The National tribune., 1899-07-27

Fort Laramie and Fort Brdger. These
EfortS Were supply depots for the army cross
ing the plains. and were about 400 miles
apart. In those days the iron horse had
scarcely been thought of west OF the Mis-
souri, River.
/ 1t was all hustle and life in and around
Fort l.cave1worth, loading up and sending
| them out to some convenient spot outside
the plat for officers quarters and barracks.
! and usually there were about 20 teams To
one wagol-master. This number would
corral and mess together. The 9Th I. :.
and the Dragons had gone out of their
| barracks and camped outside preparatory
| to making start for the destination, Camp
| Floyd. Utah, to reinforce the army, sup
posed to be i'll dangerous situation on ac-
count of insufficient numbers and n long
| Winter before them, with a poorly supplied
commiSsary department The tactics of
! the MormonS were to Starye the little band
Of soldiers under Johnston, as they well
knew it was impossible To get supplies to
them during the Winter; hence the neces-
| Sity for this expedition.
Camping on the colfineS of the fort for a
! few days gave the whole party little eX-
! peTience and insight into what was before
! them, and II any of the hired citizens wished
| to hack out they could do so before starting
| Our band of cattle We're herded on good feed
! grounds but a short distance from the
military camp. | was booked for Fort
| kearny on the Platte River.
| The Dragons Went ahead, the infantry
| following them in light marching order
The long train of NIUE teams was sight
worth seeing. Our crew OF II men Saddied
up our horses and mules and started for the
herd of Government cattle. which was left in
| charge~of two men about two miles from
camp on good grazing grounds.
The first few days the expedition made
/ but about six to 10 miles each day. This
was deemed prudent until the men became
hardened to the trip. Our route was in q
northwesterly direction from the fort. be.
| tween the Blue or Republican and Platte
Rivers. 1t was but a few days before
! ciyisZation was left entirely behind. The
| whole country from there to Salt Lake City
contained no evidence of civilization but the
few.white people and soldiers in and around
kearny, Laramie. and Bridger, and a few
| SqllaW men living q nOmadlc -tIfe along the
different small streams.
My duties were not very onerouS, riding
in the wagons during the day, and trying
| to sleep, or, If sleep was deaied. general y
resorting TO n greasy pack of cards fol
amusement, or -beg,iiled drowsiness by
reading o.d magazines or novels. In this
manner. the time was passed until camp
was reached.
After supper we would saddle our horses
and go to the herd for the night bringing
the cattle up ready to start in the morning
We selected good feeding grounds and gen
orally rode two and two around the hero
while feeding, but not punching them too
closely. IT.. s.--.-.
About II o'clock every night the cattle
would bunch themselves and lie down t,
rest, and remain quiet until about half pas
three or four in the morning, when they
would get up and commence feeding. This
was an every nights occurrence, and dur
ing good weather we enjoyed it. When th'
herd was resting we generally dismounteC
and held our horses by the bride rein. W.
placed ourselves by tWos at proper distances
around the cattle and lay down in tht
grass, and spun yarns and occasionally
dozed little. but very seldom, for Texas
cattle are very easily stampeied, and We
/ were always on the alert for this.
While we were encamped on tire banks o.
| Walnut Creek a soldier came down tht
opposite bank through the brush. looking
fUrtively behind, as If some one was pur
suing him. He came straight toward u:
and down into the creek, apparently no
noticing us. AS he came near and passed
between lis, almost near enough to toucl
him, saw he did not see us.
With wild look over his shoulder ht
leaped up the bank. We hastily. and hal
dressed for We had been bathing, followed
him. He had stopped in a thicket of briers
hazel, and small plum brush. that wa: