The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-01-28
, N the fall Of 1865 General Sherman
and the Indian commissioners


who were To make Il treaty with
the Arapahoes and Comanchcs IN
southwestern Kansas came to Fort
Zarrah, on the Arkansas river. From
there they were to go to what was
known as Council Springs. distance
of sixty-five miles from Zarrah. BE
tween Zarrah and the Springs Is Il fiat
level country. but no water Is to be
had. Consequently there was no water
carried save for drinking purposes,
which was carried in cantccns in the
ambulances. for the generals orders
were that he would leave Fort Iarrah
at . a. IN. SO as to get a good start
over this dry country.
Our chief OF scouts and guide ut that
time was Dick Curtis. The outfit was
composed Of three ambulances. with
saddle horses for the general and In
dian commissioners. and when the gen
eral and commissioners were riding in
the ambulances their saddle horses
were led by orderlies. The general
had three or four staff officers. q com
pany Of cavalry rs an escort and about
thirty scouts and messengers we'll
mounted. These scouts and messen-
gers duty was that whenever the gen
cral wished to send any quick dis
patches back to Fort Riley. at that
time the nearest telegraph point, these
men were to carry them. I was at the
time Il young scout employed for this
purpose.
1t was about o'clock In the after
noon after leaving the fort. that a
young officer, one Of the generals aids.
was riding along talking to me and
asking me about when | thought we
were going to get to Council Springs,
where the Indians were. told him
that If we kept on in the direction we
were going we would never get there
He asked. "Why notY' replied that
we were not going in the direction Of
the Springs: that we were bearing too
far to the west.
He said why don't you tell the
general this? He is up there in the
ambulance" I told him the officer
that was not guiding General Shcr
man; that Mr.. Curtis was the guide
and that had no right to interfere
with him whatever. nor did | intend
to do so. This young officer q have
forgotten his name) tumbled to the
situation, and, galloping ahead. he rode
alongside the ambulance and told the
general what had said and explained
to him my reasons for not mentioning
the situation. The general appreciated
~ o~l hale nj;
out Of the ambulance. sent for Mr..
Curtis to come back to him. and also
for the scouts to come up. OF whom ]
.was one. lie laid out large map on
the ground. and when we all got near
him he said to Mr. Curtis:
Il wish you would show me on this
map Just where we are"
Mr.. Curtis told him, which was per
fectly true. that the maps were all so
incorrect that 1t was impossible to 60
by them.
The general remarked: "Wcll. then.
Mr.. Curtis. how far are we from the
Springs? From the distance we have
Travelled since leaving Zarrah at 2
o'clock this morning we should be
very near tueIH
Mr.. Curtis replied: General. this is
very level country. as you can see
There are no landmarks. and there are
so many thousands of btf;aloes all
over the prairie that it is pretty hard
to tell Just where we are and how far
we are from the Springs Further
moro. have not been over to the
e.
last went there | was not acting as
guide Consequently ! feel that am
rather lost myself"
The general looking at the other
scouts. said. "Do any Of you know
where the Springs are?" The young
officer had pointed me out to the gen
eral, and he was looking straight at
me when he asked the question.
said, Eyes, general; ! know where
the Springs are"
How far are we from thcm:" asked
the general told him about eight
cen miles.
He asked in what direction, and ]
answered. saying they were due south
from us now and we were headed
dead west. Dick Curtis spoke up and
said, "Biliy. when were you ever out
to the Springs?"
! told him l had been there on two
or three different occasions with Char
lie Rath, the Indian trader, and had
killed many buffaloes all over this coun-
try. The general called for his horse,
mounted It and said: young man, you
come and show me the Springs. l will
rilc with YOU Mr. Curtis, come along.
" disresgcct 10 yoa sir. ! appwEs'