The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-10-22

Amt what Pm a-drivin' at" he argued.
"S'pOsen you wuz arter Injuns an RELY
wanted to hev a tuSsel with EN-; would
you climb into an ambulance an be hauled
artter 'em-that 'ere's the pint I'm a
headin' fer?"
"WeII," replied Custer, striving hard to
restrain an impulse to burst out laughing,
Il should prefer the method on horseback,
provided 1 really desired to catch the In
dams; but If 1 wished them to catch me,
1 would adopt the ambulance method Of
attack"
Nov you've hit the nail SOAR on the
head, Gin'rul," exclaimed Joe. "Ive bin
with 'em on the Plains whar' they started
out arter the Injuns on wheels, jest as
if they wuz a-go1n' to a town funeral in
the States-an' they stood bout as much
chance of ketchin' 'em as a six-mule team
would Of ketchin' a pack Of thievin' ki-O-
tees-just as muehw
Having relieved his mind thus, Cali
fornia Joe took his place at the head OF
the column, accompanying the detachment
which, in his opinion, seemed best OF en-
cOuntering the savages.
This was just prior to the battle OF the
Washita, in November, 1868, and while
Custer was endeavoring to locate the vii
lage Of Black Kettle, the celebrated Chey-
enne chief (which, by the way, he attacked
and destroyed while that chief, ana others,
was encamped along the Wash1ta River
under the protection Of Gen. w. b. Hazen,
not being hostile at that time-in. fact,
Black Kettle, according to the testimony
| OF OLD army Officers anu AuDcIpLCICIcs was
never considered a hostile chief, and per-
sonally was never known to go on the
warpath against the whites, although ne
was unable to restrain many Of his young
men from so dOing.)
The comand started out in the darkness
Of night, and after proceeding for some
distance, it was deemed advisable to know
something Of the numbers and exact posi-
ton of the Indians. Custer therefore de-
eided to send a party of picked men under
the guidance Of California Joe, to crawl
up on the supposed position OF the saVages
and learn what they, could.
But while Custer was selecting the
proper men to accompany California Joe
: on this dangerous mission, and trying
II vainly to locate his chief Of scouts, there
came q rifle shot, accompanied by terrlIl'
{ charging forward out of the darkness
/, striking right and left with his long
I barreled musket, but California Joe, a
{ drunk as a "biled OWL" under the I'm
1 aginatiOn that he was charging an Ind1al
There was no way Of stopping him Of
q Of ~Quieting him, and orders were there
( fore given to bind Joe hand and loot u
0 the hack of his faithful mule and cOnve!
2 him to the tender mercies OF a guard a
4 a prisoner, for such misconduct.
Right there California Joe's career a
"chief OF scouts for Custer, ended, al
n though he continued with the expedition
e and did most valiant work at the prope
time.
The Cheyenne Vluage WdS !OCaCSu On -
Washita River, and the entire camp sur
n rounded in the dead of night. The atIac-
e was to be at dawn, and there was a ione
cold wait while the troops were reachln.
their various positions. During this en-
forced DELAY, Custer strOlled to the cam
Of the scouts, where CALIFORNIA Joe an
a his pals were engaged in low but earnes
CTstsr inauired what their opinion wa
in regard to the prospects for a real ngh
n California Joe snOrted.
1FiQhtr' he exclaimed. " amt mar
doubt cOncernin' that part nv the biEness
le bUt what Im tryin' to figger out
whether Wen run agin mOren we Dai
aTheR you think. JOe,"" continued Gu;
h ter. "that the Indians will not run away
1t "Ruu away 2-HOw in thunder kin lnJnI
d er ennybuddy else run away when we
d. have lem clean surrounded afore dayngnt
But supposing that we get the vlAS 4
surrounded all right-do you THINK y
hold our own against the Indians
= aTha 'ere's the very pint" argued 20
scratching his bushy head IN perp4eA1L
"If we jump..these here lnJ1ns a. tb5ngs
we're either going to make a spoon
spile a horn-that ere is my candl1 Jsu.
ment sure, an if them inJins donL ne.
nothin' oV us-,tin we open up on EN-
davliQht. they'll be the most poWerL'
'stonished redskins thet's been IN Cnel
'ere parts lately. An If we git the Duit
on 'em, an keep, a-putun u 70 Sn+to.
MAO ANCAJ~AAACl -
And SO the "battle" Of the Wasnita w
fought. with California Joe In the tnl6
Of the fray. Custer reports him as mo
ling about In q most independent ana pr
miscuous manner, now here, now tnet
according to where the fight ragged heroes
While the fray was at Its helgnC "a
fornia Joe came %gallOping up TO Gust
and reported that a large hero OF POM
was to be seen near at hand, q requese'
authority and some assistance 70 pm
them IA. The proper authority was CIV
him. and Custer had forgotten al EDO
the incident, when, in the course OF na
an hour. in came tearing q herd OF aDo
Nfthre ~huendred Indian ponies driven Dy
couple Of squawg, with California .
bringing up the rear, mounted on .
~favoFite mule and swinging his larl
Sfabout his head as q Whip, to- urge Z
"drags" IN rae herd forward. Joe n
captured the two sduRwR while endeavc
ing to secure the ponies, ana hao wise
made use OF the women to help bring I
Laser the capture OF the Indian villal
and while Custer was wisely retreaung
avoid another serious engagement wi
several hundred Indian allies who ",
N~tenoamped some miles further down {
Washita, and who mad promptly Fal1
TO the defense Of their ~trlbeGnen,
- 7aaTnp ~ the Seventh cavalry NRR DIES