The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-17
bodies of them had gone in that aireo-


tion.
Hnrdships of the March.
1T was upon this expedition through
the Black Hills that we marched over
farstretching country as level as Penn
sylyania Avenue and covered with sage
brushes. 1t was then callii the Cannon
Ball" It took us three days TO cross this
stretch. In the mean time the cond .tion Of
Some of the boys was pitiable, their shoes
having long since been worn out, all OK
ira supply of clothing having been used
long since.
After we left the commands OF Reno and
I Terry, on the Yellowstone River, our COM
mand was put on halG rations, which con-
sisted OF eight pieces of bareback, one
quarter pound of bacon, and tablespoon
full of green coffee. AS we we're then en-
camped on the middle of the Cannon Ball
plain and heavy rain was beating down
upon US we at first thought there would
be no chance OF making a cheerful camp
fire that night or of eating either, for,
you know, bacon uncOoked, coffee unroast-
ed, and bareback that required an ak
would not make a very digestible dinner.
Lieutenant BubD, our commissarIat, then
came to our rescue with a load OF boxes
which the bareback had been shipped TO
US III, issuing one to each company.
through which We were then marching ii
became necessary TO post pickets a mile
or more outside OF the lines upon the
highest points possible, so that they could
obtain a good view of the surrounding
country. sergeant and squad Of men
were always told on to perform the feat
known in those days as placing the picket,
the men going some distance from the
place where the picket was to be mounted
nd lott hat o
to his post on his hands and knees to re-
main there for eight hours.
THE orders we received were not to
challenge but to fire at everything we saw
move, and l wont forget the night that
was first assigned to a post. II was q
lonely vigil and after the sergeant and
squad had departed ! was surprised to md
that my teeth were chattering at the pros
pect of having to do so many hours away
from the post. There was not sound
and not a sage brush moved. All at once
a lonely coyote set up a howl that only
Western man can appreciate, and II
pierced me through and through. | felt
the skin on the top OF my head grow tight
and my hair stood up like porcupine
quilts.
Nearing the Indians.
DAY after day. we trudged along, 1t
now being warm weather, the men ours
ing and grooming over their misfortune
to have come into the outfit. When We
were In the vicinity of Slim Butte. Gen
eral Crook, noticing the condition OF the
men, decided to procure provisions at
all hazards. Accordingly Lieutenant Bubb
with a picked body of men and horses ac-
companied by Frank Gourard, set out for
Crook City, which was then supposed to
lie about sixty miles away from us. The
detachment had not gone far. however.
when Goura d, who was always in ad-
vance, raised his hand to the men as n
signal of danger, and came riding quickly
back. He had seen Indians Leaving his
pony with us, the brave fellow walked
away in the direction Of the Indian camp
to make a reconnaissance. He reached
there, secured the name of the tribe the
number of warriors. who was their chief
and even had the nerve to steal two Of
their best ponies.
without waiting for the rest OF the
column to come up Lieutenant Bubb de-
cided to attack them early the next
morning, twenty men to charge the camp
and the rest to deploy as hankers. Ac-
cordingly at sunrise the command to be-
gin firing was given, and. with a yell of
triumph the boys rode pell nell at the
tepeeS of the braves, pouring in fierce
fire. 1t was too much for the bucks, who
mounted their ponies and rode to the tim
Der lands, but not before many a pony
lost its rider. The band was a party of
Sioux, commanded by White American
Horse. and a part of the Indians that