The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-09-08

Art Irregular Army, before the war
furnished the brains for the Army of the
Frontier. Tom Moonlight was a gallant.
brave and efficient Ofiicer-a little too fond
Of liquor lin which respect Blunt himself
set the pace at his headquarters), but
nevertheless a good soldier; and Blunt 5
successes and fame were undoubtedly at
tributable to Moonlight's management.
Blunt was one of those political APP
pointees whose only qualification for the
position of Commanding General was
his political pull" backed by bulldog
pertinacity that would fight buzz-saw."
He had no military talents, to begin with,
and never seemed to acquire such qualities
during the four years of war Before the
war he was a country doctor, living on his
claim on Pottawatomie Creek in Kan
>as. and through Senator Jim Lanes in
fiuence. got an appointment as a Brig
ader-General in the early part of the
war; and for his success in dropping in
just in the nick of time at the battle of
Prairie Grove, Ark. and saving Gen. Her
ron from Il probable defeat, Blunt was
advanced to the rank of Major-General
though it has been claimed by some mill
tary critics that Blunt Numbered into
that fight and Numbered through it, and
the fact Of the rebel Gen. Hindman TAX
ing a scare and withdrawing in the night,
after drawn battle eventuated in
Blunts being left i'm possession Of the
field.
PREPARING FOR ACTUAL SERVICE.
The material that my teams were
loaded with-hospital stores and ammuni-
tion-gave a hint of the service before
us; but not a word was given ont from
any source of authority as to when or
where we were to go. A lot Of ambu-
lances We're assembled and placed under
my charge also. After loading and get
ting everything ready for q trip some
where / had the mules unhitched, wa
tered, and tied back to the feed troughs,
with the harness on, and fed grain; and
thus We stood nearly all day awaiting or
ders.
About the middle of the afternoon was
ordered to- take detail of Indians and
drop down the ferryboat-an open fat.
boat, pulled back and forth by q rope
stretched across the riyer-to the mouth
Of Grand River. and stretch the rope
across the Arkansas just below the mouth
of Grand. This was certainly pointer
Blunt had waited till nearly night to be-
gin the movement, so that any possible
| rebel spies on the neighboring hills, be-
yond the Arkansas, would not see what
We were doing.
ices | was going 10 be called on to do,
would have brought some extra hands
along to act as assistants: but as it was
| borrowed Hugh Poland Assistant
Wagon Master of the I'd Indian train, to
look after the six-mule teams and am
balances, while l took general charge, Civ.
ing my particular attention TO the ferry.
ing
HARD RIVER TO CROSS.
By snndOwn had everything read,
| and the little army began crossing the
| river. The Arkansas just above TIL,
| mouth of Grand River was just barely
| fordable, but below, where the ferry was
| il was too deep. 1t was found that
| narrow and difficult ford on Grand River
| just above the mouth could be used by
| the cavalry and some teams, and thel
an easy ford of the Arkansas above tn,
mouth of Grand would expedite the cross
ing of both troops and teams.
| While crossing at the Grand River for,
a team belonging to the LIST Kans. (col
ored) was washed away down into dec
| water, and the six mules, with wagon
driver and two colored soldiers, who ha,
| crept into the wagon, were drowned Th
black teamster never left his saddle mule
| and as he sunk out of sight was still
| jerking the lead-line TO try ia steer hi
team to the shore. The two men in tn
wagon were caught like rats in a trap
| the cover being tied down all round-an,
drowned before they found out where the,
| were ''at"
At the ferry / had been carrying owe
both soldiers and teams as they came
but as the capacity Of the boat was onl