Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1909-01-09
W N the fall of 1866 General Sherman
4 and the Indian commissioners

the Arapahoes and Comanches in
southwestern Kansas came to Fort
Karrah. on the Arkansas river. From
khere they were to go to what was
known as Council Springs, a distance
of sixty-five miles from Zarrah. Be-
tween Zarrah and the Springs is fat,
level country, but no water is to be
Rad. Consequently there was no water
rarried save for drinking purposes,
which was carried in canteens in the
ambulances, for the generals orders
were that he would leave Fort Zarrah
ut 2 a. m. so as to get good start
over this dry country.
Our chief Of scouts and guide at 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, a com
eany OF cavalry as an escort and about
thirty scouts and messengers well
mounted These scouts and messen-
gers duty was that whenever the gen
aral wished to send any quick dis
patches back to Fort Riley, at that
zine the nearest telegraph point, these
men were to carry them. l was at the
time a young scout employed for this
purpose.
1t was about 2 o'clock in the after
aoon, after leaving the fort, that a
young officer, one Of the generals aids,
was riding along talking to me and
asking me about when l thought we
were going to get to Council Springs.
where the Indians were. I told him
that if we kept on in the direction we
were going we would never get there.
He asked why not?" l 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" l told him (the officer
that | was not guiding General Sher-
man; that Mr. Curtis was the guide
and that I had no right to interfere
with him whatever. nor did I 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
Che situation The general appreciated
1t at once and called halt, climbed
sut of the ambulance, sent for Mr.
Curtis to come back to him, and also
for the scouts to come up, of whom
was one. He laid out large map on
che ground. and when we all got near
him he said to Mr. Curtis:
II 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
sncorrect that it was impossible to go
N them.
The general remarked: "Well. then.
NF Curtis, how far are we from the
Springs? From the distance we have
travelled since leaving Zarrah at
o'clock this morning we should be
very near them"
Mr.. Curtis replied: General, this Is
q very level country, as you can see.
There are no landmarks. and there are
go many thousands of buffaloes all
ever the prairie that it is pretty hard
to tell just where we are and how far
we are from the Springs. Further
more. have not been over to the
Springs for several years, and when
I last went there I was not acting as
guide Consequently I 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
f.rai. and he was looking straight at
ne when he asked the question
said. Yes. general: Ie know where
the Springs are"
How far arc. we from them" 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 beaded
dead west. Dick Curtis spoke up anG
said. Billy. when were you ever out
10 the Springs
told him 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. will
ride with you. Mr. Curtis. come along
No disrespect to you. sir. appre
eiate how hard 1t Is for one TO find bis
way In country where there are 40
landmarks, level as the sea and COW
cred with buffaioes'
| headed due south. the general rid
ing by my side, and during this tide
the general asked me many questions
how came to know this country so
well, ETC. told him that my father
had been killed in the border ruffian
war of bleeding Kansas and that since