The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-28

tenant Bigelow in his sketch of the
regiment published in the Journal of
the Military Service institution:
On the 10th of July. 1877, Troop A
left Fort Concho under of
Captain Nolan for a scout of the
Staked Plains. The got lost.
and as a consequence Captain Nolan.
Lieutenant Cooper, Sergeant Jackson
and about ten p~rivates were 90 hours
without water. Four of the men died.
Other parties were from "a to IS hours
without water. The command was
round by a party sent out to search
for it,"
This brief outline covers a story OF
intense suffering and misfortune that
might be spread into "A volume. The
details which are presented here have
oeen gathered from participants, and
from others who We're familiar with
the country at that time and knew all
the circumstances. Especially may be
mentioned Sergeant Thomas A. Allsup.
who has recently been placed upon the
retired list. after having been first SER
geant OF Troop ID since 1877. The
writer met Sergeant Allsup in 1896
when his troop was engaged i'm round
ing up the Cree Indians and trans
porting them 70 Canada. 1t is princi-
pally his story hat is told in the fol-
lowing paragraphs:
The troop left Fort Concho. on the
Concho river. Western Texas, and af-
ter establishing "A supply camp on Cow
creek and leaving "A few men TO guard
II, set out upon an expedition after |
hostile Comanches over Staked Plains.
ON the first day out the men arrived at
what was called Double X, a connu-
ence of two small streams not far
from Double Mountains. Here they
struck a fresh trail leading
Nh AllAW.@ .L. 4
overlook them. when. making a dry
camp. they rested themselves and the
horses. although the poor animals had
no water and the men had only a lit
tie left In their canteens, which they
had filled at Double Y.
The next morning the march was re-
sumed shortly after daybreak. and
Kept up with occasional halts through
out the day, without "A drop of water
for the animals. and every canteen
among the men was soon emptied.
During the course OF the day three
men gave out and were abandoned on
the trail. About 4 o'clock in the after
noon he first sergeant and three men
deserted the m and struck out
Tor Fort Concho. This was "A grave
military ~offense, but Ii was what saved
the who'll troop. The sergeant arrived
at Fort Concho and reDorted the con-
dition OF the men he had left. He was
put under arrest. tried by court mar
tial and sentenced to dishonorable dis
missal from the service and to five
years Imprisonment. but was subse-
quently pardoned. One of the three
abandoned caught up with the
troop during the night and continued
with II to the end. The remains of the
other two were found about two
months afterward. entirely nude. in a
.nIlaI p,t,a.
at times contains "a scan supply of
although the water is strongly
Impregnated with alkali. 1t is proba-
Bile that the poor men wandered here
N search of water. and, finding none.
down and died.
ON the morning of the third dav rs
men and two officers drew uD in line
% begin the march. by 10 O'Clock the
column had dwindled to seven men
the two officers. The Others were
over the plains for miles.
Most of the men had cast away the
;reater part of their clothing, retaining
My their shirts and rubber blankets.
The heat was intense. They decided to
20 no further. and made a camp as
they could under the blazing sun.
With no water to be found. About 4
clock i'm the afternoon a cloud passed
yer, and a tantaliZing shower of about
hree minutes duration fell upon the
ultIlnS camp. lne men VINO We're
BILE spread out their rubber blankets
nd caught a few precious drops.
'hich they eagerly licked up with their
wollen tongues, for some of the mems
.ngues were so swollen that they :
not close their mouths, and their -.
yes appeared unnatural and CHASTITY. -,
II but II of the horses were dead or ~
strayed away, and of the 10 pack y.
rules that had started with the troop, &c
My one faithful follower had kept up ~
18th IL on the desperate march. The ~
had been too hard for even a
mule. :,
That afternoon, while i'm that for
nm condition., the men sighted the re-
eating Indians. but We're entirely un- gi'
BILE To follow them. Had the Indians Al
how feeble the troopers were. ,,,
hey would have turned the tables and
them out with but little effort. IA
he soldiers were too weak To fight or tn
IN. The Indians carried water i'm ha
lins and were making their way over rig
lis Sahara with comparative comfort. hu
he soldiers had not been So wise and FIR
ere dying of thirst. Every conceiv- tai
Die eNpedient was tried to supply ito
ink for the men who were dying. Tn
lood and the moisture from living ma
ld dead animals were tried, resulting Nv
agonizing failures or scarcely appre- ,ht
able success. MA
manner of men dying from -
irst is peculiar. They seem To be CT,
ken with spasms. and, clutching at o.
.cancy. fall with a cry TO the ground:
me even bite their own flesh with
Oh h~erceness as to TAX a piece out. =
pathetic picture was presented in Oh
e case when a man fell from his nta
rise and became rigid i'm the death Hu
-uggle. His faithful and anfectionate
rise, who himself was almost dead -
tn thirst. turned and licked the face
his dying rider with the gentleness
a house dog. The horses overcome
thirst would be attacked with blind
iggers n plunge headlong or sink q
with a groan and perish as il i'm ,
spair.