Milford chronicle., 1909-04-09

to get around, ueNOnu anu DttNeeli
them and the river. He changed
horses quickly and went on. and took
to the gallop for several miles through
the deep sand and got to the top Of
sand hill or mound Some Pawnee
awav off to the left on the bluff beck
oned me and | went. The Pawnees
pointed over the ridge and said. 'Hoss.
boss / saw what looked like band
Of ponies. but said. no, buffalo. The!
said. No. no: boss. hoss.' They took N
glasses and looked and said. Yes hoss
| looked. and. sure enough. they werc
ponies grazing. and the camp no doub
was below. 7 nernirted the Paw 30 c-
was their custom, to strip ana take on
their saddles and all their uniforms.
but to keep on their drawers, so as TO
be recognized as friendly. / had sent
word to Colonel Royal, and he sent up
Major Walkers company and came on
with the rest. / placed the Pawnees
on the left and two companies OF the
Fifth cavalry in the center and one Of
Captain Prices on the right l told
Major Eugene Crittenden to take com
mand of the center and | would take
the reserve and send up re-enforce-
ments as required.
when we all got started l told the
bugler behind me to sound the charge
and we were among the enemy before
they had an. idea that we We're with
in a thousand miles. Then | heard the
rattling OF rifles on the right and left,
plainly distinguishing the basso sound
Of Buffalo Burs' trusty rife, old 'Lu-
cretia Borgia.'
Buffalo Bill got pretty well around
the village when he went in on Cap
tain Prices right AS he advanced he
saw a chief on a horse charging about
and haranguing his men. He and his
party laid for him. and as he came
nearer Buffalo Bill shot him of his
horse and got the animal This was
the celebrated race horse Tall Bull
which he Cody rode for a long time
and with it won many exciting races.
When he came into camp Mrs. Tai
Bull said that it was her husband $
horse, leaving no doubt about the fact
that Buffalo Bill had killed the chief.
"On this occasion the Indians had
two white captives-Nlrs. Alderdice OF
Missouri. whom they killed during the
fight. and Mrs Weigel Of Kansas who
had been shot i'm the back with a pis-
tol bullet. which broke a rib, but was
detected and passed around and lodg-
ed below her left breast. Fifteen hun
dred dollars in gold. silver and green
backs. which was gathered In the
camps. was given her, and she went
back. remarked and proved up her
claim. Next morning we dug grave
on a hill above the village and buried
Mrs. Alderdice, the surgeon reading
the service.
'I detailed board Of officers to
count the dead Indians and notwith-
standing that It is their custom to car
rv away the wounded and to hide or
bury the dead we found sixty-eight
dead bodies on the field"
As chief Of scouts under General
Phil Sheridan, / and the men were rest
ing at Fort Mcpherson after a haz-
ar1ous expedition and a long and suc'
cessful chase. It was quiet June
evening. and we were enjoying refresh
ing breezes. A detail had left the fort
to water the government herd OF
horses and mules in the nearby Platte
river when shots were heard. Every
one was on his feet In a moment, for
II was learned that a party Of Sioux
Indians had dashed from the cotton
wood trees, shooting, shouting and
waving blankets, and had stampeded
a herd Of about 400 animals The In
dians had killed two Of the herders and
wounded another. Some Of the herd
ran for the corral. where they were
accustomed to go for the night. but the
Indians got away with about 200 and
started for the bluffs south Of the fort
All was excitement, but, as was my
custom. I had my war horse, "Old
Buckskin joe" near at hand and was
mounted in time to make a recon
noissance and note the direction in
which the Indians had disappeared
with the government stock.
General William H. Emory had his
bugler sound the "boOts and saddles y
and BY the time returned Tor IN
structions five troops Of cavalry were
busy saddling up, getting their arms
ammunition and some supplies. One
company-I, Fifth United States cav
alry-were the first troops saddled and
ready for the chase. Their officer,
Young lieutenant by the name Of Earl
D. Thomas, now Brigadier General
Thomas and in command Of the de-
partment Of Colorado, was just out
from West Point, full Of ambition and
delighted to be in command in the abb
sence Of his superiors General EN-
- ....r.olf q ornnd On the necessity