The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-08-16
Pluck R0NANcE
AND ADVENT URE.
fHE GRAPEVINE TELEGRAPH

d our Indians always man
NM o aged to tind out all that
~ had happened, or was GO
FCM ing to happen, as soon as
we knew it ourselves
ften before even we knew il. We
ubbed their source Of information the
grapevine telegraph, writes a United
Rates Army officer
About 1877 Dull Knife's band of
Iorthern Cneyennes were sent from
lamp Robinson, Nebraska, to join the
outhern Cheyennes at the Darling
ID Agency fort Reno in the Indian
territory. They were never contented
here, the climate WAS killing them,
hey said; and they had tried to go
forth again several times, but had al
rays been driven back, and all
trough the summer of 1873 we were
soking for them to make another at
smpt to go.
There were only two troops of cav
Try at Reno to hold about 5000 In
dans here, and we had to watch these
indians closely. In the fan, about the
Tst Of October. ] think it was, was
own at Fort Sill with two wagons
liter a load Of lime, and was in camp
Glow the post, when one morning lust
It daylight old Stumbling Bear, a
Aiowa chief, paid the camp visit. He
vas no doubt looking for his break
asst, as he would not so over 100 miles
nut Of his way at any time to bring
ne news. He never had had much
Use for me since the time several years
'efore this when ! had lined up a
larty Of men ] had out with his band
shoot him for disobeying my orders
Coming into camp after the usual
How" he said: debbe so, Chey-
nnes go" pointing North. They had
eft late the afternoon before.
We had telegraph line here, a single
wire that we had put up ourselves; it
an from Gainesville, Texas, through
ill and Reno up to Fort Supply. g
went up to the Office right away
md found the operator, an enlisted
nan, fast asleep. He had not heard
from Reno since noon yesterday, he
old me. Going to his key while he
vas dressing, began to call for "R, =
pur signal at Reno, but could not get
IN answer. Then the operator took
his key and continued to call, but he
rot no answer, either. thought /
NEW what was wrong. That operator
it Reno belonged to our troop, and he
was no doubt out after the Indians
aow.
After while we got reply. Some
sne who could telegraph had been
hunted up. He was another tel
sgrapher like myself-a slow one. AT
Ter he had made several attempts at
It, he told us that the Cheyennes had
gone at last, and that our troop had
followed them. There was not much
more than half a troop there, thirty
men, to follow anything; the rest of
1s were scattered all over the country
Dn details just like mine, and the other
troop dare not be sent also; il it had
been sent then other Indians, Chey-
snnes and Arapahoes, would have lost
no time in going upon raid to Kansas
also.
The Northern 'Cheyennes went clear
across Western Kansas, leaving trail
Of fire and blood behind them, and
were finally rounded up at Camp Rob-
inson. The troop got in ahead of them
once, and in the fight that followed lost
one man, the blacksmith, but did not
stop the Indians; they kept on burning
ranches and killing settlers. The troop
brought these Indians back though, all
except Dull Knife. he was kept up
there a prisoner, and a new chief,
Standing Elk, brought the band back.
+ took them about ten days to 60 up,
and nearly as many weeks to come
BACK again.-F Forest and Stream.