Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1909-03-06

until they had settled down, when we
mounted and sueaked toward the edge
of the village, where there was an ave.
nue. Of escape. Their faithful dogs Of
course, alarmed the camp, so the best
we could do was to make Il dash out,
wheel and fire as quick as we could,
and KCrshaw with his faithful hugle
blew the charge Riding quickly
around the village, we made another
little firing ut them and sounded the
bugIe charge again. a repetition Of
this at another point and a bugle
charge threw them into confusion,
stampcdcd their ponies, prevented
their quick mounting, and while they
went in one direction bold kershaw ana
myself were riding in another. Natu
rally, of course, this gave the Indians
something to think Of in the night
while we got to the post and Informed
Colonel Royal of the location and. with
Major Brown. Captain RaChc, LCuten-
ant Jack Hayes and detachment of
cavalry, went on the trail, which was
followed for two days and the Indians
were severely punished, with but few
casualties on our side.
Getting fresh meat for Fort Sheridan.
we were greatly annoyed at times on
our buffalo hunt by being jumped by
the Indians, who in those days were
generally out with the same object.
Many hot skirmish or many a run
for it was necessary Buffalo natural
ly were some distance from the fort,
and | thought of a trick by which
could give my red brothers a surprise.
In run for 1t few miles from the
fort was a hogback that furnished a
good defensive position, and | had
often noticed that it had long, deep,
buShy raVine. 1t was In the nature
almost of a natural fortitiCation So |
thought how | could get them to re-
peat their many attacks on me when |
ran to this particular point, from
which | could signal for help to the
fort with hasty grass fires and smoke
that talked" BulfalOes were at the
time plentiful so | secured Kershaw
and about fifteen good marksmen,
with provisions for the trip, and start
ed out before daylight for the hunt.
Hiding the soldiers in this ravine, we
proceeded on our journey and had not
the wagons half filed before my
striker, Bill White, announced Indians
In the distance, land big band. toe"
said Bill. Away we went for the hog
back and 1t was liCkety split with
the Indians gaining on us every min
ute. We reached it, threw our wagons
into position, packed our buffalo hams
out for breastwOrks, threw some
straw about and gathered up some
dead grass to make a signal. The In
dams. seeing it, knew that relief
would come and they hadn't mo-
ment to lose If they wanted our sCalps.
On they came, dashing around. My
self and transfers and five or six of
us banging away at them, they cir
cled around and drew off, as they
commonly did, and at a distance Of
about seventy-fve yards from the am
bush. AS usual they punched tOgeth
err listening to the wrangle of the
chief. Bang! Bang! Bang! And the
old Winchesters began to talk from
the ravine, while Kershaw with his
bugle blew the charge, the Indians
tumbling here. there and everywhere
out of their saddles, the rest scattering
with the speed Of jack rabbits in all
directions Assembling on the distant |
hills, they realized that the Jig was
up, particularly when they saw the
cavalry coming in the distance. Some |
how or other during the remainder Of |
the season they never seemed to mo- |
lest the butcher wagon with the same |
appetite. And the fort always had |
fresh meat.
A country Of such vast eXpanse, I'M
settled save for a few forts as places |
of refuge and succOr so comparatively |
few in number as to be. as 1t were, like
pebbles on the seaShOre, rendered the
in winter, with the blizzard
not only hazardous and
but even If successfully
attended by excruciating suf
fering This the old army officers and
soldiers % the early campaigns will
never forget. the physical discomforts
and mental worrying with climatic
far excelling those that de-
feated Napoleon In his winter cam
paign in the region about Moscow.
I relate two or three examples On
one occasion was out with some Of
the Fifth cavalry under the command
IF Lieutenant BaChe. descendant of
Benjamin Franklin and member Of
well known Philadelphia family and.
by the way, magnificent young Off
FER, who in various campaigns showed
I bravery and dash that one would
not associate with his aristocratic bear
ng and extreme gentility. A blizzard
lrOSe. Fortunately we were near shell
er In the shape Of some bluffs and
scattered wood When the blizzard
was over It was necessary for us to
strike out on the path Of duty. The
thermometer was away below zero and
he wind cutting and sharp.
On coming back from the lead to con-
iult with Lieutenant Bache | passed
~ him to caution the sergeants to look
tut for their men from the cold and
zee that they did not become drowsy.
md on my return found indications