The National tribune., 1901-12-05

SOtomac contRlneu many TeBlneHls uOteo
fer their hard fighting. That the activ
ity and love of adventure of members Of
some Of these regiments did not cease
with the close of the civil conflict, IS
shown by letter received by Col Henry
@. Clarke. IS Dey ST., New York City,
from an old army comrade, John b.
Welch, Co. l, 18th VT. The latter was
dated Edith, Coke Co., Tex, June l6,
1881, and details the experiences of its
writer on the plains soon after the close
of the civil war Comrade Welch tells
his own adventures as follows:
1 have never kept a diary, and as
I have been on the American frontier all
the time since 1867. l cannot recall at
will many things that would doubtless in
terest and amuSe you, so the best can
do is to give you a fragmentary sketch
Of few things that have happened to
me since muster-out.
In 1867 l left Montpelier for New
York, expecting to 60 to work for Bald
win, Saxton d Co., but owing to the
financial panic and consequent depression
Of business, l was disappointed, and not
withstanding the fact that | found warm
friends in the city-Will Burbank, jim
Lamb, Ed. Prentiss and others-I tried
hard for six months to obtain employ
ment, without success. l finally gave 1t
up for a bad job and determined to try
the South, so l boarded the Steamer
Champion and sailed for Charleston, S.
G. l travelled over most of the Southern
States, and found that business was, if
possible, in a worse condition than in
New York. Not knowing what else to do,
/ then boarded a steamer and went up
the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers to
Omaha, thence to the great Northwestern
plains.
While knocking about in Wyoming, l
struck man named Tom Sims, to whom
took a fancy and proposed to him that
we go into business together. AT that
time great numbers of cattle were driven
from Texas to Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
and other points. 1t took herds that were
driven to the extreme Northwest two
years to make the trip, and many Of the
heaviest and best cattle would become
footsore and sometimes they would have
to be abandoned.
The result of my proposition to Sims
was that we went up the great trail to
q point 45 miles northwest of Cheyenne.
We built little rock cabin with a hay
stack for roof, invested what money we
had in steers, kept them there until they
mended up. then we would exchange
sound cattle for footsore ones with pass
ing herds. In one season | made about
$4,000 worth of cattle, and Sims. who
had less to start with, made about $4,000.
n
At that time the Indians were very
troublesome, but Sims and myself, being
located right at the foothills of the Rock
les and not near any white settlement,
were in hopes they might miss us. We
finally became alarmed, however, and
] went to Cheyenne and made a contract
with butcher to deliver % head week
at S35 per head. | Immediately pulled
for the cabin to get the first %, was met
h. L. II Al
the Reds had come while l was absent
and had driven off every hoof we had, in
Guiding his horse. We had only one
horse each; mine was & fine one, that L
bought of a homesick Kentuckian. Sims's
was just q broncho. Well, the situation
robe would not have sufficed to wad
gun; Sims had but 81 or So; l had $40,
and we owed $50 in town for grub. We
took our blankets, tobacco and arms and
started for town, riding Sam Weller
turn-about. Sam Weller was my horse
and l will say right here that although
i have ridden many horse since, | never
rode the equal of brave old Sam.
When we got to Cheyenne l gave Sims
half OF my money and told him that we
would hunt job, get a stake, and start
again; but the poor fellow was in de-
spair, could not seem to pluck up, and be-
gan drinking. The second night after we
struck the town he was shot through the
head in a dance-hall. He was good
man and brave one, and l never knew
him to drink to excess before. His death
hurt me terribly. | went to the dance
hall as soon as l found it out, but the
fellow who did the deed had skipped, SO
i could get no satisfaction.
knocked about Cheyenne trying to
ind work until my money was all gone
but 40 cents | bought oats with that for /
Sam, went without my supper, but / got
job that night TO hold a herd of cattle
for Creighton IL Hutton at $45 per month.
GEN. cARR's EXPEDITION.
The next Spring / heard that Gen. Z.
"A. Carr, commanding q detachment of the
9th U. S. Cav, was organizing an expe-
dition to go after large band of Indians
(Sioux and Cheyennes) who had been
raiding and numbering through Colorado,
New Mexico and Kansas. Some other
fellows and myself went TO Fort Nc
Pherson and offered our services as vol
unteers to serve without pay. The Gen
eral could not accept our services, but
he said we could 90 along and act with
the scouts. We went
The expedition consisted of about 400
cavalry, 100 Pawnee scouts. under Col.
Frank North, and about 20 civilians
Buffalo Bill was the guide. We struck
out for the Republican River, and the
first night after we got there the hostiles
tried to stampede our horses. They came
near accomplishing their object, too, but
they only succeeded in wOunding a team
ster and killing n mule.
Next day we found the trail of their
main body and followed it, but soon
found we could not gain an inch on them !
We kept on, however, until we came to a |
place where the trail divided. The trail !
10 the right was very plain, while the |
one to the left was scattered and dim. 1t |
was evident to the most inexperienced |
man in the command that the trail they
intended US 10 follow was the one to the
right, so Gen. Carr detached two troops
of cavalry and some Indians under Maj.
Royal, caused them TO make as big a
show as possible and take the decoy trail,
while the main body was kept back in a
low place for a day in order that any hos
tile scouts who might be watching US
would think the whole command had gone
on the decoy trail. Next day we started
on the dim trail, and before night we be-
came satisfied. that we were on the trail
Of the main body of the hostiles.
Maj. Royal followed the decoy trail
until II scattered then, turning the head
Of his column 10 the left, he intercepted
and rejoined the command. We now
found we were gaining on the game we
were after. They evidently thought that
they had fooled US and were taking their
time.
On the 10th of July we marched 60
miles, passing three of their camps
On the 11th we were on the march be-
fore daylight The trail was hot thp In