Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-03-19

for the Seventh cavalry to reassembl<
at Memphis, from whence they EN-
barked to their new field of opera
tions In Dakota and Montana portions
OF the regiment had been stationed ir
the south on duty that was In no wise
reMshed by either officers or men, az
all agreed that the hunting down Of
illicit stills and the breaking UP Oh
the dreaded Ku-klux rightly belonged
to another branch Ct the service main
tanned by the government-the secred
servdce-therefore the new order was
hailed with delight.
Imagine to yourself. gentle read
or the meeting of old friends and com
panions after separation Of two or
more years, and you can then realize
what it meant to the troopers to once
more assemble as regiment. Such
swapping Of yarns and experiences as
the men dmdulged in cannot be heard
at the present day except at a Grand
Army camp fire or reunion. Some
there were who wept tears Of Joy, 9th
ers shouted until they gave up from
sheer exhaustion, while others turned
to the intoxicating fhlid-but one and
all enthused at the prospects of once
again doing a soldiers duty. Ru-
mors we're rife Of Indian outbreaks
and depredatdons and those Of the
troopers who had seen service in
Kansas among the red men were i'm
portuned to regale the recruits with
their exploits
Camp was established on the out
skirts of Memphis for few days and
officers and men made the best of their
time in entertaining and being enter
tanned by the citizens. in which the
game OF "love at first sight" played
an important factor for week after
"Thht Girl, That Girl, That Pretty
Little Girl, That Girl l Left Behind
Me" was sung and whistled by the
command. Upon the arrival of the
steamers at Cairo, special trains we're
awaiting and the long and tedious
journey to the wild and wooNy" re-
summed. Frequent stops were neces-
sary In order to water the horses and
exercise them and also to give the
men an opportunity to get the kinks
out OF their limbs.
Those Of the outfit who may read
these lines will recall their introduc-
tion to Dakota and the good people
of Yankton tie end, for the present,
of the command. Coming from a 'warm
climate the troops were not prepared
Tor the blizzard that came upon the a
that April day, 1873. After the troops
had detrained. Lieutenant Colonel Gus
ter (his bret az general coming later)
and detail sallied forth to find slut.
able grounds to establish camp, which
they finally did about mile from the
town. The day broke fair and the
sun seemed to vie with the citizens
In bidding the command welcome.
haste was made and ere the work of
establishing our city Of white had
been completed a cold, drizzhng rain
set in followed by light, fluffy snow,
and az the day came to close the
men found themselves enveloped in a
genuine Dakota blizzard. So. severe
did the storm become @hat the order
was soon issued by the adjutant for
the men to break camp and with their
horses seek shelter in the town.
It was in this hour of need and dis
tress that many of the officers and
men were to learn what true weDtern
hospitality meant as with one accord
the citizens opened their homes TO
these strangers and did all IN. their
power to make them comfortable, new
er for moment considering the in