The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-01-07
By BUFFALO BILL


Is really quite horse you are riding
i there"
'Oh. he isn't warmed up yet. gen.
erai." I said. "He doesn't go good un-
I'll he gets bis second wind"
By this time the mule was really be-
! ginning to show his staying qualities
over the Kentucky horse that the gen.
sral was riding. and the general could
not keep up. But the general would
not give up. and we went on mile
after mile through the sand hills until
finally I had actually to wait on the
general a little. Every once in awhile
the general would remark about that
mule. But we went on, and the gen.
! aral still would not give In. We con-
tinued going until we got within about
fifteen miles of Fort Larned. Here we
| stopped on hill to wait for the offit
GERS and orderlies to overtake us.
When they got up showed the gen.
eral depression in the sand hills and
told him that that was the Pawnee
Fork creek and that all we had to do
was to follow the creek down and we
would come to the fort.
"Now. general" said, IF you have
any urgent dispatches that you want
taken to your commanding officer, If
you will give them to me l will take
| them on and have them delivered to
him. You cannot help but find your
way"
"Ah." he said. you are kidding me
| to-, o~A ho%
mule. Well" turning to one of the
| officers. "you bring the escort in. Fol-
low the direction we are going, and l
will go on with Cody"
| Aud we started. giving him as live
| ly ride as his horse could stand until
we reached the fort. That night the
generals horse died. The next morn.
! Ing at guard mount I rode up to the
headquarters of Fort Larned, which
was commanded by Captain DANGER.
field Parker. with whom the general
was stopping. and reported to him. L
said that II he had no further use for
me would return to my own fort aud
that If lie had any dispatches he wanted
taken hack to Fort Hays would take
them, as I expected to get there III
eight hours on the same mule.
He laughed and said. well, win
never say anything against mule
again."
Among the many army officers under
whom have served one of rny earliest
experiences was with Major General
Eugene A. Carr. retired. General Carr
was a graduate Of West Point when
cabins were more plentiful than frame
houses In upper New York state.
whence be came. Graduating In 1850.
he went to the frontier and graduated
| In that old school that made him ono
of the best Of Indian fighters.
In 1851 frst met him when 1 was
scout for Colonel Royals command.
whom he succeeded. 1t has been the
pride Of my career that, he being an
officer Of such wide experience and
ability, secured his esteem and
friendship, and In his writings be has
been very generous In alluding to my
services. l had the honor Of serving
with him in many trying campaigns.
notably In that which eliminated In
! his success over Tall Bull. who had
long been the terror of the plains with
what Is known as the dog soldiers"
who were renegades recruited from 4
! dozen disappointed tribes and were
composed Of the most vicious, fanatical
Indians who were opposed to the
white mans intrusion In the west The
depredations were of terrifying ma
| ture, aud Carr was delegated to pun
J tsh them at all hazards Their contiD
uous pursuit for many months was q
very trying one. as they employed the
Indians methods Of annoyance 10 at.
tack by safely scattering when hard
pressed Knowing that only strategic
cunning could eventually effect sub
jugation or dispersal. General Carr
proved by his persistent energy and
strategy that he was equal to the sit.
/ uation. II was during the continuous
pursuit of these warriors that met
one Of my closest calls In an incidental
fght which occurred at a point called
Elephant rock. II was In the spring
Of 1869 that we reached Elephant
rock. which Is a point on rock on
the south side Of Beaver valley. where
I found an Indian trail going dowp
the Beaver, and, following it. the com.
mand went into camp. The general or
dered Lieutenant Ward to follow 1t. ]
being already on the scene. was
keeping the Indians In sight while COW
sring my presence from them. wher
somewhat to Ne left, almost parallel
With them, heard firing, and ] after.
ward ascertained that Lieutenant
Ward was in skirmish so premature
] that at one time It threatened to cut
me OF. %
General Carr left the command nm
der Major Brown to follow with tbt
wagons, and the Indians, diminishing
With great daring. put up game fight
General Carr followed them until
nearly dark and returned to meet and
protect the wagons. Forming his Iner
IN a hollow square. he made an orderly
retreat, the. Indians showing great per
tinacity IN their skirmish tactics. q
much % that the general got bullet
| through the scabhard Of his saber
!. Meeting the wagons and getting into
good position, he went into camp, bu
| the Indians stayed around all night
emitting the cries Of owls and coyotes