The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-13

gon. The other troops of the column were
stringing along across the ford and stretch
Ing the line out behind the oregons. Lieut..
Hawthorne had got his guns UP and was
waiting with ill-concealed impatience. FL
nally the cavalry found out that the outpost
had vamosed some time before they got there
and came on to lead the column. When they
got up to the front. some Of us who had
dismounted to rest our ponies during the
long wait got into the saddles again. as II
the performance were to go on at once. But
Wa discovered very quickly that that was
not the intention. Not all the troops OF the
brigade had got across the river yet. What
ever was the cause OF the delay there was
no finding out
There was one sign OF desire to get along
manifested by the troops in the rear OF the
column; they came in column OF fours.
whereas the Oregons hiked in single file.
But they had stayed long enough at the
ford to build bridge. The sun had come
up long before they got out OF tho woods
that fringe the river, and by the time they
got fairly out into the valley It had clear
ed the mist that for some time helped to
conceal our movements. When the mist
was gone the whole valley stood out clear
ly in view. even for us who were down in
1t. For the insurgents up on the hills it
must have been a fine picture. There was
nothing In the world to hinder them from
taking all the account Of our force that
they possibly could need. When at length
the cavalry got up We had been out there
in the sight Of all the world long enough
for the enemy to have counted us man for
man.
THE UNWILLING GUIDES.
Ahead of the cavalry scrambled two white
shirted amigos, bare footed as usual. hat
less and sulky. The troopers just behind
them had their guns in suggestive readi-
ness for instant use, and 1t was evident
that we were trying to make use OF I'M
willing guides. 1t was not surprising
therefore, that the guides gave false infor-
nation. In the general plan as discussed
with Gen. Lawton II was arranged that
Halls brigade was all to be across the
valley before seven o'clock. Gen. Lawton
believed that 1t could be done by six. but
there was about an hour for leeway and
| unforeseen hindrances. The success OF the
whole undertaking lay in the celebrity with
which Halls brigade moved. The effort
failed simply because the brigade did not
get across the valley in time.
It was nearly eight o'clock when the
mounted cavalry came along with the
guides. and the rear guard was not yet clear
OF the woods along the river There was a
lot OF parley with the guides, and then
off started the mounted troop nearly due
north up the valley. The mounted troop
stretched out in line Of skirmishers. and
the Oregons hiked after them in a long
winding line. We crossed distinctly
marked and fairly good rnad leading to the
east, and there Hawthorne sat down with
his guns.
This is the road" he said. land you will
all be back here before long"
We followed the cavalry for almost two
| miles up the valley and then came to a
| ditch The cavalrymen rode up and down
| the ditch on both sides and then came
| back and talked with the General. We did
not hear what 1t was all about. but the
upshot Of 1t was that we had come to the
| wrong place to cross the ditch and must
| go back. The sun was rs hot as a million
fires already, and getting hotter. 1t made
| the oregon men groan, veterans that they
| were, but they picked up their guns and
| slowly hiked back the two miles to where
| Hawthorne still sat with his guns. As
| they went, a lone mSurrcctO in a clump OF
| bamboo on the other side OF the ditch let
| go at them with a Remington. The brass
| patched bullet sung through the air away
| over their heads, and struck the ground
with a chug. The lone inSurrecto tried It
again several times, always with the same
result. He didn't hit anybody, but 1t prob
ably furnished him with a lot OF amuse-
ment.
HALTED BY A DITCH.
Slowly the column hiked back towards the
| road. Slowly the rear guard swung into
| the valley. Slowly the sun rolled clear OF
| the hilltops. and westward through an I'M
clouded heaven across the route Of the
column But not at all slowly did the
insurrectos and their friends In the hills be-
You'd strike out for more peaceful and less
exciting country. We could see them 60
ing, and every now and then some good
| pair Of glasses would detect a new white
flag flying from some cottage in the foot
hills where fate had determined 1t to be
the lot OF some spy to try his luck as an
| amigo The heat waxed with the day. and
by the time we reached the road again II
was terrific. Tho men began to give out
under 1t, and little groups OF stragglers
started back along the rough trail to the
river. These men were veterans Just come
back from a long march with Lawton W
into the northern country. They knew what
It was to hike in the sun and they under
stood how to take 1t as easy as possible
but this experience was too much for some
OF the best U. them.
Back at the road again the mounted
troop started east across the valley. The
Oregon men were having fun with a CORE
spondent who once had roasted" them
they said, for their looting propensities ant
skill, and we all stopped awhile to see the
fun. At first the general thought they were
talking at him, and 1t looked as II there
might be fun of another kind, but he found
out what 1t was, and went on. BY and by
we looked up at the head of the column
being aware that something had happened
We had quite given up the notion thai
anything was to happen on this trip and sc