The Republican journal., 1910-07-21
across the plains, and slow procres,

UIOQf6SS
was made at first as the wagons were
frequently stalled and it was necessary
to double team. The paymaster's team
an ambulance drawn by four mules. left
Fort Leavenworth early in the morn;no
of May %, 1858, and overlook the com.
mand after hard days journey. Nav
18th the column was in camp at Ash
Point. Following are extracts from a
letter written at that time:
The artillery and infantry officers are
Obliged to march all day with their men
and stand il better than most of the pri-
Yates. Werecelved orders one night for
the dragons to leave US and push on. but
they have not been able to get ahead of
US yet, much to the satisfaction of the
men on loot, who are trying to lead them
to Fort kearney.
The country is like cultivated field,
covered with beautiful green grass, the
road, like a purple ribbon, winding
through 1t. do not see that any of the
people along the way have planted anv-
thing, or have any cattle. A great MANY
little shanties have been put up to hold
the land. At several of our camping
grounds we have had an abundance Of
wild onions, which the men gathered in
great quantities. They grow about the
size of an ounce bullet and are very
sweet and good. A little plant grows by
the roadside which makes an excellent
salad or greens. | do not remember its
name. Lambs quarter. There is also
plant called the Polar Plant, which is
said to point north and south with its
leaves, and thus guides the traveller on
his way.
A postscript to this letter was as fol-
lows:
A United States express has Just arrived
bringing the news that Governor Cum
mings had been out driven of Salt Lake
/ City and that Col. johnson had been
forced to retreat owing to the non arrival
of supplies. His command had been SUBJ
sisting on mule meat. Quartermaster
Paige furnished the express messenger
with fresh mule and he pushed on to
Leavenworth. All is excitement in camp;
every one is writing home to tell the
news, and young and foolhardy campaign
ers like myself are looking forward to
exciting times.
The next letter was dated June oath, at
the crossing of the Platte river. where
we arrived on the ninth day after leaving
Fort kearney; distance ITS miles. The
first day we made only II miles and
camped beside the Platte river. The
second camp was on Plum Creek. where
there were only little pools of muddy
water, fit neither for man nor beast to
drink. | had ridden on in advance of the
command and after some time the troops
came struggling in, both men and ami
mails completely broken down. Some
twenty or thirty men tainted within sight
of the camp and wagons had to be sent
out to bring them in. That days march
added 40 to the sick list and there were
two cases of sunstroke. Next day we
made but six miles, and getting into
camp early went on a buffalo hunt over
the hills, but saw no buffalo though
antelope Were numerous. Our first buf-
falo was lone bull which was seen
walking slowly toward the camp When
pursued it tried to escape to the foot
hills but was shot down and the carcass
hauled into camp and cut up. The meat
was found TO be an improvement over
the beef furnished by Uncle Sam. Fol-
lowing are extracts from the letter of
June oath:
Our camps We're now all on the banks
of the Platte, a broad stream filled with
islands. In some places the river was
three or four miles wide, but very shall
low, with a sandy bottom, and the water
similar in color to the yellow Missouri
and Mississippi. We have plenty of fish
cat, and a small white fish resembling
the chub-and camping one night near a
slough, we caught suntish by the pallful.
Riding into camp one night we found
six or seven Indians seated on the ground,
who rose and shook hands and saluted US
with ''hown' ''how!" In a short time
some thirty Indians and like number of
squaws rode into camp, dressed in all
their fnery. The squaws had beautiful
beaded saddle blankets; some worked in
stars and stripes, and the men had en-
broidered leggings with ornamented gun
cases and bow and arrow sheaths. Their
lodges were filled with buffalo meat and
they sent out some bucks who soon re-
turned with loads of the meat. About
SunQOWn lHey cdlleu On NOl. MunTOe, or
the Great Captain, as they called him.
They seated themselves in a circle about
the tent while the chiefs distributed the
hard bread, sugar, coffee, ETC., he gave
them. In the evening l visited their
lodges. There were twenty-four, made
of buffalo skins sewed together with the
sinew, and were very picturesque in ap-
pearance. They had buffalo meat, fresh
and dried, smoked tongues and marrow
bones in abundance. These Indians be-
longed to the tribe of Brule Sioux and
were well whipped by General Harvey
(whom they called White Beard at the
battle OF Ash Hollow.
When we reached the crossing of the
Platte the river was high and not ford
able. An OK train with so yoke to
wagon had lost several wagons and
drowned three men in trying to cross the
night before. We laid here four days, and
the river having fallen few inches it
was decided to cross. At the ford the
river was over one mile wide. When the
column was ready to move the companies
were drawn up on the bank to undress
and crossed in an undress uniform of
hat and canteen. 1t took until IL O'Clock
%