Milford chronicle., 1909-02-12


Zarrah. on the Arkansas river. From
there 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 a fiat
level country. but no water is to be
had. Consequently there was no water
carried save for drinking purposes,
which was carried In canteens in the
ambulances. for the generals orders
were that be would leave Fort Zarrah
nt a. IN. so as to get a good start
over this dry country
Our chief of scouts and guide at that
time was Dick Curtis The outfit was
composed of three auhulances. with
saddle horses for the general and In
dian commissioners. and when the gen
eral and commissioners were riding i'm
the ambulauces their saddle horses
were led by orderlies The general
had three or four staff officers, a com
pany Of cavalry as an escort and about
thirty scouts and messengers well
mounted. These scouts and mcssen
gers duty was that whenever the gen
eral 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 a young scout employed for this
purpose.
It was about o'clock in the after
noon. after leaving the fort that
young officer. one Of the generals aids
was riding along talking to me and
asking me about when I thought we
were going to get TO Council Springs
where the Indians were. l told him
that if we kept on in the direction we
We're going we would never get there.
He asked why notT' I 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 teE the
general this2 He is up there in the
ambulance" / told him (the ofhcer)
that was not guiding General Sher-
man; that Mr. Curtis was the guide
and that ! had no right to interfere
with him whatever, nor did / intend
to dc so. This young officer q have
forgotten his namel tambled to the
situation and. galloping ahead. he rode
alongside the ambulance and told the
general what I had said and explained
to him my reasons for rot mentioning
the situation. The general appreciated
It at once and called a halt, climbed
out Of the ambulance, sent for Mr..
80. al nd al 1et
for the scouts to come up, Of whom
was one. He laid out a large msp on
the ground. and when We all got near
him he said to MT Curtis:
u wish you would show me on tnis .
map just where we are"
Mr.. Curtis told him. which was per.
fectly true. that the maps were ali so /
incorrect that it was impossible to 20 /
by them.
The general remarked: well. then. .
MT Curtis, how far are we from the /
Springs? From the distance we have (
travelled since leaving Zarrah at I
O'Clock rhs morning we should be
very near them
Mr.. Curtis replied: General, this is
a very level country. as you can see.
There are no landmarks. and there are
so many thousands Of buffaloes all
over the prairie that it is pretty hard
to tell just where we are and how far
we are from the Springs. Further
more. I haze not been over TO the
Springs for several years, and when
] last went there was not acting as
guide. Consequently I feel that am
rather lost myself"
The general. looking at the ether
scouts, said. do any Of you know
where the Springs areT' The young
onacer had pointed me out TO the gen
eral. and he was looking straight at
me when he asked the question.
l said, Yes, general; l know where
the Springs are"
"How far are we from theni?' asked
the general told him abOnt 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, BILLY. when were you ever out
10 the Springs
/ told him l had been there on two
Dr three different occasions with Char ,
lie Rath, the Indian trader, and had :
EilIed many buffaloes all over this coun- I
Try. The general called for his horse. !
mounted It and said Young man, you
,ome and show me the Springs I will !
-ide with you. Mr.. Curtis, come along I
No disrespect to you. sir. appre- '
,iate how hard It is for one to find his a
way in a country where there are no !
andmarks. level as the sea and Gov
red with buffaloes."
/ headed Cue south, the general rid
ng by my side, and during this ride y
he general asked me many questions :
low / came to know this country so a
veil. etc. I told him that my father :
lad been killed ~ the border rufian .
var Of bleeding Kansas and that since )
lis death had grown up on the plains =
v{th the frei0hfprs trainers, buffalo :