good many of the troopers got out |
through these openings. Others better
mounted rode out to the right and left I
Of the advancing line and got safely |
away The soldiers who were on the !
east and west sides OF the herd when /
t started south, knowing that the /
game was lost. began firing into the I
mass This only had the effect of ex-
oediting the rush.
The battle was over. Several dead !
buffalo were left on the field. It is /
needless to state that no prisoners were !
aiken. The boys who had been swept |
away by the stampede gradually be- /
gan to make their appearance and after
hree or four hours from the time the |
'egiment first halted on its line of |
march to try the experiment of driving |
buffalo it proceeded on its way, and
vent into camp that evening a little
,arlier than usual on account of the
AIDED condition of the horses and to al
oW all stragglers to join the command.
They all reported in time for supper.
That evening around the camp fires
he men of the Fifteenth discussed the
Incidents of the drive. Nearly every
nan had his own theory as to why it
allied. Someone was able to fish up a
opy of a newspaper that carried the
advertisement and prospectus of the
treat American Cattle company. The
whole matter was gone into by COM
laring what we had actually done with
what was claimed might be done with
ne half the men we employed. We
lad more men and as good as could
re found, certainly better adapted
-iolent exercise than those present in
eelining health from indoor confine-
nent." a disease had as yet fastened
n the boys who took part in the drive
nless an abnormal appetite might he
onsidered dangerous form of bodily
Some attributed the fail
re to the fact that the cattle company
vas acting under adVices from the in
erior department, while the Sixteenth
fes entirely Unauthorized by the de-
artment. This was on the theory that
he buffalo along with the Indian was
sort of a ward of the government 1t
'as finally observed that whereas, the
advertisement had called for men OF
God moral character that fact to be
videnced by q certificate to that eff
ect. here was the Fifteenth attempting
ne great feat without the proper Gre
entails. No one could or would at
ampt to assert but what our moral
haracter was good, in fact consider
lg the circumstances and the proYoca-
ons, it was most excellent but IN
,rtunately there was not a man in
he regiment who possessed the writ
m evidence of the fact. One hardened
ID sinner, who had knocked around
lie world long enough to become in
redulous and skeptical to such a de- :
rec as to render himself absolutely
sort of a "Dick Dead