The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-07-12


opening, understand
Eyes, / guess So" said Biddle. Now
let's at them"
Well. the Lieutenant watched me
shoot my first COW buffalo and, sure
enough she didn't go down. AS | said,
she Turned the second she was hit but
INV horse had passed her and on we
went. Biddle was riding on my right
about ten yards away, and looking at
me smiled and nodded, then dashed
ahead on his own account. His horse
certainly was a hummer. Besides be-
Ing scared he could go some, and in
few minutes he was somewhere in
the herd, suppore; away ahead of me.
the herd, l suppose; away behind of m
ridden about four miles with them, my
horse being almost out.
So thought I'd try to catch young
buffalo just ahead of me, and if | got
him ia quit. 1t had been hard run
and the buffalo, as well as my horse,
was pretty we'll blown, but l was
gaining on him very fast He was only
ten yards ahead and | was ready to
drop him. | didn't have time to look
about me, but bang" went six
shooter just ahead Of me.
At the same moment | saw a horse
drop just as dead as a mackerel. His
rider hadn't had time to dismount.
pulled up and, would you believe it,
there was Lieut. Biddle trying to get
his leg from under his dead horse. The
unfortunate chump had shot at my
buffalo as it passed, but instead of hav-
ing his horse face the way the buffalo
was going Biddle used his six-shooter
and shot directly over his horses head.
His horse must have thrown up his
head, for he had actually shot the poll
Of his horses head off Dead? Well
that horse was sure a dead one.
The lieutenant looked at me with a
sort of silly, sickly smile, and said
Well, I'm blamed"
How'd you do it?" I asked.
Didn't you seer" That was all he
said, but he stood looking sadly at his
read horse, occasionally looking back
towards the trail over which we had
come. He then said: "Stine, how far
is it back to the commando"
"Oh, not far" I replied, mot over
five miles"
Then he looked at his horse again.
One could see he was ashamed. I
wanted to laugh; but on second
thought l thought discretion was bet
ter, as he was military" Finally be-
tween US we managed to get the saddle
and carbine off his dead horse. l offer
ed him the use of my horse, but he
wouldn't have it that way. So, put
ting his Announcements on my saddle,
we started back afoot, l leading my
horse.
We hadn't gone fifty yards when
poor Johnny turned white as a sheet
and collapsed; but he wasn't altogether
out. grabbed my canteen and handed
it to him. After taking a few swallows
OF water his color came back; he sat
there few minutes and said: "Sprain-
ed ankle; pull my boot off,"
Sure enough his ankle had swollen
SO that couldn't pull his boot off, SO
had to cut it off.
Take my horse, lieutenant, and
leave the saddle here I'll come back
after it, for I can't carry it."
Il guess III have to-, said Johnny
So we started back to the command.
Poor Johnny! His sprained ankle
cost him dear; for a very short while
after the buffalo hunt we met the
great Nez Perces Indian Chief Joseph
in battle at the Bear Paw Mountains,
Montana, Lieut.. Biddle was so lame
that he could not take proper care of
He was shot all to pieces, as
was his captain, Owen Hale, and
twenty-four men out of a total of thir-
ty-eight composing Troop K, Seventh
Cavalry.-Sing Sing Star of Hope.