The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1903-03-05
REvoLurIoNIsrs' sUFFERINcs.
supnorters OF the Movement for In
dependence paid Dearly Before
the Real War negRn,


The battle of Arnold and his men
with the wilderness as they struggled
along Dead rive. aud the Chaudiere
furnishes dramatlc aterial Tor the
third installment q Justin H. smlthA
"The Prologue Of the American Reyo-
mtion,o in Centary. The army finally
divided, hoping thus TO end more
quickly the suiferings Of the mareh'
but
"The ist of November dawned upon
a furnishing army; very few still had
food, many had already been destitute
for a day or more, and some, deter
mined To have a full meal for once, haa
eaten almost immediately the share
given out In the meadows, trusting
that relief was almost at hand. Akind
Of wrathful despair began 10 seize the
army. Were they to be defeated, atter
all2 Impossiblel Like the Old Guard
at Waterloo, they felt sort Of rage
gathering inside them--a still, DUMB
savage fury, the root instinct OF mans
win 10 live and to conquer. Humanity
stripped bare Il terrible; yes, but II is
also magnificent. Some men eating
dog meat offered Thayer and Topham
a share, but they declined it, thinking
that they were more in want OF II than
what we were at the time
"The I'd of November found the
troops one day nearer starvation.
Melvin shot squirrel and little bird,
and possibly some others were equally
fortunate; but no one tells us so. All
the candles had been used up long ago
20 enrich the Cruel, and now scraps
OF shaving soap, lip salye and pomatum
were deyoured. A dried squirrel skin
from a pocket made ameal. Cartridge
pouches. leather breeches, belts and
shoes were boiled and chewed. Some
of the soldiers knew Of eatable roots
that could be found in the sandy
beaches Of the river; behind each OF
the knowing ones followed a party
and as he sprang to dig at a root with
his fingers, they sprang too, and who
ever secured the prize deyoured II In
stantly. More than one man looked at
his gun, thought longingly OF the
death It contained, and said to him
self: Shall 1?'
'The next morning, when the sol
diers rose they staggered about Ike
drunken men; but after little, aiding
themselves with their guns, they go'
their footing and set out again. Hour
after hour they marched. II began &c
seem wonderful, uncanny. Men gazec
welrdly at one another. Were they
really more than human, then, that
they could march, march, day after
day. and eat nothing, like the angels
No, they were not angels; small sticl
across the path was enough TO brinl
the stoutest Of them to the ground.
"Now came the most dreadful thinl
OF all. Men fell and could not ris
again Sitting or lying there, with al
their life In their eyes, they mutel,
besought aid Of each passer-by In turn
Fellow soldier. comrade, friend. he'll
me- pleaded their long gaze. But
halt could only add another deati
Tattered and torn, many barefootec
many bareheaded, palld, spuken, tot
tering, buried in misery those VIII
could march marched on, with head
, bent forward. with eyes half closeS
with brain in a dizzy stupor just ahl
70 wonder how soon the inevitable IA
the last fail-would come by mir
utes and seconds they still lived. D
rods. By yards. by feet by inches, the
struggled on; nothing save the Yer
!, core Of existence left, but that invir
. eible. Till sky turn black or feet strih
root. on. on. anie